PixlBit

2000 was the year I started playing some live shows with my band in Philly and several other states. I had to upgrade all my gear for this and it cost me a pretty penny. I did some music on my own as well with a four track and a drum machine. It was music all the time that year, except when I saw, played or read the following.  

TV: Sakura Wars

The Sakura Wars TV show came out this year. It's about a team of female special forces soldiers working under cover as singers, actors and dancers. The training for the plays and musicals they put on helps them to fight with swords and in their mechs, both of which respond to their spirit powers. The troop is key to the safety of the city. Demons appear and they are sent to destroy them. Sakura is the new member of the team but she has a special edge spiritually over the rest that they will have to come to terms with. Each character in the troop is unique and has an elaborate back story. A lot of careful work went into the animation, story and music of this TV show. Why, I wondered. So I watched an in depth look at the whole Sakura Wars series here:  http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZjNeJv1o86A . I had no idea there were three games on the Sega Saturn that were all nearly top sellers for the system in Japan. The games spawned a themed coffee shop in Japan, a musical review, several OVAs and this TV show. 

FIlm: Shadow of the Vampire

This is a fictionalized account of the making of Nosferatu. It suggests that Max Schrek, who played the vamprie, was a real vampire and caused havok on the set by preying on the cast and crew. I saw this in the theater at the time and thought it was great. Willem Dafoe played the vampire in this film and was nominated for an Academy Award. John Malkovich is good too as the film director F.W. Murnou. The film also speaks to the conflicts between a troublesome leading star and his/her infuriated director in films in general. Did I mention it's funny too? 

Games: Hogs of War

 A late Playstation game, but one I played to a rediculous degee. It's very much like a 3D worms game: turn-based but you can freely move about the environment while a timer ticks away your turn. It's set in a fictional WWII where all the soldiers are pigs. You have an array of WWII weaponry to use. There is a single player campaign, which I thoroughly beat many times and even perfected. I and a friend of mine managed to get every single medal, even the one that seems impossible on a level I suspect has a design flaw. Another notable thing about Hogs of War is Rik Mayall's voice work. He's a British comedian one would know by watching a lot of British TV, like I do. He only crossed over here in the U.S. staring in the film Drop Dead Fred. His imitations of famous people from all the countries represented (US, Brit, France, Germany, Italy) add to enjoyment of blowing each other up. Finally there is multiplayer mode where you can hook up multiple controllers and beat up on your friends. This is the only game I've ever played three player couch co-op. Very enjoyable.

Music: King Crimson - The Construkction of Light

This is their penultimate studio album even though they still play live to this day. They are progressive rock giants, full of pretentions to add greater meaning to rock music and complex musicianship. At the time, I especially liked bassist Trey Gunn and his touch-guitar. It's like the ultimate stringed rhythm instrument where you can use both hands to tap and slide around the fretboard. 

Books: Trilobite by Richard Fortey

I've read three other Richard Fortey books that I really liked, so this one is next. Mr. Fortey is a palaeontologist at the Natural History Museum of London, England. I love evolution of life and history of the Earth books.