Yep, that's what I'm going to try and do this New Year's Eve - pretend its 1999 again with a future still looking bright, I say we just skip over the last ten years. By now, as it closes, most wags have weighed in on how this has been the worst decade ever. I'd started it fully enmeshed in what was then the brave glorious new world of the Internet. I loved working with customers because I was selling the biggest dream going - the World Wide Web, a places of riches unknown awaiting. All major cities were going to [...]
Though I'd been uploading music to the Internet since the beginning of the decade, my first real mix was a collection of Christmas songs posted back in 2005. These last four years have been an interesting trip; through music blogging I've made the acquaintance and friendship of endless talented musicians, writers, artists and knowledgeable music lovers, many that taught me a thing or two. Usually, my yearly Christmas post looks back at the accomplishments of the past twelve months, there's no danger of that occurring this time 'round. It's been a somber and sobering year for most that read this, [...]
Happily, Rage Against The Machine are still up to their old tricks - they're on a Facebook /Twitter campaign to get their song, Killing In The Name, to the Christmas Number One spot on the UK Singles Chart. As Wikipedia mentions , the slot has been dominated for four consecutive years by winners from the popular UK teevee show The X Factor , created and hosted by Simon Cowell. Even Paul McCartney has jumped in , declaring his support for RATM despite recently performing with Joe McElderry, currently second in Xmas#1. All this led to the [...]
Another year, another Thanksgiving - time to recharge with family, food, stories, good times. Though the last twelve months haven't been easy for many, I'm in the holiday mood - as the year closes, things have started looking up, so by all signs, I won't be eating dog food while living in my car after all, the wolves have been kept at bay for yet another day, thanks for everyone's concern! Other than that, I'm thankful my other web projects have taken off well, not happy the Web Sheriff (no links for that loser) had a post yanked down on [...]
I still have themes on deck, but this tune has drilled deep into my head for some major earwormage - maybe posting it will serve as a cathartic act of sorts. Jane Says is an evocative track, for many it strongly recalls another time and place, like all great songs do. Enjoy. Jane's Addiction: Jane Says
I had an OMG moment after I looked at last week's stats, I'm pretty amazed how many peeps stopped by. It's nice to know after laying off for so long that anyone would still be interested, it's extremely heartening - thanks to all of you! It's sure a lot easier updating knowing it's appreciated. Welcome to November, the month that starts the holiday cycle that ends with New Years Day in January. It can be the most hectic and stressful part of the year, no better time for good tunes to keep things running smooth - here's seven [...]
Video: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (full version) One thing for sure - 2009 has been the scariest year in recent memory. Halloween just might be the sort of cathartic therapy needed, maybe a horror movie or three to chase away some of those Great Depression II willies. Perhaps these thirteen scary songs will do the trick as well - throw caution to the wind and be all ears, with these songs full of frightful fears. [...]
A Sunday Seven - why not? Some tunes to enjoy the day by, the one I feel is best suited for music listening. After the success of Purple Rain, record industry weasels flocked to Prince's hometown of Minneapolis, hoping to find musicians and songwriters who could deliver that funky Roland TR-808-based sound the Purple One garnered hits with. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were at the right place at the right time - they had just been fired from The Time , a band Prince had put together. They quickly delivered, producing and writing songs [...]
I'm aware of the conspicuousness of my absence, I've actually had peeps in my real life start grabbing me by the shoulders asking why I'm not updating, it's hard not feeling I've let them and everyone else down. I prefer to save the details, but like many of you out there, the economy is still kicking me hard in the ass. It brings about a certain malaise that causes one to have the attention span of a gnat. I have tons of stuff in my head, getting it out is another story. Though everyone has their own reasons, [...]
If his twin engine Beechcraft airplane hadn't plunged into the frigid waters of Wisconsin's Lake Monona in Madison on December 10th, 1967, Otis Redding would have celebrated his 68th birthday last September 9th. His body was recovered from the lake bed the day after the crash, he was just 26 years old when he died. This isn't meant to be a detailed overview of Otis' career, more of a note to remind what an amazing musician he was, though his life had enough twists and turns to make for an engrossing biography. He was Joe Frazier to Marvin [...]
Though it's still summer in the Northern Hemisphere, we're heading for the homestretch as colleges and university students return, Back To School sales start and vacations end. Here are some tunes that have no particular relevance to the season, outside of helping set the mood for some last minute fun in the sun. Hope it's been a good one so far for one and all. Stetsasonic: Talkin' All That Jazz Hugh Masekela: Grazing In The Grass B&T Express: Express Sly & [...]
There's no better time to take the pulse of a country than on the anniversary of its birth. My hopes were sky-high when Barack Obama was elected the forty-fourth President of the United States. The country had just endured eight years of a wartime President that took more vacation time than any other to date. The American people apparently were upset as I was - for the first time in years, there was a majority of Democrats voted into the House and Senate, which meant smooth sailing for our newly elected Democratic President. Americans were well aware of [...]
tetradia Here we are, on Father's Day and I was trying to find a father-appropriate song that I can relate to. My dad wasn't ever around much, left our family for good when I was ten, so it's not quite a sentimental day. Nonetheless, as I often remind my mom, he's half of me, however good or bad that may be. In the Shel Silverstein composition, A Boy Named Sue, the protagonist has a future of brawling awaiting him because of an absent father whose only contribution to his entire life was naming him [...]
So, what was I just saying, Right Here, Right Now by Jesus Jones on repeat for 3 hours while driving through the desert. Yes, in August, that's right... oh, readers - there you are! I was just messaging a friend about the upcoming Jesus Jones LA to Vegas Road Trip Challenge '09 . Between setting up the particulars and dealing with mind-numbing finances, I've wandered away a bit, but here I am, back for yet another installment of the Friday Five, same as it ever was, same as it ever was... Rock And Roll comes from [...]
I've had a few items sitting around that for one reason or another didn't fit into any sort of theme. Because of that, I'm bringing back "odds & sods" so some worthwhile tunes get airing. A lot of people were wondering whom Less Than Zero was written about, especially after the line, "Calling Mr. Oswald with the swastika tattoo." Xenophobic Americans assumed it was Lee Harvey Oswald, the man labeled John Kennedy's assassin, in fact it was about Oswald Mosley , an extreme right-wing British politician, known principally as [...]
Mick Jones of The Clash once sang, "I wasn't born so much as I fell out", which is a notion I can get with, since my family isn't very emotionally demonstrative. That's not as bad as it sounds, since we all love each other, so I was surprised when out of the blue, my mom started letting me know that she cared for me. I was pretty perplexed and answered with eyes arched as she was waited for a response that wasn't soon forthcoming. After a few more tries, there was an explanation that she'd read in my blog how [...]
The Beastie Boys just remastered Check Your Head, so it seems natural to revisit one of the better tracks off it. They played instruments for the first time on this album, along with a new sound that laid the blueprint for things to come. Beastie Boys: So What'Cha Want One of my favorite Zappa songs and much overlooked, for reasons I'm not able to fathom. A classic for the "price of meat" line alone. Frank Zappa: Cosmik Debris After making his bones with angsty music, Conor [...]
When Rick James wasn't busy slapping Charlie Murphy around , he was cranking out nonpareil gut-bucket Funk, like today's selection, taken from the 1981 12" vinyl release. This one gets the party started right and quickly. Rick James: Give It To Me Baby Since playing on Saturday Night Live last week, music blogs have been abuzz posting tunes from French band Phoenix . Here's one that's not been beat into the ground, courtesy of Post Punk . Phoenix: One Time Too Many Surely [...]
Crazy times, brothers and sisters. When I was wee lad, I'd ask my grandparents about the Great Depression . They'd answer the realization of having lived through one didn't come until years later, after it had been tagged with that label. All they knew - employment was scarce and money tight, sorta sounds a bit like right now. Here's hoping everyone is holding up okay, it's jarring to hear of so many job losses piling up. How about some music to put our minds on more pleasant thoughts? David Byrne is on record saying this [...]
Crazy times, brothers and sisters. When I was wee lad, I'd ask my grandparents about the Great Depression . They'd answer the realization of having lived through one didn't come until years later, after it had been tagged with that label. All they knew - employment was scarce and money tight, sorta sounds a bit like right now. Here's hoping everyone is holding up okay, it's jarring to hear of so many job losses piling up. How about some music to put our minds on more pleasant thoughts? David Byrne is on record saying this [...]
snuhthing/anything
Download: James Blake Live Album (Unofficial)
My Funny Valentines
Lana Del Rey - Without You (Kill Paris Remix) [Dubstep]
The Kills on Letterman (Video)
