So Justin Bua -my favorite painter- is releasing a run of 2500 hand signed posters paying tribute to Micheal Jackson called King of Pop. I personally think Micheal's pose may be a little funky but I still love the piece. I'm currently eye balling a limited Edition Giclee on Canvas copy of DJ for our gallery but I need these bills paid first.
Check out Discovery World's virtual Les Paul exhibit while you can. Its been up for months at the Milwaukee based museum next to the Milwaukee Art Museum. via lalate
Les Paul funeral arrangements will be private, says EMI Music. Les Paul will have one funeral in New York that is public followed by a second service and a memorial. EMI Music said Thursday the following about the arrangements:
“A private funeral service will be held in New York. A service in Waukesha, WI will be announced at a later date. Details will follow and will be announced for all services. Memorial tributes for the public will be announced at a future date.”
This week the flag at Capitol Records was lowered to half staff to remember Paul’s contributions and achievements.
“EMI Music joins the rest of the world in mourning the legendary musician, inventor and innovator, Les Paul, who passed away this morning at the age of 94. Today, the flag atop the Capitol Records tower in Hollywood has been lowered to half-staff in remembrance of Paul, one of EMI Music’s most legendary and innovative recording artists, who first signed with Capitol Records in 1948 and was instrumental in the development of both the Capitol label and Capitol Studios.
“Born Lester William Polsfuss in Waukesha, Wisconsin on June 9, 1915, Les Paul was one of the foremost influences on 20th Century sound as one of America’s most popular, influential, and accomplished electric guitarists, as well as an early innovator in the development of the solid body guitar. His groundbreaking design would become the template for Gibson’s best-selling electric, the Les Paul model, introduced in 1952. Today, countless musical legends still consider Paul’s iconic guitar unmatched in sound and prowess. Among Paul’s most enduring contributions are those in the technological realm, including ingenious developments in multi-track recording, guitar effects, and the mechanics of sound in general.
“Les Paul signed with Capitol Records in 1948. His Capitol recordings garnered him a string of hits, notably 1948’s “Brazil,” with its six multi-tracked guitar parts, “Vaya Con Dios,” and 1951’s million-sellers “Mockin’ Bird Hill” and “How High the Moon.”
“1949 saw the birth of “The Les Paul Show” on radio, and by year’s end Paul and his frequent musical collaborator, Mary Ford, had married. Between recordings and broadcasts, Paul found time to invent a synthesizer and an effects-generating machine he dubbed the “Les Paulverizer,” a wacky contraption that is wittily depicted in Paul and Ford’s classic CBS Radio-hosted banter as a beast-like appendage, heavily strapped to the back of its user. Since then, the technology of the “Les Paulverizer” has been put to use every day by producers and musicians from every genre, from classical to punk rock.
“When Capitol Records’ famous Vine Street building was being built in Hollywood, with its unique “stacked records” design, Paul joked that the idea of a round building was wholly impractical, because it lacked a corner in which to prop a broom. As the final touches were being put on Capitol’s new studios, Paul visited and consulted on the design of the studios’ now-legendary subterranean echo chambers.
“Paul retreated from recording in the late 1970s, turning his focus to live performance, a weekly ritual he enjoyed at New York City’s Iridium Jazz Club until his recent hospitalization. Over the years, other world-famous musicians often sat in for a song or two during Paul’s two Monday night sets, including Paul McCartney, Tony Bennett and Keith Richards, and Paul also encouraged aspiring players who toted their guitars to his shows, selecting them from the audience to join him onstage for a song.
“In 2005, celebrating his 90th birthday, Paul released Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played with Capitol/EMI, featuring collaborations with a veritable who’s who of the electric guitar, including dozens of illustrious fans like Keith Richards, Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Joe Perry. Les Paul won two Grammy Awards for tracks on the album, for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
Les Paul and Mary Ford were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1977, and Paul was honored with The Recording Academy’s Trustees Award in 1983. In 2001, when he earned his fifth Grammy award for his technical achievements, Hillel Resner of Mix Online wrote, “If the music industry has a Ben Franklin, surely that man is Les Paul.” In 1988, Paul was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Smithsonian Institution has honored Paul with the John Smithson Bicentennial Medal, and in 2008, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame paid tribute to Paul with a week-long celebration of his life.
“Les Paul is survived by his three sons Lester (Rus) G. Paul, Gene W. Paul and Robert (Bobby) R. Paul, his daughter Colleen Wess, son-in-law Gary Wess, long time friend Arlene Palmer, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.“
The family adds the following:
“The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Les Paul Foundation, 236 West 30th Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10001.“
Someone, and we're not sure who, put up an homage to Homer Simpson at the corner of Homer and William streets some months ago (image, above, courtesy OnMilwaukee.com)
Earlier this week, OnMilwaukee.com publisher and "Simpsons" fan Andy Tarnoff blogged about the unique little sign, complimenting its DIY civic spirit.
the Department of Public Works' got wind of the story and, alas, prompted DPW to remove the sign
Then, Cecelia Gilbert at the Department of Public Works' got wind of the story and, alas, prompted DPW to remove the sign, she said.
"The danger is that it is a distraction," said Gilbert, who assumes the Homer Simpson sign was put up with the best of intentions. "You could be looking for Homer St...it only takes a second to get into an accident."
Meanwhile, back at OnMilwaukee, Andy and OnMilwaukee in general were being visciously accused by commenters of killing Homer Simpson! Thsi wonderful bit of serendipity, beloved by locals, was quashed by the big, bad journalists. You can just see Tarnoff, poor man, bonking his own head, "D'oh!" In truth, he was just doing his job.
The thing about street art, of various sorts, is that it does often suffer demise under the law. And, in this case, the law is probably in the right. Avoiding accidents seems justification enough.
But it is a disappointment, sure. Gilbert hardly delighted in doing her duty in this case.
Which is why the DPW is keeping custody of the sign. Many things, from little sculptures, memorials and creative rummage sale signs, are routinely removed and scrapped, Gilbert said.
This time, though, the petite sign, created in a palette to blend right in with the regular street signs, it would seem, is safe at the DPW's sign shop on Canal St. If a proper place, on private property, can be found, Gilbert says, they'd be happy to let Homer out of his sign-shop confiement.
In the meantime, OnMilwaukee is trying to locate the artist in question, too. They're suggesting that it might go through a public process of approval. To which I can say: Very sweet guys, but have you heard much about public art process in Milwaukee? Find a good spot on private property.
Finally, a bit of history. Homer Street was named in 1870 when Joseph Williams subdivided his farm. It might be in honor of the poet or the farmer's son, no one seems to know, Gilbert said. But we're pretty sure it wasn't named after Homer Simpson.
"As a fan of The Simpsons, Bay View and public art, I'm definitely disappointed that DPW took the sign down, but I don't regret writing about it," he wrote in an email. "It's our job to highlight great and unique Milwaukee stories, not to ignore them."
Last week Tuesday Chester French was back in Milwaukee to perform with Blink 182 at the Marcus Amphitheater but put they on a free acoustic set first at the Exclusive Company. If you remember a few weeks back I covered their show at Summerfest and when I mailed the guys the footage I had also told them about Risa Marie and asked if they would like her to do a portrait. D.A. responded "A portrait would be sick" so she got busy. In all actuality Risa pulled these two together the morning of the show but you would never be able to tell with how amazing they both are. You can see her at Digicopy painting Max as I printed the D.A. portrait (team work baby).
By the time we got the piece printed and got to Exclusive Company the guys had already started their set. We did catch the majority of it though. D.A. brought strong vocals and Max was able to play through a broken D string at the end. The energy was nice and the vibe was relaxed too with about 50 people in the store listening and singing along.
D.A.'s eyes lit up through is dark tortes shell glasses when he saw Risa's Rendition of himself and Max.
"Whoah! that's BOLD!" he exclaimed as we all headed towards the autograph line after the show. I bought their album Love The Future on vinyl for them to sign. We all talked for a little while and Risa ended up signing her digital paintings for them as they signed more autographs for their Milwaukee fans. The crowd was pretty diverse. Every one from teeny boppers to physicians on break from work were in attendance. Even Young Focus of the Cranberry Show even showed up for a second, then back to work.
Despite the last minute stress of pulling those portraits together everything went down pretty nice.
Alan Bean was the only astronaut from Apollo 12 to walk on the moon. Now retired, he paints about his experience as a Moon Walker. His work is currently on display at the Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C. until January. Via BBC Blog
In all actuality Risa pulled these two together the morning of the show but you would never be able to tell with how amazing they both are. You can see her at Digicopy painting Max as I printed the D.A. portrait (team work baby).
"Whoah! that's BOLD!" he exclaimed as we all headed towards the autograph line after the show. I bought their album Love The Future on vinyl for them to sign. We all talked for a little while and Risa ended up signing her digital paintings for them as they signed more autographs for their Milwaukee fans. The crowd was pretty diverse. Every one from teeny boppers to physicians on break from work were in attendance. Even Young Focus of the Cranberry Show even showed up for a second, then back to work.
Alan Bean was the only astronaut from Apollo 12 to walk on the moon. Now retired, he paints about his experience as a Moon Walker.
