Monkeyrockworld

TAQWACORE -- The Birth of Punk Islam” by Omar Majeed, 2009

Ok, I’ve just finished watching TAQWACORE and what’s better than penning down my fresh opinions in Monkeyrockworld? Nothing, especially as this is so much up my alley of interests. I do not want to be annoying retelling stories you may read elsewhere on the net, but in a nutshell, Eyesteel Films produced the documentary on the explosion of “Taqwacore”: what the heck is that? Muslim punk rock baby. Yep… if you can get more controversial than that, please try to explain it. Named after the famous novel “The Taqwacores” by Michael “Muhammad” Knight (which is another movie all to itself, not to be confounded with this one), TAQWACORE is the first wave of American punk bands (and well, all spectres of punk as we go from the almost ska outbursts of the Kominas to the full-on crusty sludge of Al Thawra) who earned a reputation for bringing it out on a quite impressive coast-to-coast American tour. This movie documents that trip on the “Green Van” of Taqwa (the Muslim concept of God consciousness), the reception from the American Muslim punks, a paradoxical road trip ending with a real punk performance at Chicago’s American Muslims conference. The Taqwacores really bring a spark of excitement in the otherwise dull, middle-class, plastic American punk contemporary scene by bringing new lymph into the movement. It is definitely interesting. (more…)

Colgo l’occasione di una curiosa notizia riguardo l’uscita di un film sull’ultimo non-libro di Tiziano Terzani, “La Fine e’ il Mio Inizio”. Ironicamente, ma nemmeno tanto vista la biografia di questo personaggio al quale solo la Germania ha dato una possibilita’ di “formarsi” come giornalista di trincea e non solo a cavallo degli avvenimenti storici piu’ significativi degli oscuri anni ’70, il film non e’ italiano, ma ovviamente una produzione tedesca. E che cosa potevamo aspettarci? Incollo il trailer da vedere e gustare nella versione nazi sprachen, aspettando con curiosita’, sperando come molti di voi che non sia l’ennesima cagata. Succede spesso quando si tratta di adattare un’opera letteraria, soprattutto una di tale valore e complessa realizzazione come “La Fine e’ il Mio Inizio”. (more…)

A little tribute collection of train rides, overnight and not, from my Indian trip in April 2010. It seemed important and funny to give a visual aid to understand the sheer fun of it… train was the transportation I mostly used, and I don’t regret any single trip I took. It is safe, relatively fast and hassle free (once you have purchased a ticket ) and mostly, it allows you to enjoy the scenic countryside views and meet real local people. I strongly suggest you travel in India using the train, and please enjoy my little video tribute to my Indian train adventures. They also make an incredibly cheap overnight hotel, remember!!

It’s been a long time since I updated Monkeyrockworld. Why? Because I have spent a month in India, and I have been busy, and I didn’t bother thinking  about this stupid website, for all that matters. It seems like some people are getting offended or puzzled by what I try to say, so, better to shut the fuck up and enjoy my own time and my life, rather than trying to be the idiot Messiah of Independent Travel.  Honestly, today especially, in this hazy day interrupted by little showers of hot rain, after an airport pick up at 6 am and another late morning sleep to try to help with the recent lack of it, I just don’t care. I started thinking, as always, though, and I got nostalgic. I saw the little alien with the big head occupying the best part of my right arm, pointing a laser gun at my sorry ass face still encrusted with the dirt of sleep, and I remembered why I am a Monkey Motherfucker. My cultural roots are all over the place in the best extremities the world had to offer, and since it appears most of you are too busy hiding your heads into your own asses when it comes to talk about modern world and travelling, I’ll try to give you a Sunday shot of past awesomeness. Because you gotta understand the past, to understand the present, they say. (more…)

It’s good sometimes to discover that somewhere people are still doing good horror movies. And it’s not America!! This time is Thailand.
In a time when the Star Striped movie industry is dying on its last legs and “borrowing” (to say the least offensive) here and there, especially from the Asian markets, it’s quite inspiring to find that the source of if not original, at least brilliant thrills, is now centered in the East. (more…)

I am in Myanmar (Burma) at the moment and probably forced not to work on the site for the whole lenght of my stay.

A few people know about Myanmar and fewer people know about its problems. I am not the first one to talk about this and won’t be the last, and probably not even the most prolific or interesting teller of this country’s unique segregation from the World. But while I am there living my Myanmar experience and writing about it, I want to present some videos contributed by a new friend, and a man I strongly admire.

Antonio Graceffo, an Italian American adventure writer and martial arts enthusiast, left a Wall Street finance background to literally dive into Asian adventures and languages. One of his most recent projects is a documentary called “In Shanland” : defying the Burmese government’s ban on journalists, Antonio crossed the border under the protection of the Shan State Army, and began filming interviews with IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) within the war zone.

I am currently interviewing Antonio for Monkeyrockworld, and I thought this series of posts can be a good introduction to Myanmar, its people, and Antonio to my readers. You will definitely enjoy. (more…)

I am in Myanmar (Burma) at the moment and probably forced not to work on the site for the whole lenght of my stay.

A few people know about Myanmar and fewer people know about its problems. I am not the first one to talk about this and won’t be the last, and probably not even the most prolific or interesting teller of this country’s unique segregation from the World. But while I am there living my Myanmar experience and writing about it, I want to present some videoscontributed by a new friend, and a man I strongly admire.

Antonio Graceffo, an Italian American adventure writer and martial arts enthusiast, left a Wall Street finance background to literally dive into Asian adventures and languages. One of his most recent projects is a documentary called “In Shanland” : defying the Burmese government’s ban on journalists, Antonio crossed the border under the protection of the Shan State Army, and began filming interviews with IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) within the war zone.

I am currently interviewing Antonio for Monkeyrockworld, and I thought this series of posts can be a good introduction to Myanmar, its people, and Antonio to my readers. You will definitely enjoy. (more…)