The sectret diary of Legolas
Aragorn obviously starting to find Frodo strangely attractive. Sam will kill him if he tries anything.
Posted by Marcus
Sunday, January 13, 2002 02:01 p.m.

Esquivel, RIP
I know about the EMF guy and all, but to me, this is the real first music death of 2002. I think I first read about Esquivel in Tower Records' in-house magazine Pulse! in the early '90s, back when the cocktail/lounge movement was first getting noticed in the mainstream press. I ripped out the article, taped it to the wall and proceeded to dither over Esquivel discs for about a year, until I found one, Space-Age Bachelor Pad Music (with liner notes by Matt Groening!) on a huge sale and snapped it up. Funnily enough, I already had an album with a similar title, by Stereolab, who are apparently also big fans of the late sonic mastermind. The obit linked above mentions that John Leguizamo will be playing the role of Esquivel in a biopic. That sounds about right to me.
Friday, January 11, 2002 09:42 a.m.

Last orders, gentlemen, please
I heard about this film a couple of weeks ago after my friend Alex saw it on a flight from San Francisco to London. It has some real heavyweights of the British film industry in it (Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren, Ray Winstone), and is based on the novel by Graham Swift that won the UK Booker Prize. It looks like it's a really simple story but told really well, with a lot of heart. The trailer can be viewed here. I don't know what sort of release it's going to get, but keep an eye out for it. As a small aside, the cinematographer for the film is Brian Tufano who my Dad worked with on a short film a couple of years ago.
Posted by Marcus
Thursday, January 10, 2002 07:12 p.m.

R.E.M. to play in NYC
R.E.M. are to play a 'short set' at a Gay Men's Health Crisis benefit at the Carnegie Hall on the 31st January. If you want to go, tickets can be purchased via the benefit's website. Bear in mind, though, that you will have to sit through a set by Jewel, too.
Posted by Marcus
Thursday, January 10, 2002 07:10 p.m.

Who's got the crack?
Sophie and I are off to see the Moldy Peaches at the Horseshoe Tavern tonight. We're expecting to hear some deceptively retarded-sounding kindergarten skank-rock, as described by the NME. Good times will be had by all, I'm sure.
Posted by Marcus
Thursday, January 10, 2002 12:34 p.m.

Gorillaz play Toronto!
Damon Albarn and his cartoon cohorts are touring the US & Canada. The TO gig is just after my birthday, too. I've been meaning to download their album and give it a listen. Maybe this is the incentive I need? [Is this a thinly veiled hint for tickets to the show for your birthday? - Sophie]
Posted by Marcus
Wednesday, January 9, 2002 07:28 p.m.

Catalogue Under: Dorks—American—20th Century—Daly, Carson (1973- )
Dear God. How does an intellect-free yahoo such as the host of so-bad-it’s-good (or was in 1999, which is probably the last time I watched it) Total Request Live have the gall to aspire to rework the entire format of late-nite television talk shows? And then he wants to interview Ari Fleischer. Augh.
Posted by Sophie
Wednesday, January 9, 2002 06:01 p.m.

"Destiny dressed you this morning and now fear is trying to take off your pants!"
According to a Fox source, the live-action version of The Tick has been cancelled. This was quickly becoming a firm favourite round these parts, mostly due to Patrick Warburton’s excellent portrayal of the bumbling, yet enthusiastic, super hero. It will be sadly missed, but will live on in our ever-funnier repetition of Warburtonisms.
Posted by Marcus
Wednesday, January 9, 2002 05:56 p.m.

Solo Stephin
Magnetic Fields main man Stephin Merritt releases his first solo album later this month. The release is the soundtrack to the film Eban and Charley, which Pitchfork says chronicles the relationship of a gay pedophile (Eban, 29) and his victim (Charley, 14). I can’t say the film appeals to me, but I’m sure the CD will find a place in Sophie’s collection. [As Phil Hartman-as-Ed McMahon would say, YES! --Sophie] Thanks to Alex for the link.
Posted by Marcus
Wednesday, January 9, 2002 05:49 p.m.

BUST is Back!
And not a minute too soon. After joining forces with Razorfish, Celina Hex (aka Debbie Stoller) announced in September that the venerable yet youthful feminist magazine would become a monthly. In October, Razorfish went belly-up, and it looked like BUST would go with it. Tears of vexation were shed throughout the land. Or maybe just in my bedroom, once I realized that my subscription funds were going down the drain. But, lo! Celina and Areola (BUST's art director, Laurie) have bought back the name and are re-launching the magazine. Huzzah! Now if only my latest issue of Bitch would arrive.
Posted by Sophie.
Wednesday, January 9, 2002 12:29 p.m.

Jewels on a Shoestring
Those who know me know of my tragic love for the late, lamented Sassy magazine. Those who know my mother know of her obsession for buying good jewelry on the cheap, and of her habit of passing along much of what she finds (but can't or doesn't want to wear) to my sisters and I. How excellent that these two familial pet topics find themselves united in this article featuring former Sassy and current Lucky fashion editor Andrea Lee Linett's habit of combing pawnshops for her accessories! (It may interest other Sassy fans to note that former staff writer Kim France is the Editor-in-Chief of Lucky, which advertises itself not as a women's magazine, or even as a fashion magazine, but as "The Magazine About Shopping." Watch this space for a full review of the latest issue.) In further "where are they now?" Sassy news, Marjorie Ingall has an adorable and funny personal website called Snarly, and recently gave birth to a very cute little girl named Josephine, who you can read about at her doting grandfather's website, farklempt.com.
Posted by Sophie.
Wednesday, January 9, 2002 12:24 p.m.

New Album on the Way
According to Jeepster (their UK record label) Belle & Sebastian are putting the finishing touches on a new album that will contain the music they recorded for the new Todd Solondz film Storytelling. The album is due for release in the spring. If their two singles from last year are any indication, it should be another corker.
Posted by Marcus.
Tuesday, January 8, 2002 06:16 p.m.

I Am Sam
This is the new movie starring Sean Penn. Sophie and I saw the preview for it when we went to see The Royal Tennanbaums and it was a complete blub-fest. Sean did a really good job in the short clip we saw and I would really like to see the film, but I'm not sure I could take being put through the emotional mangle that much. I may limit myself to picking up the soundtrack that feature all covers of Beatles songs done by such heavyweights as Aimee Mann & Michael Penn, Rufus Wainwright, Paul Westerberg and Nick Cave.
Posted by Marcus
Tuesday, January 8, 2002 06:12 p.m.

Just love your brother and drink a good glass of red wine every day
That's the secret to long life, according to Antonio Todde, the world's oldest man, who died recently, less than a month from his 113th birthday. Also, did you know that about 135 people per million on the island of Sardinia, home of Todde, live to see their 100th birthday? That number might seem small, but it's nearly twice the Western average, which is closer to 75 per million.
Monday, January 7, 2002 11:14 p.m.

What's being read at kerplink towers this month?
I came across Magnet just before Christmas and guessed that any magazine that featured Spiritualized, Sparklehorse, and David Byrne, among others, had to be at least worth a look, and right I was. [Well, anything that's straight outta Philly is worth a look, in my book. - Sophie] The website is also worth a look. It's all frames based and I'm not sure how to link to specific pages, but there are some nice images in the photo gallery (I especially like the Magnetic Fields one) and a number of interesting looking articles in the archives section. I suggest having a good rummage around and maybe picking up a copy if you see it in your local bookstore.
Monday, January 7, 2002 11:11 p.m.

And the winner is...
As promised, here are the winners from last night's AFI awards (scroll down the page to see them). I watched the whole 3 hour show, and for the most part, it was pretty good. Thankfully the acceptance speeches were mostly short, but it did show that unless actors can have several takes at something, they are useless public speakers (Diane Keaton, please stand up). LOTR got best picture and Gene Hackman won best featured actor for The Royal Tenenbaums. I was also pleased that The Man Who Wasn't There won for cinematography, as the film looked fantastic, but why were the recipients for the craft awards (cinematography, editing, effects, etc.) not invited up to collect their awards?
Sunday, January 6, 2002 03:33 p.m.

BBC employees take more than they should
It seems employees of the venerable British Broadcasting Corporation have been helping themselves to more than just excess stationary and postage stamps. I wonder if my Dad will be asked to return the picture that he got from the set of the BBC drama Casualty on which he works?
Sunday, January 6, 2002 12:38 a.m.

New kid on the block
There's a new award show this year, the American Film Institute Awards 2001. Looking through the list of nominees in TV and motion pictures they seem to have highlighted some good stuff, including Buffy going up against The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and The West Wing as best TV drama. A hard call indeed. I will certainly be doing my best to tune in tonight at 8pm for the results. I'll also do my best to find a round up piece with all the results tomorrow, for all of you who can't tune in.
Saturday, January 5, 2002 04:31 p.m.

Happy New Year, folks! The last few months have been very happy ones at kerplink headquarters. Happy, and busy - between schoolwork, housework (Advantage of excellent house: it's so big! Disadvantage of excellent house: it's so big!), and the fun work of being a lady about town, I've been horribly neglectful of kerplink. During it all, my best beloved, Marcus has kept up his role of unofficial co-editor, digging up links and saving them to a special links file for me, only to see me let them languish in dated obscurity. No more, friends. From today forward, Marcus will be my official co-editor in all thinks (kerp)linky. He's being characteristically bashful and self-effacing about it all, but since he's had at least a year's experience as a successful link-finder, I have every confidence in his ability to provide you with the near-daily best in amusing, alarming, and truly trivial news items. I'll still be around, poking my nose and snarky, speed-typing commentary in whenever I darn well please (and even occasionally updating independently of Marcus! Because we're shocking and ever-so-21st-century), so don't think you'll miss me much. Just don't be surprised if you see more than the average number of links to articles about the sexy ladies of Sci-Fi.
Saturday, January 5, 2002 03:03 p.m.

At least there's no Steely Dan this year
Well, the Grammy nominations are out and U2 seem to have hit big with All That You Can't Leave Behind (though it was released in 2000!). As usual, there are a number of aberrations. David Gray as best NEW artist (just like Shelby Lynne last year!). His first album came out in 1993. Also, where are The Strokes and The White Stripes in this category?

I would like to send out a shout to R.E.M., though, who get nominations for Imitation Of Life in the Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal and for the art work for Reveal in the Best Recording Package categories.

You can get a full list of the nominations here, but be warned it's a pdf file so you will need Adobe Acrobat installed.
Saturday, January 5, 2002 02:42 p.m.

They've always been a band in the greatest sense
Interview with Cameron Crowe conducted by the staff at R.E.M. HQ in Athens GA talking about the soundtrack to Vanilla Sky and his love of R.E.M., who feature prominently on it.

Quote: "I never wrote about REM, though i've always loved them from afar. They are one of the great soulful/powerful American bands--equal masters of both killer albums and killer singles. And, of course, they were the first band to ever mention Lester Bangs in a song... so they've always had one foot in heaven just for doing that."

The soundtrack also has its own website, featuring interview soundbites and clips from all the tracks.
Saturday, January 5, 2002 02:18 p.m.

Once Bitten
Will this put Moby off stroking stray pussies? Who knows? (Nice glasses, by the way.) Sophie, rolling her eyes: I think Moby's a liberated enough man to know when his advances aren't wanted. Oh, wait, you were talking about cats?? Right, well, nevermind. Um, does anyone else think that Moby's glasses give him an unwholesomely penetrating-yet-walleyed gaze? Yikes!
Saturday, January 5, 2002 02:16 p.m.

Backstreet: Yet More 'Behind the Music' Fodder
More Backstreet woes as Nick is arrested after a nightclub brawl in Florida. Ah, the trials of being not so handsome, obviously not clever, but terribly, terribly, rich.
Saturday, January 5, 2002 02:16 p.m.

Unbelievable!
EMF bass player dead at 31! No news as to the cause, but is this the first rock death of 2002? Best EMF moment: Tom Jones singing 'Unbelievable' with the band on the old UK TV show 'The Word'.
Saturday, January 5, 2002 02:14 p.m.

A Bargain Sophie's Bubbe Would Approve!
A teenager in England changes 10 pounds sterling into Euros and due to a programming error with the exchange rate in a store's till, eventually buys more than 130 pounds' worth of designer goods, with change to spare! It's all legal too, as he has receipts as proof of purchase. Now that's a price that's right.
Saturday, January 5, 2002 02:02 p.m.