Friday, October 3, 2008

Travels with my beard



After the 7 July London bombings could growing a beard completely change the way people treated a British Asian? There was only one way to find out. It was a week after 7 July and I'd just got on an east London bus. I was on my way to buy razors as I hadn't shaved for days.

A couple of stops later a middle-aged Rasta guy got on, sat down next to me and asked: "So how's it feel brethren?" "Erm, how's what feel?" I replied. "How's it feel now it's your turn to be bottom of the pile?" he said.
More From the BBC

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Cornel West and Most Def with Bill Maher


Bill Maher with Professor West, Brother Mos Def and Nader.
A very funny episode about some of our important issues, ranging from religion and war to the Moon Landing and Big Foot.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

General Idi Amin Dada


The documentary, General Idi Amin Dada was directed by Barbet Schroeder who also directed Koko. Idi Amin, this hefty Ugandan tyrant is certainly a charismatic and talkative fellow. At times he talks and talks and put the rope around his very neck, saying some very strange and stilly things to accommodate his appetite for power and attention.

More on Idi Amin and Barbet Schroeder from Criterion Collection.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Nina Simone



Every body is half dead said the lady, the high priestess.
The Fader Magazine did an excellent job a few months ago when they revisited Nina Simon during her glory, shame and sadness. This issue is worth reading, however the free PDF version is not available on the site, but there is... Check it out, this woman is full of life.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Stanley Kubrick's Boxes


"Stanley Kubrick's films were landmark events – majestic, memorable and richly researched. But, as the years went by, the time between films grew longer and longer, and less and less was seen of the director. What on earth was he doing?

Two years after Kubrick's death, Jon Ronson was invited to the director's estate to explore the hundreds of boxes the legendary film director had collected during his decades at Childwick Manor in Hertfordshire. He's been returning ever since, and the story of Kubrick and the archive, now housed at University of the Arts London, is revealed in this fascinating documentary". Read more from Channel 4..