It makes perfect sense that a documentary about SoCal ska punkers Fishbone would follow in the wake of “Anvil! The Story of Anvil.” Both bands were far ahead of their time, proved to be wildly influential – Gwen Stefani, for one, sings Fishbone’s praises to the heavens – yet neither band could sell a record to save their lives. Slash offers a great quote about how several speed metal bands ripped Anvil off and left them for dead. Fishbone had a few more chances at the brass ring than Anvil did, but the end result proved to be the same. “Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone” explains, in often uncomfortable detail, several of the reasons why they were often their own worst enemies.
The structure of the story is not your typical ‘analyze the band’s career from album to album’ approach. Unfortunately, that turns out to be a problem. The great Laurence Fishburne narrates the band’s tale, but disappears for long segments at a time, and since the timeline jumps around a bit, the viewer never really knows when to expect his return. Also, several albums from the band’s catalog, including 1986’s In Your Face (which included minor MTV hit “When Problems Arise”), are not discussed at all, which denies anyone unfamiliar with the band any sense of momentum, or lack thereof, the band had as they soldiered on.
The first act of the film, though, is pure genius. As the band members recall the early days and their formation, the stories are backed with “Fat Albert”-style animation that both nails and works in stark contrast to the vibe of the band and the area in which they lived. David Kahne, the Columbia Records exec who produced Fishbone’s first four albums, admits that their failure to reach the next level is his greatest career disappointment. There is a wealth of live footage from the early days. Most of the content, though, is a landslide of conflict and hard times; we see lead singer Angelo Moore get evicted from his place, and worse, we see him on video laying into Norwood Fisher, the only other surviving member of the group. Even the guy shooting the video is telling Angelo to stop before he’s gone too far. Then you see Norwood talk about sharing a band with a guy who insists on being Dr. Mad Vibe on the Theremin in the middle of Fishbone gigs, and it’s suddenly easy to see why the band is exactly where it is.
But hot damn, were they awesome at times, and in an industry where the pioneers are scapled a lot more often than they’re rewarded, you can see why someone would want to pay their respects. We’re betting that even the filmmakers did not anticipate the places “Everyday Sunshine” would go, and while that would occasionally lead to an eye-opening moment, the conclusion does not instill the sense of optimism that Anvil had when their credits rolled. Pity. (Cinema Guild 2012)
As we dropped into the back stretch on lap 4, I knew this would be the moment. Strapped into a screaming yellow 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera, it was finally my turn to pass one of the other track cars and catch up to the lead pace Lambo. Following the pace car were me and three more Italian speed machines, all Lamborghinis with a total of about 1700 horsepower among them. I was in the second position among the four cars as the Lambo in front of me swung to the right, giving me a clear path to lift off. The stands to the left were a blur, not unlike a dash cam at Indy, as I paddle shifted at red line to second at 9000 rpms. Nothing can equal the wail of a Lamborghini at these engine speeds, and even with my insulated driver’s helmet and flame retardant mask, it was both deafening and intoxicating.
I mashed the petal with earnest, knowing that this car had a top speed in excess of 200 mph and I was on the longest backstretch of motor speedway in the Southeast United States. Ahead, the white Gallardo pace car taunted me to play catch-up with the other Lambo swinging aside to the right in a 135 mph blur as we hurled toward the hair pin right turn. The huge brakes produced physics-defying deceleration and I caught up (sort of) to the pace car and then rocketed again by the pits for the final lap. I now had the privilege of following the line the instructor found on the track, and I threw all here-to-known concern for life and limb and plowed into the turns. G forces in excess of 1.1 and 1.2 stunned me as we carved the S turns and sweepers past turn one. The Gallardo’s 570 horsepower V-10 goaded me on along with the state-of-the-art All Wheel Drive, ultra light carbon fiber body and Formula 1 speed paddle shifting technology. It all proved that there wasn’t anything I could do that would even mildly challenge this Lamborghini, as this beast was made for this kind of track. It’s as if it was saying: “Is that all you can do? Come on!” I knew then I was in the absolute pinnacle of sports car engineering and design, without peer world-wide. That was my welcome to Lamborghini.
I’ve driven many exotic sports cars so I was thrilled when Jose Morazan, General Manager of Lamborghini Palm Beach, invited me and Bullz-Eye.com to participate in this exclusive Track Day Event hosted by Lamborghini at Palm Beach International Raceway. The experience of driving Lamborghinis on a track far exceeded anything I’d experience in the past with exotic sports cars. In addition to the All Wheel Drive Gallardo described above, all of the guests at the event also got to drive a two-wheel drive Gallardo LP 550-2, which in some way was even more terrifying as it didn’t grip the turns like its All Wheel Drive counterpart.
One of the photographers at the event summed up the experience with a quote from one of the owners of Lamborghini Palm Beach. Erik Day once said about his experience behind the wheel of a Lamborghini on the track: “It’s the closest thing to having sex with a gun pointed at your head!” I have to agree as this summed up the fear and the ecstasy of driving this beast around these turns.
If you want to experience the pure exhilaration of driving a Lamborghini and owning one of these incredible machines, the team of professionals at Lamborghini Palm Beach can help make your dream a reality. Jose Morazan and his team are experts who can help you with new or used Lamborghinis along with all sorts of other used exotics. We were very impressed with their professionalism along with all the Lamborghini representatives that helped us at the track event.
The Lamborghini team stressed the driving experience. This was not a race or a competition, and safety was the primary concern. Yet even with all preparation and the well-designed track program, it still came down to driving these rockets on wheels around tight turns with four more Lamborghinis on the track as well. It was the experience of a lifetime.
Each driver had the opportunity to test two cars on the track, and I started with the 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2. This more traditional Lamborghini layout adheres to the classic mid-engine/Rear Wheel Drive layout that made the marquee famous, and this raging bull was made to impress with 550 brute horsepower and Lambo’s unique E- gear electronically controlled shifting.
With a thumbs up from the pit crew chief we took off. A near vertical acceleration curve was created as we rocketed out of pit row, chasing the other test track Gallardos ahead of us. The first lap was a warm-up lap to let us get to know the car and the track, though at at breakneck speeds of 80 to 110 mph!. The pack of 4 showed no sign of trepidation, so I barreled ahead, through the sweepers, round houses, and S configurations to keep pace with them. The famous Palm Beach International Speedway back stretch came soon after the S’s, which gave me the opportunity to finally up shift to second, or dare I say third!
This car handled magnificently, with predictable over steer, both in left and right cambers. Yet I knew this car wouldn’t grip the track quite like the All Wheel Drive version, and I could feel the back end sliding just enough to scare the hell out of me as we raced through the tight turns. That’s why the purists and driving pros love this traditional model, but I was just trying to keep up without spinning out, so my stress level was through the roof!
This car was especially impressive, however, on the straight-aways. On the back stretch I saw the electronically controlled rear spoiler rise up as I got over 100 mph, planting this aerodynamic wonder even firmer on the raceway. With a stunning top speed of 199 mph and a thrilling 3.9 second 0-62 mph launch time, few words describe the power and presence of a classic Gallardo.
After five exhilarating laps, we switched vehicles to test out the more stout and athletic version of the 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera. I was more comfortable with the track and this All Wheel Drive version would give me more confidence in the turns, yet that produced even more challenges as I pushed this one a little harder.
With equal part fear and lust, I shoehorned my way into the cockpit with the smell of ultra-heated brake pads lingering from its previous track run. Carbon fiber enveloped us and the lack of seat recline only reinforced the no nonsense approach to the driver/machine union Lambo engineers intended upon creation. Currently the most powerful V-10 sports car in the world and with state of the art All Wheel Drive, this car oozed performance and never failed to deliver. The lead pace car took off and we blasted out of pit row 0-80 in a tic over 4 seconds, a continuous rush all in first gear. The first of the 11 turns on this 2 mile track was a medium right sweeper, and the Gallardo laughed at me while I hung the sharp right with barely a yawn of effort . . . it’s as if it was saying, “Can’t you do better than .91 g lateral acceleration?” I immediately knew this car’s potential far out-paced my own, even in my wildest dreams. The pack started to spread out slightly, just in time for the big roundhouse right turn, leading to the wild S curves. I decided to now give up all hope of sanity and drive this car well beyond what I was truly believed was a speed that would spin us hard into the retaining wall. But this Lambo gripped the track unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.
Holding the wheel tightly to keep me from being flung to the far right hand door of the cockpit, I was amazed at the lateral 1.0 + G forces generated by this Italian wonder, all with absolute neutral steering. The All Wheel Drive geometrics redefines what you assume is physically capable in a road car, all while telegraphing minute and nuanced feedback through the steering wheel and chassis. Forgiving is not enough to describe the balance, and along with an all aluminum space-frame and carbon fiber body/chassis, this car can do no wrong. Now I had the confidence to thrash my way to the thrilling S curves, and nothing was like it! Clearing the S’s, we banked right into the Speedway back stretch, finally allowing me to paddle shift up to 135 as I described above and then within milliseconds slam on to the brakes, hauling the beast back to 25 and then hair pin right back to the pit row straight. Each lap give me increased confidence, and with that my lap times improving accordingly. Finally behind the pace car, I followed and learned his line, break points and shift timing, giving me the best lap time of the session. A seasoned professional Lamborghini test pilot, he politely didn’t waste me in his dust, although at the time it felt like break neck Indy speeds to me. Undoubtedly, this car has the best sounding v-10 engine anywhere; the wail is positively spine-tingling at 8,000 rpm redline.
With the weight savings of the Superleggera model, Lamborghini presents the driver with a 2953 pound rocket with 570 horsepower to play with, thus translating 0-60 lift-offs in a thrilling 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph! Its unique 5.2 lb/hp power-to-weight ratio and single clutch electronically managed E shift technology, Lamborghini once again offers sports car enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike an opportunity to live the automotive dream.
UPDATE: Here’s a fun video with clips from the event along with a photo montage of the cool Lambos:
There are plenty of new Blu-rays on tap this week, and as usual, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. I didn’t even bother writing entries for Clint Eastwood’s “J. Edgar” and the “Shrek” spin-off “Puss in Boots” because the sooner we forget about both movies the better, while other noteworthy titles like Criterion’s “Anatomy of a Murder” and the first season of BBC’s “The Fades” weren’t available for review. Fans of Criterion’s previous releases can confidently blind-buy the former, however, knowing it will live up to their standards.
“Martha Marcy May Marlene”
Sean Durkin’s directorial debut was a big hit at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, and after finally seeing the movie myself during its theatrical release, it’s easy to understand why. A disturbing yet mesmerizing psychological thriller about a girl who runs away from a cult only to become increasingly paranoid that its members have tracked her down, “Martha Marcy May Marlene” (so titled for the various names that its protagonist uses throughout the course of the film) is bone-chilling suspense at its best. Durkin’s cleverly edited transitions between past and present are so disorienting that you start to become as paranoid as Martha herself, while star-in-the-making Elizabeth Olsen delivers an incredible performance that should have netted her an Oscar nomination. “Martha Marcy May Marlene” is one of those rare movies that stay with long after it’s over, sparking debate about its purposefully vague ending. It’s sure to enrage some, but most cinephiles will love every gripping minute.
Blu-ray Highlight: The list of included bonus material isn’t as impressive as it sounds, but fans of the movie will still no doubt be interested in director Sean Durkin’s short film “Mary Last Seen,” which serves as a companion piece to “Martha Marcy May Marlene.”
“Tower Heist”
Though a lot of people were quick to condemn “Tower Heist” before they even had a chance to see it, I was hopeful that Brett Ratner – who’s a better director than he gets credit for – would prove them wrong. After all, not only did the movie boast a promising setup and a great cast (including the potentially dynamic pairing of Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy), but the script was co-written by Ted Griffin, who penned the “Ocean’s Eleven” remake and co-created the excellent but short-lived FX drama “Terriers.” In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have been so optimistic, because despite its timely subject matter and the aforementioned components, “Tower Heist” never really makes the most of its potential. There are a handful of humorous moments littered throughout, but for the most part, it’s a rather unmemorable heist movie that’s biggest disappointment is its mediocrity.
Blu-ray Highlight: Universal has provided a solid collection of bonus material for the two-disc release, but the audio commentary with director Brett Ratner, co-writers Ted Griffin and Jeff Nathanson, and editor Mark Helfrich is the clear standout. In addition to revealing some interesting anecdotes about the long road from development to production (including Eddie Murphy’s original pitch for an all-black cast with guys like Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle and Chris Tucker), the quartet also talks about working with the ensemble cast and the challenges of filming the movie’s various set pieces.
“The Son of No One”
Channing Tatum must have made a deal with the Devil earlier in his life, because it’s the only possible explanation as to why Hollywood is so obsessed with him. After seven years in the business, Tatum hasn’t delivered a single performance that’s convinced me he has any real talent as an actor, and yet he continues to get work in high-profile projects. Director Dito Montiel is perhaps the worst offender, having cast him in all of three of his films, including this laughable police drama that also stars Al Pacino, Ray Liotta and Katie Holmes. The only thing worse than watching Tatum bumble his way through yet another leading role is the dreadful script by Montiel, which lazily strings together a series of incredibly pointless events and moments of manufactured conflict that are so easily avoidable it can be viewed as nothing less than an insult to the audience’s integrity.
Blu-ray Highlight: There are only two extras on the disc, but the audio commentary with writer/director Dito Montiel and executive producer/editor Jake Pushinsky offers up some interesting nuggets about making the film despite the long stretches of silence.
The Whiskey Smash is probably one of the clearest examples of a drink rescued from complete obscurity by the ongoing classic cocktail revival. Although the modern version featured in a growing number of retro-friendly bars differs enough from the recipe written up by cocktail pioneer Jerry Thomas in 1862 to be an entirely different cocktail, the more polished and slightly more elaborate version below is certainly a classic of sorts.
As it stands, the Whiskey Smash is a close relative of the Mojito and the (I swear upcoming) Mint Julep. It’s outstanding for a warm day or in a bar so crowded if feels like a warm day. Certainly if you’re a fan of whiskey, lemon, mint, and heavy muddling, this is your drink.
The Whiskey Smash
2-3 ounces whiskey (bourbon, rye, Canadian, etc.)
1 quarter lemon, cut into four or more pieces
5 or more mint leaves
2-3 teaspoons superfine sugar
3 dashes of bitters
1/2-3/4 ounce water (optional)
1 mint sprig (semi-optional garnish)
1 maraschino cherry (very optional garnish)
Combine your whiskey, lemon pieces, superfine sugar, mint leaves and, if you like, splash of water in a cocktail shaker. (The water is really only there to approximate the 1/2 to 3/4 ounces of simple syrup most recipes call for instead of sugar, but I found the results about the same whether or not I included it.)
Muddle it all rather intensely, paying special attention to give a good mushing to the lemon pieces — this is a “smash” after all. You can take it a bit easier on the mint if you like. Make sure, however, that your sugar is dissolved in the liquid, which should happen without too much effort if you’re using superfine sugar and not cheating with ordinary table sugar.
Add lots of ice — cracked or crushed ice is probably better — and shake vigorously. Strain into a well chilled old fashioned glass with a few ice cubes in it. Because of all the lemon, mint, and crushed ice you may have to exercise a bit more patience at the straining stage, but your forebearance will shortly be rewarded. If you’d like an extra dash of sweetness and color, add a maraschino cherry along with the semi-obligatory mint-spring.
****
I found the results remarkably consistent regardless of which whiskey I used, though I found using Buffalo Trace bourbon resulted in a slightly more mellow and interesting smash than the super-reasonably priced Evan Williams I picked up for a ten spot. 100 proof whiskeys seem to work well here, and I had good luck using my standby Rittenhouse Rye as well as the hard to find 100 proof Canadian Club I’m lucky enough to have. (You can buy it online here.) I also found that this one drink that worked very nicely not only with traditional aromatic bitters like Angostura, but also with the bottle of Fee Brothers Celery Bitters I recently picked up. (Speaking of revived classics, as I understand it, celery bitters pretty much disappeared between sometime in the middle of prohibition and, believe it or not, 2008.)
I’ve also noticed there’s something of a fetish among bartenders not to end up with bits of mint in the final, strained drink. It happened to me a lot of the time, and it wasn’t a problem either in terms of taste or aesthetics, in my view.
And just a reminder that you will really need a good, solid muddler suitable for lemon smashing as described so long ago in our guide to bar implements. If you don’t have one, you can improvise but you want something solid. A freshly washed hammer used with extreme caution, perhaps.
Pretty obvious why we chose this band for this week, wouldn’t you say?
Happy President’s Day weekend, everyone. Oh, and don’t bail on this clip once “Lump” is finished, as the band follows it with their cover of the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star.” Sweeeet.
It makes perfect sense that a documentary about SoCal ska punkers Fishbone would follow in the wake of “Anvil! The Story of Anvil.” Both bands were far ahead of their time, proved to be wildly influential – Gwen Stefani, for one, sings Fishbone’s praises to the heavens – yet neither band could sell a record to save their lives. Slash offers a great quote about how several speed metal bands ripped Anvil off and left them for dead. Fishbone had a few more chances at the brass ring than Anvil did, but the end result proved to be the same. “Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone” explains, in often uncomfortable detail, several of the reasons why they were often their own worst enemies. 
The Whiskey Smash is probably one of the clearest examples of a drink rescued from complete obscurity by the ongoing 
