Heavenly Host

Schenectady Neighbors for Peace memorial march,
Central Park, Schenectady, NY, 2009. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.
All rights reserved.

Tonight it's Sarah's turn in the spotlight, as she takes on hosting duties for both TV and radio shows! 

As I reported before, WEXT will be re-airing our "My Exit" guest DJ hour tonight at 11 p.m. ET, giving you all a chance to hear music that has been important to both of us through the years. You can stream the show on their website: exit977.org

Before that, tune into Schenectady's Open Stage Media (OSM) at 10 p.m., as Mrs. Clowe makes her TV debut, guest hosting for the program, "Building Peace." Created by Schenectady Neighbors for Peace (of which we are both members), the show looks at non-violent resolutions to current issues: tonight's program features an interview with SUNY Albany Professor Larry S. Wittner about nuclear disarmament. The show will be aired throughout the week, and those outside of Schenectady can watch the program on the OSM web page: openstagemedia.com

In the words of Beatle John: "Give Peace a Chance"—

of course we'll be playing some Beatles on the radio show!

Update (12/24): It's the gift that keeps on giving... WEXT will broadcast the radio show one more time this Saturday, December 28, 8 a.m. ET

Merry Christmas everyone!

Encore

With Diego Garcia this past November at a WEXT-
sponsored show in Albany (yes, he made "OurExit!").
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Sarah and I just learned that the guest DJ spot we recorded for Exit 97.7 WEXT over the summer will be rebroadcast this upcoming Monday, December 23, at 11 p.m. ET. We stumbled upon this news by hearing our promo air on the station a couple times during the last 24 hours... a bit of a surprise, but a nice compliment and way to end the year! 

WEXT's weekly "My Exit" program allows listeners to host an hour of their favorite music— this was my second time hosting, and Sarah and I used this occasion to celebrate our one year anniversary. It was good fun. 

We're lucky to have a non-commercial station like WEXT in the area. They produce several ongoing specialty shows, focusing on local music, Latin rock, classic soul, and so on... earlier this year they broadcast a retrospective I produced that looked at the 30 year career of Norwegian band A-ha, and this past week they have been counting down a list of the "top 500 bands of all-time"— for the most part I appreciate their choices (I even submitted a few picks of my own to them before hand). The station is currently in the midst of their year-end fund drive— to make a donation, learn more about their programming, or stream our show next week, visit exit977.org

How Sweet The Sound

Visitors admire "Saying Grace" during its loan to
Norman Rockwell Museum. Photo by Jeremy Clowe for
Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Back in the 1950s, The Saturday Evening Post conducted a poll, asking readers to vote for their favorite Norman Rockwell cover— Saying Grace, created for the front of the magazine's November 24, 1951 issue, won hands down; I think it was one of my Dad's favorites as well, judging from all the prints and copy of the illustration I discovered, created in my father's own hand. 

Over 60 years later, Saying Grace just set a record for the most expensive American artwork ever sold ($46 million) during Sotheby's auction on December 4. Before that, the painting had been on long-term loan to Norman Rockwell Museum, where thousands of visitors shared the artist's beautifully rendered message of tolerance.

Needless to say, It's been an interesting year managing press for the Museum. Calls about the auction and a controversial new biography on Rockwell have kept me busy, and fielding questions I never thought I would be asked during my time representing the arts organization. In the past week alone, I have heard from such outlets as The Associated Press, National Geographic, The Boston Globe, and was interviewed by New England Public Radio and The Atlantic about the auction (the writer for the latter ended up misquoting me and using my words out of context, but what can you do... I still enjoy the magazine's in-depth news coverage).

Freedom of speech (as long as they get my quotes
right). Courtesy Business West.

Yesterday I worked with producers of a popular, nationally syndicated TV game show, who visited the Museum to film segments for an upcoming episode. It was a nice way to end a productive year, and especially satisfying for me, as it was my initial pitch to the show that made it all happen. More details to come.

In the meantime, I have a live radio interview about the Museum's current exhibitions and events scheduled for this Tuesday, December 17, 9 a.m. ET with the show Well Talk With Avi Dresner, and I just found this interview I conducted over the summer with BusinessWest magazine about the Museum's creative initiatives. 

Sure, interviews can be creative and I enjoy talking about the Museum and illustration art, but look forward to expressing more of my own artistic impulses in the coming year.

Related Links:

"Community Profile: Stockbridge," Business West, October 22, 2013

"Iconic Rockwell Painting Shows Ideal America," The News-Press, November 27, 2013

"Norman Rockwell Museum Hopes This $46 Million Painting Will Hang On Their Walls," Atlantic Wire, December 4, 2013

It's a Clean Machine

Over the past week I finally managed to organize my home office, setting up a nice place for Sarah and I to focus on our various creative projects. One of the most daunting tasks was filing away all the various master tapes and discs for video projects I have worked on... a little background music helped.

I decided to stream Paul McCartney's latest album, New. The Beatles have always been an inspiration for me, but their solo projects are usually no match for the brilliance of their fab foursome days. This time out, Sir Paul has a surprisingly fresh offering... check out his latest single, "Queenie Eye," which has been getting a lot of airplay on WEXT: 

Pretty impressive, I'd say, for a guy who has been at it for over 50 years! Naturally, he was helped by several talented producers, including Mark Ronson (whose Version is one of my favorite albums). I have come to realize that a good music producer makes all the difference... I would go so far to say that the Beatles might not have been as good without the help of George Martin (Let It Be, their only studio album not produced by Martin, was marred by too much of Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" overdubbing, in my opinion).

J Walking outside the famed Abbey Road Studios, London.
April 1997. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe

Another treat for fans is the recent release of On Air— Live at the BBC, Volume 2, which features 63 previously unreleased tracks from the Beatles' 1963-1964 BBC Radio broadcasts. I've had a quick listen on iTunes, and it sounds even better than its 1994 predecessor (Live at the BBC). There are plenty of covers, including Motown and Chuck Berry, and some energetic performances of early Beatles songs I have always loved ("MIsery," "You Can't Do That"). Still sounding fresh, and a reminder of the elements that first made me a fan at the age of ten.

As I continue organizing our place, I'm finding other reminders of my Beatles love, including a box full of photos from my first trip to Great Britain back in the late 90s (reproduced here on this blog entry). It was a dream for this Anglophile, and of course I had to make a pilgrimage to London's Abbey Road to recreate the famous "walk" pictured on the band's 1969 album of the same name (with thanks to my patient aunt for photos). I even poked my head inside of Abbey Road Studio to inquire about what was happening...  

London calling... c. April 1997. ©Jeremy Clowe.

Apparently there is no shortage of Beatles-related projects in the pipeline, including a "top secret" project from the BBC, and a movie based on author Lars Saabye Christiansen's bestselling 1984 novel, Beatles. The film sounds especially promising, as it has the rare opportunity to use the group's original recordings, and will be scored by A-ha's Magne Furuholmen. A-ha have noted on many occasions how influenced they were by the Beatles, and knowing my love for both groups I'm particularly excited! During a recent live Q&A on Facebook, I asked Magne if there was any chance he and the other members of A-ha would reform to provide a Beatles cover version or two for the film: it "would be a dream (and worked so well on '#9 Dream!')". His reply: "a dream within a dream... don't go all 'Inception' on my ass here!"

Jermyn (pronounced "Jeremy")
Street, London, April 97.
Photo by MB. ©Jeremy Clowe.

Well, this dreamy state of vacation is starting to wear off... I better sign off and try to get some more things done, while I have the time (yeah, yeah, yeah).

Related Links:

www.thebeatles.com

www.paulmccartney.com

"Magne to score 'Beatles' movie," A-ha-live.com, April 22, 2013

"'Kon-Tiki' Directors Score Original Beatles Songs For Upcoming Film," Deadline.com, March 20, 2013

"Beatles' 'Live at the BBC' Unlikely to Expand, But 'Top Secret' Project in The Works," Billboard, November 12, 2013

Musical Break

It's been a busy couple of weeks: handling press and the completion of a new exhibition video for the Museum has filled most of my time lately, but more on that later... right now I'm looking forward to a week's vacation.

Here comes the sunnier days for musician Diego Garcia...
but it's alright. Photo by Jeremy Clowe. 

It kicked off in grand style this past Friday, as we attended a concert by Diego Garcia in downtown Albany, courtesy of our friends at radio station, WEXT. For the uninitiated, Garcia is an Argentine-American musician whose work we like quite a bit (we even chose his cover of the Kinks' "Strange Effect" as our first dance); his album Laura (inspired by the separation from his girlfriend, now wife) was one of my favorites from last year, and he has just released his second, entitled Paradise. The overall mood is a bit lighter on this sophomore release, which had me concerned, as I tend to be attracted to the grayer shades of contemporary music (as Sarah is quick to point out). No worries though: as we heard during his lively concert, there is plenty more strong material to be enjoyed this time around (and we continue to love Zeke Zima's passionate Spanish guitar playing).

A week before, we were treated to another special concert by WEXT, going to see Fitz and the Tantrums with fellow Los Angelelians, Capital Cities. This was our forth time seeing Fitz and his band perform (their neo-soul album, Picking Up The Pieces was another one of my recent favorites). Like Garcia, I was a little worried that their latest album, More Than Just a Dream, was going to stray too far from the more thoughtful tone of its predecessor (same story: musician writes fantastic album inspired by the loss of his then-girlfriend). No problem. There is still good material (especially the first six songs), and the band seems more confident than ever onstage. 

I miss hearing more of Fitz's classic soul vibe on More Than Just a Dream, but their sound has embraced even more of a new wave style, which has its interesting moments. And talk about flashback... I think their opening act, Capital Cities, would have no problem fitting in back in 1982... talk about your synthpop dance party! It was good fun, and also nice to recognize a couple of their songs, "Safe and Sound" and "Kangaroo Court," which I had already been enjoying on the radio.

What else have I been listening to lately... well, I really dig what I have heard of Arcade Fire's double-album, Reflektor. The band certainly has been consistent in quality over the years, and the "retro" electro sound again has to be pointed out... sort of dark, new wave mashed up with Haitian rhythms, which I can't complain about. I was also delighted to learn that David Bowie sings backup on the title song: each time I listen, I find myself excitedly waiting for his lines... about halfway through.

Since we are talking about the blurred line of past/future rock and roll, I should point out the recent passing of musician Lou Reed. I have admired some of his higher profile songs ("Perfect Day," "Sweet Jane," "Walk on the Wild Side"), but must admit to knowing little of the larger body of his work, solo or with the Velvet Underground... it seems I should, as he pretty much paved the way for Bowie and many of the indie, alternative rockers I listen to today. I do recall, months before his death, being surprised at how "modern" the Velvets' song "Rock & Roll" sounded when it came on the radio.

Ok, writing this blog has started to feel like the work I'm trying to take a break from, so time to for me to tune in (music, music) and drop out. Enjoy the sound samples, and I'll write more soon.

"Just a reflektor..." Photo courtesy David Bowie (Official) Facebook. All rights reserved.

Related Links:

diegogarcianyc.com

fitzandthetantrums.com

capitalcitiesmusic.com

arcadefire.com

davidbowie.com

exit977.org

"Lou Reed, 1942-2003," Rolling Stone, November 6, 2013

Dia de Los Muertos

Today Norman Rockwell Museum is presenting its annual walking tour of the Stockbridge Cemetery, burial site of such town luminaries as The Sedgwick Family, Elizabeth Freeman, and Norman Rockwell. The tour kicks off at 5 p.m., with a cider and donut reception outside of the town's clock tower (site of Rockwell's 1971 Springtime in Stockbridge painting).

A few weeks ago I headed over to the cemetery, in an attempt to take some "spirited" photos for inclusion in a Halloween events commercial being produced by the Greater Springfield Visitors Bureau and CBS-3 Springfield. It was a bright, late summer day, but my intent was to get some shots that verged on the "scary" and "sinister." Here are a few of the more successful shots:

Camera: Canon EOS 60D, mostly manual setting/non-flash.

All photos by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum.

©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Fright-Filled Links:

"ZombieFest TV spot," CBS-3 Springfield

"Luminaries" (photos by JC), Norman Rockwell Museum Facebook

"Exploring The Stockbridge Cemetery," Norman Rockwell Museum blog (written by JC)

Never-Ending Battle

"With great power, comes great responsibility."− Uncle Ben, 1962

Since I wrote about the subject in such detail last year, I thought it made sense to give a nod to PBS's excellent new documentary on superheroes, which aired last week. Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle is a three-hour look at the origins of today's modern myths, and how they have mirrored the times they were created in. For a comic book and pop-culture fan, it's a fascinating and surprisingly thorough look at our favorite caped crusaders, kicking off with the creation of Superman by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster in the 1930s: 

Siegel and Shuster were Jewish, and it is really interesting to consider that the history of immigrants coming to America inspired the concept of the "man from Krypton."

The documentary continues to have a wonderful flow, detailing how current events and pop culture served as the true origins of earth's mightiest heroes: World War II (Wonder Woman, Captain America); The Atomic Age (Fantastic Four, The Hulk); Civil Rights Era (Black Panther, X-Men); Post-Watergate (The Punisher, Wolverine, The Watchmen) and so on. The filmmakers obviously have a love for the genre, as they go on to include such seminal comic book stories as Green Lantern/Green Arrow, The Dark Knight Returns, and Marvel's Civil Wars... and interviews with such experts as Marvel Comics' Stan Lee, and historian William H. Foster III (who spoke at our Museum last year)... what's not to love?

Superheroes was produced by historian Laurence Maslon and director Michael Kantor, who has worked with documentarian Ken Burns. The well-researched tone makes it feel like something Burns himself might consider putting together... as Lee points out in the documentary, comics and supermen are "sort of like jazz... it's an American art form!"

Another bullseye... "Hawkeye #13"-
Aja and Fraction explore the topics of death 
and family relations. ©Marvel Comics.

But as we know, comic books are still fighting their way towards respectability− I have written about this before, so I hardly need to repeat it. Since the Alex Ross exhibit at Norman Rockwell Museum, I have found myself popping back into the comic book stores... but I must admit to being disappointed about the general quantity over quality of books produced. Having said that, like any art form I know that it can still produce true, creative work.

Last week they finally released the latest issue of Marvel Comics' Hawkeye. Written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by the Spanish artist David Aja, it continues to be a gorgeous series, certainly standing out from the typical superhero fare. It's been about three months since their last issue hit the stands, but I guess the time and care these creators put into their storytelling makes it worth the wait (the European, storyboard style is a winner).

Similar to Aja, I am drawn to the work of Italian comic book artist Francesco Francavilla, who illustrated one of the better fill-in issues of Hawkeye and is the creator of Dark Horse Comics' The Black Beetle. Francavilla has a brilliant, cinematic quality to his lines and layout, and he is obviously takes a cue from the daring style of Fraction/Aja. But I was hardly prepared for his latest book... a re-imagining of the Archie Comics' characters as a horror comic. Afterlife with Archie takes Archie, Veronica, Betty, Jughead and the rest of the gang, and merges them with the current zombie craze that has infested pop culture. Writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has a background in horror as well as a love for Archie, and surprisingly this collaboration with Francavilla really seems to work. One of my big gripes about comics is that they tend to shy away from trying anything that different, so you can imagine my shock in looking forward to these new tales of the gang from Riverdale!



On that note, kudos to PBS for airing the Superheroes documentary. As a fan and creator of documentaries, I found a lot to learn from here. I'm actually in the midst of working on my next short video for the Museum and, as always, it's a struggle... but I remember that the love and care I put into my own superhero documentary for the Alex Ross exhibit last year, which resulted in some very favorable reviews and top awards... so like Ben Parker's nephew, I'll try and summon that old spider-strength once again.

Hey, I realize that PBS is where I first met Spidey back in the day (Electric Company), proving that it once again comes full-circle and anything is possible. Hell, maybe I'll even get the chance to create my own PBS documentary some day...

Well, halloween is right around the corner...
Photo ©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights
reserved.

Related Links:

Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle 

Comic-Con 2013 Panel for "Superheroes," PBS Channel, YouTube, October 11, 2013

"'Superheroes' Interview: Filmmakers hold mirror up to American culture," Washington Post, October 15, 2013

"World War R: New Comic Pits Archie and Friends Against the Undead," NPR, October 18, 2013

The Art of Francesco Francavilla

David Aja's blog

Family Tree

Family has been on the mind this past week, as Sarah and I have attended both a wedding and funeral for our loved ones. It strikes me that whether the occasion is sad or happy, we are blessed to have some wonderfully supportive relations. 

Author Deborah Solomon, artist Jarvis Rockwell, and Norman Rockwell
Museum Director/CEO Laurie Norton Moffatt at the book launch of
"American Mirror: The Life and Art of Norman Rockwell," October 19, 2013.
Jarvis Rockwell suggested Solomon write a book about his father's work after
reading a "New York Times" art review she created about Norman Rockwell.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe. ©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

At work the topic has trended towards family lately as well, as we anticipate the release of a new biography on Norman Rockwell, and close an exhibition of the work of his oldest son. On Saturday night the worlds collided, as artist Jarvis Rockwell was one of the invited guests for the official launch of author Deborah Solomon's new book, American Mirror: The Life and Art of Norman Rockwell. Spending the last decade working on the biography, the celebrated art critic made extensive use of Norman Rockwell Museum's archives in the process. From the brief excerpt I have found time to read, her research offers new insight into Norman Rockwell's artistic career and personal life, and I imagine some of her thoughts will prove controversial to a public that still reveres the illustrator's work.

Norman Rockwell's autobiography, "My Adventures
As An Illustrator," signed by the artist for my father.
Forty years later, I added the illustrator's son Tom
Rockwell's signature to the book, following an interview
I conducted with the writer, who helped his father
in penning the 1960 release. Photo by Jeremy Clowe.
All rights reserved.

As stated before, although I studied illustration in college, I was not really aware or a fan of Norman Rockwell's work before I started working at the Museum a decade ago. You could say I was doing my own "research" when I took the job: an effort to understand more about the tastes of my late father, who had amassed quite a collection of Rockwell books, and even corresponded with the artist as a teenager. I guess to some degree I understand the attraction: my father once considered becoming an illustrator before starting a career as an industrial designer, and the themes of tolerance and community pictured in Rockwell's work are values that my family continues to hold strong.

Solomon brought up some interesting points during her lecture on Saturday night, but I found myself most sympathetic in how Rockwell's son Jarvis must feel with having such a famous, larger than life father, and hearing so many personal details about his family. 

I have interviewed many friends, family, and colleagues of Norman Rockwell over the last 13 years, but his son Jarvis always remained elusive. I know the artist had a troubled relationship with his father, which he made more than clear to me over the phone several years ago, flatly denying my request for an interview about the subject. When we mounted our summer exhibition of Jarvis' work, I wondered how things were going to play out, and felt a degree of sensitivity was needed in how to publicize the show within the context of our Museum. 

Jarvis Rockwell working on "Maya V," his on-site
installation of action figures at Norman Rockwell
Museum. Photo by Jeremy Clowe.
©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

As Jarvis worked on an on-site installation (certainly a unique way for visitors to interact with an artist), I figured it was a good time to approach him again about doing an interview. This time, however, I wanted to talk to him about his own work-- the conceptual drawings, found objects and toy sculptures that had made such a presence in our galleries over the past several months. Luckily, I found him and his lovely wife Nova most accommodating. 

Borrowing an HD camera and equipment, I was back in "one-man band" mode, attempting to juggle interviewing, filming and coordination of our meeting during the brief window available before the Museum's regular business hours... add to that a little nervousness in how to deal with the topic of his father, should it come up.

My concerns were soon put to rest, as I found Jarvis to be a very open and entertaining interview. He obviously delighted in talking about his work, and offered me a walk-through of the 60-year retrospective that hung on the walls before us. It went so well, in fact, that we ran out of time to talk about all of the work, and his wife Nova came up to me afterwards to report that he felt it was possibly the best interview he had ever been involved in.

The artist very kindly offered to meet with me the following week to continue the interview. Feeling a little more confident I decided to up the production value, and added some sweet LED lights to provide better illumination in our galleries. Setting up for an on-camera interview is no easy task, but the added preparation time was well worth it. 

During the interview Jarvis told me he felt very comfortable talking with me, which was nice to hear. I had received similar comments while talking to musicians, artists, and my own family on-camera over the years, but it meant a lot to hear from someone I wasn't certain I would ever have the opportunity to interview.



It's interesting how your perceptions of people can change. I really enjoyed learning about Jarvis' artistic process, and didn't find him intimidating at all. Hearing about his "Maya V" pyramid of action figures, which I helped assemble, made me smile− the Rockwell family seems to share a certain puckish sense of humor. It was also enlightening to hear about his thoughts about the after-life, which is a theme he is currently foucsing on in his work. During our interview he remarked how he found it interesting to revisit his older work, and I appreciated the opportunity to talk about it with him. 

With Jarvis Rockwell: he thought the second
week of interviews went even better.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Jarvis was also candid about his father, and their difficult relationship. "I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to be part of a different family," he announced. What I also sensed was a certain degree of peace with where he came from. They say you can't choose your family, and I think he has found his own way, working hard to express his own creativity. No doubt having the exhibition in his father's museum offered him further opportunity for reflection. He seemed pleased with it all, and I was happy to have played a part in his experience.

Legacy is no easy thing to sort out, especially for an artist. A supportive family is a great help, but I have come to understand that the true work is up to you.

Related Links:

Jarvis Rockwell Gallery

"Jarvis, Son of Norman, is a Rockwell in His Own Right," Babble.com, September 6, 2013

"An Evening with Deborah Solomon" NRM press release (written by JC)


"Inside America's Great Romance With Norman Rockwell," Smithsonian, October 2013

The Rise and Fall

That's me (above), checking another one off the ol' bucket list.

The fall season has begun, and we're taking full advantage of it. Apple picking, hiking, and mostly pleasant, Indian Summer-style weather... I saw the most vivid rainbow I have ever seen, as well as some extremely cinematic lighting on my way home today (guess that's what happens when you follow a tornado watch). 

Last week it was me getting cinematic around Norman Rockwell Museum. With the help of some building painters, I managed a ride around our campus from the bird's eye view of a bright blue bucket truck, photographing/filming the Norman Rockwell Museum grounds like never before... now THIS is how to view fall foliage:

Photos by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. 

©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Say My Name

Wow. We finally made it through the entire Breaking Bad series. Only a week behind the airing of the final episode... not bad timing, I'd say.

The finale was perfect− a fine ending to one of the best TV shows ever. There were, in fact, so many great moments during the series that it's hard to remember them all... Two of my favorite shows came during the tail end of last year (part one of season five), and epitomize all that I have come to love about the show: suspense, conflicted characters, and deft artistic touches: the visual montage during the end of episode 8 ("Gliding Over All") was amazing... playing Tommy James & The Shondells' classic "Crystal Blue Persuasion" was a delightful tribute to character Walter White's infamous blue-tinged crystal meth empire.

Courtesy AMC.

The episode before that ("Say My Name") was yet another turning point, as White becomes increasingly dark... more confident in his abilities, yet further distancing himself from his one-time associates. If Breaking Bad were a book it would be a page-turner, and I can't get over the consistent level of quality that series creator Vince Gilligan and his talented crew of actors, writers, and filmmakers have brought to the television medium.

Of course with works of art that I love, it will be fun now to analyze the show and figure out its various meanings; one thing that has piqued my interest along the way has been its use of color: from the recurring strain of purple (especially in the character Marie, played by the delightful Betsy Brandt) to the often terrifying use of red (on the floor of Gus' meth lab and the interior of Mike's car)... I revel in the details, and this show had them in spades. 

Finally, Bryan Cranston must be the luckiest actor in the world... to have had the opportunity to play a conflicted character like Walter White, and so effortlessly pull off his transformation into one of the screen's all-time great villains is no small feat. Even during the last few minutes of the show, I still found myself with a touch of sympathy for the devil. The show's recent promos used the phrase "remember by name," and I won't soon forget the monster that was "Heisenberg."

"Breaking Bad" as Heisenberg in a screen test 
for filmmaker Ben Hillman's "Bomb Squad." 
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.

Recently I had a fun remembrance, that Cranston isn't the only actor with experience "breaking bad" as a Heisenberg. Shortly after starting work in Western Massachusetts over ten years ago, I actually portrayed German physicist Werner Heisenberg (who inspired Walter White’s alter ego) for a local filmmaker working on a musical about the story of the atomic bomb, which Heisenberg played a part in. I donned my best lederhosen as well as a radiation suit for the screen test, which we filmed on a Berkshire soundstage—brave souls can watch the promo here. 

In the meantime, Breaking Bad makes me think about how little is "black and white" in this world. For any future acting, I expect to keep this show in mind as a lesson in how to present rich, nuanced characters. 

Another thing that has resonated with me about this show is the idea of control, power and, indeed, masculinity. In one of my other all-time favorite episodes, "Hermanos" (season four, episode eight), there is a wonderful exchange during a scene that takes place in hospital waiting room between Walt and a fellow cancer patient. As the man explains how hard it is to learn how to give up power over his situation, Walt counters by saying, "Never give up control... live life on your own terms..." His moral approach is obviously flawed, but I think more and more about the idea behind Walter White's sentiment− in terms of life and creativity, I think there is a lot of truth to consider in that statement and this wonderful work of fiction.

Related Links (Spoiler Alert!):

"Breaking Bad" official site

"The Toxic Masculinity of 'Breaking Bad'" (and counter arguments), Wired, October 5, 2013

"'Breaking Bad' Writers: 'This Is It; There's No More,'" Fresh Air, NPR, October 3, 2013

"'Breaking Bad' Color Theory: The Subtle Symbolism And Meanings Behind The Colors In AMC's Hit Series," International Business Times, September 27, 2013 

"Breaking Bad" Cast Interview, Charlie Rose, August 29, 2013

Writing To Reach You

This past summer I wrote about the return of the Scottish band Travis, who have just released their seventh studio album, Where You Stand. It has been one of my favorite albums of the year so far, lead by such standout tracks as "Moving," "Warning Sign," and the title track... offering continued proof of the band's knack for creating thoughtful lyrics and engaging melodies.

Travis is currently touring the U.S., swinging through my old stomping grounds of Southern California this weekend. They kick things off tomorrow (Friday, October 4, 10:30 a.m. PT) with an interview and live studio session with the great Nic Harcourt ("Morning Becomes Eclectic") on KCSN 88.5 FM.

Speaking of interviews, I thought it was high time I revisited my own profile on the band, conducted during their 2007 American tour; check out the link below for the original half-hour interview, mostly un-edited. Taking a cue from Q, Jian Ghomeshi's CBC radio show, I decided to leave out the fancy post-production in order to offer a better idea of my developing interview skills and the individual personalities of my guests... why be precious about it? Again, special thanks to Sony BMG, CTSB-TV, and the band for helping to make it happen. 

Related Links:

www.travisonline.com

Bad Influence

Folks, I must make a confession... I have an addiction.

Last summer, after hearing so many people rave about AMC's critically acclaimed TV series, Breaking Bad, Sarah and I decided to give it a shot through the "binge viewing" experience that is Netflix. I should say "new" for us, because we have only just signed up for the service after finding it hard to locate older movies we were interested in viewing. As it turns out, we have ended up watching more TV shows than movies through Netflix, and AMC's creative offering might be the best that I have ever seen.

"Breaking Bad" promo with left to right: Aaron Paul
and Bryan Cranston. Courtesy AMC.

For the uninitiated, Breaking Bad tells the story of Walter White (played by the brilliant Bryan Cranston), a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Facing financial troubles and a new child on the way, Walter despairs about how he will provide for his family once he is gone. During the same time, his brother-in-law Hank (Dean Norris), a DEA agent, brings him along on one of his drug busts, and it is here that Walt conceives the idea of producing methamphetamine as a way to make money. In an added twist, Walt's former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) is spotted during the bust and coerced into helping his teacher with his scheme. The two become big-time players in the Albuquerque, New Mexico drug scene, producing a nearly pure crystal meth, known for its unique blue color, and attracting an increasingly complicated and dangerous lifestyle unbeknownst to their families.

I knew this show was going to be different from the very first episode−not just for its unique anti-hero/villain story, but also for its high-quality writing, acting, and artistic flourishes, including some gorgeous cinematography of the New Mexico landscape. But the high point is Cranston, who brings such a rich, nuanced performance as Walter White. You really don't know whether to sympathize with or hate him... five seasons in it feels like a bit of both. During the series, Walter also adopts the alter ego "Heisenberg,” a nod to German physicist Werner Heisenberg, famous for his "uncertainty principle,” which seems entirely appropriate to describe this show that has kept us nervously glued to the screen.

As you may have heard, tonight they are airing the final episode of the series, and there is an incredible amount of anticipation out there− I hear it from my friends and in the media (Conan O'Brien even had the show's cast on his program last week for a full episode devoted to the series). I am amazed by the phenomenon (of a show that wasn't even on my radar a year ago), but it is truly deserved.

Earlier this year I wrote about TV shows in a somewhat rambling blog post, inspired by our new HD TV set (sorry about that one). What I was trying to express was the idea and desire for strong storytelling in motion pictures. The irony is, as a frequent video producer, I rarely watched TV− I found most standard network shows rather insulting, and hardly inspiring. Now I'm learning about this new "golden age" of television, lead by such innovative cable series as Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Orange Is The New Black... etc. We don't have anything higher than basic cable, but Netflix is giving us the opportunity to discover what the fuss is about. Kevin Spacey, star of the newly recommended House of Cards, was interviewed recently about this "binge TV viewing" phenomenon, and made the point that it offers viewers the chance to watch these shows like they might read a novel (yeah, don't get Sarah started!).  

Bryan Cranston is Walter White
(aka "Heisenberg"). Courtesy AMC.

I have to say, I find Breaking Bad on the level of a good novel, and certainly better than most movies I have seen recently. There is an obvious care and creativity (lacking in most big-budget Hollywood movies), and satisfying in its use of a "slow reveal"...letting us learn about the characters in a gradual fashion. In contrast, How I Met Your Mother, another one-time favorite that is ending this year, has become unwatchable. Through Netflix I am sad to witness how this once clever sitcom has evolved into caricature and slapstick... is this what happens under the influence of network TV, ratings, and continuing past your expiration date? So far, BB’s quality has remained consistent all the way through—maybe stopping while you’re ahead isn't a bad idea.

Closer to home, I learned some exciting, related news this week: motion picture company Pacifica Ventures, which produces Breaking Bad, has made a proposal to build a $68.9 movie studio right here in Schenectady. That would be unbelievable on so many levels... with the opportunity for film production resources right here in my town, and a likely boon to the area's economy— on that note, New York Times has an interesting story today about how Albuquerque experienced just such a boon, during the years that AMC's hit show was in production there... right down to local businesses selling "blue meth" candy and cookies, and tours of the locations where the show had been filmed. I think Schenectady would be a great choice... the recent feature The Place Beyond the Pines was filmed here, and that was done in the same edgy/artistic way as BB, and also utilized the surrounding town as a character in itself (yes, my friends and I did a tour of its various locations around the time of its release). Schenectady also has an interesting history in relationship to the arts and media—apparently WRGB-TV, celebrating its 85th anniversary, was the first TV station to ever start broadcasting in the world.

So, I guess these are all good reasons to get hooked (on TV) again... if my eyes look bleary, you'll understand why. All I ask is that you don't provide any spoilers on the final BB episode just yet... we have about a season of heart-racing stories to go, and I want to keep that element of surprise. Knowing myself, it's going to be hard to resist reading all I can before then about the show, but this "slower reveal" should provide a much better rush.

Related Links:

Official "Breaking Bad" site, AMC

"Breaking Up With 'Breaking Bad' Is Hard for Albuquerque," New York Times, September 29, 2013

"Point Of View: How So Many Rooted for 'Breaking Bad's' Walter White," NPR, September 27, 2013

"Race to End for 'Breaking Bad' Fans Who Got Behind," New York Times, September 27, 2013

"'Love affair' led company to propose film studio for Schenectady," Schenectady Gazette, September 25, 2013

"Breaking Bad" episode, Conan, September 23, 2013

"A Deeper Dive Into Television's 'Difficult Men'," NPR, June 30, 2013

(post edited 9.30.13)