600 sausages (to the tune of aphex twin)

Japanese people tend not to eat in public. It’s generally considered inappropriate to chow down on the street or on public transport — unless you’re crowded around a Harajuku crepe stand, in which case, it’s not a problem.

This is why I was rather impressed to discover JJ O’Donoghue’s 600 Sausages, a four-minute ode to the mighty frankfurter at Kyobashi station in Osaka. Every day, thousands of commuters pass through the station, 600 of whom stop off for a 110-yen sausage.

From weary salarymen to construction workers, old men to hungry schoolboys, right through to tourists and lone women, these passengers all take the time to break Japanese norms and enjoy a sausage on a stick before boarding their next train. It’s rather hypnotic, particularly due to the inspired use of the Bad Plus’ stripped down cover of Aphex Twin’s Film.

Enjoy, noting the lack of condiments yet overall satisfaction (particularly on the face of the man at 1.48):

via Jap-On!, crepe photos from Josefe aka Hipnosapo and Corporate Monkey.

David cameron wants to be like common people

I went to Eton paid a lot for knowledge…

Today I received my postal voting papers. Not long after, a dear friend sent me this Pulp-inspired ditty, officially ruining this classic song for me forever.

Sack off health care, cut some jobs
Support the rich guys & fuck the yobs.

Then in another attempt to gain some street cred, Cameron announced The Wire is excellent and Dominic ‘McNulty’ West used to fancy his wife. Fortunately, West deftly blamed it on his mysterious friend, ‘Nick’. This comes directly from the Telegraph’s Election Coverage, not some two-bit glossie.

Now if I can just get my head around hung parliaments, I’ll be ready to cast my vote.

New roads for kosovo

The newly independent Republic of Kosovo yesterday broke ground for a €700-million road linking the capital, Pristina, to Albania, eventually providing access to international ports and markets.

What’s that got to do with popular culture, you wonder? Well, Kosovo is a strange little place. Not only is it one of the world’s youngest countries (the government declared independence from Serbia in 2008), Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe. The average age of the 1.8 million residents is just 25.9, compared to 36.9 in Australia, 35.3 in the US and 39 in the UK.           

Last year the government unveiled Kosovo: The Young Europeans, an $8.5-million Saatchi & Saatchi ad campaign focussing on the country’s youthful optimism - without mentioning the 30-40% unemployment, history of hostility between the ethnic Serbian/Albanian populations, organised crime or economic mismanagement. The one-minute spot shows young people with giant bright yellow puzzle pieces coming together from all over the country, to form a giant map of Kosovo.

It’s an ambitious attempt at national branding, and the accompanying website presents Kosovo’s youth as attractive artists, musicians, actors, film-makers, students, sports people and general creatives. (With a little foresight, S&S probably should have included some construction workers - seeing as the new motorway is set to employ thousands of locals - but it may not have fit with the glamorous campaign imagery).

This youthful populace is also represented in the new government. Prime Minister Hashim Thaci recently turned 41, while government spokesperson slash Member for Education/Science/Youth, Memli Krasniqi, is just 30 years old.

Prior to entering politics, Krasniqi (shown above hard at work, and in his former guise) was one half of Ritmi i Rruges (Rhythm of the Street), a pioneering hiphop duo who coined the term ‘Albanian rap’ to describe their fusion of hiphop beats with Albanian lyrics.

Krasniqi may be accustomed to crowds of fans, but today all eyes were on the motorway. Well, the ground where the motorway will be built, which I believe is beneath the blue bin: 

I’m guessing there’s not a lot to do on Sundays in rural Kosovo, or else maybe these folks are excited for a project that will create new opportunities and connect their small nation to the greater world*.

If you’re interested, read more on Kosovo’s struggle for gaining international recognition for their independence, as most countries with separatist movements (Russia, China, Spain, etc) refuse to acknowledge their independent status and have thus far prevented the new nation being recognised by the United Nations.

Two strange points to note: while the UK officially recognises Kosovo, British Airways, cannot, until the UN does first. And while Taiwan recognises Kosovo’s independence, Kosovo doesn’t recognise Taiwan’s, in an attempt to gain favour with mainland China.

Now, I’m no diplomat, but they probably should’ve sorted this out before they blew $8.5 mill on a national branding campaign (& let’s not start on the motorway costs…).

Watch the Saatchi & Saatchi campaign here on Youtube or Krasniqi (in English) helping out his urban friend Biero, below. Krasniqi - in the club with the ladies - comes in at 2.22. Be warned, it’s a bit greasy:

*Actually, there’s probably just not a lot to do.

<Krasniqi pic from Galeriaime.com>

Guitars, cymbals & zebra finches at the barbican

Céleste Boursier-Mougenot’s installation at the Barbican’s Curve Gallery may be my new favourite interactive art piece. By arranging horizontally mounted amplified Les Paul guitars, cymbals and basses on grassy islands around an airy exhibition space with 40 zebra finches, the Nice-born composer and musician has created a piece that’s equal parts art, music and ornithology.

An earlier version of the work was described as a form of aleatoric music, wherein some element of the composition is left to chance and/or dependent on the whim of the performers. These (darker) male and (lighter) female zebra finches flit happily from instrument to instrument, unintentionally playing chords as they go. And according to the Barbican’s description of the work, the gallery visitors are just as important to the resulting soundscapes as the actual performers:

The piece relies on the visitors’ movements around the space, which elicit counter movements by the birds, resulting in a subtle choreography.

…What is more, Boursier-Mougenot has tuned the guitars and basses so that whenever a string is touched it produces a clear chord.

It’s rather mesmerising watching them go about their business, swinging on hanging guitar leads and bathing merrily in an upturned cymbal filled with water. At one point while I stood watching a male and female meticulously re-arranging a blade on grass on a guitar bridge, a curious male came and hopped onto my shoe. I actually froze a little - possibly due to stage fright as many of the other visitors stopped to watch the encounter - as he pecked at the frayed edges of my ancient Converse*.

The birds’ welfare has been monitored by the relevant authorities, and gallery visitors are limited to 25 at a time. This makes it quite relaxing as there’s plenty of room to find your own space/performer to watch. The friendly attendant informed me that the birds are happily nesting and even laying eggs (with 63 laid so far), while the Guardian reported their reproductive behaviour even stopped the show last month, when an egg was discovered balancing on one of the guitars.

The Barbican is also hosting a number of events related to the work, including a discussion on birdsong and how it inspires musicians, and an exploration of unexpected places and the nature of sound at the Songlines Family Workshop. If you can’t make it, check the video below.

Céleste Boursier-Mougenot at the Curve, Babican Art Gallery, Silk St, London UK. Free admission (go early to avoid the queues) until 23 May 2010.

*I’ve since read one visitor had an egg laid in her handbag, which I think wins in terms of performer/audience interaction.

<Images from Scopict Le Monde, Harsh Media, Getty, video from the Barbican>

When is japanese food not japanese food?

When an international star like Jared Leto blogs about it.

Not too long ago, 30 Seconds to Mars frontman Leto was in town and raved online about  ‘Great Japanese food in London’ – only to post the above picture of Yauatcha, one of London’s finest dim sum emporiums.

And I know, I know, he’s a big film rock star who may not grasp the delicate intricacies that distinguish Chinese from Japanese cuisines, but still… this cross-cultural confusion made me lose all faith in the man. (Even more so than his choice of film roles/women/wacky hairstyles of late).

In Leto’s honour, I present some recent examples of sushi art, just to prove that Japanese food can take different guises (none of which look like dim sum, though):

Exhibit A: Brownie ‘nori roll’ cupcakes and Rice Krispies/Bubbles with Swedish Fish. These amazing sweet sushi creations come from Saucy, a Canadian blogger/supermum who tends to refer to herself in the third person. (It’s fine though, as her talent for re-imagining sushi through sugary sweets is worth the occasional little idiosyncrasy).

Exhibits B & C: Neither of which I would like looking back at me.

So am I just being pedantic, or does someone need to give Jared Leto a culinary education? If he wants to start at Yauatcha, I’ll quite happily volunteer.

<Sushi sweets from Saucy via Paper-, platter from ulteriorepicure>

Atari teenage riot, 13 years on

Atari Teenage Riot has a new album coming out next month, which makes me feel rather old. Firstly, as I haven’t listened to them since 1997’s The Future of War, and secondly, because the new song, Activate! makes my head hurt.

Old.

Like the Atari above, which we had as kids until a centipede crawled in, got electrocuted, and ruined Donkey Kong for everyone.

Click the ‘play’ button to hear them doing their digital hardcore thing, & do let me know if you last beyond the first 30 seconds… Were they always this loud?

Atari pic courtesy of Ethan Hein.

Happy birthday herbie

For yesterday, that is.

Dear old Herbie is now offering a free 70th birthday download from his upcoming release, The Imagine Project. Set to drop in June, the new work will include a documentary, ‘webisodes’ and a small run of shows.

What else can we say but …& many more~

Photo c/o Soul Portrait.