I recently had the rare joy of being able to score a free ticket to something I gladly would have paid full price to see: Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips playing their (mostly) original score to 13 Warhol screen tests, which were commissioned by the Warhol Institute in Pittsburgh.

I’ve loved Dean and Britta in pretty much all of their incarnations (for at least the first track, “Night Nurse” on their 2003 album L’ Avventura, for their work in Luna, for Dean’s work in Galaxie 500, and for Britta being Jem’s singing voice (truly outrageous!!!)). Clearly, I would have paid good money to see them without the face-melting hotness of having Warholian screen tests projected behind them. And let me tell you, my face is completely melted. There’s nothing left. I’m writing this as Skeletor.

Warhol’s screen tests were shot between 1963 and 1966, and are all black and white, on 100 ft rolls of film (2.75 minutes), which in Warhol slowmo means that they’re four minutes each, just the right length for a song. They weren’t actually screen tests in the Hollywood sense, I think, but yet another way for Warhol to capture the fleeting beauty and sensuality of his cast of characters.

The 13 picked by/for Dean and Britta are especially fantastic. Among others, we have Lou Reed, Nico, Edie Sedgwick, and Dennis Hopper. A shitty picture taken with my phone:

Wareham (and occasionally Phillips) gave brief bits of information before or after a lot of the screen tests. A few folks are still alive, but a lot died or disappeared not too long after their filmings. Speed seemed to be involved in several of the stories, unsurprisingly.

What I liked best was the ways in which the music and film interacted, some literal and some more sweetly subtle. A lot of the songs are lyrically related, either chosen because they thematically relate to the life of the subject, or are covers of a song by the artist. Lou Reed gets a cover of a recently discovered VU song, “I’m Not a Young Man Anymore,” and for Nico a very moving rendition of “I’ll Keep it With Mine,” originally penned by Dylan.

Beyond the literal, there was a frequent phenomenon that I like to call the “Jets to Brazil” effect, named after the poster in Breakfast at Tiffany’s that says “Jets to Brazil,” which will recall to many modern viewers the contemporary band. Filmed over forty years ago, many of the screen test stars appear to be smiling at or bobbing their heads to Dean and Britta’s melodies. In the Dennis Hopper piece the music builds to an emotional crescendo that breaks loose just as Hopper breaks into a wide grin, nodding his head in time. Ingrid Superstar strokes her face with her fingers, moodily mugging at the camera, but her sleepy grin seems to conspire with the faint rockabilly twang of her song on the soundtrack.

I’m looking forward to finding the DVD and hearing the songs again, but I’m thrilled that I got to see this live and in person. It exceeded all expectations, and with any luck I’ll spend tonight dreaming of Jane Holzer brushing her teeth.

Rachel Maddow on Republican teabagging. No, it never gets old.

What’s kind of like a cross between the World Cup and American Idol, and has been broadcast annually since 1956? Besides your mom, that is. If you don’t know (this seems to be a particularly American affliction), then you’re missing out on one of the largest secrets of Europe (as well as the Maghreb and Levant), what between 100 and 600 million people watch every year. It’s called Eurovision, and we are currently a mere one month and six days from the live broadcast of Eurovision 2009 from Moscow.

If you’re wondering what the fuck I’m talking about, here’s a quick rundown:

Eurovision has been broadcast annually since 1956. It was conceived as a way to help rebuild morale in postwar Europe by frenchman Marcel Bezençon.

Seven countries participated initially, and in 2009 we’re up to 42! Only 25 compete in the final competition, though, which means that there are also two semi-finals (May 12 and 14).

Participating countries can select their representative song either through public competition (most do this) or internal decision.

Four countries (Germany, Spain, France, and the UK) don’t have to compete in the semi-finals, because they provide so much financial support. They always go straight to the finals, as does the host country’s (last year’s winner’s) entry.

And you can’t vote for your own country.

It used to be that the host country had to provide a live orchestra, in case anyone needed it to back them. In fact, it was this way until 1998, but now no longer. The only thing required to be live now is vocals (both lead and backing), but everything else can be pre-recorded.

Since you’re trying to curry the favor of pretty much all of Europe, most entries are pretty bland bubble gum type pop music. In 2006 Finland broke damn near every rule, however, with More »« Less

From the marvelous Internet Archive, we have these vintage PSAs from 1965:

“Get your free copy of Your Livestock Can Survive Fallout From Nuclear Attack.” I would love a copy of that government pamphlet. Almost as much as I love that they did these PSAs with puppets.

Apologies for not updating almost at all this week– I was super busy stalking His Royal Mozzness around the midwest.

I heard the new John Vanderslice single, “Fetal Horses,” on woxy yesterday, and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. You should download it here. And check out his other stuff. I know it has a weird, creepy name, but trust me, you’re gonna love it.