I know by now pretty much everyone has heard clips of Christian Bale's freakout on the set of the Terminator film.

Immediately after the original audio clip was released, various forms have been popping up all over the internet. Shortened clips, edited clips, remixes and songs, and of course, a wide array of YouTube videos.

At the same time, I'm reading about the concepts of "liveness" and "mediatized performance" in my Electronic Media and Live Performance course. In his book, Liveness: Performance in a Mediatized Culture Phillip Auslander writes, "Mediatized performance is performance that is circulated on television, as audio or video recordings, and in other forms based in technologies of reproduction" (4). 

Auslander goes on to discuss the importance of television and the concept of "the televisual," where TV is seen as a context and one that has "originally modeled itself on live form" (7). 

An extraordinary number of YouTube users have used the audio recordings of Bale's freakout, a once live event, and reproduced and manipulated those recordings to their own liking, thus putting it in a new context and creating a continuous cycle. I know things like this happen all the time, but this incident has become extremely popular in such a short time. 

And now, here is my favorite user created video based on the events. It's a bit offensive, but mostly hilarious. Not to mention, the electronic beats are pretty amazing. The video is NSFW, obviously, due to the strong language used.

Bale Out

After having a five week break, a new semester is underway and it's efinitely going to be interesting. Or at least, it seems that way so far, despite the fact that this is only the second week of classes.

My Music Business class seems more geared towards giving us an inside look at the music industry and well as exploring the history of music marketing, promotion, etc. and the direction that the industry is going. 

I'm going to play Second Life for my on-line class. I won't be doing that until the end of the semester and we are going to go virtual skydiving together. Honestly Second Life kind of freaks me out.

I'm finally getting involved in radio again. My radio lab class is something that I have really been looking forward to. I don't know if I will actually be doing a show, it's something I would like to do, but just being involved in a station and the operations behind it is something that I enjoy on its own. The station actually has its own blog and I will be a part of that one in addition to this one. 

I know this blog was a requirement for a class I was taking last semester and since that has ended, I don't really have to keep this blog. However, I am going to as I enjoy writing and I hope that the 3 people I know who read this enjoy doing so as well.

Asian Adventure

I feel my experience in South Korea is better explained through a series of photographs. Here are a few of my favorites.

The end.

Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio...

While I was in South Korea, my friend I was staying with had to work half days, so while she was doing that, I was able to catch Pitchfork.tv's airing of the self-titled Joy Division documentary.

Honestly, when I first listened to Joy Division, I didn't "get" them and didn't really care for the band either. I decided to give them another go later on; I don't know what changed specifically, I feel it was more of a combination of my expanding taste in music and the place I was in at the time, but I was converted. Since then, I've made it known that the band is one of my favorites. Both people I know well and not so well have picked up on that. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing, especially with my ongoing protest that I am not goth or anything similar in any way, shape, or form.

Grant Gee's documentary on Joy Division was eye opening to say the least. The only background information I have on the band comes from the Internet or from my repeated viewing of Control, so it was interesting to get an inside look from the band members and friends of Ian Curtis. I won't lie, the documentary made me depressed, yet it only furthered my appreciation for the band and for what they've managed to accomplish.

There's this used record shop that I pass by often on my way to class, right by Union Square. I was first drawn to the store after seeing Substance in the window. I was too scared to ask how much it was (my guess was the it was expensive) and now it's gone. That just makes me even more depressed. I am a fool for passing up that record. 

If there ever is a next time, I won't make that mistake again. 

안녕하세요 (Hello) from Korea

I have safely arrived in South Korea. I left at 7 A.M on the 19th and arrived at 6:30 P.M. on the 20th. 

The flight from NYC to San Francisco went by fast, as I was asleep for most of it. I suppose staying up all night was responsible for that. However, the flight from San Francisco to Seoul was, well, slightly difficult. I'm not very patient and didn't enjoy sitting for 12 hours straight, however I managed to entertain myself by watching Son of Rambow on repeat. When I wasn't doing that, I was sleeping in 20 minute intervals.

I have no idea of what's going on here. I am so confused. I suppose that is because the only Korean word I know is "Annyong" and that's only because of Arrested Development. Kat still has to teach half days for the rest of this week, so I'm on my own until noon or 1. I feel like leaving her apartment will result in my getting lost. Maybe I'll wait until tomorrow to attempt such a feat. 

Handsome Furs - Face Control

Wolf Parade is hands down one of my favorite bands. Out of their many side projects, which are all fantastic in their own way, Handsome Furs is definitely my favorite.

Face Control, an album I have been extremely excited for, recently leaked on the Internet and I can't stop listening to it. I love Plague Park, but I'm starting to prefer Face Control over it. It has a more layered feel and both the vocals and instruments (especially that drum machine!) are more powerful. Not only that, but the tracks flow together more evenly and I just think that it's a stronger album overall. Also, the fact that the album was inspired from their trip to Russia is incredible, because I have this strange obsession with Russia and things pertaining to it. Don't even getting me started on Matryoshkas. Oh and I can't forget the New Order reference they threw in there either. 

I saw Handsome Furs last year at SXSW, but unfortunately their set was cut short due to time restraints. I didn't get to enjoy their set as much as I would have liked, as I was overcome with waves of nausea from a Thai dinner, and when that wasn't happening, I was too busy staring at Hadji who was rocking out by the side of the stage, or embarrassing myself in front of Britt Daniel. So needless to say, I want to see them again. I know they've announced a handful of tourdates, but no NYC one yet. I'm sure in a matter of time one will be announced. Or I hope so.

Until then, I will be waiting patiently and longing for a drum machine.

I don't know how grading works at New School and frankly, I'm not going to question it.

Understanding Media Studies = Pass

Media Practices: Concepts = A-

Media Studies: Ideas = A

3.85 for my first semester of Grad school? Yes please!