Chocchiphopera

Childish Gambino

2010-07-03T22:13:00.006-06:00

Poor blog, I still love you, you neglected piece of crap.

Childish Gambino, aka Donald Glover, released his album Culdesac today. You can download it for free! Have some summer fun with Donald Glover and his indie-rap stylings. He produced it himself so you know it's good and he's got the mad cred.

PS. Buy Drew's (of Toothpaste for Dinner fame) Na$tyjam$ under the name Crudbump at the site for Crudbump. (Imma shill)

Numan and Ant: Two Great Tastes Which Taste Great Together?

2010-04-14T13:46:00.002-06:00

Adam Ant has been doing some live shows lately (wearing mad makeup) and hanging out with Noel Fielding so it was simply a matter of time before he joined Gary Numan on stage and acted strange some more. Awww lookit this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZzxXUP64O0

This is always an acceptable look, yes.

AFI Show, updates

2010-01-22T20:34:00.003-07:00

So, Rachel and I planned to hit the AFI CD signing but when we saw all the kidlets there, we said, "PUH-EACE" to them all and skedaddled on to The Flying M, which is a nearby coffee shop. Who did we see ahead of us in line but DAVEY HAVOK himself. Being the supremely uncool people we are, we approached and blabbed words at him and got our pictures taken with him until he reminded us that he was due at the CD signing. So we giggled as he departed.

I have now decided that my phone is a good luck charm because it has pictures of me and Rach with Boz Boorer and now it has pictures with me and Rach with Davey Havok. Sweet! Oh, Davey showed us his Moz tattoo and was generally a sweetheart even though Rachel told him that we stole our copy of Crash Love. So I tried to PR spin the situation by promising to buy one. I haven't yet, but I feel that I should keep my promises made to musicians. I don't give my word to them lightly.

And the show? The opener, a band called Ceremony, played retarded, out-dated punk, but I think they were being ironic, which increased my enjoyment. My clues? The bassist had a tattoo of a kitten on his elbow, and the guitarist manned the merch table wearing a pretty Prince shirt. I don't know how much punk cred you can have with those two things going on. If they were being serious, then they totally sucked. Funny how intent changes my evaluation of a band and their work.

AFI totally rocked me and I found my inner AFI fangirl. Rach and I were hanging in the back because teenies totally push people around and act like entitled cuntholes at shows and I don't have to put up with it so I tend to avoid them while fantasizing about making them bleed. But this guy said he was going to push up front when AFI started and he did exactly that and Rach and I followed him. I managed to end the show pretty close to the barrier. I don't usually fight my way towards the front at shows. Weird. I didn't know most of the words to any songs but the singles from Sing the Sorrow and Decemberunderground, but that doesn't always matter. In my mind I think I made eye contact with Davey during "Miss Murder" and I hoped that he recognized me from the day before. He played songs requested by people at the signing which made me kick myself for not asking for "This Celluloid Dream". I love that song even though I don't fully know what it's about. I just like the singalong chorus "CINEMATIC!" and so on. So yes, I had a lot of fun and it actually ranks pretty high on my ever-growing list of concerts, especially for a smaller-venue show like at the KF/Big Easy.

Sooooo AFI's hitting Boise

2010-01-09T19:56:00.005-07:00

And I might just go and see them. I'm a casual fan AT BEST, but I do enjoy Davey Havoc as a person. They are going to hold a CD signing at The Record Exchange Sunday, January 17 at 5pm. Space is limited, so you are encouraged to show up early. More details at the band's official webspace.

They next day, they're playing at show at the Knitting Factory. You can buy tickets at the Knitting Factory box office or online on the event page.

Lol, AFI

Mo' Moz

2009-11-18T23:22:00.002-07:00

For today's post, I'm still leaning towards others' portrayals of Moz.

Y'all know and love Bill Nye the Science Guy, right? And if you love Bill Nye the Science Guy, you have to love the music videos. That's just a fact.

In this video, we learn about momentum.

Illuminati? In my music? It's more likely than you think!

2009-11-17T22:58:00.004-07:00

At least according to these guys. Illuminati puppets are everywhere, and they're some of your favorite artists. Lady Gaga? Yup. Beyonce and Jay-Z? Queen and King of The Occult. Rihanna? Pure evil. Not even Princess Di is spared. Her memorials are rife with occult symbolism.

Check this shit out. You will be shocked and amazed. Open your eyes, sheeple.

Morrissey fortnight continues!

2009-11-17T22:47:00.003-07:00

So I missed last night (Sarah is a dirty, dirty computer hog), but have a clip that combines two great things: MST3K and Morrissey! Mike Nelson doesn't do the best accent (especially after the awesome that is Mozburger guy), but it's funny in its truth. View it here.

All the GaGa covers you never wanted to see.

2009-11-16T20:53:00.003-07:00

This is just a heads-up link to another blog (BestWeekEver.tv). The editors there dredged through tons of YouTube Gaga covers and helpfully pointed out the demographic breakdown of who posts themselves singing "Let's Dance".

10 signs you have a lady gaga cover song on youtube

Oh, ps, apparently The Fame Monster leaked. Check out ONTD if you want the dl links.

Moz fortnight!

2009-11-15T20:24:00.002-07:00

That's right folks, I'm celebrating the 2-week countdown till the Morrissey concert. I will soon (oh so soon!) bathe in the glory that is Mozza.

To celebrate I will post a Moz-related video everyday from now until the concert (barring unforeseen laziness).

Today's offering is not Moz himself, but a fellow fan who enjoys poking fun at their idol.

I now gladly present to you Mozburger.

CDO and I could write a bad romance

2009-11-15T07:16:00.003-07:00

So, as almost everyone knows, Gaga's video for "Bad Romance" debuted this week. Heretofore, I was a very casual observer of Lady Gaga. I had never watched her videos, so I had no idea what they were like. I only heard her stuff on the radio. But the buzz was getting to me. Then the video was released and it exploded. With over a million views a day, it seems I'm not alone in discovering the spectacle that is Lady Gaga.

[link]

And to make sure my title makes sense, I have to mention that Chris Dane Owens uploaded a TV spot or something last week. So video two is going to be a video for "Light Speed". Good to hear it, Chris. Now finish it already, kthx.

And our romance? It would be a fantasy romance, duh.

Subtle Sexuality

2009-10-30T22:06:00.003-06:00

On The Office, Kelly and Erin start a band called Subtle Sexuality. On webisodes on nbc.com, they chronicle their process in making the video for their song "Male Prima Donna" it's available here, but for some reason I have to watch it embedded style because nbc.com is a jerk.

We'll see if this embed works, yo.

SotD: "I Cut Like A Buffalo" by The Dead Weather

2009-10-16T02:43:00.003-06:00

The Dead Weather is a recent project of Jack White's. I enjoy the hell out of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs, so it stands to reason that I also like The Dead Weather. If you enjoy the song, I suggest you check out the album. It's called Horehound, and Allison Mosshart (of The Kills fame) is usually the lead singer (check out "Hang You From The Heavens"), but I've had "I Cut Like A Buffalo" stuck in my head all day.

[Link]

First post! Woooo!

2009-10-05T20:56:00.005-06:00

Hi, my name is Seth, and I'm a music addict.

(Hi, Seth.)

I'll be contributing my own brand of ramblings about music to Chocchiphopera now and again, so be sure to check back soon for reviews etc. about things that aren't Adam Ant, Depeche Mode, or Vitas.

In fact, here's some a capella fantasy metal for you right now. I give you van Canto's cover of Nightwish's "Wishmaster":

[Link]

van Canto is one of my recent discoveries, and I really enjoy the use of amplifier distortion on the vocals to better simulate the sound of the guitar. The entire album (titled Hero, for those of you that may wish to know) is in pretty much the same vein as "Wishmaster", so if you decide you like a capella fantasy metal, I suggest you check it out.

More chats with CDO

2009-09-12T21:04:00.002-06:00

I had the distinct pleasure of getting back in touch with Chris Dane Owens once I bought his CD through CDBaby. Remember the advantage of buying the physical album is that you get another disc which has the video for "Shine On Me" on DVD. Now if only I knew how to make awesome .gifs. NO MATTER. On to the Q+A! Just a short one this time around.

S: How soon will the new video be out?

CDO: Hang in there with us on video #2 Sarah. We have quite a few things we are trying to accomplish first before we release the next installment. We really appreciate everyone’s patience. Hopefully it will be worth the wait..

S: I've seen those stills and they are amazing. Any hints as to what happens next in the saga?

CDO: Thanks so much...We have had a lot of fun so far.. I think video 2 will be a bit darker in tone, and I know we will have more battle-action, magic, romance and spiritual themes.

S: After the second and third installments, what next? A tour? A second album? I would love to catch your live act.

CDO: I really don't know how this is all going to play out, and that's rather exciting to me. We never could have anticipated all the things that have happened in the first 7 months of this project so I have the feeling that the unexpected twists and turns will just keep coming.

I've been wanting to tour for the album from the beginning, so that is definitely a goal, and I really want to incorporate original film footage into the live show. Stay tuned..

Perhaps a few new singles will be coming out before too long, and that will keep my studio chops up, until the next CD.

S: Just wondering, have you been hearing from your fans? As a fan, I love it when I can interact with talented people and I'm sure others feel the same way.

I have to say, that has been the coolest part of all of this. Wonderful people have reached out from all sorts cities across the US, and countries around the world. I have felt very blessed to meet really cool people I would never have known otherwise.

A few weeks ago, I was invited down to the "Family Guy" production offices where I was introduced to about 25 people who all have become fans of my work. They're wildly creative artists and producers, and it was just a great time (and very humbling) hanging out with everyone.

AW YISS, possible CDO tour. I'd street-team for this dude and that's a huge compliment because I street-team for no one.

Album review: Blue Stone by Chris Dane Owens

2009-09-05T22:54:00.005-06:00

Yay, I've finally taken the time to do a listen through of CDO's Blue Stone. Very delinquent of me, I know.

Blue Stone is, to put it very simplistically, a collection of non-offensive pop in the classic 3 min. + change variety. It's reminiscent to some degree of nineties pop. It's a bit like Bryan Adams, but cutting back on the syrup. The songs contain a solid, but fairly conventional rhythm section. Kind of formulaic in song structure, "Verse/Chorus/Middle eight/Break, fade/just listen", to quote Morrissey, but I like that. In fact one of the reasons I don't like Mariah Carey's "Obsessed" is because the verses just roll into the chorus and it bothers me. Also, auto tune.

BAM, lightening round!
The opening "Light Speed" is a fast-paced opener going on into the slightly rockier "World Turns Round".

"Do You Believe in Miracles?" I freaking love this song. I'm a sucker for lines like "Catch your breath/and hold on tight." I don't care how much cheese was used in the manufacture of this song. Also, the repeated "I feel you" makes me contrast this song to Depeche Mode's song by that name.

"Here She Comes" - GLOCKENSPIEL? or am I imagining things? Either way cute.

"Shine On Me" stands out because I know almost every note and frame from the song and music video. Also stands out because there's some funky elements, whoo.

"Superhuman" - 1 of 2 techno songs. Nineties-flavored techno. Vaguely reminds me of a track off this compilation. WEIRD.

"Lost At Sea" like the first song on Side B if we still thought of albums like this. Reminds me of "Sailing".

"Love Is Blind" - I tuned out a bit on this song because it's past my bedtime, but there's a "crown of thorns" mention so I'm going to say this song is about Jesus. Apologies if I'm way off.

"Pure" I always sing along with "Now you take your first step/like it was your last breath" but I don't know the rest of the words.

"Wicked", techno part 2 - vocalizations and a "chunga-chunga-chungetty-chunga" guitar riff. I used to like "Superhuman" but now I prefer this one.

"Bleed" I'm a bit unfamiliar with this song because by this point customers come in and I have to help them so I always miss it. No opinion.

I give this album a 3.5 out of 5. It fills a niche for feel good music that's not challenging in the slightest. Great for homework, chilling, and possibly knitting. It would have higher marks if it was more cohesive in style, tone, but I don't fault Owens at all because it's all good stuff and I assume he's still working on a songwriting style.

Blue Stone on CDBaby
CDO's site
Also available at itunes and Amazon

Tomorrow I'll post my interview with CDO!

Bits and Snippets

2009-09-02T09:55:00.004-06:00

Hooray, the vaguest of details about something I already knew would happen! Depeche Mode releasing DVD of live performances from their Tour of the Universe early 2010. They've been doing this since their tour for Songs of Faith and Devotion, barring their tour for Ultra.

And now for something completely different. Vitas came out with a new music video on the first. Erm. Not my favorite video.

click!

SotD:"Jig of Life" by Kate Bush

2009-08-31T20:20:00.002-06:00

This is one of my favorite songs by Kate Bush, mainly because I love the dude's voice in the interlude.

Alas, there is no video, but here's a fanvid made with windows movie maker.

SotD: "I Do The Rock" by Tim Curry

2009-08-19T22:29:00.004-06:00

This song, oh my god. It's so beautiful. "I Do The Rock" appears on Tim Curry's second album Fearless, released in 1979. This song and "Paradise Garage" were Curry's only songs to chart in the US. Sax god David Sanborn even plays on it. I'm also the proud owner of this album. Thanks, The Record Exchange and your budget vinyl section!

More info about Fearless here.
Tim Curry on Wikipedia

[link]

Depeche Mode: Review (More like unfiltered gushing)

2009-08-12T20:34:00.006-06:00

All my peeps in Mountain View, CA, I mourn with you. (Confession: I don't have any peeps.) Sorry about the cancelled show. I guess what with Dave getting a tumor removed, injuring himself and Lollapalooza, this tour was just too eXXXtreme to handle. So you had to miss your evening of Dave, Martin, and Fletch. You'll always have amateur youtube videos of other people's shows. That and the concert DVD whenever that comes out.

But! I got to go! And so I refuse to let your sadness dim my enthusiasm for my first Depeche Mode live experience. It was everything I hoped for (and more?). Singing along with Martin (later dubbed Sir Sexy Sparklepants by Rachel) was so satisfying. I got to hear Enjoy the Silence and I couldn't decide between crying, smiling, or singing along to my favorite song everrrrrrr. I also saw the famed Dave Gahan mic stand spinning move during "A Question of Time". This was the best crowd I've ever been in. It beat even the Rush and the Stones crowds at the Idaho Center. It was so freaking LOUD, HOMG. Some guy a few rows ahead of me was into the same songs I was excited about. I got a kick out of noticing that.

This also marks my first show where I freaking knew ALL the words. I didn't even know all the words for Incubus back when I was a superfan. It was so much fun shout-singing along with Dave. I also took some shitty pictures, but if you want some vicarious fun, you can check out this fairly high quality YouTube playlist. These videos totally put my blurry Row 28 pictures to shame. (None of my Fletch photos turned out, sad.)

After this show, Dave was put on 48 hours rest for his voice, hence the cancelled show. Some people noted that they heard the roughness in the singer's voice but I didn't notice at all, probably because I was in musical heaven. I do remember being worried that he'd be tired after months of touring, but he moved around the stage and danced and sang well enough that I didn't think about it after the first number.

Anton's visuals were interesting. Umm, especially "Strangelove". I loved the screen globe and how it was used during "Policy of Truth"

GRIPES: "Stripped" was too short. Or at least if felt that way. Other forum posters said the same thing, so yeah, vindicated. There were also a few complaints about the "soft center" of the show, but I didn't care. I was also surprised that they didn't perform "Peace". After all, it is the second single off Songs of the Universe. (Check out the set lists here.) My last gripe - I wasn't close enough/I'm too short/I couldn't see their faces, waaaaaah.

Despite my slight disappointments, it was the best show I've ever been to and well worth the ticket price of $90 plus the cost of airfare. Now to see if I can tackle the rest of my must-see list. David Bowie, I'm looking at you. Come out of unofficial retirement, plz.

Hey kids

2009-07-29T20:59:00.004-06:00

I am the proud owner of Chris Dane Owens' Blue Stone. I'll be reviewing that for your reading pleasure soon enough. I'm also going to be having a chat with him which I'll post in a couple days. I like talking to and about him because he's so genuinely kind. Also, I was pleasantly surprised by the track "Superhuman". It's kind of cheesy nineties-sounding techno, but I like it. This could get me some flack, but it reminds me of Moby/Recoil. Honestly, Moby and Recoil/Alan Wilder do cheesy things, too, so chill.

Add this to your bookmarks: http://www.justhearit.com/ Search the web for any song and find it immediately. It's pretty remarkable. It helps that it picks up Youtube links as well.

Also I'm getting tweets from the Leto brothers saying that the new 30 Seconds to Mars album is almost completed. I'm not sure if they mean recording or post production or what and I don't really want to go deeper into that because, come on, it's 30 Seconds to Mars.

Let's finish things up by posting a video to Adam Ant's "Puss'n Boots" off of Strip (1983). Strip era Adam is so damn attractive, it's criminal. Also this video features the shortest leather mini I've ever seen combined with the longest thigh-high boots. Sassy!

[link]

SotD - Mr. Mister "Broken Wings"

2009-07-27T15:32:00.003-06:00

I was at work, listening to the radio, like you do, and this song came on. I'm a big fan of really earnest, melodramatic singing, so of course I love this song. I'm also a big fan of the video, which features singing while driving, singing while looking out windows, and singing while wearing a duster with the sleeves rolled up. Can you argue with that? No, I think not.

Link to video

OMG, this blog is a year old!

2009-07-20T23:58:00.011-06:00

Let's take a step down memory lane, shall we.

~*The Chocchiphopera Highlight Reel*~

(1) I rediscovered Square One Television and learned the Angle Dance.

(2) I interviewed Chris Dane Owens at the height of his internet notoriety and made a friend. (Aww.)

(3) I helped spread the news of Warner Music's failure to utilize the publicity tool that is YouTube.

(4) I took inspiration from the film Kissing Jessica Stein and created a sexy-ugly picspam to ring in the new year.

(5) I discovered the magic that is Vitas' unearthly voice.

Macro courtesy of zestylime

What's new? My appreciation for Vitas!

2009-07-14T10:44:00.004-06:00

I basically owe my awareness of Vitas to an LJ acquaintance. I still don't know a whole lot about him, but I do know that he was born in Latvia, raised in Ukraine, and resides in Russia. He speaks and sings in Russian. He's also super popular in China, and he performed at the pre-Olympics concert. According to his English language website, he has performed in the US and I'm crossing my fingers that he will again someday.

I've been watching this video a lot in the past few days:

I wish I were a sexy violinist. The best I can come up with is a fairly passable flutist/flautist.

Related links:
Vitas' official site in English
Vitas on Wikipedia

SotD: "The Heist" by The Lonely Island

2009-05-08T16:51:00.003-06:00

Long before the album Incredibad came out, TLI fans had "The Heist". This video comes from a member of the Lonely Island LiveJournal Community and it's always been one of my favorite videos made using Microsoft Paint and Windows Movie Maker.

I hadn't thought of this songs in ages. An oldie (in terms of The Lonely Island's existence) but a goody.

You may be wondering

2009-04-24T13:25:00.002-06:00

Sarah, how come you haven't talked about Blue Stone yet? The answer is simple: I'm holding out for the physical version. I want to hold that beloved jewel case in my hot little hands and then hug it to my chest in a spontaneous outpouring of love. So just wait, you harpies. Jeez Louise.

How are Paul Rudd and I not BFFs?

2009-04-24T13:15:00.003-06:00

I was looking at the latest issue of GQ - purchased because of Zefron on the cover - when I saw an article on Paul Rudd. On the first page of the article there was this massive footnote. Here's what it said,

*Rudd’s conversation is littered with pop-music references. To be speciﬁc, while sitting in the diner today, he will introduce into the conversation the following artists, in order: the Style Council, the Boomtown Rats, Ultravox, Adam Ant, Nik Kershaw, Depeche Mode, Blancmange, Yaz, Alphaville, Aswad, the Adventures, Howard Jones, Limahl, Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, Seals & Croft, John Mellencamp, Squeeze, Boston, David Geddes, Neil Sedaka, Glen Campbell, the Bay City Rollers, Spandau Ballet, Visage, Fad Gadget, Feargal Sharkey, Erasure, Frank Zappa, Fiat Lux, Duran Duran, Ron Sexsmith, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wang Chung, Huang Chung, Go West, R.E.M., the Pogues, Hipsway, Curiosity Killed the Cat, Level 42, Haircut 100, Nick Heyward, Split Enz, Hunters & Collectors, Midnight Oil, the Hoodoo Gurus, the Proclaimers, Roman Holliday, the JoBoxers, Will Oldham, the Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, the Divine Comedy, the Magnetic Fields, Neutral Milk Hotel, Lambchop, Animal Collective, Television, James Taylor, Elton John, XTC, Sade, Status Quo, Marillion, Camper Van Beethoven, U2, Black, and the Housemartins.

He was a total Adam Ant fan and he mentioned every major Vince Clarke group (bonus points for mentioning them in chronological order). Now I imagine me brushing his hair while discussing New Romanticism.

Read the full article here

I'm totally lame

2009-04-24T13:02:00.002-06:00

So I've been holding off on posting because I wanted to do something special for my 101st entry, but I haven't done anything in preparation for that. I should not let my blog go fallow.

Did you know Peaches is coming to Boise? She is and I'm going to be there. Wed, May 27th on the main stage. Doors open at seven, concert starts at eight.

Now for some Depeche-y goodness. Sounds of the Universe came out this last Tuesday and one of the packages is a box set with three CDs. The third CD is a bunch of demos so I thought I wouldn't have any interest in them. I WAS WRONG. Silly me, I should have realized that Martin records all the demos and so I would be able to immerse myself in that man's sexy, sexy voice. His version of "Peace" is love.

They also shut down busy city streets to perform for Kimmel. Wrong and Personal Jesus. The Leto bros. were there as they mentioned on Twitter.

In Morrissey news, the video for "Something is Squeezing My Skull" was released on MySpace. Video link.

I was a total assholio and didn't mention in a timely manner that last Saturday was Record Store Day. How lame of me. The Record Exchange had special deals on vinyl and there was live music and shit. Rachel picked up a whole mess of Depeche Mode singles and a single off of Bowie's 1.Outside.

SotD: "Cars" by Gary Numan

2009-04-03T12:02:00.002-06:00

I love Gary Numan, for all that I don't know about him. I know that now he's gone a bit goth, I saw him on Graham Norton's show once, he appeared on The Mighty Boosh and he didn't smile in pictures for years because he was self-conscious about his teeth. OH! and he has a pilot's license, imagine that!

I've always loved the song Cars, which is probably familiar to most everyone. Numan is considered a pioneer in synth pop, forging a demand for synth-based music. His music included "themes of depersonalisation and alienation ", which helped drive critics' claims that synth music is inhuman and emotionless. Claims which, coincidentally enough, the band Rush refuted in the lines of "The Spirit of Radio"

All this machinery
Making modern music
Can still be open-hearted
Not so coldly charted
Its really just a question
Of your honesty

Included only because I like the band Rush and its vague relevance. "Cars" was a single taken from 1979's The Pleasure Principle. Enjoy!

Depeche Mode contest

2009-04-02T09:53:00.002-06:00

Sirius Satellite Radio is giving away a pair of tickets to 17 different American concerts for Depeche Mode's Tour of the Universe. The contest is open to entrants who are both citizens of the US/District of Columbia and are 18 years or older. All entrants are automatically entered for a Grand Prize drawing: a trip for two to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, hotel for two nights, and a meet & greet with the band for Depeche Mode’s final stop in the US on September 5, 2009.

To enter: go here. Good luck!

SotD: "Tenderness" by General Public

2009-04-02T09:38:00.002-06:00

When the touring lineup of the English Beat came to town in December, they performed this old favorite. "Tenderness" appears on the first General Public album All the Rage, released in 1984. The song was also part of two movie soundtracks: Weird Science (1985) and Clueless (1995). This song was more popular in North America where it cracked the Top 40. It failed to do so in the UK or Australia.

Spontaneous nostalgia post-cum-Song of the Day

2009-04-01T08:46:00.003-06:00

My friend and I agree, the nineties were a golden age of pop music that we didn't fully appreciate until that decade closed. Now the standard FM airwaves are filled with what I term "urban pop", that hip hop-oriented sound that is chock full of all the urban and tough cliches: drinking, women, clubbing, guns. It is not a new observation when I point out that mainstream rap and hip hop has never been so concerned with the politics and social concerns of life. Chuck D of Public Enemy is famously quoted as saying that rap is the black CNN. There hardly seems to be any of that anymore, but all this is tangential to my first premise.

The 90s had this drive towards authenticity and vulnerability that was lost in the slick production of the 80s. Of course, I'm talking about a thin segment, but that segment drove mainstream radio at a time when we were all paying attention. I'm talking about the Gin Blossoms, Alanis Morrisette, the breakout of Lisa Loeb and Tori Amos, Eagle Eye Cherry. I still know all the words to "Save Tonight".

Undoubtedly, there are elements of nostalgia that leads me to overemphasize the authentic aspects of nineties pop. I mean, boy bands and pop starlets also had their heyday towards the latter half of the decade. It was our nostalgia that led my sister and I to host three 90s themed shows for our college radio program. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the majority of our childhood and adolescence took place in the nineties. Every hugely important event had its musical accompaniment.

Let's enjoy some balmy nostalgia with some Gin Blossoms. That video is a good collection of nineties, hair, clothes, makeup and ATTITUDE. On that note, damn, I want to watch Empire Records, king among soundtrack movies.

Popshifter

2009-04-01T08:41:00.002-06:00

I have a friend who contributes to Popshifter, an analytically-minded pop culture magazine. I just enjoyed two articles from their latest issue. So I thought I'd share. Enjoy.

"Worst Ideas for Rock Photography" and a review of Morrissey's Years of Refusal.

Chris Dane Owens update

2009-03-24T16:52:00.002-06:00

If you're like me, you want to know when Blue Stone is coming out. So I went the CDO himself and asked, "Hey, what's up?"

HERE IS WHAT IS UP, OKAY.

The Blue Stone Cd is nearly done!! We are mastering the album in NY right now and are very happy with how it's all sounding. Next, we will begin pressing the 2 disc set back in LA, and at the same time we'll start uploading to Itunes, Amazon, etc... (For the download version of the CD)

It looks like the end of April for the Itunes version and then May for the 2 disc set to become available on Amazon and CD Baby...

Meanwhile, we will be putting up some adventerous teaser shots for the next video in about 3 weeks. We should have 7 pix total. We'll try to put up a new shot each week in the "news" section of my site. Some cool new fantasy elements are on the way, that we really hope people spark to and enjoy. As usual, I've been having a great time putting these teasers together.

To steal from Bill Nye the Science Guy: WELL NOW YOU KNOW.

Free Download: "Witchazel" by Matt Berry

2009-03-20T14:23:00.003-06:00

In the midst of bloggy malaise I forgot to announce that sexy dude Matt Berry made his album Witchazel available for free download for a limited time. Visit here for the album. Thanks, Matt Berry!

SotD: "Taste You" by Melissa Auf der Maur

2009-03-19T17:30:00.002-06:00

Today's song was selected simply because it came on and I love it so I will highlight it. So there.

YouTube link

Melissa Auf der Maur on Wikipedia.

Hi, guys!

2009-03-18T17:32:00.003-06:00

So sorry I haven't been blogging lately. I've thought about it a bit and I've been concerned about this blog and its purpose. I like blogs that generate tons of discussion. One such blog is Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, which is a romance novel blog. I confess that I don't read very many other blogs, especially as I've been busy working and reading lately, so this it's not like I have a good role model for this blog. I feel constrained by my limited readership, especially when I receive few comments. This is not the same as being an attention whore, because I did this for several months and it's boring talking to oneself, as I have been. I like music recommendations and music talks, so please talk to me and I'll strive to reward you with good stuff.

Note number two. Rachel and I are going to catch Depeche Mode August 10th at the Key Arena in Seattle. This is so very exciting to us. We're in row 28 or something. Woooo!

I've decided to do some research in preparation for the book about Morrissey's backing band. I plan on getting my mitts on some Morrissey articles and reviews with specific mentions of the band and stuff about them. Basically my only in is my brief contact in the summer of '07 with Spencer Cobrin. He did tell me that the other guys would be up for it, if I've done my research. That was so exciting to read at the time but now I have so many questions. This blog is partly a news blog and partly a personal journey blog where in I document my stumbling towards publication and my wished-for career as a freelancer in music journalism so I plan on posting about my progress every now and again.

You know what I wish for? A librarything-like site for music. This probably exists. A close match is Rate Your Music. You can add and rate your collection, list music you want to own, and even meet people. This seems a bit similar to last.fm, but slightly different. I wanted an analogue to LibraryThing in that LT sends out books for review and I would love to see a site that gives out copies of CDs for amateur review.

Another reason I haven't been blogging is that I haven't been actively hearing good music that's new to me. I've been listening to good music that I'm familiar with and I've been listening to new music that doesn't interest me in the slightest. The radio at work is usually on a Boise station called Wild 101: Boise's Party Station. I hear so much crap that I slowly lose the will to live. I've even found myself singing along occasionally as I become victim to a sort of musical Stockholm Syndrome. :(((

Good enough, good enough.

SotD: "Give It To You" by Jordan Knight

2009-02-26T09:49:00.003-07:00

Gosh, you guys, sorry it's been so long since I've updated, but my head imploded with the news that Depeche Mode finally announced their North American tour dates and I'll be going to the August 10th show in Seattle, which is very good because they'll have six days off so they'll be fresh. I'm so freakin' excited.

I'll get back into the swing of things by linking you to this very good song by Jordan Knight. This song shocked me when I was in middle school and now I find it very amusing. The random oom-pa-pa rhythm makes this song.

This is not a blog post

2009-02-18T23:51:00.002-07:00

Oh my god, bandslash.

New Recoil site addition and Meika Pauley

2009-02-12T13:44:00.006-07:00

Taken from the Recoil blog on MySpace

Now at Shunt - the official Recoil website, you can read the revamped retrospective editorial dedicated to the Depeche Mode singles released between 1981 and 1985. In his own words, including a couple of never-before-seen photographs from his personal collection, Alan Wilder shares some interesting insight into the recording of DM's early singles and the circumstances surrounding this period in the band's history. Part two (86-95) coming soon...

-The Shunt Staff

Editorial located here (direct link).

Singer/songwriter Meika Pauley and Cosmopolitan magazine have made Meika's album Elijah Drop Your Gun available for free as an mp3 download on amazon.com

Meika Pauley performed at my college last year and she also won Cosmopolitan's new talent contest.

SotD: "The Logical Song" by Supertramp

2009-02-09T10:16:00.003-07:00

For some reason, I really like this song and it reminds me of when I was a kid even though I have no memories of hearing this song growing up. (Boring video with just lyrics because what I think was the original music video is not available on YouTube. Warner, is that you again?)

In A Manner of Speaking

2009-02-09T09:53:00.002-07:00

When I have two covers of a song, I get understandably curious about the original. Both Nouvelle Vague and Martin Gore have covered "In A Manner of Speaking" by New Wave outfit Tuxedomoon. So I checked it out and I found a great song ready to be rearranged. My favorite is Martin Gore's (homemade vid). His strong vibrato contrasts with Winston Tong's lack of vibrato(band vid). Also listen to Nouvelle Vague's version (vid I didn't even watch because I was typing this).

First DM leak from Sounds of the Universe

2009-02-09T09:44:00.003-07:00

I found a leaked version of "Fragile Tension" posted on a Depeche Mode related LiveJournal community yesterday. The comments were mostly negative and someone pointed out that this could just be a demo. There are aspects I like but the mix leaves stuff to be desired.

2009-02-06T16:45:00.003-07:00

You know what makes me happy? Topical humor and remixes of people saying crazy shit. I love that song made from Sen. Ted Stevens internet speech even two years later. Just hours after the Christian Bale shitfest audio came out on the internet, there were countless remixes and mash-ups. I haven't hunted these down, because bestweekever.tv did it for me. One is by indie band Mae Shi. This one is pretty great because it contains Barbra Streisand.

Also, F*ckin Newsies trailer

Moby, yay!

2009-02-02T10:25:00.002-07:00

Moby revealed on his blog that he's ready to begin working on the final mix of his next album, with a release date hopefully set for June. Great news! Have I said before that I'm big Moby fan? Well I am. If you're not the link-hoppy sort, the vibe on this album will be much quieter, especially compared to the club sound of Last Night.

Pandora

2009-01-21T21:34:00.003-07:00

What kind of music geek would I be if I didn't love Pandora? I love that site so effing much and I've been listening to it since my sophomore year of college (not all that long ago, but still). The problem is: I also love scrobbling my music through last.fm so I can show the whole world what I've been listening to. There used to be a Firefox addon that allowed users to scrobble Pandora tunes, but it got increasingly faulty and stopped working altogether in 2007. I've been hoping that a developer would come out with another addon that would replace the old one. And that day is now! The addon is called Harmony. It is still in the experimental phase, but you better believe that I'll be snatching this up once it becomes official.

Depeche Mode tidbits

2009-01-21T18:24:00.004-07:00

So, like a million years ago, Depeche Mode revealed the name of their new album - Sounds of the Universe.

They also have started a digital street team, which makes me ask what's the point? They already have tons of fans and they've sold over 100 million records. I thought street teams worked best for small bands where the draw is that you're personally connected to the band and if you work hard enough you might just get to hang out with your musical idols. Not that I'm dissing DM or anything. They can do whatever they want at this point, amirite?

Now I'm just waiting for their first single of the album and for them to announce their North American tour dates.

David Bowie - where to start?

2009-01-21T18:09:00.003-07:00

As promised, I am writing a post about David Bowie.
Here is a comment I left to a friend when he mentioned that he wanted to listen to David Bowie

I think my first complete David Bowie album was Aladdin Sane (1973); that's a good place to start. If you don't mind slightly inaccessible albums, I recommend Station to Station (1976) and Diamond Dogs (1974). These are all from the seventies. If you like crazy awesome stuff that's Eno-flavored, then I recommend the Berlin Trilogy - Low (1977), "Heroes" (1977), and Lodger (1979). Some nineties Bo is good. I recommend 1. Outside 1995, also made with Brian Eno. Earthling (1997) is kind of a more dance music album with light flavors of industrial. I don't really pay attention to Buddha of Suburbia (1993) or 'Hours ...' (1999).

There are only two albums post 2000 - Heathen (2002) and Reality (2003). I think Heathen is pretty great. Reality is pretty solid as well.

80s Bo is when he went pop to compete with New Wave artists. It's okay if you like pop. It's better to pick and choose singles from this time period. I like "Blue Jean", "Modern Love", and the Labyrinth soundtrack (1986) is okay.

And that's a bit of an overview of Bowie's musical career.

VotD: "Serious" by Duran Duran

2009-01-15T21:05:00.002-07:00

Best things about this video:
- Simon's short hair and not-serious smile, creepy!
- Nick Rhodes laughing at the video girl for no apparent reason
- Stirling Campbell, I think he's hot
- John's earnest lip synching and lip biting
- Simon lip synching in John's face and their engaging in "stage gay"
- CAMEL TOE

Music Maker Relief Foundation

2009-01-09T19:35:00.003-07:00

I was linked to this video by my friend Ryan and I quickly link-hopped my way to the Music Maker Relief Foundation website.

I found the story of the foundation quite interesting, hence the posting. The Music Maker Relief Foundation finds Southern blues artists and helps them out financially as well as introduces the artists to a larger audience.

Go here for an impressive collection of recordings by the MMRF artists. And perhaps, if you're feeling flush, you could purchase a membership?

Related: MMRF YouTube Channel

David Bowie!

2009-01-08T20:51:00.002-07:00

CCHH sends happy birthday wishes to David Bowie on this, his 62nd birthday. I love this man. I think it's safe to say that watching Labyrinth was a life-changing step in growing up, not just for me but for many others. Nobody can come through a close encounter with the Area clothed in tights unaltered. Perfect: as I typed this, "Underground" came on.

I wonder if David Bowie has ever watched this after he recorded it.

He should watch it TODAY.

Maybe in a future post I will say more about David Bowie.

Lololol

2009-01-08T12:27:00.003-07:00

Chris Corner's twitter account is a fake, so who knows when IAMX's third album will come out or what it will be called.

I figured as much, but I wanted to believe!

Bits and Pieces

2009-01-06T21:46:00.003-07:00

Chris Corner revealed the name of IAMX's third album via Twitter on Sunday - My Monster. He mentioned that the release time as summer of this year. Whoo! For my own benefit I'll list the albums I'm excited for this year.

February:
10 The Lonely Island's Incredibad
16/17 Morrissey's Years of Refusal
Sometime Chris Dane Owen's Blue Stone

March
23 Pet Shop Boys Yes I didn't even know about this until I googled something unrelated. Laaaame me.

April
20/21 Depeche Mode's next album

Summer
IAMX's My Monster

That's all I can remember for now. Also Glasvegas's self-titled album was released in the US today. From one half-listening go through I give it 2/5. I really expected more after I saw all the good reviews compiled in the info box on Wikipedia. Love the thick accent, though <3.

Sorry to end this on a down note, but Ron Asheton, guitarist and bassist for seminal rock band The Stooges, was found dead in his Ann Arbor home. Early reports suggest death by heart attack but autopsy and toxicology reports will be released in the future. Ron Asheton was 60 years old.

On leaks

2009-01-04T12:48:00.006-07:00

So the new Morrissey album Years of Refusal was leaked on Morrissey-solo. More on that album later after I listen to it a few times. But it provides me with the perfect excuse to write about leaks. I've been thinking about leaks for some time. Spin magazine had a great feature in the August 2007 called "Days of the Leak". It pinpointed the various stages at which a musical work could be leaked to the internet, AKA the public. One obvious stage is the journalist. (More about that article here.) (Not yet up on the Digital Spin archives.)

One thing that pisses me off is lack of ethics in journalism. Usually that's not such a huge deal in music journalism EXCEPT when it comes to the leak. There is a major rift between journalists and musicians, lack of trust. Maybe that's a bit hyperbolic. Well, maybe if journalists weren't such assholes and uploaded albums on the internet, things would be a little bit better.

Allow me to publicly state that if I ever receive advance copies of anything for the purpose of reviewing, I will never leak it. Because that's a dick move. And as Wil Wheaton says, "Don't be a dick."

Query: Is it hypocritical to participate in a leak when one pledges to never leak something oneself?

More odds and ends

2009-01-02T21:05:00.003-07:00

I don't have much to say because I haven't been working hard this week.

I found this the other week. It's almost an entire issue of Popular Music for free! I live for analysis so this is very exciting to me, but perhaps not to you. And that's cool!

Second thing is a video I found why trying to find any Depeche Mode video I could. I found one that was only released on Strange, which was very lucky because my sister Rachel hadn't seen it yet.

But this is what I'm referring to:
Simon Amstell asking Depeche Mode Big Ones for Popworld when Playing the Angel came out.

Happy New Year, CCHH readers!

Sexy-Ugly Picspam

2008-12-31T13:05:00.004-07:00

I watched Kissing Jessica Stein (squee! Scott Cohen!) the other night and like so many others, I was intrigued by the concept sexy-ugly. Then I got to thinking, hey, I'm a big fan of sexy-ugly, especially when it comes to musicians.

Here is my list of some of my favorite sexy-ugly guys out there in no particular order.

1. Blixa Bargeld

Who is he?
He's the vocalist for Einstürzende Neubauten and has played with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Also does commercials for German DIY store Hornbach. Able to make the sound of strangled cats or dying children, according to Nick Cave.

2. Nick Cave

Who is he?
He is an Australian musician who was vocalist for The Birthday Party and later Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Also records under the name Grinderman. Stupendously sexy even though he has a weird face.

Bonus: Nick and Blixa make fangirls melt.

3. Gary Numan

Who is he?
David Bowie fan and synth-pop pioneer. Now he makes old goff music. Some might question his sexiness, but come on, dude's got a pilot's license. (Imagine that!)

4. Josh Homme

Who is he?
Singer for Queens of the Stone Age and member of Eagles of Death Metal. Most sexy in the music video for "Little Sister". That video made me remark, "It's like he thinks he's hot and somehow he makes us think so too." Takes advantage of my weakness for red heads.

5. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith

Who are they?
They are Tears for Fears, motherfucker. Maybe not sexy so much as adorable. Minus five points for Curt's rat tail all those years.

6. Jack White

Who is he?
One-half of The White Stripes. Pale, stringy hair, shadowy-eyed, really awesome. An obvious addition to my list.

7. Moby

Who is he?
Multi-instumentalist, sample wizard, vegan. If you doubt his sexy, just know he dated Natalie Portman for a short while. Yeah.

8. Jarvis Cocker

Who is he?
Vocalist for Pulp. Writer of "Do the Hippogriff" from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He might just be ugly if it wasn't for his creepily long fingers which are sexy. Also, key character in this fanfic I read.

9. Mike Joyce

Who is he?
Drummer for the 80s indie band The Smiths. Now does the DJ circuit. He's on this list only because he's no longer the ugliest Smith now that Andy Rourke's aged terribly. Good on you, Mike.

10. Pickles the Drummer

Who is he?
Fictional character. Drummer for animated band Dethklok. Sexy even though he has some sort of dread skull-et. That's talent. His Wisconsin accent really does it for me.

Yo

2008-12-28T15:46:00.004-07:00

It's been a week since my last post. I hope everyone's been having a nice holiday.

Just a few odds and ends.

I looked up Rammstein on Wikipedia and the article said that they will be coming out with their sixth studio album in 2009. Cool beans, I guess. Put that next to Morrissey's Years of Refusal and the titled-but-the-title-isn't-revealed-yet Depeche Mode album in my list of anticipated 2009 albums.

I still haven't watched this all the way through, but it's an informative video about the drum break on "Amen, Brother" - a b-side released in 1969 by the Winstons. This drum break has been endlessly sampled and had a huge impact on hip hop, drum and bass, and jungle. Whoop.

One last thing, click

Warner Music Videos Removed From Youtube

2008-12-21T19:16:00.004-07:00

Story on Yahoo! News

Story on Oh No They Didn't

Negotiations between Warner and YouTube broke down and now Warner is demanding that all the videos from the Warner label and all subsidiaries be removed. No date mentioned.

The order could affect hundreds of thousands of videos clips, as it covers Warner Music's recorded artists as well as the rights for songs published by its Warner/Chappell unit, which includes many artists not signed to Warner Music record labels.

The talks fell apart early on Saturday because Warner wants a bigger share of the huge revenue potential of YouTube's massive visitor traffic. There were no reports on what Warner was seeking.

[...]

The music companies typically get paid a share of any advertising revenue associated with the video and a per-play payment for every video viewed. The per-play fee is usually a fraction of a penny and with millions visiting YouTube everyday it was all expected to add up to a substantial amount.

But a source familiar with Warner Music's talks said the amounts it has been receiving from YouTube were "staggeringly low".

[...]

YouTube also has agreements with Vivendi's (VIV.PA) Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and EMI Music. Warner's move could see them also making tough demands for higher fees.

The demands could leave YouTube in a difficult position as it tries to balance the need to pay a reasonable fee to content partners, including TV and movie companies, and also generate enough return on the substantial investment needed to keep streaming millions of videos around the world.

Noooooo, whyyyyy? This seems like a classic case of Warner cutting off its nose to spite its face. The comments on ONTD offer many testimonials to the effect that people discover new artists on YouTube because music channels such as MTV, VH1 and Fuse do not play music videos at peak hours anymore. We all know that the music industry is suffering, but do they have to punish the public? Repeatedly?

So users will increasingly turn to dailymotion and other sites which offer free viewing on demand. And Warner will have no revenue. SMART IDEA WARNER.

10 Reasons I Should Play the Flute Again

2008-12-19T15:55:00.004-07:00

10. tonguing, fingering

9. It promotes good posture and proper breathing.

8. I can tell people that it takes the same amount of air to play the flute as to play the trombone and come off as an authority.

7. Chicks dig musicians.

6. Alan Wilder played the flute as a lad.

5. I can make money playing "Greensleeves" over and over again in downtown Boise.

4. So I can be like this guy.

3. So I can be more like David Carradine.

2. Maybe one day I can become a session musician or part of an indie band.

1. Because the flute is the badassiest instrument EVAR.

The Hazards of Being a Professional and a Fan

2008-12-18T18:16:00.003-07:00

I am a fan. I mean that in the most general sense. I participate in many fandoms on different levels. I read fanfic - no joke. I'm actually working on a story for one of my fandom friends. Most fans dream of meeting the object of their affections. It's a strong passion - for some, an obsession. I will stand up and say it, sometimes it's hard for the fan to quiet down when the professional is needed.

For instance, I interviewed the very talented Spencer Cobrin for my school newspaper via MySpace. He was very kind and candid, great qualities in a subject. He even wished me a happy birthday a month or so later. I was a bit infatuated. I wished that we could somehow maintain correspondence and even be friends. Of course, that's not gonna happen. The most I can hope for is that I get to hang out with him for a bit when I work on my book. And that will have to be enough.

Maybe this is a bit of a lame post because it doesn't even take that much discipline to resist the urge to contact a musician because it's pretty obvious that your reputation would suffer as a consequence. But ain't gonna lie, it's very cool to talk to your idols. Duh.

VotD: "Where The Wild Roses Grow" sung by Nick Cave and Blixa Bargeld

2008-12-16T17:14:00.003-07:00

I love love love both Nick Cave and Blixa Bargeld. Nick Cave is that guy who sings low a lot and sometimes acts. Blixa Bargeld is some German guy was involved in the industrial music scene. Very influential. His group Einstürzende Neubauten inspired Depeche Mode with their "found sound" experiments. Oh noes, Tom Cruise is going to accuse me of being glib.

Now to explain the video. I discovered this when I read that the girl part for "Where The Wild Roses Grow" was written for Blixa but the song was recorded as a duet with Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue. That version is pretty good (very good), but there's something magical about Blixa Bargeld, so I went searching on YouTube and hit paydirt.

Things I love about this video:
Nick Cave's dancing
Nick Cave touching Blixa and giving him a rose and singing at him
They hold hands at the end! Awwwwww

SotD: "Down" by Dave Gahan

2008-12-15T19:57:00.003-07:00

Maybe I should save this song for January or February when the snow can really get to a body, but I only heard the lyrics "and the snow is falling" for the first time last night. The chorus really brings up a delightfully awful image. Just listen!

Side note: You may wonder why I always link to YouTube. The answer is simple. I don't really know where one can hear full tracks for free legally and on demand (by which I mean through a search). If there is a solution to that problem, let me know.

The YouTube video (or still photo) probably isn't legal either, but I'm not really promoting copyright violation. I'll leave that to mp3 blogs and all those torrent folks.

Superfans: likeanangel1826

2008-12-14T19:02:00.003-07:00

I love superfans. Those people who spend hours thinking about the objects of their obsessions. They are kind of like archivists, kind-of-sort-of, in a way - shut up! No really, they put up countless clips on YouTube, providing tons of research materials for the casual fan, the serious fan, the fanfic writer, or the super srs bidness writer.

One such superfan that I've found likeanangel1826 is devoted to collecting Duran Duran clips. If you need to know anything about Simon, Nick, Andy, John, or Roger, the answer can be found within the 366 videos she's posted. My mind reels when I contemplate watching that much Duran Duran related footage.

I thank you, likeanangel1826, for all your hard work.

SotD: "Frosty the Snowman" sung by Harry Connick, Jr.

2008-12-14T15:58:00.003-07:00

Guys, I have a huge crush on Harry Connick, Jr. I hardly know anything about him, but I think he's hot. And jazzy. Also, Rachel inexplicably owns Harry for the Holidays.

In celebration of all this plus the snow - and oh dear, it's coming down hard again - let's listen to this song that's cute but introduces children to death. Spoiler alert: Frosty melts. Bonus spoiler: he'll be back again some day.

Here you go!

My very own interview with Chris Dane Owens [dreamy sigh]

2008-12-13T16:54:00.009-07:00

Yo, peeps. I thought I'd get the jump on a whole bunch of journalists/bloggers by talking to the man of ~~the hour~~ December, Christopher Dane Owens. But, dang sauce, the kids at the LA Times music blog, Pop & Hiss apparently had the same idea. They may have beat me by a few days, but I'm not bitter, oh no.

Now, ignore all that other stuff and READ THIS.

I discovered Chris Dane Owens at almost exactly the same moment everyone else did: Friday, December 5. Then I became curious when I saw the date that "Shine On Me" was posted to YouTube - October 3. How had it stayed hidden for so long? The world may never know, but we do know why thousands know about it now. Videogum and G4's Attack of the Show both mentioned "Shine On Me" and bloggers quickly got wind of it and spread the love aaaaaall around. My only regret is that I didn't find it in time for my birthday. That would have been the best birthday present ever.

"Shine On Me" has proven to be polarizing, with tweets from both the lovers and the haters; sometimes both at once. Bonus twitter search link here. I am firmly in the lover camp, by the way.

I decided to email Chris (we're TOTALLY on a first-name basis, y'all) requesting an interview and I found him to be super nice and very approachable. (Well, I mean, why would you be rude to a blogger - there's no reason for it.) I totally geeked out at his answers to my questions. We have kind of similar taste in music from the 80s. But enough about me, on to the interview!

SB: You're a film and television producer by profession. What made you get into music? How long have you been playing guitar?

CDO: I have been playing since I was 13. I met some guys at school who were doing a talent show and their bass player had to back out. They asked me if I wanted to do the show with them and join the band. Problem was, I not only didn't own a bass, I had never even played before. So I said Ok, and my parents helped me get my first bass. It was a beat up Gibson SG , and I practiced for the show until my fingers were mangled. I only had a few weeks to learn the 2 songs; Led Zep, and Aerosmith tunes. The show was really a blast for me, and I have been addicted to music ever since. I moved over to lead guitar about 2 years later. My first real guitar was a red BC Rich.

SB: The video for "Shine On Me" is pretty lavish. What was the inspiration for such a fancy music video?

CDO: I am a huge fan of Anime/ Manga, as well as films like Braveheart, LOTR, and The Matrix, ...So by far, that creative body, was the greatest influence.

Also, I went back to Tokyo right before I started storyboarding for the video and that totally lit my imagination on fire. The Anime culture is thriving, and everywhere I turned, I found something new that fascinated me, with its power, beauty, or whimsical humor.

So the director, and my long time friend, Bob Short and I turned to those sources quite a bit for inspiration. It's one of reasons there is so much wind blowing in a lot of our shots in the video. We wanted to capture as much energy as we could in otherwise static setups like the animators do in Anime. People were laughing at me on the set while filming the video, because I kept cranking up the turbo fans on the actresses playing the Witches and Angels. Some of the footage was so over the top you couldn't even see their faces through all the flying hair. But I loved it.

When we do the next installment in our series of music videos, I am planning on working with some of the Hollywood stunt coordinators I know, so we can really bring more fight/ battle action to the game. I also want to get the camera moving more, to bring more dynamism to the scenes.

SB: Speaking of the video, it recently got a lot of attention on the internet. I literally showed it to everyone I know. Have you been following all the blogs and buzz?

CDO: Thank you Sarah for your support. What happened was that I was working in the mix studio last Friday with Chris Garcia, and out of the blue the video got 11,000 hits that day. I thought it was a glitch on my iPhone. All sorts of e-mails came up from friends telling me something wild was happening. Then G4 Television did a small piece on it, and it has taken flight for the last week. No doubt it will cool off, but this small flurry has set a few things in motion that were very pleasant surprises for us.

As for the blogs and comments, I have been sent lots of the blogs and am totally blown away by some of the fantastic remarks and amazing reviews of the project. For lots of people, the video seems to be very uplifting, adventurous and heartwarming. And that feels great to all of us.

Of course on the dark side of the coin, is that there are the "Enemies of Love" who aren't into the video at all. Or they actually like the video, but don't spark to my song in any way. Or maybe they love the song, but can't stand my look (with or without mustache). I'm sure you get my drift. It's hard to make mass appeal entertainment. I have learned this through my career in TV. That's why we always said while making the Vid, that we are going for a particular audience and that we would be quite happy if the right people really resonated with our themes and imagery. Also, I have discovered that not everyone even likes these kind of fantasy projects. Some people want a much more grounded universe…

But I have noticed a shift however when some people learn about the Anime inspiration behind it all. Perhaps it explains things a bit.

SB: There are mentions of an international tour on your website and MySpace page. How big of a tour are you planning? What cities do you wish to play in? Do you want to play large venues or in a more intimate setting?

CDO: Yes, touring is a big part of my goal. In many ways, like lots of musicians, I would like to perform where ever the art is appreciated. Even if that's to 300 people in a small clubs in Tokyo. I am optimistic that we will play some good sized venues in certian cities. Japan will be first I think, however, we must finish mixing the record, and then we can set a course for the next goal. It's all about finding an audience who embrace the craft and messages.

SB: Much of the commentary I've seen compares "Shine On Me" to music made in the eighties. What is your reaction to this?

In that song in particular, from the album, I can see that! There will always be a place in my heart for musicians like The Cure, Big Country, Tears for Fears, ABC, and PIL [Author's (interviewer's?) note: psst, that would be Public Image Ltd., for those not in the know]. And as these people mostly gained notoriety in the 80's in particular, I would call that a portion of my 80's influence.

In "Shine On Me" We have a funky slap bass in the verse of that song that Damian Valentine my producer and writing partner played. My guitar work has some 70's / 80's funk to it as well. But mostly I believe it's the vocals that are probably vibing in an 80's style. I think the sliced up guitars modernize it a bit, but I agree with the comment. Conversely, our songs like "Wicked" and "Superhuman", are a complete 180 from that, as I do something more akin to vocal chants on those rock-techno tracks.

Since my deepest roots are really grounded in Led Zep, The Beatles, and most predominantly David Bowie. I never know how that influence is going to bleed through into my work.

These days my favorite groups are MCR, Rise Against, Foo fighters and Muse. So I like pulling inspiration from lots of places eras.

And a closing message from CDO to the fans:

As I jump off line now to give my thumbs a break, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who is enjoying the first video from the album. I know some people really want to know more about the 3rd Kingdom storyline and I look forward to telling that another time. Happy New Year!! CDO

SotD: "Into My Arms" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

2008-12-12T15:26:00.004-07:00

This is one of my absolute favorite songs of all time. So. Damn. Awesome.

I will marry Nick Cave someday.

Marvel at what Rolling Stone magazine deems the best albums of 2008

2008-12-10T17:23:00.003-07:00

... and feel your skull implode here

And that's why everyone thinks Rolling Stone is a joke.

More reaction Here

I'll admit straight up that I haven't listened to anything by the Jonas Brothers except what I saw on the VMAs but, oh my god why are they on this list. And you wonder why musicians hate journalists.

Free "Prey" remix for "Xmas"

2008-12-09T00:39:00.004-07:00

Alan Wilder's official website Shunt announced that David Husser's remix of "Prey" from subHuman is available as a free download.

Users can go here to register and receive an email with links for downloads in a variety of formats. Sweet, y'all.

The English Beat Dec.8 The Knitting Factory, Boise

2008-12-08T23:37:00.003-07:00

My sister and I arrived at the venue at the perfect moment. The headliners were on stage and just starting their set. Unfortunately that means I can't comment on the opening bands, sorry. But I was quite surprised at how many people were in the building, considering that the streets of downtown Boise were eerily empty. Rachel asked me if there was a zombie outbreak. I told her that I didn't think so.

On to the show! We were not the youngest people in the crowd, I don't think. Understandably there were quite a few olda peeps. That's my sort of crowd. They know how to act and alcohol can help the good vibes spread to everyone. I found myself grinning widely as I was bopping my head to the bouncy beat.

I found Dave Wakeling to be a puzzling chap. He rambled through strange setups that segued clumsily into the songs. Rach and I heard several people ask their friends, "What is he saying?" "I have no idea." Here is, as far as I could make out, what he said during one of them:
"It's so nice to drive out of California to where there are seasons. The only way you know it's winter in California is if it smells like burning. I was so excited when we got our first chain advisory."
and then he said something about being in Birmingham and it was so dreary that suicide was a tempting option, if only he had the courage for it. I found it highly amusing, but no one in the audience seemed to understand either A) him or B) why what he was saying was relevant.

But the music. The music was beautiful to me. This is partially because it's been two months (!!!) since my last show and longer than that since I've been to a good show. Dave Wakeling noted the crowd's response to the ska songs and said, "It's going to be a 2 Tone night." That was exactly what I was hoping for. I love how there are at least two different rhythms to dance to with ska and it's still okay. You can be bouncy and fast or slow and swaying. The crowd got amped for "Hands Off She's Mine", "Tenderness" (the General Public song, remember?), and "Mirror in the Bathroom", which people had been calling for since the beginning. I wanted "Mirror" to last forever. I'm not even joking. It was musical bliss for me. Then there was a short break between the main set and the encore; they didn't fuck around.

At one point the band led the audience in a chant for Barack Obama during a breakdown, replacing actual lyrics. But I don't really the song titles since I'm not really a big English Beat fan.

So all in all, Dave Wakeling is strange and the band was awesome.

Your light of love shined on me and I jizzed in my pants

2008-12-08T19:34:00.003-07:00

I owe a lot to bestweekever.tv, but nothing I can do can make up for being shown this video by Chris Dane Owens. I have trouble expressing my feelings about this music video and song. Suffice it to say, there are unmatched levels of joy in my life now.

But first, a little background info. When I first heard of this, I looked up Chris Dane Owens on Wikipedia but dude didn't have a page. He does, however, have a page on imdb. This man, whose lyrical creations light up my ears, is a television and film producer and he is the son of Gary Owens whom I know best as Dirk Niblick from Square One Television.

My early comments upon viewing the clip:
"Is he trying to look like Cary Elwes?"
"I like that if you just listen to the music, it is impossible to tell what year this was made." I mean that in the best way possible. I have memories of sitting in the car as a child and listening to jams like this, circa 1990.
and simply "WHAT THE FUCK" as I sat there in awe.

"Shine On Me" appears on the album Blue Stone which comes out in February. The physical CD will come with a letterbox version of the "Shine" video. Well, I'm sold.

That video is vying for my attention as it's time for the SNL Digital Short holiday song. We all remember "Lazy Sunday" and "Dick in a Box". Now we can add "Jizz in My Pants" to that list. This song is the first single from The Lonely Island's debut album "INCREDIBAD". In stores 2/10/2009. THE DUDES ARE RELEASING AN ALBUM. That's super Ka-blamo, y'all.

PS I'm stupidly pleased with my post title.

Fun leetle game

2008-12-04T15:11:00.004-07:00

I know I blather on about Depeche Mode too damn much, but this is a fun little game. I'm pretty good at name that tune style games, but some of the scores on the board are ridiculous.

Diamond Dogs by David Bowie

2008-12-01T13:00:00.002-07:00

Diamond Dogs (1974) is one of my favorite albums of all time. In this day and age (as I type this I'm waving my cane menacingly at some kids driving too fast) where no one listens to albums anymore and players are always on shuffle, it seems rare to talk about an album as a complete work of art rather than a collection of songs. Which is why I quietly recommend favorite albums.

I feel that Diamond Dogs should be listened to all together. It doesn't take long, the runtime is only 38:25. And all the songs are gems, from the intro track "Future Legend" to "Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family" the album flows smoothly. It's odd how cohesive this album is when considering that many of the songs were written for a failed theatrical production of George Orwell's 1984. David Bowie smooshed together the 1984 music with other tracks and bam - concept album centered around the theme of a post-apocalyptic society. MUSICAL ALCHEMY.

My particular favorite moment is the "Sweet Thing"/"Candidate"/"Sweet Thing (reprise)", what, suite? That's how it's referred to on Wikipedia. It's absolutely gorgeous. Equally lush is "We Are the Dead".

The album was co-produced by Tony Visconti, whom I lovingly refer to as Tony V, despite the fact that I probably shouldn't take such liberties. Visconti would go on to work closely with Bowie for much of the rest of the 70s.

Black Friday SotD: "Black Celebration" by Depeche Mode

2008-11-28T19:24:00.002-07:00

What else would I choose to celebrate the blackest of all retail days? Here's hoping my dad's store (Nafziger's Men Store, ask for Craig) had tons of business. (Gosh, they need a website!)

Let's have a black celebration ... to celebrate the fact that we've seen the back of another black day.

Twilight

2008-11-24T16:57:00.002-07:00

I have ducked my head throughout this whole Twilight thing. Well that's not entirely true. I've read tons of snarky analyses and critiques of the books and so I know the basic plotlines and who these unlikable characters are and that SMeyers likes LINKIN PARK and writes about towns in Washington she knows next to nothing about. (Given a choice I would not go dress shopping in Port Angeles, for example, and neither would Bella and her friends. BUT I would eat at Taco Time.) But I have definitely not read the books.

Well, the internet informs me that there are bands that have formed which write music inspired by this terrible series. And I have not listened to a note of it! I got my fill of this sort of thing with Wizard Rock, AKA Wrock.

If you are interested, check this out: The Bella Cullen Project, perhaps the first Twilight band. Hey, they're no Harry and the Potters.

SotD: "Beautiful Dream" by Adam Ant

2008-11-24T16:49:00.003-07:00

Adam Ant's last album Wonderful came out in 1995, which of course means he's hardly relevant anymore. And yet, he is one influential dude. Bands have totally bitten his military/gypsy/American Indian-inspired style, including Coldplay. Of course he was so over that stuff in the nineties and he was making music with long time writing partner Marco Pirroni and Boz Boorer of Morrissey fame.

This single, written without the help of Boorer, is a tale of love, lust, biology, and safe sex. It also kind of reminds me of "The River of Dreams" by Billy Joel.

Local News: The Bouquet is back!

2008-11-21T15:53:00.002-07:00

Boise bar and music venue the Bouquet is reopening tonight after an extensive remodel. Tonight there is a reopening party (cover free!) sponsored by Red Bull.

The Bouquet is located at 1010 W. Main St.

Before the remodel (and possibly under different management) Thomas Dolby and Martin Fry performed there. I hope we can expect such big, yet irrelevant, names. I'm actually serious, I would love to see Thomas Dolby and Martin Fry.

SotD: "Johnny and Mary" by Robert Palmer

2008-11-19T11:04:00.004-07:00

Robert Palmer was the man. He's best known for the videos featuring models pretending to play instruments while all looking the same (and it's been parodied countless times, see: Love Actually). It's more than a little bit sexist but it's also a lot sexy and makes for a great Halloween costume for twins. The video for Johnny and Mary sucks. I mean, it's really bad. One really stupid gripe is that you can't comb your hair like that or you would pull all your hair out. BUT I chose this song for SotD because it's a solid song.

Call for scholarly works about Morrissey

2008-11-17T11:00:00.002-07:00

This news item posted at Morrissey Solo cracked me up. Ever since I read something I got off JSTOR about the Smiths, I've been tempted A) to subscribe to that journal and B) to write little articles myself. Unfortunately it's been too long since I've done some cultural studyin' and I'm all out of practice. On a final note, that's my kind of symposium, yo.

SotD: "Trans Europe Express" by Kraftwerk

2008-11-15T13:29:00.002-07:00

I love Kraftwerk but I got into them embarrassingly late in the game. They were a huge influence on much of the music I enjoy - DM, techno, other synth-based music. This song wins for mentioning Iggy Pop and David Bowie and talking about European traveling. How pleasant.

Video!

Goodness, I fell behind

2008-11-15T10:02:00.004-07:00

In show-I-will-totally-be-checking-out news, the English Beat are coming! And it's only $15 dollars. These dudes are known for doing the song "Mirror in the Bathroom" which is a strange but catchy song that I only found out about when watching Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Show info:
The English Beat @ the Knitting Factory appearing Dec. 8 (with the revolver [get it? it's a Clue joke!])

Today is a lazy day

2008-11-12T20:37:00.002-07:00

I'm too busy feeling ennui over the movie to be made about Monopoly.

http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/11/12/open-thread-worst-band-to-put-on-a-mix/

SotD: "Steppin' Out" by Joe Jackson

2008-11-12T20:10:00.005-07:00

This song has been stuck in my head for the past half week or so. Joe Jackson is most famous for this song and "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" Jackson helped bring the New Wave sound to the United States in the late '70s. And for that I thank him. And how can anyone forget his work with William Shatner on the cover of Pulp's "Common People" for Has Been?

I love this song for its optimistic and anticipatory lyrics. The perfect Friday night jam.

The Enthusiastic Recommendation: Dirk Wears White Sox

2008-11-11T09:25:00.003-07:00

Dirk Wears White Sox (1979) was the first LP released by Adam and the Ants. This features a pre-Marco Pirroni Adam and the Ants lineup and the difference is evident when comparing Kings of the Wild Frontier and Prince Charming with Dirk.

I love the post-punk imagery - playing with fetishism ("Whip In My Valise") and politically charged lyrics. Adam used to perform in bondage gear and I think he wore a gimp mask at some point. The sound is much heavier and slower than the more New Wave-y sound of later Adam and the Ants and yet it is still catchy as hell.

One song is both fun AND educational! "Catholic Day" can work as a way to remember which year JFK was assassinated - "Kennedy died in '63/Poor John F.-" - and thus unable to continue turning on the middle-aged ladies or playing with Monroe.

In Which I Turn My Lame Celebrity Crush Into Blog Fodder

2008-11-09T19:58:00.004-07:00

I've loved John Francis Daley since Freaks and Geeks and I am ecstatic to see him weekly on Bones as Dr. Lance Sweets. So of course, Wikipedia is my friend when I wanted to know how old the dude is. [Answer: totally my age!]

So I'm reading the Wiki article when I see that Daley is the keyboard player for a band called Dayplayer. What do I think? PRETTY DECENT.

Coincidentally this is how I found out about Sean Biggerstaff's (by the way, what a delightfully phallic surname - er, is that just me?) band Jonny and the Robots.

Song lyric tattoos/music tattoos: lame or awesome?

2008-11-08T09:58:00.005-07:00

So as tattooing is on the rise in the West and in the United States, the number of song lyric/pop music tattoos is also on the rise. I have seen tons of Morrissey tattoos in my time. (There's a webpage somewhere...) I found it odd that most Moz tattoos seemingly fall into one of three categories: "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out", "Viva Hate" and variations on "Morrissey" (his autograph, "Moz", his name, etc.) I'll admit, I want a Morrissey-related tattoo; it doesn't fall into any of the aforementioned categories and it serves as a nice life philosophy: "Sing Your Life". Hokey and cheesy, I know.

The word around the bad tattoo LiveJournal communities is that there is no such thing as a good ICP-inspired tattoo, and many other music-related tattoos don't come out looking much better. Writing this paragraph gave me the idea to get Old Lesbian!Geddy Lee tattooed on my bicep. BAD IDEA!

Rachel and I wanted to come up with a whole series of "[insert musician name] here" stick figure tattoos after a comment in a bad tattoos community. The comment ran along the lines of "Every Morrissey tattoo is made awesome by the fact that it is a Morrissey tattoo. You could have a stick figure with an arrow saying "Morrissey here" and it'd be awesome." This appeared on an entry where the portrait made Mozza look like an American Indian. Ooh, I saw a portrait tattoo of Billy Idol and it looked kind of like Adam Ant and it gave me the very wrong idea to get this on my back in full Technicolor brilliance. If I knew that I wouldn't regret it and I had a good artist and thousands of dollars, I would get that. But enough about me.

Related links: http://community.livejournal.com/lyrical_ink/
http://community.livejournal.com/literarytattoos/ (sometimes includes song lyrics)

2 Bits!

2008-11-07T09:43:00.002-07:00

IAMX'S new single available for free! Yippie skippie.
Download here (right click and all that)

Depeche Mode posted a new video from in the studio.
Irritatingly brief, DM!

Well, gosh

2008-11-05T11:56:00.003-07:00

Ovbs. I was too busy voting as hard as I could to write an entry yesterday, but a quick trawl of MySpace gives me a couple news snippets.

The new IAMX single, THINK OF ENGLAND, will be available for free download on Nov 7.
More info to come. (http://www.myspace.com/iamx)

The video for the Streets' single Heaven For The Weather is on YouTube

Which reminds me that I was going to do a full review of the new album by the Streets, but I've only listened to it once all the way through and I can say that I was a bit disappointed. I'm a bit reluctant to listen to it all the way through again, but I am positive that it will grow on me in time. (Remember that it takes me a long time to digest a new album.) I think that I want all the Streets albums to sound like Original Pirate Material (which I think is very brilliant) but that just can't be.

Totally late, but...

2008-11-03T17:55:00.001-07:00

New song about Russell Brand by Federal Drugs Administration
"Yeah yeah, any bloody news story and we're on it like herpes."

Years of Refusal tour, "break the bank" bands

2008-11-03T17:27:00.003-07:00

So I'm already remiss in my participation in NaBloPoMo. Awesome. Yesterday was a bummer of a day as yours truly was so broke it hardly made it worth it to go to the Vinyl Show and Swap. What if, had I gone, I won one of the raffle prizes? Oh well.

I've been thinking about shows. It's been quite some time since I've seen live music. Last concert was the MSI show that left me a feeling a bit cold. But I always look forward to bigger and better things...

Such as the fact that Morrissey announced the release day of his new album Years of Refusal. FEBRUARY 23! That day will also kick off the US leg of his tour to support the album. I've never seen Mozza live and some may say he's peaked but Morrissey is one of my "break the bank" bands.

All music lovers have artists they dream of seeing live, artists who mean so much that we would empty our bank accounts to catch them. It just so happens that two of my "break the bank" bands are touring this year, luckily half a year apart, Morrissey and Depeche Mode. I have others but it's less likely that I will see them live. It appears that Bowie is in semi-retirement. Iman said he was writing the followup to Reality at least three years ago. But I digress.

I haven't really thought about it, but we've also spent a lot of money on two other big name acts: Rolling Stones and Rush. Now these acts, especially the Rolling Stones, are waaaaaay past their golden days, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy every second they played for us. Even from way up in the stadium I felt the sexual energy coming off Mick Jagger. *giggle*

I wanted to see Rush ever since my brother saw them live and I stole his Grace Under Pressure cassette. I've memorized the little staticky pops and it always gives me pause when I hear those songs now. The show I saw was great, even if they played too many new songs when I just wanted their classics. Also, Geddy Lee looks like an old lesbian.

So tell me: who are your break the bank bands?

Vinyl Preservation Society events

2008-11-01T10:45:00.005-06:00

I might participate in NaBloWriMo in my constant efforts to improve this blog. So that means at least 30 wonderful updates in the month of November! In local news, Boise's own Vinyl Preservation Society celebrates one year with its inaugural vinyl swap. Sorry for the short notice, but the event takes place on Sunday. TONIGHT there's also a party to kick off the event. So let me break it down:

What: VPS anniversary party
When: Saturday, Nov. 1, 8 pm
Where: Linen Building, 1402 W. Grove St.
How much: $1 (admission restricted due to space, so get there early!)

What:Record Show and Swap
When: Sunday, Nov. 2, 10am-4pm
Where: same place as the party
How much: early admission 9 a.m., $10; regular admission 10 a.m., $2.

Related link: The Vinyl Preservation Society website
VPS write up in the Boise Weekly

My thoughts on music books.

2008-10-29T20:42:00.002-06:00

This is an essay I've been thinking about writing for a long time. A common complaint I've read about many music books is that all the information therein is readily accessible on the internet. Even if that is true, I think that a few things justify a book. First of all, people are incredibly lazy. It takes a certain person to do more than a cursory search. A very curious person. A slightly deranged person. (Hey, I'm describing myself here.) Second, nothing on the internet feeeeeels permanent, from an academic standpoint. Unless, it's on one of those really legit websites and not a dodgy fansite. Fansites are great for compiling trivia, but they're not always kept up well, or even updated all that often. Third, music journalism is not just about compiling facts, it's also about interpretation. As a journalist, or even a music journalist, one can try and place the subject in context, a factual framework. This is the important part. This is what separates hobbyists from the professionals - the fact collectors from those who do something with those facts. Fourth, a good writer presents information in a factual, yet readable way. Similarly, things which appear in print also have an air of credibility. You don't believe everything you read on the internet, do you?

So yes, the internet may make things a bit complicated for music journalism and music history, but it hardly makes music books obsolete.

Shared experiences on the 'net.

2008-10-24T10:15:00.002-06:00

R Stevens of Diesel Sweeties fame was struck by the shared experience of watching the debate and twittering about it. He liked it so much that he organized a twitter event to relive that feeling. Yesterday at 8:00 EST many people listened to the original version of Thriller AS ONE. And twittered about it. Future events are in the works. Pixies?

An ill-written rant.

2008-10-24T10:03:00.003-06:00

The economy. Ugh. I don't even want to mention it. But as we all tighten our belts, we can still enjoy new music - well, to borrow from NBC, it's not new but it's new to you. My solution is BUDGET VINYL and USED CDS. Not revolutionary by any means. It's just that I'm proud to say that I buy records for $.99. For a buck, it's hard to feel any buyer's remorse, even if the album sucks. Rach and I are the proud owners of The Lexicon of Love, Rumours, two Robert Palmer albums, and many more.

Not that I'm a vinyl freak by any stretch of the imagination. Basically, I grew up on Disney soundtracks and Engelbert Humperdink and The Beach Boys. I didn't really see the huge appeal of records.

The price of new vinyl? Totally cheeses me off. Rach and I were looking at the rock section and Playing the Angel costs almost $25. Give me a break, recording industry. Not to be nostalgic for a time I wasn't even alive, but the Smiths released Hatful of Hollow at an attractive price. THERE WAS A REASON FOR THIS. They wanted to move lots of units. And it worked. Imagine that.

Oh yeah, go to The Record Exchange to get cheap vinyl and be all cool and support independent record stores, if you're in Boise, that is.

Youtube surfing

2008-10-17T09:55:00.005-06:00

Rachel and I were on a youtube kick and we first looked at literal "Head Over Heels", the followup to literal "Take On Me". Then we got to watching all the dorky Tears For Fears videos we could stand and then our thoughts naturally turned to Depeche Mode. Basically, I've watched all but a couple of the videos on this list. Twice. It takes four hours. That says a lot about my life.

But on to the thrust of the story. I found that the DM press conference from Oct. 6 was posted on youtube. (Part one of five here). What I learned: not much because I already know tons of DM trivia, but I did find out that I like Martin Gore's chuckle. And if I ever met him I'd just ask him to laugh. That says a lot about me? Also, they are quite funny, as one of the press mentioned. Dave Gahan even made a Sarah Palin reference. It didn't make a whole lotta sense, but A for effort, Dave!

Related link: Depeche Mode dot com, still under construction

SotD: "Androgynoel" by Federal Drugs Administration

2008-10-14T10:37:00.002-06:00

I'm a big fan of Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt and all of those under the name The Mighty Boosh, so this song made me laugh and I felt in on the joke. Supposedly this song was inspired by a real life conversation. Someone actually said something along the lines of "I wish you were more like Noel Fielding." I quickly friended them on MySpace and that's when I found out that they post a new song each week! That's pretty great, don't you think? Their music is now available on itunes, as their page states.

SotD: "Money (That's What I Want)" by The Flying Lizards

2008-10-10T10:50:00.004-06:00

Inspired by my current monetary situation. Enjoy!

Bits and Pieces

2008-10-09T20:59:00.003-06:00

Is it sad that I get music news off MySpace? Well, I trawl so you don't have to.

Scott Matthew is working on his second solo album and Spencer Cobrin announced recently (ha! more like ages ago.) that he's in on that project. Yippy skippy. And as I still don't think his first album is available in the US I'm S.O.L. So I make do with what is posted on Matthew's and Cobrin's MySpace pages. (Related and none of my business: Gary Day totally left a comment on Spencer's MySpace! *Fangirl squee!*)

Depeche Mode dot com is under construction and the revamped site will be up and running "soon" to reflect the new album underway. There was a press conference in Berlin early Monday morning in the US that featured snippets of two new songs. YouTube videos were quickly taken down. The press conference was to confirm the new tour "Tour of the Universe" European dates (scroll a bit, there you go). No telling when they will announce the dates for the North American leg.

Moby and a friend made a video which he described as a punk version of Making the Band. I haven't watched it yet, oops.

I think that the UK release of Robots in Disguise single "The Tears" was today. Do they even have US distribution? Somehow I don't think so. Video

The US release of The Streets' new album Everything Is Borrowed was Tuesday. I haven't listened to this yet, but expect some commentary from me soon.

Adam Ant totally won an award from Q Magazine and jokingly mentioned that Coldplay was fully biting his style, dudes.(more on Family of Noise

MySpace tells me that The Slants are looking for a new drummer.

SotD: "One Step Beyond" by Madness

2008-10-09T01:12:00.003-06:00

So I was reading Wil Wheaton's blog (like I do) and he made a Madness reference. ("Rachel! You don't know "One Step Beyond"?! CLICK IT.") And that is all the motivation I need to choose a SotD. Also, my friend Murphy already shared this song with me, like, a year ago.

Incidentally that entry marked the closest I've ever been to registering with his site. (BOOKS! YAYAYAYAY!) That is something that I'm resisting for whatever reason. Also, someone at Ada Community Library must be a fan because they have his first two books which we then requested. My geekiness, let me show you it.

Rock and Roll Poetry

2008-10-09T01:01:00.003-06:00

I was sitting in English class my junior year when the class was given an assignment. Write a pantoum. My friend and I basically took inspiration from the concert we had been to earlier in that school year. (September 5, 2002 - oh my gosh, how do I remember this?) The concert was Incubus with 30 Seconds To Mars as the opening band. Well, amidst all the items thrown on stage someone gave Incubus a "perfectly good right shoe" as Brandon Boyd announced.

This concert also marks the only time we made t-shirts in an effort to prove what devoted fans we were. My sister Rachel regrets this as it definitely proves how sad we are. No matter! On to the poetry!

The Rock Star
by Krystal Sorrell and Sarah Beukelman

The fans screamed
We exchanged a glance
Someone threw a bra
Someone threw a shoe

We exchanged a glance
The opening chords rang
Someone threw a shoe
The light caught his eye

The opening chords rang
He smiled at us
The light caught his eye
He began to sing

He smiled at us
Someone threw a bra
He began to sing
The fans screamed

SotD: "Freeze Frame" by J. Geils Band

2008-10-07T14:26:00.003-06:00

Paul Justman, "People love parachutes."

Rachel guessed that was what motivated the imagery of this video.

Who knows? It's still a pretty good song.

Related link:
J. Geils Band on wikipedia

SotD: Multiple by Mustard Plug

2008-10-03T22:41:00.003-06:00

So I was having a normal conversation when Mustard Plug came up out of nowhere. Now ever since I read Rip It Up by Simon Reynolds which is an examination of post-punk, I've been interested in ska but I haven't done much yet to educate myself. I only know a little bit about Mustard Plug, my knowledge consisting of "We Want The Mustard" because a friend included it on a mix CD for my sister and me. Then my freshman year of college I downloaded a random bunch of songs, but I subsequently deleted them off my hard drive to make room for stuff I liked a little bit better. BUT I can say that these guys are quality.

"Beer Song"
"Mr. Smiley"
"Thigh High Nylons"

Related links:
Mustard Plug's official website
Mustard Plug on Wikipedia