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Shuffled! is a weekly column appearing every Thursday here on BPRLive. Each week, we welcome a person from the APA community to share some thoughts about the music they listen to. Check out the Shuffled! archive for past articles.

Today’s Shuffler: Michael Kang

Michael Kang is a Korean American filmmaker trying to get comfortable with the idea that he is based in Los Angeles. His feature film directorial debut “The Motel” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is currently on DVD through Palm Pictures. “The Motel” is the recipient of the Humanitas Prize as well as the top jury prizes from numerous festivals. “The Motel” was also nominated for Best First Feature Film by The Independent Spirit Awards. Recently, Michael was honored with a National Endowment for the Arts Artist’s Residency Grant at The MacDowell Colony. Michael is recipient of the Geri Ashur Award in screenwriting through the New York Foundation for the Arts. Michael also received a fellowship through the ABC / DGA New Talent Television Directing Program. Michael premiered his second feature “West 32nd” at The Tribeca Film Festival and had its international premiere at the Pusan International Film Festival. “West 32nd” will be theatrically released in the US in the fall of 2008. Google him for more info. (He’s not the Michael Kang that plays mandolin for the String Cheese Incident).

Shuffle on shuffler…

God’s Children
The Kinks
I just recently rediscovered the Kinks and I just can’t get over how good this song is. It’s the kind of song that just makes you feel good about the world even though it’s pretty critical of the world at large. Maybe with all the crap that’s going on with politics in this country and the turmoil in the world, the song is more relevant now.

Someone
Big Phony
I first found out about Big Phony when I was looking for music for my new film West 32nd. This is a song off his new album “Straight To Bootleg.” It’s haunting and beautiful. I love Big Phony’s guitar work. He has that Elliot Smith thing going on but it’s more than that — there’s a playfulness to his lyrics that contrasts the mellow vibe. Seeing him live is especially a treat; he can impressively chug a pint of Guinness and then make all the girls swoon to his heart-breaking lyrics.

Nostalgic
Sanawon
I have tried twice to find a place for Sanawon’s music in my feature films. I discovered them first when I was researching music for The Motel. I haven’t yet found a place for them in my movies, but that Jenny Choi is super talented. I am sure I will one day. Maybe I’ll write a scene in my next film that features them playing at some club. I love the blend of keyboards into her power pop, but this song is so clean with just vocals and guitar — it makes me feel like I’m in a Harold and Maude-type movie. I am also a sucker for female vocalists.

Lover Boy
Clazziquai Project
Whenever I travel, I like to find out what the kids are listening to. At the Pusan International Film Festival last year where West 32nd had its international premiere, I saw these guys perform. They are kind of like a less experimental Pizzicato Five or maybe an updated Dee-Lite. Both of those descriptions make them sound terrible. They aren’t. They have really catchy tunes that don’t feel like the generic K-pop that gets churned out.

Jam On It
Newcleus
I recently downloaded this classic 80’s pop rap song to try and convert it into a ringtone for my iPhone. Unfortunately Steve Jobs doesn’t allow it. Instead I just listen to it incessantly. I think it still holds up. After downloading it, I googled them and was glad to hear they were still out there making music. I am giving away my age here, but back in my middle school days, this song was like a cultural phenomenon. It became such a huge hit and it helped validate my love of old school rap — I had the Sugarhill Gang 12′ and the Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five album. If I could change anything about my teen years, it would have been to follow my desires to learn how to DJ. Growing up in Providence, it always felt like something totally out of the question. I pretty much destroyed my mom’s RCA record player trying to teach myself.

Last 5 posts by shuffled

• Shuffled! Theresa Hwang - July 2nd, 2009
• Shuffled! Taiyo Na - June 25th, 2009
• Shuffled! Keith Chow - June 18th, 2009
• Shuffled! Returns Next Thursday - June 11th, 2009
• Shuffled! Jenn of Reappropriate.com - January 8th, 2009

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