WAMPOHOLIC

Nardwuar vs. A$AP Rocky

Canadian interviewer Nardwuar has been in the game so long that I learn something about music with each video I watch. His oddness is offset by the heartfelt gifts that he offers to his subjects, and the deep study that he must engage in to come up with them. I so very want to be on the same level of knowledge that he and the musicians have attained that I picked out one of his hundreds of videos with a factoid that I can relate to myself: I have eaten chicken from Amy Ruth’s (as mentioned near 8:20). And it was nice chicken.

Mindless Self Indulgence, “Shut Me Up”

A lot of my favorite songs from my early teens have fallen out of favor for me. This hasn’t, thanks to its merger of pop’s melody and willingness to not be taken seriously with industrial’s hard-edged, rebellious sound. This whole album is MSI’s greatest. The video, directed by Jhonen Vasquez of Invader Zim quasi-fame, hasn’t held up as well— still, it’s the first time I’ve ever seen it in HD.

Hip like badass!

Vagabonding On The Pacific

aka John Barrymore and Walter Mayo fuck around with some seals while puffing away on cigarettes, the silent movie

Ibiza, once Eurofrat, looks like it’s been claimed by my generation.

Game of Thrones - It Gets Better (Spoilers)

My life is dark and full of terrors

Bill Burr, “Ordering A Sandwich”

For someone attempting to build his future with a joke scaffolding, I’m stupid ignorant when it comes to stand-up comedy. (And also people are more shocked by the movies that I haven’t seen than interested in the ones I have, but that’s another captioned Youtube clip for another day [The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, Paul Blart, there].) Over the past three-or-so years a lot of my good buddies have independently called me a “fucking idiot” for not trying stand-up. Also, I’ve recently realized that I can write myself silly (or sad, as it were) and even get paid for it… But in order to meet people, I have to perform. (yeah friends, suck on that, i claim all responsibility for my decision and your kind words meant nothing nyaanya)

So I’m doing that soon! And you won’t hear shit about it because I’m not inviting anyone to see me for quite some time as my friends will not be privy to my onstage collapses and nerve-farts (more than they already are)! But I do need to educate myself in the meantime, and so I’ve watched a good amount of Bill Burr tonight— a name I know but could not place to any material I’ve heard. I don’t dislike his comedy, but I also don’t enjoy it, and I feel like this very short clip encapsulates why.

He’s pissed off because he goes to a sandwich shop and the employee directs him to the free-standing mayo where Burr can apply it himself. His argument is “This dumbass working at the Subway won’t do the full job that I’m paying him to do.” But the mayo was separated from the sandwich counter because it’s cost-effective for the company, not cause people are lazy. So my reaction (in my voice in my head) is “maybe Burr should try actual restaurants, where you pay more so that people will put the mayo or, hey, anything they have available in the kitchen, aka infinitely more options, on your sandwich for you.” Because what he’s doing is finding the fault in the system and blaming the little guy for it, and it honestly makes me a tiddle squeamish, same as with other comics that employ rage and never temper it with love.

I know I have angry thoughts like that, but I try to catch myself in those moments, as it calms me and, of course, attacking myself is what’s funniest to me; “seriously Brian? you’re pissed off because this guy won’t put mayo on your sandwich? well with all the fuckin mayo you love to guzzle i guess you can’t lean those mayo-tubes you call legs on the gas pedal and motor your Rascal across the Subway, hammering into the wall until the mayo bottle wobbles off the counter and tumbles into your mouth, half-sticking out like you’re a first-time bong user.”

I’m not gonna pretend that’s funny but need I remind you that the whole point is that I can’t even make a joke out of tiny hate like Burr does because I don’t know how. And it’s not like he’s terrible for it, I’m simply exploring what comedy means to me and why his anger bothers me and how i will use it in my own stan *i float away on some rainbows and clouds still rambling to myself*

edit: I’m glad I didn’t suppose too much that he’s not self-aware

Major Lazer, “Bubble Butt” (dir. by Eric Wareheim) (NSFW)

Butt game apocalyptic. I couldn’t even watch this in full screen.

Mz. Champagne, “Ghetto (Land of the BadBitch)”

Here’s another World Star find, but I’m nowhere near as confused about my feelings on this. The beat samples Kill Bill, namely the siren ringing in the Bride’s mind every time she’s about to “bring the ghetto” to multiple weaker warriors. It’s used to best effect in the breakdown at 1:20, which demands better, faster dance moves. The video’s not a stand-out (though Mz. Champagne looks like a fun friend), but her voice has a husky, dangerous timbre to it. I’m just psyched to appropriate so much culture, y’know???

Save The Robot

Faizon and I have big plans for the near-future. Hopefully none of them include my monotone.

Jc Flamez, “The N*gga Song”

I’m trying to find out how to get a video posted on World Star Hip Hop, and this video is on the front page of World Star Hip Hop, and I’ve never been as mixed up about my opinion on something thanks to World Star Hip Hop.

I kinda really like WSHH.

The Mowgli’s, “San Francisco”

Sadness antidote! A song catchy enough to keep up with a coked-out lepidopterist, I respect their decision to use the titular bridge only once. It’s a unique treat right in the middle of the song, where a reprise would have diluted the feeling.

Lil Dicky, “Ex-Boyfriend”

This video was sent to me this morning by an ex-boyfriend of a girl I’m flirting with, both of them Los Angelinos that I’ve met since I moved out here. I’m happy that I’ve established myself enough in my new home to anger people with my love.

(This song is honestly funny, like a silly, raspy G-Eazy.)