As 2012 comes to an end, we are taking a look back at some of our favorite posts of the year by our guest editors.
More than 10 years have passed since Rebecca Gates put out her solo debut, Ruby Series. The former member of the Spinanes mostly shifted her energy to other projects: coordinating and managing exhibitions for museums, lecturing at arts centers, composing music for dance and film, participating in performance pieces and stylizing photos for magazines. She also did some bookkeeping, retreated to Rhode Island and helped friends build a movie theater. But as time and money allowed, she also popped back into studios to put together her follow-up, The Float (12XU). Gates will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new Q&A with her.
Gates: There are many others who can speak to the moment in history when Soul! originated better than I, and there’s great documentation here. I first saw it years ago at a film screening in Portland. Video archivist David Peck chose to include a few episodes as part of a program of music videos and films he’d compiled from his collection. (There was an amazing clip of the Flying Burrito Brothers singing on a boat in sailor suits that I’ve not seen since.) He showed the episode with Al Green singing “Tired Of Being Alone,” and I simultaneously teared up, sat slack jawed and felt I should immediately marry somebody, anybody. Let’s get this right. Right? Love and happiness.
Soul! had incredible production quality (both visual and sonic), astonishing set design, on point booking and smart talk. And it wasn’t only music; there’s an episode of women’s poetry that is mind crushing. Nikki Giovanni interviewed Muhammad Ali, Max Roach and Co. performed M’Boom (!!) and on and on. Completely, insanely inspirational.
“The entertainment-variety-talk show was not only a vehicle to promote black artistry, community and culture, but also a platform for political expression and the fight for social justice. It showcased classic live musical performances from funk, soul, jazz and world musicians, but had in-depth, extraordinary interviews with political, sports, literary figures and more. It was the first program on WNET/Thirteen to be recorded on the then-new technology of videotape.”
Video after the jump.
