Iggy and The Stooges
The Stooges were formed in 1967 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The original line up was Ron Asheton (guitar) and his brother Scott (drums), their friend Dave Alexander (bass guitar) and vocalist Iggy Pop. The Band played their first concert in 1967 and were originally known as The Psychedelic Stooges.
Early in the band's career they were keen to experiment with new kinds of music. Iggy Pop used a blender and a vacuum cleaner to create feedback on stage. Iggy also became famous for his strange behaviour on stage. He would sometimes rub raw hamburger meat and peanut butter on his bare chest and also cut himself with broken glass.
In 1969 The Stooges released their debut album, The Stooges, but the album was not very successful and most music critics were unimpressed. A year later the band fired Dave Alexander because he arrived at a music festival too drunk to play his instrument. The band hired a new bass player and also added a saxophonist to the group. Around this time all of the band members except Ron Asheton had started using drugs. This led to The Stooges being dropped by their record label and the break up of the band.
In 1972, Iggy met David Bowie and the two became friends. Bowie helped The Stooges get a new record deal and they reformed as Iggy and The Stooges. Using this new name the band released their third album Raw Power, which became one of the major influences in early punk rock. Unfortunately, by 1974, Pop's drug problem had again become uncontrollable and the band broke up for the second time.
Following the break up of the band, Iggy began a solo career while the other band members played or worked with various other bands. In 2003 Iggy reunited with the Asheton brothers to play a series of live shows across the United States and Europe. In 2007 the band released a new album, The Weirdness, and continued touring until 2008. In 2009, Ron Asheton died in his home of a heart attack. He was sixty years old.
August's music lounge will be on Saturday the 29th of August at 16:00.
See you there,
Gavin.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Music Lounge
Good Evening,
After the success of the last few special lounge sessions, we have decided to make them a regular part of the lounge schedule.
Starting from August, the last Saturday of every month will have music lounge at four o' clock. The first will be on Saturday the 29th of August.
Every week I'll choose a different artist or band to discuss. We'll talk about the history of the band/artist and their impact on popular culture. We'll also listen to a couple of songs.
I'm also going to start a new feature on the blog to give you more information about Music Lounge. Every month I'm going to write a 'primer' to give you some information about the featured artist of that months lounge. I'll tell you a little about the artist and post some links to some interesting websites.
See you there,
Gavin.
After the success of the last few special lounge sessions, we have decided to make them a regular part of the lounge schedule.
Starting from August, the last Saturday of every month will have music lounge at four o' clock. The first will be on Saturday the 29th of August.
Every week I'll choose a different artist or band to discuss. We'll talk about the history of the band/artist and their impact on popular culture. We'll also listen to a couple of songs.
I'm also going to start a new feature on the blog to give you more information about Music Lounge. Every month I'm going to write a 'primer' to give you some information about the featured artist of that months lounge. I'll tell you a little about the artist and post some links to some interesting websites.
See you there,
Gavin.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Special Lounge
Hello everyone,
Starting from the 13th of June we are going to have some special lounge sessions. They will be at 4pm on Saturday afternoons. The first two topics are Quiz on 6/13 with Andy and Sports on 6/20 with me (Gavin). Please come and join in the fun. If you come to the sports lounge, you can bring something from your favorite sports team. For example; a photograph of the team, the star player or the stadium. You can even wear your team's shirt if you want!
See you there,
Gavin
P.S. If you have a topic that you would like to talk about in Lounge, write a comment and maybe we can do it in the future.
Starting from the 13th of June we are going to have some special lounge sessions. They will be at 4pm on Saturday afternoons. The first two topics are Quiz on 6/13 with Andy and Sports on 6/20 with me (Gavin). Please come and join in the fun. If you come to the sports lounge, you can bring something from your favorite sports team. For example; a photograph of the team, the star player or the stadium. You can even wear your team's shirt if you want!
See you there,
Gavin
P.S. If you have a topic that you would like to talk about in Lounge, write a comment and maybe we can do it in the future.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Movie Review: The Mist
The Mist (2007)
Genre: Horror
The Mist is an adaptation of a story by legendary horror writer Stephen King. It was adapted for the screen and directed by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile). The action takes place in a small town which is completely covered by a mysterious mist. During this freak weather a group of people are trapped in a supermarket. As tension builds, the group reacts in different ways. Some want to leave and others want to stay. Then something strange comes out of the mist...
The basic story of The Mist will be familiar to anyone who has seen more than a couple of horror movies. A group of survivors try to decide the best way to respond to a supernatural threat and have to argue with cynics and lunatics alike. Some of the horror set pieces are well directed and atmospheric but generally they are nothing new. This sense of familiarity is the movie's biggest problem. It never does anything new or surprising. Overall this is a competent piece of genre fare but certainly not a classic. I would only recommend it for die-hard horror movie fans.
Gavin.
Vocabulary
adaptation - a story that started as one form of entertainment and was then made into another. For example, a book that became a movie or a comic that became a cartoon.
legendary - very famous
freak - very unusual
familiar - not surprising or original
cynics - people who don't believe something
lunatics - crazy people
competent - made with skill or with few mistakes
genre fare - a movie that is like most other movies of the same type. For example, a horror movie that is very similar to other horror movies.
die-hard fan - a very commited and dedicated fan.
Genre: Horror
The Mist is an adaptation of a story by legendary horror writer Stephen King. It was adapted for the screen and directed by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile). The action takes place in a small town which is completely covered by a mysterious mist. During this freak weather a group of people are trapped in a supermarket. As tension builds, the group reacts in different ways. Some want to leave and others want to stay. Then something strange comes out of the mist...
The basic story of The Mist will be familiar to anyone who has seen more than a couple of horror movies. A group of survivors try to decide the best way to respond to a supernatural threat and have to argue with cynics and lunatics alike. Some of the horror set pieces are well directed and atmospheric but generally they are nothing new. This sense of familiarity is the movie's biggest problem. It never does anything new or surprising. Overall this is a competent piece of genre fare but certainly not a classic. I would only recommend it for die-hard horror movie fans.
Gavin.
Vocabulary
adaptation - a story that started as one form of entertainment and was then made into another. For example, a book that became a movie or a comic that became a cartoon.
legendary - very famous
freak - very unusual
familiar - not surprising or original
cynics - people who don't believe something
lunatics - crazy people
competent - made with skill or with few mistakes
genre fare - a movie that is like most other movies of the same type. For example, a horror movie that is very similar to other horror movies.
die-hard fan - a very commited and dedicated fan.
New Books
We have some new books in our lending library.
They are,
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Non-Fiction by Chuck Palahniuk
Star Of The Sea by Joseph O'Connor
Why don't you have a look at the library the next time you visit us?
Gavin.
They are,
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Non-Fiction by Chuck Palahniuk
Star Of The Sea by Joseph O'Connor
Why don't you have a look at the library the next time you visit us?
Gavin.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Golden Week Holidays
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to let you all know about our opening hours for golden week. E.L.I. 高崎 will be closed from Sunday the 3rd of May until Wednesday the 6th. So the last day to book a lesson will be Saturday the 2nd and the first day back will be Thursday the 7th.
Have a nice golden week,
Gavin
I just wanted to let you all know about our opening hours for golden week. E.L.I. 高崎 will be closed from Sunday the 3rd of May until Wednesday the 6th. So the last day to book a lesson will be Saturday the 2nd and the first day back will be Thursday the 7th.
Have a nice golden week,
Gavin
Book Review: Mr Bean
Title: Mr Bean
Author: Richard Curtis and Robin Driscoll
Genre: Comedy
Recommended E.L.I. level: Beginner+ and above
Mr Bean is a book about the famous TV character Mr Bean. In this book Mr Bean works for a museum in London. The manager of the museum doesn't like Mr Bean very much so he sends him to America with a famous painting. When he gets to Los Angeles, Mr Bean has a lot of trouble. He has trouble with the police. He has trouble with his co-workers. He has trouble with, well... everyone really!
This short book uses grammar that is in the Departures book and B+ students have studied or are studying the grammar. This book is perfect for someone who has never read an English book before. It is an excellent starting point for students who want to be able to understand and use real English in real situations. The book also uses the story from the Mr Bean movie so perhaps you could rent that too!
Happy reading!
Gavin.
Mr Bean can be found in the E.L.I. lending library. Ask a teacher if you're not sure!
Author: Richard Curtis and Robin Driscoll
Genre: Comedy
Recommended E.L.I. level: Beginner+ and above
Mr Bean is a book about the famous TV character Mr Bean. In this book Mr Bean works for a museum in London. The manager of the museum doesn't like Mr Bean very much so he sends him to America with a famous painting. When he gets to Los Angeles, Mr Bean has a lot of trouble. He has trouble with the police. He has trouble with his co-workers. He has trouble with, well... everyone really!
This short book uses grammar that is in the Departures book and B+ students have studied or are studying the grammar. This book is perfect for someone who has never read an English book before. It is an excellent starting point for students who want to be able to understand and use real English in real situations. The book also uses the story from the Mr Bean movie so perhaps you could rent that too!
Happy reading!
Gavin.
Mr Bean can be found in the E.L.I. lending library. Ask a teacher if you're not sure!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Study Tips: Improve Your Listening
Good morning!
This is the first of a new series of study tips. Some of them will be things you can do in lessons and some will be things you can do at home.
Today's tip is about the Listening Task in E.L.I. lessons.
At this stage of the lesson the instructor reads a conversation or story from the student textbook. The instructor also asks the students to listen for some information, such as a time, date, or an answer to a question.
When you listen to the conversation or story, try to do these three things:
First, listen for the answer to the instructor's question.
Then try to understand the general situation of the conversation or story.
Finally, try to remember one extra piece of information.
After the listening task, the instructor will ask the students to talk about what they have heard. Try to answer with all of the information you can remember but always try to answer the instructor's question first.
Well, I hope this tip is useful for you. Try it in your lessons!
Gavin.
This is the first of a new series of study tips. Some of them will be things you can do in lessons and some will be things you can do at home.
Today's tip is about the Listening Task in E.L.I. lessons.
At this stage of the lesson the instructor reads a conversation or story from the student textbook. The instructor also asks the students to listen for some information, such as a time, date, or an answer to a question.
When you listen to the conversation or story, try to do these three things:
First, listen for the answer to the instructor's question.
Then try to understand the general situation of the conversation or story.
Finally, try to remember one extra piece of information.
After the listening task, the instructor will ask the students to talk about what they have heard. Try to answer with all of the information you can remember but always try to answer the instructor's question first.
Well, I hope this tip is useful for you. Try it in your lessons!
Gavin.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Book Review: High Fidelity
Title: High Fidelity
Author: Nick Hornby
Genre: Comedy, music, relationships
Recommended E.L.I. level: Intermediate+ and above
Plot: High Fidelity's main character and narrator is Rob Fleming, a record store owner with an obsession with lists and a vaguely dissatisfying life. Mostly he collects rare records and works at his store with his two employees/friends Dick and Barry. After a break up with his girlfriend, Laura, Rob starts to analyze his life. High Fidelity follows Rob's actions and thoughts as he tries to come to terms with what he has and what he needs.
I first read High Fidelity years ago when I was a university student. At the time I was quite a music geek myself and so I loved this book. The music references which are peppered throughout the book are great if you like music but not necessary to understand the story.The best thing about this book is the characterization. All of the characters feel like real people. The secondary characters Dick and Barry usually remind readers of some of their friends and most of the funniest parts of the book involve them.
This novel has some very good conversations in it. They feel like things that native speakers would actually say rather than something from a Hollywood movie. Don't worry if you have never heard of any of the musicians mentioned or if you don't understand which part of London the characters are talking about. Just enjoy the dialogue and the commentary on the different attitudes of men and women to relationships.
High Fidelity can be found in the E.L.I. lending library. Ask a teacher if you're not sure!
Author: Nick Hornby
Genre: Comedy, music, relationships
Recommended E.L.I. level: Intermediate+ and above
Plot: High Fidelity's main character and narrator is Rob Fleming, a record store owner with an obsession with lists and a vaguely dissatisfying life. Mostly he collects rare records and works at his store with his two employees/friends Dick and Barry. After a break up with his girlfriend, Laura, Rob starts to analyze his life. High Fidelity follows Rob's actions and thoughts as he tries to come to terms with what he has and what he needs.
I first read High Fidelity years ago when I was a university student. At the time I was quite a music geek myself and so I loved this book. The music references which are peppered throughout the book are great if you like music but not necessary to understand the story.The best thing about this book is the characterization. All of the characters feel like real people. The secondary characters Dick and Barry usually remind readers of some of their friends and most of the funniest parts of the book involve them.
This novel has some very good conversations in it. They feel like things that native speakers would actually say rather than something from a Hollywood movie. Don't worry if you have never heard of any of the musicians mentioned or if you don't understand which part of London the characters are talking about. Just enjoy the dialogue and the commentary on the different attitudes of men and women to relationships.
High Fidelity can be found in the E.L.I. lending library. Ask a teacher if you're not sure!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
The Oscars
Hello everyone.
Sorry about the long gap between posts but things have been very busy at E.L.I. since the start of the year. I haven't had much time to update the blog!
Last week there was a very important event in Hollywood. The 81st Academy Awards was held on February 22nd. Hugh Jackman presented the awards from the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles.
Several films had been nominated for multiple awards. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, which starred Brad Pitt, received the most awards. It was nominated for thirteen different awards but in the end it only received three. Slumdog Millionaire, which was the biggest winner of the night, was nominated for ten awards and won eight. Milk was the third most nominated film with eight nominations.
Although there are many different awards at the Oscars there are some which are considered more important than the others. These are often called 'the big awards'. Best Picture, which was won by Slumdog Millionaire is probably the most important award although Best Director, which Slumdog Millionaire also won, is very prestigious too.
The acting awards were a little sad this year as Heath Ledger, who won the award for Best Supporting Actor, had died almost a year earlier aged only twenty eight. His award for The Dark Knight was a little unusual because the Academy don't usually honor superhero movies.
There was also some good news for Japan as Okiribito (English name: Departures) won the award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film was directed by Yojiro Takita and tells the story of a man who takes a job at a funeral parlour.
That's all for now. I'll try to write again soon.
Bye bye for now,
Gavin.
Sorry about the long gap between posts but things have been very busy at E.L.I. since the start of the year. I haven't had much time to update the blog!
Last week there was a very important event in Hollywood. The 81st Academy Awards was held on February 22nd. Hugh Jackman presented the awards from the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles.
Several films had been nominated for multiple awards. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, which starred Brad Pitt, received the most awards. It was nominated for thirteen different awards but in the end it only received three. Slumdog Millionaire, which was the biggest winner of the night, was nominated for ten awards and won eight. Milk was the third most nominated film with eight nominations.
Although there are many different awards at the Oscars there are some which are considered more important than the others. These are often called 'the big awards'. Best Picture, which was won by Slumdog Millionaire is probably the most important award although Best Director, which Slumdog Millionaire also won, is very prestigious too.
The acting awards were a little sad this year as Heath Ledger, who won the award for Best Supporting Actor, had died almost a year earlier aged only twenty eight. His award for The Dark Knight was a little unusual because the Academy don't usually honor superhero movies.
There was also some good news for Japan as Okiribito (English name: Departures) won the award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film was directed by Yojiro Takita and tells the story of a man who takes a job at a funeral parlour.
That's all for now. I'll try to write again soon.
Bye bye for now,
Gavin.
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