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Posts Tagged “andy beta”

videodrone

ZZ Top: The True Idea Men Behind "What Not To Wear"


Idolator film-music critic Andy Beta places the videos for "Gimme All Your Lovin',": "Sharp Dressed Man," and "Legs" under his critical microscope: "Under such pressure, these blue-collar boys encounter their fairy godfathers, ZZ Top (who appear like a mirage in the Texas Panhandle landscape), via a set of magical car keys with the ZZ logo and 'The Eliminator' herself, a customized two-door, cherry-red 1933 Ford coupe. Attended by a triumvirate of hotties decked out in halter tops, fishnets, leather minis, studded belts, and red pumps, these modern-day Fates arrive just in time for the makeovers (seriously, in the intervening decades, how did no one at Spike TV conceive of Skank Eye for the Straight Guy?) and triumph." Andy, I hope you put a patent on Skank Eye For The Straight Guy right after you file your review, so the good people at Spike pay you the cash you deserve. [Village Voice / YouTube]

9:30 AM on Wed Aug 27 2008
By Maura Johnston
67 views, Comment

"Paste" Goes The "World" Just two days after pondering the idea of "world music" via The Believer's new music issue, I ran across an actual music mag jumping into the same pool. The August issue of Paste is dubbed "The International Issue," with a cover a drawing of a spike-haired Chinese punk (red-yellow color scheme, Andy Beta's feature on the state of the country's rock) screaming into a mike. "Redefining World Music," says the caption. Nothing else beyond the logo, price info, and UPC symbol are on the cover. I've barely thumbed through it, but whatever you think of Paste, that's a pretty bold move. Give them credit for trusting their audience enough to take the chance. [Paste]

6 comments

vhs or beta?

The Sun City Girls' Alan Bishop Goes To The Movies

Ed. note: It's time for another installment of "VHS Or Beta?", where Andy Beta looks at the music behind the movies—from preserved-by-Criterion classics to completely inane summer blockbusters. In this installment, he talks to fellow film-music obsessive Alan Bishop about Ennio Morricone, underheralded score composers, and the work his group the Sun City Girls did on Harmony Korine's latest movie, Mister Lonely: More »

10:00 AM on Fri May 23 2008
By Andy Beta
423 views, 1 comment

vhs or beta?

Wong Kar Wai Ladles Out A Few Blueberry-Stuffed Lullabyes

Ed. note: It's time for another installment of "VHS Or Beta?", where Andy Beta looks at the music behind the movies—from preserved-by-Criterion classics to completely inane summer blockbusters. In this installment, he travels along America's byways with Wong Kar Wai and his first English-language feature, My Blueberry Nights: More »

12:00 PM on Fri Apr 25 2008
By Andy Beta
382 views, 2 comments

vhs or beta?

The New York City Rhythms Of "Taxi Driver"


Ed. note: It's time for another installment of "VHS Or Beta?", where Andy Beta looks at the music behind the movies—from preserved-by-Criterion classics to completely inane summer blockbusters. In this installment, he looks at the music from Martin Scorsese's 1976 classic Taxi Driver: More »

9:30 AM on Fri Jan 18 2008
By Andy Beta
765 views, 5 comments

vhs or beta?

The Oscillations And Pulses Behind "The Andromeda Strain"

Ed. note: It's time for another installment of "VHS Or Beta?", where Andy Beta looks at the music behind the movies—from preserved-by-Criterion classics to completely inane summer blockbusters. In this installment, he listens to the long-out-of-print—yet oddly of the moment—score for the 1971 bioterror thriller The Andromeda Strain. More »

1:30 PM on Fri Dec 14 2007
By Andy Beta
348 views, 3 comments

vhs or beta?

"I'm Not There" Puts Together Bob Dylan's Pieces

Ed. note: It's time for another installment of "VHS Or Beta?", where Andy Beta looks at the music behind the movies—from preserved-by-Criterion classics to completely inane summer blockbusters. In this installment, he checks out Todd Haynes' look at Bob Dylan's multiple personalities, I'm Not There. More »

12:35 PM on Fri Nov 9 2007
By Andy Beta
1,221 views, 4 comments

vhs or beta?

"Hot Rod" Performs Some Stunts With Synths

Ed. note: Today, we introduce "VHS Or Beta?", a new column in which Andy Beta looks at the music behind the movies—from preserved-by-Criterion classics to completely inane summer blockbusters. In his opening column, he takes on the soundtrack to the Andy Samberg comedy Hot Rod, which, alas, is "Dick In A Box"-free. More »

1:00 PM on Fri Aug 3 2007
By Andy Beta
1,570 views, 1 comment

assumer guide

Truck-Stop Pickups And Dockers Ads

As Consumer Guide creator Robert Christgau once noted, there is so much recorded media coming forth every day, the idea that one would be able to listen to all of it is physically impossible. So we've taken the sage advice of gonzo rock writer Richard Meltzer to heart. Meltzer, ever the curmudgeon, considered promo albums precious commodities—provided you didn't break the shrinkwrap on 'em, as doing so reduced their resale value. After the click-through, Andy Beta judges four new albums without even cracking open their covers.
More »

4:00 PM on Fri Jun 29 2007
By mjohnston
990 views, 4 comments

Latest by betablog: i miss my girlfriend. more »

assumer guide

Morning Flapjacks And "Mega Man" Bosses

As Consumer Guide creator Robert Christgau once noted, there is so much recorded media coming forth every day, the idea that one would be able to listen to all of it is physically impossible. So we've taken the sage advice of gonzo rock writer Richard Meltzer to heart. Meltzer, ever the curmudgeon, considered promo albums precious commodities—provided you didn't break the shrinkwrap on 'em, as doing so reduced their resale value. After the click-through, Andy Beta judges four new albums without even cracking open their covers. More »

3:05 PM on Fri Jun 8 2007
By mjohnston
1,018 views, Comment

assumer guide

Assumer Guide: Biology Dropouts And Action Figures

As Consumer Guide creator Robert Christgau once noted, there is so much recorded media coming forth every day, the idea that one would be able to listen to all of it is physically impossible. So we've taken the sage advice of gonzo rock writer Richard Meltzer to heart. Meltzer, ever the curmudgeon, considered promo albums precious commodities—provided you didn't break the shrinkwrap on 'em, as doing so reduced their resale value. After the click-through, Andy Beta judges four new albums without even cracking open their covers. More »

4:21 PM on Tue May 29 2007
By mjohnston
834 views, 3 comments

Latest by daviday: solo piano is amazing. seconded. more »

assumer guide

Assumer Guide: Trustafarian Cowpokes And Woolly Sasquatches

As Consumer Guide creator Robert Christgau once noted, there is so much recorded media coming forth every day, the idea that one would be able to listen to all of it is physically impossible. So we've taken the sage advice of gonzo rock writer Richard Meltzer to heart. Meltzer, ever the curmudgeon, considered promo albums precious commodities—provided you didn't break the shrinkwrap on 'em, as doing so reduced their resale value. After the click-through, Andy Beta judges four new albums without even cracking open their covers. More »

1:43 PM on Thu Apr 19 2007
By mjohnston
898 views, 4 comments

Latest by teemo: Don't feel too bad almostred. I was zipping through my RSS reader, saw (ooh!) Sia (whom I'd recently come across via the Mylo remix of Breathe Me - yes yes late to the party), then saw "dead" and spent more »

assumer guide

Assumer Guide: Dead Rats And Blood-Red Nails

As Consumer Guide creator Robert Christgau once noted, there is so much recorded media coming forth every day, the idea that one would be able to listen to all of it is physically impossible. So we've taken the sage advice of gonzo rock writer Richard Meltzer to heart. Meltzer, ever the curmudgeon, considered promo albums precious commodities—provided you didn't break the shrinkwrap on 'em, as doing so reduced their resale value. After the click-through, SXSW outlaw Andy Beta judges four new albums without even cracking open their covers. More »

4:27 PM on Thu Mar 29 2007
By mjohnston
1,068 views, 2 comments

Latest by catdirt: boss hog jon spencer side project? more »

assumer guide

Assumer Guide: Vacation Pictures And Life-Sized Action Figures

As Consumer Guide creator Robert Christgau once noted, there is so much recorded media coming forth every day, the idea that one would be able to listen to all of it is physically impossible. So we've taken the sage advice of gonzo rock writer Richard Meltzer to heart. Meltzer, ever the curmudgeon, considered promo albums precious commodities—provided you didn't break the shrinkwrap on 'em, as doing so reduced their resale value. After the click-through, SXSW outlaw Andy Beta judges four new albums without even cracking open their covers. More »

2:25 PM on Thu Mar 22 2007
By mjohnston
842 views, 2 comments

Latest by J DTZR: That Gruff Rhys disc is actually pretty good more »

sxsw

Idolator's SXSW Outlaw: Feeling At Home For The Very First Time

We close out our South By Southwest coverage with the final dispatch from chief assumer (and former Austinite) Andy Beta, who provided us with the outsider's perspective on the badge-littered, wristband-bordered maze that was getting into shows. In this installment, he finds a little bit of Texas, thanks to a barbecue and a band from Brooklyn. More »

1:26 PM on Tue Mar 20 2007
By mjohnston
757 views, Comment

sxsw

Idolator's SXSW Outlaw: Bloody Marys And Bleeding Eardrums

If there's one thing that's true about South By Southwest, it's that much of it is based on access—the combinations of badges, wristbands, hand-stamps, and nods that get people into and behind the scenes of shows can be downright dizzying. To figure out what, exactly, it's like to experience the festival with not so much as a wristband, we enlisted chief assumer (and former Austinite) Andy Beta to give us the outsider's perspective. In this installment, he learns that the free brunches at SXSW have their own painful price. More »

12:26 AM on Mon Mar 19 2007
By mjohnston
438 views, 1 comment

Latest by Ned Raggett: All right, great to see some love for Alela here. She rocks and her album is well worth seeking out. Here's her myspace page if you want to check out her stuff. more »

sxsw

Idolator's SXSW Outlaw: Splintering Off At A Former Crack Den

If there's one thing that's true about South By Southwest, it's that much of it is based on access—the combinations of badges, wristbands, hand-stamps, and nods that get people into and behind the scenes of shows can be downright dizzying. To figure out what, exactly, it's like to experience the festival with not so much as a wristband, we enlisted chief assumer (and former Austinite) Andy Beta to give us the outsider's perspective. In this installment, he checks out one of the many splinter festivals around town. More »

9:13 PM on Sun Mar 18 2007
By mjohnston
281 views, Comment

sxsw

Idolator's SXSW Outlaw: The Melvins Rip A Hole In Time

If there's one thing that's true about South By Southwest, it's that much of it is based on access—the combinations of badges, wristbands, hand-stamps, and nods that get people into and behind the scenes of shows can be downright dizzying. To figure out what, exactly, it's like to experience the festival with not so much as a wristband, we enlisted chief assumer (and former Austinite) Andy Beta to give us the outsider's perspective. In this installment, he watches as the Melvins join forces with a car company. More »

11:02 AM on Sat Mar 17 2007
By mjohnston
538 views, 1 comment

Latest by noamjamski: I saw the Melvins/Big Business show at Warsaw a few months ago and my body still hasn't recovered from the musical beating it took. Do you know David Yow joined them for a few shows on that tour? more »