Abel Brainz Digest, Vol. 21 - September 26, 2023
This is a long one because I want to make up for a few shorties in a row.
I think I'm gonna have to start giving each newsletter a subject for easier reference. Did you have to know that? Probably not.
Anyway, onto the cool stuff:
Stuff that lives rent free in my head
I'm going to see Run The Jewels next week and I think about this part of Killer Mike's verse from Walking In The Snow at least once a week. It's kinda sad but I absolutely agree with it.
The way I see it, you're probably freest from the ages one to four
Around the age of five you're shipped away for your body to be stored
They promise education, but really they give you tests and scores
And they predictin' prison population by who scoring the lowest
Jeez. What a bummer.
On a lighter note, this part from Real Genius always cracks me up. Wait til the end when his seat gets taken.
Also: Jon Gries is in the movie - one of the most underrated character actors of our time.
Sound of Metal. SPOILERS - The entire movie doesn't live rent free in my head, but this scene does. There are few scenes in existence where I can understand both points of view as well as feel the difficulty of "Joe's" decision. And this scene when "Joe" tells Riz Ahmed's character "Ruben" about what he thinks stillness is. I think we're so afraid of stillness in improv and in acting (and in life) and it's worth exploring why. Just my two cents.
Why do I keep bringing up the heavy stuff, man?
Cool teacher stuff
I'm big on choices in classes. Especially the idea that our choices are enough. Check this quote from Rick Rubin's book, The Creative Act: A Way Of Being:
If you start from the position that there is no right or wrong, no good or bad, and creativity is just free play with no rules, it's easier to submerge yourself joyfully in the process of making things.
Oscar Wilde said that some things are too important to be taken seriously. Art is one of those things.
I couldn't agree more. Especially when it comes to improv. No right or wrong, just different ideas.
Cool music stuff
De La Soul's Buhloone Mind State celebrated 30 years. If you're into Hip Hop at all, check it out. I Am I Be is one of my favorites of all time. You might recognize the sample from this Lou Rawls song which is another favorite of mine.
Also really feeling Little Dragon's newest album, Slugs of Love.
Cool reading stuff
Finished Ignore Everybody. It was fine. Slightly bitter and gruff, but hey, the dude is sharing advice and supposedly believes in you.
Questlove's Creative Quest is tough for me right now. I think I'm ODing on opinions/thoughts on creativity.
Gringos by Charles Portis is a slow read but still interesting enough for me to continue. Might move on to some spookier fare now that it's the season.
Questions? Books you like?
Send them over!
If you need to catch up, Click here for all the past volumez.
And remember, this labor of love is hand-filtered with reverse osmosis and distilled every week. Click here if you want to show some love and "subscribe." And even if you don't, I'll still send you the newsletter :)
Much love,
Abel