#YesAllWomen

Because I just admitted something on Twitter that I've never told most people I know. (#YesAllWomen) Everyone should read the #YesAllWomen page on twitter, even those like me who have little use for twitter or use it begrudgingly. Something is happening today and it's important. Women are reacting to the recent Isla Vista attack in a personal way. Even Wil Wheaton and Aimee Mann have contributed their thoughts via the hashtag. Of course the reaction is far from all positive, but it's still proof that social media needn't be completely irrelevant. Here's one of my tweets: Because the all male Punk Rock band Naked Raygun spoke for me when I could not:

Who's the Rodney Dangerfield of Music Journalism?

Q: Who's the Rodney Dangerfield of Music Journalism? A: I am, that's who. Plus Ramblings Like Journalistic Integrity & Some of the Best (Rock) Music of the Past Six Decades. Please allow me to take this moment to be a bit bitter. Rolling Stone, just issued a piece on Jack White which referred to him as "The Willy Wonka of Rock & Roll." I felt like a hack and late to the party when I referred to White as Wonka over three years ago in this lil' engine that might blog. Similarly, several years ago I was writing reviews for a respected magazine. I pitched a well researched meaty idea about White and the not yet established / eminently launching store front & label Third Man Records. They were very interested (I was told), but told me shortly thereafter they would pass on my idea. Several months later (un)said magazine did a cover piece about White's Third Man Records and featured an interview. Was I a bit miffed? Yes. This was not the first time I'd experienced such an event in my "illustrious career." My pitches for music, film, and feminist interest pieces were written about later by others, sometimes the person to whom I'd sent the pitch. Hell my kitschy (pre zeitgeist) piece with a member of White Denim spewing tales of bacon and related merchandise was rejected with a "No one wants to read about bacon." Okay, understood, not what the Dr ordered, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable albeit non traditional band interview which arose from having to write an interview piece with a band member who absolutely refused to speak about anything remotely related to music. However, a year later the same editor approved a print piece on bacon and bacon related merchandise with full layout. The magazine went under, and neither Pitchfork (although I've still managed to scoop them occasionally), nor others for whom I'm qualified to be paid to write have knocked on my door and honestly I'm not concerned with being cool. I just love music and I like not having to take on stories in which I have no interest. This obviously negatively effects my career so I've been languishing in the "Is anyone reading this?" unpaid world of the humble DIY blog and an on again off again enjoyable contribution to a Canadian online magazine. But from whom do you want your musical opinions and information? You can choose someone qualified but unbiased by a corporate agenda or ongoing dependent relationship with labels and P.R. people. That encompasses many blogs and websites since the internet has opened the world ever wider for everyone to have an opinion, but you have to find opinions worth reading and writing that is competent. I've repeatedly spotted errors in both grammar and facts on major sites that I'd venture to say wouldn't have made it past a print editor a scant few years ago. I began writing here for pleasure while still writing for other venues. I wanted a place to express opinions without the parameters that often exist in the professional world of journalism. I wanted to do what I loved and write about all sorts of things in both traditional and non traditional formats. I wrote straight news about tour dates and upcoming releases and reviewed some albums or singles, or just threw songs and videos to the audience when I found them worthwhile, but then began to experience some of the pressures both self induced and that from prodding P.R. "friends" emails. You may know what I mean, it goes something like this "Hey how are you doing? So and So is coming to (insert nearby venue) and I'm wondering what you can do for me?" And "Hey just checking in again about "so and so" and if you're interested in covering them pre-album, or pre-show or doing a review." A few colleagues even sent the above sort of correspondence, but with an added "Checking in again about my email of (some date) and (some other date) as if I were receiving some form of administrative communication from someone to whom I was beholden. Guess what? I didn't reply. I secretly wanted to write "Hey regarding your unnecessary repeat emails regarding something in which I have no interest, I didn't get back to you because that band and or album bores the great googly moogly outta me. They don't even suck. They don't evoke an opinion. They're ponderously beige. Look (insert p.r. person) I know it and you know it, this shit is marginal at best. Just send me a sign, put out a smoke signal, give me a code word for when something is actually worth a.) listening to and b.) writing about because it's so good I feel I must tell others. Sweet crikes on melba toast I don't want to struggle to form 50-200 words to describe another mind numbingly boring album. I don't want to be reminded I'm waiting for something to move me like a fourteen year old discovering The Kinks Something Else, The Stooges Raw Power, The Pixies Doolittle,Beck Odelay, The Flaming Lips Soft Bulletin, Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not, The Dead Weather Horehound, The Strypes Snapshot or OFF! Wasted Years. Asking to be moved by music enough to bother to write about it isn't too much to ask. Neither is getting an honest uncolored opinion unconcerned with cool points. I support bands that I feel deserve my cash (what precious little there is of it) and or offer to sell merch for them when they come into town, because I want to help and because I'm competent and trustworthy - the same thing I can say about my writing all the time. I don't have to whore myself or struggle to come up with new and interesting ways to say "meh." So I won't. If someone into my blog or twitter (@thisismyhappeni)or facebook (Kaye Telle) wants to give me the "heads up" on something I should try to review, I welcome it. If you follow me on Facebook and not Twitter or vice versa I'd appreciate an add. So as Spinal Tap begins I'll end: "But hey, enough of my yakkin'; whaddaya say? Let's boogie!"

Life After Beth To See U.S. Theatrical Release

After its January 19 premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, the long in limbo film Life After Beth will see a limited U.S. release August 15. It's a zombie love story, and not the first. Resistance is futile you will be assimilated. That information is far more intriguing than the official Life After Beth trailer, which is really nothing more than a mildly successful teaser: But what has me jazzed, (besides the fact that off the beaten path films are sort of my "thing"), is the cast which includes Anna Kendrik, Molly Shannon, Dane DeHaan, the always brilliant John C. Reilly, the hilarious Aubrey Plaza, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Paul Reiser (who once caused me to miss a night of drinks with Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson - an act for which I have deemed him unforgivable). Additionally Jeff Baena who co-wrote David O. Russell’s genius I Heart Huckabees directed and wrote the screenplay for this this horror/drama/Comedy. Please do not come up with a new genre catchall name along the lines of "romcom" or I'll stick a cricket behind your refrigerator.

My Thoughts on Mothers Day

This Mothers Day I'd like to take a moment to reflect upon those who've made other "life choices." I'd like to give a shout out to all the lesbian seagulls.

Oppressed Majority

An interesting short film that reverses gender roles. Oppressed Majority (Majorité Opprimée English), by Eleonore Pourriat

Richard Ayoade film The Boxtrolls

The fabulous Richard Ayoade who has been involved in many things that bring me joy and wonder (The IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, Submarine, The Mighty Boosh) has directed a new film The Boxtrolls. Check out a teaser clip of this fantastic looking artistic film. This is the second full length film directed by Ayoade, a follow up to the coming of age tale Submarine adapted from the book by Joe Dunthorne. The Boxtrolls is based on the children's novel Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow. The time and craft invested in The Boxtrolls is staggering. It looks simply amazing. Boxtrolls opens September 26, 2014c

Rooftop Films Opening Weekend

THIS IS WHAT WE MEAN BY SHORT FILMS Date: Friday, May 16 Venue: Industry City, 39th Street and First Avenue, Sunset Park, Brooklyn Directions: Take the D, N, or R trains to 36th Street Tickets: $13 8:00PM: Doors Open 8:30PM: Live Music 9:00PM: Films Begin 11:30PM: After party celebration with DJs and dancing The Rooftop Films Summer Series is nothing if not wild, and this selection of dynamic short films encapsulates the adventurous spirit of the organization. This is a short film program that will inspire you to pump iron, smack your friends’ butts, launch yourself into space, question the concepts of time and life, and then go home to share an egg sandwich and recharge. Sounds fun? It will be. Bunda Pandeiro (Carlo Sampietro | 3’) In Brazilian slang, the phrase “Bunda Pandeiro” is used to describe attractive buttocks by referring to them as a tambourine. This film blurs lines between gender and race, reducing each participant to the utilitarian role of a musical instrument. Filmmaker in Attendance. Rhino Full Throttle (Nashom im Galopp) (Erik Schmitt | 15’) A young man uses art to reshape the city around him in search of its soul, but a beautiful tourist overtakes his mission in this imaginative love story. Symphony No. 42 (Réka Busci | 10’) 47 observations in the irrational connections between human and nature. An Extraordinary Person (Quelqu'un d'Extraordinaire) (Monia Chokri | 28’) A 30-year-old scholar, intelligent and beautiful yet socially crippled, is forced to attend a bachelorette party where her quest for authenticity leads to an unavoidable confrontation with old acquaintances. Winner of SXSW Jury Prize. Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared II: Time (Becky Sloan, Joe Pelling | 4’) Rooftop Alumnus Eventually everyone runs out of time – but before that happens to you, make some time to go on a journey, a journey through directorial duo Becky & Joe’s existentialist universe of temporal confusion, TV guides and bathtime. Afronauts (Frances Bodomo | 13’) Rooftop Alumnus It's July 16, 1969: America is preparing to launch Apollo 11. Thousands of miles away, the Zambia Space Academy hopes to beat America to the moon in this film inspired by true events. Filmmaker in Attendance. Master Muscles (Efren Hernandez | 13’) Veronika and Efren take a trip. Filmmaker in Attendance. Person To Person (Dustin Guy Dega | 18’) Rooftop Alumnus Waking up the morning after hosting a party, a man discovers a stranger passed out on his floor. He spends the rest of the day trying to convince her to leave. For more information visit: OBVIOUS CHILD Date: Saturday, May 17 Venue: Industry City, 39th Street and First Avenue, Sunset Park, Brooklyn Directions: Take the D, N, or R trains to 36th Street Tickets: $13 8:00PM: Doors Open 8:30PM: Live Music 9:00PM: Films Begin 10:30PM: Q&A with filmmaker Gillian Robespierre 11:30PM: After party celebration Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern gets dumped, fired, and pregnant just in time for the best/worst Valentine's Day of her life in this film festival favorite. Courtesy of A24 Films. Winner of the Rooftop Films Eastern Effects Equipment Grant. Rooftop Films is a non-profit organization whose mission is to engage and inspire the diverse communities of New York City by showcasing the work of emerging filmmakers and musicians. In addition to their annual Summer Series – which takes place in unique outdoor venues every weekend throughout the summer – Rooftop provides grants to filmmakers, teaches media literacy and filmmaking to young people, rents equipment at low-cost to artists and non-profits, and produces new independent films. At Rooftop Films, we bring underground movies outdoors. For more information and updates please visit their website at www.rooftopfilms.com.