SCOTT WALKER

so, last night ryan and i went to see the new scott walker documentary that was part of the vancouver international film festival. even though i am a devout scott walker fan, i gotta say it kinda sucked. not that he sucks in any way or that the new and archival footage wasn't amazing, but the film in itself was just kind of shitty. it was so fucking british it hurt. i mean, i just really don't care about a bunch of random british pop stars (goldfrapp?!) raving about how genius he is and listening to his albums track by track. and don't even get me started about the fucking computer animation screen saver-like music video interludes.

the movie only really worked when it focused on the man himself and on his art. and his art is fucking scary these days. his latest album, the drift, which came out last year is maybe one of the scariest sounding albums EVER. right up there with nico's the marble index or gorgoroth's under the sign of hell. and his voice is kind of high and frail and creepy now, too. it sure gives me the willys!
it's pretty amazing to see the progression from easy listening pop crooner all the way through literate jacques brel-obsessed artiste to total reclusive maniac trying to get the perfect percussion sound by repeatedly punching a side of beef in the studio. that's right, meat. and there's plenty of footage of it.
thing is, the meat punching does sound pretty decent in the end. i guess it's just the sound of an artist who takes full advantage of the freedom to be as self-indulgent and goth and over the top as possible. i wanna punch meat.