I don’t know what the fuck has changed lately, but I’ve been receiving a lot of emails with requests for me to post shit on the site.  Help has been few and far between, so I’ve been getting backed up and don’t generally have time to check out someone’s myspace tracks or research some random bullshit that isn’t already on my radar.  I do like receiving the requests, however, but far too many of these emails show clear evidence that the senders have absolutely no idea about Monster Fresh or about the type of material that we would even be interested in posting anyway.  Nothing against anyone because, in thruth, we just don’t have the manpower right now and I haven’t even had an opportunity to look over most of the stuff.  Who knows?  Maybe there was actually an original idea hidden in there somewhere but, if you think that I give a fuck about the new David Gray release,  then you are obliviously mistaken.

The other day I received yet another email from a stranger with a project, but this was different.  Something in the message caught my interest immediately and prompted me to delve further.  Now, I am only recommending the same of you.  Take a moment from from what you’re doing, refocus your attention, and deposit these two terms into your memory bank:
1) “PaperMonster” and 2) “Dirty Pilot“.

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Popularity: 1% [?]

On an extremely busy February 13th, I found time to head into the local Upper Playground store located in Seattle’s University district.  Not only was it Friday the 13th, but I also had a drunken birthday party to appear at that night and it was my 3 year anniversary with m’lady.  The reason that I headed into the apparel/art retailer was actually to figure out my schedule for the palindromic following Friday,  Feb. 20th (02/20).  Kool Keith was scheduled to perform the same night as UP’s opening night for an exhibit by artist N8 Vandyke but, after speaking to the staff, it was clear that there would be absolutely no conflict for me to attend both events.  “Don’t worry.  We’re all heading over to Kool Keith from here.  We’re actually helping to sponsor the show.” they told me.   I also recieved a proposal from the manager, Jen, asking me to contribute some writing to the Upper Playground blog The Citrus Report.

After leaving, I was pretty amped and was even more focused on making it to see Kool Keith this time around.  Even though we’ve had a preview in our suggested events section for two months, I had still completely spaced the date of the show until the last minute and never bothered to try and get passes until that week.  I spent the next few days tracking down whoever released the rappers latest album, while waiting to hear back from my connection at the venue about if he was able squeeze me into the overly packed guest list.  He couldn’t help me this time and it was my fault but, I did have a few back and forth emails with Threshold Recordings, Kutmasta Kurt’s label.  The first email that I received from them went as follows: “Sorry, kool keith does not encourage show reviews, only show previews“.  I was a little confused because that is usually only the case with venues.  Reviews don’t help the venues because they are written after the events have already passed but, reviews still work to promote the artists.  I responded by pointing out that I had already posted a preview to which they replied with “Sorry keith’s policy is no show reviews“, “…we meant a full preview with interview etc etc“, and that they may be able to get me a pass if I “promise not to write a show review” and if I would, “guarantee a feature article on the new dr doom album“.  Of course, I would have been down to squash this article, if they would have worked out an interview and sent me the album but, it was taking days at a time to get a response and, by this time, it was the day before the show.  Plus, I had never been offered passes to NOT review a concert before.  It was all a little strange yet, somehow fitting for Kool Keith.  Fuck it, I already bought a ticket at this point anyway.  I sent them an email stating that, if they arranged an alternative option for my article, which included an email interview and an album for review, I wouldn’t write it.  Otherwise, I was going ahead with my plans.  Out of respect I waited but, it’s been long enough and I haven’t heard back.  Next time they should try leaving a sixer of Magic Hat and a sausage grinder out on a table in front of me and ask me now to eat it while they’re out of town.  I might wait an hour but, eventually, I’m gonna drank that beer and eat that sammich. (more…)

Popularity: 4% [?]

Banksy has stepped up his game by setting up shop in NY and taking his artistic vision into even more 3-dimensional and interactive areas.  When I find out about something this amazing I have an urge to post something about it immediately.  When it deals with the work of an artist that I already have a large amount of respect for I feel like jumping right in the middle of the subject even more.  The issue with this is that, to achieve the accessibility for everyone that we want on Monster Fresh, no one should have to jump into a swirling article or topic like a game of double dutch.  There is always that moment that we first find out about something new and I want to be able to help introduce new forms of expression and artists instead of just featuring the latest release or project so, before providing the latest update, let’s first tackle a little of the back story behind Banksy and his work.

Banksy is one of the most influential and forward thinking graffiti artists of the last 20 years. He is well known for his stenciled bombing which he honed in the Bristol area of the United Kingdon.  In his book “Banksy: Wall and Piece” (2005) he states that he decided to start doing his tagging with a stenciling format after being caught and running from the cops at the age of 18.  He claims that, while hiding, he “spent over an hour under a dumpster truck with engine oil leaking all over (him)“.   He looked up at a stencil on the fuel tank and realized that he had found his answer to cutting his painting time down to a fraction of what they currently took.

I highly recommend “Wall and Piece” because it is, not only an impressive composition of his collected work, but also full of quotes and passages that display the artist’s distinct vision and philosophies.  What makes Banksy’s work consistently relevant isn’t his ability to draw or paint, or even his cunning vandalism, but his voice.  I’m not going to claim that all graffiti is vital and has something to say beyond simple territorial pissings or blind destruction, because much of it is done ignorantly, but I will openly argue with anyone that claims that Banksy’s work isn’t absolute art in its purist form.  His graffiti work evokes thought, inspires hope, and contains strong social commentaries about capitalism, politics, and, most of all, humanity.  Like artist Ron English, Banksy’s hopeful, yet “illegal“, art pieces are often created in response to the corporate advertisements and “legal” oppressive imaging that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. (more…)

Popularity: 17% [?]