Visual World History Via Wikipedia Is Incredible

A History of the World in 100 Seconds from Gareth Lloyd on Vimeo.

Wow, this is amazing. This history of the world in 100 seconds.

From ragtag.com:

Many Wikipedia articles are tagged with geographic coordinates. Many have references to historic events. Cross referencing these two subsets and plotting them year on year adds up to a dynamic visualization of Wikipedia's view of world history.

Color Me Obsessed Is Worthy, Timely

Color Me Obsessed is a documentary film about The Replacements, one of the greatest American rock n roll bands of all time. The film focuses on the importance of the band to what is still sadly a cult, underground group of fans. This was a band that should have been a household name - after all, they had the accessible, real songwriting of leader Paul Westerburg (truly one of the greatest songwriters who ever set words to melody) that just never won over a deserved mass audience.

I have been a Replacements fan since my friend Pete made me a mixtape of Mats songs that kicked off with a live version of I Will Dare - a song so infectious that I became an instant fan. Of course it was songs like the immortal Here Comes A Regular that cemented them in my still teenage heart. That fact that this film even exists makes me realize how truly old I am.

Support the film, support the Mats. Long Live the Replacements.

Rolling Record Store Is Proper

The Third Man Rolling Record Store from Thid Man Records on Vimeo.

Jack White is one of the coolest people walking the planet. And it is ideas like his Rolling Record Store that make him so. Having discovered that 97% of American high school students have never been to a real record store (a shocking, and wholly disturbing notion), White decided to "bring the store to them" by putting the entire Third Man Records catalog on wheels. So, so cool.

Check out his Third Man Records here.

Alphabet In Motion Is Transitional

The Alphabet from n9ve on Vimeo.

Watch this little type movie. It is only a minute, check it out.

Los Angeles Literary Bar Scene Is Unexpected, Desired

Read about the rising literary themed bar scene cropping up in Los Angeles currently. I had no idea that this existed, but now I have a good reason to go to L.A.

From the excellent For Absolute Beginners:

Of course some people think they go together like miniature dogs and novelty costumes. Which is why, apparently, "literary bars" are now "totally hip" in LA.

Cool. Check out more here.

Top Ten Most Played Albums While Blogging

In honor of the 600th Post, straight from my iTunes Most Played playlist, comes my Top Ten Most Played Albums While Blogging:

01. The Idiot - Iggy Pop
02. White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground
03. Low - David Bowie
04. Saturdays = Youth - M83
05. Journal For Plague Lovers - Manic Street Preachers
06. Rock N Roll Animal - Lou Reed
07. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
08. Unknown Pleasures - Joy Division
09. The XX - The XX
10. Two Suns - Bat For Lashes

Strange, I never noticed until now that the album that I have most played over the past three years is my much, much beloved The Idiot by Iggy Pop. Amazing, but I guess I never thought about it until now...

Happy 600th Post to Speak A&D

So here we are: post number 600 on the ol' Speak A&D Blog. It truly blows my mind to find out that I've had over 20,000 individual viewers of this site.

I sincerely want to thank my readers - your kindness and support have been wonderful over these past few excellent years.

Hope you've enjoyed it - I surely have.

Typography In Rome Is Immensely Beautiful

I stumbled onto this incredible flickr set of street typography in Rome. Wow.

From the wonderful Design Work Life:

This incred­i­ble set of pho­tographs by Paul Soulellis is mak­ing me want to hop on the next plane to Rome. What an amaz­ing source of inspiration.

Enjoy.

Current Obsession: Discreet Music by Brian Eno

Discreet Music is an ambient, four track gem from 1975 by Brian Eno. Opening with a nearly 30 minute, extremely quiet, synth piled upon synth opener, the album lays claim as being one of the earliest examples of ambient music mastery. But it is the following, classical pieces which explore the basic structure of ultra-famous Canon In D that drive this album into the stratosphere. Tracks 2-4 are some of the most soaring, moving, instrumental works you are likely to ever hear.

While it may not be the most accessable music, Discreet Music certainly is emotive, and will drive you to aural locations you most likely will never explore again.

Moving stuff - give it a try for something totally different from the everyday, run of the mill.

RIP Suze Rotolo, Freewheelin' Cover Star (1943-2011)

Cover star of the classic album Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Suze Rotolo - has died today. For generations of music fans, her beautiful smile and Beat charms seemed to encapsulate the work of the young Bob Dylan, trudging down snow covered Manhattan streets. She embodied the romantic notions of young men everywhere, young men like me, crossing snow lined backstreets in Saginaw, MI.

Rest in peace to youth, rest in peace to generations before, and after. Rest in peace Suze Rotolo, rest in peace.