To pick up where I left off, the Ryan Adams + Mary-Louise Parker talk at the NYPL on Friday was pretty great. Structured as a casual conversation between the two poetry lovers, NYPL’s Paul Holdengraber gave a very brief intro before handing the stage over to the old friends (for three years they were neighbors).

Much of the first half of the discussion was peppered with references to Mary-Louise’s friend, poet and Columbia University professor Mark Strand, who both credited with widening their horizons and understanding of poetry.

Ryan spoke at length about how he imagines a big gang of people with “unhappy face shirts on” just waiting to tear him down. On putting his work and himself out in the world for public consumption, Ryan commented that when something is seeing as being “too artistic” people tend to paint it as coming form a place of “self-entitlement,” for Ryan it’s more of an opportunity for pure expression, that in general he feels his work doesn’t always stimulate the intellect, but does stimulate emotion.

Mary-Louise elaborated on the discussion of the mob mentality of critics by saying that for people who are the the public eye, there is very real hurt that comes with hearing criticism. Talking about anonymous internet commentators, Mary-Louise commented that “the voice that’s going to be heard is the meanest voice in the room.”
Continue reading ‘More on Ryan Adams and Mary-Louise Parker Talk Poetry @ NYPL Live’ »

After reading that headline, did your mind explode? Well it should have, because it’s enough when musical genius Ryan Adams and actress extraordinaire Mary-Louise Parker (aka the insatiable Nancy Botwin from Weeds) are on their own — putting them together in the same room is nearly fatal to the hearts of cool hunters worldwide.

For an hour and a half the two Carolina natives (Adams- North, Parker- South) will be discussing poetry and fiction, and Adams’s upcoming book HelloSunshine, at the Celeste Bartos Forum of The New York Public Library at 6PM on September 25th as part of the NYPL Live series. Tickets to this 500 person event will go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, Sept 9th.

I can already see myself sitting there, eyes darting back and forth, my chest beating fast, and the little neurons in my brain completely frizzling out because I’ll be unable to determine who I should be focusing on at any given moment.
Continue reading ‘ANNOUNCED: Ryan Adams and Mary-Louise Parker @ NYPL Live’ »

The folding of music mag Blender Magazine earlier this year seems to be just the beginning for even harder times upon the already struggling print music magazine industry.

Two weeks ago indie-rock based Paste Magazine put a plea out to their readers to donate money in order help save the magazine from closing. (In exchange donors receive access to 70+ “rare and exclusive tracks” from artists like Of
Montreal, The Decemberists, Indigo Girls and She & Him.)

Now hot on the heels of that news comes word that renegade UK rag Plan B has decided to pull the plug on their operation. This saddens me deeply, as Plan B, and it’s predecessor Careless Talk Costs Lives were among some of the very few smart, original, and far from cliched music mags out there.

How do you feel about all the recent closings of the world’s music publications? Are there some you are glad to see go (and some you are hoping will fade away)?

Even though the band has only played one public live show (right here in NYC), The Dead Weather have managed to swing their first music magazine cover–the brand new issue of SPIN magazine.

Continue reading ‘The Dead Weather Claim SPIN Cover’ »

The favorite new party haunt of TMA…

VICE LIVE
NYC Edition
Vice Magazine Mexican Issue Release Party

Free with RSVP to:

http://www.viceland.com/vicelive

21+ w/ ID
Complimentary 42 Below Vodka & Colt 45 until it’s gone.
Continue reading ‘Another Night at Santos Party House…VICE’ »

…and guitars, and basses, and microphones? Then you might find yourself clamoring for the new Nylon book called PLAY, which heavily focuses on some of the hottest, most stylish, and sometimes controversial, female figures to ever rock the music world. Interviews with people like Jenny Lewis and Peaches and homages to the style of Amy Winehouse and Beth Ditto.

Ok ok, it’s not just about chicks–dudes like Thurston Moore and Wayne Coyne from the Flaming Lips are in it too, throwing their two cents in about some of their favorite music and biggest influences.

Miss Meg White of the White Stripes is of course covered in the book as well. Check it out:

More photos from the book over at Nylon.com

A little shout-out to my friend Sarah. You may know her as the top banana over at indie music label Stolen Transmission or as international arbiter of mirth and merriment, Ultragrrrl, but she’s got a new job as the blogger for a new blog called Almack’s Dance Hall (which is run by Universal records). She will be going out every night to a different show and reporting on it, which makes me simultaneously jealous and exhausted thinking about this ambitious feat.

Ah yes, there was once a time when I would go out every night, go see a band (or two… or three!), crash into my little extra long twin bed at my college dorm and then stumble in, bleary-eyed, into class only a few hours later.

Anyhoo, best of luck to Sarah in that new endeavor. Also of note, Ultra has a new book out, Pocket Karaoke, which was released last week.
Continue reading ‘Ultragrrrl’s Got a New Blog…and Book!’ »

I just logged on to SPIN.com and was met with a whole lot of change–looks like they launched a redesign of the site. Much more modular, much more dynamic. But is it better? What do you think?

New York City homies Vampire Weekend are quickly becoming as ubiquitous as MacBook Air commercials–currently gracing the cover of the music magazine for the “blawg-rockers”, SPIN and now they are featured in the new issue of Nylon magazine:

(Bigger photo on Vorrasi.com.)

The shots were taken at Tom & Jerry’s bar in the East Village by TMA friend Vorrasi. We were lucky enough to be on hand for the shoot. Here’s a behind-the-scenes shot:
Continue reading ‘Vampire Weekend Hit the Glossies’ »

Did some sleuthing this morning and FINALLY fixed the RSS feed. Yay!

You can now subscribe to the RSS feed by plugging in themodernage.org/feed/ into your RSS reader of choice.

Here’s to minor victories!