Arachnophonia: Live Aid

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Eliana (class of 2024) and features the Live Aid concert film. Thanks, Eliana!

Live Aid on DVD

Live Aid concert film still

Deemed by many “the greatest show on earth,” Live Aid was, and is still to this day, the largest benefit concert of all time. On July 13th, 1985, the biggest names in Pop and Rock music joined together at both Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia to raise money for the famine that left ⅕ of Ethiopia’s total population without food.

Huge stars including, but not limited to, Queen, Elton John, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, and Sting were all present across the two locations. In total, they raised more than $127 million towards famine relief – almost $330 million by today’s standards.

The four-disc DVD set of the event is available at Parsons Music library. In its case, you’ll see photographs from the concert, as well as a pamphlet that contains the first draft of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” two pages from the original Live Aid program, and various facts about the significance of the event.

Don’t have a DVD player? Have no fear! At Parsons Music Library, you can check out portable disc drives or visit study spaces with DVD players inside. If you have any questions, someone behind the front desk will always be available to help.

Live Aid dvd set

Arachnophonia: David Bowie “Blackstar”

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library‘s collection. All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by Music Library student worker, Gabi (class of 2020), and features Blackstar , the 25th and final album from English musician, David Bowie. Thanks, Gabi!

David Bowie

Blackstar

David Bowie - Blackstar

On what would have been David Bowie’s 71st birthday, an HBO original documentary titled, David Bowie: The Last Five Years premiered on the channel. The film explores the end of Bowie’s career, ranging from his last ever live performance in 2004, to the release of his final album, Blackstar, and corresponding music videos. The film revealed a new side of Bowie to me, and as a longtime fan, I was intrigued by the processes behind his later work, which he kept so concealed from the public–until now. It has inspired me to write about Bowie’s final album, his swan song, Blackstar.

HBO Doc promo

Blackstar came out when I was a senior in high school. I had listened to Bowie’s complete discography throughout my teenage years and was caught by surprise when he released a full-length album in 2016. Upon first listen, the album is very unique compared to his others, which says a great deal considering every one of Bowie’s albums represents a different stylistic era of Bowie. The album is concise, featuring only 7 tracks and a running time of 41 minutes. A new influence of jazz is also noticeable throughout the record, especially on track 4: “Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)“. This track featured collaborators like Maria Schneider, a notable jazz musician and composer. Bowie even cited Kendrick Lamar‘s To Pimp a Butterfly, an album that fuses hip-hop and jazz, as an inspiration for this choice.

This jazz influence overtakes that of rock’n’roll, which many would associate as Bowie’s main style. There is also something distinctly darker and ominous in the sound of Bowie’s voice on this album as compared to others. This, paired with the mix of new, experimental styles, made the listen of Blackstar a unique one for a Bowie fan. What would he do next? Did Blackstar mark a definite new era in Bowie’s sonic exploration?

Two days after the album’s release, before having much time to process or interpret this new sound, David Bowie passed away from liver cancer. The world was heartbroken, as the disease had been kept a secret from the public since its inception. It was not until his passing, however, that the public uncovered the true genius behind Blackstar: it is encrypted with secret messages that allude to Bowie’s death.

In the title track, Bowie sings,

“Something happened on the day he died
Spirit rose a metre then stepped aside
Somebody else took his place, and bravely cried
(I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar)”

Bowie - astronaut

Throughout his career, Bowie sung about space in a myriad of ways. On the song “Star”, from his 1973 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, he calls himself a rock n roll star, but now, he has faded to black. In the music video for Blackstar, we even see a nod to Major Tom himself in the opening shot, as a man in a space suit looks up at a gigantic, black star.

Track 3, “Lazarus“, opens with the lines,

“Look up here, I’m in heaven
I’ve got scars that can’t be seen
I’ve got drama, can’t be stolen
Everybody knows me now”

Here, Bowie is literally calling to his listeners from the afterlife, reflecting on his time as a public figure. The corresponding music video features Bowie lying tensely in a hospital bed, and eventually he is dragged into a dark closet, almost like he was dragged away from life into death.

Tony Visconti, longtime producer, collaborator, and friend of Bowie, said that this album was Bowie’s “parting gift” to his fans. Two years after his death, the gift still resonates, and the musical risks he took throughout the project are reminders that even in his weakest days, Bowie was an innovator, and will always be remembered as one.

avid Bowie - Blackstar portrait

Arachnophonia : The Life Aquatic soundtrack

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library‘s collection. All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by Music Library student library worker, Gabi (class of 2020) and features the soundtrack album for the 2004 film The Life Aquatic. Thanks, Gabi!

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou soundtrack
Mark Mothersbaugh, Seu Jorge, et al

Life Aquatic soundtrack

What makes a film great? Some may say an Oscar-worthy performance by a lead actor, or the presentation of aesthetically pleasing cinematography. For me, although both of these are important, what really makes a movie stand out is music. Whether it’s the soundtrack, the score, or both, the ability to perfectly match a song to a scene is impressive. It can bring the emotions I’m feeling while watching up to another level.

Life Aquatic still

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, directed by Wes Anderson, is a comedy-drama about an oceanographer played by Bill Murray. This film is an excellent example of one that uses a unique background of music to enhance its tone, which is whimsical and quirky.

Let me tell you about my boat

Mark Mothersbaugh, a former member of the pop group DEVO and a frequent Anderson collaborator, is the composer of the film’s score. Five of Mothersbaugh’s instrumental tracks appear on the official soundtrack, including “Let Me Tell You About my Boat”, which accompanies one of the most famous scenes in the film: Steve Zissou breaking the fourth wall by directly introducing himself to the audience.

Mark Mothersbaugh

Mark Mothersbaugh

The coolest part about this soundtrack is that it features five covers of some of David Bowie’s best songs… in Portuguese. The movie itself showcases Seu Jorge performing a variety of Bowie covers including “Rebel Rebel”, “Starman” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”. Jorge plays one of Steve Zissou’s crew members in the movie, and sings the songs with a red beanie on his head and an acoustic guitar in his hands. These covers do not only provide a fresh take on several well-known classic rock songs, but also give the film unforgettable character.

Seu Jorge

Seu Jorge in the film

Seu Jorge’s work in The Life Aquatic was so memorable that, 13 years after the film’s initial release, he is currently on tour performing the covers as an homage to the late David Bowie.

New CDs added in March!

New CDs for March 2016

Classical

Helene Grimaud – Water

Helene Grimaud - Water

Opera

Giuseppe Verdi – Attila
Giuseppe Verdi – Oberto

Verdi - Oberto

Verdi - Attila

Pop/Rock/R&B

David Bowie – Blackstar

David Bowie - Blackstar

Jazz

Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest – Sylva

Snarky Puppy - Sylva

Blues

Buddy Guy – Born To Play Guitar

Buddy Guy - Born To Play Guitar