Singer Peter Gabriel and Russian punk band Pussy Riot pose with symbolic umbrellas in these pictures projected to a gathering of Hong Kong protesters on Friday.
NEW YORK | Musicians including Peter Gabriel and Pussy Riot are offering support to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters in the form of photographic tributes.
In pictures that started being projected on an outdoor screen in Hong Kong’s Admiralty District on Friday, the musicians each stand with umbrellas, a symbol of the two-month protests calling for free leadership elections in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.
In one image, Peter Gabriel — the Genesis vocalist turned icon of world music — stands under an umbrella with the caption in English and Chinese, “Water gets everywhere — like the will of the people.”
Another shot features a captionless picture of Pussy Riot wearing masks under umbrellas. Members of the all-female Russian punk band were arrested for staging a protest against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow’s Orthodox cathedral.
New York-based human rights activists helped organize the campaign to show international backing for the protests.
“We want to show the faces of some of the people around the world who so admire what these young people are doing,” said Hunter Heaney, founder of The Voice Project, which supports imprisoned artists and campaigned to free Pussy Riot.
“We wanted to show them that we still stand with them and to help counteract propaganda that they don’t have support out there,” he said in a statement.
Protesters want free elections in 2017 for Hong Kong’s leader, whom Beijing says must be vetted through a loyalist committee.
Lars von Trier. (Reuters)
COPENHAGEN | Danish director Lars von Trier fears he won’t be able to make more films because he has quit drinking alcohol and no longer uses drugs.
“No creative expression of artistic value has ever been carried out by former alcoholics and drug addicts,” von Trier told the newspaper Politiken.
It was his first interview since Cannes film festival organizers banned him from their event in 2011 after he joked he was a Nazi at a news conference to promote his film “Melancholia”.
The interview was a front page story in Politiken, a Danish broadsheet, and ran to seven pages inside.
Von Trier, who has shocked audiences with sexually graphic films such as “Antichrist” and “Nymphomaniac”, said he will be sober for 90 days as of Sunday and is going to meetings at Alcoholics Anonymous every day.
The filmmaker was quoted by the newspaper as saying he used to drink a bottle of vodka every day but to be creative he combined the alcohol with different kinds of drugs.
“I can’t recommend anyone to do the same. It is very dangerous and stupid in every way,” he said.
The father of four, who is married to a teacher, said in the interview he had come to a point where he had to choose between the human Lars Trier and the director Lars von Trier.
The director adopted “von” while studying at the Danish Film School.
Guardians movie poster
If you knew you were going to be abducted by a bunch of marauding space invaders but still have time to scrounge a few essentials, what would these be? Personally, I’d grab my collection of blues, pop, rock, new wave, classic rock, some Katy Perry and the Harry Potter audiobooks, upload the contents onto an iPod classic and pray the spacecraft has an outlet to recharge my gizmo.
Well, fictional Marvel Comics character Peter Quill of the “Guardians Of The Galaxy” didn’t have that luxury. What he had was a Walkman and a 60-minute cassette with a bunch of tunes taped by his just-deceased mother. Far from being screwed, Pete, who would later forge a career as space pirate with an ominous-sounding handle, Star-Lord, will find inspiration in the mix, using it as soundtrack to his adventures.
While saving the planet Xandar, Quill actually sang “O-o-h Child” by The Five Stairsteps to distract the enemy. He wooed green-skinned chick, Gamora, by playing for her Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around And Fell In Love.”
What else did he have in there? Blue Swede’s “Hooked On A Feeling,” with it’s “ooga chaka, ooga, ooga” adlibs; “Moonage Daydream” from a Spiders From Mars-era David Bowie; “Go All The Way” by The Raspberries; and Norman Greenbaun’s trippy “Spirit In The Sky.”
Therein lies the appeal of the mix: There’s everything for everyone. The inclusion of some songs (e.g. “Escape [The Pina Colada Song]”) might prove a tad confusing but, hey, it works.
If still unconvinced, put The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” and Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” on repeat and just let ‘er rip!
GAB VALENCIANO (Photo by Marjorie Duran)
Gab Valenciano is thrilled that his own “Super Selfie” videos have been the inspiration for a new DIY-style music video starring no less than Beyoncé herself.
Produced and directed by the global superstar, her video for “7/11” not only recreates the dance routines Gab made familiar in his own clips, it also mimics the lo-fi look and quick-cut edits that characterize the “Super Selife” series.
In an interview, the son of Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano shared, “We did speak to the producers and they are saying definitely there are possibilities for the meeting kasi Beyoncé and her team (Parkwood Entertainment) really enjoyed the concept.”
He added that should the meeting push through, “It would be an honor and privilege for me.”
Gab related, “When she shot the video, it was only her with friends and dancers, walang official camera man, and by the time she returned to her team, tapos na ang video so, editing na lang.” The process took only two, three weeks.
Gab claimed the singer told her management about incorporating elements of “Super Selfie” in her “7/11” video, with her supposedly saying, “This is something I want to do… I would love to bring him on board this project.”Beyoncé’s camp contacted Gab through his US agent followed by “consultations” via email.
Gab was overwhelmed that someone of Beyoncé’s stature would notice his creation and borrow his dance moves – including his signature at the end where he goes down on his knees and throws his arms in the air.
“It’s not every day that you’re handpicked kasi usually you apply (to give concepts or ideas). She and her team put that trust in my concept and choreography,” he related. “Beyoncé is one of my biggest inspirations and the fact that I got to work with her, that really boosted my morale.”
He lauded the Queen Bee for remaining true to the spirit of “Super Selfie,” which, he said, is all about “having fun and putting your own flavor to it.”
Wait, there’s more
Before “7/11,” Gab choreographed and appeared in rapper Lil Jon’s election-related campaign video “Rock The Vote” released last month.
He recalled telling the rapper at one point, “I was following your music since I was in high school and you’ve been such a big impact in our lives and I said, ‘Thank you.’”
Describing the rapper as “approachable, sobrang bait,” Gab noted, “Bilyonaryo na yata siya pero naka-jeans lang, naka T-shirt lang. It was a humbling experience kasi I was able to meet A-list artists like him and their personality are very, very normal.”
Gab revealed that he is also part of another “big” project “featuring a lot of cool people” that will be released mid-December.
Pinoy representative
More than gaining popularity, Gab is happy to share his talent with others and is doubly inspired to bring more attention to Pinoys on a bigger scale. “The fact that you can represent the Philippines, even in this way, is very rewarding. Nakakakilig sa puso kasi you’re not just doing things for yourself anymore,” said he.
Gab, a graduate of Full Sail University, Florida with a degree in Recording Arts, is grateful for his family’s continuous support and their encouragement for him to bring his talent abroad.
“It is right na umalis ako… I felt I wouldn’t be able to grow as an artist dito (sa Pilipinas). Kasi, at the end of the day, I’m still the son of Gary V. No matter what I accomplish, people see me as that, (although) I don’t mind that.”
He reasoned, “I’m a content creator, ’di ko magagawa ’yun dito kasi people already know me as a dancer. So I had to step out of the box, go somewhere else, learn, study. And when I did, I felt kind of vindicated.”
Gab returns to the US on Monday but he hopes that his involvement in “7/11” would open more doors for international opportunities.
