David Oyelowo, up for an Emmy nom for his performance in HBO Films’ Nightingale, American Crime’s Timothy Hutton, an Emmy nominee; Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk, also up for an Emmy; The Knick’s Clive Owen; The Leftovers’ Justin Theroux; and Ray Donovan’s Jon Voight, gather around The Hollywood Reporter for a candid roundtable discussion about everything from what they wish agents knew, passing on Risky Business and bad job experiences. Says Theroux of his past mistakes: “That cop procedural made me want to hang myself.”
The Wanamaker Organ – Inside the world’s largest operating musical instrument
Most Philadelphians don’t realize that the largest working musical instrument in the world is built into one of the city’s landmarks, the former John Wanamaker department store, now Macy’s, at 13th and Market streets.
The Wanamaker Grand Court Organ at Macy’s is a 7-story-high contraption bigger than most people’s houses, even rich people’s. The vast maze of 26,677 pipes and baffles and bellows and wires and wooden stairways lies hidden behind what many of us have always thought was the Wanamaker Organ.
Carrie Underwood’s Isolated Vocals For “Before He Cheats”
Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” was the third wide-release single from Carrie Underwood’s debut album, Some Hearts from 2005. It was the fifth release from the album overall. The song became an enormous crossover success, topping the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for five consecutive weeks, reaching the top five on the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart and becoming a top ten hit on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 and Adult Contemporary charts. On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, “Before He Cheats” reached number eight and achieved a longevity of 64 consecutive weeks on the chart, making it the sixth longest-charting single in the history of the Hot 100.
https://youtu.be/WS6yuH–VN8
That time Bob Dylan took down Time Magazine
A legendary clip from the Bob Dylan documentary Don’t Look Back, in which Bob runs into a journalist, and begins to really let Time Magazine have it.
“I don’t think I’m a folk singer, but you’ll probably call me a folk singer. Sure, I read it [Time] on the airplanes, but I don’t take it seriously. If I wanted to find out anything I wouldn’t read Time magazine. I’m not gonna read Newsweek. I’m not gonna read any of these magazines. They’ve got too much to lose by printing the truth, you know that.”
R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe on his worst moment onstage
Was there a period in R.E.M. you felt like you were close to falling off the cliff as far as megalomania goes?
There’s one particular show where I allowed false arrogance to make me feel OK about stepping out on a stage that I was really afraid to step out on. Of course, in the middle of the third song, I literally stepped off the stage and almost broke my leg in front of the entire audience. It could not have been a more obvious, stupid, geek move. I still have the scar from it. I scraped the entire front of my leg off.
That was at the Hollywood Bowl and there were just way too many artists and famous people in the audience, and I whipped up this kind of Patti Smithian false arrogance to pop my chest out and allow myself to walk out and not be intimidated by the audience. The Hollywood Bowl is not an easy place to play because you’re almost face-to-face with the audience, so you don’t have the dynamic of the stage being a lot taller. It’s often daylight when you start the set and evening when you end it, so a lot of the very mechanical or technical aspects of the performance — and being able to control the energy exchange between audience and band — are not available. So combine that with, you know, the most famous faces on earth staring at you. That was not a good time for me. But I’m able to laugh at it, and I have the scar to prove to myself what a basic bitch I am.
Via Grantland
Kevin Spacey impersonating Christopher Walken, auditioning for the role of Han Solo
Here’s Kevin Spacey impersonating Christopher Walken, who is in turn auditioning for the role of Han Solo.
Patti Smith’s Poem For Keith Richards Written In 1978
The February 1978 issue of Rock Scene contains a pretty cool poem written by Patti Smith in honour of one “Keith Richard,” yes, with the “S” missing.
The poem is called “Wreath” and I doubt she’s ever done it live.
WREATH
on the hills of rif we come to greet you
through the halls of myth we choose to roam
crown of thorns
shroud of love
our gifts we offer
and the waters of life
of health
of stone
on the hills of rif we call, undefeated
crown of thorns
kreed of love
and language comb
on the hills of rif we rise
salute you
ja-kiss your face of light and bone
Dolly Parton Raises over $500,000 For The Imagination Library During Four Sold-Out Dollywood Concerts
Dolly Parton returned home, this past weekend, to help raise money for her Imagination Library and although the performances were billed Dolly: Pure & Simple, in simple Dolly fashion she shined brighter than the stars in the sky. The four sold-out shows, which took place at Dollywood’s D.P. Celebrity Theatre raised over $500,000.00.
When welcoming the audience, Dolly said, “Thank you from all the kids and me! We give books to children all over the world now, and the Imagination Library started right here in Sevier County, right up here in these hills. So thank you all for coming. I truly believe that you can never get enough books into the hands of enough children.”
Currently in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, the Imagination Library has mailed more than 71 million free books!
From Blue Smoke to Backwoods Barbie, 9 to 5 and Coat Of Many Colors, Dolly captivated the audience show after show performing her latest and greatest hits. During her performances, Dolly also shared her excitement for her new resort, “I am so proud of all the things we are doing here. Of course, it’s our 30th Anniversary, and we’ve been longing for our own hotel ever since we started Dollywood. Yesterday, I had a chance to go over to the resort and do some videos and things in my suite, and I got to see the resort up and breathin’ with real people in it. We are just so proud of it!”