Great Artists Steal

Recently a YouTube video has surfaced claiming Chris Brown stole music from Calvin Harris, a Scottish electro-pop singer/songwriter. Did Chris Brown steal from Calvin Harris? Watch the video and judge for yourself:

 
The  video made me think of a quote Picasso allegedly said: "Good Artists Borrow, Great Artists Steal."

There's a fine line between being inspired by something you've seen/heard, and stealing someone's original idea. Perhaps mainstream bands and artists (like Chris Brown) think they can get away with it. After all mainstream artists already have established credibility, along with label-sponsored legal teams.  Or maybe they're not aware of what they're doing. I'm certainly inspired by many things I see and hear everyday, and I can't always give credit to things that I produce. 


YouTube videos featuring "stolen" music are fairly common, and often very convincing.  I found two examples of fairly known cases: Vanilla Ice vs. Queen/David Bowie, and Coldplay vs. Joe Satriani. While both cases have (legally) drawn to a close (they both settled out of court), fans still comment speculate.

This Explains That: Gordan Ramsay Edition

One of the perks of insomnia, is the ability to stumble upon some television I normally wouldn't watch. Tonight I stumbled upon Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen, a show which basically allows competing chefs the opportunity to get insulted by Gordon Ramsay. Oh, and you get a cooking job if you win. Top Chef this is not, the show focuses on the contestants' mistakes and the numerous insults thrown their way.

I can understand why people getting yelled at makes great television (Tyra Banks I'm looking at you). Yes it's a show with a foundation built on insults, but it's been on the air for 5 years, has been nominated for an Emmy award, and gets great ratings.

I was surprised however, that Gordan Ramsay was the first chef to successfully capitalize on cursing/insulting aspects of chef culture. I spent too much time thinking about this: Googling, watching clips on Youtube, and Googling some more. Thankfully, I found my answer in the always reliable  Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain:

This...

The new celebrity chef culture is remarkable and admittedly annoying phenomenon...Of all the professions, after all, few people are less suited to be suddenly thrown into the public eye than chefs. We're used to doing what we do in private, behind closes doors. We're used to using language that many would find....well...offensive to say the least. We probably got in the business in the first place because interacting with normal people in a normal workspace was impossible or unattractive to us. Many of us don't know how to behave in public-and don't care to find. 

Explains That...

So while most chefs will continue to stay in the kitchen, Gordon Ramsay is allowed to expand his media empire to three shows: Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen, and MasterChef.

FML

Cee-Lo's Redemption

Yesterday, I wrote about the awesomeness of "Fuck You" by Cee Lo Green.  This afternoon I was delighted to find that the staff at the Dallas Observer have mashed the song with worthy movie scenes. My favorite mash-up happens to be from the Shawshank Redemption :

Cee-Lo's Shawshank Redemption from Dallas Observer on Vimeo.

Other "worthy" movies include Say Anything and Dirty Dancing, but nothing embodies the spirit of "Fuck You" than the Shawshank mash-up.  Specifically, the mash-up features the scene where Andy sneaks into an office to play some music over the PA system for his fellow inmates. Those few moments of bliss are important, even though he knows he'll end up in solitary confinement for the incident. However, instead of the Marriage of Figaro, the inmates get "Fuck You," a song that perhaps is better equipped to highlight the feelings of life-with-out-parole inmates.

An Awesome Blossom Song

Every now and then an artist releases a song that is just awesome. "Fuck You" by Cee Lo Green (of Crazy and Closet Freak fame) is that song this summer. It's catchy and has great lyrics. Plus it's about something many of us can relate to: seeing your ex move on.
My favorite verse:
And although there's pain in my chest
I still wish you the best with a...
FUCK YOU!
Yeah I'm sorry, I can't afford a Ferrari,
but that don't mean I can't get you there.
I guess he's an Xbox, and I'm more Atari
but the way you play your game aint fair.

What's For Dinner?

I was born in England a country that appreciates barley, especially during summer. My mom has made sure our love of barley continued in the United States, so last night she helped me make some barley stew.


Do you cook with barley? Have a dish from the "home country" you still  cook? Let me know in the comments and check out my recipe for barley stew after the jump.

La Prima Portata

If the first course (“la prima portata”) determines the meal, can the same be said about the first post?

My name is Neha, and I've created Crooked Concinnity to explore the intersections of life, especially when it comes to art. Art in the most liberal sense, from performance art to the art of cooking.

I'm a recent college grad, and like many people my age (22) I'm seeking gainful employment. Home for now is Boston, although I've lived in Washington DC, New Jersey, and London.



My likes/interests are eclectic and strong, something I’m proud of:

• (Fine) Art: Impressionism, surrealism, portrait/landscape photography (Monet, Dali, Ansel Adams, etc)
  
• Books: contemporary fiction and memoirs (Jhumpa Lahiri, David Sedaris, Jeffrey Eugenides)
  
• Dance: Contemporary/modern dance and “ethnic” dance (Pilobolous, Kathak, Savion Glover)
  
• Movies: Disney Movies, satirical comedies (Beauty and the Beast, Thank You For Smoking, The Princess Bride)
  
• Music: Pop, rock, and 90s music (Darren Hayes, Jack’s Mannequin, Jason Mraz, Matt Nathanson)
  
• TV: Drama, a good comedy, and the occasional reality show (Battlestar Galactica, The Daily Show, Mad Men, Top Chef, True Blood, The West Wing)
  
• Travel: I love exploring new places, and most recently have explored India, Turkey, Syria, and Northern California.
  

If you really want to get to know me check out my personal website.
I’m excited to see where this blog takes me!