The University of Oregon in Portland is showing a free screening of the documentary ‘Copyright Criminals’ and I have been invited to interview the director afterwards. The documentary takes a look at the many hurdles that hip hop artists, DJs and producers have to overcome to use samples of other peoples work in their ostensibly new or reworked versions of classic songs and beats. Those interviewed in the documentary include - Chuck D of Public Enemy, James Brown’s drummer Clyde Stubblefield and co-founder of the Creative Commons Larry Lessig. It also includes performances from Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, Grandmaster Flash and more….

Wednesday April 15 @ 6 PM No Charge and open to the public.
The University of Oregon in Portland
White Stag Block
70 NW Couch St, Portland Oregon

“an amazing documentary on the history of sampling…it kicks
you in the head with how radically the sampler redefined
music…” Blender Magazine

Co-sponsored by the UO Portland Library & Learning Commons and the Portland State University Sociology Club. Promotional considerations by KPSU.

Soft Focus with Ian Svenonius [he of Nation of Ulysses fame]
A live taping of interviews with musicians Fred and Toody of Dead Moon & Stephen Malkmus
December 4th, 7 - 10 at Baghdad, 3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

Followed by a Post-interview Afterparty
At which Ian Svenonius will select and play records from his extensive collection of dusty 45s at Aalto Lounge, 3356 SE Belmont St. 10 pm until…

Thursday, August 14
Night Fix and Floating World Comics present Day One of
SUPERTRASH 48-HR FILMFEST: The World Premiere of HEMPSTERS: PLANT THE SEED featuring appearances by Woody Harrelson and Willie Nelson
An entire weekend of films, indulgence and more
7 p.m. | $3 | 21 & over. More information here.

After breaking records in Feb 08 with 2000+ ticket sales, SuperTrash returns to the ginormous Bagdad Theater for more glorious mixing of popular and obscure cinema. The ‘magic act’ of SuperTrash is in the curatorial realm. We are all about “context-driven-content.” That may sound silly, but this is what it means: by creating an environment where big-budget commercial and ragamuffin exploitation films can intermingle, SuperTrash encourages what people already know, which is: These days, it is hard to tell the difference between art and trash. Is that good? It’s better than good. It’s Super. Trash.

About the movie HEMPSTERS: PLANT THE SEED: Showing Thursday August 14th.

If you’ve felt indifferent to the industrial hemp movement so far, this lively documentary will jump start your thinking. After witnessing the arrest of Woody Harrelson for planting four feral hemp seeds in Kentucky and his subsequent trial and acquittal, you will likely be spittin’ mad. You might be nearly as mad as traveling hemp activist Craig Lee and a number of featured old-school Kentucky tobacco farmers who want to grow the multipurpose crop as a way to save their farms.