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John Lurie

 

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John Lurie



 
 
John Lurie (born December 14, 1952) is an actor, musician, painter and producer born in Minneapolis, MN, USA
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
.

978 he formed The Lounge Lizards
The Lounge Lizards

The Lounge Lizards are a jazz group formed in 1978 by saxophone player John Lurie; they should not be confused with country music satire group the Austin Lounge Lizards....
, initially a "fake jazz" combo, with his brother Evan Lurie
Evan Lurie

Evan Lurie is an United States composer and musician. He was a founding member of the band The Lounge Lizards, along with his brother John Lurie....
. The Lounge Lizards exhibited the talent of artists such as Calvin Weston, Billy Martin
Billy Martin

Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an United States second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times....
, Oren Bloedow
Oren Bloedow

Oren Bloedow is an United States singer, guitarist, and composer. He founded the band Elysian Fields in 1995 with Jennifer Charles.His father, Jerry Bloedow, b....
, Steve Bernstein, Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot

Marc Ribot is an United States guitarist and composer.His own work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, and Cuban music....
, among others. The band continued to make music for 20 years. During this time, Lurie recorded 22 albums and composed scores for over 20 movies, the most notable being Stranger than Paradise
Stranger Than Paradise

Stranger Than Paradise is an absurdist comedy film written and directed by American film director Jim Jarmusch in 1984. It stars jazz musician John Lurie, former Sonic Youth drummer-turned-actor Richard Edson and Hungarian-born actress Eszter Balint....
, Down by Law
Down by Law

Down by Law may refer to:* Down by Law , a 1986 film by Jim Jarmusch* Down by Law , an American punk rock band** Down by Law , their debut album...
, Mystery Train
Mystery Train

"Mystery Train" is a song written by Junior Parker and Sam Phillips. It was first recorded in Phillip's Memphis Recording Service and Sun Records at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee in 1953....
, Clay Pigeons
Clay Pigeons

Clay Pigeons is a 1998 in film written by Matt Healy and directed by David Dobkin . It stars Joaquin Phoenix as Clay Bidwell, Vince Vaughn as the Lester Long, and Janeane Garofalo as Agent Shelby....
, Animal Factory
Animal Factory

Animal Factory is a film about life in prison, set in San Quentin and directed by actor Steve Buscemi. It was made in 2000 in film....
, and Get Shorty
Get Shorty (film)

A 1995 in film film, Get Shorty, based on the Get Shorty, was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starred John Travolta as Chili Palmer, Gene Hackman as Harry Zimm, Rene Russo as Karen Flores, Delroy Lindo as Bo Catlett, Dennis Farina as Ray "Bones" Barboni, James Gandolfini as Bear , David Paymer as Leo and Danny DeVito as Martin Weir....
, which earned him a Grammy nomination.

During the 1980s he starred in a number of films directed by Jim Jarmusch
Jim Jarmusch

Jim Jarmusch is an United States independent filmmaker and script writer....
, namely Stranger Than Paradise, Down by Law, and Permanent Vacation
Permanent Vacation (film)

Permanent Vacation is a 1980 in film Drama film film directed, written and produced by Jim Jarmusch. It was the director's first release, and was shot on 16 mm film shortly after he dropped out of film school....
.






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Encyclopedia


John Lurie (born December 14, 1952) is an actor, musician, painter and producer born in Minneapolis, MN, USA
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
.

Biography

In 1978 he formed The Lounge Lizards
The Lounge Lizards

The Lounge Lizards are a jazz group formed in 1978 by saxophone player John Lurie; they should not be confused with country music satire group the Austin Lounge Lizards....
, initially a "fake jazz" combo, with his brother Evan Lurie
Evan Lurie

Evan Lurie is an United States composer and musician. He was a founding member of the band The Lounge Lizards, along with his brother John Lurie....
. The Lounge Lizards exhibited the talent of artists such as Calvin Weston, Billy Martin
Billy Martin

Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an United States second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times....
, Oren Bloedow
Oren Bloedow

Oren Bloedow is an United States singer, guitarist, and composer. He founded the band Elysian Fields in 1995 with Jennifer Charles.His father, Jerry Bloedow, b....
, Steve Bernstein, Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot

Marc Ribot is an United States guitarist and composer.His own work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, and Cuban music....
, among others. The band continued to make music for 20 years. During this time, Lurie recorded 22 albums and composed scores for over 20 movies, the most notable being Stranger than Paradise
Stranger Than Paradise

Stranger Than Paradise is an absurdist comedy film written and directed by American film director Jim Jarmusch in 1984. It stars jazz musician John Lurie, former Sonic Youth drummer-turned-actor Richard Edson and Hungarian-born actress Eszter Balint....
, Down by Law
Down by Law

Down by Law may refer to:* Down by Law , a 1986 film by Jim Jarmusch* Down by Law , an American punk rock band** Down by Law , their debut album...
, Mystery Train
Mystery Train

"Mystery Train" is a song written by Junior Parker and Sam Phillips. It was first recorded in Phillip's Memphis Recording Service and Sun Records at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee in 1953....
, Clay Pigeons
Clay Pigeons

Clay Pigeons is a 1998 in film written by Matt Healy and directed by David Dobkin . It stars Joaquin Phoenix as Clay Bidwell, Vince Vaughn as the Lester Long, and Janeane Garofalo as Agent Shelby....
, Animal Factory
Animal Factory

Animal Factory is a film about life in prison, set in San Quentin and directed by actor Steve Buscemi. It was made in 2000 in film....
, and Get Shorty
Get Shorty (film)

A 1995 in film film, Get Shorty, based on the Get Shorty, was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starred John Travolta as Chili Palmer, Gene Hackman as Harry Zimm, Rene Russo as Karen Flores, Delroy Lindo as Bo Catlett, Dennis Farina as Ray "Bones" Barboni, James Gandolfini as Bear , David Paymer as Leo and Danny DeVito as Martin Weir....
, which earned him a Grammy nomination.

During the 1980s he starred in a number of films directed by Jim Jarmusch
Jim Jarmusch

Jim Jarmusch is an United States independent filmmaker and script writer....
, namely Stranger Than Paradise, Down by Law, and Permanent Vacation
Permanent Vacation (film)

Permanent Vacation is a 1980 in film Drama film film directed, written and produced by Jim Jarmusch. It was the director's first release, and was shot on 16 mm film shortly after he dropped out of film school....
. He went on to have roles in other notable films including Paris, Texas
Paris, Texas (film)

Paris, Texas is a 1984 film directed by Wim Wenders. The screenplay is by L.M. Kit Carson and Sam Shepard, and the distinctive musical score was composed by Ry Cooder....
 and The Last Temptation of Christ
The Last Temptation of Christ (film)

The Last Temptation of Christ is a 1988 in film film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the controversial 1951 in literature The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis....
. Lurie also starred, during 2001-2003, on the HBO prison series Oz
Oz (TV series)

Oz was an United States television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes. It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by Home Box Office....
 as inmate Greg Penders.

His 1991 TV series Fishing with John
Fishing with John

Fishing with John is a 1991 in television Cult television TV series directed by and starring actor and musician John Lurie. On the surface, the series resembles a standard travel or Fishing television series: In each episode, Lurie takes a famous guest on a fishing expedition....
, which he wrote, directed and starred in, was a cult success. The critically acclaimed series aired on IFC
Independent Film Channel

The Independent Film Channel is a cable network that airs independent film and related programming uncut and uncensored, 24 hours a day. Hence, they operate under the mantra "always, uncut." IFC presents programming that includes feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, and content exclusively f...
 and Bravo. Episodes included guests such as Tom Waits
Tom Waits

Thomas Alan Waits is an United Statesn singer-songwriter, composer and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of Bourbon whiskey, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car." With this trademark growl, his incorpo...
, Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe

William J. "Willem" Dafoe is a two-time Academy Award-nominated United States film and theatre actor, and a founding member of the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group....
, Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon

Matthew Raymond Dillon is an Academy Award-, Golden Globe Award-, and BAFTA Award-nominated United States actor. He began acting in the late 1970s, gained fame as a teenage idol during the 1980s, and developed a successful career as a mature actor in the decades following, culminating in an Academy Awards nomination for his performance in th...
, Jim Jarmusch and Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper

Dennis Lee Hopper is an Academy Award-nominated United Statesn actor and filmmaker, known for playing psychotic and villain characters....
. It has since been released on DVD by Criterion
The Criterion Collection

The Criterion Collection is a privately held company that distributes "authoritative" consumer versions of "important classic and contemporary films," first on Laserdisc, and then on DVD, Blu-ray and downloading online....
.

In 1999 Lurie released the album The Legendary Marvin Pontiac - Greatest Hits, which was purportedly a posthumous collection of the work of an insane African-Jewish musician named Marvin Pontiac (1932-1977). Pontiac, however, was a fictional character, and the music was actually written by Lurie, and performed by Lurie, Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot

Marc Ribot is an United States guitarist and composer.His own work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, and Cuban music....
, and Tony Scherr
Tony Scherr

Tony Scherr is an American jazz and folk rock bassist, guitarist, singer-songwriter and record producer....
. The album included praise from David Bowie
David Bowie

David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and Arrangement. Active in five decades of rock music and frequently reinventing his music and image, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s....
, Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop, born James Newell ?sterberg, Jr. on April 21, 1947, is an American Rock music singer, songwriter, and occasional actor. Although he has had only limited mainstream success, Iggy Pop is considered an innovator of punk rock, garage rock, and other related rock music....
, Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen

Leonard Norman Cohen, Order of Canada, National Order of Quebec is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963....
, and others, who were in on the joke, and a fictional "biography" was published in Allmusic.com

In a 2006 interview, Lurie said that he had been in ill health since the mid- to late 1990s, with a number of neurological symptoms, "sort of like malaria
Malaria

Malaria is a Vector -borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites. It is widespread in Tropics and subtropical regions, including parts of the Americas, Asia, and Africa....
", but that he is "90% certain that it is advanced Lyme disease
Lyme disease

Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia....
", although "the doctors don't really know what it is". Lurie said that his illness has kept him from acting or performing music, and that he spends most of his time in his apartment, painting.

Painting

For the last four years, Lurie has been exhibiting his paintings, and credits painting with "saving his life", referring to his illnesses and seclusion.

In spring 2004, he had his first exhibition at Anton Kern Gallery, New York. Within 10 minutes of the opening night, all the pieces were sold. His subsequent exhibitions at Galerie Daniel Blau in Munich
Munich

Munich is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Munich is located on the River Isar north of the Northern Limestone Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg....
; Galerie Lelong in Zurich and Galerie Gabriel Rolt in Amsterdam
Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the Capital of the Netherlands and List of cities in the Netherlands with over 100,000 people of the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands of North Holland in the west of the country....
 were all met with equal success. Lurie was represented at the Basel International Art Fair in June 2005, 2006 and will be again this year. In January 2005, Lurie exhibited his second show in New York at Roebling Hall’s new Chelsea location. On April 30th 2006, Lurie opened his first solo museum show at P.S.1. Contemporary Arts Center, New York. In 2007 Lurie’s work was showcased at The Montreal Museum of Fine Art.

Lurie continues to exhibit in domestic and international venues in 2008. A collection of work was displayed at the NEXT Art Fair Chicago and Lurie’s work will be exhibited at the Mudam Luxembourg from October through December in 2008. In addition, The Museum of Modern Art has acquired his work for their permanent collection.

In the last two years Lurie has made his work available to the public via two art books. In June 2006, Lurie released his first book, "Learn To Draw", a compilation of black and white drawings published by Walther Konig. In May 2008, Lurie's most recent release, "A Fine Example Of Art" a hard cover, full color book of over 80 reproductions of his work, published by powerHouse Books was made available at select domestic and international book stores as well as on Amazon.com.

Lurie's watercolor painting Bear Surprise
Bear Surprise

Bear Surprise is a watercolor painting by American painter John Lurie, the style of which has been described as primitivist and na?ve. The painting depicts a couple having sex in a meadow, with a bear standing in front of them, with fore paws in a distinctive position....
 achieved enormous popularity on numerous Russian websites, in an Internet phenomenon known as Preved
Preved

Preved is a internet meme in the Russian Internet which developed out of a heavily-circulated picture, and consists of choosing alternative spellings for words for comic effect....
. Lurie combined text and images in unique and interesting ways creating a personal mythology that breaks down the distinctions between real experiences and the imaginary. Lurie has showed his works at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, Roebling Hall, and Anton Kern gallery in New York, and Galerie Daniel Blau in Munich
Munich

Munich is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Munich is located on the River Isar north of the Northern Limestone Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg....
. They were on show at the Mudam
Mudam

The Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art , abbreviated to Mudam, is a museum of modern art in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. The museum stands on the site of the old Fort Th?ngen, in the Kirchberg, Luxembourg Quarters of Luxembourg City, in the north-east of the city....
 museum in Luxembourg
Luxembourg

Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a small landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany....
 from October 11, 2008 to December 8, 2008. This exposition was titled The Skeleton In My Closet Has Moved Out To The Garden.

Filmography

  • Underground U.S.A. (1980)
  • Permanent Vacation
    Permanent Vacation (film)

    Permanent Vacation is a 1980 in film Drama film film directed, written and produced by Jim Jarmusch. It was the director's first release, and was shot on 16 mm film shortly after he dropped out of film school....
     (1980)
  • The Offenders
    The Offenders

    The Offenders are an English indie/rock band from Lincoln UK. They comprise of Liam Fallon , Ronan Morrissey , Jack Walker , Danny Perry and Sean Melton....
     (1980)
  • Subway Riders (1981)
  • Stranger Than Paradise
    Stranger Than Paradise

    Stranger Than Paradise is an absurdist comedy film written and directed by American film director Jim Jarmusch in 1984. It stars jazz musician John Lurie, former Sonic Youth drummer-turned-actor Richard Edson and Hungarian-born actress Eszter Balint....
     (1983)
  • Paris, Texas
    Paris, Texas (film)

    Paris, Texas is a 1984 film directed by Wim Wenders. The screenplay is by L.M. Kit Carson and Sam Shepard, and the distinctive musical score was composed by Ry Cooder....
     (1984)
  • Desperately Seeking Susan
    Desperately Seeking Susan

    Desperately Seeking Susan is a 1985 in film directed by Susan Seidelman and starring Rosanna Arquette and Madonna ....
     (1985)
  • Down by Law
    Down by Law (film)

    Down by Law is a 1986 in film black-and-white independent film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It stars Tom Waits, John Lurie and Roberto Benigni....
     (1986)
  • The Last Temptation of Christ
    The Last Temptation of Christ (film)

    The Last Temptation of Christ is a 1988 in film film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the controversial 1951 in literature The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis....
     (1988)
  • Il Piccolo diavolo (1988)
  • Wild at Heart
    Wild at Heart (film)

    Wild at Heart is a 1990 in film Cinema of the United States written and directed by David Lynch, and based on Barry Gifford's pulp magazine novel Wild at Heart ....
     (1990)
  • John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards Live in Berlin 1991 (1992) (concert film)
  • Smoke
    Smoke (film)

    Smoke is an United States independent film released in 1995. It was produced by Bob Weinstein and Harvey Weinstein and directed by Wayne Wang and Paul Auster ....
     (1995) (uncredited)
  • Blue in the Face
    Blue in the Face

    Blue in the Face is a 1995 in film comedy directed by Wayne Wang and Paul Auster. It stars Harvey Keitel, Madonna , Giancarlo Esposito, Roseanne Barr, Michael J....
     (1995)
  • Just Your Luck
    Just Your Luck

    Just Your Luck is a television drama written by Peter McDougall for BBC Play For Today. The series aired in 1972....
     (1996)
  • New Rose Hotel
    New Rose Hotel (1998 film)

    New Rose Hotel is a 1998 film by film director Abel Ferrara, based on a William Gibson short story of New Rose Hotel, starring Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe and Asia Argento....
     (1998)
  • Sleepwalk (2000)


Discography


John Lurie

  • Berlin 1991 Volume One and the Lounge Lizards (1991)
  • Men With Sticks: John Lurie National Orchestra (1993)
  • The Days with Jacques
  • The Legendary Marvin Pontiac (1999)


Lounge Lizards

  • Lounge Lizards (1981)
  • No Pain for Cakes (1986)
  • Voice of Chunk (1988)
  • Big Heart: Live in Tokyo (1986)
  • Live: 1979-1981 (1992)
  • Live in Berlin, Volume One (1992)
  • Live in Berlin, Volume Two (1993)
  • Queen of All Ears (1998)
  • Big Heart: Live in Tokyo (Import) (2004)


Soundtracks

  • Get Shorty
    Get Shorty (film)

    A 1995 in film film, Get Shorty, based on the Get Shorty, was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starred John Travolta as Chili Palmer, Gene Hackman as Harry Zimm, Rene Russo as Karen Flores, Delroy Lindo as Bo Catlett, Dennis Farina as Ray "Bones" Barboni, James Gandolfini as Bear , David Paymer as Leo and Danny DeVito as Martin Weir....
     (1995)
  • Excess Baggage
    Excess Baggage

    Excess Baggage is an United States comedy film from 1997 in film, directed by Marco Brambilla....
     (1997)
  • Fishing with John
    Fishing with John

    Fishing with John is a 1991 in television Cult television TV series directed by and starring actor and musician John Lurie. On the surface, the series resembles a standard travel or Fishing television series: In each episode, Lurie takes a famous guest on a fishing expedition....
     (recorded in 1991, released in 1998)
  • African Swim
    African Swim

    African Swim is a free download album released in 2008 by Adult Swim . The compilation contains unreleased music from the majority of the label's current roster and its release was timed to coincide with that of Far Cry 2....
     and Manny and Lo (1999)
  • Mystery Train
    Mystery Train (film)

    Mystery Train is a 1989 anthology film written and directed by independent film film director Jim Jarmusch and set in Memphis, Tennessee, Tennessee....
     (1989)
  • Stranger Than Paradise
    Stranger Than Paradise

    Stranger Than Paradise is an absurdist comedy film written and directed by American film director Jim Jarmusch in 1984. It stars jazz musician John Lurie, former Sonic Youth drummer-turned-actor Richard Edson and Hungarian-born actress Eszter Balint....
     and The Resurrection of Albert Ayler (1984)
  • Down by Law
    Down by Law (film)

    Down by Law is a 1986 in film black-and-white independent film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It stars Tom Waits, John Lurie and Roberto Benigni....
     and Variety (1985)


External links

  • in Philadelphia City Paper
    Philadelphia City Paper

    Philadelphia City Paper is a free alternative news weekly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established in November 1981 as a spin-off of the now defunct WXPN newsletter....
     regarding Fishing With John
    Fishing with John

    Fishing with John is a 1991 in television Cult television TV series directed by and starring actor and musician John Lurie. On the surface, the series resembles a standard travel or Fishing television series: In each episode, Lurie takes a famous guest on a fishing expedition....