Guest Diggin’

So here’s out first guest Diggin’ article, from Rate This Day head honcho John Doree (above). You can check out some of his musical creations at Soundclick right here.

Music

Generally anything that required some degree of thought and effort in committing it to tape. I’m mainly in to electronic music and heavy rock/metal but choice artists at the moment would be Björk, Venetian Snares, Autechre, Xanopticon, Led Zeppelin, Slayer, Camille, Boards of Canada, Mogwai and quite recently I’ve been made aware of the existence of The National and Pony Up. Massive shouts however go to classic rawk, big up the Journey! Toto as well!

Films/TV

I hardly watch films these days thanks partly to rising ticket costs and mainly due to my depressing lack of an attention span. I’m not ashamed to admit that I like rubbish films and my line-up in 2007 proved exemplary: District 13, Transporter 2, Crank, War… What can I say? I like to be entertained. Go watch your black and white thoughtful melodramas, I’ll drink a beer and watch a series of explosions and ridiculous gunfights. Although I can’t write this section without mentioning how No Country for Old Men is possibly the best film I’ve seen since Primer (my current favourite film of all time, please watch both of these, thanks).

There’s so much to choose from TV-wise, although maybe not at the moment due to the writer’s strike. I love a good TV series and America has long been the world’s greatest exporter of well-written shows. Anyone who maintains that Britain has the highest quality output is hideously wrong in so many ways. In particular my current favourites are Battlestar Galactica, The Office, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, American Dad and South Park.

Books

I was introduced to Cormac McCarthy towards the end of last year and I’ve just started my fourth title of his, The Border Trilogy. This man can write, honestly there’s no-one in the same league or even approaching his level. Like my taste in films there’s always a place for adrenaline-fueled popcorn-fests so I absolutely love the work of Harlan Coben. He writes books that are pure crack; chapters only five pages long, twists at the end of every one and a host of characters that are less trustworthy than all the players in a season of 24. I’ll pretty much read any comic that gets thrown my way but for the sake of this article I’ll just say that my favourite author Alan Moore has produced some truly outstanding and in every sense of the word, groundbreaking comics. V for Vendetta is still my favourite graphic novel of all time and I also can’t recommend Robert Kirkman’s series The Walking Dead highly enough. Otherwise my first love is pure science fiction. I’ve been reading stuff about robots and time travel since I was a kid and I don’t think this is ever going to change. I’m currently trying to go through the SF Masterworks series which is a collection of seminal and genre-defining work from the likes of Philip K Dick, HG Wells, John Brunner and Alfred Bester. The series is a great introduction to the world of SF and currently stands at 70 awe-inspiring titles.

Anything Else

I like lists of things so to finish here’s what I’m currently digging: writing reviews of random stuff for my site, my new record player, Oxfam record and book shops, American Gladiators, coffee by the pint, Samuel Smiths pub chain, my housemates, Radio 4’s coverage of the US election, zombies, my new headphones (Sennheiser HD600, yay), dinosaurs, Guitar Hero, dancing the robot to embarrass my friends, Hello Kitty, Tesco Value branded food (it’s quite nice actually), working on a radio show with lovely people and writing music.

Thanks for reading everyone!

John

New Feature: Diggin

Yes indeed, it’s come time for a few regular feature ideas to be trialled on the service. There will be more coming, mostly conventional stuff (reviews, opinion columns etc.)

So Diggin, which is very much a working title for this, is to be a really short interview piece on which we will talk to fellow bloggers, friends and anyone else who’d like to be involved. It will ask really one simple question and take it across three categories.

The question is:

What are you diggin right now? So this works across the lot. Just really a case of listing and elaborating on the choices made. You can pick any music you like at all, no restrictions on EPs, live stuff, unreleased stuff etc. Same with movies and TV from which you can glean choices from both categories. Same with books and comics. You are at no obligation to answer both however.

That’s about it. To kick it off for you though, we’ll make a quick example feature. In fact, I will ask the question to myself which will do nothing for my sanity. This though will occur on about a fortnightly basis to give you guys little updates as to what me and Beth are loving at this time. For my first, take the jump.

Tangled Up In Link

We’ve finally got the joke with Flight of the Conchords and now, like The AV Club does right here, have to recommend it as a Christmas purchasio.

Modern displacement and isolation is tough, reports The Onion.

Vote for your favourite album of the year on Drowned in Sound.

The perils of rock banter, on Slate.

Salon discusses the newest work from lizard-worshipping comic genius Alan Moore.

It looks like Mrs Hulk Hogan is leaving her perma-tanned muscle man. Hulkamania is down one chica!

Sadder even that though is this from The New York Times.

The Guardian enters a debate stirring competition with a few records NOT to listen to before death comes a-knockin’.

Alec Baldwin reviews No Country For Old Men right here.

Is someone making weird faces at you? Don’t hit them, they’re probably just doing facial yoga…

Come join the Teamsugar… team. It’s fun!

Roll up, roll up! Come and get your Take That Beautiful World Tour Merchandise. WOO! But why are the men’s t-shirts so much cheaper than the women’s???! Bah.

Ah, The Electricity Showrooms… This is where I went on Friday night for some quality 80s tunes and a light-up dancefloor. Loved it!

Where Did Our Link Go?

The AV Club has a glowing review of No Country For Old Men. On the subject, PopMatters has an interview with the Coens.

You can choose your friends. But not your family.

Garrison Keillor talks Halloween on Salon.

Hirsuite genius Guillermo Del Toro is to remake UK series Champions. For those who don’t know, here’s what that is.

The Village Voice reviews Sufjan Stevens.

Ellen has pissed off some writers.

The Pringles Ad of Brad Pitt’s past is back to haunt him.

The Office‘s John Krasinski is looking yummy in this sports-related spread from Men’s Health.

This evening Beth has mostly been playing High School Musical: Sing It! and marvelling at how complicated the harmonies are.

And Sam enjoyed Glengarry Glen Ross at The Apollo Theatre in London, starring Aiden Gillen and Jonathan Pryce.

There be some women out there who truly hate Observer Woman magazine…

And finally – here’s the Rashida Jones (Karen in The Office) starring Foo Fighters video for Long Road To Ruin

What’s Link Got To Do, Got To Do With It?

Bumper edition as the weekend is upon us. How exciting, huh? I bet you’re excited.

Slate reviews My Kid Could Paint That, a documentary asking just how good is Jackson Pollock compared to say, a 4-year old.

Marina Hyde, a Guardian, gives notes on what John Rambo thinks about Burma.

Maybe, just maybe, Joss Whedon’s going to get another chance.

According to The Onion, something beautiful has happened in the world of politics.

PopMatters pays tribute to one of the great California burnout records and takes some cues from a new box set to deliver a guide to Heavy Metal.

Stylus offers advice to budding talents on how to make records better.

Kevin Drew, of Broken Social Scene, offers up songs and old which tickle the good parts of his ears on Pitchfork.

Amy Millan, of slightly-associated-to-Broken Social Scene-indie lovelies Stars, is among those discussing gender issues with Tiny Mix Tapes.

The battle of the reality shows begins again. I’m all about the X Factor. Plus, also from The Times, is this interview with Linda Thompson.

Sweet new show Pushing Daisies has comic book. And, yes, it’s quite sweet.

There are trailers out for Be Kind Rewind, No Country For Old Men and Sweeney Todd at Apple and Yahoo respectively.

Rolling Stone pits Guitar Hero and Rock Band against each other.

A really old link from back in February on 20 Comics To Change Your Life on Nerve.

It appears HBO is starting to lose it a little bit, although its two new commissions sound like they may have potential.

The Independent LOVES Control. So does The Telegraph.

Van Halen are back. With Roth. Awesome. The New York Times was there.

Rudy Guiliani is topping the fund raising for the Republicans.

Phew, that’s it. Have a lovely weekend!!