John Lennon’s ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’; Piano, Bob Dylan Lyric Sheets Head to Auction

John Lennon's Sgt. Peppers era home piano, used by the Beatles legend to compose "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and "A Day in the Life," among others, is set to hit the auction block December 10th as the marquee item in Sotheby's "A Rock & Roll Anthology: From Folk to Fury."

The red-and-black John Broadwood and Sons cottage upright piano, which was housed in Lennon's Kenwood home when he was writing songs for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, is estimated to sell for between $1.2 and $1.8 million; Lennon's "Imagine" piano, featured on the 1970 classic, sold at auction for $2.1 million in 2000.

Lennon's Sgt. Pepper's piano comes with a plaque, installed by Lennon in 1971, denoting that the instrument was used to pen "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," "A Day in the Life," "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" and "Good Morning Good Morning."

Courtesy of Sothebys

 The "From Folk to Fury" auction also includes unique Bob Dylan items like the singer's autographed final manuscript for "Blowin' in the Wind," featuring Dylan's handwritten corrections and signature "Bob Dylan 1962."

Four handwritten versions of Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" are known to exist; the one hitting the block at Sotheby's, estimated to sell for between $300,000 and $500,000, is the July 1962 version used by Dylan to record The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan track.

Dylan and the Band's Rick Danko's typed manuscript for "This Wheel's on Fire," with handwritten edits presumably by Danko, will also hit the auction block with a $60,000 estimate. Sketches that Dylan drew of Joan Baez, as well as sketches Baez made of Dylan, are also available at the auction.

Courtesy of Sothebys

Other notable items include the Eagles' original, handwritten manuscript for "Hotel California," featuring lyrics penned by both Don Henley and Glenn Frey and estimated to sell for between $500,000 and $700,000.

Original paintings by David Bowie, a cache of Lou Reed's Velvet Underground lyrics, Jim Morrison's 1971 handwritten notebook, John Lennon's Help! jacket and Johnny Rotten's lyrics for the Sex Pistols' "Problems," penned on Malcolm McLaren's office stationary, will also be auctioned off.

Read the original article here on Yahoo Music

'Going Bananas over Bananistan'

Here is what they said on their official Facebook Event Page.:

"It's the year 2030, and the country is under a full martial law. Things are at peace and prosperous, political players are all in different professions, and the media is on complete lock-down and only theater is allowed now as a means of entertainment. When a production loses its entire cast in a tragic accident ten days before opening night, they have to take drastic measures to recast the show. Watch the mayhem unfold as the worlds of theater and politics collide in this new comedy, as everyone scrambles to make the show a success - a relative term for those involved. After all, what impact can a play actually have?"

So what happens in Bananistan?

Tell you what, I was expecting a play that has lame punch lines over politics jokes that we've been hearing for years with actors we repeatedly see on TV. But No.

I was surprised by the  uncanny resembling costumes and makeup and hilarious impressions. This play made me think why our politics is on a repeat mode. Everyone gets a share, everyone gets their part in making or breaking the country. They retire and then they come back to ruin us some more. 

Bananistan shows exactly what happens to us every day in the politics of our country and brings out the tidbits of fun and humor all mixed in one. Mustapha Chaudhry was outstanding. I couldn't keep my face straight!

In the press conference, Saqib Sumeer said that it was difficult for them to write down Bananistan as they had to make it resemble people we know while making them entirely new. It took them 3-4 months to perfect the script.

Another exciting fact about this play is the way it has included Ahsan Bari's genius music mind in the presentation. And that's not it, this play will be the longest running play in Pakistan as this year, Kopykats has aimed to grace Faisalabad, Multan and Sialkot as well as Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi with their performance.

"Our sole purpose is Entertainment", said Dawar, the creative genius and the person behind Bananistan. He also stated that in the next 2 years, they launch 5 plays in collaboration with Telenor.

The element of grace came when Iman Shahid hit a note so beautiful, that everyone in the audience paused for good 15 Seconds and then burst into an applause. Dawar has indeed picked the best for the play. 

Every actor in the theater play represented the best of their expertise and It was enlightening to see the revival of Theater and art. Tickets are going all out as everyone wants to see the marvel of comedy presented at National Library of Pakistan. The show will continue till 4th December 2016.

I'm proud to tell you that Beyond Sanity Publishing is one of the media partners and will be publishing interviews with the cast soon!

To know the details, call or text 0321-2049423 or visit Facebook.

Learning to live in Peace-One step at a time

Peace is proving to be one of the most endangered elements on our dear planet these days.
Why? Because instead of tolerance and patience, we are choosing to fight, ignore and blame each other.
Every day more of us become victims of extremism and violence. 

Peace, something the whole word is craving for at the moment. In a world like this, where seasons go by, loved one's bid farewell and the innocent blood goes worthless- we need a break. To be more precise, we owe a lot to this world. Yet, we sit back and let it deteriorate gradually. Why?

Indifference is productive as long as things are not under one's control but, when they are, why don't we contribute some part?

This world is heading towards an unfathomable end. The earth weeps each day when a drop of innocent blood hits the ground. The Mother Nature- the trees, herbs, and shrubs, the mountains and seas; complain mankind for each wound Humans inflict upon them.

Pakistan is a third world country. Incompetent in a lot of areas, but illiteracy itself is not the factor behind it. Terrorism is at its peak in Pakistan. People have even forgotten what peace is like? In fact, we hardly remember when was the last time we witnessed peace in our country.

The one thing every culture, every artist, every tradition, every musician, every nation promotes is Peace. This world needs to focus on the significance of tolerance and peace because that is what transforms our decisions in the real world. We step according to the political stability, economic stability, finances etc. but most of all, if we see ourselves surrounded by components that invoke extremism or terror rather than peace and harmony, we are reluctant to take any decision. 

Unfortunately, it is not just about Pakistan but all other countries around the globe where roots of barbarism are spreading deeper and deeper. In this situation, at least we, the youth of Pakistan, need to pull in the reins and start working towards eliminating violence as much as possible. Be it through writing, workshops, processions or social media promotion. In a nutshell, peace has to prevail and the opposite has to be annihilated.

We are not perfect, we rely on our perceptions and studies to determine how we 'SHOULD' act, or how we CAN bring peace when what we really should be doing is looking at ourselves and how we can change our surroundings by changing OURSELVES. 

'Gnothi Seauton'

(Greek) 'Know Thyself'

Article by Beyond Sanity Publishing for Peace Without Borders

2016 Nobel Prize In Literature Awarded To Bob Dylan

 

STOCKHOLM, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Bob Dylan, regarded as the voice of a generation for his influential songs from the 1960s onwards, has won the Nobel Prize for Literature in a surprise decision that made him the only singer-songwriter to win the award.

The 75-year-old Dylan - who won the prize for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition” - now finds himself in the company of Winston Churchill, Thomas Mann and Rudyard Kipling as Nobel laureates.

The announcement was met with gasps in Stockholm’s stately Royal Academy hall, followed - unusually - by some laughter.

Dylan’s songs, such as “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “The Times They Are a-Changin’,” “Subterranean Homesick Blues” and “Like a Rolling Stone” captured a spirit of rebellion, dissent and independence.

More than 50 years on, Dylan is still writing songs and is often on tour, performing his dense poetic lyrics, sung in a sometimes rasping voice that has been ridiculed by detractors.

Some lyrics have resonated for decades.

“Blowin’ in the Wind,” written in 1962, was considered one of the most eloquent folk songs of all time. “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” in which Dylan told Americans “your sons and your daughters are beyond your command,” was an anthem of the civil rights movement and Vietnam War protests.

Awarding the 8 million Swedish crown ($930,000) prize, the Swedish Academy said: “Dylan has the status of an icon. His influence on contemporary music is profound.”

Swedish Academy member Per Wastberg said: “He is probably the greatest living poet.”

Asked if he thought Dylan’s Nobel lecture - traditionally given by the laureate in Stockholm later in the year - would be a concert, replied: “Let’s hope so.”

Over the years, not everyone has agreed that Dylan was a poet of the first order. Novelist Norman Mailer countered: “If Dylan’s a poet, I’m a basketball player.”

Sara Danius, Permanent Secretary of the Nobel Academy, told a news conference there was “great unity” in the panel’s decision to give Dylan the prize.

Dylan has always been an enigmatic figure. He went into seclusion for months after a motorcycle crash in 1966, leading to stories that he had cracked under the pressure of his new celebrity.

He was born into a Jewish family but in the late 1970s converted to born-again Christianity and later said he followed no organized religion. At another point in his life, Dylan took up boxing.

Dylan’s spokesman, Elliott Mintz, declined immediate comment when reached by phone, citing the early hour in Los Angeles, where it was 3 a.m. at the time of the announcement. Dylan was due to give a concert in Las Vegas on Thursday evening.

Literature was the last of this year’s Nobel prizes to be awarded. The prize is named after dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel and has been awarded since 1901 for achievements in science, literature and peace in accordance with his will. 

Article by The Huffington Post. Read it Here

You may not have heard of Michiyo Yasuda, but you know her work

 

Michiyo Yasuda, the artist who coloured some of Studio Ghibli's greatest films, has died at the age of 77.

She worked with iconic animator Hayao Miyazaki on 13 animated productions including My Neighbour Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle.

Her work helped Spirited Away win best animated feature at the 2003 Oscars.

She retired in 2008 but returned to work with Studio Ghibli on 2013's historical drama, The Wind Rises.

Yasuda first worked with Hayao Miyazaki in 1968 on The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun, when the two were employed by Japanese animation studio Toei Doga.

Hayao Miyazaki founded Studio Ghibli in 1985 and Michiyo worked with the company from the start, leading the studio's colour department.

Ghibli has been celebrated for using hand-drawn elements in their productions, long after digital animation became the norm in animation (although their movies have been coloured digitally).

She spoke of her admiration for Hayao Miyazaki in 2009, shortly after the release of Ponyo, a Ghibli re-telling of The Little Mermaid.

"I have respected Mr Miyazaki since our days at Toei Doga, and I have always loved his way of thinking," she told The LA Times.

"Colour has a meaning and it makes the film more easily understood. Colours and pictures can enhance what the situation is on screen."

She was responsible for bringing characters such as Chihiro (the lost little girl in Spirited Away), Kiki (the optimistic young witch in Kiki's Delivery Service) and the iconic Totoro (My Neighbour Totoro) to life on screen.

Totoro became the logo for Studio Ghibli and even made a cameo appearance in Disney's Toy Story 3.

Her work on Spirited Away was praised in 2002 by US film critic Roger Ebert, who said the film was "A pleasure to regard, with its subtle use of colours, clear lines, rich detail and its realistic depiction of fantastical elements."

She also worked on critically acclaimed 1988 war movie, Grave Of The Fireflies, widely considered one of the most emotional animated movies ever made.

In 2007, The Colour Artisan of Animation, a book about Michiyo's work was published in Japan, celebrating her career.

Fans of Studio Ghibli movies have been paying tribute on Twitter.

Original Article by: By Michael Baggs for Newsbeat 

Read it Here

Defining Psychopaths-Hannibal Lecter, Series VS Movies VS Books

Oh Please, If you love Penny Dreadful and Dexter you know exactly how satisfying this gif is.

I tried to make sense of why I was so obsessed with Hannibal, But, I couldn’t. There was always fuss about the comparison. Is the movie better than the book? Or was the book better than the Television series?  Or movie being better than both the books and the Television series? So what did I do to see the difference? I watched the movie, and I read the book.

Silence of the Lambs, the movie, was unusually faithful to the book.  Dozens of lines of dialogue were right away lifted from the book; many of the best ones, in fact.  The screenplay was also skillfully modified, since almost every change in the movie was a development on what was in the book, and things that were polished over in the movie were things that the book defined in more detail than we really needed to know.

The film contains less description than the book, of course. But here is the main story-line; So Dr. Hannibal Lecter is approached by a young cadet with tortured past about an interview, which is later revealed to be part of an investigation regarding a serial killer that skins his victims. During their encounters, Hannibal gets fond of Clarice Starling, cadet and with a main saying, ‘Quid Pro Quo’ he offers Clarice a chance to capture the Buffalo Bill, the serial killer. Using the details provided by Lecter, Clarice guesses that Buffalo Bill considers himself a transgender (when he isn’t) and is creating a "woman suit" because he craves their skin. Clarice figures out that he knew his first target, Francesca Bimmel, and then travels to Ohio to search for more clues. Her search leads her to a local seamstress. The seamstress was no longer living there, but the new tenant turns out to be the murderer. A chase through the serial killer’s puzzle-like basement starts, resulting in Starling gunning down Jame Gumb and rescuing Catherine Martin.

So the long speeches Hannibal gives when talking to Clarice were often hard to grasp in the book but they are amply clear in the film, with Anthony Hopkin’s phenomenal performance.  Since almost all of the dialogue in the book is imitated exactly in the film, I find myself hearing Anthony Hopkins say each word which I could listen every time I watched the film, and I would just hear the story as it was in film, instead of thinking, hey this is a book. There was a song I really felt intrigued from; it was called ‘Goodbye Horses’ which refers to an eastern philosophy to represent the five senses. It narrates that the flying part means that a person would escape the shell of this body to become something else. The words were, “Goodbye Horses, I’m flying over you, Goodbye horses, I’m flying, flying, flying over you”

According to IMDB this film won Oscars in all five categories: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Fun fact is that Anthony Hopkins won Best Actor for acting for almost 16 minutes in the film. And he did a great job doing them. Here is what I learned in the film:

Everyone goes through the phase of change or metamorphosis, the storyline explains how people transform under certain conditions and every character in the film wants to bring a change.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate the movie 9 being the best adaptation I have seen, along with Lord of the rings or the Hobbit. The book 10 because it is one of the most intriguing, most beautifully written books I have ever read.

THIS WEEKEND: In 25 Cities Worldwide, Thousands Rally against Nuclear Weapons on 71st Anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings

“Who will keep us safe?”

Marking the 71st anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, thousands of Global Zero activists will participate in a global day of action calling for an end to the nuclear threat. Activists will tour/ride/hike in Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Islamabad, tracing the blast of a “small” nuclear weapon and highlighting the zone of devastation in which most injuries would be fatal, overwhelming any possible humanitarian relief efforts.

FIND A “BIKE/RIDE AROUND THE BOMB” EVENT HERE:

http://www.globalzero.org/ride‐around‐the‐bomb

“We live in a world still recovering from cold war politics, and nuclear weapons are horrific relics of that time. We cannot afford to continue on this trajectory of clinging to outdated weapons that jeopardize our security every day. Whether by accident or design, entire cities could be erased in a matter of minutes, ending human civilization as we know it.” 

Said Haneen Khalid, South Asia Field Organizer at Global Zero.

“A world in which our safety hangs in the balance is not a world we want to leave behind for future generations. The time to take action to protect our safety is now.” 

In 25 cities around the world, including 4 in Pakistan, 3 in India, and 17 in the US, grassroots activists will demand action to eliminate all nuclear weapons everywhere as they “Ride Around the Bomb.” The demonstrations also come at a time when President Barack Obama, facing public pressure to live up to the nuclear commitments he outlined in Prague in 2009, is reportedly considering a series of executive actions to reduce the global nuclear threat, including a bold reform that would end U.S. policy permitting first use of nuclear weapons.