Think Again Magazine #45 by Think Again

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APRIL/MAY 08

Pragueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city magazine

INTRO

STEP INTO SPRING The arrival of all things new that is springtime is a joyous occasion for all but the most snow addicted winter sports enthusiasts. Music, sports, shows, conventions, and the like begin to awaken from the semi-hibernation they go into during the cold, dark months of winter. So, it’s with some excitement that we bring to you an issue full of new things including a look at the Guma Guar art collective who are breaking down barriers in the art world and revising the possibilities of what art is and represents in this the 21st century. We also were fortunate enough to get the incredibly influential illustrator and artist Gary Baseman to share his thoughts with us on a variety of subjects. In the realm of new and interesting music, we were able to get Sasha Perera, the lead singer of the truly globalized band Jahcoozi to answer some of our questions. You will also have a chance to read the thoughts of a contributor who has put a great deal of time and energy into thinking through what actually did happen on September 11th and was it what we’ve been told to believe or not? Of course we won’t neglect to set you on your way to all kinds of interesting events like the upcoming tattoo convention, watering holes like Mad Bar, and more. And finally, you’ll find a look at the changes taking place on Václavské náměstí these days. ENJOY!

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24-25

30-31

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36-37

44-45

ZOMBIE WALK

All horror enthusiasts are invited to participate in the ﬁrst-ever Prague Zombie Walk. A zombie walk is an organized public gathering of people who dress up in zombie costumes and do what zombies do…shamble along in search of good human ﬂesh to eat. Zombie yourself out and head over to the cemetery!

17/5 www.zombiewalk.cz

BOOK WORLD

The 14th annual World Book Fair is about to arrive and with it a whole hell of a lot of books, including some really good ones, we’re sure! This year’s featured country will be Spain, so be prepared for a lot of info on the current state of literature and publishing in said country, but don’t ruin things by protesting bull fighting or anything like that…not the right venue. All kinds of interesting exhibitions and events should keep you from dozing off, even if Spain doesn’t light your fire, including Egypt—50 Years of Czech Egyptology, The World of the Book in Film (including screenings of book adaptations), a Kafka and Borges conference, and lots more. Don’t miss it.

24–27/4 Industrial Palace Prague Holešovice Exhibition www.bookworld.cz

EVROPSKÝ SEN “CULTURE KNOCKOUT” In the name of mutual understanding, a united competitive spirit, and the desire to relish the disorientation of a blow to the head, Instigator Media Group introduces Evropský Sen “Culture Knockout”. A ﬁrst of its kind, this mini-multi media festival pits literary and visual art against live musicians and DJs. The Prague Revue plays host to writers from Bordercrossings Berlin magazine beginning with a teaser event at The Globe Cafe, May 15th, in cooperation with Provokator.org. The spoken word portion of the event will be simultaneously translated and subtitled in English, German, and Czech, and will be accompanied by illustrative interpretations of the written word.

CULTURE KNOCKOUT 15–17/5 The Globe Café Popo Café Petl Chateau Rouge www.provokator.org

OHM SQUARE

URBANITE

ZOMBIE WALK

By giving away their LP In Rainbows practically for free, Radiohead has unleashed a David vs. Goliath battle with the majors, and other artists are gradually following suit. Madonna is in talks with mobile phone companies regarding her new album Hard Candy, while REM are previewing their upcoming album on Facebook a week before it’s due in stores. Closer to home, Ohm Square are set to release their 4th album via mobile phones, a fairly revolutionary feat by Czech standards. Keep your eye on www.ohmsquare.com.

www.ohmsquare.com

TATTOO CONVENTION

Artistic embellishment, personal statement, gangland identiﬁer, cultural heritage, prison keepsake, or simply trendy adornment—tattoos have gone from rare to ubiquitous in a very short time. To celebrate the tattoo and further its appreciation here in the center of Europe, there’s the 10th International Tattoo Convention Prague. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 tattoo artists will take part, each having been invited to represent one of the many styles of tattooing in existence today. Of course, there will be more to see and do than simply get a tattoo or look at displays; music with international DJs on hand, light shows, freak shows and a whole lot more. So think ink and head on out!

16-18/5 Sport Hall Slavia Vladivostocká 10, P10 www.tattoo-convention.cz

FRINGE FESTIVAL

Brace yourselves—the Fringe Festival machine is gearing up for another mammoth event in Malá Strana from Sunday, May 25th – June 1st. If you’re ready to feast on new theatre, comedy and music from around the world, the 7th annual Prague Fringe’s 40 productions are for you. Don’t miss some of the best new and diverse international theatre from the UK, the US, Canada, India, Australia, and Greece. It is possible to see every one of the productions over the eight days, so do the Fringe marathon.

25/5–1/6 www.fringe.cz

THINK TANK

Text by Lucia Udvardyová

What else excites you apart from music? Traveling, even as a kid with my parents, we did a lot. In my late teens I worked shitty jobs in order to save money to go budget traveling. I had been to Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, and India before I was 20. Partly on my own and with my hair shaved short and bleached blonde! I was happy to sleep in little shacks or in a back room with a family; I wanted to see the world and meet the people. I was disenchanted with Europe. I even did

a two-month internship at MTV India in Bombay and realized that TV sucks all over the world. I even had a three-month relationship with a guy from Kazakhstan and went there and stayed in a communist block of ﬂats with his family. In places like Belize or Morocco they actually always speak to me in their language because they think I come from there. It is easier to negotiate with nomads and hustlers when you are a sweet little brown girl than a white guy with a big camera!

www.jahcoozi.com

Jahcoozi are the perfect epitome of a 21st century band brought about by an increasingly globalized world. Oren Gerlitz, an Israeli, Sasha Perera a Sri Lankan London-bred MC, and Robot Koch, a German, all live in their adopted home Berlin and make crunked up hip hop and ragga infused electronic beats that have taken underground dance ﬂoors by storm, like they did with their tongue-in-cheek track BLN. We sent the very busy Sasha Perera, the charismatic lead singer, a few questions and were pleasantly surprised by the thoughtful and witty answers that came back. Take a peek into their world. What makes you happy? Food, nature, good music, sunshine, sex, dancing my bollocks oﬀ, weird clothes/fashion, vodka, traveling, silence, Nepalese/Indian hashish—in any order! What makes you sad? Paris Hilton and the amount of money that gets put into crappy fake music projects. The winners of pop star shows, the whole thing just stinks of industry deals. And the fact that people are happy to be sucked in by that shit. Corruption and the lack of respect many governments have for their citizens’ rights, for instance in China or Sri Lanka. In some places there is just such a large population that if one hundred people die per day in their work place, then fuck it, there are loads of other people who will do the job. Corruption within aid organizations or corruption within groups that claim to be standing up for individuals rights or organizations and governments who use violence/paramilitary groups to enforce their power and opinions on the population; scaremongering. Hypocrites who refuse to go to Israel but happily go on holiday to Sri Lanka every year. In my opinion, the intentions of both governments are questionable.

They are like yin and yang; London can be like a prison because of money, status, and security issues there. Berlin can be like a prison because it can at times feel too white, middle class, and provincial. But generally Berlin is a much healthier place to live where people have more time to think and less pressure to aspire to a ‘get rich fast’ culture, like they do in London. Where’s the best place to be at 5 AM in Berlin? Teaching Scandinavians to breakdance in the tiny upstairs ﬂoor at Picknick when I am DJing! When was the last time you cried? When I ran out of dope yesterday! Only joking. I think when I had only had 2 hours sleep and went to the wrong train station to get to my gig in Amsterdam. I missed the train and I could not deal with the lack of sleep, stress to get there and the bitchy little ‘I told you so’ kind of bitch behind the counter. Of course as soon as I started crying, she softened and gave me a tissue and tried to help. I am not embarrassed by crying in public places. It is only when I get recognized as the singer of Jahcoozi that it can get a bit weird. In the end it is quite funny. Look at that weird brown girl in bright leggings crying in a German train station!

Whom would you like to invite for tea round your house? Shyam Selvadurai, a Canadian Tamil who wrote a book called ‘Funny Boy’ about a gay Tamil boy growing up just before the riots in Colombo.

When was the last time you laughed? This morning listening to some remix which some kid from MySpace did of an accapella of ours. It sounded like ﬁtness studio pop but really well down!

BLN or LDN? Why? Both, but for diﬀerent reasons. Berlin for the freedom it oﬀers. London for its multiculturalism.

Which song gets you on the danceﬂoor? Modeselektor feat. Sasha Perera Silicon. At the time, I was on crutches after a knee operation,

but I was so happy to hear it on the soundsystem at WMF that I would limp on the dancefloor and dance with one crutch in the air! What was the last concert you went to? Do you mean on you-tube!? Only joking. A Jahcoozi concert of course! And http://www.myspace.com/dragonsofzynth. They are friends of friends from New York; not really my kind of thing, but it is good to go to stuff you don’t usually go to. Last book you read? Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami. Last CD/MP3 you bought? MP3 = King Midas Sound – Surround Me—a side project by The Bug. Reminds me a bit of massive attack but totally 2007. Shows that the Bug doesn’t just make noise and the vocalist Tony Robinson is pretty unique too. A track called Cold Out, which is on the Kode 9 Sonar Mix, is also really wicked. Where do you get inspiration for your lyrics? Everywhere: day to day experiences, people I meet, people I hear about, films, books, current affairs, drunken experiences, LSD, travels, dreams, songs, childhood, even listening to BBC World when I go jogging leaves me thinking about so much stuff. What are you looking forward to in 2008? Going to Brazil to play in May. My surname is Perera and so I got some Portuguese colonialism in me (like Brazil, Sri Lanka was a Portuguese colony). Last time I was there, people thought I was Brazilian, from Bahia to be specific.

24/4, Roxy www.nedovedupochopit.cz

www.gumaguar.bloguje.cz

Text by Travis Jeppesen

conceived and executed by the entire collective? Essentially, we function through both of these principles. Once in a while we have a meeting, which we call brainstorming, as a funny reference to work in advertising agencies. During these meetings, we discuss topics that we consider important. Eventually, we develop concepts that are already partly concrete. It also happens sometimes that one of our members comes with a finished or almost-finished work and there is no need to finalize it if other members agree.

Many – if not most – of your works seem to be rooted in an Guma Guar is a Prague-based art collective. Through their live actions, interferences, exhibitions, breakcore activism, and resplendent energy, they continue to expand and revise the possibilities of art in the 21st century.

aesthetics of disruption. Is Guma Guar aﬀiliated with any particular ideology? People often speak of you as anarchists. If this is so, do you adhere to any particular branch of

This conversation recently took place via e-mail, as Guma Guar was making preparations for their upcoming exhibition at

anarchism?

Prague’s Old Town Hall (April 23rd – June 1st, 2008.) Although we don’t conform fully to any concrete “meta-narration,” we would most likely localize ourselves somewhere on the intersection of moderate anarchism and neo-Marxist tendencies.

To put it simply, our fundamental “program” is “a critical view of society.” In our opinion, without it, the current society will fall into a morass of consumer totality.

ART

ART TECH 3

GUMA GUAR

Old Town Hall Staroměstské náměstí 1, P1 23/4 – 1/6, 2008

Do politics really have a place in art? Aren’t you “preaching to the converted,” in a sense, as most of the people who see your work already hold similar political views as yourselves? We are not really sure that the majority of our hypothetical audience shares the opinions we present. We think that the spectrum of our viewers is fairly unmonolithic in terms of the places we use, such as galleries, the street, clubs, free parties… Even the opinions of gallery visitors do not fully correspond with ours. Often controversial exhibitions are discussed in the media, thanks to which the discussed topics reach a wider public. We believe that there is a space in art (as it is a mirror of society) for everything that creates this society – and politics is important mainly in a democratic society. All art has a political dimension.

In every case, cornerstones remain mainly the (revised) teachings of the so-called Frankfurt schools (Marcuse, Adorno, Benjamin, Fromm), the softanarchist theory of The Temporary Autonomous Zone by Hakim Bey, texts by Noam Chomsky, essays by the sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein, and the Czech philosophers Václav Bělohradský and Antonín Kosík. Lately, we have found interesting some opinions of the duo Antonio Negri & Michael Hardt, or the new book Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. We could follow name dozens of other texts that are reﬂected in the work of Guma Guar’s work.

What does the group Guma Guar stand for?

Who are the people behind Guma Guar? Or, if your

What is it that you do?

members choose not to identify themselves, can you

The origin of our 3-member art and music group Guma Guar began in 2003 and was initiated by the inner need to publicly express our opinion on certain controversial and problematic public issues, rather than navigating ourselves through the art world based solely on an egoistic presentation of our own inner worlds and building careers, as it is done by most artists these days. There are many artistic groups on the Czech art scene whose art is often described as political or engaged – according to our view, they are not critical enough and their criticism is too often focused on “oﬀicial goals” convenient for the current power elite. The initial central theme of Guma Guar’s work is the disputation of the function of the capitalistic world system, criticism of western militarism, questioning gender, issues of minorities, a critical analysis of the cultural industry, and a commentary the function of mass media in today’s society.

explain the reasons behind your anonymity? The group consists of three white heterosexual individuals of male gender living in Prague. Even though the names of these individual members are not explicitly secret, we do not like to mention them in connection with Guma Guar projects. After all, the group was created partly as the expression of a certain skepticism towards the model of the individual artist. At the same time, it seems that our collective identity oﬀers kind of a better legitimacy as commentators of political happenings than we could accomplish individually. Our group activities do not exclude solo activities of individual members.

How does the collective function? Are ideas thought up and executed by individuals in the group, or is everything

Yet another looks-like-a-cassette-tape-butisn’t; this time though, the Mix Tape USB accomplishes pretty close to the same function, just better. It’s a USB digital memory stick with a good 64 megs of memory.

SURVEY

SURVEY TECH 3

Mix Tape USB

www.suck.uk.com Remember the days when the more cassettes you had the cooler you were? Long gone, baby. Show oﬀ a closet full of cassettes to your date and say sayonara. They were even the scourge of the music industry for a while—oh how the music industry wishes those days were here again! Here are some tips for things to do with your old collection (and no, they’re never going to be like baseball cards or comics and soar in value).

Cassette Wallets

Cassette Tape MP3 Player A bit of irony here… an MP3 player shaped like a cassette, but then again, it actually functions as a cassette as well. It includes a built in SD Card Slot. Nice.

www.chinavasion.com

They’re handmade using actual cassettes by Italian designer Marcella Foschi and should at the very least grab you some attention. Just make sure yours isn’t made from an Air Supply cassette.

www.privatecircle.it

Cassette Belt Buckles If you watch closely, this is what Clint Eastwood is wearing in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Or maybe not.

www.honorable-mention.com

Cassette Adapter for iPod Your ’83 Chevy Nova’s stereo system isn’t about to play any newfangled things like CDs or MP3s meaning you’re reduced to listening to the few tapes that aren’t hopelessly tangled up, erased, or lost—right? Not anymore. This adaptor works with iPods, other MP3 players, and CD players, so you’ll have access to your entire collection. Let your passengers beware!

Cassette Tape Dispenser Tape from a tape... what a concept! The novelty may wear oﬀ after a few hours or so, but just imagine the fun you’ll have with the tape afterwards!

www.naoko.cz

www.belkin.com

45 iPod Cases 45 iPod Case designers have come and environmentally friendly way and 2nd generation iPod around—a thrown away cassette tapes. Help from ﬁlling up one cassette at a

www.45ipodcases.com 12

up with a cool to carry your 1st case made from keep landﬁlls time!

BTO PlusDeckEX Convert your cassette (or vinyl LP, radio broadcasts, whatever) into MP3 ﬁles with this stereo/cassette player/clock/audio converter.

www.plusdeck.com 13

CHIC

FASHION

www.mishkanyc.com

TRENDY OBJECTS

Mishka is Russian for ‘bear cub’. The brand Mishka was established by Mikhail Bortnik and Gregory Rivera in 2003 and

Frozen Smiles Ice Tray

soon took their brand from ‘cub’ status to Grizzly Bear among underground street labels. Inspired by all things that ever

I once put a cow’s eyeball (from a disection done in a science class) in a friend’s glass of milk. If this seems a bit too much, you might try an ice-cube shaped like dentures; your friend will be surprised and less likely to try to punch you repeatedly.

caught the creators’ interests—punk, hardcore, heavy metal, indie rock, horror, comics, B-movies, skate scene’s of the 80’s, pop culture, etc., Mishka is a dream job for emerging artists. Starting with just T-shirts a few years back, Mishka

www.worldwidefred.com

now has an impressive collection that ranges from jackets, denim products, sweatshirts, accessories, and the like. The diversity of its inﬂuences has in turn produced a diverse range of consumers devoted to it. This is a brand that is well worth keeping an eye on, and as the new summer collection is just now arriving, that won’t be diﬀicult to do. Go Bears!

Kiss Me Phone You may not really need a landline phone these days, but you probably could use an interesting piece of art to adorn your living room and these lush red lips serve the purpose well—that they’re also a phone is an added bonus.

www.ﬂamingopark.cz

Puzzlus A puzzle of a puzzle...how puzzling. 260 pieces that come together to make an image of connecting puzzle pieces. You‘d have to be either a puzzle addict or insane but that covers a good percentage of the public.

www.artlebedev.com

Bfly.cz Vinyl is hot again but this time the heat is centered on the world of toys. From UNKL to Kidrobot to Tokidoki there’s something out there for pretty much every taste. Featuring designs from world-renowned artists and designers, these collectible designer toys have been huge in Asia and America and are now arriving in the good old Czech Republic. If you can’t find what you’re looking for here in Prague, you can always check out the online shop BFly.cz. You’ll also find non-toy items like Tokidoki’s impressive array of watches, t-shirts, lunchboxes, and the like. If you can’t find a great gift idea here, you’re just not trying hard enough.

www.bﬂy.cz

TECHT3 3

FASTER, STRONGER, BETTER

Nooka Some people just can’t get enough of looking like a jungle ops Special Forces assassin in full gear and if you happen to be one such person, the Nooka Creatures of the Night watch collection should be perfect. Three styles are available—Urban Jungle Grey, Crooklyn Remix, and Balmy Army Green. To keep the enemy guessing what time it actually is, the Nooka watches tell time with bars rather than hands or digits; crazy clever!

Text by Gordon Walker

www.nooka.com

Numark TTi

ZeroPointZero Whip out the handcuﬀs and you’re either about to be in for a great time or about to watch your date head rapidly for the door. Your chances of the former will be a fair bit higher if the cuﬀs happen to be Luis Berumen’s ZeroPointZero models. They’re not only stylish, but they’re also actually a watch! So, if she (or he) heads for the door, you can chase them down and explain you were only checking the time. Of course if they start stripping you need never mention the watch part…

There are quite a few possibilities for transfering the content of your beloved vinyl collection to your iPod, but the Numark TTi is the the way to do it with style. It looks like a regular old (though kind of high tech) turntable, but look closer and you’ll see the iPod dock and USB interface. You can either transfer directly to your iPod or send it to your computer. We’ve come a long way from the days of 8-tracks and cassettes, baby!

www.numark.com

www.luisberumen.com

Digitus Ring It’s jewelry, art, and a science project all in one. Created by Charles Windlin, the Digitus Ring contains 1,400 magnetic spheres, each of which is able to rotate in place. The spheres are lighter on one side than the other, so micro-computer circuitry enables the ring to display dates, time, and so forth right there on your ﬁnger.

Memo Pad Phone It’s old-school and retro but with just a touch of modern design thrown in. It’s a notepad like your nearly forgotten ancestors used with just plain old paper, but the pad has a square cut out of the center with the dial pad of an attached phone inserted. The pad is for notes in case you haven’t worked that out and it actually is pretty handy. Nice.

www.ﬀ6600.ch

www.arthur-xin.com

Tengu Pacemaker Pocket DJ It’s a DJ system and a DJ mixer in compact, easily portable size. You can amaze your friends with your deft DJ skillz as you bring their party to life or even create a party where there wasn’t one before with the Pacemaker Pocket DJ, a sweet device featuring a line out crossfader, a headphone crossfader, and a bunch of other DJ controls that you don’t even have to know how to use (they just look good). Not to be used for boy bands, Britney, etc.

www.pacemaker.net

If you don’t yet have one of the other countless devices out there that reacts to music or other auditory stimuli, or if you do but really need to keep your collection up to date, you’ll need the Tengu. An interactive doodad that displays a face made manifest by LED lights, the Tengu can lip synch or make faces depending on what it’s hearing. It’s not particularly useful but when did that stop anyone from purchasing something?

www.tengutengutengu.com 17

5X5

Anya Singer / DJ / Filmmaker www.myspace.com/anyasings

TOP 5 WORST SONGS TO GET STUCK IN MY HEAD Pash*

Carl Warwick

Jonathan David Bass

Dine Baar Němcová

Artist

Musician

Illusionist / Owner of M1 lounge

Inter:zone Owner / Mum of Maruška

www.lostpostservice.net

www.myspace.com/pronefoal

www.m1lounge.com

www.inter.zone.cz

Top 5 Artistic Pieces

1. Roman Signer – Action Sculptures

2. Damien Hirst – A Thousand Years (installation)

3. Ryoji Ikeda – Formula (audiovisual)

4. Fischli & Weiss – The Way Things Go (ﬁlm)

5. Valie Export – Private Cinema (performance) Pash* studies at FAMU and is currently also studying at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design. Pash’s solo exhibition runs from 11/4 at A.M.180 Gallery.

Top 5 Musicians

1. P. J. Harvey 2. Tim Gane (Stereolab)

3. David Gedge (The Wedding Present)

4. Richard Strauss 5. J. S. Bach Carl has been living in Prague since 1999. He makes music as Pronefoal and is a drummer with Atlantic Cable.

Tom’s Diner – DNA Remix of Suzanne Vega – I loved this

song as a kid; the original from Suzanne Vega. Great melodies, lyrics

Top 5 Things I Can’t Live Without

Top 5 Komiks

1. Mondwasser

2. ? – Forgotten artist – Some electronic DJ track from the late

– Micha Hirt

90s that I heard my ﬁrst night in Roxy back in 1999. A DJ friend told

My girlfriend (self explanatory)

My Pet cockatoo Otis – She says only 2 things: “I love you” and “hello”. I think that’s pretty economical don’t you?

and verses, but DNA killed it. “Du-du-du-du-du-du-du-du...” Furt dokola, já to fakt už nemůžu...

me the name a year ago, but I’ve forgot. Imagine some PHAT bass loop

2. Cinema

that tweaks from time to time, but basically continues on endlessly

Panopticum

with some repetitive synth chopping away at it every 1/2 measure.

– Thomas Ott

“da-da-da da-da.” There really are no other elements to this track worth noting.

My iphone – I know it sounds cliché, but this thing gives me everything from weather to money conversion rates at the touch of a button.

3. W the Whore

It’s so simple; that’s why it’s soooo easy to get it stuck in the head.

– Anke Feuchtenberger

It has not left my head since that night and it pops up at least once

4. Kontejner

I’ll write to Think Again if I ever ﬁnd the track name again, but I don’t

4. Sling Box – Although

– Max Anderson

recommend you listen to it, you’ll end up like me.

5. My Boy

3. Oronoko Flow – Enya – This is a song that always bothered me

– Olivier Schrauwen

somehow, but since I visited Brazil it does so even more. Their vowels

it took me forever to conﬁgure, it’s totally worth it. Basically it transmits American television (satellite, cable, etc.) through the internet and eventually to your TV here in Prague. The catch is you need someone with a television in the States who is willing to transmit it to you.

a week. At least it makes me dance. But I hope one day it goes away.

are “diﬀerent” and everyone was calling me “Enya” instead of Anya. Belgian artist Dine

So every time I met someone, it’d be like ‘Enya? Like the song ‘Sail

established home and

away sail away sail away...’ right?’ No. No. No. The way they chant

family here in Prague

‘Oronoko Flo’ in the verses, it’s like riding a horse or something...doesn’t

and is an owner of

leave the brain.

inter:zone, a shop/ gallery (Kubelíkova

4. Shiny Happy People – R.E.M. – I’m a fan, but with this song

chocolate

45, P3) dedicated

they just went a bit to far.

Jonathan is an international 3-time world champion illusionist and the owner of the newly reconstructed M1 lounge (Masná 1, P1). Catch him there.

to independent,

5. Lindt 70% dark

alternative,

5. Um-bu-rella – Rihanna – The last time I checked “Umbrella”

underground art and

was a 2 syllable word... ahem.

culture. Alvik has a new video clip for their song Final Next, check it out at www.alvik.cz or on youtube.

TRENDS

Text by Laura Baranik

THE DEATH OF PRAGUE CINEMAS When I was a kid growing up in Prague, Václavské náměstí was the place to be. There was a McDonald’s with two floors; Harvey’s, the Canadian fast food chain across the street, had three (though the top floor was eventually shut down after it became home to a bunch of pimps and drug dealers), and they made your burger to order. Koruna Palác was pretty awesome, too, because it had both CDs (Bontonland) and chocolate frosting (Dunkin’ Donuts). But most importantly, and long before cabaret brothels and fast food restaurants uglied up the square, Václavák was where all the best movie theatres were—about ten of them, if I remember right.

There was Kino Alfa, where I saw Forrest Gump and Speed and fell in love with the impossibly heroic Keanu Reeves. Kino Paříž, where my gym now happens to be located, was a gorgeous, rickety old theatre built in 1930, and Kino Jalta had an incredible invention called the Kinokavárna, which was basically a dark, smoky pub where you could drink beer while you watched Bad Girls on a TV-sized screen.

And then there was Kino Blaník, Kino Hvězda, Kino Praha, and Kino Pasáž, along with Lucerna and Světozor, the only two Václavák cinemas still functioning. They all had creaky wooden seats, moody babičky sitting behind the glass at the ticket desk, and tons of charm. Tickets were no more than 45 CZK; in the case of the Jalta Kinokavárna, they were around 20 CZK. If you came late, the grumbly grandma would escort you to your assigned seat with the help of a flashlight. Crucially, there were no real age restrictions, so the other eleven-year-olds and I were free to educate ourselves by watching the sex scenes in R-rated movies like House of the Spirits and Stealing Beauty. But today is the age of shopping malls and multiplexes, and the cinematic experience is a little different than it used to be. Filmgoers can choose between lots of movies playing at any given time. The seats are plush, there are cup holders and baconflavored popcorn, and the ticket sellers are usually cheerful and under 25. Plus, the screens are bigger and better, and the speakers aren’t the kind you’d use for your stereo system at home. With all these advantages, it’s no wonder that people don’t seem to mind paying extra for the modern-day American movie experience (multiplexes take in 75% of total box office sales for the Czech Republic). The few classic cinemas still left have been forced to adapt in order to survive. Many now play films that don’t make it to Palace Cinemas or Cinema Village, or act as second-run theatres where you can see major blockbusters for cheaper once the larger cinemas are finished with them. Kino Světozor, which specializes in art-house films and documentaries, recently underwent a full renovation, adding a larger screen, comfy seats (including a few double seats designed for snuggling), and brand-new projectors and speakers. Václavské náměstí is set to undergo some major changes in the coming years, with a complete redesign helmed by the architectural firm Cigler Marani. Once the project is finished, the square’s sidewalks will be wider, there will be fewer parked cars, and trams will zip up and down the boulevard, just as they used to. But can Václavák regain its status as Prague’s cultural hub? Not unless your idea of culture includes sausage stands and strip clubs, which don’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Meanwhile, with every classic kino that shuts its doors, the soul of the square gets a little bit smaller.

Capricorn (22 Dec.-19 Jan.)

Cancer (22 June-22 July)

Back down if your special friend isn’t responding to your sexy overtures. Not everybody’s equipped to deal with your brand of love; you need to hold out for someone who is.

You are too focused on business pursuits at the moment; waiting to jump into a new ﬁnancial endeavor, but you’re going to need to clear your schedule for that special someone.

Aquarius (20 Jan.-18 Feb.)

Leo (23 July-22 Aug.)

The repercussions of last month’s eclipse are going ﬁnd you needing a little more down time. Less time on hustle and bustle means more time for new toys and lovers.

With your sheer magnetism, you’ll be able to lure even the most wayward stranger. The key is to remain optimistic and submerse yourself in good vibes so others feel the urge to jump in and share.

Pisces (19 Feb.-20 March)

Virgo (23 Aug.-22 Sept.)

Find fewer reasons to maintain your weekend blitzkrieg. Whether it’s a sexy stranger returning your lost mittens or a longtime love bringing over some snuggles, these are things you’ll want to remember.

Check in with your inner ﬁnancial guru, as the stars predict critical monetary choices to be made. Invest wisely, and you’ll ﬁnd yourself yelling “Booyah!” every time you visit the bank, and maybe in more private scenarios as well.

Aries (21 March-19 April)

Libra (23 Sept.-23 Oct.)

Shaking your moneymaker comes easily; you get what you want. Problem is, other people may not be as committed to you getting yours. So if you feel you’re owed something, cash in.

Mysteries are fun to ﬁgure out, not just to gawk at. Give your lovers a break, invite them into your secret lair, and don’t be shocked when the sex is actually better for the intimacy.

Taurus (20 April-20 May)

Scorpio (24 Oct.-21 Nov.)

Spend time sipping detox tea and remembering to eat breakfast in the mornings. You can’t fully tap into your inner burlesque dancer if you space out and forget your pasties.

Are you using the appropriate pleasure-maximizing positions? Did you come simultaneously? Did you do it in the back of the taxicab, on a roller coaster? Forget the perfection quest and just be in the moment.

Gemini (21 May-21 June)

Sagittarius (22 Nov.-21 Dec.)

You should follow suit. With all your other cosmos in line, there’s no better time to quit that nasty habit of yours—smoking? Drinking? Nail-biting? Nosepicking?—once and for all.

Watching those Viagra commercials a little too intently? How DO they get those enormous bathtubs into the wilderness? If you’ve been feeling less erotically inclined lately, don’t worry. You soon won’t be needing any little blue pill.

THE SOUND OF SILENCE II am this moment on a train going from Prague back to my little village. About three hours ago I departed London. I had been there for over a week, and the experience of seeing Czech society afresh from an outside view made me get my laptop out and start writing. Actually, I started writing all this in my head on the bus from the airport. I began taking mental notes so as to write this on the train because I suddenly noticed how diﬀerent everything was. The Ruzyně Airport is not representative of the Czech world; it is rather a shiny international world with walkway escalators (walkalators?) and rows of those expensive “duty free” shops in which Czechs or permanent foreigners such as myself would never shop. No, you don’t meet the Czech nation until you walk out those automatic, sliding-glass doors that enclose internationalairport world. As soon as I walked out those doors, everything seemed much more subdued. Compared to London, Prague seemed quite stark, and a silent, gray society began ﬂoating past me. On the bus I noticed this starkness again, and I could also see that we Czechs are a poorer nation than those stylish Brits. No one spoke a word, total silence, and in that silence I counted the individuals: 26 people, yet not one word, just the dreary hum of the diesel motor and the rickety sound of metal squeaking as the bus bumped its way down the road. I wondered how long before someone would break that silence. Fifteen minutes later an old drunk guy stepped onto the bus and, just as the doors closed, started yelling obscenities

because he either got on the wrong bus, forgot something important, or had a radical change of mind. In any case, he broke that silence as he started yelling things in Czech like “Stop this fucking bus you bitch-whore of a bus driver!” As this man yelled these things, another older gentleman looked around at the other riders to gain allies or garner some social strength against the rude sociopath. I did not meet this gentleman’s eyes because I don’t like the way we Czechs build this kind of consensus, quite often with the intention of building up the courage to verbally attack someone whom we have deemed in need of being publicly ostracized. This common tactic seems no less negative than the drunken guy yelling antisocial obscenities to everyone, himself, and no one in particular.

Silence for another fifteen minutes until the bus stopped at Dejvice metro station where we all quietly filed off.

A young man quickly walked to the front of the bus and spoke to the bus driver—he certainly said something like, “There’s a drunken bum irately yelling for you to stop the bus and let him oﬀ; please do so as quickly as possible so we can get rid of him.” The bus quickly stopped at the roadside, the doors opened and the drunken bum stumbled oﬀ in a fading litany of epithets, the doors closed and we all moved on in silence. The old gentleman, who had managed to gain a few accomplices in the form of a pair of middle-aged ladies sitting nearby, said, “I can’t believe how some people can act and speak like such animals in public,” with the ladies nodding in assent. I realized we Czechs have a tendency to build a sense of community in negative ways. Silence again.

After all these years of living here, I still cannot say exactly why there is this difference between Czech and British or American society. The previous evening in London I had gone to a British pub because I wanted to try England’s beers, and there was that obvious difference between cultures. I went alone, and did not really talk much because I am used to thinking in the Czech mode wherein talking too much to strangers is a little too forward. Nevertheless, I ended up after an hour surrounded by a gang of blokes who had slowly gathered that I was from Prague and was here this night to try British ales. I could not imagine this kind of situation arising in Prague, but these Brits seemed to effortlessly coalesce into a friendly group of strangers. The barmaids

The metro was also relatively silent compared to London. A few young Czechs were talking, but their talking actually seemed to stand out as a brazened exception, the kind of conversation that others quietly listened to and pretended not to hear. This world was so diﬀerent than London that it was somewhat shocking to realize that this was the natural surroundings that I had grown to think of as normal. It had suddenly struck me as abnormal because I had spent so much time on the streets of London where people seemed more cheerful, more friendly, and happier than what people in the Czech Republic seemed to be.

EXPERIENCE

SEX 22

SEX-O-SCOPES APRIL / MAY

Text by Sinclair Nicholas were so kind to me, the patrons so happy to be drinking beers there for the evening, the society was not made up of isolated groups at tables, with the occasional friendless oddball hanging out on a barstool. There was something invisible, but real, which held this entire pub society together. Smiles from strangers, being called a “mate” a hundred times in the course of a few hours, it was a magic evening in a British pub where people did not feel anxiety, distrust, or dislike. Several of the young Britons invited me to go with them to another pub, but I politely declined. It was a fun evening, but I had a flight to catch the next day. One of the barmaids insisted that I should take a pint bottle of ale with me, called Newcastle, because it was her dad’s favorite and I had not yet tried it. I had already gotten the impression that she had projected me into a nice fatherly figure, and this confirmed my impression. I walked back to the hotel around the corner and lay in bed channel-surfing mainstream British TV while I drank my Newcastle ale. I woke up late and hurried to the airport, then found myself back in this gray Czech world. Just now, while I was rapidly pecking out this article on my laptop on the train, I suddenly realized I was writing in the silence of a crowd. I stopped and looked up to see several people staring at me, blank stares wherein they quickly looked away. I felt the weight of a society that is always watching me, felt the suspicious paranoia settle once again as a natural matter of fact, and decided I should quit making so much noise.

INTERVIEW

GARY BASEMAN

expertise. So I must seek out really strong writers and directors and producers that can bring my vision to life, but at the same time give my partners a sense of ownership so they can create something special.

Gary Baseman is one of the most influential contemporary artists out there. His talents have graced the worlds of painting, television/film production, toy design, animation, pervasive art, games, and so on. If you haven’t seen his Emmy Award-winning Teacher’s Pet animated series and film, you’ve run across his vinyl toys or magazine illustrations, you’ve read Baseman’s monograph Dumb Luck which is a wonderful introduction to his delightfully-depraved world, or possibly you’ve enjoyed the Baseman-designed board game Cranium. He’s worked with international corporations, and instead of seeing his street cred diminished, it has only grown spectacularly. His work breezes into and through sexuality, longing, adulthood (through a child’s eyes), and beauty with reckless ease. Truly one of a kind.

Do you pay any attention to comic books or graphic novels? No, not really. There are, though, a few artists that I do admire, like Chris Ware and Charles Burns. Art Spiegelman’s Maus really affected me personally when it was released. Dolls?!? Yes, I am a grown man that plays with dolls. Actually, I love to collect old composition toys and figures, usually from the 1930s and 40s. I like to have them around my studio, they inspire me. Old mannequin heads, lingerie mannequins, and old hand displays fill my home and studio. Now are you referring to vinyl toys? I love to design what I call limited edition sculptures for the masses. Dolls if you like. The most recent is my little devil figure Hot Cha Cha Cha who deflowers angels by steeling their halos. He comes in the most beautiful packaging that is a combination of a hat box and a coffin. What are your thoughts on the illustration and overall quality of 1950s and 60s Warner Bros cartoons, 60s Disney feature films, and today’s Pixar movies? I prefer Warner Bros cartoons from the 30’s and 40’s, to me they are the heyday of animated cartoons. But I have a certain love for the strong graphic nature of animated cartoons from the 50s and 60s. I also believe Pixar has an incredible consistency for creating strong films.

How did you get started? What should people know about your art? I never studied art formally, but I’ve always seen myself as an artist. It was the only thing I ever wanted to be. In college I studied communications. The concept of free expression was always important to me, and I felt the best way to defend free speech was by participating in it. What should people know about my art? My art is all about desire. It has become the most prominent theme in my work. What is ‘Pervasive Art’ and how pervasive is it? My deﬁnition of pervasive art is that as long as an artist stays true to their aesthetic and has a strong message, they can work in any

medium and put their art on anything. To me the strength of the art is the message. Pervasive art allows one to blur the lines between all media. From fine art to commercial art, from installations to film, fashion, and products. The art maintains its value whether it’s on a skateboard, a toy or a t-shirt. The term pervasive means that it’s perceived everywhere, and I am creating art that is just that. Would your work be different if you lived in say Kansas, Miami, or somewhere else? I believe that, with the strength of the computer and the internet, one can have an international effect with his/her art form anywhere. Pervasive art is a very populous art movement. The fans

can have access to artists themselves through the computer. For some reason many of the most popular pervasive artists seem to be based in Los Angeles, but it doesn’t have to be that way; it just is. I may be a product of Los Angeles, but my art is about the human condition, which everyone can relate to. Is it difficult, when working on a collaborative effort such as a feature film or animated series, to allow others to change or have control over your original work? It’s only difficult if you’re working with people you don’t respect. In producing these successful collaborative efforts, I had partners that were more talented than I am in their particular

As a counter cultural icon, you should despise Emmys and the like. Do you? Well, actually I have three Emmys and a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts); I see them more as pretty souvenirs and do not let them deﬁne who I am and my success. I was very honored to be awarded them, and they look nice on my mantle. I see awards as a combination of luck and acceptance, rather than great achievement.

successful gallery show or designing a toy that sells in incredible numbers? What gives me the most satisfaction is a personally successful gallery show or creating a designer toy that I think is unique and unexpected. Of course I would like critical success, everybody wants to be loved, and of course I want my products to sell out; financial success is nice too, but personal satisfaction makes me sleep well at night. Does Baseman somehow = Happy Idiot? Well, when I created the exhibition Happy Idiot, it kind of represented all men, and Baseman does equal everyman. The Happy Idiot is the snowman just like my little creamy ice cream cone man just like my little egg man, they are all willing to sacrifice themselves for unattainable beauty, either by melting themselves down, creaming themselves, or any other type of personal destruction. We are all just fools for love and desire. The happy idiot snowman sacrifices himself by melting himself to let his love the mermaid live within his body of water. What are you working on at the moment? I am painting for a solo exhibition in Barcelona this coming July. I just finished the design for my latest book title Dying of Thirst, and am releasing the last of the color ways of HotChaChaCha (green and pink). I am also promoting my latest handbags made of seatbelts with images of my venison girl, creamy, and Marilyn (which can be purchased at seatbeltbags.com). What are your plans for future? My goal is to create a true art company where from the creation of my exhibitions I will create unique art pieces working with a special team of designers through publishing, fashion, and products. Eventually, I want to support other artists I admire and produce their work and bring it to public attention. I think it is important to give back and help other artists out.

Which of your contemporary artists/illustrators do you feel are really doing something signiﬁcant? I admire many of my friends in LA who have moved from illustration to ﬁne art. I feel like we’re breaking the boundaries of traditional art. Mark Ryden, The Clayton Brothers, Camille Rose Garcia, and Shepard Fairey to name a few. What gives you more satisfaction—a critically

www.garybaseman.com

In the Valley of Elah is, in this reviewer’s opinion, something of a mixed bag. It is by turns deeply heartfelt, moving, well acted, lethargic, plodding, and, in the end, satisfying. The story is about a father (Tommy Lee Jones) attempting to find out the truth about his son going AWOL from his barracks in New Mexico soon after returning from Iraq. The father—Hank Deerfield—is a former Army MP with, of course, honed investigative skills and an understanding of US military protocol. After getting nowhere in his initial efforts, Deerfield enlists the local police and thus meets detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron) and a body is subsequently found. Where this goes and what the message of the film is regarding war in general, I’ll leave for you to find out.

Crime/Drama/Mystery, 121 min, USA

INTO THE WILD If you’ve ever felt the urge to just throw everything you have away and seriously ‘get away from it all’ by wandering out into the unknown, you’ll have at least a little sympathy for Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch) in Sean Penn’s excellent ﬁlm adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild. Even if you don’t, and this is also possible considering some of the seemingly stupid decisions McCandless makes, you will probably still enjoy and learn something from this beautifully shot portrait of a wandering, lost soul. Into the Wild follows Chris as he decides to leave the materialism of society behind and live in an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wilderness. It’s at times painful to watch, and sad, but there are a great many lessons within Into the Wild to be learned.

DERRIDA

(2002)

VIDEO

CINEMA

IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH

Directed by Kirby Dick & Amy Ziering Kofman Starring: Jacques Derrida, Marguerite Derrida, Avital Ronell, Rene Major, Rene Derrida At the time of his death in 2004 at the age of 74, Jacques Derrida was perhaps

their questions clearly frustrate the philosopher more often than not. This is

the closest thing to a “rock star philosopher” that this century has known since

a key insight into the ﬁlm’s failure, I believe. Any student of philosophy

the demise of Jean-Paul Sartre twenty-four years earlier. As founder of the

will tell you that knowing what questions to ask is the key to any successful

so-called school of deconstruction, Derrida’s anti-systematic philosophy was

discursive engagement. At one point in the ﬁlm, Kofman asks Derrida what his

eﬀectively the undoing of the Western Canon; as such, Derrida is also the most

thoughts on love are. Derrida is clearly dumbfounded by the question—or by

controversial thinker to have emerged in the last century.

the fact that he is being asked such a vague question—and tells her that he

The idea of making a feature length documentary ﬁlm about a philosopher is

cannot answer it.

an interesting one. It is something that really has never been attempted before,

Indeed, the most interesting questions and responses can be found in the

at least not on so ambitious a scale as the makers of Derrida set out to do.

outtakes section included on the DVD. Here, we listen to Derrida pontiﬁcate

Indeed, this feeling of embarking on new territory can be felt throughout the

on the nature of being, on animals, on his process of writing, and how his

entire ﬁlm—mostly to an uncomfortable degree. Derrida eﬀectively tries to

life changed upon the publication of his landmark work Of Grammatology.

link the thinker’s thought with his life—with mixed, if not disastrous results.

Indeed, one wonders why the ﬁlm was not structured around these questions.

This is compounded by the obvious discomfort of the subject himself

Considering the fact that the most interesting footage was not included in the

throughout the duration of the movie. If it reveals anything of any signiﬁcance,

ﬁlm, one wonders what else the ﬁlmmakers might have captured but neglected

it is that Derrida never grew fully comfortable with his celebrity status—even

to include in the ﬁnal cut.

in the last few years of his life. Throughout the ﬁlm, Derrida constantly

Instead, the ﬁlmmakers spend the duration of Derrida trying to answer the

addresses the “unnatural” feeling of self-consciousness brought on by the

vague question as to who this man really is. While this could have been an

presence of the ﬁlm crew. Unfortunately, ﬁlmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy

interesting departure point for an inquiry into the nature of biography as it

Ziering Kofman neither manage to put the philosopher at ease, nor transform

relates to Derrida’s work, or at least the process of mediation as it relates to

his discomfort into a fruitful ground for further inquiry.

Derrida’s conception of writing, we instead get the feeling that the directors

The ﬁlm begins with an exploration of Derrida-as-phenomenon. This is

are merely treading water. Derrida works neither as a bio pic, nor as a lucid

where we are introduced to Derrida the Celebrity Philosopher. We see him

introduction to Derrida’s writings. It is a ﬁlm that does not know what it wants

being shuttled around the globe from conference to conference, shielding

to be, and this is its major weakness.

questions from clueless undergrads, being pampered and dressed, prodded

Adventure/Biography/Drama, 148 min, USA

and celebrated, cheered and interrogated. We see him walking down the street smoking a pipe as Kofman’s voice intones a list of facts of what is known about him. We learn that he dreamed of becoming a soccer player when he was younger, that he ﬂunked his entrance exams to university, that he once collapsed owing to an exhausting cycle brought on by the use of amphetamines

GONE BABY GONE

and sleeping pills, that he was arrested in Prague in the early ‘80s after a secret

Dennis Lehane writes novels that are not only fun to read but also adapt very well to the big screen. Mystic River was the first and now we have Ben Affleck’s directorial debut with Gone Baby Gone. Patrick (Casey Affleck) and Angie (Amy Madigan) are a pair of young detectives whose agency—consisting only of them—has until now specialized in tracking down debtors. They are hired by the aunt of a missing four-year-old girl. The case turns out to be a dark morass of drugs, child molestation, dirty cops, and violence. Ben Affleck does a surprisingly good job of keeping the film from going over the top while still letting actors like Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, and Amy Ryan perform to their abilities. I honestly prefer this film to the more critically acclaimed Mystic River.

directors of the ﬁlm clearly lack a comprehensive understanding of Derrida’s

police oﬀicial planted drugs on him while he was visiting Kafka’s grave… Otherwise, Derrida is largely comprised of interviews. Unfortunately, the work, and are thus unable to engage with him on a meaningful level. In fact,

Drama/Crime, 114 min, USA

DOC ME

Directed by Pavel Koutecký and Miroslav Janek You thought you knew Václav Havel through your studies of Czech history and by readings his plays and essays. Občan Havel will then confirm a lot of your suspicions— while simultaneously shattering many of your perceptions about the man who will undoubtedly come to be seen as the most important Czech figure of the last hundred years—if not more. This intimate portrayal by the only filmmaker given “behind the scenes” access to the Czech president follows him from his assuming presidency of the Czech Republic in 1993 until his retirement from politics ten years later. Along the way, all of his personal triumphs and crises are portrayed in exact detail, allowing us to get a glimpse of a heroic, yet fallible figure whose inner workings and motivations have often been speculated upon, but rarely explored. Having gathered over ten years’ worth of footage, Pavel Koutecký died while in the middle of editing Občan Havel. The film was admirably completed by Miroslav Janek.

Text by Travis Jeppesen

This year, I attended the Berlinale for the first time. For whatever reason, the only films that really interested me were documentaries. Although I normally attempt to see as many different sorts of films as I can whenever I attend film festivals, I normally limit myself to more readily obscure works, as these tend to be not only the most interesting, but the least likely to get distribution deals—which means it may in fact be my one and only chance to see them. And while documentaries have been reaching bigger audiences in recent years, they are also a lot less conspicuous than mainstream feature films. Unless you live in a large city, your chances of catching them on the big screen are slim. I’m not sure when, if ever, any of these films will play Prague—Občan Havel being one obvious exception. But whether it means traveling to distant cities or ordering the DVDs once they become available, I would heartily encourage everyone to experience these riveting, true-to-life films.

WILD COMBINATION: A PORTRAIT OF ARTHUR RUSSELL Directed by Matt Wolf Arthur Russell should be a household name. As one of the more prolific avant-garde composers of the 1980s, Russell died of AIDS in 1992 at the age of forty when he was at the height of his powers. Wild Combination examines his legacy while introducing his impressive musical output to a new generation. This is director Matt Wolf’s first film, and is an example of expressionistic documentary filmmaking at its very finest.

HEAVY METAL IN BAGHDAD

FILM

FILM TECH 3

OBČAN HAVEL

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Directed by Errol Morris While there has been no shortage of documentaries on the Iraq war in recent years, Errol Morris—perhaps the finest documentary filmmaker working, period—takes on the brutalities exposed by the media that took place at the Abu Ghraib prison with unflinching honesty. Through a series of interviews with most of the protagonists involved in the scandal, Morris explores the mentality that leads people to commit acts they know to be morally wrong. Standard Operation Procedure was awarded the Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear at this year’s Berlinale.

Directed by Eddy Moretti and Suroosh Alvi For three years, the folks at Vice Films followed the comings and goings of Acrassicauda, Iraq’s sole heavy metal band. As their country falls apart after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime and the subsequent occupation by US forces, the members of Acrassicauda attempt to keep their heads banging. But as their homes and personal lives continue to be decimated, they come to ﬁnd that exile may be the only answer.

WITH GILBERT AND GEORGE Directed by Julian Cole Artists Gilbert and George have been fucking with the heads of the British public since the early 1970s, and have thus established themselves as key ﬁgures in the art world. This ﬁlm consists of a chronological exploration of their lives and career up to the present day.

Truth or Fiction? Text by J*

Alex Jones Maybe you’ve seen him make cameos in Richard Linklater’s Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly. He’s a heavily Christian, right-wing gun nut. He bellows on his daily syndicated radio show, and not everything he spews is believable. His journalism skills are sketchy, but he predicted the events of 9/11 a month beforehand, urging his listeners to call the White House and demand the government call oﬀ their devious plans. I say make him the governor of Texas. www.infowars.com

For the sixth anniversary of September

most likely already know the score. That’s

takes by speaking out, bringing hordes of

11th, an unprecedented event took place

part of the reason you came to Prague in

cowards out of the shadows.

Richard Gage

in New York City. Hundreds of concerned

the ﬁrst place: things just don’t feel kosher

You know, things are getting just a wee

citizens of all ages, races, religions,

in America (or the UK) anymore. You’ve

bit tougher for an expat in Prague—the

and political persuasions arrived from

got your Central European hiding place

rising price of cigarettes, new Schengen

all over the country and abroad to

all sorted, though, and regardless of what

rules—I’ve even been hearing things

stage ﬁve straight days of protests and

the Truth is, you’ve covered your ass, safe

about EU Border Police showing up at

charity events, with the main goal of

from Mom, Terrorism, Full-Time Work, and

techno parties in the Czech countryside,

raising awareness about the Oﬀicial

Traﬀic, so it’s not in your general interest

taking full advantage of their new ability

9/11 Lie, and also to raise money for the

to get obsessed over September 11th.

to search people without a warrant or

This seasoned architect has the best presentation of evidence for controlled demolition at the World Trade Center, and you don’t need anything more than high school physics to perfectly understand why the roof of a building can’t hit the ground at free-fall speed during a normal collapse. If you haven’t seen it already, stick ‘Richard Gage Blueprint for Truth’ into Google Video. Also check out his website, Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth at www.ae911truth.org

thousands of dying 9/11 ﬁrst responders

As put recently by one Prague expat on

even probable cause. These should be your

who are struggling without aid from the

YouTube (PotheadPundit), “9/11 was an

chief concerns, and of course, they have

government.

inside job. So what?” He wants to know

absolutely, positively nothing to do with

“Wait a second,” I can hear you thinking

what people are supposed to do once

September 11th. Or do they?

to yourself as you read this, “the Oﬀicial

they’re armed with the information in

The fact is, anything could happen next.

World Trade Center 7

9/11 Lie?!? Are you talking about one of

question. I’ve met many people from all

The rules could change and change

those ‘outrageous conspiracy theories’

over the world who echo his sentiments.

again in the time it takes to cross the

that President Bush warned us not to

At ﬁrst, the question seems profound and

Atlantic to New York from here. Things

believe in right after 9/11 happened?” And

unanswerable, mainly because a standard

are accelerating, and it’s palpable even if

the answer is yes, my friends—but the

revolution in America is so unthinkable—

you don’t pay attention to the news. One

outrageous conspiracy theory in question

revolutions don’t happen in countries so

day, you might ﬁnd yourself deported by

is the one which involves a handful of

large, diverse, and misinformed.

the Schengen police, or worse. So if you

supposed Arabic terrorists and oh-so-

But this question, simply “OK, now what?”

haven’t already, you should look deeper

spooky Osama hiding in a cave somewhere.

has readily been answered by the scores

into the emerging pattern of events, all

If you want a quick study on why all this “conspiracy stuff” is legit, just focus on Building 7. The Smoking Gun of 9/11, WTC #7 was a modern, 47-story skyscraper located a couple of football fields away from the Twin Towers. It was never hit by a plane, yet it collapsed in just six seconds, at around 5pm on September 11th. So many no-brainer clues surrounding it; molten metal in the ruins, the BBC reporting the collapse a half-hour early, police and firefighters notified beforehand. Could it have been the control center for the whole 9/11 operation? www.wtc7.net

How do I know this? It’s simple—the

of citizens who have already started

rippling in space and time from one focal

roof of a building cannot hit the ground

taking a public stand, confronting the

point, the elephant in the room.

at freefall speed unless some kind of

powers that be and weathering the scorn

September 11th. If you don’t fully

controlled demolition is involved. If

of the crowds around them at political

understand what happened that day, and

some kind of controlled demolition was

rallies, lectures, and book signings. The

why, you won’t be able to understand

involved, then it was an inside job. Do the

most notable example of this kind of

why that EU cop suddenly has the right

research, brush up on your high-school

grassroots movement is WeAreChange,

to search you without a warrant. Plus,

physics, and I guarantee that you’ll come

which started in New York in late 2006

you might not be able to hide out in

to the same conclusion. Along the way,

and now boasts chapters in close to twenty

Prague forever; and Knowledge, however

you’ll see a mountain of other evidence

cities across America and the UK. As more

subjective or incomplete, is still Power.

implicating the oﬀicial story as broad

and more people stand up this way, the

What follows is a list of worthwhile

ﬁction.

topic becomes less and less taboo—and

sources in the search for Truth, or what’s

Then again, you’re probably an expat if

strength in numbers is also key for cutting

left of it anyway.

you’re reading this, which means that you

the individual personal risk someone

CONSPIRACY

CONSPIRACY 32

9/11

Hunter S. Thompson Of course Fear and Loathing and everything else the Good Doctor wrote is required reading which most have already done—or at least seen the movie. But did you know that Hunter was working on a big story about 9/11 at the time of his death? You can contemplate whether his suicide was what it seemed while you listen to the man share his thoughts on the subject here: www.libertythink.com/2005/02/hunter-sthompson-thought-911-inside.html

WeAreChange This rapidly growing activist group out of NYC has chapters all over America and even Western Europe, with UK Change being particularly active. They do important fundraising work for the tens of thousands of 9/11 First Responders who are currently dying, and abandoned by government services. They also provide the public service of confronting those in power about the shit going down and then putting it up on YouTube. Check out their latest at www.wearechange.org

William Rodriguez The last civilian to exit the North Tower alive, William Rodriguez was the head custodian of the WTC, and risked his own life to save many others that morning. After being honored at the White House, his testimony to the 9/11 Commission was discarded and he joined the movement to go public about the strange things he heard and saw inside the buildings. His website: www.911keymaster.com

Brad Friedman Based in Los Angeles, this brilliant blogger does more than just write about the crimes and scandals perpetrated by the government—he’s actually investigated and scooped several major stories, a few of which the mainstream media carried without giving him due credit. His focus is election stuﬀ, but he’s also a key player in the current debacle over Sibel Edmonds, an FBI translator who has become the most gagged person in U.S. history after attempting to reveal what she learned about 9/11 from conﬁdential FBI documents she translated. More at www.bradblog.com

You should also download (or watch on YouTube) the following documentaries: 9/11 Mysteries, Loose Change: Final Cut, From Freedom to Fascism and 911: Press for Truth. Finally, for daily news and updates about what’s going on in the sphere of 9/11 Truth, visit www.911blogger.com.

Benga

Aretha Franklin

Drumpoems

Hercules & Love

Diary of An Afro

Rare & Unreleased

Verse 1

Aﬀair

Warrior

Recordings

Compost Records

Hercules & Love Aﬀair

Tempa

Atlantic—Rhino

Dubstep is a relatively young urban music genre and it is still maturing, thus its predilection for singles is fairly understandable. There are only a few fully ﬂedged artist albums in its history and most are Burial’s—who, let’s be honest, draws more from dub techno of Basic Channel and UK rave than current dubstep. The fact that Benga, aka Beni Adejumo, a 21 year old producer, is releasing his second album already is certainly no mean feat by pop standards, let alone dubstep’s singles-oriented practice. Diary of An Afro Warrior wins when it strays from the tired and tested formula of dubstep and instead follows a journey through jazzy atmospherics and Detroit techno inﬂuences, as it does on Emotions, a name that discloses a lot of what the listener is in for. It is warm, even sentimental, and could have easily been made by Carl Craig or LTJ Bukem, an antidote to sometimes rather harsh dubstep. Someone 20 builds up slowly and unfolds into a dreamy exploration, while Light Bulb fashions a haunting experience. Could Benga be the savior of dubstep? He’s on his way.

Aretha Franklin is the sister-soul equivalent of Ray Charles or possibly Bob Dylan, and this two disc collection of “rare and unreleased recordings” from her Atlantic sessions are most notable because they feature Aretha (occasionally solo) on piano accompanied only by her powerful voice. And, these were done in the sparest of versions because Aretha was an active producer on her records, working out tempos, grooves, and templates for the horns and harmony for her back-up singers, the Sweet Inspirations. These recordings begin in 1966 after she left Columbia Records and at the point where her career really took oﬀ. It sways away from most of her classics, though it does include leaner versions often with diﬀerent back-up musical arrangements of many well-known songs including “I’ve never loved a man (the way I love you),” “You keep me hanging on,” and “Rock Steady.” Gospel, blues and jazz all in the right amounts equal soul and Aretha Franklin is the well-established Queen of this territory. Compare the passion and conviction in Aretha’s previously unreleased outtakes, demos and b-sides alone to most tracks recorded and released by any hyped contemporary pop and rhythm & blues singers and you’ll realize that today’s stars are little more than a sham.

DFA Records Drumpoems “Verse 1” is a selection of tracks from the Drumpoet Community, based in Zurich. These “Zoorichans” including Tobi Schwizer, Alex Storrer, Bernd Kunz, and others change their monikers depending on the editing and producing collaboration. And so, as artistic units, they are Foster, Soultourist, Kawabata, Sascha Dive, Thabo, Manuel Turr & DPlay, and Lexx and The Lost Men, etc. The Drumpoet.comMUNITY was formed in 2005, as a response to club trends of that time, and it’s an eﬀort to bring back some “soul” to music. But this isn’t a reference to classic soul, i.e. Black music of the 60s and 70s, or even music with heartfelt singing; instead the Drumpoets regard their more relaxing and deeper electronic music as a stronger communication between the artist and listener, creating music to not only move bodies (dancers) but also touch bodies and souls, while their poems (lyrics) are sparse. Music-wise, the tracks are “easylistening house,” in the same way there is an “easy-listening” category in rock. It’s not chill out lounge-sounds, nor is it pumping dance-ﬂoor music. Yes, there’s room in the middle of both of these camps to slip in a house beat with slow to medium tempos, heavy on the digital drums with aspirations to the poetic.

Rarely does a band live up to the hype that surrounded the release of Brooklyn-based Hercules & Love Affair. The band is signed to the Williamsburg label DFA and their disco sound is definitely Big Apple, birthplace of modern dance music. Effervescent gay producer Andy Butler, with the aid of Antony Hegarty (voice of Butler’s neodisco tunes), revisits the best years of disco with tracks like Hercules’ Theme and the lead single Blind featuring Antony that would go down well at any Studio 54 night. Tracks like You Belong, on the other hand, borrow from Detroit proto techno project Inner City. The second half of the album is a lush dopamine depleted comedown, a sublime excursion into the mellow side of H & LA. True False/Fake Real is a funk-infused bona fide stomper that bears the DFA stamp of approval. For those already enamored with Hercules’ golden touch, check out their excellent remix of Goldfrapp’s track A&E.

PÁ 18/4/2008 RADOST FX

SPECIAL GUESTS ZHIGULI DJ´S (X-LIB, KIEV, UA)

RESIDENTS:

NEXT PLASTIQUE - PÁ 16/5/2008 VECTIF TVYKS + AUDIOPORNO (BERN, SWITZERLAND)

SOUNDS

fashion show by CYBERDOG

8/10

9/10

7/10

8,5/10

Lucia Udvardyová

Tony Ozuna

Lucia Udvardyová

VECTIF & TVYKS

www.plastique.cz

VJ MARTIN

PLASTIQUE

The German band Notwist returns to Prague after a two year hiatus. Those of you who saw them play at the ﬁrst Sperm festival will surely remember Notwist’s spellbinding show. The quartet originally got together near Munich as a hardcore punk band, later gravitating towards less abrasive sounds merging indie pop with electronica. Notwist is brother duo Markus and Micha Acher and programmer/keyboard player Martin Gretschmann plus drummer Martin Messerschmidt. The band has been associated with the German label Morr Music that also releases the likes of Lali Puna, with whom Markus sometimes moonlights. Notwist’s anticipated album The Devil, You + Me is due out on City Slang in June.

You know they’re onto something big when the ultimate trend bible Dazed & Confused name-drops them in their latest issue. The Zhiguli DJs, bearing the same name as the now legendary Russian car, are Slavik and Boris who come from Kiev. Their DJ style is eclectic. “We hate boring DJs who play music with the same sounds in one tempo all night. We are more open minded DJs.” They have already appeared alongside Bonde do Role, DJ Pierre, and Digitalism, and apart from spinning records, they also throw fresh parties attended by rave kids and “40 year olds in suits dancing with hot chicks.” The next party—in May—will feature Switzerland’s Audioporno. Be prepared!

23/4 Palác Akropolis, www.palacakropolis.cz

18/4 – The Zhiguli DJs, 16/5 – Audioporno Radost FX, www.plastique.cz

FUTURE LOOP FOUNDATION

DINOSAUR JR.

Mark Barrott experienced a musical epiphany in 1981 when, as a 13-year old, he saw Kraftwerk. The robotic rhythms mapped out his sensual trajectory and he later became involved in the ambient jungle scene of the early nineties, thus Future Loop Foundation was born. Barrott gradually embraced more of a jazzy, laid back sound, which was spearheaded by chill out compilations like Café del Mar. Barrott relocated to Berlin and drew inspiration from the city’s sprawling café culture. Fast forward to 2008, and FLF is back with The Fading Room: Memories and Remixes with refashionings of FLF’s tracks by the likes of the Go! Team, Tunng and Rob Da Bank.

This gig made headlines thanks the eminent Czech music critic Pavel Klusák who posted a heartfelt plea on his inﬂuential blog asking promoters of two of the biggest gigs in May—Dinosaur Jr. and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds—to join forces and throw a star-studded double bill, to which someone ironically responded that the promoter of the upcoming concert of the euro-dance act Scooter could perhaps join them too. Fortunately, none of the aforementioned promoters listened, so you can enjoy the stalwarts of US alternative rock without the pleasure of cheesy euro trance.

29/4 Roxy, www.roxy.cz

24/5 Palác Akropolis, www.palacakropolis.cz

EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN

WE ARE WOLVES

On their new album, Alles Wieder Oﬀen, Berlin’s Einstürzende Neubauten continues to develop the latest phase of their sonic exploration. Their sound is quieter and subtler now than perhaps ever before, attesting to a more pronounced, concentrated interest in narrative songwriting and the intricacies of sound. Their live show is always thrilling, in that you never know what kind of bizarre devices they’re going to pull onstage to “play” as instruments. And with Blixa Bargeld, the group’s charismatic front man, leading the show, you can expect to be enlightened as to why quiet is the new loud.

Another “wolf” band on the indie rock block. The Canadian band burst onto the scene at the turn of the millennium from their home the bilingual Montreal. Hence, their albums and lyrics freely mix English with French as was the case on their debut album Non-Stop Je Te Plie en Deux. The band draws inspirations from art rock bands like Devo and Talking Heads which is understandable considering their own art-school background. Their bio says it all: “We are Wolves imposes a music that’s both free and honest, like the celestial lightning on the mystic mountain. It’s a post-punk landscape ﬁlled with analogue trees.” Go ﬁgure.

19/4 Archa Theatre, www.archatheatre.cz

12/5 Club 007 Strahov, www.myspace.com/bohemianlikeyounight

SCENE

SCENE 36

THE NOTWIST

DC1: Funny Night: DJ Funny

ABATON: Dance Music Awards Final

DUPLEX: Republic: DJs Sleazy-G, A+E

Party: Live Bow Wave, DJs Felipe,

Project aka Alex Blanco

Lucca, Laydee Jane, Michael C,

CHATEAU ROUGE: Taboo Kill-Time:

Martin Gredner

DJs Chris Sadler, Squint

BOILER CLUB: Carribean Rhum

M1 LOUNGE: Shine: DJ Martez

Carnival: Lion Don, Spok, Beduan,

MECCA: In Music: DJs Marcus

Lukaczech, Il Contecanto

Schossow, Nifra, Bon Finix,

CROSS CLUB: Sound Headquarters:

Jet Fever, Scarcoke

DJs Bon-Gra, Yardcore DJs, Yukimura,

MISCHMASCH: Mixx Maxx: DJs Milan

Matoa, Machine Funck

Kroužil, Jakub V

CLUB 007 STRAHOV: Rock/Punk:

O2 CAFÉ: Space Tripp: DJs

Kamdeš, Napsuvši

Winkglouwe, Farrelly

DC1: DJs Skala, Lucas Hulan

PALÁC AKROPOLIS: Funky Drummerz

DUPLEX: Dirty Dancing: DJs Jerry,

RADOST FX: Soultrain Weekender:

Tommy Rogers, Peet

DJs Lumichell, Kwé, Big J, Rico, 12play

CHATEAU ROUGE: Sheexy House:

RETRO: Young 6IXX: Live Young Sixx,

DJs Tazz, Bo.Dan

Celsius7, Jackpot, DJs Lil Rowa,

M1 LOUNGE: Smokin Friday: DJ Big J

Aphect, Brainythug

MATRIX: Beat Freak vol. 1: DJs

ROCK CAFÉ: Live Ill Niňo, Fourth Face

Stanzim, ANS, Saku, B.Rocka, Medis, Anus

ROXY: Zen: DJs Steve Porter, Michael

MECCA: DJs Darren Emerson,

Burian, Roman Rai

Lafayette, Tommy Rogers

STUDIO 54: After Studio: DJs Enrico,

MEET FACTORY: Live WWW, Peťo Tázok

Adlet, Paul Cocx, Béďa

MISCHMASCH: DJs Jakub V., Brian

STYX: Beeo Ebm Party by Hell.cz vol.2

PALÁC AKROPOLIS: Live Arno

Selektor: Brutal Emulator

RADOST FX: Plastique: DJs Zhiguli

II. Elektro Oberheim

DJs, Vectif, Tvyks, VJ Martin

U BUKANÝRA: Vivacity+:

RETRO: Live Graham Bonnet

DJs Diome, Trnqua, Face

ROXY: Bush Night: DJs Andy C, MC

U MALÉHO GLENA: Inﬁnite Q

GQ, IM Cyber

Czech jazz

STYX: Discoverdi – Future Sound of

VERTIGO: Feel Trance: DJs Daniel

New Disco: DJs Uﬁ DaMan

Wanrooy, Steven Liquid, Trance-O-Matic

U BUKANÝRA: Technohouse.cz: DJs

WAKATA: DJs Kangaroo, Jubaba,

Brady, Next, Raidem, Blond

Kublaj, Jelen

U MALÉHO GLENA: Points straight-

WORLD CLUB: DJs B.One.K, Otík,

ahead jazz

Holly, Dusty, B.UNQ!

WAKATA: Rollingbass Crew: DJs

XT3: Funky Hot Saturday: Live Fidibus,

Stantha, Sayuz

Megaphone, DJs Kinder Bueno

ZERO: Om: DJs Suza, Bisquit, Tomics

ZERO: Cartoon Clash Night: DJs The

FLASH

18. 4. FRIDAY/PÁTEK

Fakes DJs

19. 4. SATURDAY/SOBOTA ABATON: Hell´CZ Party: Pixie, Swamp Sound DJ BOILER CLUB: HipHop: Kla 6, DJs Skupla BA2S BORDO: Fly or Die vol. 3: Crunk/Grime

MECCA – FELIX DA HOUSECAT

CROSS CLUB: Karnage Attack!: DJs Al

PHOTO BY VÍTEK

Core, Thanos, Thx, Dave.Lxr, Duﬀ.Lxr CLUB 007 STRAHOV: Metal/Screamo/HC: Sun Has Gone, Tosiro, El Greco

STUDIO 54 – AFTER PARTY PHOTO BY VÍTEK

(USE),Osku (Goblin Technology),Plech

ARCHA: Stimul Festival: Amon Tobin

(Tuesday Night),Stagi (independent).

BOILER CLUB: Reggae & Jungle:

Vjs Alisa (Tuesday Night),Mysura.

Penni Walli Crew

BORDO: HEARTBEATS: DJs Pete

BORDO: Skapunxbilly party: Bad

Carvell, Damian, dMIT.RY

Tones, Silver Shine

CROSS CLUB: Dobrejk Večer: DJs Toﬀa,

CROSS CLUB: Reggaenerace: DJs

Lishack, Kyllia, Id, Kaplick, Saku, Tossit

Roots Souljah, Ilam, East West Rockers,

DC1: Happy Night: DJ Skala

Damalistik

CLUB 007 STRAHOV: Pop Punk:

DC1: Up and Down:

Blindman´s Buﬀ, God Swipes

DJs Martin Frank, L.P.

DUPLEX: Bon Trip “Sick!” Session: DJs

CLUB 007 STRAHOV: Punk Rock/

Mark Storie, Bon Finix, Andy Burby

R´n´R: Sewer Rats, Clockwork Kids

CHATEAU ROUGE: Digi: DJs Airto,

DUPLEX: Dirty Dancing: DJs Alan-X,

Adam Cloud

Tommy Rogers, Peet

M1 LOUNGE: Shine: DJs Lafayette, Sly

GECKO BAR: Minimos 3: DJs Ala,

MECCA: Babylonia: DJs Angel Charlie,

Unit, Awacs, Monotype

David Monoszon

CHATEAU ROUGE: 4 Line Record

MISCHMASCH: Mixx Maxx: DJs Milan

Showcase: DJs André Buljat,

Kroužil, Jakub V

Doppelkorn, Lettysix

O2 CAFÉ: Music Groove:

M1 LOUNGE: Smokin Friday: DJ Big J

DJs Rose & Bulwa

MATRIX: Faster: DJs Babe LN, Sayuz,

PALÁC AKROPOLIS: Breakneck Kru

Greenﬂash

RADOST FX: Soultrain Weekender:

MECCA: Meccamix: DJs Pete Doyle,

DJs Jstar, Big J, Rico, 12play

Kuba Soucheck, Marty Crow, Macio,

ROXY: Climax: DJs Chris Sadler,

Bon Finix

Kangoora, Streed, Goes F

MISCHMASCH: DJs Jakub V., Brian

STUDIO 54: DJs Tommy Rogers, Peet,

PALÁC AKROPOLIS: Party Crashers:

Ronny, VeeKay

DJs Bonnie & Clyde

STYX: Lost In Bass: Dread Beat Squad

RADOST FX: Remember House: DJs

crew & special guest

Loutka, guests

U BUKANÝRA: Jelly Moon: DJs Doc

ROXY: Drumandbass.cz Night: DJs

Mole, Chris Quadrant, Jirka

Morebeat, Brooklyn, Rido, Reverb,

U MALÉHO GLENA: Roman Pokorný

Beast 67, Freakox, Deniusc.N.B, Marihai

Fusion Jazz Q

STYX: S-Night Energetic: DJs Wajdak,

VERTIGO: House Things: DJs Lucas

Hash, Nois, Insect Elektrika, Czscream,

Hulan, Katie

Destroyer

XT3: Funky Hot Saturday: Live

U BUKANÝRA: Shadowboat:

Running Sushi, FunkTomass,

DJs Biﬁdus Aktif, Rudeboy

DJs Fun Freak

WAKATA: Bozak DJs: DJs Frank The

ZERO: Public House: DJs Malkao,

Space, Trixx Kinski, Ian Rokka

Lukas Micka, Face

FLASH

25. 4. FRIDAY/PÁTEK

XT3: Pirate Jam: Live Korrsar, Creative Crew, Naše Teorie ZERO: Chunky Sushi: DJs Slim Buddah

ABATON – SPERM FESTIVAL PHOTO BY JEDI

26. 4. SATURDAY/SOBOTA BOILER CLUB: Psytrance! Read

Between the Beats. Djane Lolla

ROXY – BUSH

(Zero Point),Jahodovy komponent

PHOTO BY JEDI

CLUBS HAPPY DANCING Watch out! Everyone is cute, well-dressed and happy. Duplex P1, Václavské náměstí 21 www.duplex.cz Celnice P1, V Celnici 4 www.clubcelnice.com DC1 P1, Václavské nám. 1 (palác Koruna) www.dc1.cz Karlovy Lázně P1, Smetanovo nábřeží 198 www.karlovylazne.cz Misch Masch P7, Veletržní 61 www.mischmasch.cz Mecca P7, U Průhonu 3 www.mecca.cz

Retro Club P2, Francouzská 4 www.retropraha.cz Radost FX P2, Bělehradská 120 www.radostfx.cz Roxy P1, Dlouhá 33 www.roxy.cz

CHAT’N’CHILL You know those kinds of places where you dance between chats? Bars or clubs with pleasant modern sound around you. Aloha Wave Lounge P1, Dušní 11 www.alohapraha.cz Bordo Club P2, Vinohradská 40 www.bordo.cz

Coyotes P1, Malé Náměstí 2 www.coyotes.cz

Rock Café P1, Národní třída 20 www.rockcafe.cz

Styx P8, Sokolovská 144 www.clubstyx.cz

Chateau Rouge P1, Jakubská 2 www.chateaurouge.cz

Vagon P1, Národní 25 www.vagon.cz

Kain P3, Husitská 1 www.kain.cz

Klub Lávka P1, Novotného lávka 1 www.lavka.cz

JAZZ Prague’s most acclaimed jazz musicians play in these well-known jazz clubs.

Lalibela P5, Holečkova 17 www.lalibela.cz

M1 Lounge P1, Masná 1 myspace.com/m1lounge Nebe P1, Křemencova 10 www.nebepraha.cz Vertigo P1, Havelská 4 www.vertigo-club.cz Wigwam P1, Zborovská 54 www.cafebarwigwam.cz Zero P1, Dušní 8 myspace.com/zeroprague

GUITARS AND INDIES You don’t have to be old fashioned to listen to guitars. This sound is immortal! Batalion music pub P1, ul. 28 října 3 www.batalion.cz Futurum P5, Zborovská 7 www.musicbar.cz Lucerna Music Bar P1, Vodičkova 36 www.musicbar.cz

Malostranská Beseda P1, Malostranské nám. 21 mb.muzikus.cz

Agharta Jazz P1, Železná 16 www.agharta.cz Jazzclub U Staré paní USP P1, Michalská 9 www.jazzlounge.cz U Malého Glena P1, Karmelitská 23 www.malyglen.cz Unijazz P1, Jindřišská 5 www.unijazz.cz

SMOKED BEATZ Styles & rhythms change daily here but the good vibes and atmosphere stay the same. Techno, d’n’b, jungle, hip hop. Underground sounds. Abaton P8, Na Košince 8 www.prostorabaton.cz

Matrix P3, Koněvova 13 www.matrixklub.cz Palác Akropolis P3, Kubelíkova 27 www.palacakropolis.cz Shadow Azyl P5, Kroftova 1 www.shadowazyl.cz Sedm Vlků P3, Vlkova 7 www.sedmvlku.cz U Bukanýra P1, nábřeží L. Svobody www.bukanyr.cz Wakata P7, Malířská 14 www.wakata.cz XT3 P3, Rokycanova 29 www.xt3.cz

Boiler RX P9, Novovysočanská 19 www.boiler.cz

AFTER DANCE It is well accepted that a party should never end. Be aware that there is no point in visiting the following places before 6am.

Club 007 P6, Chaloupeckého 7 www.klub007strahov.cz

Le Clan P2, Balbínova 23 www.leclan.cz

Cross Club P7, Plynární 23 www.crossclub.cz

Studio 54 P1, Hybernská 38 www.studio54.cz

VENUES

MAD BAR

Text by Gordon Walker

The variety of places to go out for a pleasant evening of food and drink in Prague is fairly substantial and has been getting better the past several years. What’s especially attractive are the places where you can do both at the same location and even have some music thrown in for good measure. One such place, Mad Bar, is located just off Újezd. Mad Bar differentiates itself from the countless other bars all over this giant watering hole called Prague in a number of positive ways. The food is good, served in large portions, and reasonably priced for the center. The interior is designed in a deceptively simple style that emphasizes space is appropriate for the large crowds that develop most evenings, especially weekends. And, Mad Bar serves a very tasty and again reasonably priced breakfast (brunch on weekends). Finally, Mad Bar provides a space for artists to exhibit their work. On my most recent visit, I enjoyed a large burrito that was maybe a bit bland for my taste (but I’m someone who likes food very spicy) but not terribly so, while my companion had a very large serving of grilled chicken in a pepper sauce with rice. Other entrees could be chosen from a selection that included salads, sandwiches, pasta, chicken/steaks, and Mexican dishes. The drinks were a well-mixed Cuba Libre for me and an ok but not particularly special glass of house red wine (I suggest choosing one of the wines offered by the bottle, as the prices are good as is the selection) for my partner. Overall it was an enjoyable evening, with catchy background music provided by a DJ. If you’re in the area and want a great place to hang out, especially if you’re hungry, Mad Bar fits the bill. Plaská 5, P5 - Malá Strana Tel.: 775 122 256, 257 219 855 www.madbar.cz

POKER

Text by Gordon Walker

TELLS AND READS

Reaching for chips as if to bet before it’s the person’s turn

When I tell people I play poker for a living and do so mostly on the internet, they often appear perplexed and ask me how it’s possible to win when you can’t see the other players. I realized quickly that most people perceive poker as a game where the winning players are constantly on the lookout for that slight twitch of the cheek or trembling of the fingers or even dilation of the pupils, while the losing players are missing all of this while twitching, dilating, and trembling all over the place. The truth is that winning players place a lot more emphasis on the art of hand reading (reads) then they do on noticing physical or verbal tics and twitches (tells) when making their decisions as to what to do in a hand. There are a number of reasons for this but the primary one is that very good to excellent players are quite good at giving off false tells if they think there’s any chance anyone is looking, and those who don’t or can’t are generally very good at keeping a poker-face. This isn’t to say that you should throw Mike Caro’s book of tells in the trash; you shouldn’t; just keep in mind that you’re better off becoming as good as you can at reading what other people are likely to have based on their betting through the course of the current hand compared with (if you’ve seen it) how they bet in previous hands. Since I do believe you should know something about tells, I’ll mention two or three here and what they usually signify along with a few tips on making reads.

Pupils dilate: This is an involuntary response that is impossible

to act: This usually means they have a drawing hand and plan to

check to get a cheap look. Bet into this player.

Tells Trembling hands: When a bettor’s hand trembles noticeably, it usually means he is on a monster hand (many intuitively think it means a bluﬀ). When some people get highly excited, like by holding quads, trembling can result. Look out. Leaning away from the table: This is generally a sign of a weak hand.

to control but difficult to see. It means the person saw something they liked very much; look out. Speaking nonsensically: A highly nervous person likely on a big bluff. Reads The art of making reads is all about understanding the idea of putting people on ranges of hands and then narrowing that range at every possible opportunity. Don’t try to put someone on a specific hand, especially very early in the hand, instead think of a range (for instance pocket pairs above 66s, AJs – Aks, and KQs or maybe all pocket pairs below tens, one gap connecters down to 78s all aces up to AJo and A8s all Kings up to KTs, suited Queens down to Q8 and JT or J9s) of hands. Once you’ve done this, keep subtracting hands out of that range based on how the person either bets or reacts to bets and raises. By the river, you should have the range narrowed down fairly well. At all times in the hand, your decisions as to what to do need to be heavily influenced by how your opponents’ ranges compare to your actual hand. Very tight players and passive players are generally the easiest to read whereas wild, aggressive players will generally have to be put on very wide ranges early on and it’s not always easy to do much narrowing with them until late in the hand. A good habit to develop is to watch hands that you’ve folded out of and try to put everyone on ranges and then guess what hands they will show down. Of course it’s not only ranges that matter—pot and implied odds, outs, and understanding bluffing frequency and optimal game play theory are also critical, but you’ve got to start somewhere and this will do fine. Good luck.

EDITORIAL

BEST SHOW

22/4/08, Palác Akropolis, www.palacakropolis.cz

www.visualperfect.cz

EDITORIAL Think Again Issue #45 April – May 08

Publishing: Publisher & General Manager: Kateřina Quirenzová Advertising: sales@thinkagain.cz Oﬀice:

Editor-at-Large: Gordon Walker

Vinohradská 102, 130 00 Praha 3

Arts and Culture Editor: Lucia Udvardyová

GSM: 777 133 514 info@thinkagain.cz

It’s a sign of the times when a relatively unknown singer/songwriter is propelled to global fame not through good old-fashioned songwriting, but thanks to a TV ad. This is not to say that José González, a Swede, lacks talent. Inﬂuenced by a wide array of music ranging from bossa nova to classical to post-punk, though drawing direct

inspiration from melancholic singer-songwriters like Nick Drake and Elliot Smith, González carved out his musical journey in the early 2000s. His debut album, Veneer, was critically acclaimed. His tracks went on to appear on TV in the US and in the aforementioned ad. The rest is history—albeit history not too many people will be reading.

Contributing Writers: Travis Jeppesen, Laura Baranik,

www.thinkagain.cz

Tony Ozuna, Sinclair Nicholas, Tobias Moshövel

myspace.com/thinkagainprague

Contributing Photographers: Jedi, Vítek Höfer,

MK ČR E 14587

techno.cz, Yannick Grandmont, Becky Sapp, Fredrik Egerstrand

Cover Illustration:

reproduced without the prior permission of the

Gary Baseman

Art Director:

publisher. All opinions expressed herein belong to the

/Madonna and the Chou Chou

Patrik Svoboda /visualperfect.cz/

individual writers and do not necessarily reﬂect the

2007 acrylic on wood panel/

The font used is Botanika /suitcasetype.com/

views of the Think Again editorial staﬀ.