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composers Morrissey Music music videos photography singer songwriters The Smiths vocalists

So Many Blank Pages: The Morrissey.

How Soon Is Now: album length.

Few are in the class, charisma-wise, of The Steven Patrick Morrissey. The mononymous one, co-founder of The Smiths, with guitarist Johnny Marr, ventured out on his own, diary in hand, to great fanfare in 1987. As it turns out, he did rather well.

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Audio Charisma composers dancing Eerie Spatiality Eternal existentialism Geniuses Ian Curtis Joy Division Music music videos performers photography Poetic Genius Poetry Punk Singers Terminal videos vocalists

The Differently-Realmed Ian Curtis, and Joy Division.

Go ahead. Choose a realm, any realm. Ian’s not from there; he’s never taken up residence there, and, for that matter, spends precious little—if any—time there. Yes. It’s been proven.

The composer/vocalist of Joy Division hails from some different locale than do most human beings. Ian’s lodgings come rent-free, and he’s been awarded the keys to The City.

We’re not talking about earth, which he departed many years ago, alas, in 1980. He certainly left his mark here on this planet, but his realm is, and has ever been, elsewhere.

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David Byrne Eno Geniuses hit singles Music music videos new wave performers photography Singers Talking Heads videos vocalists

Talking Heads: the Mad Professor-ism of David Byrne.

Mind. Montreux. 1982.
New Feeling. {from 77 album}

A few comments on our selections {NOT all of them!!}: Cities {1983, 1982, *and* 1980 versions} *might* be David Byrne’s high-water mark as an “umm, what???” vocalist. The Impossible writ upon a landscape. Pulled Up and Mind, at the very least, are looking uneasily over their shoulders. The “He’s come undone” staggerings/lurchings in Psycho Killer {1983} are also enough to keep one alive for several epochs; the 1979 Mudd Club version is electrifying, mystique-laden; ridiculously brilliant. Both versions of Drugs have an eerie, haunting element all of their own; Dollette McDonald and Adrian B contribute mightily. Crosseyed {all versions} is simply a collective singe-fest.

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athletes Charisma Geniuses photography Roger Federer sport tennis videos

Roger Federer: Mad Genius at Work.

2011 French Open Semifinal vs. Djokovic here.

This masterful, stylish, dominant Swiss athlete, Roger Federer, has achieved such towering heights, in tennis, that he is generally considered the sport’s greatest ever practitioner. He has given many, many thrills over the years…with his nonpareil artistry and creativity; his indomitable will; his uncanny proclivity to produce his best when it matters most, when so many others wilt. Always so aware, so ready to seize command of the point. There’s just an extra gear/dimension to his game we’ve not seen before. An undeniable sense of synergy pervades his shotmaking. He has a unique way of taking time away from his opponent with his feet and timing. Winners from every court position flow from his racquet. His touch is exquisite. At his best, Roger’s game was—and, is—nothing short of poetry, the poetry of a genius…a slightly mad one, at that.

I’ll always recall my first viewing, against American Andy Roddick, in the 2003 Wimbledon semi-finals. His preternatural grace and *feel* for the game I simply found astonishing. Magical. When Federer closed out the second set with, really, something no one had seen—a running, forehand half-volley {usually a defensive shot} utterly whipped into the corner for an uncontested winner—both men had to smile. Commentator John McEnroe, quite capable of producing his *own* magic with a racket, was incredulous. “That’s not possible.”

On a personal note, I was fortunate enough to partake of the Great Man at very close quarters; a practice session. Being at such proximity to Mr. Federer would have to be included in one’s rather intimately scaled coterie of “Religious Experiences”. Plus, he also rather casually did something impossible. He’s like that.

The grace also masked an assassin-like ruthlessness that could torture opponents. Nick Kyrgios, the temperamental Australian star, has said that Federer is the only player who has ever made him feel like he really did not know what he was doing on a tennis court.

From the great Rafael Nadal, on his immortal rival: “If he is playing very good, I have to play unbelievable. If not, it’s impossible, especially if he’s playing with good confidence. When he’s 100 per cent, he’s playing in another league. It’s impossible to stop him.”

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Abandoned Acukur Alper Çukor Existential Photography existentialism Martin Rak Nowhere Photographers photography Stairs

Stairs to Nowhere.

A bit of existentialism. Martin Rak accounts for the top three images; then Alper Çukor for the succeeding five. Michel Rajkovic has two more, Shane Lyman one, and the final three are unknown. Fittingly.

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Bruce Springsteen Charisma epoch-defining hit singles music videos performers photography Poetry Singers videos vocalists

Springsteen.

Titanic moments of ecstasy, pathos, and catharsis are the norm for this great man, in his legendary live performances.

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existentialism Matt Leahy Opposing Indigenous Beliefs Photo-Editing Photographers photography

The It-Ness, vol. 23.

The following would constitute some of my latest endeavors in the realm of your difficult-to-define, impossible-to-resist imagery.

Photography by Matt Leahy.

With nonpareil quasi-palindromic presentation.

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Abandoned Abandoned hospitals existentialism Macabre Operating Rooms photography

Oh, No…Abandoned Areas of Doom.

Areas of Doom, for 200. Perhaps not exactly qualifying as ideal locations in which to find oneself.

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Actors existentialism Matt Leahy Singers

Viewing the Morning with Much Alarm.

1.51
13a
14b
31.001
32.001

Noted flâneur, ombudsman, prose stylist, enigmatic recluse, photographer, and soi-disant “Towering genius” Matt Leahy is doing something, something the inner (or outer) machinations of which we can only, well, sit drooling in slack-jawed bamboozlement. At. Yes, “at”. For starters. Call him {me}… Ἀρχίλοχος .

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athletes Athletics Commentators football Joe Montana NFL photography sport

The Joe Montana.

Top 100
“The Catch” w/Vin Scully.
Comeback Kid.
Super Bowl XXIIII
Joe Montana VII
San Francisco 49ers Football - Joe Montana

Joe Montana, arguably the greatest quarterback to ever play the game (certainly Tom Brady and Johnny Unitas are in the conversation) (with apologies to Steve DeBerg), is shown here with footage of one of his greatest feats/moments: The Drive to win Super Bowl XXIII. The legendary Genius, Bill Walsh, was coaching his final game, which upped the ante, even for a championship contest. There was no room for error. With ever-so-calm, surgical precision, and poetic nuance, The Great One made it happen, as was seemingly preordained by “Heaven Gods”, as commentator (from the “other” Football) Ray Hudson might proclaim. Announcer Lon Simmons, one of the best, is featured (!).

Other highlights, including The Catch, are also featured.

Joe Knows.