New Yoko!

Can this September get any better? Mariah is releasing her “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” at the end of the month and about a week before, September 21, we’re getting a new Yoko Ono album, Between My Head And The Sky. It is the first record since 1972 recorded with the Plastic Ono Band. The new band lineup features her son Sean Lennon, who has also co-produced the album with Yoko.

I was just listening to the samples of the songs and I guess the more electronic songs “Watching The Rain” and the first single / ep “The Sun is Down!” are my favourites. There is also the classic Yoko moaning in “Moving Mountains” (for a moment I was hoping she had done a cover version of the Usher song), the fun lyrics of “Ask The Elephant!” and how could I forget about the heartbreaking ballad “I’m Going Away Smiling”?

Yoko seems unstoppable these days, she just has collaborated with designers ThreeASFOUR for their spring 2010 collection. Want it.

More:
Listen to the Cornelius remix of The Sun is Down!
Interview with Yoko in Time Out Chicago
Yoko on Twitter

Roisin & Yoko for H&M DAA

After their collaboration in 2008, H&M and Designers Against Aids are doing it again. The list of involved designers & musicians is long. I’m most excited to see Roisin Murphy’s and Yoko Ono’s creations. Pictures should hit the interwebs soon as the T-Shirts will be in the shops later this month.

Update: In shops May 28, all pictures here (Roisin on page 1, Yoko on 4)

(via A Shaded View on Fashion)

Honey

Erykah Badu is on every cover in her new video for the single Honey. She does her take on Nas, Grace Jones, Ohio Players, Diana Ross, Eric B. & Rakim, Minnie Riperton, the classic Yoko Ono and John Lennon Rolling Stone cover and many more. There is also an Andre 3000 Hey Ya interlude. Check it out. (updated)

I’m feeling Erykah’s version of Head to The Sky by Earth, Wind & Fire

Imagine Peace Tower

For the inauguration of the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, democracynow.org has an hour long interview with Yoko Ono. Dedicated to John Lennon, the tower shoots light into the sky and bears the inscription “œImagine Peace.” It will light up every year between October 9th, the day of Lennon’s birth, and December 8th, the day of his death.

Watch the interview here.
Thanks Alex.

IMAGINE PEACE

toyboat

i’m waiting for a boat
to help me out of here
the boat that reached my shore
was a toyboat

yoko ono – toyboat (remix by antony (antony and the johnsons) and hahn rowe)
toyboat has a stunning vocal performace by yoko
the wonderful new version is available on her recently released album “yes, i’m a witch”
original version from season of glass

more:
yoko interview at pitchforkmedia
yoko: imagine peace

Recently (and soon)

After I crawled out of the stove, I knew I had to get my shit together. I made myself this cute little present: A pink record box for my vinyl. Finally, after all those years, I don’t have to look like a bag lady anymore.
…
As you can see in the picture, I tried to stick my Mariah magnets to the box. I tried to Mimi-mize it. Somehow, they fell down all the time, didn’t stick. Dunno why. Must be something in the plastic.
…
I am usually not such a big fan of double 12″ singles. The new one by The Brand New Heavies is different. Love the cover (below on the left). The remixes are great, especially the Kenny Dope Dub. And there are mixes by Tom Moulton on the so called OG side.
…
You can see me working the pink box at:
Saturday, December 9, Hotnuts at The Beaver, Toronto
Sunday, December 31, S, Frankfurt. For the New Year’s Eve party, Viola and me are djing. It has been a while since we djed together, so I’m excited.

Went to a Stephen Prina concert last night. He played a cover version of It’s Too Late accompanied by his acoustic guitar. I only knew the house version of the song and thought it is classic. He told me later, the original is by Carole King. I got my education.
…
Yoko Ono is releasing a new album next February. It has the wonderful title “Yes, I’m A Witch”, which is also the name of a song on her 1974 album “A Story” (the album got its first proper release in the 90ties). Yoko chose the artists she wanted to work with, gave them access to her back catalogue and provided them with the vocals, etc. So, this is more like a remix/duets kind of album. (via)
…
Saw a Barbara Walters special on TV. They showed short snippets of interviews she did in the last 30 years.
Barbara Walters: If you had to describe Bette Davis in 5 words?
Bette Davis: I am just too much.
(Update: On youtube, at the very end of the clip.)
…
My mother called me today and said: Du wirst es nicht glauben, Dein Vater hat eine halbe Sau beim Preisskat gewonnen. (You won’t believe it, your father won half a pig in a card game tournament.)

Yoko: Imagine Peace

I saw Yoko Ono, again. There was a Q&A after the screening of The U.S. vs. John Lennon at the Tiff. We sat in the 3rd row. What can I say? I’m still high.

War is over if you want it.

Watch Yoko talk.

New York Moments

I am not especially keen on flying but my flight from New York to Toronto was wonderful. Clear and sunny views of Manhattan, the Niagara Falls and Toronto included. I love flying.

Sunday evening we went to Danny Krivit’s birthday party at Pacha. When we left the club a cab stopped conveniently right in front of us. We got in on one side and a man left the car on the other side. As I was the last one to get in the cab, he passed my way. I only noticed him, when he climbed the stairs to Pacha. It was Mel Cheren, whose (very schwül) autobiography I am currently reading, sporting a black bomber jacket with the Paradise Garage logo embroidered on the back.
I was quite tired and not fast enough to talk to him about the book or that I would like to do an interview. Before I got my mind together he vanished into the club.

So, I spent the remaining hours of my New York trip stalking Mariah and Yoko.

I guess everyone who reads this site has seen Mariah’s MTV Cribs episode (be sure to watch the bonus footage) as I have mentioned it in 1543 posts. Now see the building where she has a tri-level penthouse from the outside. Its in Tribeca and many thanks to my well informed friend.

Here are pictures of the Dakota building, where Yoko still has an apartment, and the Strawberry Fields Memorial.

MTV should get her to do a Crib’s episode. This would be so fabulous! I am wondering if she still has John’s glasses, which he was wearing when he was murdered, lying at the windowsill.

Season of Glass.

Imagine.

Yoko Ono at Portikus

Dream Universe

Yoko Ono ist Morgen in Frankfurt/Main und ich bin schon ganz aufgeregt! Ihre Ausstellung Dream Universe eröffnet um 19 Uhr (glaube ich) im Portikus.

Zur Einstimmung höre ich die ganze Zeit Ihre fantastische Blueprint For A Sunrise CD aus dem Jahr 2001. Auf dem Album ist eins meiner absoluten Lieblingslieder enthalten, I’m Not Getting Enough:

“I’m Not Getting Enough
Not Getting Enough
Not Getting Enough
From Life”

singt Yoko zu einem Reggae-Rhythmus. Das Lied ist so klasse! Ich bekomme sofort gute Laune.