some thoughts on 'wolverine'

after we left the theatre, most of my friends were pretty obviously disappointed. i didn't hate the movie, but i definitely agreed with their feeling. there were some things i could analytically point out as flaws, but then there were some other things that i couldn't quite put my finger on.

we got lunch and hung out and talked for a bit, and collectively starting making sense of why we felt a little let down. here are a couple of reasons:

1. wolverine isn't much of a hero in the movie. he sort of meanders through it all, as things happen to him. when he finally decides to act, it isn't really motivated anything noble.
i understand that in the comics, his character was always the reluctant/disconnected hero. but even still, he was a hero.

2. the effects are pretty stinky. there's a big moment in the film where wolvie admires his new metal claws, and the CG is so bad that it's almost laughable. even the audio is weird in that scene. it's like they forgot that the claws are the most important part of wolverine.

3. deadpool was awesome in the beginning. then they ruined him. poo.

4. kindof stinky pacing, and weird story point choice. there's this whole montage section showing wolvie through the decades, fighting in different wars. it made me want to stay in each one for a little longer. there could have been some great character building moments. but instead we got a slideshow.

5. it's not much of an origins story. it's more of a straight-up prequel. in an origins story, we want to see the hero figuring out his powers, making choices and decisions that set him on the hero's path. this was more of a fast-forwarded bio-timeline until he gets his metal bones and claws. then its a couple of mortal kombat fight scenes.

now, despite all this, i still enjoyed the movie. it's always fun to watch wolverine kick butt. and hugh jackman is great, liev shrieber is great.. i guess i just felt -- we all felt -- things could've been done better.

what do you guys think?
-pete

pre-order the boombox!

may 12th is approaching! i'm getting pretty excited to find out what you all think of our newest concoction.

so, apparently you can pre-order it now, and you'll get it a week early. or so. or so i hear.
so clickety here: pre-order 'and the flying boombox'

we're working on getting the new nmk website up by then. it's gonna be a lot cleaner and easier to update. which is good, cause that means there will actually be new stuff on it periodically. unlike our last site. which was like an old sweater that i kept forgetting to wash.

things are a little bit on hold for the 'obey the groove' video. i'll let you know as soon as production picks back up on it. we're tweaking the concept for it, but it may or may not involve space puppets. and chocolate sauce.

also, i'd love it if you followed me on twitter: http://twitter.com/daspetey
that is, if you're not too busy following ashton kutcher.

cosmonaut petey - out!
-pete

'how i became the bomb' video

hello fishes.
i got the posters in the mail the other day. i'm going to mail out the pre-orders right away, before i send out the full announcement. i've been in kentucky for a while now working on stuff, and we just got hit with a ridiculous snowstorm. i'm hoping the roads will clear up soon enough for me to mail these out. my poor little miata was trapped under a mound of frosty white badness. which also stinks for me because i was planning on driving it back to l.a. this week. apparently jack frost disapproves of my plan.

in other news, i just finished working on a music video with my friend travis in nashville, for a band called 'how i became the bomb'. you can see it here: mothership. please let me know what you think. or you can leave a comment there. =)

i hope everyone is keeping warm. oh, i'm finishing up the album artwork for our new album. so, pretty soon it will be ready for the world!

-pete

poster update

hey monkeys.
i sent the files off to the printer on friday. so hopefully i'll have the finished prints sometime this week. i wanna send something extra along for the people who pre-ordered. any ideas?

also, i was at taco bell yesterday and hanson came on the radio again! i know i've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: their new album 'the walk' outright rocks. please check it out, and buy it, if you haven't already: hanson myspace. seriously well-crafted funky pop-rock. those guys know how to write melodies!

have a good monday night.
-pete

limited edition poster print

hello monkeys.
we have a new album coming out in march. so for the next few weeks we'll be offering some album one related limited edition poster prints, to make way for all the yummy new album two stuff we'll have! i'm gonna send out a mass email about it, once the posters are printed, but i thought i would post here first, in case any of you little fuzzies wanted to pre-order.



the poster is 11"x17" and is a limited edition of 200. each one will be signed and numbered on the back. they are $10 each. i tried to get em scratch-n-sniff, but to no avail. the only scent they had left was 'june beach volleyball sweat'.

anyway, click here to preorder: poster print pre-order

thanks!
-pete

a very petey year in review: 2008

well this is it. the end of a beautiful year. tomorrow is a brand new one. as my hot chocolate cools down, i take a wiggly flashback-style look at the montage of 2008.

• i got to be on vh1's 'i love the millennium' for almost 35 seconds, talking about spiderman. woohoo!
• 'sweep the leg' featured in MLB 08, on the playstation3 and xbox360.
• directed my first animated music video, and got to work with one of my favorite animation studios: ghostbot.
• went to billy zabka's wedding and didn't spill anything on my suit.
• neil and i wrote and recorded our second studio album, due out march 09. yay!
• played some great shows: linton music fest, sky show in new hampshire, … in san diego, .. in denver. met a lot of really great people.
• cornell university's renowned acapella group, the chordials, recorded a version of 'sweep the leg' for their CD 'smash'.
• finally put some artwork up for sale online at daspetey.com. hooray for procrastination.

some great moovees and music came out this year. here are some of my favorites:

top ten movies:
1 the dark knight
2 wall-e
3 iron man
4 hulk
5 kung fu panda
6 quantum of solace
7 horton hears a who
8 pineapple express
9 tropic thunder
10 cloverfield

top ten songs:
1 grounds for divorce - elbow
2 lost - coldplay
3 modern guilt - beck
4 gran torino - jamie cullum
5 i'm good, i'm gone - lykke li
6 robots - flight of the conchords
7 another way to die - jack white + alicia keys
8 the scrolls - el rick haun
9 love save the empty - erin mccarley
10 ghosts - nine inch nails

so that's it i guess. i hope you all are having a great new year's eve. and i hope next year is superawesome.
-pete

happy holidays!

i was joined by a few close friends to sing you all this holiday tune!



i hope your holidays are awesome!
-pete

rock for hunger in orlando

hello everyone,
i'm gonna be at the 'rock for hunger' in orlando this weekend. i'm gonna have a booth there, and try to sell some artwork. so if you're in the area, please stop by! i'd love to say hi. (that rhymed and i didn't mean it (anybody want a peanut?))

this from the official site:

"On Saturday, November 15th, it's time for Orlando to Rock for Hunger once again! This year ROCK FOR HUNGER FEST 3 will be held at The Plaza Theatre. The lineup features over 20 artists including top local names, rising regional acts and chart topping artist KARDINAL OFFISHALL. The festivities will take place from 2pm until midnight with three stages filled with live music, arts and crafts and many great vendors. "

for more info, check out their site: rockforhunger.org

hope to see you there!
-pete

sweep the commentary

hello leg-sweepers,
i just posted the audio commentary for the 'sweep the leg' video. it's from the DVD that we're selling on the astonish store. (feel free to buy that puppy if you don't have it yet)

here's the video with commentary by me and billy z.



(thanks jordan for putting this together. you rock!)

-pete

interview with ’inner ear’

http://www.last.fm/user/innerearmedia/journal/2008/10/28/28v58x_interview%3A_no_more_kings

be sure and leave a comment on their page, so they think people like us. =)
-pete