Being an American sax player, composer and actor, born December 14, 1952 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he started as a filmmaker and painter in the 1970s. Later he founded in 1979 his band "The Lounge Lizards" together with his brother Evan Lurie.
As the singer of "The Lounge Lizards" primarily in New York’s downtown music scene, he did bizarre interpretations of jazz standard opus, for what he made up the term "fake jazz" (jazz rhythms melt with punk and bebop elements; a kind of ironically broken jazz). Although this term was no more than a joking refer after their first concert in 1979.
He is best known for his dead pan performances in the films of Jim Jarmusch (Permanent Vacation, Stranger than Paradise, Down by Law).
"Most of my songs", John Lurie says, "base on the Doppler Effect. I conceive ideas running around in Manhattan und hearing radio sounds from two taxis driving in opposite directions, or – for example – under the shower: then I jump out of it immediately and run to my keyboard. There is a regular track in my apartment between the shower and the keyboard. The wooden floor is already quite warped by running back and forth being soaking wet."
"I’ve never had any respect for jazz but always for single persons like Coltrane, Mingus, Hendrix and Kurt Cobain. I don’t care about the categories they belong to and I would even say that Coltrane was too big, too genuine to become pockets as a hipster. Terms like jazz, punk, rock and pop are but small minded avaricious categories to press music into a selling system. It's just shit that most musicians admit to this little game and finally sound like the sign indicating the record store’s style."
Waits on "Lounge Lizards" and their music:
"They used to accuse John Lurie of doing fake jazz - a lot of posture, a lot of volume. When I first heard it, it was so loud, I wanted to go outside and listen through the door, and it was jazz. And that was an unusual thing in New York, to go to a club and hear jazz that loud, at the same volume people were listening to punk rock. Get the first record, 'The Lounge Lizards'. You know, John's one of those people, if you walk into a field with him, he'll pick up an old pipe and start to play it, and get a really good sound out of it. He's very musical, works with the best musicians, but never go fishing with him. He's a great arranger and composer with an odd sense of humor."
Table of Contents
A) JOHN LURIE
IMPORTANT WORKS
Discography
Filmography
B) FISHING WITH JOHN
QUOTATIONS
C) SCENES FROM "FISHING WITH JOHN"
THE JIM JARMUSCH SEQUEL
THE TOM WAITS SEQUEL
D) FILMOGRAPHY
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the life and creative output of the American musician and actor John Lurie, with a specific focus on his offbeat television series "Fishing with John." It explores how Lurie utilizes irony, parody, and documentary elements to challenge traditional media formats and cultural categorization.
- The artistic career of John Lurie and his band The Lounge Lizards.
- The conceptual development and improvisational nature of "Fishing with John."
- The subversion of traditional reality television and fishing show tropes.
- Analysis of specific episodes featuring collaborators such as Jim Jarmusch and Tom Waits.
- The significance of narrative framing and sound design in defining Lurie's unique aesthetic.
Excerpt from the Book
B) FISHING WITH JOHN
While watching one of those fishing TV show in the early morning hours, John Lurie got the idea of making one serial himself, but as a spoof one.
However, if you would like to take it from charming Lurie, that idea wasn’t strategic but to evade taxes. In 1991, he was on fishing holidays with Willem Dafoe shooting a private video of it and afterwards he wrote it off against the tax claiming he was working on a new TV show. A friend of his saw the video, liked it at once and offered it to a Japanese Production Company. So that Company financed his pilot broadcast. Later, the series "Fishing with John" has been telecasted in the USA on IFC (the Independent Film Channel).
Lurie visited with his guests places like Jamaica and Thailand, Northern Maine, Montauk (NY). Those guests were buddies like Jim Jarmusch, Tom Waits, Dennis Hopper, Matt Dillon, and Willem Dafoe. With Jim Jarmusch he went fishing off Montauk, NY, – they hook a 12-foot blue shark, Waits got seasick in the Caribbean and with Willem Dafoe he run out of cheese crackers while ice fishing in Maine.
Chapter Summaries
A) JOHN LURIE: This chapter provides a biographical overview of John Lurie's career as a musician, actor, and filmmaker, highlighting his contribution to the downtown New York scene.
IMPORTANT WORKS: This section lists the core discography and filmography of John Lurie, outlining his contributions to various soundtracks and cinematic projects.
B) FISHING WITH JOHN: This chapter details the origin of the television series "Fishing with John," explaining its transition from a tax-evasion spoof project to a broadcast production.
QUOTATIONS: This section compiles significant dialogue from the series to illustrate the show's absurdist and often humorous tone.
C) SCENES FROM "FISHING WITH JOHN": This chapter provides a detailed analysis and transcript of specific interactions within the Jim Jarmusch and Tom Waits episodes.
D) FILMOGRAPHY: This chapter serves as a comprehensive index of John Lurie's film appearances and associated projects.
Keywords
John Lurie, Fishing with John, Jim Jarmusch, Tom Waits, The Lounge Lizards, Fake Jazz, Absurdism, Independent Film, Documentary Spoof, Pop Culture, Avant-garde, Improvisation, Television Series.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This work provides an analytical study of the artist John Lurie, focusing on his multifaceted career and his unique approach to independent media through his series "Fishing with John."
What are the primary themes discussed?
The paper covers the intersection of music and filmmaking, the use of irony as a creative tool, the subversion of reality TV tropes, and the collaborative nature of Lurie’s artistic circle.
What is the ultimate objective of the author?
The author aims to illuminate how Lurie successfully deconstructs conventional entertainment formats through a mix of spontaneous humor, philosophical musings, and authentic human interaction.
Which methodological approach is utilized?
The study employs a descriptive and analytical approach, combining biographical synthesis with close readings of transcriptions from the series.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body examines the creation of "Fishing with John," provides transcripts of key interactions with guests like Jim Jarmusch and Tom Waits, and explores the aesthetic choices that define the show.
What key terms characterize the work?
Key terms include "Fake Jazz," absurdist humor, independent cinema, and collaborative documentary filmmaking.
How did the concept of the show originate?
The concept originated as a spoof fishing show, partially conceived as a way to write off fishing trips as tax expenses before gaining financial backing for a real pilot.
What role do the narrator and sound design play in the series?
The narrator, Robb Webb, is used to provide serious, pseudo-documentary commentary that contrasts sharply with the awkward, often funny situations, while John Lurie’s original score adds emotional depth.
- Quote paper
- Sabine Klimpe (Author), 2002, John Lurie - Fishing With John, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/13537
