Busy busy busy busy... since we last spoke, my new boss started working in our office, I started finishing up Sam and my demos, Sam and I took some pictures for promotional materials (above), and I bought loads of new shoes for Miami! I mean loads of shoes. It was all good stuff. Of course, all the moving around meant that I didn't get much time to write a blog.
I wish I could write something interesting and fun... but today all I can offer is songs. Just a couple big ones... and hope that I have time tomorrow to do a REAL post...
Courtesy of my friend Pete2ndBest... the missing song that wasn't aired from that Oasis Unplugged set! Oasis- "Listen Up"
Then how about the new Kaiser Chiefs? I like this new song... interested in the whole album... Kaiser Chiefs- "Ruby"
Ok... I got a couple big things I've gotta mention to you guys!
FIRST OFF... Sam and I have created a Myspace profile for our electronic music project called STATE CRIME... it's over @ http://www.myspace.com/statecrime... it's going to be YOUR support that helps take us to the next level here when we go to Miami... it's you telling your friends, relatives, dj pals, home persons, and local crack dealers that is going to get our name out there and make things happen! Sure we've gotta shake the hands and kiss the babies but a nice comment goes a long way! We are going to be uploading tracks soon but we'd be more than happy to add you now, so please go check it out...
ALSO VERY IMPORTANT! WIDR WEEK IS THIS WEEK! 89.1 FM WIDR FM Kalamazoo is the freeform radio station (one of the last in the country) that "The Spirit Of Albion" broadcasts from. WIDR produces quality commercial free radio programming 24 hours a day that goes out to all of Western Michigan (and the world if you are on the internet... which obviously you are). This is a station that changes peoples lives and really is the cornerstone of Kalamazoo's scene. The catch, of course, is that the station relies completely on donations to stay open. Just an idea of what they offer (other than our show): a few months ago we had Spank Rock and RJD2 come down to play a charity gig for us bringing in some money for us and ALSO making a lot of college kids happy. This station makes a big difference and any donation you can offer is a HUGE help... so please, holla at cha boys and give us a donation Friday night! It would mean the world to us... the higher our donation dollars are the more respect we get (generally speaking)! If you do call (the number to the station is (269) 387-6303) during our show 7-9pm EST on Friday make sure to say you're from the Blogosphere so I can give you a shout out!
OK... now on to the music... I really feel as though I have to go balls out for you guys right now because I've been M.I.A.... the reason I was gone so long is because I'm almost having a nervous breakdown from a) the ever present threat of getting fired for no reason, b) the loss of money that would come from that, c) the pressure to get this album done, d) the amount my relationship is suffering from all these things, e) stuff for radio/Albion/WIDR Week, and f) the normal bullshit we all experience. In an attempt to make up for this... I GIVE YOU THE LEGENDARY OASIS UNPLUGGED SHOW!
Here's the story about Liam's absence from the famed performance...
I wish I could put these up as zShare files but... I'm not sure it would be right to do so. Hopefully, this brings back good memories, and makes you want to listen to Oasis (which I'm sure their record company wouldn't mind) and that makes it ok to post.
Anyway, I'm back... look forward to more frequent posts again!
So... I had said I was going to do a (possible) Bristol/Trip-hop post here on Thursday (which is now almost Friday)... and I had a sudden change of plans...
See perhaps the greatest electronic rock band of my generation (sorry New Order, for all intents and purposes you're not my generation... same goes for you Depeche Mode but I love you too) did a FUCKING LINER FOR MY RADIOSHOW and now I feel the need to do a KLAXONS post...
I know... you're thinking the same thing I'm thinking... "how did you get the coolest fucking band ever (read=KLAXONS) to do a liner for your show?"... I would answer that but... well it would take the mystery out of it... so instead we will all just celebrate with some good ol' Klaxons demos... sounds good yeah? I know I've posted a few of these before but why not again!
I have to say... if you haven't heard "Myths Of The Near Future" yet first a) hit your self in the face for being silly and then b) go buy it because it's fucking MDMA-zing (cough)... seriously though, please go pick it up because your life will not be complete without it... you think I'm saying that because of my current circumstances, but I'm saying it because it's hands down going to be the best album of the year... like, for the rest of the year I'm going to have to not say "this is the best album" because this one took the cake (and early on I might add)! Bastards!
You know... when they get to that "COME WITH ME, COME WITH ME, WE'LL TRAVEL TO INFINITY..." bit in "Gravity's Rainbow" I always say to myself "These guys are the greatest band ever"... from now on I will think "These guys are the greatest band ever, and they did a liner for my show"... and since I can say that? I will die a happy man! (If you wanna hear the liner then listen to the show tomorrow night 7-9pm EST on 89.1 WIDR FM... or check it out @ http://www.widr.org)
I'm sure by now you know you can get Klaxons "Xan Valleys" E.P. at eMusic... now about be a good time to stop fucking around and purchase it!
Phew... yesterday was fucking AWESOME. Seriously.. check it out.
First off I have a message in my inbox from Dot Allison "Hey, do you still want me to do a liner for your show?"... awesome right?
Then I think to myself, maybe I should ask a couple other people if they will do liners...
Later in the afternoon I check my inbox again... and I have a message from the Klaxons management saying he'll try to get them to get a liner done for the show while they are on tour... KLAXONS! THE MOTHER FUCKING KLAXONS?!?!? Can you believe that? They are like the Nirvana of the type of music I've loved since I was a little kid! Fucking bonkers...
THEN... as if that wasn't enough... I go over to Sam's house last night to practice (i.e. bullshit and play around with computers) and he gives me a FM3 Buddah Box! How fucking rad is that?
Yesterday was fucking great... so with renewed inspiration I bring you today's post! I've been wanting to do a Brithop/ Grime/ Dubstep post for a minute (I mean I already posted some Dubstep tracks a minute ago but... anyway) and I thought I'd treat you guys to that today...
First off is Akala with "Shakespeare" which is just a total fucking banger... when my girlfriend heard it she thought it was something I had written, and it is totally the type of song I'd like to.. the beat is rough and electro-y and surges with energy. The rap is pretty damn good too HOWEVER the 2nd half of the chorus sounds WAYYYYY too much like Eminem. But this is still a tight song...
Then I thought we'd go back to the most popular name in British Hiphop... Dizzee Rascal... I can't wait for his new album... I'm sure it will be fire. Unlike some people I really dug the last album quite a bit. Here's one off RUN THE ROAD Vol 1
You know what's almost as cool as rapping? Bouncing around like you've been smoking batteries and fighting! Here's Dizzee vs Crazy Titch... I like that part where Dizzee is like screaming "DON'T HOLD ME BACK DON'T HOLD ME BACK"...
AND since I'm giving you a Dizzee/D Double E track, I should probably give you an awesome Wiley track to make the experience complete!
Then, getting back to the dubstep stuff, I thought I'd post this Justin Timberlake RUF remix... I don't care about how you feel about Justin Timberlake (Sam) I love "My Love" and this remix is pretty nifty... I've posted the shit out of all the big names in Dubstep so I figure I'd try something different!
While we're getting random with Dubstep check out this little documentary from Bristol... the greatests musical city in England next to Manchester and London... my biggest idols are from Bristol (maybe the next post should be a Bristol post?)...
Now I don't know how well acquainted you guys are with Sway but I TOTALLY ignored his album. It was one of those albums that got SO much hype that I couldn't even pay attention to it.... when that happens you can't even hear the music. You hear chatter and reviews not music! Now that we are far past the Mercury Prize and all that I'll post a track... which I might add is brilliant.
On a breakstep tip.. how about this Stanton Warriors track with Sway on it? I used to really love Stanton Warriors... this track is poppier than I remember their stuff being.. and the video is goofy but worth a watch. I gotta say though, Sway's hoodie is fucking ugly... I remember the first time I saw that hoodie thinking "who would wear that?" and now I know... (although if the Klaxons wore it I would probably think it was sweet lol)...
So that's what's up for now! As usual, I hope you guys dug this post... let me know what you thought in the comments! I'll be back by Thursday at the latest with a new one so brace yourselves!
I thought I'd mention, before I leave here, that I was talking to Larry Tee earlier and he said he liked my new version of "Lift"... which isn't my primary concern because that's a solo song and I'm more concerned about what Sam and I are doing together... but it is good news. Because hopefully a breakthrough is just around the corner... we're getting there... wish us luck...
So, I had to quit my new job. At the Soccer place. I mean, it could have been straight, but how am I supposed to sell anything when our target market is 3-18 years... and I'm getting households where Little Jimmy is now Big Jimmy who moved out and got married... and has no kids of his own; but that doesn't even MATTER because I'm talking to Big Jimmy's 65 year old parents who can't figure out why I'm trying to get him signed up for soccer. You know? That's 3/4ths of what I was calling all night... in the meantime other people were doing laps around me because they had better material... all I say as I better get a tight paycheck for the week that I worked lol...
ANYWAY!!! On to the music! I just wanted to say, thank you to all you folks who sent me (or posted) nice comments over the last couple days. I'm glad you feel this blog is worth your time, and I'm glad you like my random format. The more and more I thought about it... I'm not a 'journalist' kind of guy... I could sit here and write a slightly different version of what a lot of other people write but... I imagine that most of you are just here for the music and not my banter, so I'm going to assume you would want to read some long winded pretentious load of crap that basically amounts to what I'm already saying!
SOOOOO... I promised you guys more Dance/Rock crossover... and I will deliver (p.s. sorry it took so long to post, crazy week obviously)! First off is the live version of the CLASSIC Orbital song "Halcyon" WITH with the Bon Jovi and Belinda Carlisle samples mashed in. If you somehow haven't heard this you MUST hear it... fucking amazing... there were two different versions of their "In Sides" album that came out in the U.S. and one had this on the bonus cd and the other didn't. If you can, I suggest picking up that album (with this on the bonus disk) because I think it's probably their best over all album.
I just found a live VIDEO version of this little Bon Jovi/Belinda trick... too bad that totally fuck it up at the beginning lol...
And in case you haven't seen the original here it is!
Then I thought I'd give you the polar opposite of the Orbital track. I was initally going to post Orbital's "Satan"... so when I opted to post the other softer Orbital classic I had to come up with a more rough anthem to post. I debated what hard ass song to put up... and I finally settled on the Nine Inch Nails version of David Bowie's "I'm Afraid Of Americans (V1)"... I had five versions to choose from because Astralwerks sent me the "I'm Afraid Of Americans E.P." quite a few years ago (which I never understood because they aren't the ones that put it out) but none of them were as compelling as the NIN one. There is a version with Ice Cube and a Photek remix but neither one is this rad...
I doubt you haven't seen this... but you probably haven't seen it for a while!
And last but not least... to finish off the Dance/Rock post... how about the best Dance/Rock band ever... that's right, NEW ORDER! I watched 24 Hour Party People for the millionth time last night and just had to post a New Order song. I think "Crystal" is the most recent "classic" they've put out, so I thought "why not post it"! Although, I have to say that "Here To Stay" song they did for 24 Hour Party People is damn close to being as good as "Crystal"... maybe not quite, but close. That last album had some gems too, so if you haven't heard it I'd recommend it...
Well I hope you folks enjoyed this post. As usual I will try to be back on the scene as soon as possible to bring you the best in British music via the wrong side of the pond! See you soon! (I'm thinking maybe a Brithop post?)
BTW: The design I put up there is from a t-shirt @ Livin Company. Go check it out! I think it's a dope shirt!
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