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TERRA FIRMA: LEARNING FROM THE MASTERS — WRESTLING WITH MENTORS

MENTOR #1: JORGE LUIS BORGES There is, in one person, a strange sea within. Every time you pick up one of his short stories, or read through one of his poems, you feel like you’re setting forth on an epic journey to mysterious, undiscovered lands. (I’m still freaking out about Hampton Sides’ fabulous The Wide Wide Sea , where Captain Cook is sailing hither and yon, from darn near pole to pole, in this wooden ship—a wooden world, actually—encountering new peoples, sometimes hostile, almost always magical, and moving through these uncharted spaces as if he were mapping the universe!) That one person? Jorge Luis Borges. I have learned more about mystery and magical moments from him than from almost anyone. Here is a poet whose poems can read like a novel, a short-story prose master whose stories can read like poems. Borges enters mental climes that are almost always uncharted. Think of it! His short stories unfold like novels, and he is careful—or perhaps un-careful —to unfold his tales w...
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THE TERRA FIRMA PLAYLIST! PART ONE


THE KNOCKOUTZ
  
L to R: Jennifer Rocker aka Gunz; Samantha Plantagenet aka Lucky



1. THE KNOCKOUTZ: A two women wrecking crew. Undercover cops but also a duo serious about their music!

        Lucky's DJ set: 

    Eminem's "Business." Why? Easy swing. Music that sounds familiar no matter what. Slim's voice, Dre's beats smooth. Not overly aggressive. Fun.

    The Game and 50 Cents' "How We Do." Why? Again easy swing and two master voices riding the beat. Fun.

    House of Pain's "Put Your Head Out." Why? Lucky has to get home for the wealthy men who rarely dance so the key was getting to their women without antagonizing the men. Yet, even the men might feel the urge to bob along. Familiar voices sail over DJ Mugg's beat. Fun.

    LL Cool J's "Eat 'Em Up L." Why? Marley Marl's floor rattling tune compels even the reluctant to come forward. Lucky's idea was to put on tunes that though not known, people might think they knew them. It sounds tough and makes men feel strong. And LL's voice is unstoppable. 

    B.T. Express's "Do It ("Til You're Satisfied)." Why? It's a song from the past that's timeless. Again it would not be known to the dancers but it would resonate as something "cool" and fun.

    The idea was to unlock these wealthy men, these titans, who would probably never dance again but here, this weekend, with the women they wanted to be with, and fueled by certain intoxicants, they would cast all to the winds and finally hit the dance floor and do the herky-jerky dances Lucky had named from her past experiences with such men: (e.g. "The Bilton," "The Sorry About That Ace," "The Gallop" etc.)

        Gunz's Set:

    "Jay Z's "Do You Wanna Ride?" Why riding underneath B.T. Express, Lucky tosses the mic to Gunz and she hits it at the John Legend hook "I Know...the places..." etc. With her smokey contralto and Jay Z's superb vocals it was the perfect Gunz showcase.


    The Big Showcase On Hell Night:

    The Nylons' cover of The Shangri-las "Remember (Walking In The Sand)" Why? What a way to open! This version with all of the pathos and pleading is actually, IMO, simply the most evocative! That said props have to go to Martin Scorsese for his excellent use of the tune in Goodfellas! (He sticks to the Shangri-las version though!).

    Afterlife's "Falling." Why? Pound for pound Simplicity 2000 along with 808 State's Ex:El were the two entry drugs that tumbled me into the endless glory of EDM! And I wanted something that Gunz's could crush in her glorious contralto. Rachel Row's "L Square," Blue Six's "Love Yourself," Everything But The Girl's "Missing," Twin Ngor's "I Was Lost," and Massive Attack's "Safe From Harm," are all masterpieces of downtempo glory and they perfectly fit Gunz's contralto.

Contralto? Yeah I'm thinking Karen Carpenter here, the greatest pop contralto ever!!! Just listen to "Superstar" and you'll know exactly what I mean. All of this is woven into the alien invasion thriller Terra Firma out now!





        
 
    

    

    
    
        

More Terra Firma music: Playlist: Part Two | Soundtrack: Part Three | Playlist: 4 | The Nylons Electrify "Remember" | Playlist: Part 5 | Soundtrack: When You Hear It You'll Know!

I'd love to hear your thoughts, so speak your mind. Leave me a comment or feel free to hit me up at: fromandromedaandback@gmail.com. And thank you!

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