INsite Atlanta November 2008 Issue by INsite Magazine

0 08 2 r e b m e v o N o. 3 F R E E Vo l. 17, N

tainment Monthly r e t n E s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; a t n Atla ta.com

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Interviews

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CONTENTS • NOVEMBER 2008 • VOLUME 17.3

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06 MICHAEL CERA 10 PAUL RUDD 10 HAWTHORN HEIGHTS 11 THANDIE NEWTON 14 NEIL DIAMOND 15 ANNE HATHAWAY 18 THE TOADIES 19 JEAN GRAE 20 OSAKA POPSTAR 22 GUY RITCHIE

FEATURES

05 ATLANTA ON THE CHEAP 21 TORONTO FILM FEST 23 BEST OF ATLANTA 29 NCAA PREVIEW 30 NBA PREVIEW

COLUMNS 05 ON TAP 06 AROUND TOWN 06 BOOKS 09 UNDER THE LIGHTS 13 MOVIE REVIEWS 16 CONCERT CALENDAR 20 WE GOT NEXT 28 ALBUM REVIEWS

www.insiteatlanta.com STAFF LISTING Publisher Stephen Miller steve@insiteatlanta.com National Managing Editor Bret Love bret@insiteatlanta.com Art Director Michael T. graphics@insiteatlanta.com Music / Sports Editor DeMarco Williams demarco@insiteatlanta.com Events Listing Editor Glenn LaFollette glenn@insiteatlanta.com Special Features Editor Marci Miller mmiller@insiteatlanta.com Entertainment Editor Matt Goldberg matt@insiteatlanta.com Web Design Kalico Productions info@kalicopro.com PG 4 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

Contributing Writers / Interns: John Moore, John Davidson, Jon Latham, John C. Snider Benjamin Carr, Ryan Loftis, Mike Brune, Matt Goldberg Mitchell Hughes, Alexis Gray, Rodney Hill, Rebecca Crosby, Zena Scott, Alex S. Morrison, Blue Sullivan Michele Fontanelli Arnett, Roger Presswood Dave Cohen and Russ Marshalek CONTACT US 2250 North Druid Hills Rd. #234 Atlanta, GA 30329-3118 phone 404-315-8485 website insiteatlanta.com ADVERTISING INFORMATION �� Editorial content of INsite is the opinion of each writer and is not necessarily the opinion of INsite, its staff, or its advertisers. INsite does not knowingly accept false or mi leading advertising or editorial content, nor do the publisher or editors of INsite assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. No content, i.e., articles, graphics, designs and information (any and all) in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from publisher.

Check out our NCAA and NBA basketball previews on pages 29 & 30!

LOCAL EVENTS

OnTap November EMAIL EVENTS TO ONTAP@INSITEATLANTA.COM

November 8-22: MJCCA

17TH ANNUAL

BOOK FESTIVAL

Major personalities from the world of movies, TV, politics and more are coming out for the 17th annual Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. This year's lineup features 33 award-winning, bestselling authors. Festival goers will enjoy engaging speaker programs, author meet-and-greets, book signings, panel discussions, and more. Some of the expected attendees include legendary film star Tony Curtis, NBC Middle East Bureau Chief Martin Fletcher, and CNN Sr. Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin. For more information visit www.atlantajcc.org.

November 8 & 14: Wild Bill’s

FIGHT NIGHT & REO SPEEDWAGON Wild Bill’s announces two big events in the month of November. Fight Night comes back to Wild Bill's on Friday, November 8. Fight Night is a display of top mixed martial arts fighting live in the ring. This event is headlined by Junior Assunca and Kalvin Hackney. 70's hit makers, REO Speedwagon performs on November 14. Power ballads such as "Keep on Lovin You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling", along with other classics off the band's Hi Infidelity album are sure to be crowd pleasers. Tickets for both events are available at www.ticketmaster.com or www.wildbillsatlanta.com.

November 11: Philips Arena

COLDPLAY

Alternative English rock band, Coldplay, brings its highly anticipated world tour "VIVA LA DIVA" to Philips Arena. In addition to covering some of their older tunes, look for sets to feature new hits off their new album Viva La Diva like Violet Hill, Lost! and 42. Chris Martin and his band have made headlines recently for their outspoken support of presidential candidate Barrak Obama. For more information about tickets, please visit www.philipsarena.com or www.ticketmaster.com

Nov.15-May25: Atlanta Civic Center

TUTANKHAMUN:THE GOLDEN KING The Michael C. Carlos Museum presents its new exhibition featuring more than 130 treasures from the tomb of the celebrated pharaoh King Tut and additional ancient sites. "Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs" will feature striking objects from some of the most important rulers throughout 2,000 years of ancient Egyptian history. The exhibition will highlight more than 50 treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb. Highlighting the exhibit is a 10-foot statue that originally may have stood at Tutankhamun's mortuary temple. www.kingtut.org or www.carlos.emory.edu.

Nov. 18-19: Uptown Comedy Corner

D.L. HUGHLEY

Fresh off the debut of his new political show, "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News" on CNN, the only African-American host of a cable news program returns to his stand-up comedy roots. The sometimes controversial, yet always hysterical comic will bring his outrageous brand of humor to topics that include American politics, the economic meltdown, and pop culture. D.L. Hughley has been featured on Def Comedy Jam, BET's Comic View, and Real Time with Bill Maher. For more information, visit www.uptowncomedy.net.

Nov. 27: Lenox Square Mall

LIGHTING OF MACY’S TREE Since 1948, this has been a Thanksgiving Day tradition for thousands of Georgia's families. Scheduled to appear this year include singer/songwriter Jewel, Broadway star Heather Headley plus the event's guest co-host, Entertainment Tonight's Jann Carl. Over the years this holiday event has been captured on national television specials and has received international exposure on CNN. Millions of viewers across the United States have enjoyed this Atlanta holiday tradition as a result of its national syndication. For more information, please visit www.macys.com.

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WEST END ART / STUDIO TOUR

675 Metropolitan Pkwy. 404-758-8800 www.metropolitanwarehouses.com Nov. 8; Tour 1-7PM; Auction 7-10PM Free Event The afternoon tour includes 15 open artist studios and businesses at The Metropolitan including The B Complex, The Hammonds House Museum, Danger Press Printing and Dickey and Stewart Recording Studio. A party with a live D.J. and silent auction begins at 7:00pm. Select studios will provide complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres.

CHILI COOK-OFF AND FESTIVAL

Cabbagetown Park www.chompandstomp.com Sat. Nov. 8; 10AM - 8PM Free to Attend - 5K run is $20 Cabbagetown hosts this 6th annual event that features a 5K run, chili cook-off, live bluegrass music, art market and beer!

ATLANTA BRAVES MUSEUM AND HALL OF FAME

Turner Field www.atlanta.braves.mlb.com 404-522-7630 Sat. Nov. 15; 10AM - 2PM; Free The Braves Museum & Hall of Fame features more than 600 Braves artifacts and photographs that trace the team's history from its beginnings in Boston (1871-1952) to Milwaukee (1953-65) to Atlanta (1966-present). It is located on the northwest side of Turner Field at Aisle 134. A free tour of the stadium is also included.

CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK'S

HOLIDAY IN LIGHTS

Centennial Olympic Park 404-222-PARK centennialpark.com Nov. 15 - Jan. 4; 7AM - 11PM FREE - Ice Skating Rink Admission $7 per person, $2 skate rentals In November, the park transforms into a winter wonderland with thousands of lights that make up a dazzling display. Come celebrate the 2008 holiday season by taking a s t r o l l through the courtesy of Centennial Olympic Park glowing 21-acre park or spin around Atlanta's only outdoor ice skating rink.

ATLANTA HABITAT BUILDING BLOCK PARTY

2079 and 2083 Lakewood Trail in Lakewood Commons Neighborhood www.atlantahabitat.org (404) 223-5180, ext. 165 Sat. Nov. 22; 11:30AM - 4PM; Free Celebrate Atlanta Habitat for Humanity's 25th anniversary along with the achievement of constructing its 1000th home. This event will be Atlanta Habitat's largest dedication ever with performances by the Atlanta Drum Line, children activities, family-friendly entertainment, stilt walkers, jugglers and more. Corporate and local vendors will provide food and beverages. Earlier in the month, President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter will make a special visit to the home site along with Mayor Shirley Franklin and Clark Howard.

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Book Review GREAT AMERICAN HYPOCRITES: TOPPLING THE BIG MYTH OF REPUBLICAN POLITICS Author: Glenn Greenwald

BY JOHN B. MOORE None of the arguments put forth by author Glenn Greenwald in his latest rant against the Right is going to come as a shock to anyone who has ever made a donation to MoveOn.org or read The Huffington Post. But that’s not to say it’s not a highly entertaining read full of great argument-starters. Greenwald does a great job of tackling a handful of the biggest hypocritical arguments about the Republican Party that Conservatives love to trot out on talk radio and in election ads. Here are a few of the myths Greenwald deftly points out in the book: Myth 1: Republicans are for small government… Except for when they get us in debt to the tune of trillions of dollars. Myth 2: Republicans are wholesome family men who love (heterosexual) marriages. How much do they love the institution of (heterosexual) marriage? So much that they want to marry again and again. Just consider how many times Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, John McCain, Henry Hyde, Fred Thompson, Bob Barr and others have taken the walk down the church aisle. Myth 3: Republican leaders love a war hero… as long as it’s not one of them who’s asked to do the fighting. Aside from McCain, the party and its faithful attack dogs are packed with people who managed to pull strings and call in favors to avoid having to fight in Vietnam. Both Al Gore and John Kerry risked their lives in Vietnam, while their opponent George W. Bush (who put in a couple of days with the National Guard in Alabama) managed to come out looking like the military hero. Greenwald’s well-documented examples may not win over any hardcore Conservatives, but this smartly written and wellresearched book should be on the nightstand of every Daily Kos devotee.. Grade: APG 6 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

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FILM INTERVIEW

MORE MR. NICE GUY THE UNFAILINGLY POLITE MICHAEL CERA BY B. LOVE

ICHAEL CERA THE SOFTSPOKEN Ontario native, best known for his roles in back-to-back blockbusters “Superbad” and “Juno”. From his low-key demeanor and innate sense of nervousness, Cera is a welcome anomaly on a young Hollywood scene that tends to prefer style over substance. What’s most remarkable is the realization that, with Cera, what you see really is what you get.

Your career has taken oﬀ astronomically in the last year or so. Are you comfortable with your newfound fame? Yeah, I’ve been enjoying it. I really like working and being on sets, so it’s nice to be able to continue doing that. If I get recognized in the street it’s normally just a brief exchange. They’ll tell me they like my work or someone will shout something out, but it’s always very pleasant.

really hard to watch and uncomfortable. On the Superbad set it was all really loose and we were playing drunk, so we could hide behind that.

Movies like Superbad and Nick & Norah are very different teen movies than those of the ‘90s, and almost feel like a return to the days of the John Hughes classics. What makes them different in your eyes? Well, I like anything that feels authentic and comes from someone’s heart. I watch a I LIKE ANYTHING THAT lot of movies and I’ve never liked those gross-out comedies, so I FEELS AUTHENTIC just try to do movies that I think AND COMES FROM I would like. Sometimes you read SOMEONE’S HEART. a script and there are things that don’t ring true, but you can work I WATCH A LOT OF with the director and the writers MOVIES AND I’VE fixing it. I’ve always found NEVER LIKED THOSE on that it’s best to work with people GROSS-OUT COMEDIES, that are collaborative and openSO I JUST TRY TO DO minded.

MOVIES THAT I THINK I

What’s the latest word on the Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist WOULD LIKE. possibility of an “Arrested was your first film after the double Development” movie? whammy of Superbad and Juno. What attracted I mean, it’s not like we’re in production and I haven’t you to that project? My manager sent me “Raising Victor Vargas,” the read a script. I know Jason Bateman wants to do it, first film Pete Sollett directed, and I really loved it and but I’m not sure if [creator] Mitch Hurwitz wants to. wanted to meet with him. We met in New York and I would only want to be a part of it if it was gonna be really hit it off, so I decided I wanted to work with him really good, because I think it’s good to go out on a high note, end with a bang and leave them wanting and thought he’d do the movie really well. more. That’s just my instinct: I don’t think it would be You’ve had romantic storylines in your last couple of worth doing unless it would live up to the expectations movies now. What’s it like for you watching yourself that might come with it. in those love scenes? Normally the audience is pretty giggly, like they’re Can you talk about the experience of working on embarrassed for the characters. I actually like if it’s that show? Many fans thought it was like “Freaks &

Geeks,” a prematurely cancelled show that was way ahead of its time. I love “Freaks & Geeks”! It had a short run, but I watch those episodes over and over. But with “Arrested Development,” we did have a good run. Three seasons was more than I ever expected when we started, because right off the bat we were told it wasn’t doing to good. I was surprised every time we got picked up for another season, and we had a nice following. It’s nice to have a handful of people who really love it, and it feels like a tight-knit group of people who come up and talk about the show. What can you tell us about your next film, “Youth In Revolt”? It’s directed by Miguel Arteta, it’s coming out in February and I love the book by C.D. Payne on which it’s based. It’s about a young guy who meets a girl on a family vacation and becomes obsessed with her. I’ve read the book like five times and really love the character, so I was excited to do it. I think the movie will be really good.

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THEATER

Under The Lights Theatrical Performances this Month High School Musical 2

Ain’t Misbehaven’

www.ticketmaster.com

Nov. 6 - Nov. 16 Fox Theatre Box Office 404.817.8700 The Wildcats are back for an all new adventure with rocking songs and twice the fun. Disney's High School Musical 2 comes to The Fox Theatre this month. It's summer time and Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad, Kelsi and all the gang from East High School get summer jobs at the exclusive Lava Springs Country Club, where it turns out that Sharpay 's family are members. Sharpay and Gabriella vie for Troy's attention and Gabriella as played the competition by Arial Jacobs heats up over the annual talent show. Join them as they put their talents and friendship to the ultimate test. The Creative and Design Team from the original Atlanta production of Disney’s High School Musical On Stage returns for this allnew production.

Nov. 18 - Nov. 23 Fox Theatre Box Office 404.817.8700 The 30th Anniversary National Tour of the Tony Award winning musical Ain’t Misbehavin’ comes to The Fox Theatre this month. Ain’t Misbehavin' is a musical revue of a book by Murray Horowitz and Richard Maltby, Jr. and music by Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller. Waller, the outrageously prodigious comic and musical soul of 1930s Harlem, lives on in this rollicking, finger-snapping show that is still considered one of Broadway's most well crafted revues. Ruben Studdard

The Atlanta engagement stars American Idol icon and Grammy nominated star Ruben Studdard. Other American Idol alum include 2003 contestant Frenchie Davis as well as 2003 top five finalist Trenyce Cobbins. Together with a first-class cast and a live, on-stage band, they bring classic popular hits like "Honeysuckle Rose," "This Joint is Jumpin'," "Your Feet's Too Big," and the title song "Ain't Misbehavin'" to life. Ain’t Misbehavin’ originally opened in The Manhattan Theatre in 1978 with featured singer Irene Cara. The show was an instant hit among theatergoers and was quickly developed into a full-scale Broadway production.

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FILM INTERVIEW

A 39-YEAR-OLD SURGING A Role-Playing Vet, Paul Rudd Gets a Well-Deserved Top Billing in Role Models BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

EMEMBER THE INFAMOUS FIST BUMP Michelle and Barack Obama exchanged over the summer? Okay, Paul Rudd and I just did one and it was way funnier. Here’s how it went down: I walked into a hotel conference room to chat with the Kansas-bred star of the side-splitting new comedy Role Models. As I approached Rudd, he’s adjusting his sack—and we’re not talking about potatoes either. Seeing the scene unfold, you almost think you’re on the set of Knocked Up, Reno 911!: Miami or one of Rudd’s other silly pictures, but you’re not. In fact, after the fist bump –and for the record, I didn’t watch the whole gesture and Paul did apologize for it- we, umm, scratched the surface on writing Models’ screenplay, working with comedy genius Judd Apatow and learning from legend Michael Caine. How much fun was it making this movie? It was really fun. It was a long experience because we spent months writing, then to go shooting it, then post production. I’ve never been involved with something from start to finish like this. I’ve produced a movie with Ken Marino and David Wain called The Ten and Dave directed it, but I didn’t write any of that. So this was a new experience for me. It was really fun and fulfilling. Did you find screenwriting a rewarding experience? Yeah, it was. It was a rewrite. It wasn’t my idea for the movie. It was very rewarding. And seeing it and hearing people laugh at stuff you’ve written is very exciting. That’s really cool. It certainly whets my appetite to do another one with an original idea, assuming I can ever figure one out. If you have anything, let me know. If the Paul Rudd from Clueless spoke to the one today,

what would he say? I feel like, as far as my tastes and things that I like, they weren’t that much different then as they are now. I think I’ve gotten less precious about stuff now ‘cuz I’m just old and I don’t care. In my early 20s, it was the perfect time in my life to be artistic and precious. I think I would have been pleased because, even starting out, I knew it was a hard road. It’s hard to make a living in any business, whatever that is. To try to do it on one’s own terms is even harder. I thought, “I only want to do things I really like.” For the most part, I have been able to kinda stick to that. I mean, I have done some real clunkers in there, too. They don’t always turn out the way you hope. But I feel as if I’ve gone through the things that I’ve liked and have turned out well in my own opinion. But if I think I would have looked forward, I would have been pleased. I really would have been pleased that I was just able to sustain a career, to work at all. I’m still always amazed that people would hire me to do something in a movie. It’s a job that many people want. I just feel under-qualified in almost every category. I’m sure there will be several people who’ll see the film and agree with me. I don’t see how anyone can say that about this one. Well, there is something universally appealing about seeing a 10-year-old swear [like Bobb’e Thompson in Role Models]. I don’t know if my grandparents would feel the same as me. That’s just built-in funny to me. But I’m also one of those guys, no matter how old I get, if you fart, I’m going to laugh for about ten minutes. Have you ever felt that a movie was going to be a clunker, but it actually turned out okay? Not really. If you have this feeling that, Oh, this is going to be a clunker, more than likely it’s going to be a clunker. The movies that I’ve worked on that I really, really liked,

and seemed genuinely funny to me, in my opinion, have turned out pretty funny. That was something I kinda realized a lot of actors [thought]. If you find it funny when you’re shooting it, it won’t be funny when it’s released. An example of that would be -This a huge, huge name-dropme working with Michael Caine on The Cider House Rules. [He reaches for his cellphone and speaks in a British accent] Is that Michael Caine calling me? I couldn’t believe I was in the same room, let alone the same movie, with Michael Caine. So, I worked up enough nerve to talk to him about the movies he had been in because he’s pretty iconic. I wanted to ask him desperately about Dirty Rotten Scoundrels because I think that movie is hilarious. He said he was very nervous about it because he loved working on it so much and he found it very funny. He said, “Whenever you work on a movie and you find it funny, it’s never funny.” I had heard that from other people. That seemed to be the adage. I have not found that to be the case. I have worked on a few movies that I think are pretty funny and they were a blast making them. I’m guessing some of those movies are 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up. The guy behind those is Judd Apatow. What makes him so special? He has a real since of what people are going through. We’re all pretty universal. The insecurities people have, the victories, [are all pretty similar]. He has an understanding of that. He knows how to show that. All of the things that he’s done, which have been very, very funny, have been character driven. They all have those moments that are really moving. I mean, Freaks & Geeks, The Larry Sanders Show, those kinds of facets of human behavior [are captured by Apatow]. That’s what sells it. That’s what makes it work more than anything. He can create a story and characters that are very realistic and relatable. Then he’s just naturally funny and knows how to write funny jokes and fill it with jokes and make it topical and seem very fresh. Also, his directing style is different than almost anyone that I’ve worked with. He really encourages improvisation. In Knocked Up, we got together and improvised scenes and those things found their way into the movie. We’d also improvise scenes while we were shooting stuff. He’ll say go more in that direction. He knows where he wants to take it, but he’s very open to letting the actors come up

with how we get there. There’s a lot of trust in that. It’s great because [the movies] are collaborative and creatively fulfilling in a way that’s different than some other movies where you just stand on the X and say your lines. I think it’s a very specific style; it’s a style that seems to be resonating right now. He’s kind of the mayor of comedy. These movies are really popular. It could very well fall out of fashion. It probably will somewhere along the way. I think the thing that sustains itself is the relationships between people. That’s ultimately what all of these comedies are; they’re all kind of dramatic movies—they’re just filled with boner jokes and farts. Talk about your two March releases. There’s another called I Love You, Man with Jason Segel, who also works a lot with Judd. He did this movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I realize I don’t really have any male friends [in the movie]. I’ve been kind of a girlfriend guy. So, it starts freaking my fiancé out (Rashida Jones) and freaking me out ‘cuz I never really thought about it. I’m going to need a best man for my wedding, so I go out and try to find a friend. Then this movie sorta follows these conventions of a romantic comedy, but it’s between two guys. I go on man dates, blind dates. It doesn’t quite work. And the animated experience, Monsters vs. Aliens? That was really cool. It was over the course of a couple of years. It’s strange because I feel really distant from it. You go to work one day for a few hours in a sound stage and, six months later, you go do another thing. It’s really isolated. I don’t really work with any of the other people in the movie ‘cuz it’s all just vocal. I’m really curious. I’ve never read a script for it. I will see that movie and it will be very strange. I’m a character in it but I don’t know what to expect. I’m really looking forward to seeing it.

MUSIC INTERVIEW

HAWTHORN HEIGHTS Fragile, But Not Broken T BY JOHN B. MOORE

O SAY THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE been difficult for Ohio-based emo-punks Hawthorne Heights would be like saying the U.S. economy is having a bad month. The band has gone through a very public feud with its label, and lost their friend and guitarist Casey Calvert last November. After a legal fight to get out of a deal with Chicagobased Victory Records– the label that released their first two records– the band surprised many earlier this year when they announced they would put out their next release Fragile Future on Victory. The record is a subtle departure from their first two albums, and by far their strongest record to date. Singer/guitarist JT Woodruff spoke with us recently about the band’s rocky history, the loss of Calvert and their future.

Let’s get the obvious question out of the way first: you had a pretty ugly legal fight going with Victory for awhile. What made you guys decide to come back to the label? Life is too short to fight over dollars and cents. We all sat down and figured out how to live together again. Are you going to be releasing more records on Victory? PG 10 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

I’m the kinda guy who never says never. Victory has done a lot of great things for Hawthorne Heights, so I’m sure they will continue to help us in the future, as we continue to help them. What can you tell me about Fragile Future? We are extremely proud of Fragile Future. Every time I listen to it the songs make me both happy and sad. That is the whole point of writing music, so it tells people how you feel. This record tells the world how we feel. How difficult was this record to write? I think all records are hard to write for different reasons. Fragile Future was very easy to write, because so much had happened to us that our emotions were boiling over. But, it was also very hard to sing about this stuff. It was hard to relive it take after take. In the end, it was great therapy for us to put feelings to song. How do you think it compares to the first two records? The obvious comparison is that we have no screaming on Fragile Future. When Casey passed away, we didn’t want to try to replace him... so we didn’t. There is a lot of raw energy on this record that isn’t on our second CD. I think they all fit how we were feeling at the time, and I’m proud of that. I like to have no idea how a record will sound before it’s recorded. It makes it interesting. When Casey passed away, did you guys ever think about ending the band? We never thought about quitting. This is what we love to do, so we wouldn’t end it for any reason. We

IF I PERFORM NAKED, I WILL PROBABLY GET ARRESTED. SO PLEASE COME BAIL ME OUT, OR AT LEAST BRING ME STARBUCKS IN JAIL. think it’s better to celebrate Casey’s life throughout the rest of our career. He will always been in our songs, and our hearts. What can you tell me about the tour you are about to start? I can tell you that we are dusting oﬀ some old songs for our hardcore fans. We will be playing a good mix of songs from our older records, but will also spend a large part of our set on Fragile Future. For the ﬁrst time in an extended tour, we will be playing a few songs acoustic during the set...to keep things fresh. We personally picked all the bands on this tour, because we are friends with them...so let the brodown commence. Also, I might play a few shows bare naked. You guys just played The Tonight Show recently. What was that like? It was an honor to play the Tonight Show. It’s a

dream of any musician, so we are very proud to have played it. TV shows are kinda nerve racking, because you only get one chance to play the song right...but when it’s over it’s the best feeling ever. Also, it makes you feel like a celeb for about 4 minutes. What’s next for the band? After we ﬁnish the Never Sleep Again tour, we will hibernate through the holidays. During hibernation we will sleep, watch football, and write a lot of songs. Expect to see a lot of us in 2009 in the USA and hopefully overseas. Anything else you want to add? If I perform naked, I will probably get arrested. So please come bail me out, or at least bring me Starbucks in jail. Also, come to the show and say hello. Bring me a demo. I love new music... and Starbucks. If you sing about Starbucks, I will love your band. Increase the peace. Obama 2008!

It’s a Man’s World

FILM INTERVIEW

Buckhead 39 West Paces Ferry Rd. Atlanta, Ga. 30305 (404) 237-4664 Virginia Highlands 778 N. Highland Ave. Atlanta, Ga. 30306 (404) 874-6604 Sandy Springs 220 Sandy Springs Circle Atlanta, Ga. 30328 (404) 255-0026 Norcross 5161 Peachtree Parway, Suite 606 Norcross, Ga. 30092 (678) 987-3600 www.vanmichael.com

Thandie Newton Just Rules It

BY B. LOVE

HIS MOMENT IS SO MUCH BIGGER than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll. It’s for the women that stand beside me– Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett– and it’s for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened.” –Halle Berry Halle Berry may not have mentioned Thandie Newton specifically in her famously emotional 2002 Oscar acceptance speech, but no actress in the world has benefited more from the doors opened in the years since the Monster’s Ball star’s historic Best Actress win. Best known at the time for her role as Tom Cruise’s love interest in Mission: Impossible II, Newton went on to star opposite Terrence Howard in Crash, and Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness. And now, with high-profile turns in Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla and Oliver Stone’s W., the 36-year-old actress finds herself in the luxurious position of being able to pick and choose projects with Hollywood’s brightest talents. Sitting down for an interview at the Toronto Film Festival, Newton acknowledges that she was once bitter about the lack of roles for black actors, but that things have improved. “Sometimes I even have to remind my husband [writer/director Oliver Parker] that certain roles could be multi-racial,” she admits. “But it has evolved in a positive way so different from 10 years ago, when I was the only black actress from England working in American movies. Instead of complaining about it, recognize the positives and use that to keep going forward, bring in your friends, and encourage people to look outside their small circle. Moaning about it just doesn’t do anything.” Things haven’t always been so positive for the actress. While she got her first big film role, Flirting, when she was just 19, Newton has always maintained something of an outsider’s perspective on Hollywood. “I started out really young and realized early on that my happiness did not lie with the business,” she recalls matter-of-factly. “I had difficult times I had to deal with, which made me very skeptical about the film industry. So in a weird way it’s been a really good thing, because I use the film industry as a pleasure for work and it’s not a pursuit to make me feel happy in my life.” Newton claims to have only gotten more selective about her roles in the years since she and Parker welcomed daughters Ripley and Nico into the world. But even as she strives to maintain a healthy balance between motherhood and her career, she insists that she gives the decision-making process far less thought than she used to. “It’s just a gut reaction to something,” she says when asked about choosing roles. “I’ll read [mediocre] scripts and start to think, do I not want to do this anymore? But

then the next day I’ll read something that I love, and I can’t wait to do it. There’s no formula to how I go with it. Sometimes it can be because I think the director is really inspiring.” With her two latest projects, it was clearly directors Guy Ritchie and Oliver Stone who were a huge part of the draw. “Guy and Oliver are completely different,” Newton insists when asked to compare these influential auteurs. “Guy steps back in many ways and isn’t precious about his material. He’s very confident and clear about what he wants, but at the same time lets go of the reins in terms of what you as an actor do with your character. The same is true for Oliver, but the material is very much based on truth. He’s hugely knowledgeable, so you’re constantly looking to him for his approval… Constantly!” Stone’s passionate liberal political views and President George W. Bush’s low approval ratings have made W. one of the year’s most controversial and eagerly anticipated films. Though the film had not been screened for critics at press time, Newton seems excited to discuss the project, in which she co-stars opposite Josh Brolin (Bush) and Richard Dreyfuss (Dick Cheney). “I haven’t seen it yet,” she admits, “and Oliver Stone’s editing style is a huge part of his talent. But we were going for a very natural human portrait. It was about the dynamics of the relationships between the players of the administration. The movie is much more about the shades of grey, allowing the audience to figure out how they feel about it.” In both of these roles she plays a powerful woman pulling strings in arenas typically dominated by men. Could they be seen as analogous to Newton’s position in Hollywood, where actresses over the age of 35 are frequently put out of pasture in favor of younger, prettier “It Girls,” but where Thandie seems to be just hitting her stride? “I made RocknRolla a year before I worked on Oliver Stone’s movie,” she counters, “and had completely different approaches to both. I wanted to do RocknRolla because it had a great script, lovely cast, I liked Guy very much, we were working in London, and I knew it would be a lot of fun. But Condoleezza was more like taking a deep breath, then jumping in, terrified but at the same time enormously satisfied.” Those two words– enormously satisfied– seem like an apt description of Thandie Newton’s life at the moment. With a loving marriage, two beautiful children, and a career most actresses can only dream of, she seems to be truly savoring every moment with a newfound sense of peace. “I love playing these characters, but at the end of the day it’s easy to leave them behind. I can’t explain it,” she admits with a smile, “but going through adolescence you’re always afraid to be yourself for fear of being mocked, criticized or rejected. But these days, I just love being me.”

�� PG 11 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

Are you depressed? You may be eligible to participate in a clinical research study of depression if you met the following criteria: �� of 18 and 65 years old �� depression �� depressed for at least one month �� of depression no lasting more than two years �� Eligible participants will receive investigational medication or placebo (an inactive substance), study related care, and diagnostic exams at no cost.

Please Call:

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FILM

�� BODY OF LIES (R) �� –Rodney Hill

CITY OF EMBER (PG) �� –Matt Goldberg

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (R) ��

�� –Rebecca Crosby

PRIDE & GLORY (R) ��

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (R) �� –Matt Goldberg

ROCKNROLLA (R) ��

We like Daniel Craig (above) as Bond, James Band, but we are worried the franchise is slowly ripping of the Bourne series. Just drop “shaken, not stirred” in the next ﬁlm at least.

QUANTUM OF SOLACE �� –Matt Goldberg

coming this month Nov. 7: Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa (PG)

We had to admit this, but we actually walked out of the first “Madagascar” film. It wasn’t horrible. It just didn’t suit us. Take the kids to see the sequel starring Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer (wow, good to see him working) and Jada Pinkett Smith. The second film has the band of animals trying to get back to New York.

Nov. 14: Australia (PG-13)

This is an epic, romantic comedy starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman during the brink of World War II. We’re kidding about the comedy part. The ﬁlm brings together two of the world’s favorite Aussie’s for a tale about a woman (Kidman) trying to save a crop of land she inherited. Naturally, there is a rugged local man (Jackman) to help her out. Cue happy women everywhere.

Nov 21: Twilight (PG-13)

Teenagers everywhere will rejoice. This ﬁlm is based on the highly successful book series. We’ve never read it, but apparently it’s the new Harry Potter. It’s a love story between a human (Kristen Stewart) and a vampire (Robert Pattinson). Girl moves to new town. Girl falls in love with mysterious boy. Girl gets blood sucked dry. We doubt that happens, but it would make the ﬁlm better for us.

Nov 21: Four Christmases (Not yet rated)

Vince Vaughn returns with another comedy, and this time he’s dragging Reese Witherspoon down with him. The two star in this rom-comedy about an unscale, San Francisco couple that is forced to visit four different family Christmases. Thus the title. Jon Favreau makes an appearance as a crazy brother. Good to see he has time aside from making millions with “Iron Man.” –Compiled by Glenn LaFollette

PG 13 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

�� –B. Love

ROLE MODELS (R) �� –DeMarco Williams

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES (PG-13) �� –DeMarco Williams

SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK (R) �� –John C. Snider

ZACK & MIRI MAKE A PORNO (R) �� –Matt Goldberg

Best ��

MUSIC INTERVIEW

NEIL DIAMOND

The Solitary Man Reflects on a Banner Year BY JON LATHAM

EIL DIAMOND’S CAREER DOES not fall short of landmarks. He wrote, “I’m A Believer”, which became a smash for the Monkees, and he racked up numerous hits with introspective tunes such as, “Solitary Man”, “Brooklyn Roads”, and “I am…I Said”. The landmark ‘Hot August Night’ album, stood as a testimony to the power of Diamond’s stage shows. As the years progressed, so did the number of studs on his signature stage wardrobe. It is safe to say that the sheer talent for song craft got lost in the haze of rhinestones and easy listening schmaltz. Nevertheless, Neil remained a sell-out ticket and an iconic figure in pop music. 2008 brought the release of ‘Home Before Dark’, the masterful follow-up to the much-lauded 2005 album, ’12 Songs’. Winding down the year, Neil keeps running full speed ahead into a rigorous third leg of his world tour. Even at his age now, Neil is a man who finds himself at his best when he does the job that he loves. ‘Home Before Dark’ became Neil’s first number one album, a feat which even he himself was somewhat blindsided by. “Honestly I never paid much attention to it. I am more focused on the quality of the album and not whether it makes it to number two or three or one. When I was told that this was my first number one, [I was thinking that] I had one or two before this, so it’s nice to have that little milestone. But then even more important I was very pleased with the way the album came out.” ‘Home’ was Neil’s second collaboration with Rick Rubin, a monster producer who is well-known for resurrecting Johnny Cash’s career in the ‘90’s. Of course, when it came to this balladeer, the plan was never to reinvent anything. “We were just trying to create something wonderful, something magical, and something that had the right chemistry, which you always try to do,” Diamond explains. “When we got into the studio, we [went] in with a very small ensemble not knowing what would happen or what would come out of it. And it was an elite group of musicians [including Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]. I’ve always gotten along great with musicians. I’ve worked with them all my life, so we had a great deal in common.” The haunting, brooding melancholy of the album flowed naturally, as Rubin allowed the sessions to let the songs mature from the inside out. “Rick is not the type of producer that’s there in your face all the time,” recounts Neil. “[As for in-studio encounters,] we [occasionally] saw each other for playbacks.” Such a musical bond with Rubin is heard in Neil’s voice when he talks about their work together. It is obvious that the respect is certainly mutual. “[Rick] was more an objective observer and it was very helpful for everybody. But I wouldn’t say there was an original intention to go and distill the essence of my

music, certainly not for me. Although, maybe, if you spoke to Rick, he might have a different answer,” Neil says with a gruff chuckle, “but he never let on to me but that’s what he was trying to do.” The ballads that make up ‘Home Before Dark’ hold true to Diamonds unbelievable ear for songs, but it doesn’t even hold a candle to the upbeat energy and essence of his live show. At 67, he is, by far, one of few performers his age to still be packing arenas and stadiums worldwide; at my best, I still can only think of the Stones and the Who. So what is it that keeps Neil on the road? “Well, it’s a good antidote to the writing,” Neil explains. “The writing is very, very introspective. You’re constantly digging [inward]. It’s a hard process because you’re excluding contact with a lot of people and things that you would ordinarily be in contact with in your every day life. I kind of sequester myself often [to] do the writing and sometimes it’s a year or a year and a half [away from everything]. That’s a long time to be out of contact with people.” Neil’s desire to connect with the audience sent him on a whirlwind tour that covered parts of the U.S., as well as Europe, an experience which still leaves him quite astounded. “When you play in Europe, it’s all exotic and everything is new and different. I played in a number of cities and countries that I hadn’t played in a long time, so it was a very exciting experience for me.” A certain tour highlight resonates with Neil in a very special way, his performance at Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox. “I play stadiums overseas, but not usually in the states. [Playing at Fenway] was an amazing experience. The audience was 1,000 percent there and ready to have a good time and so was I. The show came off beautifully” In the stands of the Green Giant, Neil’s classic “Sweet Caroline” has become a staple sing-along in a way that Diamond himself could have never imagined. “If I had planned it out, even though I don’t know how you plan something like that out, [“Sweet Caroline”] is just one of those songs that everybody can sing and will sing at the drop of a hat. [It has taken on] a little life of its own. It seems lots of people are attracted to that song and I don’t know what it is; it’s a feel good kind of song. And I think if you just want to feel good that’s the song to sing,” Neil laughs. As the year comes to a close, you will find Neil Diamond out on the road, but where is home? Is there a sense that Neil is packing it up and slowing down? Is the future looking more like a time of settling down? Unabashed in his stature, Diamond sets his path clear. “Well, maybe 20 years from now, but not right now. This is what I do, and it’s my official job. Somebody gave me this job when I was a kid, when I was a teenager, and I’ve been doing it [ever since then]. This is what I want to do. It involves me totally. It’s a very exciting kind of work.”

THIS IS WHAT I DO, AND IT’S MY OFFICIAL JOB. SOMEBODY GAVE ME THIS JOB WHEN I WAS A KID, WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, AND I’VE BEEN DOING IT [EVER SINCE THEN]. THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO. IT INVOLVES ME TOTALLY. IT’S A VERY EXCITING KIND OF WORK.

�� PG 14 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

FILM INTERVIEW

The Maturing Of Anne Hathaway BY ALEX S. MORRISON

UZZ” IS ONE OF THOSE PESKY words that get overused a lot in these heady days of canny marketing savvy, but it doesn’t even come close to describing the rousing roar of accolades that surrounded Anne Hathaway at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival. Critics, peers and audiences alike have been enraptured by the 26-year-old’s masterful performance in director Jonathan Demme’s Rachel Getting Married. As recovering addict Kym, who comes home from rehab to inject some dysfunctional drama into her sister’s nuptials, Hathaway delivers the sort of stunning turn that makes you reconsider everything you’d previously thought about her; the sort that virtually locks her in for her first Academy Award nomination. Hathaway, who will also be appearing in January’s Bride Wars (with Kate Hudson) and recently signed on to appear in Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland, sat down with us in Toronto to discuss being a role model, those pesky paparazzi and putting her princess tiara on the shelf for good. When you were growing up, who were the actresses you admired? Julia Roberts. Pretty Woman was my Princess Diaries; I used to watch it every day. Katherine Hepburn has always been one of my favorites, and Jessica Lange and Sigourney Weaver. There are a lot. I would never go to see a movie just because someone was in it, but the closest person I’ve ever had like that is Drew Barrymore. I would see anything she’s in. I just adore her. I’ve met her, and I was so star-struck. Do you feel any responsibility to be a role model for the young women who look up to you now? I’m just a person living my life, but I do understand that some of the characters I play are very good role models. They’re smart and in possession of their lives, and I do have a lot in common with them, so I don’t mind being seen as a role model. But it’s not something that I have ever aspired to be or courted. I think the second you say, “I’m a role model, and that’s why I make the decisions that I make,” you’ve kind of shot yourself in the foot. A role model is somebody that does things because of what they believe in, regardless of what other people think.” What has surprised you most about your career so far? I’m genuinely surprised that I keep getting asked back. Why? Well, because I’m an actor, so I’m horrifically insecure. (Laughs). All of this has been a surprise! When I was 14 years old and dreaming of being an actress in New Jersey, I didn’t know this was how it was done. I didn’t know this was possible. My idea of being an actor was understudying the lead in a Broadway show, having student loans, living with five other dancers and waitressing on the side. That was my understanding of what an actress was and, for a lot of people, that’s what being an actress is. So right now I’m existing in a stratosphere that I find very surprising. The events of this past year have thrust you into the eye of the tabloid media. How do you deal with the paparazzi? Honestly life is so much bigger than paparazzi attention. It comes and it goes, and when it’s big it’s sort of annoying. When it’s not there I don’t

DIRECTOR JONATHAN DEMME, ON WHAT MAKES ANNE HATHAWAY SPECIAL: “However old she was when she made The Princess Diaries, she could free herself from the intimidation of working with Julie Andrews and being in some big movie when she’d never done anything like that. Yet there she was, in the moment! She’s got that creative thing, whatever it is, that consumes the people who really want it. She’s got that gift of total immersion in the part, and that’s what enabled her to hold her own as a teenager with Julie Andrews. She’s also extremely bright, knows so much and is always questioning to learn more. She’s as big-hearted as she seems to be, and that’s a tremendous resource. And I’m not a surface person– I think everybody looks great– but there’s just something about her look that I just love!” miss it, but there is so much else going on, it’s not really worth thinking about it. You became famous when you were just 19 years old. What keeps you grounded? Gravity. (Laughs) I’d like to think part of it is just me not being a [jerk]. But I have to give my family credit. I come from salt-of-the-earth people. Their lives haven’t changed since their daughter, or niece, or cousin became a wellknown actress, and they still go about their own routines. I want to be a source of surprise for them, not a source of shame. So that’s a big part of it. But I’m still just 26, so mistakes can still come. Can you talk about some of the directors you’ve worked with? Garry Marshall was the best ﬁrst director to have. He’s kind of like a grandfather to me now. He was so loving, and saw the very raw talent in me, and edited [The Princess Diaries] together so I came across as a much more polished actress than I was at the time. Flash forward to

Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain). I never really talk about this, but it was difficult for many years to think, have I peaked? Am I only going to be the girl from The Princess Diaries? Then Ang Lee said, “Yes, I see you as something else.” That was not only amazing for me to develop as an actress, but just psychologically, for my ego. David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) helped me come off as a woman. And as much as I love everyone I’ve worked with, I have never trusted anyone as much as I trust Jonathan Demme, so I’m really excited for where I’m going to go with Rachel Getting Married. Your role in Rachel Getting Married was shocking to some people because it was such a different type of role from what they’ve come to expect from you. Did you take on that role intending to change people’s perceptions of you as the “princess”? No, I’ve been saying since The Princess Diaries came out that I was not going to do any performances in reaction to it. I don’t perceive myself in that way, even though I understand that that

I THOUGHT IF I COULD JUST SING ON BROADWAY, I’D BE A SUCCESS, AND I’VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN TO DO THAT. BUT I DIDN’T KNOW THINGS LIKE THE TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL AND MOVIE PREMIERES IN 3,000-SEAT THEATERS EXISTED, AND I DIDN’T IMAGINE I’D GET TO TELL ALL THESE GREAT STORIES.

may be how other people perceive me. I don’t think of myself as a celebrity, I think of myself as an actress, so it’s always been about finding interesting material. I knew eventually I would find a story that would really put the tiara on the shelf for everyone else, because it’s been on the shelf for me ever since I made the first Princess Diaries. The film had a very naturalistic style, almost like watching a dysfunctional family’s private home videos. Did that impact the way you approached your performance? I didn’t approach the creation and study and absorption of the character in any different way, because my process has always been fairly fluid, but similar from film to film. I’ve always relied primarily on instinct, combined with tons and tons of research. But for Rachel Getting Married I did let go of the idea that I any say as a filmmaker. Sometimes when a director comes over and says, “OK, we’re gonna do this shot and this shot,” you try to help the director out by saving your best stuff for the close-up or whatever. You start editing the movie in your head, which you shouldn’t do, but I’m a reformed people-pleaser. (Laughs) With that film, not knowing where the camera was gonna be freed me to just be the character. It was incredibly liberating, and it changed my approach to acting. What was it like going from an intimate project like Rachel to a big Hollywood film such as Bride Wars? It was kinda fun, because it’s about a good girl having an identity crisis. It’s another wedding film. Oh my god, I have turned 25! (Laughs) But I took the same level of comfort with just focusing on the character to that film, and I found that I enjoyed that experience a lot as a result. It made my performance better than some of my other commercial films, and it taught me that I need to trust my directors more. Is there any fear that you might become overexposed? I don’t know. I’m a middle class girl from New Jersey who stared at the lights of Manhattan and dreamed about being on Broadway. I would go up on these hilltops and look out to see the city lights– this was before Manhattan became an outdoor mall– and I had this idea that I was gonna be this fantastic bohemian surrounded by all these fabulous gay friends. So it doesn’t occur to me yet that I have the right to become over-saturated. I feel like I’m lucky to work, and I don’t know if Rachel Getting Married was the start of a new phase in my life, whether it will change or spoil me in any way. But I do know that there are interesting filmmakers out there who are making movies in an interesting way, and I don’t like to speculate on the future in any way… especially when it comes to turning down work! (Laughs) How does the reality of your life now compare to those dreams you had when you looked out over New York City? I thought if I could just sing on Broadway, I’d be a success, and I’ve actually gotten to do that. But I didn’t know things like the Toronto Film Festival and movie premieres in 3,000-seat theaters existed, and I didn’t imagine I’d get to tell all these great stories. It’s cool, because right now it feels like I’m getting back to the basics of the dream, which was to tell good stories. That’s what I wanted as a young girl, even if I didn’t think about it in those terms. Now that my terms are clearly defined, it’s like, OK, now I can begin. PG 15 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

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MUSIC INTERVIEW

No More “Workin’ For The Man” The Toadies Go The Indie Route BY JOHN B. MOORE

HANKS TO HEAVY LABEL interference, fans of Dallas alt-rock band The Toadies had to wait seven long years for the follow-up to their popular debut, Rubberneck. With another seven years between their sophomore record and No Deliverance, their recently released third CD, Toadies fans are learning a bit about patience. In the years since their last record, the band imploded, formed other groups and eventually reunited, adding a new member along the way. Singer/guitarist Vaden Todd Lewis, drummer Mark Reznicek and guitarist Clark Vogeler– all original members– spoke with us recently about the new record, label woes and their plans for the future. So what made you guys decide to reform? Lewis: Seemed like the right time. I was looking at quite a bit of down time since the Burden Brothers were taking a break. I started writing and pretty soon I started hearing songs that were distinctly “Toadies”.

ond album. Was it because of problems with the label or within the band? Vogeler: We spent endless hours in our rehearsal space starting in ’96, writing and rehearsing songs for the follow-up to Rubberneck. Interscope slowed us down at every chance. We were ready to release our second album in 1998, but at the label’s insistence, we spent another two years writing more songs because they “didn’t hear a single” in the first batch. In 2001, Interscope finally released Hell Below/Stars Above to an audience that had largely moved on. It was seven years between albums, even though the band was working hard the whole time. All-in-all, a very frustrating time for everyone in the band.

You released the new album on Dallasbased Kirtland Records. Is working with an indie label that much different than Interscope? Reznicek: Yes. Interscope seemed to meddle with all aspects of our business, for example telling us which songs to record, what sort of songs to write, etc. On the other hand, Kirtland understands that if given the freedom to do so, the Toadies will deliver an album of quality music that we feel passionately for. In other words, they allow us to do what we do best. Also, we seem to get paid in a more timely fashion, and have a hands-on approach to all aspects of the business. It seems like more of an equal partnership now, rather than “workin’ for the Man”. When did you start working on the songs

IF GIVEN THE FREEDOM TO DO SO, THE TOADIES WILL DELIVER AN ALBUM OF QUALITY MUSIC THAT WE FEEL PASSIONATELY FOR.

that make up No Deliverance? Lewis: August of ‘07. And you’ve got a new bassist this time around . How did you meet Doni Blair (who replaced Lisa Umbarger on bass)? Vogeler: We’d known Doni from his years in another Dallas band that we all knew, Hagfish. He’s a great guy and a super bass player, so when we auditioned a dozen or so guys, it was clear that Doni was the guy to get. He’s awesome, and he quickly became one of the family. Most of you were involved in other bands and side projects over the last few years (Eleven Hundred Springs, Burden Brothers, etc.) Are you all still involved with those other bands? Reznicek: I tried for awhile to do both bands, but the scheduling became too hectic, so I left Eleven Hundred Springs in May of this year. But I still keep in touch with those guys and follow their progress, and when I have the chance I still go and see their shows. I’m still their biggest fan. So in that regard, I am still involved. What’s next for the Toadies? Reznicek: More touring though the rest of the year at least. There has been talk of other possible projects in the future - archival releases, DVDs, overseas touring, etc. - but all that is still in the talking and planning stages. For now, we plan to work our asses off in support of the new record.

Is this a one-off reunion or are the Toadies back to stay? Lewis: We’ll see. We’re planning on working this record until it’s time to do something else. It took a while to release your sec-

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MUSIC INTERVIEW

Battle of the Sexist

Jean Grae spits better than most dudes. Jeanius is just further proof.

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

together. Are you a part of that show? I am not. Sounds like a really good show there. I would love to be involved in that. Didn’t know about that.

EAN GRAE AND I ARE ON THE PHONE, just chopping it up about her loving Obama, cooking breakfast and beefing with Talib Kweli, the head of the Wordsmith imprint she records on. All of a sudden, there’s a knock at my door. Damn. Hold on, Jean. “DeMarco, who is it,” asks the super-gifted and super-silly MC. It’s the post lady and her timing couldn’t have been worst. “Oh, the post lady had a box for you. It sounds suspiciously like you were having some things delivered to your house that you don’t wanna talk about. Sure, DeMarco, sure. I believe you.” Well, believe this: The New Yorker’s new album Jeanius, a collaborative effort with soul-fixated producer 9th Wonder, is out and it’s hella good. We’ll forgive you if you haven’t heard it yet. There are no excuses, however, for discounting the following interview as just another soapbox for a disgruntled female rapper waiting for opportunity to knock at the front door.

Well, you and Kweli have a good relationship, right? What kind of role does he play in your career? Umm, we’re a bit at odds right now, I guess, with the situation at the label and how things, time-wise, should have gone. So, I’m not quite sure where everything stands right now. I’m not taking away anything that he has contributed to hip hop in general. Or the fact he [signed me] when no one else would look in my direction and say, “We’re willing to take a chance on signing you.” He was definitely very open to that. I don’t want to frown upon that at all. It’s really to have someone, as you look back, and say, “Hey, we didn’t forget about you.”

How has the response been thus far for Jeanius? You know what? I didn’t go in it, reading reviews until a week ago. I was kinda just tryin’ something new and steppin’ away from [the media]. It seems to be going well. That’s good. Nobody has been like, “It sucks!” So, that’s good. I enjoy that. That’s probably because it doesn’t suck. Thank you. It’s old music for us. And it’s old music for people who actually had it already. There are certain albums I don’t listen to for a couple of years, and then kind of go back and see that it was a good snapshot of where I was. You always hear something different that I may have missed. Everything was done so quickly and written so quickly that I get to pick on certain parts of music or certain rhyme schemes that I didn’t necessarily notice then. So, Jeanius was recorded a while ago? Four, almost five years ago. That’s a testament to your skills. The record still comes off fresh. Yeah, I mean, timeless music is important. Longevity includes making timeless music. Vibe’s August issue had this NCAA-style tournament where they asked readers to pick out the best rappers from a bracket of 64. Of course, only three or four women made it. Do things like that bother you anymore? No, no. You know what? I was never really bothered by it until people actually brought it up. I never really noticed. I just rhymed. They were like, “Hey, you have titties and you rhymed!” I was like, “Oh, wow. Thank you. I kinda already knew that.” No, it’s sort of an accepted thing. I try to move past it. I’m happy that I can be included in conversations with my top MCs in general. Breaking that kind of boundary made me want to do this a lot. Your lyrics speak like someone who stays abreast on politics and current events. Am I safe in that assumption? Yeah, I like to be aware of things. Reading words is good. Sort of a lost art. How much energy are you putting into McCain and Obama? It’s the first election where I’ve been able to pay attention. Obama is just a really good, captivating speaker. I think a lot of our generation has become more involved than we normally would have- not necessarily because it’s a black candidate but because it’s an amazing candidate. He’s incred-

I NEVER REALLY NOTICED. I JUST RHYMED. THEY WERE LIKE, “HEY, YOU HAVE TITTIES AND YOU RHYMED!” I WAS LIKE, “OH, WOW. THANK YOU. I KINDA ALREADY KNEW THAT...” I’M HAPPY THAT I CAN BE INCLUDED IN CONVERSATIONS WITH MY TOP MCS IN GENERAL. BREAKING THAT KIND OF BOUNDARY MADE ME WANT TO DO THIS A LOT. ibly relatable. Sometimes I wish I had those kind of answers to questions [like he does]. He’s so amazingly quick and wonderful. People are talking about how there’s a difference between being a politician and a statesman. I think that’s very evident this time. Nas and Kanye have been quite vocal about the political precedings. Do you see hip hop and politics going beyond an every-four-year fad? I hope so for people with the ability to have a louder voice. I hope they take some responsibility for their community, in general, going beyond the presidential candidates. It can be your community. It can be your block, your building. Just taking some kind of responsibility for what it is. I don’t want it to be a fad. But I’m not necessarily mad at it if that’s the way it has to happen. Whatever way necessary to open conversations between people is great. Speaking of Nas, he and Talib Kweli have been touring

What are you most proud of with this album? It was recorded at a very interesting time. I was pretty much not doing what I was going to do. 9th and I had met. I just came off the Okay Player tour. We worked on one song, “Don’t Rush Me,” that was actually off my This Week album. After we did one song, we enjoyed working together so much that we [wanted to go] back and do an EP. We went back to do the EP and said, “Who are we kidding? Let’s just do the whole album.” It may sound corny, but there was just a whole bunch of magic around at the time. Four and a half days [we recorded]. We took a whole lot of Vivarin. It was pretty much, he played a beat, I wrote, he recorded and we moved to the next one. We really tried to sequence and make a cohesive album. That’s kinda been lost, too. It wasn’t, “Hey, this is the club song. This is the song about the dude. This is the song about my momma.” It was really like, “This is No. 6. This is No. 2. This is No. 12.” Having the kind of chemistry to work that quickly and this being the first time working together and getting it done and being on the same page was magical. Is that gay? Sounds kinda gay. It’s a gay album, DeMarco.

Speaking of magic, a friend and I were discussing the magic Nas and DJ Premier once made together. Who are some of the magical tandems you can recall? Biggie and Primo, definitely. RZA and everyone out of Wu Tang. It was so calculated how different everything would sound for a specific person. [GZA’s] Liquid Swords doesn’t sound anyone else’s album. We don’t have that any more. Buckwild and Big L and Big Pun [was another good combination]. Havoc and Prodigy [too].

Define success for Jean Grae. Have you attained it? I’m not sure. I think it changes. There are certain goals that I set for myself that I’m happy to have achieved. I’m happy to still be around. Soundscan success and achieving longevity are two different things. I think I’ve been able to make a good mark so far. I’d say I’m about 65% of where I really want to go. What are some of those goals in that 35% that you’re reaching for? I need that Grammy really bad. And just more options to be able to play the game in a more mainstream way. I’m definitely not looking for anything to be handed to me or given away; just the opportunity to be out there so people can make a choice. If it doesn’t happen now, either I go postal or stop. PG 19 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

MUSIC INTERVIEW

�� Osaka Popstar Keeps The Dream Alive BY JOHN B. MOORE

VER WONDER WHAT IT MIGHT SOUND LIKE IF THE Misfits were jamming with the Ramones and the Voidoids, fronted by John Cafiero? Exactly like Osaka Popstar. The brilliant pop-punk supergroup is the brainchild of longtime punk veteran and film/video director Cafiero, who teamed up with Ramones drummer Marky Ramone, Misfits bassist Joey Only, Voidoids guitarist Ivan Julian and Black Flag/Misfits guitarist Dez Cadena in 2006 to start the band. As a follow-up to their much-loved debut, Osaka Popstar & the American Legends of Punk, the band has just turned in a 9-song live record, Rock ‘Em O-Sock ‘Em Live! Cafiero spent some time recently talking to us about the band’s origins, the visual element of Osaka Popstar, and the current state of punk-rock.

When you were putting Osaka Popstar together, did you have every intention of putting out records or were you just planning on jamming together? My main intention was records from the start. The big question was would we tour? And the answer was yes. What are your thoughts on the current state of punk? Well, it will never be what it was in the ‘70s, when I first started to observe it happening as a kid, but nothing ever is. Sometimes memories can be a more romanticized version of reality anyway. Overall I think it’s great to see how “punk” has bubbled over into mainstream pop culture. I think it’s a sign of the world finally catching up with something ahead of its time. Sadly, many of those pioneers who were the best in the field were never really fully appreciated in their careers and, for some, in their lifetime. The Ramones are a primary example. As a kid I’d actually get into fights defending the Ramones. I always thought they were the greatest band in the world. With the deaths of three founding members (Joey, Dee Dee and Johnny), the world finally recognized their brilliance. At times in the early days, the Ramones were laughed at, while others followed them with total admiration. Now they truly are the new Beatles in a sense, and deservedly so. Are you hearing any new, younger bands that impress you? Yes, Jay Reatard. He has a retro sound, yet its contemporary at the same time. Great live performer, great recordings, great songs, just great stuff in general. I have yet to hear a bad song. His material is consistently good and he’s got a total DIY mentality. I’m really digging his stuff.

WE GOT NEXT JAKE ONE

Any plans for another CD from Osaka Popstar? Absolutely. I have a lot of it in my head already and just need time to hash it out on tape. I’m aiming to have it recorded and out in 2009, but at the very least I’ll be recording in ‘09. I did the first one sporadically over the course of three years. I juggle lots of projects, all of which I am proud of and passionate about, so giving things your all can sometimes take longer than expected. Long story short, yes, you can count on it. Judging from the album art, I’m assuming you’re a big anime fan? Yes, absolutely. I love the look of it, the vibe of it and the fact that in Japan animation was always looked at as an art form that could be used to interpret any genre whereas in the US, animation was stereotypically looked at as something just for kids. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Saturday morning cartoon genre too and have had many a bowl of Cap’n Crunch and Frankenberry while taking them in, but Japanese animation opened new doors, broke new ground and in my opinion illustrates how we ping pong or influence each other culturally. Japanese animation was bred through Osamu Tezuka who created Astro Boy and was inspired by Fleischer animation (like Betty Boop - that’s where the influence of big eyes in Japanese animation first began). In the early 90’s Japanese animation targeting teen or more adult oriented themes would star breaking ground in the US. Now hybrids of the two, like Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans for example, are the cross-polenized results of artists influencing each other across two continents and that’s just one of many examples. What next for you and the guys in the band? The Misfits continue to tour and are writing a new Misfits album. Marky continues to tour overseas as Marky Ramone & Friends, and hosts a weekly radio show on Sirius. Ivan does a lot of studio work, and I’m always wearing a multitude of hats. Some of the projects I’m currently encompassed in range from producing the studio debut for Juicehead to having the huge honor of managing Johnny Ramone’s estate. I’ve been developing projects to keep Johnny’s memory alive, as well as some cool projects for the Ramones that it’s too early to talk about here, but will start surfacing in the not-too-distant future. I’m also in talks about an Osaka Popstar video game, and I’m writing and recording the theme song for the forthcoming Garbage Pail Kids animated series! As you can see, there’s lots of great stuff happening constantly. I hope you and you’re readers are digging it!

Artists on the verge of making it big

Latest Project: White Van Music (Rhymesayers) Why You Should Care: Because this Washington native meshes soul and hip hop better than most cats from the NYC For Fans of: DJ Premier, Pete Rock and Just Blaze

BY JOHN B. MOORE

HITE VAN MUSIC IS EASILY ONE of the five best hip hop albums of ’08. Sadly, the project probably will never see commercial success. Too many things working against it. For starters, its creator, Jake “Jake One” Dutton, is a laid-back, headline-avoiding white dude from Seattle. Two, Music, while stuffed with amazing collabs with the likes of Freeway, Little Brother and Busta Rhymes, is on a fledgling indie label, Rhymesayers, that simply doesn’t have the money to muscle MTV for more press. And three, Jake One is one of 50 Cent’s hush-hush production weapons (Jake’s worked on 50’s solo projects and G-Unit records), so there’s little chance the rap star will voluntarily let his amazing secret out. What do you and I need to do to get the masses to hear White Van Music? That’s a good question. I think, with the underground in general, it really is something [that happens] with word-ofmouth. If the word gets out there [it’ll succeed]. It feels like

PG 20 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

people in the underground take more ownership of their records. You have a more personal attachment to the record in general. Hopefully, we’ll see that. The feedback has been really good. It’s been pretty crazy. Why go into an industry that often doesn’t reward the good product? You know, it’s funny. When I started doing it, I never thought I’d be a part of the music industry. I was just doing it for fun. I had a job up until 2006. So, I kinda looked at it like a side thing I was doing. It just got to a point where it was doing so much for me that I had to focus more time on it. So, I wasn’t one of those guys that would tell you, “Oh, I’m going to make a million dollars oﬀ of rap.” It didn’t really sound realistic at all.

Seattle or anything. It’s crazy to see your idol come out and play your record. Then, after that, a remix to song from Nicole Wray and they just looped my beat. They jacked the beat. When that happened, I was like, “Damn, this is really serious.” I was almost kinda ﬂattered by the whole thing. That was probably the ﬁrst time I was like, “Damn, I’m really doing this.”

Tell me about the Washington you remember growing up. Seattle is just a real chill, mellow place. It’s one of those places that’s kinda disconnected from the bigger cities, so we kinda got our own thing going on here. We’re not necessarily completely inﬂuenced by something around us. We pretty much take everything in. When I was a kid, we listened to everything from the Bay Area rap to L.A. to all the New York. I would listen to Gangstarr and E-40 in the same day. We just have a diﬀerent perspective on things.

You got a lot of magic happening on White Van Music with Freeway, Ish from Digable Planets and others. Does one recording session stand out above the rest? Actually, the only song I was present for with any of it was the last record, “Home,” which is a tribute to 90s hip hop in Seattle. That was really cool. I had come up with the idea of how I wanted to do it. The chorus is basically all choruses from old Seattle songs. I basically got guys from that era that are still doing it, and I just wanted them to speak on the city and the scene. Ish (who went by Butterﬂy with Digable Planets) is from Seattle. I don’t really know him that well, but we know each other. He’s the pinnacle of Seattle hip hop. He made two classic albums. He’s from here. He went to high school here. He won the state [title] in basketball. Everybody else did, like, a 12-bar verse. He came in and, like, 30 something bars. I was there for that. To me, that was a magical moment.

Were there any artists or moments that got the wheels turning in your head that this could be a career for you? The ﬁrst thing I did where I was, “Wow, this is real,” was [when I recorded with] a label out of Seattle called Conception. It was ’97, ’98. I did a song called “World Premiere.” That record got played everywhere. It was one of those things where Gangstarr would come to town and they’d come out to that beat. I don’t think they knew I lived in

So, if you weren’t in the studio with Free and Little Brother and the others, how did those songs come about? I would basically send records to people. I’d send, like, five beats and try to direct them towards the one I wanted them to do the most. Bishop Lamont’s record with Busta was done for his album. After a lot of phone calls and begging –I was like, “I need the record. I need the record.”- he finally gave it to me. With Little Brother, I sent them stuff for [their

CD] GetBack and my album. They liked the record a lot, and they were actually thinking about using it on GetBack. I had a relationship with them for a while. With Freeway’s record, I didn’t even know Freeway until I reached out to him to do this record. He ended up taking “It’s Over” for his album and he did “How We Ride” and “The Truth.” Me and him have been working a lot. I got a bunch of songs on his new record. That was definitely a blessing. And there’s still a G-Unit connection, too, right? Definitely. Shit, 50 just leaked one of my songs the other day! That’s still going on. I’m working on stuff for the new album. That “50 Cent for President” song, I did that beat. I’ve done so many songs for them, I could have come out with a mixtape of just G-Unit. It’s kinda crazy ‘cuz I don’t really have a personal relationship. I don’t claim G-Unit or anything like that, but for some reason, they just gravitate towards my music. It’s been a great thing for my career and I’m definitely appreciative of it. What do you think it is about your music with them? You know what, man? I really don’t know. Sha [Money XL, 50 Cent’s business associate] put me in the position for them to hear me, but they literally go off of what they like. The theory that I have is that I just come from the same era as those guys. 50 is probably about the same age as me. I have a lot of that sound that he probably grew up listening to [inside of me]. But I do have a lil’ twist on it that’s a lil’ more current than something like [Capone ‘n Noreaga’s] “T.O.N.Y.” Those are the kinds of beats he likes. I might make something that has that vibe, but it’s 2008. It’ll bang a lil’ harder and have some bigger sounds to it. I don’t intentionally do that for them. There have been times it didn’t’ really work.

O C CITY I X E ALL MOVIES, M Gourmet ALL THE TIME FEATURE

My Marathon Week at the Toronto Film Festival BY B. LOVE

ou can have your Sundance, your Cannes, your Venice. For my money, the world’s finest film festival happens every September in the Great White North. I’ve always loved Toronto– the gorgeous weather (at least until the harsh Canadian winter rolls around), the gorgeous women, the cultural awareness of New York City combined with the cleanliness and friendliness of the ATL– and TIFF (now in its 33rd year) is, as one of my fellow journalists described it, “the film lover’s film festival.” More than 300 films from all over the world are screened over the course of 10 days at theaters spread across downtown Toronto. Add in dozens of press conferences, press junkets, film premieres and after-parties, and you have a marathon week full of fun, stress and fantastic films running the gamut from low-budget indies looking for a distributor to Oscar hopefuls from the major studios. As such, there were plenty of big-name Hollywood talents on hand to promote their latest projects. BRAd PITT and GEORGE CLOONEY were among the big names there to promote the Coen brothers’ farce “Burn After Reading.” RICKY GERVAIS, there to promote his debut film as a leading man, “Ghost Town,” managed to outshine his movie and establish himself as a comedic force to be reckoned with. Co-star GREG KINNEAR was pulling double duty, appearing on behalf of his starring turn in “Flash of Genius,” while the alwaysbusy MARK RUFFALO had three films at the fest, including “Brothers Bloom” and “What Doesn’t Kill You.” Director GUY RITCHIE managed to do numerous press conferences in support of his excellent new film, “RocknRolla,” without getting a single question about his impending divorce from Madonna. Then again, Canadians are nothing if not unfailingly polite. SPIKE LEE didn’t fare quite as well while talking about his WWII film “Miracle At St. Anna,” fielding questions about his tiff with grumpy old man Clint Eastwood. VIGGO MORTENSEN and RENEE ZELLWEGER (“Appaloosa”), KEIRA KNIGHTLY (“The Duchess”), KATE BECKINSALE (“Nothing But The Truth”), MATT DAMON (“The People Speak”), and COLIN FARRELL and EDWARD NORTON (“Pride & Glory”) also added their share of Hollywood shine to the proceedings. Music was a big part of the festival as well, with performances by artists such as jazz great TERENCE BLANCHARD and Senegalese

superstar YOUSSOU N’DOUR (star of “I Bring What I Love”); CDs in every festival attendee’s gift bag; and high profile music-centered films such as MICHAEL CERA’s “Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist” and the documentary “It Might Get Loud,” which features legends such as JIMMY PAGE and U2 guitarist THE EDGE. White Stripes/Raconteurs frontman JACK WHITE was also in attendance, meeting up with “Secret Life of Bees” star ALICIA KEYS later in the day to film the music video for “Another Way To Die,” their collaborative duet for this month’s James Bond flick, “Quantum of Solace.” Some of the biggest buzz in Toronto was for films whose stars were years removed from their days at the top of Hollywood’s A-list. “JCVD” proved a popular favorite for its hilariously meta story about JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME (playing himself ) taken hostage in the middle of a hold-up. Yes, you can call it comeback. Equally surprising was MICKEY ROURKE’s dazzling turn in director Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler,” a gripping drama centering on retired pro grappler Randy “The Ram” Robinson as he works his way up through the indie wrestling circuit in hopes of getting a showdown with his former rival. But many of the festival’s finest films had nothing whatsoever to do with Hollywood. Canadian stop-motion animated tale “Edison & Leo” is a twisted fairytale about an inventor’s son electrified by an experiment gone wrong. Canuck icon BRUCE MCDONALD’s “Pontypool” proved a unique combination of horror and comedy that should appeal to fans of “Shaun of the Dead.” A wimpy, sensitive music geek who dreams of being a pop star, but winds up as frontman for a death metal band drives the story of “Detroit Metal City,” while the action-packed “Chocolate” follows a young autistic woman (martial arts master JIJA YANIN) who tried to settle her family’s debts by seeking out the violent gangs who owe them money. Of course, the biggest story to emerge from this year’s festival was ANNE HATHAWAY, star of Jonathan Demme’s “Rachel Getting Married.” Though most critics found the film itself to be somewhat flawed, everyone was blown away by Hathaway’s Osacar-worthy performance, and her winning persona during grueling rounds of interviews, press conferences and premieres made her even more loveable. More than anyone else at this year’s TIFF, Hathway went in a celebrity and came out a bona-fide star. The best part of the Toronto International Film Festival may be the fact that it gives common film fans an opportunity to preview hundreds of films that might otherwise only be seen by select critics. With free outdoor screenings in Yonge-Dundas Square and tickets to galas, special presentations and regular screenings available to the public, virtually any film fan with disposable income and time on their hands can get in on the fun. 2008 marked my first year of attendance, but you can bet it won’t be my last.

Best Mexican Restaurant

�� ½ – AOL City Search �� at $5.75 ��

Mon: $3 Margaritas �� $2 Tecate Wed: $3 Modelo Especial �� $4 1800 Margaritas �� LIVE Music 7-10pm �� $3 Sangria

“Serving Emory / Decatur Since 1982” Located N. Decatur Plaza | 404-634-1128 | www.MexicoCityGourment.com

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�� 1272 W.Paces Colony Square 4520 Chamblee- 4383 Roswell Rd 1062 Johnsons Ferry Rd Dunwoody Rd 404-252-1114 at food court Ferry Rd. 404-266-0123 404-888-0877 770-455-1119 At Wieuca 770-578-3771 Just off I-75 Road Georgetown Shopping Ctr

Your Neighborhood Pizzeria!

BEST PIZZA!

& Multiple Atlanta Locations: www.JohnnysPizza.com PG 21 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

DIRECTOR INTERVIEW

GUY RITCHIE Talks Childhood and

Character Inspirations BY BRET LOVE

NCE CONSIDERED BRITAIN’S ANSWER to Quentin Tarantino thanks to the intense action and expletive-laced dialogue of early films such as Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, in recent years Guy Ritchie’s career as a writer-director has largely existed in the shadows of his high-profile, now former marriage to Madonna. So it was refreshing to see the 40-year-old auteur take some time out of his busy schedule to discuss his childhood in Hertfordshire and his inspirations for his characters. Your films have a very hard-knock attitude. Was that your life growing up? (Laughs) No, I come from a simple middle class family from Hertfordshire. My father was an advertising executive, my mother was a housewife. We weren’t short of money, but we weren’t flush with it either. But I certainly never suffered financially. I wasn’t brought up in a criminal environment. So where did your fascination with these dark characters originate? Spending years growing up in London, you’re introduced to the underbelly of polite society at some stage or another. I was always caught by the size of their personalities, and how their stories were always so big and bold. They were like a film already in the making. Where do you find inspiration for your rough ‘n’ tumble characters? What’s great about the UK from a filmmaker’s perspective is the class system, because it’s so cosmopolitan that you end up getting

PG 22 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

these intriguing subcultures. These subcultures were largely unexposed previously in the UK, so I just felt they HAD to be filmed. They’re not as fictitious as they may seem. Do real-life gangsters ever approach you? Yes. After Lock Stock was released I kept having guys come up to me wanting me to put them in my films. I went to a football match and ended up sitting next to a bloke who starts telling me that a pig farm was the most effective way to dispose of bodies which I used in Snatch. What inspired you to return to the criminal underworld for RocknRolla? England’s changed so much in the last 15-20 years, and the world of crime has consequently changed. So part of the movie is about old school gangsters getting pushed out by the new school. What social commentary do you think the film makes about England? England no longer has the identity we previously understood it to have. It’s become international, like New York. So the commentary is about how cultural identities have shifted. New York and London now are so much more similar than they used to be. You’re moving from this to your Sherlock Holmes project with Robert Downey Jr. How different will that film be from your previous work? That is clearly going to be in a different genre, so it’s going to be very contemporary. I suppose originally Sherlock Holmes was this intellectual action man, and I think what happened was they played down the action man aspect because they just didn’t have the means of executing the action in interesting ways. Now we do have the means and we have the technology, so we’re just riding on the back of that.

DINING

17 Metro Locations www.jchristophers.com

Atlanta’s original burrito chain. Willy’s award winning signature California-style burritos keep the concept of freshness true.

BEST BAGELS Goldberg’s

BEST CARRY-OUT Doc Chey’s

5 Area Locations www.goldbergsdeli.net The place to go for all your traditional breakfast favorites. Go for their signature dish Eggs Benedict or try one of their original omelettes and fluffy pancakes.

BEST BRUNCH The Flying Biscuit

Twenty-five varieties baked fresh daily.

BEST BARBECUE Dreamland

Buckhead 404-816-3152 Midtown 404-874-8887 Decatur 404-687-8888 Terminus 404-477-0013 East Cobb 770-321-4445 www.flyingbiscuit.com

Multiple Area Locations www.tacomac.com

3652 Roswell Rd. & other locations 404-816-9090 Landmarkdiner.com

1556 N. Decatur Rd. 4-378-8188 1424 N. Highland Ave. 404-888-0777 www.doccheys.com A landmark of good eats, 24 hours a day. When you crave a 2 a.m. breakfast or an 8 a.m. steak, the food at Landmark Diner will hit the spot. The original pan-asian noodle house in Atlanta. Menu includes dim sum, salad bowls, soup bowls, noodle bowls and rice plates. Easy menu, quick service and affordable pricing make Doc Chey’s a carry-out favorite.

BEST GREEK Athens Pizza House

1341 Clairmont Rd. 404-636-1100 www.athenspizzaatlanta.com

3887 Peachtree Rd. 404-816-2229 and other locations www.chinchinonline.com One of Atlanta’s favorite home-grown gems has five metro locations and more on the way. Known for their mouthwatering biscuits and original and affordable menu items.

BEST BAR FOOD Taco Mac

BEST DINER Landmark

BEST CHINESE Chin Chin

10730 Alpharetta Hwy. Roswell 678-352-7999 dreamlandbbq.com

Ain’t nothing like them, nowhere! Dreamland is currently celebrating their 50th Anniversary. Their legendary ribs go back to 1958 in Tuscaloosa, AL. The Roswell store opended in January 2000 and goes through 22 tons of hickory wood every ten days!

15 Area Locations

Catering 404-422-7107 www.willys.com

BEST BURGER Tap 1180 Peachtree St. 404-347-2220 www.tap1180.com Home of the Pub Burger; served to perfection on an English Muffin.

From crab rangoons to cashew chicken, Chin Chin offers fine dining that won’t break the bank. This Chinese chain offers several locations around Metro Atlanta, each with the same great flavor, healthy portions and elegant décor. Perennial Best Of winner.

Originally opened in the summer of 1977 by the Papadopoulos family, Athens Pizza is still serving the same delicious Greek recipes their customers have come to expect.

BEST DELI Goldberg’s

BEST ICE CREAM Jake’s Ice Cream

5 Area Locations www.goldbergsdeli.net

BEST BURRITO Willy’s

Irwin St. Market 678-705-7277 Ansley Mall 404-541-9124 2144 N. Decatur Road www.jakesicecream.com

With inviting interiors that encourage you to relax and stay awhile, Jake’s is not your average ice cream shop. Flavors like “Chocolate Slap

Great menu selection with plenty of beers on tap to enjoy while watching the latest game.

BEST BREAKFAST J. Christopher’s

Here you will find authentic kosher meats and dishes. All Goldberg’s locations offer full dine-in seating. PG 23 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

Yo Mama”, “Elvis Peppa-choca-mint Peppermint” and “Just Jake” prove it.

BEST INEXPENSIVE RESTAURANT Eats

Mediterranean Grill

N. Decatur Plaza 404-320-0101 Midtown (10th & Monroe) 404-917-1100 www.mediterraneangrill.com

BEST NOODLE BOWL Doc Chey’s

1556 N. Decatur Rd. 4-378-8188 1424 N. Highland Ave. 404-888-0777 www.doccheys.com

BEST RIBS Fat Matt’s

1811 Piedmont Ave. 404-607-1622 www.fatmattsribshack.com

600 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-876-6161

Authentic regional dishes like gyros, falafel and kabob sandwiches made to perfection. Also try their fall off the bone lamb shank.

For 16 years people have been heading down to Ponce to experience their great jerk chicken and pasta dishes. Over all this time they have maintained the great quality of their food and kept their prices low.

BEST MEXICAN Mexico City Gourmet

2134 N. Decatur Rd. 404-634-1128 www.mexicocitygourmet.com

The original pan-asian noodle house in Atlanta. Menu includes dim sum, salad bowls, soup bowls, noodle bowls and rice plates. Best Spicy Thai Basil Noodle Bowl in the city!

BEST PIZZA Johnny’s Pizza

Multiple Locations www.JohnnysPizza.com

BEST ITALIAN Sotto Sotto

BEST MEAL DEAL The Real Chow Baby

1016 Howell Mill Rd. 404-815-4900 One Galleria Pkwy. 770-405-2464 www.therealchowbaby.com With unlimited trips at $7.99 for Lunch and $11.99 for dinner, how can you go wrong?

BEST MEDITERRANEAN

BEST SEAFOOD Legal Seafoods

275 Baker St. 678-500-3700 www.legalseafoods.com Atlanta’s newest downtown restaurant features a Oyster Bar, a street level cocktail lounge, and freshly shucked shellfish. The upper level has a balcony style patio, open kitchen and full service bar. Enjoy gorgeous views of the downtown skyline and the freshest seafood flown in daily.

313 N. Highland Ave. 404-523-6678 www.sottosottorestaurant.com Great starters like the cured sashimi tuna (Bresaola di Tunno) to main dishes like the oak roasted veal chop (Costoletta di Vitello), keeps this highlands bungalo packed in.

Featuring finger-licking-good smoked meat and tangy sauce. Eat ribs by the slab, half-slab, as a combo or on a sandwich and listen to local blues bands in this friendly honky-tonk.

For 25 years Mexico City Gourmet has been serving award winning cuisine to the Emory / Decatur area. they have built a loyal followintg with their authentic Mexican dishes.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT Stella 563 Memorial Dr. 404-688-4238 www.StellaAtlanta.com

Overlooking the historic Oakland Cemetery, this neighborhood trattoria shows a lot of life! Their rustic Italian menu includes hand-tossed pizzas, made-from-scratch pasta sauces, and other affordable menu options making it a popular choice in a difficult economy.

When their first location opened in East Point back in 1977, it was an instant success. There are now 65 Johnny’s Pizza restaurants. The secret to their success is in the preparation. They alwys have used the finest ingredients accompanied with friendly service that keeps customers coming back.

BEST DEEP DISH PIZZA Chicago’s Nancy’s

BEST SUB SANDWICH Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs 80 Powers Ferry Rd. 770-321-1177 5697 Buford Hwy. 770-455-8570

Since 1975, Baldino’s Giant Jersey Subs has been recognized as the only true New Jersey Style submarine in the South. When you eat a Baldino’s sub, you know the difference.

265 Ponce De Leon 404-885-9199 www.TheBestPizzainAtlanta.com

Chicagoland pizzerias have been serving up authentic deep dish pizza for years. Atlanta now has their own.

“Aint Nothing like ‘em Nowhere” Catering Available

Mon – Sat. 10AM – 10PM Sunday 11AM – 9PM

NOVEMBER SPECIALS

www.baldinos.us

Monday – Baldinos Extra Special (#7) Tuesday – Like it Hot? Grilled & Toasted The HOT Italian Wednesday – Ham it Up - (#5) Boiled Ham & Cheese w/ soup or side Thursday – “Check Out Our New Chicken Breast” Try #21 Friday – Meatless Combo - Tuna (#10) or Veg Stir Fry (#27) w/ side Saturday – Steak Out- A-Steak Sub Your Choice (#11,13, or 19) Sunday – American Special - (#14) w/ choice of soup or side

$3.49 All Day!

Marietta Doraville 80 Powers Ferry Rd 5697 Buford Hwy. 770-321-1177 770-455-8570

Voted Best Barbecue in Atlanta!

10730 Alpharetta Hwy. | Roswell, GA 30076 | 678-352-7999 PG 24 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

VOTED BEST SUBS IN ATLANTA

Atlanta’s Best Tapas Restaurant

OPEN FOR LUNCH! 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Rd. 678.205.5862 764 Miami Circle 404.846.0449 www.eclipsediluna.com

BEST SOUTHWESTERN Agave

in south buckhead and Sandy Springs has become a staple for those carnivore adverse. You can also find great vegan desserts here.

242 Boulevard S.E.404-588-0006 www.agaverestaurant.com

BEST WINGS Taco Mac

Multiple Area locations Catering 404-642-3442 www.tacomac.com

Agave’s unique blend of eclectic southwestern cuisine, extensive tequila bar and wine list coupled with exceptional service makes this one of Atlanta’s top resturants. They are the recipient of numerous awards from various publications for their cuisine and great margaritas.

BEST TAPAS Eclipse di Luna

4505 Ashford Dunwoody Rd. 678-205-5862 764 Miami Circle 404-846-0449 www.eclipsediluna.com

When it comes to wings, the mantra at Taco Mac is “We did ‘em first and we still do ‘em best!” Taco Mac brought the southeast its first taste of Buffalo Style Chicken Wings back in 1979. Their wings immediately had people talking and since then, they have consistently won awards for Taco Mac. Original Virginia Highlands location shown.

Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch THE BEST BREAKFAST IN TOWN IS AT J. CHRISTOPHER’S!

BEST JAPANESE Nakato

1776 Cheshire Bridge Rd. 404-873-6582 www.nakatorestaurant.com

Upon opening in 1997, Eclipse di Luna set the trend in Tapas style restaurants in Atlanta. With over two dozen Tapas to choose from, there is something to please any taste.

BEST VEGETARIAN Cafe’ Sunflower

Nakato offers a Teppan “Hibachi” dining room featuring large teppan grills at which a personal chef cooks for the entire table. The chef’s skills in preparation are on display almost as much as the food. The cuisine is authentic Japanese.

BEST LOOKING WAITSTAFF The Tavern at Phipps 3500 COMEPeachtree FOR THE FOOD -Rd. STAY 404-814-9640 FOR THE SCENERY

2140 Peachtree Rd. 404-352-8859 5975 Roswell Rd. 404-256-1675 A vegetarian’s delight. Cafe Sunflower located

17 LOCATIONS! MIDTOWN 950 West Peachtree St. 404.917.1790 BUCKHEAD 3050 Peachtree Rd 404.917.0350

3500 PEACHTREE ROAD • PHIPPS PLAZA • BUCKHEAD • 404.814.9640

www.TheTavernAtPhipps.com

DECATUR 250 E. Ponce De Leon Ave 404.378.2662 PONCE DE LEON 774 Ponce De Leon Ave 404.892.6262

GO TO WEBSITE FOR OTHER AREA LOCATIONS

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(404) 320-0101 N. Decatur Plaza

th o tu N a a az

Clairmont Rd. N. Decatur Rd.

De r Pl c r

Publix

www.mediterraneangrill.com

Corner of N. Decatur & Clairmont

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New Location! MIDTOWN

COMING SOON BROOKHAVEN

7 Days a Week from 7am–2pm

www.jchristophers.com

NOW OPEN! 404-917-1100

(10th and Monroe)

�� PG 25 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

NIGHTLIFE

BEST COCKTAILS Moondog’s

3179 Peachtree Rd. 404-231-2401

BEST HAPPY HOUR The Tavern at Phipps

3500 Peachtree Rd. 404-814-9640

BEST BEER SELECTION Taco Mac

BEST BLUES CLUB Northside Tavern

1058 Howell Mill Rd. 404-874-8745

1044 Greenwood Ave. 404-892-0552 www.pozolerestaurant.com This Virginia Highland’s favorite offers over 50 different tequilas. Here you will find the Perfect Margarita served poured over shaved ice (a Pozole’ original). Find other originals like Pomegranate and Jalapeno Margaritas.

Multiple locations www.tacomac.com With over 200 bottled beers and up to 100 beers on tap, Taco Mac has the largest beer selection in the city. People come to try beers they never heard of before and wash them down with their great wings.

BEST MARGARITA Pozole’

Strong drinks, loud music and a fun loving crowd makes for a lively atmosphere.

BEST COUNTRY HALL Wild Bills 2075 Market St. Duluth 678-473-1000 www.wildbillsatlanta.com

The city’s hottest spot for cool cocktails after work. The Tavern is also home to the Best Martini and Best Looking Waitstaff.

BEST LOCAL MUSIC Smith’s Olde Bar 1578 Piedmont Ave. 404-875-1522 www.smithsoldebar.com

BEST MARTINI The Tavern at Phipps

3500 Peachtree Rd. 404-814-9640 Whether you like’em dry or with a twist, you can’t go wrong as Tavern martinis are made by Atlanta’s best bartenders. Have one while sitting down for dinner with a steak or out on the patio for Happy Hour.

BEST MUSIC VENUE INDOOR Variety Playhouse 1099 Euclid Ave. 404-524-7354 www.variety-playhouse.com

Bringing great blues to the westside. A Wonderfully rhythmic sound emanates from this popular tavern at night. Here you will find all sorts of people with one thing in common; their love for the blues.

BEST COLLEGE BAR Maggies

2937 N. Druid Hills Rd. 404-636-5300 Maggies is so popular among Emory students, that the campus sponsored a shuttle to and from to discourage the students from driving.

BEST COMEDY / IMPROV Whole World Theatre 1216 Spring St. 404-817-7529 www.wholeworldtheatre.com

Laugh out loud comedy sketches nightly.

With a capacity of over 5,000, they can show you a good time. Wild Bill's is located just off of I-85 on Pleasant Hill Rd, in front of Gwinnett Place Mall.

BEST DANCE PARTY Hole in the Wall

3179 Peachtree Rd. 404-233-9801 The dance floor has been bump’in at Hole in the Wall this year and Insite readers have come to notice. A great place to head to at the end of the night.

Original live music seven nights a week. The music venue is located upstairs from the bar and offers an intimate setting that is a favorite among Atlantans. Here you will find national acts as well as local artists during the week.

BEST LOUNGE Eastside Lounge

485a Flat Shoals Ave. 404-521-9666 www.eastsidelounge.net Sleek and modern, warm and inviting. Eastside Lounge’s decor and mood captures the attention off all who relax by the dark red walls, giant paintings and eclectic video projections. They have an wide selection of wine, liquor and beer.

Great seating, unobstructed views and eclectic acts are hallmarks of this Little Five landmark.

BEST MUSIC VENUE OUTDOOR Lakewood Amphitheatre 2002 Lakewood Way 404-443-5000 www.livenation.com

Atlanta’s largest and premier dedicated concert venue. Advanced lighting and clear unrescricted sightlines make this the favorite summer concert site for the avid music fan.

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consignment shops ��

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Best Health Food Store

Best Organic Selection

404.320.EDEN (3336) Return2eden.com | We Ship Anywhere!

2335 Cheshire Bridge Rd | Atlanta, GA 30324 At the corner of Lavista and Cheshire Bridge PG 26 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

WINNER BEST CONSIGNMENT STORE

SELL US YOUR TRENDY CLOTHES LITTLE FIVE SANDY SPRINGS POINTS (404) 255-5578 (404) 523-0100 PSYCHOSISTERSSHOPS.COM

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and state of the art ventalation system, Highland Cigar is unmatched among afficionados in Atlanta.

BEST MICRO BREWS Taco Mac

Multiple Area locations Catering 404-642-3442 www.tacomac.com looking to burst onto the national scene. Views of the stage are unubstructed from any of their many bar stations. Some acts appearing here in November include Grayson Hill, Wrong Way and Reckless.

With over 200 bottled beers and up to 100 beers on tap, Taco Mac has the largest selection of micro brews in the city.

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR Atkins Park Tavern 794 N. Highland Ave. 404-876-7249

Serving the historic neighborhood of Virginia Highlands, Atkins Park has been serving up great food and drink since 1922. It holds the title of the longest continuously licensed tavern in Atlanta.

BEST NIGHTCLUB Opera

1150 Peachtree St. 404-872-1150 www.operaatlanta.com Housed in a former 1920's theater, Opera is the place to find the pulse of Atlanta's Midtown nightlife. With a multi level main area at a capacity of 1800 and a large outdoor cabana patio, Opera packs in the crowds and keeps them dancing.

BEST PATIO Front Page News 351 Moreland Ave. 404-475-7777 1104 Cresent Ave. 404-897-3500 www.FrontPageAtlanta.com

BEST ROCK CLUB The Earl

488 Flat Shoals Rd. 404-522-3950 www.badearl.com An East Atlanta institution for great live music. Anything and everything goes on here. National acts and the best of the emerging Atlanta music scene grace the stage nightly.

BEST POOL HALL Twains

211 Trinity Pl 404-373-0063 www.twains.net This Decatur establishment has been winning over billiards fans with there multiple tables and laid back pub atmosphere since 1996. With a wide selection of beers on draught, people flock here for the drinks as much as the pool.

BEST PUB Fado’ Irish Pub

300 Marietta St. 404-885-1472 www.statsatl.com

With the resurgence of downtown and the much improved Falcons and Hawks, Stats is the place to be during game days. Self-pouring taps at your table should be patented.

BEST TEXAS HOLD’EM Moondog’s 3179 Peachtree Rd. 404-231-2401

Moondog’s features Texas Hold’em on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. You will find a wide range of skill levels to play with. There are plenty of rooms to wander offering pool tables, dart boards, and rock’in music.

RETAIL

BEST SMALL MUSIC VENUE The Peachtree Tavern

3179 Peachtree Rd. 404-842-1700 www.peachtreetavern.com Here you will find a great collection of local artists, cover bands and up and coming acts

An out of the ordinary name for a unique boutique. From fun to funky, wacky to wild, Psycho Sisters is the queen of consignment. Featured threads include Levis, Diesel, costumes, footwear and plenty of bling!

BEST VINTAGE CLOTHING Junkman’s Daughter

464 Moreland Ave. 404-577-3188

An Atlanta favorite for those into the erotic. Thousands of videos, dvd’s, adult toys, condoms, candles and novelties to meet whatever your desire.

Little Five Point’s favorite and largest store. Here you will find eclectic and unique clothing that has made the area a most stop shopping destination.

BEST FURNITURE CLEARANCE CENTER Cort Furniture Doraville 770-939-5222 Marietta 770-955-4044

Name Brand Home and Office furniture being offered at up to 70% off the new retail prices. Cort Clearance Center is a great way to get high quality furniture pieces that will hold up for years , but at an unbeatable price. Our readers agree!

BEST HIP CLOTHING STORE Rag-O-Rama 1111 Euclid Ave. 404-658-1988 www.ragorama.com

BEST ART SUPPLY Sam Flax

1460 Northside Dr. 404-352-7200 www.samflaxsouth.com

Great selection of new and used clothes in an open and inviting store setting in the heart of Little 5 Points.

2335 Cheshire Bridge Rd. 404-320-3336 www.return2eden.com

Neighborhood grocery featuring fresh organic produce, grab and go prepared foods, cuting edge supplements and a huge vegan and vegetarian selection.

BEST JEWELRY STORE Worthmore Jewelers

500 Amsterdam Ave. 404-892-8294 117 East Court Square 404-370-3979 www.worthmorejewelers.com

The place to go for all your art supply needs. Sam Flax offers a wide selection in their huge warehouse and the lowest prices in town.

BEST CIGAR STORE Highland Cigar

245 N. Highland Ave. 404-477-2415 www.highlandcigar.com With a knowledgable staff and walk-in humidor

Known for there wide selection of casual shoes like Birkenstocks, Vans and Crocs, Abbadabbas is a favorite for men, women and kids.

BEST WOMEN’S SHOES Foot Prints

2480 Briarcliff Rd. 404-679-9922 2080 Henderson Mill Rd. 770-493-4674 This affordably priced women’s shoe store offers a wide selection of brands in various styles.

BEST SMOKE SHOP Smoke 911

If you are looking for premium cigars, they have a walk-in humidor with all the accessories. This is the place to go from everything for your smoking needs and more. You will also find adult novelties, incense, vaporizers, and aromatherapy.

BEST THRIFT STORE Last Chance Thrift Store 5 Metro Area Locations www.lastchancethriftstore.com

Best place to go for used jewelry, clothing, gifts and furniture on the cheap.

LIFESTYLE BEST BODY WAX Brazilian Wax

80 Powers Ferry Rd. 770-579-3201 1230 Powers Ferry Rd. 404-454-4742

Owner Andreia Longshore has been waxing for over 16 years. They have expanded to two locations in Marietta with an Alpharetta location coming soon.

BEST ADULT VIDEO STORE BEST HEALTH FOOD STORE Southern Nights BEST ORGANIC SELECTION 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd. 404-728-0701 Return to Eden The largest selection of DVD’s and videos starting at $4.99 under one roof. They are open 24 hours, offer free membership and also house a wide variety of magazines and adult toys to get your nasty on.

Multiple locations www.coolshoes.com

6125 Roswell Rd. 404-256-1116 710 Holcomb Br. Rd. 770-992-4485

Multiple Area Locations For location nearest you 404-766-6993 www.shopstarship.com

273 Buckhead Ave. 404-841-0066 www.fadoirishpub.com Moved down the street to their new digs, Fado’ hasn’t missed a beat. They have upgraded their million dollar pub with a new multi-million dollar one that features multiple levels and plenty of space for private functions. They still have tons of authentic memorabilia and great pints.

Little 5 Pts 404-523-0100 Sandy Springs 404-255-5578 Cartersville 770-607-0888

BEST SPORTS BAR Stats

BEST ADULT NOVELTY STORE Starship

Upon entering Front Page News you immediately get the sensation of being in New Orleans with its laid back and inviting atmosphere. the patio has a feel of an ancient New Orleans courtyard with bubbling fountains, lush foliage, wrought iron fences, fireplaces and flickering gaslights.

BEST CONSIGNMENT Psycho Sisters

BEST MEN’S SHOE STORE Abbadabba’s

Offering top quality merchandise at low low prices, Worthmore Jewelers has built a huge fan base. With ample displays of all types of jewelry, Worthmore is the perfect place to go for that one of a kind piece.

BEST LIQUOR STORE Green’s

737 Ponce de Leon 404-872-1109 2612 Buford Hwy. 404-321-6232 Green’s has been serving Atlanta’s beverage needs since1937 with thousands of items at deeply discounted pricing every day. Voted Best retail beverage store in Atlanta 17 years in a row.

BEST CAR WASH Cactus Car Wash Midtown 404-876-3232 Buckhead 404-846-4040

Winner of multiple awards in Atlanta, their Ponce location was recently rated as best nationally. See their Best Of Atlanta special, a handdried exterior wash for $2.95!

BEST HAIR SALON Van Michael Multiple Locations www.vanmichael.com

Voted one of Atlanta’s best and most affordable salons by numerous publications including: Atlanta Magazine, Creative Loafing, Access Atlanta and the AJC. It looks to be unanimous.

BEST HEALTH CLUB LA Fitness Multiple locations www.lafitness.com

LA Fitness offers tons of amenities at unusually low rates. Here you can take classes in boxing and cycling, swim in their many pools, or take part in a game of basketball or racquetball. With so many locations, there is bound to be one near you.

BEST MARTIAL ARTS X3 Sports Midtown 404-525-2269 Marietta 678-903-0100 www.xsports.com

State of the art gyms offering boxing, kickboxing, jiu jitsu, grappling and sports training. PG 27 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

MUSIC

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By B. Love, DeMarco Williams, John Davidson, John B. Moore, Matt Goldberg & Jon Latham

THE HOLD STEADY – STAY POSITIVE (Vagrant) Narratives built on faith, hope, and massive hangovers �� MENAHAN STREET BAND – MAKE THE ROAD BY WALKING (Daptone) Singer? We don’t need no stinkin’ singer! �� PG 28 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

�� THE CLASH – LIVE AT SHEA STADIUM (Legacy) & THE CLASH BY THE CLASH (Grand Central Publishing) The world’s most influential punk band ��

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�� THE BOMBS – BLACK BUTTERFLY (Self-released) Appropriate band name �� RAY LAMONTAGNE – GOSSIP IN THE GRAIN (RCA) Spreading creative wings ��

SOLANGE – SOL-ANGEL AND THE HADLEY ST. DREAMS GLEN CAMPBELL – MEET GLEN CAMPBELL (Capitol) The Rhinestone Cowboy returns (Geffen) Lil sis is soulful, quirky and can’t-miss ��

�� DJ REVOLUTION – KING OF THE DECKS (Duck Down) & JAKE ONE – WHITE VAN MUSIC (Rhymesayer) Assembling a Hot Rap Compilation 101 �� THE STATUS – SO THIS IS PROGRESS (Doghouse) Atlanta rockers set the bar high ��

SPORTS NEWS

2008-09 NCAA Hoops Preview

UNC Still Looking Strong BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

UR CALCULATIONS SAY THAT 43 Division-1 coaching changes were made this past offseason. Of course, by the time you read this, Oklahoma might re-hash an old controversy and Bobby Knight could be coaching somewhere new, altering those numbers even more. It’s just that, in this temperamental economy, everyone’s on edge— the school presidents, the athletic directors, the sponsors, the mascots. Kansas’ Bill Self wasn’t anywhere close to getting a pink slip a year ago, but the forwardthinking young man went ahead and won the NCAA title just in case. This year, guys like USC’s Tim Floyd and UGA’s Dennis Felton need solid March runs to ensure job security. On the flip, the only update UNC’s Roy Williams will need to make to his decorated resume is an entry reading “2009 Champs.” With Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington in the fold, the other 24 teams on this list can only hope that a recession leaves the Tar Heels travel budget so depleted the team has to forfeit their road games. 1. NORTH CAROLINA – As if Hansbrough, Lawson and Ellington weren’t enough octane to ensure a trip to the Detroit Final Four, Coach Williams went out and got a couple of insurance policies in the names of five-star freshmen Tyler Zeller and Ed Davis.

2. CONNECTICUT – There have been times when Huskie big man Hasheem Thabeet has looked totally lost in the paint. When he’s on his game though, few centers in the country can hang with him. AJ Price and Jeff Adrien are completely clued-in on scoring.

7. OKLAHOMA – Blake Griffin, the Sooner sensation who averaged nearly 15 points and nine boards last year, is the perceived top pick to many in the ’09 NBA draft. “He’s better prepared than he was last year,” said coach Jeff Capel. Scary, very scary.

3. UCLA – Center Alfred Aboya toyed with the idea of returning to his native Cameroon and getting into politics. The Bruins faithful is glad he vetoed that idea, because the ticket of he, Darren Collison, Josh Shipp and freshman Jrue Holiday makes a Pac-10 power.

8. TEXAS – AJ Abrams probably won’t make fans forget about DJ Augustine, but he’ll do a solid job running the point. Same goes for Damion James manning the interior. The Longhorns are stil looking for whoever dreamt up this tough early schedule (Michigan State, UCLA).

4. LOUISVILLE – Here’s how things look for Rick Pitino’s Cardinals: Ed Clark is dangerous from outside; Freshman center Samardo Samuels is an animal in the low post; Terrence Williams covers every other inch of the court. 5. PITTSBURGH – Pitt was ravaged by injuries last year. If the flashy Levance Fields is 100%, there’s a 90% certainty the Panthers will compete for a Big East crown—possibly more. Toss in Sam Young and DeJuan Blair, both 50% from the field, and odds get even better. 6. MICHIGAN STATE – Freshman forward Delvon Roe’s knees are an issue. Kalin Lucas’ legs are an asset. Raymar Morgan’s heart is astounding. Tom Izzo’s Spartans have the makings of a national concern.

9. DUKE – OMG! The Dukkies haven’t reached the Sweet 16 since ’06! Does Coach K look the least bit worried? You wouldn’t either if you had Gerald Henderson, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith on your side. All will be right around Durham come March. 10. USC – We’ve seen prep sensation Demar DeRozan play. The kid is r-i-d-i-c-u-l-o-u-s. You’ve seen Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett play. They’re good, right? If Floyd can’t get all of that talent pass the first round, we all may see the coach’s head on a stake. 11. GONZAGA – With six of the top seven scorers from a year ago returning (including the super Jeremy Pargo), the Zags are more

UNC’s Head Coach Roy Williams

experienced than most. They’ll need every ounce of it, too, as their brutal sked has ‘Zaga facing 12 teams from the ’08 tourney. 12. TENNESSEE – The Vols won a schoolrecord 31 games last year. That team’s star, Chris Lofton, is gone. So, why is it then that Knoxville is so darn excited about Bruce Pearl’s new bunch? Probably has something to do with Scotty Hopson and Tyler Smith being teammates. 13. FLORIDA – For every strength that the Gators have (Billy Donovan’s coaching; Jai Lucas’ and Nick Calathes’ long-distance touch), the SEC squad has a debilitating weakness (interior strength; upperclass leadership). They should still find enough balance to battle UT for the conference crown. continued on page 30

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SPORTS NEWS

2008-09 NBA Preview:

Lakers vs. Celtics, The Sequel BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

ET’S CUT THE CRAP. WE LIKE A REPEAT FOR THE ’09 Finals: the Kobe Bryant-sparked L.A. Lakers against the three-headed monster folks in New England aﬀectionately call the Boston Celtics. We would say we predict Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen defending their hard-earned crown, but seeing as how the other Beantown sports franchises haven’t looked so stellar in encore performances this year, we’re envisioning a Lakers toast after six passionate games. 1. L.A. LAKERS – Kobe and Pau Gasol played their hearts out over the summer, only to watch the champagne pop in the other locker room. With a healthy Andrew Bynum clogging up the middle, the Lake Show will experience its own shower of suds in June. 2. BOSTON – It’s not that the Celts didn’t like making it rain in the clubhouse, but by replacing the unheralded James Posey with Darius Miles, the team didn’t exactly spark that conﬁdence Boston fans were hoping. But hey, if there’s anybody who can rally the troops, it’s Celts coach Doc Rivers.

Terry Porter at the helm; we just can’t say that’s enough to get beyond the first round. 11. CLEVELAND – For the next ten years LeBron James will be a MVP candidate. However, until the Cavs front office gets him some scoring help (Mo Williams is a start) and under-the-basket bulk, he’ll never be a Finals MVP. 12. SAN ANTONIO – Until something dramatic happens, the Spurs will remain a playoff threat. But for every quick step to the left for Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan’s moves seem to be a second slower.

18. DENVER – We’ll ride to the edge of nowhere next to Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony. But if the Nuggets front-oﬃce is expecting us to believe that things are cool in the Rockies without Camby in the paint, they have us pegged for blind fools. 19. TORONTO – Former Indiana all-star Jermaine O’Neal had to cross the border to get some love. We don’t knock him for it. Actually, the teaming of the ache-free O’Neal and Chris Bosh could have the makings of the league’s most dashing frontcourt. That Jose Calderon is gorgeous at the point.

20. CHARLOTTE – How’s that old hood saying go? If an “If” was a ﬁfth of alcohol, we’d all be drunk. If the ifs –If Sean May and Adam Morrison are healthy… If Jason Richardson is ready to lead… If coach Larry Brown has anything left…- work out, drinks on us! 21. MILWAUKEE – The days of the Bucks being an Eastern Conference joke are probably over. Getting the angular Richard Jeﬀerson to help ease some of Michael Redd’s scoring load was serious business. To have the last laugh in the Central, Andrew Bogut has to do more.

Kobe Bryant

22. SACRAMENTO – Did you know Kings guard Kevin Martin ﬁnished in the top seven in scoring average last year? That one slipped past us, too. Sac-town ain’t slipping past anyone in the standings if Brad Miller can’t return to ’04-05 form.

3. NEW ORLEANS – The Big Easy only got a taste of what the Hornets were capable of. Chris Paul, the game’s best PG, is a year older. Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic are –hopefully!- a year stronger. David West is a year better. New defensive stopper Posey won the title last year.

23. MINNESOTA – In Al Jefferson, Randy Foye and Rashad McCants, the T-Wolves certainly have some talent. Seeing it come together for a GM (Kevin McHale) that comes off clueless most of the time –Don’t rookie Kevin Love and top scorer Jefferson play the same position?- will be a feat.

4. DETROIT – Okay. This is it. And we really mean it. The aging Pistons have to piss or get oﬀ the pot this season. The core (Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace) gets it done in the winter, but the moment it warms up, the team cools. Rodney Stuckey sure provided some heat in the playoﬀs though.

24. MIAMI – Between the Michael Phelps highlights, you saw the “Redeem Team” earn hardwood respect in Beijing, right? Dwyane Wade was one of the most impressive guys out there. We’ll be more impressed if he, Shawn Marion and Michael Beasley ﬁnish with their heads above water.

5. UTAH – We like the sound of these Jazz. With Carlos Boozer drumming up oﬀense in the paint, Andrei Kirilenko orchestrating things on the wing and Deron Williams conducting it all into a winning symphony, “Northwest Champs” should have a nice ring to it.

25. CHICAGO – The Bulls have more guards (Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and No. 1 pick Derrick Rose) than Beyonce. But unlike Jay-Z’s better half, they’ve yet to show they know what to do with all the talent. Under freshman coach Vinny Del Negro, we don’t see any destinies fulﬁlled.

6. HOUSTON – Adding the volatile (but valuable) Ron Artest to a lineup that includes stars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming could prove the smartest thing any team did over the oﬀseason. Then again, if either injury-plagued stud gets hurt again, it won’t much matter. 7. PHILADELPHIA – We’d be silly if we didn’t say the signing of Elton Brand wasn’t money. But to discount the things the fast-maturing Thaddeus Young and Louis Williams bring to the Sixers would be wrong. Leaders Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller certainly know their worth. 8. ORLANDO – Our cute pick last year didn’t do terribly. Hell, most teams would kill for a slot in the Eastern semis. But when you have a rebounding beast (Dwight Howard), a shape-shifting monster (Hedo Turkoglu) and a scoring animal (Rashard Lewis), the semis ain’t enough. 9. PORTLAND – Yeah, so it took a year longer than anyone expected for Greg Oden to become a force in the NBA. You can’t rush greatness—or a healing body. Now 100%, Oden, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and rook Jerry Bayless have some franchise re-shaping to do. 10. PHOENIX – Players play the game. We know the adage. But taking coach Mike D’Antoni away isn’t going to do anything for Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire’s love of the break. They’re still playoﬀ material with

13. L.A. CLIPPERS – In what may have been the most controversial oﬀseason move, Baron Davis left Golden State for the warmer conﬁnes of So Cal. We like BD anywhere, but him playing alongside Marcus Camby and almost-famous Al Thornton is gonna be nicer than Monterrey in May.

26. NEW JERSEY – Rookie Brook Lopez and ex-Buck Yi Jianlian are great if you need some help ﬁxing the roof. But if you’re trying to get back on solid footing in the NBA, you gotta have more than an aging Vince Carter.

14. ATLANTA – The spirited seven-game series with Boston was nice. It’s a new year, one that will see Joe Johnson further evolving, Josh Smith maturing and Mo Evans ﬁlling in admirably for the Greece-defected Josh Childress.

27. INDIANA – The Pacers are down two with three ticks on the clock in the fourth quarter. Who does coach Jim O’Brien draw up the play for? Mike Dunleavy Jr.? Troy Murphy? Danny Granger? Umm, that’s about it in Indiana options. Yikes!

15. WASHINGTON – DeShawn Stevenson is one of the team’s most outspoken members. Over the summer, he said Gilbert Arenas’ health inconsistencies kept the Wizards from reaching their potential. Arenas, D-Steve and Caron Butler will let their games speak from here on.

28. NEW YORk – A NBA.com poll of team GMs voted Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni as the game’s best oﬀensive mind. If he somehow ﬁgures out a way to get Jamal Crawford, Chris Duhon and Zach Randolph playing anywhere near .500, he might go down as one of the best ever.

16. GOLDEN STATE – A roster of Al Harrington, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson and newly-acquired Corey Maggette calls for front-row seats and popcorn. That Ellis is suspended the ﬁrst 30 games for hurting himself on an all-terrain vehicle is a milk dud.

29. MEMPHIS – You know what we’re about to say: If the Grizzlies were playing in the East, they’d be playoﬀ contenders. Still, if OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay and Co. continue to develop as expected, they’ll contend in the West in a few years.

17. DALLAS – Oh, how the mighty have fallen. But enough about owner Mark Cuban’s stock portfolio… His Mavs are on the cusp of irrelevance if they don’t make some playoﬀ noise. Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard have the most to say.

30. OKLAHOMA CITY – We hurt for Seattle as it watched its team move to the Midwest. But a new day has dawned, and it goes by the Thunder. Take solace, Sonics fans, in the fact that, even with the address change, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook still have a long ways to go before being relevant.

14. WEST VIRGINIA – You may not like coach Bob Huggins, the man, but you have to respect Bob Huggin’s game plan. Whether the address be at Cincinnati, Kansas State or here with the Mountaineers, Huggie’s teams are always physical and athletic. This year’s Da’Sean Butler-led crew is no diﬀerent.

genius across his clipboard last season, leading the Boilermakers to 20 wins and earning Big Ten coach of the year honors. With a healthy Robbie Hummel on the wings, the picture might get even prettier now.

15. ARIZONA STATE – Coach Herb Sendek lead the Sun Devils to eight wins in ’06-07. That number jumped to 21 a year ago. Staying with that pattern, ASU is expected to win 34 games in ’08-09. Won’t happen. But with super soph James Harden, a Sweet 16 showing should.

Verizon. Georgia native DeQuan Jones will undoubtedly get some of the oﬀensive calls, too. As for the Hurricanes’ situation in the paint, pray someone gets the signal ‘cuz right now it’s a dead zone.

this list. A few seasons ago, the team was in absolute shambles. All the congratulatory pats have to go to coach Scott Drew. As for Baylor’s continued rise in hoops, a round of applause for LaceDarius Dunn and Curtis Jerrells.

18. NOTRE DAME – Lest ye forget, these Fighting Irish ﬁnished in the top 20 a year ago. All of the big guns, Kyle McAlarney and Big East player of the year Luke Harangody, are back to ensure teams don’t forget.

21. CREIGHTON – Though this Missouri Valley Conference power has had some regular season success, the Blue Jays haven’t really carried that over to the postseason. With four starters back (including P’Allen Stinnett) from a battle-tested squad, this year could spell two tournament victories.

24. DAVIDSON – The darling of last season’s dance, the Wildcats tasted the national spotlight and want nothing more than seconds. All-everything Stephon Curry liked the attention so much that he returned for his junior year. After non-conference games with West Virginia, Purdue and Duke, he might have second thoughts.

16. MEMPHIS – Over the past three seasons, the Tigers have won 104 aﬀairs. If Memphis wins 30 games this year, seniors Robert Dozier Antonio Anderson become the winningest players in NCAA history. Fab frosh Tyreke Evans helps their eﬀorts.

19. MARQUETTE – You know that feeling you get at the Thanksgiving table, when you don’t know whether to grab the turkey leg, dressing or corn ﬁrst? That’s kinda how new coach Buzz Williams feels when drawing plays for Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews.

22. GEORGETOWN – There were whispers around D.C. last year that this team was soft. Coach John Thompson III heard the same chatter and went out and got 6-11 Louisiana stud Greg Monroe for under-the-hoop bulk. Jessie Sapp handles beyondthe-arc duties.

25. ST. MARY’S – There are five Australian natives on the Gaels’ ’08-09 team. Lightning-quick guard Patty Mills is probably the most fascinating out the lot. But take your eyes off any of them and your team will be down by 15 in the first half.

17. PURDUE – Matt Painter brushed strokes of

20. MIAMI – Jack McClinton has better range than

23. BAYLOR – It’s amazing that Baylor is even on

PG 30 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2008

Others to watch: OHIO STATE, SYRACUSE, UNLV, WAKE FOREST AND WISCONSIN.

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