Father Bob McGuire, former parish priest of South Melbourne is a much loved, larger-than-life figure who, as a result of his mischievous, outspoken manner, pugnacious opposition to what he sees as antiquated Catholic Church practices and his life-long support of those less fortunate, has become an unlikely celebrity. In 2009, the Catholic Church hierarchy informed Father Bob that, at 75,
Read moreIt’s classic album time once again on Built For Speed and this Friday we head back to 1996 to take a look at You Am I’s power pop masterpiece Hourly Daily. There’s also plenty of current rock and alternative music including Superchunk and Saskwatch. This week we also take a look at two music-related movies: concert film Metallica – Through the Never and
Read moreIf anyone had read the popular film websites’ scathing reviews of the Princess Di biopic Diana they might have been anticipating the film’s arrival on our shores about as eagerly as Australians awaiting the radiation cloud in On the Beach. Diana is undoubtedly a disappointing film with a thin script that covers only a small portion of Diana’s life, bland
Read moreThe 1980’s saw the flourishing of four extreme and highly influential musical subcultures: American Hardcore punk which was faster and more corrosive than its British cousin; Goth which we can blame for emo; hip hop which added Bronx street culture a new form of social and political commentary to popular music; and speed metal which replaced the blues riffing and
Read moreIn February 2012, at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, various members of the balaclava-wearing Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot attempted to perform a song protesting the close relationship between the Russian Orthodox church and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The three main members of the group were quickly bundled out of the church and charged with “hooliganism motivated by
Read moreThere are a handful of science fiction films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Solaris and Alien that have such visual beauty and intelligence that they traverse the science fiction genre to become zeitgeist-defining events and major cinematic works of art. Alfonso Cuaron’s latest film Gravity is almost one of those movies. It is undoubtedly a technical triumph but just
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