I’m enthralled with this MASSIVE collection of art/word/sound/power being released by Penny Ante in August. (I just pre-ordered a copy this very night, so ya know I ain’t jivin’!) 320 pages of interviews, artwork, photography, comics, etc. contributed by 80 different experimental artists, mostly veteran audionauts of the DIY, punk, noise and experimental music scenes from 1980-the present. Plus the limited edition CDs that accompany the 1st 2000 copies feature a grip of unreleased tracks by well-known bands and stuff I haven’t heard yet by avant-garde noise projects.

Check it out:

Direct Link to “Three” on Penny-Ante website

DIY publishing house, Penny-Ante has compiled what will be their third anthology, dubbed a “Mag/Book” by readers, properly titled Three, which will hit streets September 15.

Three marks Penny-Ante’s largest issue yet, 320 pages (with no advertisements), with over 80 contributors ranging from New York-based artist TERENCE KOH to prolific lo-fi artist JAD FAIR (HALF JAPANESE) to garage’s godfather SEAN BONNIWELL (of 60s garage band, THE MUSIC MACHINE). A portion of book sales will be given to Chicago-based nonprofit ARTS OF LIFE, which provides art and music programs for adults with developmental disorders.

Compiling indie icons into one forum, Three’s pages feature personal art, photographs, and written submissions from the likes of Robert Pollard (GUIDED BY VOICES), Thurston Moore (SONIC YOUTH), UK’s garage god BILLY CHILDISH (Damaged Goods), New Zealand’s CHRIS KNOX (Tall Dwarfs, The Enemy, Toy Love, The Nothing), Roger Miller (MISSION OF BURMA), Martin Phillipps (THE CHILLS), Bettina Koster (from 80s German post-punk band, MALARIA!), Kill Rock Star’s riot grrrl Allison Wolfe (BRATMOBILE, PARTYLINE), influential acid-rocker Helios Creed (CHROME), Rob Roberge (of the significant art-punk band URINALS), 4-track forefather Martin Newell (CLEANERS FROM VENUS), Mick Farren (of the 60s proto-punk band THE DEVIANTS), psychedelic electronic artist Simeon Coxe of SILVER APPLES, artist Jill Emery (previously of HOLE, MAZZY STAR), New York photographer Mark C (of 80s no wave band LIVE SKULL), and many more.

Also featured:

JIM SMITH (union organizer by day, and owner of Los Angeles all-ages venue THE SMELL by night) interviews inspiring DIY force and singer/songwriter BILLY BRAGG.

Others interviewed: IAN MACKAYE (Dischord Records, Fugazi, Minor Threat), ROBERT POLLARD, John Whitson from label HOLY MOUNTAIN, music director @ WFMU: Brian Turner, George Parsons (head of DREAM MAGAZINE), Caleb Braaten: owner and operator of New York’s SACRED BONES RECORDS (BLANK DOGS, PINK NOISE, FACTUMS), New York-based artist MAYA HAYUK, Los Angeles-based performance/artist DAWN KASPER, and more.

Paired with such indie veterans are music leaders from today’s generation: Cassie Ramone (New York’s VIVIAN GIRLS), Joe DeNardo (GROWING – Social Registry), Matt Valentine (MV/EE – Ecstatic Peace Records & Tapes), John Dwyer (San Francisco’s THEE OH SEES), In The Red Records newcomers TV GHOST, Portland’s Honey Owens (VALET – Kranky), Phil Elverum (MICROPHONES, MT EERIE – K Records), Finland experimental rockers CIRCLE, Matt Maust (COLD WAR KIDS), Stephen McCarty (DEAD MEADOW – Matador Records), Sumi Ink Club (aka LUCKY DRAGONS), Wynne Greenwood (TRACY+THE PLASTICS), ROBEDOOR (Not Not Fun), ex-Phantom Limbs frontman Loto Ball (now of Chicago’s LOTO BALL SHOW), POCAHAUNTED (Not Not Fun), ARRINGTON DE DIONYSO (OLD TIME RELIJUN – K Records), Australia’s dark rockers NAKED ON THE VAGUE and much more.

Penny-Ante also “ups the ante” in the art and lit department in issue Three bringing in well-respected New York-based artists TERENCE KOH (Peres Projects), Ukranian American artist MAYA HAYUK, Swedish artist HANNA LIDEN, and MATHEW CERLETTY. From Chicago, Gregory Jacobsen (also from LOVELY LITTLE GIRLS), Los Angeles’ Julian Hoeber (Blum & Poe), Dawn Kasper (Circus Gallery), Jed Ochmanek and Portland’s Liz Haley.

Writers include the well-loved BETT WILLIAMS (Out Magazine, Flaunt Magazine, St. Martin’s Press), novelist and short story writer LARRY FONDATION (Fictional International, Harvard Business Review, Raw Dog Screaming Press), and ANDREW POGANY (poet and editor-in-chief at Flaunt Magazine) + many more.

COMPLIMENTARY CD INFO

FEATURES MUSIC BY:

JAD FAIR, ROBERT POLLARD, BILLY CHILDISH, CHRIS KNOX (THE NOTHING), ROGER MILLER, GROWING, BETTINA KOSTER, INT’L SHADES, NAKED ON THE VAGUE, ROBEDOOR, LUCKY DRAGONS, LOTO BALL SHOW, TV GHOST, PHIL ELVERUM, ARRINGTON DE DIONYSO, WARMER MILKS and ADAM PAYNE.

PLUS:

– Unreleased track from CROCK, the brand new music project from Book #2 contributor Sam Coomes (QUASI) & Spencer Seim of HELLA.
– Music from artist Maya Hayuk’s project with Andrew Deutsch, OPEN ARMS
– An unreleased track from PHIL ELVERUM paying tribute to OLD TIME RELIJUN
– An unreleased track from Book #2 contributors and guest editors to Three, THE MOON UPSTAIRS
– From the archives, a previously unreleased track from THE CHILLS, “Find Your Own Way Home”

PREORDERS FOR THREE AVAILABLE NOW: http://www.penny-ante.net (and will ship as early as August 15th). Three is a limited edition (2000) squarebound soft cover BOOK that will ship with a complimentary CD featuring music by contributors (Robert Pollard, The Chills, Billy Childish, Jad Fair, Chris Knox + more), plus a rather large poster for a wall’s enjoyment.

DIRECT LINK: http://www.penny-ante.net/three.html

Aesop Rock and friends finished the video for “None Shall Pass,” the title track from his new album. The video is directed by San Francisco’s Ordinary Kids and features extensive artwork by Jeremy Fish, who is becoming almost synonymous with Aesop Rock. ([More →])

In my double-life as a jet-setting music enthusiast, I would definitely be in London (again, London… sigh.) on 6 and 7 and 9 September to enjoy two different audio-visual sensory-immersive events at the ICA. The three events feature music by Mathew Herbert, The Chemical Brothers, Battles, Plaid and many more electricians, while the visual includes works by Joji Koyama, Max Hattler, United Visual Artists, Flat Nose George plus many others. ([More →])

Eric Clapton is a man of action. When he first attended a London art show 10 years ago that featured 3 graffiti artists – Quinones, Stash and Futura – he was quick to show his appreciation for the artwork. Clapton purchased a few pieces from the show, then commissioned the artists to do custom paint jobs on a few of his guitars. A full decade since that London art show, Clapton still does not hesitate to endow the arts. When Lee Quinones recently decided to sell a collection of his paintings he calls his “dirty-dozen,” he fired off an email to a few fans of his work to let them know it was available for purchase. Eric Clapton – our man of action – hit Q back 10 minutes later with a reply like “Lee, they’re mine.” Clapton followed through with $120,000 USD for the lot. ([More →])

Spike Jonze has been getting a lot more attention lately for being associated with NYC rockers the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Liars despite his mega-stardom as a film director of such box office hits as “Being John Malkovich” and multiple MTV awards for music video direction. But Spike has been hanging out with uber-cool headz for a long time. He’s filmed music videos for The Beastie Boys (“Sabotage” and “Sure Shot”), Bjork (“It’s Oh So Quiet”), Weezer (“Buddy Holly”), Daft Punk (“Da Funk”) and many many more. ([More →])

Daniel Johnston fans in the UK will soon have the opportunity to scrutinize the man’s artwork up close and personal. alt.gallery in Newcastle will open an exhibition of his artwork on Tuesday 4th September and it will run until 10 November. ([More →])

Hip hop star, Common, and headline dominatrix, Angelina Jolie, are currently filming the movie Wanted based on the comic book of the same name. Common reports that his character in the film is called “the Gunsmith”, who is, as he describes, “a master at shooting guns. I’m training this gentleman that’s coming in, who really has certain abilities but doesn’t know it; I’m training him on how to be what he should be.” Wanted, the comic book written by Mark Millar and illustrated by J.G. Jones, follows the life of Wesley Gibson as he attempts to become a supervillian under the wing of a jewel thief called Fox. The movie is being filmed in Prague, and also co-stars Morgan Freeman.

Wesley from Wanted:

Common recently finished filming another movie, American Gangster alongside Denzel washington, Russell Crowe, T.I., and RZA. This one, directed by Ridley Scott, is based on the true story of a 70′s drug lord kingpin.

You can read all about the 2 movies, and Common’s gushing enthusiasm to be acting with such mega-stars, over at VH1.com.

For more info about the comic book, including plot spoilers, check out Answers.