The B.E.E. Podcast - 8/30/19 - Drew Fortune - SILVER
Added 2019-08-30 13:42:42 +0000 UTCJournalist/author Drew Fortune and Bret Easton Ellis discuss telling tales of rock and roll's most dreadful gigs, visiting Paul Westerberg at home, pissing Ryan Adams off and the psychic toll of Omaha stoicism.
Comments
In regards to the question of where are people, in current times, finding music: not fm radio. Not target. Not the rolling stone. Not pitchfork. It’s corporate radio pumped into jobs in restaurants and retail spaces. That’s it. Go into an H&M, Taco Bell or Krispy Kreme. There’s your answer.
Andrew Lee
2020-12-12 04:00:22 +0000 UTCunder the silver lake was horrible, laughably bad. I don't get the fascination
David Schur
2019-09-17 14:06:22 +0000 UTCEuphoria feels very Rules of Attraction on many levels. The VO, the shocking content, the split screens. It even takes place in East Highland, Calif. which is part of Redlands where TROA was mostly filmed. Maybe it’s just me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Eddie Enciu
2019-09-14 02:50:23 +0000 UTCLoved this episode. I really enjoy the theme music, although I can understand someone getting tired of it. I’ve also started exploring the eagles catalog starting from the beginning. Great songs so far and wonderfully produced. Although I have to say, Oasis’s albums are not poorly produced! They sound really great. I’m assuming there’s a bit of distaste for the British production style of that era: washy reverbs, not a lot of special transparency, and bass Freq’s not being given their proper due. This Idea as in response to what was said about Oasis a few episodes ago. Keep having awesome guests like this!
Peter litvin
2019-09-10 23:21:23 +0000 UTCI just finished this latest podcast. BEE fucking rules. I was super stoked to see he kept the Eagles question. Why am I so shocked that the guests dont listen to the podcast and are surprised by the question??? OK, so listen y'all, I got to thinking when Bret asked Drew about the top 5 movies of the decade and I wanted to post my top 5 and I think it would be so rad for the rest of you to post too. 1. The Greasy Strangler 2. Under The Silver Lake 3. The Invitation 4. Deathgasm 5. Rogue One. Then I thought I wanted to mention some top 5 series: 1 Too Old To Die Young 2. Patriot 3. Peaky Blinders 4. Haunting of Hill House 5. Castle Rock. I'm sure I forgot some stuff, but those are the ones that stuck with me.
Dale Baker
2019-09-10 11:19:32 +0000 UTCWow - great stuff, Bret. Thought-provoking AF. Guest request : 'Trent Reznor'.
Scott Ewing
2019-09-09 08:10:55 +0000 UTCYes, but Bret is wrong about Don't Tell a soul. It's not their best album. By that point, Paul was basically a pure craftsman. But the Stinson brothers, they were the soul of the band and Paul's greatest muse. You can be an absolutely amazing songwriter but it still matters what you choose to write about plus the people you work with. Their best stuff was all about the tension between Paul and Bob Stinson. Paul not wanting to write idiotic goofy rock, but doing it very effectively. Bob not wanting to play lead on what he considered to be sappy ballads, but recording some truly amazing solos. Once that tension was gone, there was just no life in the music. Not to say the songs weren't good but achin to be? Come on.
Billy Vega
2019-09-07 03:22:13 +0000 UTCBrett - when you about art and film you are wonderful. When you talk politics, you are a one note dunderhead. Just like Ms. Paglia.
Robert R. Conroy
2019-09-05 19:07:54 +0000 UTCI think Bret is starting to get the left and right mixed up? Conservatives are normally the ones who want to remove questionable material aren’t they? BTW I live in Europe.
Paul b
2019-09-05 14:25:45 +0000 UTCAnd then after her, get Nick Di Paolo, a fellow Patreon podcaster.
Billy Schafer
2019-09-03 22:00:27 +0000 UTCSolid show. I do wonder how much of Drew's reticence to speak on certain subjects is due to the fact that he's a journalist working in an increasingly woke climate. The old corporate "don't get fired" mantra has been replaced by a pleading "please get hired" desperation. This is no slight against Drew. In fact, his plight has made me more empathetic to the state of journalism in 2019. ONE MORE THING: Please get Camille Paglia on the pod. And schedule her for 3 hours. It would be the most epic B.E.E. show since its inception.
Adam Chin
2019-09-03 16:26:18 +0000 UTCApocalypse Now Final Cut in IMAX was nothing short of cinematic nirvana. Best moviegoing experience for me so far of 2019.
Joseph Orlando
2019-09-03 15:01:17 +0000 UTCYou speak for so many with the "Sunday Scaries" -- tears of joy with that one. Please consider writing your version of the YA novel about your youth in LA during the 70's. I want to read that book dammit!
Joseph Orlando
2019-09-03 14:57:03 +0000 UTCIn response to Bret’s lament over current movies, I’m curious if he plans on seeing Apocalypse Now: Final Cut (2019) in theaters. Seeing that on the big screen last month painfully reminded me of the big, ambitious movie spectacles that used to be crafted by directors with distinctive, characteristic visions, rarely made anymore. All the green screen CGI artificiality of Avengers cannot compare to the thrill of watching actual Huey helicopters swooping over rice paddy fields with real explosions erupting around them and stunt people in flames flying in the air, all to the tune of Ride of the Valkyries. I suppose some SJW dickhead would cross their arms and pout at that scene, claiming it as a vulgar display of US imperialism, or some shit. So what? It’s still exhilarating. It’s pure cinema. "CHARLIE DON’T SURF!"
Billy Schafer
2019-09-02 20:12:02 +0000 UTCSunday Scaries. Lol. Great opening rant. Think I'll pass on Euphoria, but def checkin out Model Shop.
Alexander Quattlander
2019-09-02 17:31:24 +0000 UTCAnother good one. I do miss your music selections between segments.
Mary Walker
2019-09-02 17:06:44 +0000 UTCLoved The Replacements talk. Could listen to that shit all day long. Greatest band ever. Paul Westerberg - rebel without a clue. Anyone looking forward to Dead Man’s Pop? The new Don’t Tell A Soul box set?
Iain
2019-09-02 07:31:18 +0000 UTCI agree with David in the comments above. Even though there is virtually no mainstream conversation or consensus about movies, there is still a small devoted ongoing cinema subculture. There are still festivals TFF, Sundance, SXSW where films for “adults” are rolled out - like the ones mentioned above - Marriage Story, Ad Astra, The Irishman etc...In a few weeks Bret will be commenting on these films in a positive way. //If “movies for adults” (not adult films) are being produced and written about and viewed...is movie culture really over?
honker_2021
2019-09-02 06:15:06 +0000 UTCIt should be sent in every email, unless that is too technically difficult for arbitrary reasons
Richard Altman
2019-09-01 21:03:07 +0000 UTCThe rss link is in an email message to you from Patreon. I don't know how to state it any more clearly. It is one of the first messages they send you when you sign up or add the podcast. Mine was titled "Here are some rewards to go along with your pledge".
BUtterfield8
2019-09-01 13:40:50 +0000 UTCDrew Fortune seems like such a nice guy. Did anyone catch where he lives now? I just wanted to give him a hug. That is until he picked The Social Network. Come on!!
BUtterfield8
2019-09-01 12:02:21 +0000 UTCWhere?
Richard Altman
2019-09-01 10:58:05 +0000 UTCIt is in your email from Patreon. They are individualized.
BUtterfield8
2019-09-01 07:43:37 +0000 UTCIs it really though? I feel like real successful auteur stuff still has the ability to be about as successful financially as stuff from Bret's golden era, I'm not sure how to account for inflation but it seems like about the same amount of tickets are being sold, which means about the same number of people are seeing it. I don't think those films are any less successful, its just that Marvel and the other stuff is SO financially successful that its harder for more modest box office films to get priority from studios. I think in certain ways movie culture has actually grown, just not in ways anyone here including myself would really want to see.
Alex Waller
2019-09-01 04:30:50 +0000 UTCPersonally I think the 90s was one of the best decades for film (tho below the 70s) but that may be because I grew up with movies in that era.
David
2019-09-01 03:27:10 +0000 UTCMy question is did this movie crazy culture ever really exist? There's just so much stuff that's considered classic or really cool that wasn't considered that at the time, or maybe was modestly successful at the box office. I'm a millennial in my mid 20s who went to public school but always knew and currently know people my age who seek out cool stuff that's not marvel or disney, I remember sneaking into Gran Torino and The Wrestler with my friends when we were too young to get in. I would agree that we're currently missing great films like Taxi Driver, Prince of the City, King of Comedy, Chinatown ,take your pick, but we also get so much cool stuff we never could have gotten in the seventies. Appreciate Bret reminding everyone how great those movies are, though. Barry Lyndon really is a masterpiece
Alex Waller
2019-09-01 02:50:33 +0000 UTCYes, I agree with him of that part. And will concede while the quality is way up there the films aren’t as novel or groundbreaking as they used to be to pierce the broader culture. But I’d argue that’s more an indictment of the culture (one so flooded with content that nothing really matters and where monoculture only exists for IP spectacles) than the movies themselves.
David
2019-09-01 02:12:04 +0000 UTCMay all be well and true. But access to these films is limited and the conversation around them doesn’t exist. The quality may still be there, but I guess, Bret is asking, is the culture still there too?
Brian Rooney
2019-09-01 02:05:53 +0000 UTCDisagree with Bret that movies aren’t as great as tv this year. While they certainly don’t have the cultural significance they once had my crazy bet is 2019 could be the best year for film since 1999. Once Upon A Time, Parasite, Midsommar, Silver Lake, High Life are all some of the best movies of the decade and the upcoming The Irishman, Ad Astra and Marriage Story all look like masterpieces. Plus there’s a dozen other films getting great reviews at the festivals atm. Few years seem to be so chocked up with potential decade bests.
David
2019-09-01 02:02:41 +0000 UTCI agree. Manchester by the sea was great. I have to admit I haven't watched it again because it is really heartbreaking, but it is unfair to just dismiss it as depressing, especially if you're someone who wants challenging movies
Alex Waller
2019-09-01 01:44:29 +0000 UTCAs was Manchester by the sea. A little unfair to reduce it to 'depressing.' There was humour in it too. More laugh out loud moments in that than plenty of 'comedies.'
Billy Vega
2019-09-01 00:56:33 +0000 UTCWHERE IS THE RSS LINK FFSake!♥‿♥
Richard Altman
2019-08-31 20:52:05 +0000 UTCGreat episode. Another one of those times that I wish I wrote a book or did something remotely interesting just to be a guest on Bret’s podcast... As a 27-year-old millennial, I only really listen to classic rock. The Velvets are #1 but you also have your Flying Burritos, Ramones, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, New Riders of the Purple Sage... So yeah, I agree with Bret that there is no center any more because mostly everything at the center seems very corporate, woke, and plastic. Even though Tarantino and Taylor Swift are creating art for the masses, it all feels very inauthentic and soulless. I think Bret’s previous guest had it right on Once Upon a Time: “textureless”. Bret, can I be a guest? I got a great story about being rejected by Bennington, only to end up in Vermont anyhow for college, eventually becoming an English teacher in NJ. (This comment lacks coherence. Sorry gang.)
Brian Rooney
2019-08-31 16:46:10 +0000 UTCWasn't enough time on the replacements in my opinion .
Billy Vega
2019-08-31 11:37:49 +0000 UTCbig Replacements/Westerberg fan, I"m jizzing too
JD
2019-08-31 11:36:19 +0000 UTCI LOVE the Replacements and very much enjoyed the 30 minutes spent discussing them.
Amie Falch
2019-08-30 19:27:28 +0000 UTCThe dream of BEE's sunkissed California childhood, novels, movies, music, the passive observer soooo cool, as a homo 80s kid I really vibe with this.
Fernando
2019-08-30 18:33:08 +0000 UTCAs a long time listener, ive always thought, though youd never watch it on your own, you would love the uk show “skins” from the 00s. but listening now, you really should. That jack o’connell performance you’re yearning for was skins seasons 3 and 4. He was a revelation.
Lunchbox
2019-08-30 17:20:43 +0000 UTCAgree with Bret that Margaret was a great movie
Alex Waller
2019-08-30 15:54:05 +0000 UTCEnjoyed the show as always! But interesting how the interview really took a turn the last forty minutes. I thought Fortune was this real laid back dude the first major chunk of the interview. Then he started talking about his life and his taste in film and tv and revealed a much different person than I thought I was listening to. Which is all good, except for his ridiculous censorship with Laura Albert. Writers have the right to write about any character they want, regardless of race, gender, age, whatever, and anyone who disagrees is a bitter control freak as far as I'm concerned.
Alex Waller
2019-08-30 15:00:00 +0000 UTC
