Advanced Placement

Everyday is Black History

soulbydapound — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:16:09 +0000

The host and executive producer of Soul Train has died. The Los Angeles police department is reporting that Don Cornelius was found dead at his home in Los Angeles this morning from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“The hippest trip in America,” as Cornelius called it, aired every Saturday morning. Soul Train brought a weekly update of music, style and dance moves from some of the top black artists of the 1970s and ’80s. The show, which invited R&B and soul musicians, like Al Green, Marvin Gaye, James Brown and Aretha Franklin, to perform their hits in front of a live — dancing — audience, began as local program in Chicago in 1970. By the end of its second season, it was picked up across the country.

Cornelius owned Soul Train, making him the first black owner of a nationally syndicated TV show. Though its audience was primarily African-American, the show had a tremendous cross cultural impact. Cornelius relinquished hosting duties in 1993 andSoul Train went off the air in 2006

Late Night Flick: The Doors

soulbydapound — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:55:19 +0000

2am, just finish reading what’s next watching “The Doors” movie. Trill indeed. I’ve heard of The Doors before. Did I listen to their music honestly, no. After viewing the movie I became a believer. It’s crazy was it the drugs and lifestyle that took them to the next level who knows but I dig their music and enjoyed watching the movie.

The Doors is a 1991 biopic about the 1960s-1970s rock band of the same name which emphasizes the life of its lead singer, Jim Morrison. It was directed by Oliver Stone, and stars Val Kilmer as Morrison, Meg Ryan as Pamela Courson (Morrison’s companion), Kyle MacLachlan as Ray Manzarek, Frank Whaley as Robby Krieger, Kevin Dillon as John Densmore, and Kathleen Quinlan asPatricia Kennealy.

The film portrays Morrison as the larger-than-life icon of 1960s rock and roll, counterculture, and the drug-using free love hippie lifestyle. But the depiction goes beyond the iconic: his alcoholism, interest in the spiritual plane and hallucinogenic drugs as entheogens, and, particularly, his growing obsession with death are threads which weave in and out of the film. The film’s depiction of Morrison did not sit well with his close friends and family.

As The Doors become hugely successful, Morrison becomes increasingly infatuated with his own image as “The Lizard King” and degenerates into alcoholism and drug addiction. As he sinks deeper into an alcoholic haze he begins having several affairs, particularly mystical sexual encounters with Patricia Kennealy, a rock journalist involved in witchcraft. The rest of the band grows weary of Morrison’s missed recording sessions and absences at concerts. Morrison is depicted arriving late to a Miami, Florida concert, becoming increasingly confrontational towards the audience and exposing himself onstage. The incident is a low point for the band, resulting in resentment from the other band members and Morrison’s trial for indecent exposure.

In 1971, Courson finds Jim Morrison dead in a bathtub in Paris, France, at the age of 27. Pamela Courson similarly dies three years later of a drug overdose, also at the age of 27. The final scenes of the film before the credits roll are of Morrison’s gravesite in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris with a rock version of Remo Giazotto’s Adagio in G minor playing in the background as well as a voice over by Morrison. Just before the credits, the screen whites out and text appears saying “Jim Morrison is said to have died of heart failure. He was 27. Pam joined him three years later.”

During the credits, the band is shown recording the song “L.A. Woman” in the studio.

I’m a Doors fan minus the wild ass drugs!

Throwback Thursday

soulbydapound — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:03:53 +0000

Notorious B.I.G feat. Method Man – The What

Daily Essentials: Quilted Flight Jacket

soulbydapound — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:04:40 +0000

Rain or shine it’s winter time. Looking dapper and fashionable when the weather gets below 30 degrees is what separates the boys from the men. I personally have owned a flight jacket since 8th grade. These brisk times call for warm measures.

Some of best inventions are born out of necessity, other are simply by accident. In the case of the quilted flight jacket. improvements were made thank to Eddie Bauer’s famed Skyliner—the world’s first quilted down jacket—you could say it was a little of both. An avid outdoorsmen, Bauer was trekking through western Washington’s Olympic Peninsula when his bulky, waterlogged wool coat became too heavy and he was forced to take it off. “I was climbing a very steep hill when I started to get sleepy,” he recalled to the New York Times in 1981. “I reached to touch my back and it was ice. I realized I was freezing to death.”

Bauer almost died on that mountain, but it was that brush with hypothermia that inspired him to create a jacket that was both warm and wearable. The goal was to make it as lightweight as possible. He’d heard about down clothing used by the Russian Army, so he bought a $25 bushel of goose down and started experimenting. It certainly insulated body heat but it was also lumpy and bulky. To tame the fluff, he added quilting. A ribbed collar and cuffs aided in keeping out chilly winds. A heavy-duty zipper finished it off and the Skyliner was officially debuted to the public in 1936. It revolutionized outerwear for the sporting set and soon became the first patented down jacket in the United States.

Morning Vibes

soulbydapound — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:51:39 +0000

5:30, 6:30, 7:30 random times. No probably when your waking up to a new day. It’s always right to start off positive to get the blood flowing. Hears what I listened to this morning.

Photo of The Day

soulbydapound — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:43:18 +0000

StyleWars

soulbydapound — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:39:59 +0000

Two loves I have hip hop and graffiti fused in to one documentary. The origin of these two art forms brought into fruition and discussed amongst legends during the time. I just finished watching it and I would like to share it. I hope you enjoy leave a comment let me know what you think about it.

President O

soulbydapound — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:42:44 +0000

Obama is that cool. Sheesh. Obama sings “Al Green’s Lets Stay together. “

2Pac Ears

soulbydapound — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:34:07 +0000

Knock me if you want to but, I’m still working on listening to more of 2Pac’s music. I could only speak for myself. I’m a Biggie fan and east coast raise. That’s no excuse but, album by album I’m starting to dig Pac more. Here’s one of my favorite cuts.

Domo Genesis – Stray Bullets. Trill Indeed!

Coachella 2012

soulbydapound — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:13:15 +0000