Germany’s Leipzig Zoo reportedly in negotiations to include their famous cross-eyed opossum Heidi in the broadcast.
Pop Culture
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Many, many years ago, when I was a young, impressionable girl, I fell into a ditch where I was ravaged by the music of the Afghan Whigs.
*ahem*
It only seems appropriate to start off a post/appreciation of Greg Dulli with a bit of drama.
The Whigs (fuck that other band who are attempting to use that name) were on Subpop with other late 80s/90s grunge mainstays, but they clearly were not cut from the same cloth. The band was heavily influenced by old soul and R&B records as much as The Replacements and Hüsker Dü. Plain and simple, these guys had swagger to spare.
The band’s live shows were epic. I was fortunate to see the band in all their live glory where they took performing a cover song to a new level. Lead singer Greg Dulli was part-master of ceremonies, part-preacher with a lot of sin in his past.
“Gentlemen” by the Afghan Whigs
Following the split of the Afghan Whigs back in February, 2001, Dulli’s Twilight Singers project emerged, featuring a variety of musicians, including Mark Lanegan, Joseph Arthur, Petra Haden, and Ani DiFranco, over the years. Their newest release, Dynamite Steps, is dark, sweeping, and feels like a soundtrack to a film yet to be made. In short, it’s absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend picking up the album on February 15.
“On the Corner” by the Twilight Singers
You’d think one band would keep Dulli busy considering he also owns a few bars in L.A. and New Orleans. Oh no. Dulli’s vocals can be heard all over the place from DJ Muggs to Lo Fidelity Allstars.
Then there’s the Gutter Twins, a group in which Dulli shares vocals with the amazing Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, collaborator with Isobel Campbell as well as his own solo career). Saturnalia, the Twins’ debut album, feels like you’re in a broken handbasket on the way to Hell. Even if you don’t drink, you may pick up a whiskey habit after listening to the album.
“All Misery/Flowers” by the Gutter Twins
Oh, and since it’s Friday, I’ll end this appreciation with a rumpshaker and possibly a song that I may or may not have used in a poledance routine.
“Southside Lowdown” by Lo Fidelity AllStars featuring Greg Dulli.
Hey guys! So I’ve climbed aboard this rusty, noble vessel of a blog as we sail into uncharted waters. It’s been a hectic week, so we could all probably use an audio chill pill, right?
Accordingly, I made a lil’ playlist that just scrapes the surface of the vast, soothing, tropical, haunted world of ambient, electronic, and “h-pop” (hypnagogic pop) music. All sorts of moods, seasons, and eras are used as inspiration, but they all share a submerged, Dad’s-old-VHS quality. The magic of these songs lies not so much in their ability to recapture a specific moment in time (i.e. mom’s old workout tapes, early software infomercials, TV theme song intro music) but rather in the ways they evoke our spiritual nostalgia of the half-remembered past–and the ones who do it best make music that’s never boring and clear of schlock (unless they’re incorporating kitsch into their overall sound, but I’d like to think it’s done artfully). In fact, unless you’re predisposed to disliking this sort of abstraction, I’d say it’s pretty damn beautiful.
Anyway, here’s where you download. Some of these tracks are weirder than others. Playlist below, if you’re curious ahead of time.
- Dylan Ettinger – “The Waterfront”
- Kohwi – “Tides”
- Ducktails – “Roses”
- Outer Limits Recordings – “Plastik Child”
- James Ferraro – “Killer Nerd”
- Skyramps – “Flight Simulator”
- Skyramps – “Dripping Water Hollows Out a Stone”
- Emeralds – “Science Center”
- Monster Rally – “Cuban Velvet”
- Oneohtrix Point Never – “Returnal”
- Rangers – “Woodland Hills”
- Matrix Metals – “Flamingo Breeze”
- Stellar OM Source – “Fantazia”
- Stellar OM Source – “Dynamic of Here”
- Stellar OM Source – “Rites of Fusion (feat. Oneohtrix Point Never)
It’s not like I’m am “ambient music expert” or anything–there’s just so much out there that few people have heard. So go on, give it a whirl. Who knows, maybe there’s a musical secret waiting to be discovered by you in this playlist! I’ll make more if there’s any interest, and please please please make recommendations if you have. Sharing is caring, etc.
ETA: If you want a preview of general aesthetic at work here:
JAMES FERRARO – LAST AMERICAN HERO, Pt. 3 from OLDE ENGLISH SPELLING BEE on Vimeo.
If you’re like me and find yourself missing the-site-that-shall-not-be-named for its Daily Gossip Roundup and Blind Items, then you will need a few alternatives. Here, then, are several sites that I have come to rely on for my smut fix. Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments! Continue reading
Sorry kidderoos. I know you’ve been begging us to stop talking about her, but it looks like the world’s most literal famewhore is, once again, making it impossible for us to ignore her.
A true “brags to bitches” story – whether she is getting in fights with her co-stars, sleeping in a coffin, or loosening her corset for every wealthy or influential man around, she does seem to find a way to stay in the news. Although we have to give her some credit on this last point. She doesn’t just “socialize” with the independently wealthy, she’s been known to “move the brush” for a hipster painter or two and serve as a muse for those that are particularly handy with a “pen”. (Things aren’t so Misérables anymore are they?!)
But pretty (and flexible) finally seems to have paid off, slightly less literally, for her. A new strategy! Sleeping with the theatrical purse strings! Which has finally earned her a starring role.
That’s right boys and girls. The child of the slums, the thief’s daughter that has stolen our eyeballs (we wouldn’t keep writing about her if you didn’t keep reading it!) if not our hearts is about to travel the world playing a Queen!
So watch out all you real Queens out there. Your husbands might get confused and bring her home. (At least to find out why they really say she has a “throat like a flute.”)
Today we’re talking DC go-go. That’s go-go, a type of funk music from Washington, D.C. No, it has nothing really to do with go-go dancers. It’s a type of funk that has a distinctive syncopated rhythm due to the use of congas, bongos, timbales and cow bells. There’s also a lot of call and response vocals that get the crowd involved. This is a very live concert-oriented genre of music. It started off as as sort of funky, disco-y style and has evolved into D.C.’s local hardcore alternative to rap.
From what I hear, people get buck wild at go-go shows. I don’t claim to be a go-go music but I did go to the University of Murrrland and lived in PG County (what what) for a while. So enough of me trying to describe it all here. Enjoy the choons:
“Bustin’ Loose” by Chuck Brown
Chuck Brown is the godfather of the go-go and “Bustin’ Loose” is probably its seminal hit. This song is such a guaranteed dance floor jam. If you wear that jacket, people will LISTEN TO YOU. Also, last I heard Chuck B. still plays a lot of concerts so if you live in D.C., you should go see him.
“Drop the Bomb” by Trouble Funk
Trouble Funk is go-go’s first brief flirtation with mainstream pop success.
“Pump Me Up” by Trouble Funk
This tune has been sampled a bunch of times.
“Da Butt” by Experience Unlimited
This song was a pretty big hit in the 80s. This is the pinnacle of pop-friendly go-go music.
“Sardines” by Junkyard Band
Sardines used to be considered poor people food, but now you can just claim that you’re into sustainable aquaculture.
“20 Minute Workout” by DJ Kool
DJ Kool is also the guy that made “Let Me Clear My Throat” back in like 96, but I think this track is way more go-go-y.
“Overnight Scenario” by Rare Essence
OK. Now we’re listening to the new school down-and-dirty go-go music that gets played on the radio in D.C. Everything good happens at 3 in the morning at the pancake house. Also, go-go began absolutely terrifying white people sometime around the late 80s and to this day has a reputation for people getting shot up at shows.
“Thug Passion” by Backyard Band
BYB was really popular back in the late 90s when I lived there. I remember all the cooks at the restaurant I worked at (Phillips, holla) playing this stuff.
“Welcome to D.C.” by Mambo Sauce
Here’s a more pop-oriented go-go track from about three years ago.
Whoa dude! This is part III of the legendary documentary series on the L.A. music scene. It never got a commercial release and is really hard to find. Part I was on punk rock circa ’79, part II on hair bands circa ’88, part III deals with the gutterpunk scene circa ’97.
I remember going to Hollywood during high school and seeing these guys scare the tourists. One of the girls works (works!) at a clothing shop on Melrose (she’s the kinda-cute girl) but I’m guessing most of these guys are dead or in prison or something. Its shocking and kind of sad, but still a very good documentary.
The rumor was that Penelope Spheeris bowed to pressure from civic leaders and didn’t release this commercially. It would have come out during the whole Rampart scandal, and it would have painted a very negative image of the city. We used to give these guys money and offer them rides to Covenant House (homeless shelter for kids) and wonder why they never took us up on the offer.
When I was sixteen I guess it was kind of secretly appealing to think that someone could just drop out, quit it all, and live with nothing but their wits and some raggedy clothes, maybe have a 40 to look forward to at night.
After watching the doc and learning that most of these kids were horribly abused and drunk 99% of the time, I feel sorry for them. $5 isn’t a lot of money to you or me, but its a fortune to them. Maybe I’m just a sucker, but I think I’ll always give these kinds of people a couple bucks. Anyway, here’s the doc, its pretty good, just lower the volume when the bands are playing and watch it as high-brow social commentary.
The Decline Of The Western Civilization: Part 3 – Gutter Punk (1998) Musidocs.com from documentaries on Veehd.
The title of this post is rather self-explanatory, but in case anyone didn’t know, bitches love shoes. This bitch gets to play with them for work, and I’ve put together a little gallery of footwear for which I’d be willing to break one or both ankles. The designer information is in the file name, but I didn’t include the prices. You don’t want to know, believe me.
Back in 1997, an obscure label called Strictly Breaks put out a two-disc compilation of songs that had been sampled by A Tribe Called Quest. Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to find these discs today (though they can be found as torrents if you know where to look). Continue reading
To know me is to know that I’m a big fan of Pete Yorn.
While flipping through a music magazine, I discovered the then-new artist thanks to an advertisement for his album, musicforthemorningafter
After listening to the album, my shallowness was set aside because I fell in love with the music and lyrics. From start to finish, songs such as “Life on a Chain,” “Lose You, ” and “For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is)” are so good that even my friends who aren’t huge PY fans will admit. To think this album was his debut effort is somewhat unreal when looking back.
Over the past 10 years, I’ve seen PY perform all over the U.S. in small bookstores to large venues. He started out with a small group of very loyal fans and that base has grown significantly over the years. Fortunately, he’s still a great friend to his fans via Facebook and Twitter. Plus, he’s a really nice guy and you have to root for the nice guys in the music industry. He also puts his albums out on vinyl for people like me who still own a turntable and actually use it.
In March, as part of the 10th anniversary of MFTMA, PY will be performing the album in its entirety as part of his setlist during his spring tour. Thankfully, the shows I’m attending are part of the stops where the album will be played.
Hearing the album in its entirety means I get to relive some of the fun live moments I’ve had over the years. There are some songs that aren’t regularly performed during his shows that will once again see the light of day.
Still, what I’m most excited about is the ability to return to that time 10 years ago when I was just listening to the album for the first time and slowly, but surely becoming a PY fan for life.