without photos on Flickr

without purpose by victoria strehlau

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taking a break from conceptual photography. Doesn't keep the ideas from constantly rushing in though.

Light Settles Without Asking II by 10 mm

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The little furnace sleeps,

no smoke, no fire to tend.

Breath enters the earth,

returns through the leaves—

nothing carried, nothing sent.

Tightness comes, loosens,

light settles without asking.

Even the mantra dissolves

into the body’s listening.

No work today—

just sitting

while the bell remembers us.

Into The Heart Of The Night by GApeach55

12 44

"Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night."

~Rainer Maria Rilke

Without Mom by patrick j clarke

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Rolleiflex Automat MX K4A

Zeiss Opton Tessar f/3.5

Kodak TMax 100

Ilford Ilfosol 3 @72F 4:30

2019 Aurora and Phillip Limited Edition Doll Set - UK Disney Store Purchase - Prince Phillip Deboxed by drj1828

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Phillip fully deboxed, both with and without his cape. He doesn't have any stamping on his back. He can free stand fairly stably, but I used his stand when I put his cape on. He has a false shirt that is hidden unless you take off his cape.

I received the Platinum Aurora and Phillip Doll Set today, March 11, 2019. I bought it from the Disney Store UK on its release date, February 26, 2019. It shipped on March 1, 2019. The cost was 500 GBP + 28 GBP shipping, through PayPal, which came out to be $724 US. This is about $100 less than buying it from the US Disney Store when it is released on March 16 ($750 + 9.5% tax = $821).

It came double boxed. The outer shipping box was rather flimsy, and one end of it was crushed. But the inner shipper was undamaged, being protected by a crumpled layer of heavy wrapping paper. It had Cart #69 of 300 written on the shipper, which equates to edition number 269 of 650, as apparently Europe gets numbers 201 through 500.

The doll box has a unique design. The front lid has two flaps that have a magnetic closure, and a large orange four leaf design attached to the left flap. The dolls are dimly seen through frosted plastic windows in cutouts of the lids. There are rose gold foil trim in the plastic window and cardboard lid. The full title of the set is 60th Anniversary Disney Sleeping Beauty: The Aurora and Prince Phillip Collector Doll Set. It is a limited edition of 650. It contains a Certificate of Authenticity and individual doll stands. The description of the set in the back of the box states that this is a wedding doll set.

Aurora is in a primarily rose gold colored wedding gown, with white satin bodice, rose gold two tiered veil with lace trim, rose gold crown and necklace with white gems. There is gems and gold and rose gold embroidery in the outer skirt, and embossed detail in the inner white skirt. I will describe further detail after I fully debox the dolls.

Prince Phillip is in a silver faux leather tunic, with puff upper sleeves in silver and red, and silver lower sleeves with embroidery on the cuffs. He is wearing black pants and boots. He has a full length red velvet cape with red satin lining. He has a black belt with a false buckle that slides along the belt (I had to center it on his waist after opening the box). He has dark brown rooted hair. His expression is rather bland.

Aurora is clearly the star of this set, and it's too bad that Phillip doesn't match her in elegance and detail.

The set is still available on the UK Disney Store site.

Disney Store Sleeping Beauty and Prince Philip Limited Edition Doll Set

UK Disney Store

Released 2019-02-26

Like sheep without a Shepherd by Lawrence OP

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"A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.’

Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.

And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’"

– Matthew 9:32-37, which is the Gospel for the 14th Tuesday in Ordinary Time.

Detail from 'Our English Coasts' (Strayed Sheep), c.1852 by William Holman Hunt, housed in the Tate Britain gallery in London.

Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Rosário - Pirenópolis, Goiás by Francisco Aragão

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Portuguese

A Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário, a Matriz de Pirenópolis, é um templo católico, localizado na cidade de Pirenópolis, Goiás.

Para o povo goiano a Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário é o maior centro da fé católica, e ainda daquelas que, pelo sincretismo, têm no local o ponto máximo da religião. É a mais tradicional igreja católica estado de Goiás, dedicada a Nossa Senhora do Rosário, padroeira dos pirenopolinos. A imagem de Nossa Senhora do Rosário veio para Pirenópolis em 1727, sendo a padroeira da cidade.

English

Pirenópolis is a town located in the Brazilian state of Goiás. It is well known for its waterfalls and colonial architecture, and a popular festival involving mounted horses called Festa do Divino Espírito Santo which takes place 45 days after Easter.

The history of Pirenópolis begins in 1727 when it was founded with the name of Minas de Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Meia Ponte, Meia Ponte (half a bridge) because half of the bridge over the Almas River was swept away in a flood. The first colonizers were Portuguese who came for the gold easily found in the Rio das Almas. From 1750 to 1800 there was a golden age when four churches were built and Pirenópolis competed with Vila Boa (present day Cidade de Goiás) as the richest town in the province. After 1800 a downturn over gold mining was set and the part of the population emigrated. With the change of commercial routes to Anápolis, the city became economically isolated. The first newspaper in the province, the Matutina Meiapontense, was published in Meia Ponte in 1830 by Joaquim Alves de Oliveira. In 1890 the city changed its name from Meia Ponte to Pirenópolis, the city of the Pireneus, the mountains located nearby. In 1960 with the construction of Brasília there was an intensive exploitation of the famous Pedra de Pirenópolis (quartzite-micáceo). In the 1980s the hippies arrived with their alternative communities and production of handicrafts. Pirenópolis was born again with a huge influx of tourists, especially from Brasília. Churches were restored and all the electrical wiring was put underground.

Pyrenópolis (archaic orthography), later Pirenópolis , means “the City of the Pireneus”. Its name comes from the mountain range that surrounds the city, that is Mountain range of the Pireneus . According to local tradition, the mountain range received this name for having in the region immigrant Spaniards, probably Catalans. Because of some similarity with their native Pyrenees of Europe, a mountain chain situated between Spain and France, they had then given this mountain range the Latin name of Pireneus.

Listed as an architectural, urbanistic, landscape and historical heritage for IPHAN - the Institute of National Historic and Artistic Heritage, in 1989, the city has a Historical Center with large, ornate houses and churches of the 18th century, such as: First Church of Our Lady of the Rosary (1728–1732), Churches of Our Lady of the Carmo (1750–1754) and the Church of Our Lord of the Bonfim (Pirenópolis) (1750–1754), and buildings such as the Theater of Pirenópolis, a hybrid style between colonial and neo-classic, of 1899, and the Cine-Pireneus, built in the art-deco style, of 1919 and the House of Chamber and Jail constructed in 1919 as an identical restoration of the 1733 original.

The climate is humid sub-tropical with two well-defined seasons: the rainy season, which goes from October to March, and the dry season, which goes from April to September. Parts of the municipality are mountainous and maintain some climatic variations due to altitude.

The economy is based on agriculture (coffee, citrus fruits, soybeans, and corn), cattle raising (130,000 head in 2006), services, public administration, and small transformation industries. There are several small food, clothing, and furniture industries.

Major attractions include Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Meia Ponte, the oldest church in Goiás, and the church Igreja Nosso Senhor do Bonfim. It also has a hippie-like colony which markets clothing and silverwork.

Today Pirenópolis is known all over Brazil for its popular festivals, especially the "Cavalhadas", introduced in 1826, in which horsemen representing Moors and Christians recreate a battle fought by Charlemagne. This tradition, part of the Festival for the Holy Spirit (Festa do Espírito Santo), was brought to the town by Portuguese settlers.

The Festas de Cavalhadas feature a parade beginning with a bugle fanfare announcing the knight's pages, then the mounted knights displaying their colors. Wearing fantastic papier-maché helmets, the Christian knights wear blue, the Moors wear red.

The battle lasts for three days and attracts thousands of visitors to the town. The Cavalhadas take place in medieval costume, with the highlight being the mock battle, performed in the city's bullring. The Moors, of course, are defeated and convert to Christianity. For information on the cavalhadas (in Portuguese) see Cavalhadas

The town has been restored artistically with its stone paved streets and colonial houses (casarões). The Almas River, a tributary of the Tocantins River which flows north to form the Serra da Mesa artificial lake, passes near the town and is crossed by a restored wooden bridge. There is an old theater, cinema, and a museum of the cavalhadas.

Waterfalls are the primary tourist attraction for Pirenopolis and Corumba. Around the town, in a distance of 15 km., there are more than twenty spectacular waterfalls with pristine water. Some of them are enormous such as the Salto de Corumba (which disappeared for decades when prospectors diverted the waters for dredging). Other waterfalls are formed by a series of cascades. Many are on private property and are operated as a business. Other falls can be found on hiking trails. One of the longest rivers in the state of Goiás, the Corumbá River has its source near Pirenópolis.

A new attraction to Pirenopolis is the small ecovillage and permaculture design institute located a few kilometers outside of town called the IPEC or The Institute of Permaculture and Ecovillage of the Cerrado. Bringing in foreign students through study abroad programs such as Living Routes, visitors get a first-hand account of the possibilities of sustainable living.

Wikipedia

Marrakech - Place Djemaa El Fnaa by Ruggero Poggianella

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Please note that the fact that "This photo is public" doesn't mean it's public domain or a free stock image. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. If you wish to use any of my images for any reason/purpose please contact me for written permission. Tous droits reservés. Défense d'utilisation de cette image sans ma permission. Todos derechos reservados. No usar sin mi consentimiento.

Senza ombra di dubbio è un posto da visitare e che non dimenticherete. Il buio e il suono dei tamburi nella notte, i fumi delle bancarelle che vendono cibo, i fuochi, la varietà di persone che lo popola sono un ricordo vivido nella mia mente. Jemaa el Fna è la piazza al centro della quale si sviluppa la città vecchia di Marrakech. È circondata a nord dal souk, a est dalla Kasbah. Patrimonio orale dell'umanità Unesco è trafficatissima giorno e notte: tanti i turisti, ma la massima parte delle persone che la popolano sono marocchini. È sede di bancarelle che vendono diversi genere di merci (dalla frutta, alle spremute, alle stoffe, a oggetti usati contro le malattie). La mattina è dominata da incantatori di serpenti, acquaioli, decoratrici con l'hennè. Ma fate attenzione perché tutto ha un prezzo. La foto scattata con la scimmia o con il cobra che vi saranno messi in testa o il ritratto dell'acquaiolo (non bevete l'acqua se ci tenete allo stomaco, però) andranno remunerati e vi conviene contrattare il prezzo prima per evitare sgraditissime sorprese. La sera a dominare la piazza buia sono invece concerti, cantastorie e le decine di affollatissime bancarelle dedicate al cibo e che offrono in particolare economici brochettes (spiedini di carne o pesce), con i fumi delle grigliate che si elevano sopra la piazza illuminati dalle luci. Uno stand vale l'altro e mangiarci è un'esperienza da fare.

La Piazza Jema El-Fna è uno dei punti di ritrovo principali di Marrakech. Nel 2001 l'Unesco l'ha denominata Patrimonio Orale e Immateriale dell'Umanità. È situata a lato dei vari suk e a partire dalle ore 17.00 si riempie di venditori di succhi di frutta naturali, frutta secca, donne che dipingono il corpo con l'hennè, incantatori di serpenti, musici, venditori ambulanti, tassisti, veggenti, turisti e addirittura dentisti! Inoltre è circondata da piccole moschee e la chiamata alla preghiera diventa un vero spettacolo. I caffè più famosi della città si trovano proprio qui: Il Café De France, l'Argana... Tutti hanno terrazze in cui sedersi per sorseggiare tè alla menta o cenare con vista sulla piazza. A ora di cena,in particolare durante il tramonto, vengono improvvisati punti di ristoro che propongono pietanze di carne, pesce o cuscus.

La Piazza Jemaa el Fna è la piazza centrale di Marrakech, luogo dichiarato dall'UNESCO "di tradizione orale". Qui si recano gli "Gnaouas", un gruppo di musicisti locali, a suonare musica e percussioni, accompagnati da incantatori di serpenti o di scimmie. Si raccontano storie, si balla, si mangia fino a tarda ora. Durante il giorno la piazza, che si trova accanto alla Kutubia, è quasi vuota a causa del gran caldo. Nel pomeriggio iniziano ad apparire i primi tavoli e le prime sedie, assieme ai venditori di cibo e a coloro che preparano carne alla griglia e cous-cous. Durante il giorno si può prendere un succo d'arancia, spremuto all'istante, accompagnato da datteri e dolci tipici. Il momento migliore rimane il tardo pomeriggio, quando la piazza si riempie di gente del posto, persone arrivate dal deserto per vendere tessuti o animali magici in grado di curare qualsiasi malanno, famiglie che vengono a mangiare.

Jamaa el Fna (Arabic: ساحة جامع الفناء jâmiʻ al-fanâʼ) is a square and market place in Marrakesh's medina quarter (old city). The origin of its name is unclear: Jemaa means "congregational mosque" in Arabic, probably referring to a destroyed Almoravid mosque. "Fanâʼ" or "finâ'" can mean "death" or "a courtyard, space in front of a building." Thus, one meaning could be "The mosque or assembly of death," or "The Mosque at the End of the World". A more likely explanation is that it refers to a mosque with a distinctive courtyard or square in front of it. Marrakesh was founded by the Almoravids 1070-1072. After a destructive struggle, it was falling to the Almohads in 1147. Following this, Jamaa el Fna was renovated along with much of the city. The city walls were also extended by Abou Yacoub Youssef and particularly by Yacoub el Mansour 1147-1158. The surrounding mosque, palace, hospital, parade ground and gardens around the edges of the marketplace were also overhauled, and the Kasbah was fortified. Subsequently, with the fortunes of the city, Jamaa el Fna saw periods of decline and also renewal. The place remains the main square of Marrakesh, used by locals and tourists. During the day it is predominantly occupied by orange juice stalls, youths with chained Barbary apes, water sellers in colourful costumes with traditional leather water-bags and brass cups, and snake charmers who will pose for photographs for tourists. As the day progresses, the entertainment on offer changes: the snake charmers depart, and late in the day the square becomes more crowded, with Chleuh dancing-boys (it would be against custom for girls to provide such entertainment), story-tellers (telling their tales in Berber or Arabic, to an audience of appreciative locals), magicians, and peddlers of traditional medicines. As darkness falls, the square fills with dozens of food-stalls as the number of people on the square peaks. The square is edged along one side by the Marrakesh souk, a traditional North African market catering both for the common daily needs of the locals, and for the tourist trade. On other sides are hotels and gardens and cafe terraces offering an escape from the noise and confusion of the square. Once a bus station, the place was closed to vehicle traffic in the early 2000s. The authorities are well aware of its importance to the tourist trade, and a strong but discreet police presence ensures the safety of visitors. The idea of the UNESCO project Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity came from people concerned about the Jamaa el Fna. The place is known for its active concentration of traditional activities by storytellers, musicians and performers, but it was threatened by economic development pressures. In fighting for the protection of traditions, the residents called for action on an international level, to recognize the need for the protection of such places - termed "cultural spaces" - and other popular and traditional forms of cultural expression. UNESCO encourages communities to identify, document, protect, promote and revitalize such heritage. The UNESCO label aims to raise awareness about the importance of oral and intangible heritage as an essential component of cultural diversity. The spectacle of Jamaa el Fna is repeated daily and each day it is different. Everything changes - voices, sounds, gestures, the public which sees, listens, smells, tastes, touches. The oral tradition is framed by one much vaster - that we can call intangible. The Square, as a physical space, shelters a rich oral and intangible tradition.

Jamaâ El Fna (en arabe : جامع الفناء, littéralement en français: "assemblée des trépassés" est une place située à Marrakech à côté de la mosquée Koutoubia. Ce haut-lieu touristique attire sans cesse plus d'un million de visiteurs venus pour assister aux spectacles animés par les charmeurs de serpents, les dresseurs de singes, les conteurs, les musiciens et d’autres artistes populaires, jeux, dessin au henné, etc... du début de soirée jusqu'à l'appel de la prière de l'aube. L'espace culturel de la place Jemaa el-Fna a été inscrit par l’UNESCO en 2001 en tant que patrimoine culturel immatériel de l'humanité. Elle se distingue aussi par des orateurs qui racontent des histoires ou vantent les mérites de produits magiques. Son nom de "assemblée des trépassés" vient du fait qu'elle servait autrefois à l'exposition, sur ordre du Sultan, des têtes des condamnés à mort qui venaient d'être exécutés. Certains jours, on pouvait ainsi compter jusqu'à quarante-cinq têtes. Elle est le théâtre d'une explosion meurtrière le 28 avril 20113. L’attentat, provoqué par une bombe actionnée à distance dont l'auteur présumé a été arrêté le 5 mai 2011, a fait 17 morts dont 8 français.

37 by Dominika Barabas

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The Forest of Enchantment by ThatDisneyLover

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If any performers, characters or cast members that would like photos for personal or portfolio reasons, you may have any photo of themselves for a higher resolution or with a smaller watermark. Please either contact me through Twitter.

without the netting! what does this picture say? by Keiraa 1

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Ge digital camera

Lindi Ortega - OCA Spazio Ansaldo - Milano - 19 marzo 2013 - © Mairo Cinquetti-56 by Mairo Cinquetti

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Lindi Ortega

OCA Spazio Ansaldo (MI)

19 Marzo 2013

Tutti i diritti sono riservati.

L'immagine non può essere usata in nessun caso senza autorizzazione scritta dell'autore.

Per contatti: mairo.cinquetti@gmail.com

Nashville beckoned, and Lindi Ortega answered the call.

Armed with an inimitable, irresistible singing voice The Independent hails as “a truly magnificent instrument,” and a heart bursting with creative ambition, the Canadian songstress whom American Songwriter calls “the love child of Johnny Cash and Nancy Sinatra” decided to relocate to Music City from her

native Toronto to birth her brand new musical offspring, Cigarettes & Truckstops.

A logical follow-up to her 2011 critically acclaimed alt-country masterpiece Little Red Boots, the 10-song Cigarettes & Truckstops further flaunts Ortega’s distinctive vision; one that embraces the oft-neglected, politically incorrect realism of traditional country and frames it in a charmingly, and sometimes darkly humourous contemporary context.

Bookended by a couple of romantic road ballads in the title track and the reflective “Every Mile Of The Ride,” Cigarettes & Truckstops further evolves the promise foreshadowed by the JUNO-Award nominated-and-Polaris-Music-Prize-long-listed Little Red Boots.

The writing is stellar, her musical discipline undoubtedly galvanized by a fearless 2010-2012 tour schedule that saw Lindi open for a variety of acts, from punk vets Social Distortion; pop icon Burton Cummings; country fave Dierks Bentley; folk outfit Noah & The Whale and Academy Award winner Kevin Costner with attention-grabbing finesse, making serious inroads with North American and European audiences, and prompting Exclaim! to declare Ortega an “electrifying” performer.

Whether it’s the plucky shuffle of the hilarious “The Day You Die;” the angry harrumph of “Don’t Wanna Hear It;” the high lonesome feel of “Heaven Has No Vacancy” or the haunting twang of guilt that is “Murder of Crows,” Ortega continues to deliver a refreshing twist that walks vintage and contemporary lines in imaginative and inventive manners.

But in order to realize this next step of her artistic fruition, the two-time JUNO Award nominee (Canada’s equivalent to the Grammy Awards) had to pull up her Canadian stakes and come to the well.

“I was really inspired by being here in Nashville,” explains Ortega, the daughter of a Northern Irish mother and Mexican father who has been performing since she picked up a guitar at age 16.

“I wanted the authenticity of my influences to shine through on this record. I knew I liked country and I think moving here, I wanted to delve into those influences more genuinely.

“To be able to read a Hank Williams biography and then go to where his house was, or the places that they talk about, and absorb that was invaluable.”

As Ortega is the first to admit, she’s anything but a “straight-up country artist,” so other elements played into the equation.

“I found that I was really inspired by going to New Orleans, after I shot that music video for (Little Red Boots’) “Black Fly” – and the Deep South.

“After Little Red Boots I read the Hank Williams biography and I learned that he was very highly influenced by a man named “Tee-Tot.” (Rufus Payne). Tee-Tot was a blues guy, and I discovered that a lot of early country drew influence from early blues. So I really started getting into listening to blues.”

She recruited a sympathetic visionary to produce the album in fellow Canadian Colin Linden, (O Brother Where Art Thou, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, Bruce Cockburn, The Band), who also happens to reside in Nashville.

“When it was time to start working with producers, Colin’s name was thrown in the hat,” recalls Ortega. “I looked him up on YouTube,and the first thing I saw him perform was this crazy awesome Dobro solo.

“I realized that I loved that instrument, and I needed to have it all over my record,” she laughs.

“There was something about the sound of it that resonated so much with me. Colin was very influenced by the blues and had a lot of knowledge about its background and history, and I thought it would be cool to bring that into the record.”

The blues touch is a subtle one, a seasoning of sorts on this album of longing and vulnerability; travel and romance; of anger and passion; of fact and fiction.

A big breakthrough was Ortega’s topical candour.

“I was sort of delving into the darker corners of my mind with some things, which was interesting for me, and not being afraid to put some other things out there,” she reveals. “The song from my first record, “All My Friends,” alludes to certain things in a metaphorical way, where on this album, I’m a little more straight up about it. I’m not trying to hide.

“I guess that I’m just willing to take that risk. I’m just being honest and talking about my experiences, and by doing that, I’m not advocating anything and I’m not telling anybody they need to do anything: I’m just writing about my life and the experiences that I go through.”

But it’s not all autobiographical: “Murder of Crows,’ co-authored by Matt Nolan and one of three co-writes on Cigarettes & Truckstops, is pure Man In Black-inspired fiction.

“I was actually thinking of Johnny Cash’s Murder album when I wrote that,” Ortega chuckles. “I just wanted to delve into fictitious territory, and not write from experience – sort of make up stories.

“In a lot of old Cash songs, there’s a lot that didn’t come from his experience: he made them up. It’s cool to be able to make up crazy stories like that.”

One of the album’s real kickers is the Bruce Wallace co-write “The Day You Die,” a humorous look at love’s clichés, a future classic that begins with the opening stanza,

“You said you’d love me ‘til the cows comes home/Well I’m hoping that they all go blind.”

“That’s why I love writing with Bruce, because we never set out to write,” Ortega admits. “We just get together as friends and pick up guitars and it just happens naturally. He’s a quirky guy, because he totally gets where I’m coming from in that respect.

“We pick up the guitar and make up joke songs. We thought it would be cool if all these cliché things that people say to people, things like ‘Love you ‘til this, love you ‘til that’,” were taken literally, what would they have to do to keep the love going?”

There are more gems on Cigarettes & Truckstops that are ripe for personal discovery, a riveting tour-de-force of an album that will open up more ears and hearts to the scintillating sounds of Lindi Ortega and an appreciation of the unique perspective she brings to her craft.

Two trademarks impel her artistry: sincerity and honesty.

“I’m not going to deny it because I can’t,” Ortega admits. “It just comes out. I owe it to the song and to myself to expel that expression, put it into music and be very honest and forthright about the good, the bad and the ugly of Lindi Ortega.”

_DSC0103 by Ruggero Poggianella

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La 3500 GT è un modello di autovettura Maserati costruita dal 1957 al 1964. Siglata internamente Tipo 101, la 3500 GT è stata la prima Maserati costruita su larga scala. Il capo progettista della Casa del Tridente Giulio Alfieri sviluppò due prototipi per il Salone di Ginevra 1957, entrambi coupé, una carrozzata dalla milanese Touring, un'altra dalla torinese Allemano. La meccanica comprendeva: motore derivato dalla 350S, 6 cilindri in linea bialbero di 3,5 litri e 3 carburatori Weber 42 DCOE (220 CV a 5500 giri); accensione meccanica Magneti Marelli, doppia candela e doppia pompa della benzina; cambio 4 marce ZF; 4 freni a tamburo Girling; frizione monodisco a secco; trazione posteriore con differenziale; sospensioni anteriori con molloni, posteriori con balestre semiellittiche; ruote da 16" con pneumatici Pirelli 6.50-16. Pochi cambiamenti vennero effettuati dall'entrata in produzione della coupé per la quale fu scelta la versione di Touring (dal peso di 1420 kg) alla fine del 1957. Freni a disco all'anteriore e differenziale a slittamento limitato divennero optional dal 1959, di serie dall'anno successivo; i freni a disco al posteriore arrivarono nel 1962. Venivano offerte come optional anche le ruote a raggi Borrani e pneumatici 185-16 radiali. Di serie le vetture avevano interni in pelle e strumentazione Jaeger. Nel 1959 venne presentata la 5000 GT, derivata dalla 3500 GT. Due prototipi con carrozzeria spider, disegnati da Michelotti e da Vignale vennero presentati al Salone di Parigi 1959. La versione di Vignale entrò in produzione nel 1960, col nome di 3500 GTs o "Spider Vignale", più corta della coupé da cui traeva origine (lunghezza 4,45 m, larghezza 1,64 m, altezza 1,31 m, passo 2,5 m, peso 1380 kg). Nel 1961 vennero introdotte le versioni a iniezione (GTI) della coupé e della spider (con un impianto fornito dall'inglese Lucas), prima auto italiana ad iniezione: la potenza saliva a 235 CV. Arriva di serie un cambio ZF a 5 marce e freni a disco con servofreno su tutte le ruote. La carrozzeria viene aggiornata, la linea del tetto leggermente ribassata la fa sembrare più lunga; altri cambiamenti minori riguardano la griglia, la fanaleria anteriore e posteriore e altre parti esterne come le porte. Nel 1962 viene presentata la Sebring, con telaio derivato da quello della 3500 GTs. L'anno migliore per le vendite della 3500 GT fu il 1961, con 500 esemplari. Complessivamente vennero costruiti circa 2250 esemplari, di cui 1402 coupé Touring, 250 spider e 591 Sebring; le restanti erano fuoriserie costruite da diversi carrozzieri (tra cui Allemano, Moretti, Frua e Bertone).

Al termine della stagione sportiva 1957, gli organizzatori del Campionato Mondiale Vetture Sport, anche sull'onda della generale costernazione causata dalla "tragedia di Guidizzolo", per aumentare la sicurezza nelle competizioni limitarono a 3.000 cm³ la cilindrata massima delle vetture in gara. L'improvvisa eliminazione della "Classe Sport 5000" mise in grossa difficoltà il reparto corse Maserati che, nei mesi precedenti, aveva investite ingenti risorse per approntare e sviluppare il potente modello "450S", ancora in fase di piena evoluzione. In seguito a tale disposto, Adolfo Orsi decise il ritiro della Maserati dalle competizioni ufficiali, restringendo l'attività del reparto corse alla costruzione e assistenza delle macchine per dei molti piloti privati forniti dalla casa del tridente. Molti di questi, per forza di cose, furono costretti a disdire gli ordinativi per il modello "450S", interrompendo la produzione di motori tipo 54, decine dei quali erano già terminati o in attesa di assemblaggio. Alcuni di questi vennero rialesati per portare le cilindrate a 5.700 e 6.400 cm³, allo scopo di equipaggiare scafi destinati a competizioni motonautiche. L'occasione per un nuovo utilizzo automobilistico si presentò l'anno successivo, con la visita in azienda dello Scià di Persia Reza Pahlavi, in cerca di un autotelaio sportivo da completare con carrozzeria Touring Superleggera. Data l'esclusività e il prestigio del cliente, Orsi e Alfieri proposero di approntare un nuovo chassis, derivato dal modello "3500 GT" e dotato del motore da competizione della "450S", dopo averlo adeguato alle necessità dell'uso stradale. La proposta venne subito accolta dal sovrano di Persia, grande appassionato di automobili sportive. Per quella prima "5000 GT", internamente denominata con la sigla di progetto "Tipo 103", l'ing. Alfieri calcolò una maggiorazione dimensionale sul telaio della "3500 GT", sia in larghezza che in lunghezza, in modo da poter ospitare l'ingombrante "8V" e, contemporaneamente, offrire la base per un abitacolo spazioso e un aspetto imponente. Il propulsore fu "addomesticato" con modifiche minimali che consistettero nel rialesaggio per aumentare leggermente la cilindrata, oltre alla decisa diminuzione del rapporto di compressione, allo scopo di ridurre del 20% la potenza, con un'erogazione più fluida ai bassi regimi. La carrozzeria di tipo coupé, in alluminio, venne approntata dalla Touring, così come gli interni, con finiture di particolare pregio. La verniciatura fu eseguita in blu brillante, con interni in pelle crema e molti particolari, solitamente cromati, in oro zecchino. Curioso il sistema di illuminazione posteriore, formato da due serie di tre cerchi, dalle circonferenze gradualmente ridotte verso i lati della coda, le cui luci esterne erano azionabili tramite chiave separata, per indicare la presenza del sovrano a bordo.

Per quanto riguarda la meccanica, la "5000 GT" vantava: motore V8 derivato dalla 450 S, 4937 cm³, 4 alberi a camme, 340 CV a 5500 giri, 4 carburatori Weber DCOE 45, trazione posteriore, accensione Magneti Marelli, due candele per cilindro, doppia pompa della benzina, cambio 4 marce, freni a disco all'anteriore, a tamburo al posteriore. La prima "5000 GT", telaio n. AM-103-002, fu consegnata allo Scià verso la fine del 1958 e divenne immediatamente celebre in tutto il mondo, anche per il fatto che l'illustre committente si trovava in quel periodo sotto i riflettori dell'informazione, a causa del suo divorzio con la principessa Soraya, che occupava stabilmente le prime pagine della stampa rosa internazionale. Le numerose richieste di informazioni sulla vettura, da parte del jet set, convinsero Orsi a programmare la costruzione in piccola serie del modello, su ordinazione. In pochi mesi fu approntato un secondo prototipo pre-serie della "5000 GT", telaio n. AM-103-004, egualmente carrozzato e rifinito dalla Touring, anche se verniciato in verde e privo delle modanature in oro zecchino. Visto che ormai era famosa come "l'auto dello Scià di Persia", la vettura fu presentata al Salone dell'automobile di Torino del 1959 con la denominazione ufficiale Maserati 5000 GT "Persia". L'esemplare venne acquistato dal magnate sudafricano Basil Read, proprietario del circuito di Kyalami, al quale venne consegnato dopo il tour espositivo nei saloni di quell'anno. Nel frattempo, l'ing. Alfieri era già al lavoro per ulteriormente depotenziare e, soprattutto, addolcire l'erogazione della potenza, anche prevedendo componenti più adatti all'uso non competitivo. Nel 1960 il motore acquistò l'iniezione (della inglese Lucas) al posto dei carburatori, venne abbandonata la complessa lubrificazione a carter secco per la più tradizionale a carter umido e furono sostituiti i comandi a ingranaggi dei 4 alberi a camme con meno delicate catene di distribuzione, per una potenza di 325 CV. In seguito furono adottati i freni a disco sulle 4 ruote e il cambio a 5 marce. Oltre alle 3 carrozzerie realizzate dalla Touring, il principale produttore fu la carrozzeria torinese Allemano, con 22 vetture di cui almeno una in versione convertibile. Altre "5000 GT" vennero realizzate da Frua, Monterosa, Pininfarina, Ghia, Michelotti e Bertone. La "5000 GT" era un'auto costruita "su misura" dei desideri di chi la ordinava, con un costo almeno doppio rispetto a una "3500 GT" (in America costava circa 17.000 dollari), destinata a personaggi importanti come Ferdinando Innocenti (telaio n. AM-103-018), il presidente della Repubblica messicana Adolfo López Mateos (telaio n. AM-103-022) o Aga Khan Karim, la cui vettura (telaio n. AM-103-060) realizzata nel 1962 da Pietro Frua, venne scelta dalla Maserati per improntare la linea della "Quattroporte". Tra i primi acquirenti l'allora gaudente playboy Gianni Agnelli, che fece "vestire" l'autotelaio (n. AM-103-008) da Pininfarina, con linea pressoché identica alla Ferrari 400 Superamerica, commissionata allo stesso carrozziere pochi mesi prima, e senza i segni distintivi della marca e del modello. Il 34º e ultimo esemplare della Maserati 5000 GT "Persia" (telaio n. AM-103-090) fu carrozzato dalla Touring per la casa reale Saudita, nel 1965.

Korn - Ippodromo del Galoppo - Milano - 24 giugno 2013 - © Mairo Cinquetti-1 by Mairo Cinquetti

1

Korn

Ippodromo del Galoppo - Milano

24 Giugno 2013

Jonathan Davis – Vocals

James “Munky” Shaffer - Guitars

Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu – Bass

Ray Luzier - Drums

Tutti i diritti sono riservati. L'immagine non può essere usata in nessun caso senza autorizzazione scritta dell'autore.

Per contatti: mairo.cinquetti@gmail.com

Korn will never forget where they came from: a dark place where salvation arrives in the form of twisted, throbbing guitar riffs, syncopated chaotic funk beats, a schizophrenic bass thump and an unmistakable cathartic howl. Emerging from the depths of Bakersfield, California with a sound unlike any other in 1994, Korn have been able to cement themselves as one of the most important bands in rock n' roll history.

Over the course of eight full-length releases, Korn have sold in excess of 30 million albums and played countless sold-out shows worldwide. They've won two Grammys—one for Best Short Form Video for "Freak on a Leash" from 1998’s Follow the Leader and one for Best Metal Performance for "Here to Stay," from 2002’s Untouchables—and have launched a massively successful festival of their own, The Family Values Tour. However, despite all their massive success and accolades, Korn haven't lost hold of the savage, raw energy that made them such a crucial band for diehard rock and metal fans. Korn are one of the preeminent voices of this generation.

Their ninth offering, Korn III —Remember Who You Are, is their first effort for brand new label home, Roadrunner Records, and it bursts at the seams with that very feeling that defined the band from the get-go. Each song unleashes an uneasiness reminiscent of Korn's earliest and most unbridled material, but there’s also a modern refinement that's epic in its execution. Korn definitely don't lose sight of their roots on Remember Who You Are, but they also venture into uncharted darkness. All that truly matters is where they're going. The album strikes a balance between their past and their future, as it finds the band reuniting with producer Ross Robinson, who manned the boards for their first two records, all the while joining forces with Roadrunner Records, the world’s leading rock label.

With Korn III – Remember Who You Are, it's their time...

Korn bleed with unsettling and unpredictable aggression on Remember Who You Are's 10 tracks. "Oildale (Leave Me Alone)" buzzes with an eerie clean guitar that slowly gives way to a steamrolling bass and riff assault. "Move On" morphs from a myriad of creaking tones into an explosive vocal freak-out that's impossible not to connect with it on a visceral level. Then there's the neck-snapping "Fear Is A Place to Live" tempering deadly guitar dissonance with an unforgettable chorus. This is Korn reborn.

"This album is a reflection of us being a band since 1993," says vocalist Jonathan Davis. "We worked hard on the previous records, and we experimented a lot. For Remember Who You Are, the four of us got together in a small room with the intention of writing an old school Korn record. This album is a perfect mixture of everything we've done, and this version of the band is the best ever." It's as if Korn revisited their storied beginnings, but as a wiser, tighter and more precise outfit blessed with the benefit of experience.

In order to tap into the chaos that made their self-titled debut a modern classic, the band enlisted the help of the man who helmed Korn and Life is Peachy—producer Ross Robinson, whose goal was to bring Korn back to square one. He undoubtedly succeeded. Davis had an intense and invigorating recording session. "Ross helped us remember what we used to do this for," the singer says. "It was more psychological than anything. Ross was right there pushing me and he drove me insane. I sing about a lot of things that hit really close to my heart and he knew how to trigger that. I nearly fucking broke down at the end of almost every song, but I got it all out."

For guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer, the experience was no different. He elaborates, "Teaming up with Ross has brought that raw, emotional feeling back to the music. Ross is the only person in the world that's ever been able to draw us to that place. He reminds us why we're here, why these songs are important to our fans and why what we do as a band relates. He made us remember how our music saves lives, and he came into the picture at the perfect time. We had no record label and just wanted to make a great album. Ross stepped in at the right moment to hit the reset button."

Hitting that "reset button" involved stripping down the process. There would be no Pro-Tools, no tracking separately and no heavy post editing. In order to conjure Remember Who You Are's claustrophobic yet wholly organic chaos, Korn recorded on two-inch tape and locked themselves inside a 10x10 room buried within their Los Angeles studio, nicknamed "The Cat Box." Being in such close proximity to one another stirred up a torrent of explosive music. Bassist Reggie "Fieldy" Arvizu remembers, "In that room, even if I turned my bass head, it would hit somebody. Getting back in there was like a family reunion. We felt like brothers again. Being older and setting egos aside, we were able to focus on making the best record we could."

Davis dug deep for cuts like "The Past" and "Never Around." About "The Past," the singer says, "A lot of people dwell on the past, and they feel guilt. There's nothing you can do about the past because it's gone and it's blown up. We're here now." On Korn III – Remember Who You Are, Davis is fully present and at his most vitriolic, violent and vibrant on the likes of "Move On" and "Are You Ready to Live?"

He goes on, "I let everything flow, while I was coming up with lyrics. They're about me living my life for others when I shouldn't, people-pleasing all of the time, stress, guilt and all kinds of emotions we live with everyday that destroy us and tear us down. I write about all of the fake people around us and how I always try to fix other people's problems. I write what I feel, and it comes out naturally. I've got a lot of shit built up inside me; that doesn't go away."

Even though Korn went back to square one, they continue to break new ground. In a career marked by innovation, they still smash boundaries. Munky even fingerpicks certain instrumental passages, while trying out new tones on echo-y soundscapes. "The heavier I play, the more you can hear the aggression. The lighter I pick, the lighter the mood is,” he said. “I used vintage guitars, echos, long delays and reverbs. When we did the first two records, we broke the music down to a completely emotional beast. Through the years, we started to experiment with vocal harmonies and more orchestrated pieces. Recording this album, we brought that knowledge into the raw emotion of what we already knew. You hear the melodies and layers, but it still comes from a very primitive Korn."

That primitive Korn includes drummer Ray Luzier, who became Korn's touring drummer in late 2007 and was made an official member in 2009. On cuts like the deadly "Fear Is A Place To Live," he propels the aggression. Fieldy says, "Ray is like the missing Korn member we never had. He just fits so well. When we found him, it just clicked because his playing sounds like Korn. He plays with me, and the way that he plays is exactly what I needed. We know what we're doing on stage with each other, and everybody's on the same page. I've waited my whole career for Korn to sound like we do now."

Korn may have changed members with Brian "Head" Welch and David Silveria departing in 2005 and 2006 respectively, but Jonathan, Munky, Fieldy and Ray capture the feeling that was there in the beginning.

For Davis, the album name covers it all. "It comes down to one question: 'Who the fuck am I?' It's about remembering where we came from. The title sums up everything I'm talking about lyrically. During the first two records, we were kids, and we didn't have anything. We were making music, having fun and not worrying. I went back to that place where I wasn't worried. I wanted to be completely honest with my feelings, express myself and let them out. People get so wrapped up in social communities, the Internet and technology that they forget who they are and what life's really about. I fucking forgot who I was until I did this record. This album is just a bass, a guitar, drums and my vocals. I look at the records we've done as slots in time, and I believe Remember Who You Are is very special."

The album captures the band's legendary performance style that's ignited crowds worldwide on stages ranging from OZZfest and Projekt Revolution to Woodstock and Download. It's the same spirit that gave pop culture hits such as "Blind," "A.D.I.D.A.S.," "Got the Life," "Falling Away from Me" and "Twisted Transistor." It’s clear, however, that Korn III – Remember Who You Are is another thrilling chapter being etched into Korn’s already impressive history.

"There's that timeless space that we enter where nothing else matters on stage," says Munky. "It's us, the crowd and the music. We lose track of where we are and who we are, and it's just a timeless shared space between us and the audience. We lose ourselves in the music. I want fans to lose themselves in the new music by forgetting about any problems or anything going on in their minds and let their hearts hear it. It's the same experience that I get when I'm on stage."

The process brought them back to the beginning, but it also encouraged serious growth. Everyone is locked in like never before. Fieldy adds, "We want to take you on a rollercoaster with this record. There are spacey and weird parts where the bass can breathe and there are some heavy moments. On Remember Who You Are, I'm doing what I really wanted to do on our first record."

In the end, this is for the people that made Korn—the millions of kids worldwide that buy every record, wear every shirt and never miss a show. Davis concludes, "I love doing what I do. I love helping kids. I love hearing fans say, 'You got me through this or that.' It makes me feel like I've done something positive. I want kids to feel what I'm saying and really hear it. I'd love for the new songs to provoke them to think about what goes on around them. We're very fortunate to keep doing what we're doing, still be relevant and create music that invokes feelings from people."

With music this powerful, no one will ever forget who Korn are.

Pubblico Korn - Ippodromo del Galoppo - Milano - 24 giugno 2013 - © Mairo Cinquetti-54 by Mairo Cinquetti