ed peto

Clockwise from top left: Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner), David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), and Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest). Photograph by Art Streiber.

Everyone’s favourite ‘Mock Band’ Spinal Tap celebrate their 25th anniversary this year. To celebrate, the three band members – Nigel, David, Derek – re-unite with original mock-umentary director, Marty DiBergi for an hilarious interview with Vanity Fair Magazine. While almost every line is comedy gold, here is a quick snippet to give you an idea:

What about the look? Have you thought about updating your look-maybe getting a makeover for the new tour?

St. Hubbins: I actually grew this beard. I’ve authored a self-help book. And they won’t let you appear on the cover of a self-help book unless you have facial hair…. It’s called BYOM: Be Your Own Me. Don’t be my you. Be your own me. And also, don’t be so sad. That’s the main message: Don’t be sad. Take your sadness and shove it up your ass.

What would you say are the influences on the Spinal Tap sound?

Smalls: I would say that a great and unrecognized influence on our sound has been sonar. A lot of our records, if you have the right system, you can hear messages to marine creatures.

Tufnel: And there were some tapes we heard early on-this was probably in the late 60s-of Royal Naval sonar tapes, we heard. Fascinating.

DiBergi: You had a big whale following, didn’t you there for awhile?

Smalls: No, that was just the groupies.

Full interview here.

Ed

An Islamist website often used to disseminate Al Qaeda propaganda has come out in favour of John McCain in the presidential race:

“Al Qaeda will have to support McCain in the coming election”

The logic is pretty simple, as explained in the New York Times:

“From their perspective, a continuation of Bush policies is best for recruiting,” said Professor Nye, adding that Mr. McCain is far more likely to continue those policies.

An American president who keeps troops in Iraq indefinitely, fulminates about Islamic terrorism, inclines toward military solutions and antagonizes other nations is an excellent recruiting tool. In contrast, an African-American president with a Muslim grandfather and a penchant for building bridges rather than blowing them up would give Al Qaeda recruiters fits.

Full article here

“China’s Academy of Sciences has issued a unique report that ranks 45 nations in terms of their overall “health,” taking into account their governments, economies and social systems. China comes in at 13th place, but ranks first in a new category it calls “national responsibility,” according to the country’s highest scientific research institution.”

China’s health, responsibility and role – upiasia.com

A fairly transparent attempt to ameliorate the recent melamine milk scandal. To anyone reading this outside of China, this report gives you some idea as to what an English language Chinese TV news bulletin sounds like.