Issue 2: Ellington
Welcome to the second issue of Everything Is Made Up and sorry for the delay (again).
“A problem is a chance for you to do your best.”
Duke Ellington
Good morning/afternoon/evening to everyone. This is the second issue of my newsletter. Let me get the preamble out of the way first.
Again, apologies for the delay. I have a more substantial excuse this time: I forgot. I ought to set a calendar reminder. In my defence, I said it was unlikely I’d make it every Sunday so there’s… that.
I also want to thank all of you for reading and engaging with the stuff I put out. No one unsubscribed so that’s a great start. I hope you can stick around for more.
The format is the same. Each issue is named after a famous person or thing along with an associated quote. Today’s is dedicated to Duke Ellington, the jazz icon. Then I’ll do a preamble as above then get into the nitty gritty of the newsletter. There’ll be a list of links to articles and videos you might find interesting. They’re categorised as For The Mind, For The Ears, and For The Feet.
Okay, enough flimflam. Let’s begin.
For The Mind
Catch them while you can: Messi and Ronaldo will not be around for ever - I’m breaking one of my modern principles here. I refrain from reading anything published by The Guardian (bar a very select few writers who I trust). Their articles are awful in various ways and they often publish white cis writers over non-white cis writers about non-white non-cis(het) topics, even to the point of stealing their ideas. But I won’t go into that here. Their music writing also rubs me up the wrong way but I won’t go into that here either. The article I’ve linked, however, is good. The prevailing voices when it comes to Messi and Ronaldo are male so it’s a welcome relief to read something long form from a woman about two of the greatest footballers of all time. If any of that sounded patronising, I apologise. I’m just sick of hearing men talk about everything.
Gangster Doodles Transcends Internet Virality With Debut Hip-Hop Compilation - I love hip hop and I love a DIY music story. They inspire me to pursue my own dreams, at least in my head. Marlon Sassy went from a TV production job, to doodling in his spare time, to “internet fame” when he made an awesome hip hop compilation album featuring the likes of Madlib, Oh No, Jonwayne, Kaytranada, Blu, Onra, and Quelle Chris. Manifest and do the work (sorry, I’m talking to my mirror).
The Terror Within and the Evil Without: James Baldwin on Our Capacity for Transformation as Individuals and Nations - I got an offer from Google Play last night - 99p to rent a movie. I’d wanted to rewatch I Am Not Your Negro so I decided on that (not rented it yet as I was knackered but maybe tonight). The film does a brilliant job of chronicling James Baldwin’s life and his pivotal role in the civil rights movement and how his words echo through racial tensions in the US. This article has a lot of quotes and links for further reading but Baldwin knew how to hook you with one line and leave you needing further elaboration. So does this article.
For The Ears
Clip: Angry Trumpet Fighter Speaks with Matt Besser - Not a song this time. I discovered a video a few years ago and wrote about it on my blog, Sampleface. It shows a man berating a street musician for being the worst man to ever live (he doesn’t say that but watch and you’ll think the same thing). Matt Besser found the man - Douglas Levinson - and had him on his show. I won’t give too much away but Levinson was in the area having a nice day and the sound of an awful trumpet just rubbed him up the wrong way. I get it.
Gabriel Garzón-Montano - Golden Wings (Chamber Arrangement) - You know when you find a song that grabs you and you need to learn the lyrics so you can sing a long and you play it everyday? This is an example of that. Gabriel Garzón-Montano is signed to Stones Throw and I got into his music in 2017 as he provided some of the soundtrack to my holiday in Lisbon. His mother used to tour with Phillip Glass and Gabriel himself toured with Lenny Kravitz. He’s of French-Colombian heritage and his style is a beautiful mix of both cultures as well as classical, funk, jazz, soul, hip hop. There’s no one way to define him and that makes him brilliant. Golden Wings is a brilliant song on its own merit but the chamber arrangement slows things down a notch and replaces the lost speed with an orchestral richness. And the lyrics are sublime. Deep in Egyptian imagery and so much colour! “Hathor smiles on the divan” is my new favourite line right now.
For The Feet
Dwight's Feet Drink Coffee - The Office US - I’m beginning to regret calling this section “for the feet” because it’s going to look like I have a thing for feet. And I don’t. At all. But this was funny. I could never get into The Office US but certain clips are funny. Like this one.
Every Goal scored by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for Manchester United - The board finally did a good thing and appointed Solskjaer on a permanent basis. He’s my fourth favourite striker of all time behind former teammate Andy Cole, and Brazilians Ronaldo and Romario. Here’s half an hour of all his United goals.
Fresh Prince Will Smith Dancing - Run out of ideas so here’s Will Smith dancing for 6 minutes.
Well I’m gonna make like a banana and split. Thanks for reading and join me next week for more of the same. Any comments or suggestions, get in touch!