MY85 made me realize that tomorrow is the 13th, so I decided to release this today.
Thanks to Julz, who’s always a diligent writer.
and MY85… and well, Maca who keeps tracks of her films.
Archives For Music
Directed by Irina Dakeva, this very 70-ish feel video is composed by around 200 watercolor images. Of course, the music had to come from Ed Banger Records, who gave us the kick-ass Justice D.A.N.C.E Video.
Cross-dressing in the military, leather-clad nun, and… that’s spandex, right? I dunno what I think about this video, it looks kinda good, but meh… everything is just okay. Song is bland.
Your thoughts?
When I heard the song, I thought it was good… but with the video — Man, I dunno if it’s because it’s chilly today, but it totally gave me the shivers. Even if NeoMinem looks a little too much like CGI.
I dunno what Eminem did to his face, but there’s a little quiver when he’s in that brick room rapping.
Hmm… could this be Best Old School music video?
I really like the high contrast on this one though.
Reading the comments of Bibi’s new single Canned Fish, I learned of this Nuit Blanche controversy.
You see… the video is about 4 months old, so I doubt it’s a tribute of sorts. Having said that, I think the music in Bibi’s video works different in that it creates a lot of “tension” between female Bibi and “male” Bibi — if you get my drift. The original, seen above, has better execution though, even without the tension between the guy and the woman, you feel like it’s a beautiful piece… a timeless classic.
See, same concept, different execution.
Here’s the YouTube version if you don’t have a Vimeo account and want to add it to a list.
that is fascinating.
For one thing, Chris Lee doesn’t have the best voice, she doesn’t have the best dancing, or the best lyrics in her album. However, she writes her own music and lyrics — she seemed to have done so in her self-titled album — , she dances, she even directs her own music videos [one of them Youth of China], and has begun her acting career — in the awarded Hong Kong production of Bodyguards and Assassins, for which she was named Best Newcomer of the Year by the Hong Kong Directors Guild. To top it all off, she’s tall — at least, taller than her Asian counterparts — has an amazing face, and stands out from a crowd by being Chris Lee in a room full of other women.
Multiple-talent threats are often easy to hate because they think they do it all, but in reality they don’t really excel at anything. A few singers who think they can act come to mind, or actors that think they can sing. And even though, Chris may not really excel in any, she’s so difficult to hate because she doesn’t have that superiority air that plagues self-professed artistes. Every time she’s on stage performing or receiving some award, she stands there with an air of a person that’s cool, but also with hints of humility.
Ok, I don’t think Interscope or Gaga knows the meaning of “Clean Version” LOL, but oh well. I’m posting the “Explicit” version, which is not very “Explicit,” just a couple of Mother F Words, and some very brief nudity.
I thought this could give some competition to MIA’s Born Free for Most Talked About, or Best Long Form of Music Video, but it didn’t have the same impact. It does have a better balance of Music and Video, though.
In the case you don’t wanna see the Explicit Version, or you can’t see it because you don’t have a YouTube account, or you’re underage. Here’s the Clean Version link.
Things to point out? Gaga did a Smooth Criminal move right when getting out of jail, right? And Kill Bill’s Pussy Wagon makes a big appearance, right? xD
Also, licking the bar of your cell? Kinda gross.
Also gross? Smelling Gaga’s cigarette glasses…
I don’t know if you know my thoughts on Gaga? [just added a lady gaga tag here], but I don’t think she’s the best. She’s interesting in today’s music scene, and her live performances are events. Her music is so-so, her dance is so-so, but it’s all about the whole package, right? She freaks me out in a way I can respect her. Having said that, I would love to photograph her concert.
In an effort to attract more Western musicians and firms, China is building three national music industry parks, serving as performance stages and platforms where musicians from around the world could get together to collaborate, located in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong.
But of course, in order to attract Western musicians and firms, they need to tackle piracy.
With programs like the ones 88TC88.com [musicdish.com] are offering for Western acts to get packages translated into Chinese to enter the market, the government is trying to develop a system that will not only help artists get their royalties, but also protect Chinese arts.
Until relatively recently, copyright in China was illegal. All intellectual property belonged to the people, ie. government. If you wrote a book for example, the government would ‘own’ it and reap any ‘profits,’ while providing the author with a salary, housing, medical and education. So when some rant on about piracy or the lack of enforcement, this should be put in context. The Copyright Law of the People’s Republic of China was adopted in 1990 – we in the US on the other hand have had a Copyright Act on the books since 1790 and we still can’t seem to get it right!
On the other hand, the government does often seem capricious in its enforcement of copyright. They like to point to last year’s shutdown of 200 pirate movie sites, including the largest video BitTorrent site. It just so happens though that the crackdown coincided oh so nicely with the launch of CCTV’s major online video initiative. Nor is it clears whether the shutdown didn’t have more to do with fighting pornography – a much bigger taboo for the government – rather than piracy. Having said that though, the fact is that for both economic and diplomatic/political reasons, the Chinese government will increasingly get serious, get tough and tackle the IP issue in the broad sense, not just piracy.
What’s gonna be their system?
The Chinese government will use watermarking technology to embed a unique code into every creative works released – music, film, graphic,… – allowing the government to easily identify, fine and shut down websites peddling pirated material as well as track all plays for royalty collection and disbursement.
all via MusicDish.
Which is already happening when you upload things on YouTube or some file sharing website. Things get deleted, and accounts get shut down. However, coming from China. This is huge.
Look, I am all for China protecting its artists, as long as me as a user NOT in China, is able to have access to their content. I listen to a lot of music in Chinese, which I wouldn’t be doing if it weren’t for illegal downloads in the first place. I wouldn’t own albums by LeeHom Wang, or all of Bibi’s discography if I hadn’t downloaded their albums.
I wouldn’t know about Yuguo or Chang Shilei or Milk @ Coffee.
You know, I use Haoting to stream music now, but some of the artists I just named don’t even show up there. Also, you guys… it would be really awesome if there was an option for language. LOL
Okay, having said that~ I know I support downloads, but I also support paying for the stuff YOU consider to be good. I am not telling you what you should pay for, but I want you to make a conscious decision about paying for the content you deem good enough for your money. If you think such star or group is the best, and that they/he/she deserves your money, make an effort to buy anything by them. It doesn’t have to be the $30 USD import album, it can be the $15 USD poster.
Please, do not tell me this album by this artist is the best of all time, if you haven’t paid for it. If you love it that much, you should buy it… unless it’s already out of print, of course. Don’t tell me this movie is a film that changed your life, if you have it as a pirated copy. You don’t have to have a 100 disc collection, but if you really think that piece of art… being anything from music, to movies or photographs or sculptures… if they made a difference to you, please buy it.
Call it subtext. TOO much subtext.
Actually, can I just say Bibi’s face in the last few seconds of the video, on the close-up, she looks really really GOOD. Like her face is amazing on that shot. And you get DOUBLE amazing face. I was wondering there… “OMG, is she going to do it?” It was tension… did you feel it?
EDIT
The Youku version seems to look better than the YouTube one. After all, it does say it’s HD (高清) – Gao Qing means High Clarity, hence HD… though had to look where to turn the HD on xD HD is so much simpler…
EDIT 2
Found the proper version by Typhoon Group (Bibi’s company), so in case you want the Youku one.
as far as music goes? I think it works with the image, though I don’t know how that will translate on overall album work… I am getting curious. I miss original Bibi though, I need to hear her original voice. Her lower voice is so awesome… she’s so eclectic on Canned Fish.
I wonder why Canned Fish too…
All I think about when saying Canned Fish is THIS Canned Fish. You know? The One? With rice… I grew up… or I mean, didn’t grow up with that one. Guilty pleasure. Always reminds me of my grandfather. That and fried eggs on white rice and soy sauce. Classic.
