Expresso Actual, 21 Mar 2009. Pages 12 - 13

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Expresso Actual
21 Mar 2009

The Take Away Shows - Best Web Videos

#40.3 - The National - Start a war
by lablogotheque

This video is one of my favorite web videos ever. It is The National's Start a War filmed by Vincent Moon. It is part of an amazing production called "The Take Away Shows". All videos are beautiful. The bands are filmed performing in their most intimate/spontaneous settings.

Excerpts from Tariq Ali and David Barsamian's book "Speaking of Empire and Resistance: Conversations with Tariq Ali"

In “Speaking of Empire and Resistance: Conversations with Tariq Ali” (Amazon link), Tariq Ali tells the story of how Zia ul-Haq was involved in the massacre of Palistinians in 1970s. It would be much easier to believe Ali's claim if he had published the picture along with the text. Although, it seems to be a non-disputed claim as I haven't found anything to the contrary (yet). Wikipedia also states: "He [Zia] was stationed in Jordan from 1967 to 1970, helping in the training of Jordanian soldiers, as well as leading the training mission into battle during the Black September in Jordan operations, a strategy that proved crucial to King Hussein's remaining in power". Below are some excerpts…

The key turning point was Black September, in 1970, when he [King Hussein] decided to crush the Palestinians. Interestingly enough, the Pakistani brigadier chosen to help them was Zia ul-Haq, the so-called friend of Islam, who was dispatched by the Pakistani government. Zia organized the massacre of the Palestinians, for which the Palestinians never forgave him. I [Tariq Ali] have in my archives a very striking photograph, of a celebration in a Jordanian army mess after the crushing of the Palestinian camps and the resistance in Jordon. Brigadier Zia and one of Hussein's officers are dancing; the Jordanian is clearly drunk, and whether Zia had had one or two remains an open question. Later, of course, he masqueraded as a devout Muslim, but I never forgot that episode in Palestine.

Tariq Ali warns Benazir Bhutto that Zia will carry out a coup:

I said to Benazir Bhutto, "This man [General Zia] is going to topple your father. He is the Uriah Heep of Pakistani politics. In front of you he sort of cringes and is servile and sycophantic, but in his head there is another plan." I said this after I returned from Pakistan in January 1977, after I had a few clashes with Benazir's father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She was then at the Oxford Union and invited me to speak. She said to me, "My father rang me today and asked me, 'Why are you inviting my enemies to speak?'" "He's always been very childish and stupid," I replied, and she said, "I know. But my father said to me, 'Now that you've got him there, ask him what he thinks is going to happen in Pakistan.' " I said--I'll never forget this conversation--"Tell your father from me that either he will be assassinated or there will be a military coup." And she said, "Assassinations, who can stop them? A military coup, never, because General Zia is in our pocket," and she touched her imaginary pocket. I said, "Benazir, you just tell your father I said that no Pakistani general is ever in the pocket of a civilian politician." Three months later, General Zia carried out his coup, and Bhutto lost his job and later his life.

Coming soon: More excerpts from Speaking of Empire and Resistance: Conversations with Tariq Ali

Ashes and Snow

Ashes and Snow by Gregory Colbert

Ashes and Snow is a masterpiece. It's beautiful. Here is Gregory Colbert giving a talk at TED. Although, I tried searching the original video on TED.com but couldn't find it. Seems like they have taken it down. hmm... why would they do that?

Ashes and Snow's website.

Insight into Monocle

"Monocle online team leader Dan Hill provides extensive insight into the planning and creation of the combined Monocle online/print brand on his excellent City of Sound blog. Anybody with doubts about the level of thought and attention needed to achieve the quality that Monocle offers needs to read his essay."

- Via MagCulture.com

Portishead in Portishead

The first ever album I bought with my own money was Portishead's Yummy. I remember standing in the shop in Doha's Souk Seeri (I think thats how it is spelled) with my brother Murtaza and wondering should I buy this album? I never listened to them before but somehow I did pick it up and been a fan ever since.

Their new album, Third, is coming soon (available on sharing networks) and the video is the exclusive seven tracks performed in a studio (via Current_).

Radiohead Rainydayz Remix by AmpLive

Great mixes, all from the original Radiohead album, In Rainbows, download it for FREE.

Test Post

NIN Ghosts I - IV

If you already haven't heard about NIN releasing an experimental album.

Nine Inch Nails presents Ghosts I - IV, a brand new 36 track instrumental collection available right now. Almost two hours of new music composed and recorded over an intense ten week period last fall, Ghosts I - IV sprawls Nine Inch Nails across a variety of new terrain.

Trent Reznor explains, "I've been considering and wanting to make this kind of record for years, but by its very nature it wouldn't have made sense until this point. This collection of music is the result of working from a very visual perspective - dressing imagined locations and scenarios with sound and texture; a soundtrack for daydreams. I'm very pleased with the result and the ability to present it directly to you without interference. I hope you enjoy the first four volumes of Ghosts."

It is available in multiple digital formats. Including a free 9-track version. I paid $5 for all the 36-tracks in FLAC format and a 40 page PDF. Life is great!

Give it a try http://ghosts.nin.com/

Outlandish

A hip-hop band. Based in Denmark. An Arab, Pakistani and a South American. Only heard about them today from Farhan. Outlandish (Wikipedia)

Outlandish - Aicha

Based on the original song by Khaled.

No to Benazir Bhutto

Does anybody seriously think that Benazir Bhutto is going to save Pakistan? I mean seriously, she is just riding this wave created by the emergency in Pakistan to come back into power. Can we take a moment from this uninterrupted and obsessive media coverage and ask what has she done in the past that we are blindly leading her back into taking charge of Pakistan's future. The Guardian has a piece on her and Asif Zardari: "Trail of corruption and kickback...". Isn't politics about constant promises... what's her promise: "I will save Pakistan and bring democracy till me and my party have taken every single penny out of Pakistan and saved it in our Swiss Accounts... then we will leave you again! for some other distressed Army General to come back in and stabilize the situation?"

Reading that piece should not leave any doubt in a sane mind she is not any better for Pakistan than President Musharraf.

I am ashamed to point out that our media as the Western Media is using the same techniques to awash the public mind in distress. "War on terror" meets "Geo Democracy". This ridiculous campaign of flooding the screens by repeating clips of bomb blasts, lawyers being arrested, women getting arrested and Military dictators... is it helping us? Is it true Journalism? Why take them out of their context and repeat them? Why not show clips from Benazir's previous campaigns of false promises, why just show Military dictators?

Is Geo and other channels just having a blast! Are they cashing the eye-balls? revenues streaming in due to the situation. Who is really benefiting from this... who owns shares in these media establishments...

I certainly hope that this does not trickle down into the International community's subconscious... making them believe that we need outside help... "the Caravan of Democracy" from likes of USA, UK or others as for Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Innerspace and all that" on Adbusters.org

Innerspace and all that... (Sufism)




"Innerspace and all that" on adbusters.org home page and on ABTV. Can you believe that? especially the people who marked it at VFS.

Be Good or Be Gone by Fionn Regan

Excellent Video.

Songs by Murtaza Khawar

Here are some of the songs my brother Murtaza has been working on:

Incarnate - The Watchmen Cover (track3.wma)
Track4.wma
TheFly.wma
Lahore.wma
Track01.mp3
Track02.mp3
Why.wma

Downloaded Radiohead's 'In Rainbow'

Is this the future of music records? Radiohead released their album for all on their website. The best part? You can pay whatever you want for it or don't pay at all. Go get it! if you still haven't.

The sound quality is just 160Kbps though. Love the album so far. So far my favorite track is "All I need". Will keep listening to it back to back for a while and see how it grows.

WWF billboard

Spook Country by William Gibson

William Gibson's new book Spook Country is going to be available on August 7. Can't wait to get my hands on it!

Misunderstood

Just brilliant and excellent execution!!
(From CRBlog.com)

When Kalashnikovs are replaced with guitars...

"Tinariwen (Tamashek for "empty places") is the stuff of legend in these parts (Mali). It is basically a rock band - six electric guitars, three female singers, and a percussionist - with a rebellious political flavor. The classic Tinariwen image: turbaned soldier-musicians on camels with Kalashnikovs and Stratocaster guitars crossed over their shoulders." (From Vanity Fair July 2007)

"Tinariwen's third album Aman Iman (Water is life) is what happens when a group of Saharan Touareg tribesmen swap guns for guitars and make music bluesy enough to ensure Mali's reputation as Africa's Mississippi Delta." (From Monocle May 2007)


Now, only if some of the music coming out of Pakistan was as honest and noble as Tinariwen's... we would be long way towards what is happening in Mali... so if you have any plans to pick up a guitar and start a revolution look no further for inspiration then the Tuareg (the Free people).

Here is a great introduction to Tinariwen on youtube (must watch):


and off course Tinariwen and Carlos Santana...




Finally, if you find yourself wondering... Is Tinariwen the greatest band in the World? head onto
Slate.com and find your answers.

Our love to admire

Since my last post, almost 10 months ago (you can even round it off to a year), I am going to start posting again (yeppy!). The questions that come to mind are: Why would I stop posting? What have been I upto? Did I forgot my password for the blog? Was I really that busy? and Why am I going to post again? Will I keep posting or abandon it again... for yet another perfect day in Vancouver to post (like today)... with another perfect track playing like Interpol's "Pace is the trick" with another perfect mood busting "another line"... I guess I have loads of stuff to share now... the stuff I have been upto and to some extent lost in... so lets start with Interpol...

Interpol is going to release their 3rd album "Our love to admire" after their 2nd studio album "Antics (2003)". It is absolutely brilliant work... everything I anticipated for in an Interpol's album... is in it. My favorite track so far is 'Pace is the trick'. (You can pre-order it on iTunes).

If you are not familiar with Interpol, who formed back in 1998, then the following lines from Wikipedia will give you a taste of what to expect: "The band's sound is generally a mix of bass throb and choppy, sparse guitar, drawing constant comparisons to post-punk bands Joy Division,^[1] The Chameleons and Kitchens of Distinction."