Trying to explain Death Vessel in a blog post would be like trying to draw an accurate map of Brooklyn on a post-it note. With a sharpie. Can’t be done. So lets just move on to the part where we would say, “never mind these bollocks, just get the new record and you’ll understand.” Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us was released on Sub Pop last Tuesday, find it at Other Music today, see him on tour throughout September.

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Albert Maysles is about as humble and earnest a man you will find anywhere in the world, which makes the fact that he’s a filmmaking legend all the more amazing. He and his brother David pioneered “direct cinema” in the 1960’s, revolutionizing documentary filmmaking, and are responsible for the great films Salesman, Grey Gardens and Gimme Shelter. On 8.26 Albert regaled a rapt crowd at the Rogan store on the Bowery in NYC with stories from his improbable and fascinating career, interspersing never-before-seen clips from his extensive film catalog. Criterion will soon be releasing extended versions of these gems on DVD, including a buzzed and slaphappy Marlon Brando trying to get through a press junket, The Rolling Stones listening to the mixdowns of Wild Horses for the first time, a wigged Salvador Dali speaking jibberish to a bikini-clad Raquel Welch and Muhammad Ali shadow boxing the camera on a deserted road in Africa.

Above, that’s Al and Fred [gripped tight in his right] giving an interview to Vanity Fair after the show. For a little guy, Fred is a huge fan.

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Michael Stipe and designer Rogan Gregory [checkout http://rogannyc.com] launched their collaborative art exhibit at Rogan’s studio on Bowery in NYC on June 26, 08 for a month. Bronzed cassette tapes above, by Michael, represent the power of media as a blank canvas for art, retro-style. Fred was cold chillin’ at the studio in about the most humid environment of his career [a sweaty night it was]. Other interesting folk at the event included ColdPlay’s Chris Martin, brother-in-law Jake Paltrow [ NYPD Blue, Director and brother of Gwyneth ], Mike D of Beastie Boys and artists Jeff Koons, Michael Halsband and Terrence Koh. As the consummate blackbelt in hanging out, take Fred’s word for it when he says: “Checkout Rogan Jeans.” They must be Fred-friendly…

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Don’t miss your chance to stand up and ask one of those crazy modern artists, “Hey do you know Matthew Barney? Can you ask him to tell Bjork that I think she’s the bomb?” On Tuesday, video artist Mika Rottenberg will be at the MoMA taking questions about her art (see above image) and possibly about Matthew Barney’s wife as well. Check out event details here.

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On Iceland’s independence day, Sigur Ros chose to be in NYC to celebrate Olafur Eliasson’s P.S.1 show by performing in the MoMA atrium and hanging out with Fred. On stage with the band was none other than Honoré de Balzac, preserved for posterity by the great Auguste Rodin. Why is a monument to a French writer by a French sculptor on stage with an Icelandic band celebrating a Danish-Icelandic artist? That will remain one of life’s great mysteries. Here’s another great mystery: if silk-screen artist Shepard Fairey (of Obey Giant fame) and Sigur Ros singer Jónsi Birgisson were standing in the same room, could anyone tell them apart?

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Where on Earth has Fred been recently? Why no FredSpot updates? Well folks, Fred has been in Asia clearing his mind and learning the wisdom of the ancients. And while he was gone the rest of us just watched American Idol and caught up on some sleep. But now that Fred is back from his spiritual journey, he’s ready to kick out the jams all summer long. Which means FredSpot is back in action, baby! But before we get started, lets share a moment of zen with these photos of Fred coolin’ out with some truly monumental figures, courtesy of his guide to the Far East, FOF Rachel O.

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Check out LVHRD.org for more strange details.

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