The multimedia Songs About Time is an ongoing project from the Rentals, the revolving-door band founded 15 years ago by then Weezer bassist Matt Sharp. Songs About Time finds Sharp and Co. collaborating with a cast of about 50 filmmakers, designers, producers, editors and artists. They began this year-long experiment January 1 and have since made a new black-and-white film every week, not to mention documenting the process with a daily photo diary and recording three mini-albums. (All of this content can be found on the band’s website.) As if Sharp wasn’t busy enough, he is also guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read his introduction.
Sharp: The best piece of advice I ever got on how to fight the good fight against insomnia is this: When you can’t shut off the buzzing mind, just read a book that you’ve already read several times before. Letters To Emil by Henry Miller is the book that I use to shut off my buzzing mind. It’s a collection of letters that Miller sent to his good friend Emil Schnellock during his most famous period living as an expatriate in Paris.
