HIGHLY RECOMMENDED W/ DREW DANBURRY
* Providing the A's to the 5 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Q's today is Drew Danburry — a singer-songing barber out of Utah whose latest release ‘Pallid Boy & Spindling Girl’ can be jumped into over on Bandcamp (and you can hear the track ‘1996, For Luke Graham, Ryan Hibler and Aaron Mickelson’ over on the HI54 Mix CD ‘420 ALL DAY’).
#1 - WHAT IS THE ONE ALBUM (OR EP OR SONG) THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE VERY NEXT MUSICAL THING THAT EVERYONE PRESSES PLAY ON THE NEXT TIME THEY FIND THEMSELVES THINKING “WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NOW”?
"The Dream is Over" by PUP is one of my favorite releases in the last few years. What set PUP apart for me was how they sound totally unique despite how they've obviously pulled from what's come before. Rather than sounding like something from the past, they sound like they've been influenced by the past and come up with a sound that is totally unique to themselves and still amazing. It's such a difficult thing to do.
Also, "No Kings" by Doomtree. Same reasons.
#2 - WHAT IS THE ONE MOVIE OR TV SHOW THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE NEXT IN EVERYBODY’S NETFLIX QUEUE (OK, DOESN’T HAVE TO BE NETFLIX, WE’RE ALL INTERNET ADULTS HERE AND KNOW HOW TO FIND ANYTHING ONLINE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER)?
"Ping Pong" is my favorite movie. It's a Japanese film about two friends who play ping pong together and their relationship. It's been a while since I've re-watched it. But I've probably seen it sixty times. I have it memorized and I don't speak Japanese.
I think what I love about it is how well balanced it is between humor and entertainment while still having a deeper level of meaning. It's something I'm always striving to achieve in every aspect of my art. To be funny and still shed light on things that are serious. The characters are presented in a simple way, they all represent something, but still feel totally real. Throughout my life I've felt like every single one of them.
Also, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the world" is a masterpiece and Edgar Wright deserves more attention in general.
And Peter Weir and Richard Linklater are two of my favorite directors of all time.
#3. I (AND BY “I” I MEAN “THE PERSON THAT IS READING THIS”) AM GOING TO THE BOOK STORE (OK, PROBABLY AMAZON) TO FIND THE VERY NEXT BOOK THAT I WILL BE PUTTING SOME EXTREMELY VALUABLE ‘ME-TIME' ASIDE FOR. WHICH BOOK WOULD YOU GET, IF YOU WERE ME (AND, I SUPPOSE, YOU HADN’T ALREADY READ WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO SUGGEST)?
I'm constantly reading. Classics. New stuff. Everything I can get my hands on. Always. But the most life changing books I've read recently were "The Mastery of Love" by Don Miguel Ruiz and "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin de Becker. Also, "How to Change your Mind" by Michael Pollan and "Waylander" by David Gemmel.
If I'm ever burnt out on non-fiction or tedious reads. I generally grab a Hardy Boys book off the shelf. So formulaic. So satisfying.
#4 - WHAT IS THE ONE WEBSITE (OR JUST ANY OLD INTERNET THING: APP, GIF, SERVICE, WHATEVER) THAT YOU WOULD GET REALLY DOWN IN THE DUMPS ABOUT IF IT WERE TO SUDDENLY GO AWAY?
I don't ever get tired of the Lonely Island. They make me happy.
The internet is great. I get to email you and connect with people but also I don't have social media or a cell phone for a reason. I think there's a lot of behavioral shifts that have happened in the last two decades that people are aware of and even talk about but don't change. We are slaves to convenience. I'm guilty and I'm not blaming anyone. But just like I don't keep sugar in my house because I have no self-control. I also try to stay off the computer for as much as I can. I'm more productive that way.
#5 - AND FINALLY… PLEASE GIVE ONE COMPLETELY UNAIDED RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD START DOING / USING / WATCHING / EATING / THINKING / QUITING / ETC-ING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE BETTER AND/OR BEARABLE.
I was raised religiously and left my religion. If there's anything I've learned from that transition is that dogma is everywhere. So I guess my anything recommendation is to question your own dogma. You. Reading this now. What are you sure of? Can you let it go? To be open-minded is TO BE open-minded (and I'm obviously aware that if someone isn't, I should be open minded about that and yes I accept you for how your experiences have shaped you). A lot of the extremes that we've been pushed into culturally/socially aren't just caused by biased media. It's because we think that others aren't intelligent like we are. We treat others like lesser human beings because they think differently.
I think we'd have a lot more success with others if we listened and empathized. I understand it is difficult. I understand it might not even be possible. But people change when they're accepted and treated kindly. Perhaps even gently asked questions that point out their logical fallacies/behavior. When we attack others and their belief systems we push them farther into the system we don't approve of and consequently do more damage to our own cause. I really want the world to heal and I really don't know if it's possible. I honestly doubt it. But I think it's worth trying.
I guess that's my religion and I try not to be dogmatic about it.
OK folks, there you have it. Things that Drew Danburry thinks you should consider incorporating into your day/life. Before you log off and go give a good think about what your dogma is, make sure to give ‘1996, For Luke Graham, Ryan Hibler and Aaron Mickelson’ a listen below…
