Here's a various-artists mashup collection inspired by one of my favorite boyhood bands (not to be confused with boy-bands!), techno-pop pioneers Kraftwerk. Germany's finest really are one of the most visionary groups in history. For decades they were cutting-edge, anticipating a remarkable number of genres and movements - starting with '70s prog, on to New Wave, hip-hop, and eventually rave, they were always relevant and seemed slightly ahead of their time.
Times have caught up with them - home computers aren't quite as futuristic a concept now as they were in 1979 - but those old records have aged very well, if ya ax me.
"Bootwerk" features a host of internet stars (and M4M faves) like Earlybird, DJ Zebra, Dunproofin', ATOM, and ToToM dragging Ralf, Florian and the gang into the new millennium.
RIAA: (Models Gotta) Fight For Their Right (To Mambo) - Kraftwerk - The Model vs. Beastie Boys - Fight For Your Right vs. Tito Puente - Oye Como Va. Probly sounds better after a few mojitos.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Beach Blanket Bootlegs
Here's A non-stop dance party mix of the best surf music mashups the web has to offer.
Beach Blanket Bootleg
(intro) RIAA - Holiday Inn: Cambodia
LCO - Rock Lobster Taffy
Party Ben - Wipeout Taffy
RIAA - Tricky Wipeout
The Who Boys - Fun & Bass
RIAA - Can't Touch This Surfin Safari
Pilchard - High5Music
BuG - Wiggle in Hawaii
The Who Boys - A Song Called Bob
King Cutters - Surf Route Dub Down 101
MarkJ - John B's Holiday
Instamatic - Godlife
DJ Entropy - Rockin Down The Girls
dublxero - Energency of Kokomo
SlackJawedLocal - You Know My Number
Eve Massacre - Red Alert Bird
Messur Chups - Trashmen Upgrade
JetSetAlex - I Like Nitro
DJ Clive$ter - Hawaiian Krupa
RIAA - Aloha Rock
Beach Blanket Bootleg
(intro) RIAA - Holiday Inn: Cambodia
LCO - Rock Lobster Taffy
Party Ben - Wipeout Taffy
RIAA - Tricky Wipeout
The Who Boys - Fun & Bass
RIAA - Can't Touch This Surfin Safari
Pilchard - High5Music
BuG - Wiggle in Hawaii
The Who Boys - A Song Called Bob
King Cutters - Surf Route Dub Down 101
MarkJ - John B's Holiday
Instamatic - Godlife
DJ Entropy - Rockin Down The Girls
dublxero - Energency of Kokomo
SlackJawedLocal - You Know My Number
Eve Massacre - Red Alert Bird
Messur Chups - Trashmen Upgrade
JetSetAlex - I Like Nitro
DJ Clive$ter - Hawaiian Krupa
RIAA - Aloha Rock
Friday, June 22, 2007
REQUEST: MOOG BREAKBEATS
Had a request to put this back on line. I did...last week. And I forgot to mention it here. DUH.
Here is the original post. Or if you just want the music, here's a zip file of the whole album:
"Moog Breakbeats"
I didn't remember exactly how the original album went, but here's how it goes now:
01 Electronic Concept Orchestra - Grazin In The Grass
02 Walter Sear - Love Child
03 Enoch Light - Pass and I'll Call You
04 Herbie Mann - Pick Up The Pieces
05 The Moog Machine - Jumpin Jack Flash
06 Jerry Styner and Larry Brown - Orbit III
07 John Murtaugh - Slinky
08 les baxter - rachmaninoff prelude in c# minor
09 Robert Byrne - Donna
10 Zeet Band - Gimme 5 Cents Worth Of Love
11 Martin Denny - Yellow Bird
12 claude denjean - na na hey hey kiss him goodbye
13 Enoch Light - Sittin On The Dock of the Bay
14 Hugo Montenegro - Yo Yo
15 Sounds Galactic - Spinning Wheel
16 The John Keating Space Experience - Solitaire
17 Electronic Concept Orchestra - Mah Na Mah Na
For something I just threw together after hearing Robert Moog had died, this certainly has been popular. Perhaps that's not too surprising considering how criminally little of this music has been reissued on CD.
Here is the original post. Or if you just want the music, here's a zip file of the whole album:
"Moog Breakbeats"
I didn't remember exactly how the original album went, but here's how it goes now:
01 Electronic Concept Orchestra - Grazin In The Grass
02 Walter Sear - Love Child
03 Enoch Light - Pass and I'll Call You
04 Herbie Mann - Pick Up The Pieces
05 The Moog Machine - Jumpin Jack Flash
06 Jerry Styner and Larry Brown - Orbit III
07 John Murtaugh - Slinky
08 les baxter - rachmaninoff prelude in c# minor
09 Robert Byrne - Donna
10 Zeet Band - Gimme 5 Cents Worth Of Love
11 Martin Denny - Yellow Bird
12 claude denjean - na na hey hey kiss him goodbye
13 Enoch Light - Sittin On The Dock of the Bay
14 Hugo Montenegro - Yo Yo
15 Sounds Galactic - Spinning Wheel
16 The John Keating Space Experience - Solitaire
17 Electronic Concept Orchestra - Mah Na Mah Na
For something I just threw together after hearing Robert Moog had died, this certainly has been popular. Perhaps that's not too surprising considering how criminally little of this music has been reissued on CD.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
COWBOY SOUL
A black country band?
Cowboy Soul are just that. Some might call these guys the worst kind of Uncle Tom sell-outs. But I think they're keepin' it real, dawg: as we discussed back on the Cowboy Troy post (see the comments), an examination of early American folk music shows plenty of back-and-forth between black musicians and their hillbilly neighbors. The music industry's practice of segregation created the artificial distinction between blues, cowboy and hillbilly styles, or, as the music biz renamed them "race" and "country/western" musics.
From Leadbelly's "I Am A Western Cowboy," to Ray Charles, Charlie Pride, and Los Angeles' own Cowboy Soul, black folks keep butting into country music whether it likes it or not. It's still weird, though, seeing five bruthas, including one in dreads, sporting cowboy hats, string ties and vests, and singing country songs. I just saw these guys today as part of downtown LA's Pershing Square free summer concert series (how's this for rapid reporting, folks?) and I can assure you - they're no joke. No "crossover" rap or drum machine songs, no gimmicky novelties. Just straight-ahead gee-tar twang.
Cowboy Soul - "Worse 20 Minutes": Funny, and quite catchy actually.
Cowboy Soul are just that. Some might call these guys the worst kind of Uncle Tom sell-outs. But I think they're keepin' it real, dawg: as we discussed back on the Cowboy Troy post (see the comments), an examination of early American folk music shows plenty of back-and-forth between black musicians and their hillbilly neighbors. The music industry's practice of segregation created the artificial distinction between blues, cowboy and hillbilly styles, or, as the music biz renamed them "race" and "country/western" musics.
From Leadbelly's "I Am A Western Cowboy," to Ray Charles, Charlie Pride, and Los Angeles' own Cowboy Soul, black folks keep butting into country music whether it likes it or not. It's still weird, though, seeing five bruthas, including one in dreads, sporting cowboy hats, string ties and vests, and singing country songs. I just saw these guys today as part of downtown LA's Pershing Square free summer concert series (how's this for rapid reporting, folks?) and I can assure you - they're no joke. No "crossover" rap or drum machine songs, no gimmicky novelties. Just straight-ahead gee-tar twang.
Cowboy Soul - "Worse 20 Minutes": Funny, and quite catchy actually.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
PORN FOR THE BLIND
"Porn for the Blind is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to producing audio descriptions of sample movie clips from adult web sites."
Eighth Street Latinas
From Cambridge, MA - home of Harvard University...
Eighth Street Latinas
From Cambridge, MA - home of Harvard University...
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
BUGS AND FRIENDS SING THE BEATLES
For some utterly silly reason, Tim from Radio Clash asked if I had a copy of "Bugs and Friends Sing The Beatles," a collection of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and other Warner Bros. cartoon characters singing the Fab Four. Why would he think I could possibly own such a ridiculous album? I mean, I do, but that's besides the point! Honestly, I've been meaning to trade it in for something serious. Maybe some Leonard Cohen. That's how serious I am.
Well, since I went to the trouble of pulling out this album and ripping some of the tracks to mp3, I may as well post one. And so, with a scowl, I present this very serious Beatles song, disgracefully obliterated by an Acme truckload of cartoon sound effects.
The Roadrunner: "The Long and Winding Road"
I shall now return to reading Nietzsche. Good day.
Well, since I went to the trouble of pulling out this album and ripping some of the tracks to mp3, I may as well post one. And so, with a scowl, I present this very serious Beatles song, disgracefully obliterated by an Acme truckload of cartoon sound effects.
The Roadrunner: "The Long and Winding Road"
I shall now return to reading Nietzsche. Good day.
Friday, June 15, 2007
KISSES FROM VENEZUELA
Everyone thought that the Internet would bring a wealth of variety to the culture. Yeah, well, there's a million music blogs out there now and they all write about the same things. People are still sheep - that hasn't changed. For instance, who else is writing about the Venezuelan electronica scene? WHO, I ax ya? Just Music For Maniacs. Damn straight.
HUGE Hefner is the hombre who hepped us to the kooky cumbia cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" a while back (for which there is now a video). Now he unleashes _HELIOS.EXE on us gringos with an on-line EP courtesy of the 'net-label FanZinatra. Supposedly, all the songs are remixes of the same song "Kissing Time" ("Besande el Tiempo") but since each track has such a radically different sound you'd never know it. The first "tune" obliterates the sweet female, almost Chipmunky, vocals with such a blizzard of insane electronics and video-game bleepiness I felt like I was riding in a washing machine. I love the contrast between the cute lyrics about kissing and the unpredictable weirdness of the music:
_HELIOS.EXE: Abriendo El Tiempo (Lets_Go_Kissing_Pepper-C64-EOW_Mix)
This one focuses more on the vox and less on the crazy:
_HELIOS.EXE: Pachekando El Tiempo (Pacheko_Mix).mp3
and Boleteando El Tiempo (Dont_Break_My_Core My_Love_Is All_You_Wanted_Mix) has
jagged bits of Manu Chao, Xtina Aguilera, and REM sticking out of it. Yummy like flan.
HUGE Hefner is the hombre who hepped us to the kooky cumbia cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" a while back (for which there is now a video). Now he unleashes _HELIOS.EXE on us gringos with an on-line EP courtesy of the 'net-label FanZinatra. Supposedly, all the songs are remixes of the same song "Kissing Time" ("Besande el Tiempo") but since each track has such a radically different sound you'd never know it. The first "tune" obliterates the sweet female, almost Chipmunky, vocals with such a blizzard of insane electronics and video-game bleepiness I felt like I was riding in a washing machine. I love the contrast between the cute lyrics about kissing and the unpredictable weirdness of the music:
_HELIOS.EXE: Abriendo El Tiempo (Lets_Go_Kissing_Pepper-C64-EOW_Mix)
This one focuses more on the vox and less on the crazy:
_HELIOS.EXE: Pachekando El Tiempo (Pacheko_Mix).mp3
and Boleteando El Tiempo (Dont_Break_My_Core My_Love_Is All_You_Wanted_Mix) has
jagged bits of Manu Chao, Xtina Aguilera, and REM sticking out of it. Yummy like flan.
Friday, June 08, 2007
sshhaakkeeyyoouurrrruummpp
The internet IS the new CBGBs. And you are all as cool as Joey Ramone or Debbie Harry just by being here. Fave new toe-tappin' copyright-violatin' sound collages as follows:
The Bran Flakes have a new odds 'n' sods collection on-line called "Bubbles" that certainly has whet my appetite for their long-awaited new album. Has it really been 5 years since the last one? Well, Flake-in-Chief Otis Fodder has been a busy little beaver lately, what with the 365 Projects and Comfort Stand Records keeping him out of the studio. This tune is a great example of their thrift-store plundering trashy mashups:
The Bran Flakes: Countdown To The End (Choo Choo Mix)
David Schafer is a New York-based contemporary "sound-artist," which suggests someone perhaps using "concepts" as an excuse to not make listenable music. Well, this track is both a great concept and a sublime soundscape: "Kenny G's music is ubiquitous and represents an idea or state of mind of being on hold, in the waiting room, or in an elevator. It also might suggest a kind of anxiety of empty spaces and technology, a pathology that is manifested regarding the need of filling spaces, and the fabricated desire to sooth, and to be pacified at all times..."Forever and Forever in Reverse" is the superimposition of the forward version with the reversed version of the song played at the same time."
David Schafer: Forever In Love In Forever The blandness of Kenny G miraculously transformed into Eno/Fripp-ish droney loveliness.
And finally, RIAA presents two Afro-groovers for summer: The reggae standard "The Harder They Come" performed by Rocker's Revenge over some smokin' Afro-disco courtesy of Manu Dibango - "Aloko Party":
RIAA: "The Harder They Party"
Both tunes take the acapella and chop it up like a dj scratch attack. Nothing conceptual with these - just bootie-shakers.
The Bran Flakes have a new odds 'n' sods collection on-line called "Bubbles" that certainly has whet my appetite for their long-awaited new album. Has it really been 5 years since the last one? Well, Flake-in-Chief Otis Fodder has been a busy little beaver lately, what with the 365 Projects and Comfort Stand Records keeping him out of the studio. This tune is a great example of their thrift-store plundering trashy mashups:
The Bran Flakes: Countdown To The End (Choo Choo Mix)
David Schafer is a New York-based contemporary "sound-artist," which suggests someone perhaps using "concepts" as an excuse to not make listenable music. Well, this track is both a great concept and a sublime soundscape: "Kenny G's music is ubiquitous and represents an idea or state of mind of being on hold, in the waiting room, or in an elevator. It also might suggest a kind of anxiety of empty spaces and technology, a pathology that is manifested regarding the need of filling spaces, and the fabricated desire to sooth, and to be pacified at all times..."Forever and Forever in Reverse" is the superimposition of the forward version with the reversed version of the song played at the same time."
David Schafer: Forever In Love In Forever The blandness of Kenny G miraculously transformed into Eno/Fripp-ish droney loveliness.
And finally, RIAA presents two Afro-groovers for summer: The reggae standard "The Harder They Come" performed by Rocker's Revenge over some smokin' Afro-disco courtesy of Manu Dibango - "Aloko Party":
RIAA: "The Harder They Party"
and some fonk-ay jazz: The Beastie Boys' "Shake Your Rump" over a sorta-remake of it by Hammond organ cat Ruben Wilson and P-Funk legend Bernie Worrell.
RIAA: "sshhaakkeeyyoouurrrruummpp"
RIAA: "sshhaakkeeyyoouurrrruummpp"
Both tunes take the acapella and chop it up like a dj scratch attack. Nothing conceptual with these - just bootie-shakers.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
419 State of Mind
Section 419 in the Nigerian criminal code refers to internet scams, and a recent trend in that African nation's large hip-hop scene is songs about perpetrating such frauds. They are often told with the same bravado as American gangsta tales, although, of course, coming from a completely different cultural perspective.
Mode Nine is one such group, and their song "419 State of Mind pt2" offers a lot to chew on - it's funny (I like their British victim: "Cor blimey!"), informative, and serves as a warning to potential suckers even as it offers a morally questionable rationale for these crimes based on the old con man's excuse "You can't cheat an honest man." The effect is ultimately chilling. And I don't mean "chillin'."
Mode Nine: "419 State of Mind pt2"
Thanks to africa.visual_media.nyc
Mode Nine is one such group, and their song "419 State of Mind pt2" offers a lot to chew on - it's funny (I like their British victim: "Cor blimey!"), informative, and serves as a warning to potential suckers even as it offers a morally questionable rationale for these crimes based on the old con man's excuse "You can't cheat an honest man." The effect is ultimately chilling. And I don't mean "chillin'."
Mode Nine: "419 State of Mind pt2"
Thanks to africa.visual_media.nyc
Saturday, June 02, 2007
THE DEFINITIVE "SGT. PEPPERS"
In all the hoopla this week over the 40th anniversary of The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper," lets not forget the greatest version ever of the album's title song: by actor/comedian Bill Cosby.
I bought this album (which came out on CD last year) at a church rummage sale for a quarter 15 years ago or so, and honestly didn't think the Cos would actually try to sing. I figured he would do a kind of comedic talk/sing kinda thing. I put the needle on, he started singing, and my jaw hit the floor. I knew then and there that this was the one of the all-time great celebrity records. We're talking Shatner-riffic. At least he had the good sense to use Charles Wright's Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band, one of the great underrated funk outfits of the '70s.
Of the seven notes in the Western music scale, he hits all six wrong ones.
The liner notes of the album say that fans walked out of his music shows because he didn't tell any of his usual comedic stories. Uh, you sure that's why?
I bought this album (which came out on CD last year) at a church rummage sale for a quarter 15 years ago or so, and honestly didn't think the Cos would actually try to sing. I figured he would do a kind of comedic talk/sing kinda thing. I put the needle on, he started singing, and my jaw hit the floor. I knew then and there that this was the one of the all-time great celebrity records. We're talking Shatner-riffic. At least he had the good sense to use Charles Wright's Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band, one of the great underrated funk outfits of the '70s.
Listen/download HERE.
Of the seven notes in the Western music scale, he hits all six wrong ones.
The liner notes of the album say that fans walked out of his music shows because he didn't tell any of his usual comedic stories. Uh, you sure that's why?
Friday, June 01, 2007
CZ-CZ-CZECH IT OUT
Thank God(zilla) for the internet. Otherwise, if I wanted to hear rare oddities and obscurities from the Czech Republic, I'd have to actually go there, spend hours in thrift stores and not now what the hell I was looking at. Fortunately, we've got a fascinating new blog called:
Petasonic
Scroll down to the bottom for an early-'80s Czech version of Pink Floyd's "Just Another Brick In The Wall," a song I normally associate with nothing more important then Valley stoners, but hearing it from the perspective of people living behind the wall of Communism certainly gives it more profundity. There's also a horrible bit of disco, some "official" Commie music and the funniest thing I've heard lately, a ridiculously upbeat Heino-like version of the reggae standard "By The Rivers of Babylon." If there are Oktoberfest celebrations in Jamaica, this is what they play.
Petasonic
Scroll down to the bottom for an early-'80s Czech version of Pink Floyd's "Just Another Brick In The Wall," a song I normally associate with nothing more important then Valley stoners, but hearing it from the perspective of people living behind the wall of Communism certainly gives it more profundity. There's also a horrible bit of disco, some "official" Commie music and the funniest thing I've heard lately, a ridiculously upbeat Heino-like version of the reggae standard "By The Rivers of Babylon." If there are Oktoberfest celebrations in Jamaica, this is what they play.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
THE PUNK GROUP
Was DEVO one of your favorite bands? Are they NOW? If so, all my fellow DEVO-tees are hereby directed to The Punk Group website's "Music" section and commence listening/downloading. They do an excellent job covering The Spud's "That's Good," but really shine on originals like the "Blue Velvet"-quoting "Heineken", the video-game worshipping "Atari 800" and "My Best Friend Is My Son." And "Toby Keith" simply MUST be heard.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
G.I. JEW
It's Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S., time to remember all our fallen soldiers. Like:
G.I. Jew
I'm assuming Jon and Al Kaplan are Jewish. Who else could get away with lyrics like:
The Catholics blame him for murdering Jesus (G.I. Jew is there!)
He cuts the skin off the tip of your penis. (G.I. Jew is there!)
I actually like this tune, apart from it's comedy value. Perhaps it's not in the best taste, but what do you expect from the guys who wrote Why Can't Chinese Women Drive? And then there's their masterpiece "Silence!" - "Silence of the Lambs" - The Musical.
G.I. Jew
I'm assuming Jon and Al Kaplan are Jewish. Who else could get away with lyrics like:
The Catholics blame him for murdering Jesus (G.I. Jew is there!)
He cuts the skin off the tip of your penis. (G.I. Jew is there!)
I actually like this tune, apart from it's comedy value. Perhaps it's not in the best taste, but what do you expect from the guys who wrote Why Can't Chinese Women Drive? And then there's their masterpiece "Silence!" - "Silence of the Lambs" - The Musical.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
RIAA: "Sounds For The Space-Set"
A mashup tribute to the pioneers of electronic music...A glamorous excursion thru the solar system...RIAA (Robotic Intergalactic Astro-Artists) presents a 22-song free download album of Moogs, children's records, ill beats, Salvador Dali, lounge, disco, a robot narrator, surf, scientists, scratchy old novelty records, and at least one theremin. Robot servants mix cocktails for Sun Ra, Esquivel, and Bruce Haack in the observation deck of the space cruise ship heading towards the domed city of Las Vegas, Mars.
And in the most ludicrous example of pitch-shifting abuse in mashup history, Joe Meek stretches Celine Dion on the rack to get her to sing "Telstar." At least Devo and The Dazz Band come along to get everyone on the dance floor.
"Sounds For The Space-Set"
"If you find Earth boring..."
1.Lift Off: Sun Ra "Outerspaceways, Inc," Four Tops "I Can't Help Myself," David Bowie "Space Oddity," Sun Ra Moog solo
"Our first stop will be the International Space Station..."
2. Follow The Planet Man: Mort Garson "Walking In Space," Eric B & Rakim "Follow The Leader," "Planet Man" (old-time radio)
"Be sure to visit the Meatier Steakhouse..."
3. Shining Sun Flash: Moog Machine "Jumpin' Jack Flash," Tom Glazer "Why Does The Sun Shine?," Earth Wind & Fire "Shining Star"
4.Telstar Will Go On-Let It Whip It: Joe Meek & The Tornadoes "Telsar," Celine Dion "The Heart Will Go On," Devo "Whip It," Dazz Band "Let It Whip"
5. Antenna Rock/StroboNews: Kraftwerk "Antenna," Queen "We Will Rock You," Dick Hyman "Strobo"
"There is a rave in the discotheque..."
6. Why Don't You Psych-Out?: Pierre Henry "Psych Rock" (Fatboy Slim remix)," The All-Night Workers "Why Don't You Smile Now," radio ad
7. ttiippssyy: Tipsy "Hey!" (Messur Chups remix) vs "Tipsy" by J-Kwon
8. Salvador Dali Teaches Rex Harrison How To Say 'Butterfly': Dick Hyman "The Moog and Me," Salvador Dali interview, Chicks on Speed "Wordy Rappinghood"
"We have planned a Lunar Party..."
9. Pon de Re-Entry to the Moon: Jean Jacques Perrey and Harry Breuer "Re-Entry To The Moon," Rihanna "'Pon De Replay," "Bobby & Betty go to the Moon"
10. Mechanical Robot Man: Bent Bolt & The Mechanics "Mechanical Man," Daft Punk "Robot Rock"
11. Robo-Spies Must Die!!: Forrest J. Ackerman "Music For Robots," Los Straightjackets "Squad Car"
12. Lunar Luau: Marty Gold/Walter Sear "Good Night," Frank Sinatra "Fly Me To The Moon," Portishead "Wandering Star," drums: John Bonham, fake Portishead bass synth: Mr Fab
13. Sexy Caravan: Three Suns "Caravan," Justin Timberlake "Sexy Back"
14. Bonnie & Clyde In Orbit: Jean Jacques Perrey "E.V.A." (Fatboy Slim remix), Brigitte Bardot & Serge Gainsbourg "Bonnie & Clyde," tbc!
15. Put Your Miniskirt On: Esquivel "Miniskirt," Schooly D "Put Your Filas On"
"...the domed city of Las Vegas, Mars..."
16. Intergalactic Centerfold: John Keating's Space Experience, Beastie Boys "Intergalactic,"
J. Geils Band "Centerfold," beats: Mrs. Crackburn!
17. Head Like a Moog: Mocha Beans "Hot Dog," Mr Fab & His
Bargain Slacks "sing" Nine Inch Nails!
18. OK Robot (remix)/Wendy and Delia: Bruce Haack "OK Robot,"
Wendy Carlos "Musique Concrete plus synthesizer," Delia Derbyshire
"Chromophone Band," "Moogies Bloogies"
19. Virginia's Tears: Roxy Music w/Brian Eno "Virginia Plain," Smokey Robinson "Tracks of My Tears,"
Eno synth: Nico "Innocent and Vain"
20. The Wonder Is All Around Us: Vangelis "Alpha," Dr. Michael Shermer and James Randi interview
("Skepticality" podcast interview), Ken Nordine "Satellite"
21. Rewind Lady Rewind: Claude Denjean "Lay Lady Lady," Cylob "Rewind"
"We now blast off into Deep Space..."
22. Star Trek To Nowhere: Universal Robot Band "Disco Trek (Star Trek theme)," Ella Fitzgerald "Out Of Nowhere," Cosmos "Summer In Space"
robo-narrator, additional beats and fx: RIAA
And in the most ludicrous example of pitch-shifting abuse in mashup history, Joe Meek stretches Celine Dion on the rack to get her to sing "Telstar." At least Devo and The Dazz Band come along to get everyone on the dance floor.
"Sounds For The Space-Set"
"If you find Earth boring..."
1.Lift Off: Sun Ra "Outerspaceways, Inc," Four Tops "I Can't Help Myself," David Bowie "Space Oddity," Sun Ra Moog solo
"Our first stop will be the International Space Station..."
2. Follow The Planet Man: Mort Garson "Walking In Space," Eric B & Rakim "Follow The Leader," "Planet Man" (old-time radio)
"Be sure to visit the Meatier Steakhouse..."
3. Shining Sun Flash: Moog Machine "Jumpin' Jack Flash," Tom Glazer "Why Does The Sun Shine?," Earth Wind & Fire "Shining Star"
4.Telstar Will Go On-Let It Whip It: Joe Meek & The Tornadoes "Telsar," Celine Dion "The Heart Will Go On," Devo "Whip It," Dazz Band "Let It Whip"
5. Antenna Rock/StroboNews: Kraftwerk "Antenna," Queen "We Will Rock You," Dick Hyman "Strobo"
"There is a rave in the discotheque..."
6. Why Don't You Psych-Out?: Pierre Henry "Psych Rock" (Fatboy Slim remix)," The All-Night Workers "Why Don't You Smile Now," radio ad
7. ttiippssyy: Tipsy "Hey!" (Messur Chups remix) vs "Tipsy" by J-Kwon
8. Salvador Dali Teaches Rex Harrison How To Say 'Butterfly': Dick Hyman "The Moog and Me," Salvador Dali interview, Chicks on Speed "Wordy Rappinghood"
"We have planned a Lunar Party..."
9. Pon de Re-Entry to the Moon: Jean Jacques Perrey and Harry Breuer "Re-Entry To The Moon," Rihanna "'Pon De Replay," "Bobby & Betty go to the Moon"
10. Mechanical Robot Man: Bent Bolt & The Mechanics "Mechanical Man," Daft Punk "Robot Rock"
11. Robo-Spies Must Die!!: Forrest J. Ackerman "Music For Robots," Los Straightjackets "Squad Car"
12. Lunar Luau: Marty Gold/Walter Sear "Good Night," Frank Sinatra "Fly Me To The Moon," Portishead "Wandering Star," drums: John Bonham, fake Portishead bass synth: Mr Fab
13. Sexy Caravan: Three Suns "Caravan," Justin Timberlake "Sexy Back"
14. Bonnie & Clyde In Orbit: Jean Jacques Perrey "E.V.A." (Fatboy Slim remix), Brigitte Bardot & Serge Gainsbourg "Bonnie & Clyde," tbc!
15. Put Your Miniskirt On: Esquivel "Miniskirt," Schooly D "Put Your Filas On"
"...the domed city of Las Vegas, Mars..."
16. Intergalactic Centerfold: John Keating's Space Experience, Beastie Boys "Intergalactic,"
J. Geils Band "Centerfold," beats: Mrs. Crackburn!
17. Head Like a Moog: Mocha Beans "Hot Dog," Mr Fab & His
Bargain Slacks "sing" Nine Inch Nails!
18. OK Robot (remix)/Wendy and Delia: Bruce Haack "OK Robot,"
Wendy Carlos "Musique Concrete plus synthesizer," Delia Derbyshire
"Chromophone Band," "Moogies Bloogies"
19. Virginia's Tears: Roxy Music w/Brian Eno "Virginia Plain," Smokey Robinson "Tracks of My Tears,"
Eno synth: Nico "Innocent and Vain"
20. The Wonder Is All Around Us: Vangelis "Alpha," Dr. Michael Shermer and James Randi interview
("Skepticality" podcast interview), Ken Nordine "Satellite"
21. Rewind Lady Rewind: Claude Denjean "Lay Lady Lady," Cylob "Rewind"
"We now blast off into Deep Space..."
22. Star Trek To Nowhere: Universal Robot Band "Disco Trek (Star Trek theme)," Ella Fitzgerald "Out Of Nowhere," Cosmos "Summer In Space"
robo-narrator, additional beats and fx: RIAA
HOPE THEY DIE BEFORE THEY GET OLD
They are "the oldest and greatest rock band in the world - meet The Zimmers and their amazing cover of The Who's "My Generation". Lead singer Alf is 90...there are 99 and 100-year-olds in the band!...Documentary-maker Tim Samuels has been all over Britain recruiting isolated and lonely old people - those who can't leave their flats or who are stuck in rubbish care homes...The song is released on 28.05.07 and coincides with the TV show 'Power to the People' which started it all!"
The Zimmers MySpace Page - "My Generation" plays automatically
Yes, the "My Generation" video is funny - a 90-year-old croaking his way thru a rock classic - but it's also unexpectedly touching when members hold up signs describing their lives like "I haven't left my flat in 3 years." Well, now she has not only left home, she's touring the world.
We in Western society don't really know what to do with our old people, so when a Buena Vista Social Club-like phenomenon comes along, it relieves our guilt somewhat to see old folks getting some glory. We wish them the best, but haven't the foggiest how to give it to them. And the Zimmers do indeed appear to be an instant phenomenon: the bandwidth on their new site is already exceeded.
Aparently they perform a Beatles tune in concert, re-written as "When I'm One Hundred and Sixty-Four."
The Zimmers MySpace Page - "My Generation" plays automatically
Yes, the "My Generation" video is funny - a 90-year-old croaking his way thru a rock classic - but it's also unexpectedly touching when members hold up signs describing their lives like "I haven't left my flat in 3 years." Well, now she has not only left home, she's touring the world.
We in Western society don't really know what to do with our old people, so when a Buena Vista Social Club-like phenomenon comes along, it relieves our guilt somewhat to see old folks getting some glory. We wish them the best, but haven't the foggiest how to give it to them. And the Zimmers do indeed appear to be an instant phenomenon: the bandwidth on their new site is already exceeded.
Aparently they perform a Beatles tune in concert, re-written as "When I'm One Hundred and Sixty-Four."
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Wookie Wookie, Lend Me Your Comb
Just when I think I've heard it all...
While listening to today's mp3 I thought, "No..it can't be..it is...a song about having sex with someone in a Wookie costume." Happy birthday, "Star Wars"!
Yep, it's been 30 years since the first "Star Wars" film opened, and what better way to celebrate then with music by a fan. Sure, there are lots of "Star Wars" fans, and "filk music" (fan folk music) has been around for decades, but this guy obviously really likes one of the creatures from George Lucas' "Star Wars" universe, the Wookie, quite a bit. Maybe, some would say, a little too much.
"Furries," as you may know, are grown people who like to dress up as animals. No, they're not theme park employees - they do this on their own time. There are Furry conventions featuring artwork, costumes, porn, and socializing, which can, of course, lead to the kinds of things discussed in this most definitely not-safe-for-work song:
MouseTrap: WOOKIEE DRAWS CRACK - a parody of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back"
While listening to today's mp3 I thought, "No..it can't be..it is...a song about having sex with someone in a Wookie costume." Happy birthday, "Star Wars"!
Yep, it's been 30 years since the first "Star Wars" film opened, and what better way to celebrate then with music by a fan. Sure, there are lots of "Star Wars" fans, and "filk music" (fan folk music) has been around for decades, but this guy obviously really likes one of the creatures from George Lucas' "Star Wars" universe, the Wookie, quite a bit. Maybe, some would say, a little too much.
"Furries," as you may know, are grown people who like to dress up as animals. No, they're not theme park employees - they do this on their own time. There are Furry conventions featuring artwork, costumes, porn, and socializing, which can, of course, lead to the kinds of things discussed in this most definitely not-safe-for-work song:
MouseTrap: WOOKIEE DRAWS CRACK - a parody of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back"
Yes, there is furry music, too - whole albums of this stuff for sale, ranging from New Age fantasy to Weird Al-inspired novelties, such as MouseTrap's Monkees parody "I'm A Retriever," and Sonic Blu's take-off on U2's "With Or Without You" entitled "Making a Fur Suit."
Friday, May 18, 2007
YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' WomensHealth.gov website has a section promoting breastfeeding, and the Ad Council materials page features print, radio and TV ads. Which is all well and good, until one listens to the "Soul" ad:
National Breastfeeding Campaign "Soul" spot
Imagine Isaac Hayes rappin' about lactating, if you can. Actually, isn't that a white guy doing a psuedo-soul man voice? Probably Don Imus...
No credits listed, unfortunately, and I can't imagine what market this is intended for - the African American audience probably wouldn't appreciate the blackface routine. But, hey, at least it's a lot better then the FEMA rap.
National Breastfeeding Campaign "Soul" spot
Imagine Isaac Hayes rappin' about lactating, if you can. Actually, isn't that a white guy doing a psuedo-soul man voice? Probably Don Imus...
No credits listed, unfortunately, and I can't imagine what market this is intended for - the African American audience probably wouldn't appreciate the blackface routine. But, hey, at least it's a lot better then the FEMA rap.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
ROCK MUSIC
Back in the post-Cage '60s, composers could get away with writing something like this and calling it "music":
"Make sounds with stones, draw sounds out of stones, using a number of sizes and kinds (and colours); for the most part discretely; sometimes in rapid sequences. For the most part striking stones with stones, but also stones on other surfaces (inside the open head of a drum, for instance) or other than struck (bowed, for instances, or amplified). Do not break anything."
Christian Wolff did just that for his piece "Stones", and more power to him. Los Angeles avant oddball Tom Recchion performs his take on it:
Tom Recchion: "Stones"
There's no information on how this was recorded, but the eerie stereo effects remind me of the binaural recordings that caused such a stir here last year.
Recchion co-founded the Los Angeles Free Music Society, who made the concurrent CBGB scene in New York look as mainstream as "American Bandstand' in comparison. But I first knew him from a radio show he co-hosted on L.A.'s KPFK in the Eighties that played, as they used to say, "avant-garde and rear-garde" music - experimental/improv weirdness mixed with kitschy thrift-store exotica (what People Like Us would call "avant-retard"). I also once saw him do a turntable performance with Christian Marclay where he smashed a record and used a large shard of the broken vinyl to "scratch" another record spinning on the turntable.
"Make sounds with stones, draw sounds out of stones, using a number of sizes and kinds (and colours); for the most part discretely; sometimes in rapid sequences. For the most part striking stones with stones, but also stones on other surfaces (inside the open head of a drum, for instance) or other than struck (bowed, for instances, or amplified). Do not break anything."
Christian Wolff did just that for his piece "Stones", and more power to him. Los Angeles avant oddball Tom Recchion performs his take on it:
Tom Recchion: "Stones"
There's no information on how this was recorded, but the eerie stereo effects remind me of the binaural recordings that caused such a stir here last year.
Recchion co-founded the Los Angeles Free Music Society, who made the concurrent CBGB scene in New York look as mainstream as "American Bandstand' in comparison. But I first knew him from a radio show he co-hosted on L.A.'s KPFK in the Eighties that played, as they used to say, "avant-garde and rear-garde" music - experimental/improv weirdness mixed with kitschy thrift-store exotica (what People Like Us would call "avant-retard"). I also once saw him do a turntable performance with Christian Marclay where he smashed a record and used a large shard of the broken vinyl to "scratch" another record spinning on the turntable.
Monday, May 14, 2007
THE BEST MUSIC YOU EVER SAW
I originally posted this in March. It disappeared. I don't know why, but let's try this again:
It has been far too long since I've written about musical saw performers. What a wonderous invention is the saw! You can cut down trees with it, then relax afterwards by bowing it to produce nicely eerie theremin-ish music.
Minneapolis' Randall Throckmorton is a crooner in the tradition of '20s idols like Rudy Vallee. He often augments his melancholy, nostalgic ballads with Andy McCormick's musical saw, on such lovely tunes as:
Randall Throckmorton: Always Chasing Rainbows
Randall Throckmorton: The Lamp Is Low
McCormick has his own group, Dreamland Faces, which features Karen Majewicz on accordion. A musical saw/accordian duo. I just love that.
djBC just came back from New Orleans where he "saw" a very different kind of performer: "He plays his boot, a saw, his bass of PVC pipes...he is THAT 1 GUY - one man band. Recent album- SONGS IN THE KEY OF BEEYOTCH. He also has electronic bassdrum triggers and a snare drum and various looping mechanisms and stuff. I was blown away. He also has a sense of humor. Unfortunately I didnt get the part where he hooks a smoke machine up to his PVC bass and smoke is pouring out the top. Or when he removed his hat and a second hat was underneath the first one. Classic."
Some crazy videos here, and bc himself shot this video, and "heres another video of him playing the PVC bass/cello with a bow, and also playing "Somewhere over the rainbow" on a saw."
It has been far too long since I've written about musical saw performers. What a wonderous invention is the saw! You can cut down trees with it, then relax afterwards by bowing it to produce nicely eerie theremin-ish music.
Minneapolis' Randall Throckmorton is a crooner in the tradition of '20s idols like Rudy Vallee. He often augments his melancholy, nostalgic ballads with Andy McCormick's musical saw, on such lovely tunes as:
Randall Throckmorton: Always Chasing Rainbows
Randall Throckmorton: The Lamp Is Low
McCormick has his own group, Dreamland Faces, which features Karen Majewicz on accordion. A musical saw/accordian duo. I just love that.
djBC just came back from New Orleans where he "saw" a very different kind of performer: "He plays his boot, a saw, his bass of PVC pipes...he is THAT 1 GUY - one man band. Recent album- SONGS IN THE KEY OF BEEYOTCH. He also has electronic bassdrum triggers and a snare drum and various looping mechanisms and stuff. I was blown away. He also has a sense of humor. Unfortunately I didnt get the part where he hooks a smoke machine up to his PVC bass and smoke is pouring out the top. Or when he removed his hat and a second hat was underneath the first one. Classic."
Some crazy videos here, and bc himself shot this video, and "heres another video of him playing the PVC bass/cello with a bow, and also playing "Somewhere over the rainbow" on a saw."
Sunday, May 13, 2007
WAYNE BUTANE'S RECORD COLLECTION
As anyone who's heard Wayne Butane's recordings can tell you, the man has a lot of records. A LOT of records, many of which end up in his outrageous, obscene, hilarious sound-collages. We're still waiting patiently for his next album since we last wrote about him (June 29, 2005), but he's been gracious to share some of the more bizarre records from his closet on his MySpace page:
From the Brain of Wayne Butane - includes his "Wayne's Record Collection" entries.
Outsider recordings, novelties, crank calls...good stuff, but they're up for a limited time, so grab 'em while you can. Thanks, Wayne! Now finish up that album, ya hear?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In other news...
Rummage Through The Crevices is back! I had just about given up on this wonderful strange-music blog since it hadn't posted anything new since Dec. '05, but it came back with a vengence in April, and Warren's obviously making up for lost time by posting tons o' quality crap since then. The Wee Willie Shantz post alone puts this into the M4M "Highly Recommended" catagory - Mr. Shantz was a crazed hillbilly was works should be of profound interest to any outsider-music enthusiast.
From the Brain of Wayne Butane - includes his "Wayne's Record Collection" entries.
Outsider recordings, novelties, crank calls...good stuff, but they're up for a limited time, so grab 'em while you can. Thanks, Wayne! Now finish up that album, ya hear?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In other news...
Rummage Through The Crevices is back! I had just about given up on this wonderful strange-music blog since it hadn't posted anything new since Dec. '05, but it came back with a vengence in April, and Warren's obviously making up for lost time by posting tons o' quality crap since then. The Wee Willie Shantz post alone puts this into the M4M "Highly Recommended" catagory - Mr. Shantz was a crazed hillbilly was works should be of profound interest to any outsider-music enthusiast.
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