#medium well

MEDIUM WELL

(Music and Other Media)

Yōsuke Yamashita - “Burning Piano”

In 2008, jazz pianist Yosuke Yamashita improvised a piece on a burning piano, and in doing so, launched a thousand news reporter puns about his “burning” passion for music ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) .

(I’m filing this under Medium Well, because the art really isn’t in the music, it’s in the act itself. Thus, it’s a lot closer to performance art than it is to a concert.)

What I love about the performance is how Yamashita mirrors the growing fire and the disintegration of the piano in his playing. Part of it, of course, comes from the fact that as the flames grow, the piano wires begin to snap and twang, adding little arhythmic stabs to the piece. But watch and listen to how he’s playing. As the flames grow, his playing becomes more frantic and panicked, rushing over the keys as though he’s desperately trying to find the ones that still make sound, trying to find the music before it’s lost.

But, like everything, eventually it is.

- TWG

RIFFS AND VARIATIONS

(Alternate Takes, Live Versions, and Early Mixes)

Tag Team - “Addams Family (Whoomp)”

I recently watched both The Addams FamilyandAddams Family Values for the first time in twenty odd years, and it was quite the eye-opening experience. My memory of the films was essentially limited to the fact that Christina Ricci had essentially single-handedly introduced me to the concept of being attracted to women. Beyond that, it was all a blank.

Therefore, I was surprised by how much the second film improved on the first. The Addams Family is a complete misfire of a film, completely inept at elements as basic as understanding that the appeal of the Addams is watching them juxtaposed with normal folks. Addams Family Values, on the other hand, builds both it’s A and B story such clashes of culture. (The fact that it also improves the pacing, story structure, and gags also helps.)

But the real surprise came at the end of Addams Family Values.

Specifically, I mean when the credits start to roll and Tag Team’s “Addams Family (Whoomp!)” started to play. If I’m being honest, I lost my mind a little bit. How could I not? The only acceptable response is maddening laughter. I mean, who watched Raul Julia and Angelica Huston vamping around and thought “I’ve got it! Miami bass music!”

What makes it even more hilarious is how seriously Tag Team takes their job of providing a theme song to the film. Some film songs are barely related to the movies they support, but not this one. This one has references to every major character in the film, and even relays major plot points. DC and Steve Roll’n were paid to do a job and they were gonna do it, by God! No one was gonna forget Cousin Itt on their watch!

When you really think about it, though, the song makes a bit more sense. While on the surface the marriage of gently creepy kids characters and horny Miami bass rap sounds like an odd leap, it’s actually pretty much in line with Tag Team’s general M.O. After all, as we’ve noted before on this blog, “Whoomp! (There It Is)” is essentially a pseudo-cleaned up reworking of 95 South’s “Whoot, There It Is.” If sanitizing booty-shaking music got you to the top, wouldn’t you consider doubling down on it? Tag Team sure did. They followed up “Addams Family (Whoomp)” with “Whoomp! (There It Went)” which featured Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Goofy, and “Pig Power In The House” from the movie Gordy (aka The Pig Movie That Isn’t Babe).

That, of course, does nothing to diminish the joy that can be found in listening to a dude talk about a family of kindly spooky goths the way that ScHoolboy Q talks about Hoover Street.

Addams Family runnin’ thangs, indeed.

- TWG

PS: Charles Addams, the creator of the Addams Family, is one of my favorite cartoonists of all time. If you’ve never checked out his work, this postscript is officially encouraging you to do so.

PPS: I guess this also kinda counts as a Medium Wellentry?

MEDIUM WELL

(Music and Other Media)

David Bowie in an ad for Luv ice cream bars.

Blink and you’ll miss him, but this black and white British ice cream advert features an early appearance by the future Ziggy Stardust, Thin White Duke, and 2016 Dolphin/Shark Album of the Year winner: David Bowie.

(Check out the guys running up the stairs at the beginning to get the best glimpse of him. Look for those dreamy, dreamy eyes.)

Now, it’s possible to see this is as a case of a struggling artist taking a commercial gig to sustain himself while he was working on the whole “becoming pop music’s most multifaceted artist ever” thing. You know, because it is.

But I think it’s also telling that Bowie chose to get a gig in an ad. After all, he could’ve painted houses, or slung pints.

Perhaps I’m reading too much into this (which should be the subtitle of the site) but, Bowie’s dad worked as an adman, and I’ve always thought that had a bigger influence on his work than one would assume. After all, wasn’t one of Bowie’s greatest skills his ability to control and morph the way he presented himself? Not to get too crass about it, but what is Ziggy Stardust but a repackaging? Or even (gasp) a rebranding?

Since we’re both the scions of real estate agents, my girlfriend and I often discuss how our fall back plans are always SELL HOUSES!!! It’s strange to think that an artist of Bowie’s caliber may have felt the same influence from his parents.

Oh and the ad was directed by Ridley Scott.

- TWG