Okay, so this will be an unconventional post by me. On Saturday night, I signed up for a short 9K road race. Why 9K? Well, baseball season is upon us. Anyone that knows me knows what a baseball nerd I am. I mean, I will get the most random trivia questions right with regard to baseball. For example, I could tell you the home run leaders by decade going back to the 1920’s. Sad, but true.
Well, being that I’m in Boston, it’s now time for the Red Sox season to start, and one of the best parts of the Red Sox organization is their fundraising effort – the Red Sox Foundation. They help many organizations, including the Jimmy Fund, which helps kids – and adults – in their fight against cancer. Last year, I took part in an awesome event – the Red Sox Foundation’s Fantasy Day, and look forward to doing so again this year.
However, this time around, I signed up to take part in their 9K “Run To Home Base” to help their Home Base Program. The program helps returning soldiers with their battles with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD. Many know that I am staunchly anti-war. However, I feel that if we’re going to send these kids – and many are kids when they go to fight – to war, that we should also take care of them when they return, which simply isn’t happening. This is a great cause that I think any of us can support, regardless of how you feel about war and our role in it. So since it’s the “Home Base Program”, why not choose a song entitled “Home”, eh?
This is simply a personal favorite song of mine. Believe it or not, it has been over 11 years since Mark Sandman – the lead singer of Morphine – passed away. The music that these guys wrote was sometimes haunting, as the song posted today will be a testament to. Rarely was there a true guitar used in their music, as many of their songs simply featured a 2-string bass guitar played with a slide, various percussion instruments, and a drummer. You would occasionally hear a piano or traditional guitar used, but that was rare.
When I think of Morphine, I think of this song, “Hanging On A Curtain”. Many may remember their track “Honey White”,off of Yes, but it’s many of the other songs that made an impact on how I feel about this band. This song sums them up perfectly, for me. The sad part is that back in July of 1999, these guys were supposed to play at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, opening for now defunct band Soul Coughing. I heard about Sandman passing away while on stage at a festival in Italy. Believe it or not, I somehow found M Doughty’s e-mail address, and sent a quick message. The two bands worked together at shows fairly often, and from what I understand, Doughty and Sandman were pretty good friends. I actually received a response back, and man do I wish I had kept that!
Anyhow, I hope you guys enjoy this one, this week.
Okay. Modest Mouse show review, here. If you only heard of these guys when “Float On” came out? Leave. Now. I mean it. To help you out, here is an appropriate website for people of your intelligence to go to.
Okay, now for the disturbing facts. Modest Mouse was decent. Pretty good. They didn’t “kill it” as the Twitter feed by HOBBoston I read said. No. They were good in spots. Here’s the thing. Isaac Brock? He’s not built for this. The mainstream success. Hell, look at their new shirt. A zombie-esque cat. The antithesis of the mouse. Essentially, I saw that and went, “Sweet! They’re mocking their idiot fans!” and bought it instantly. As did many of the fans being mocked. Last laugh? Modest Mouse. Well played, Isaac. Well played.
George knows how long I’ve been a fan of these guys. Hell, I’m even a “new” fan to some. I mean, I “only” got into them about ten years ago. Still, as ravenous as I am with music, it wasn’t long before discovering their earlier works. Albums like This Is a Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About and Lonesome Crowded West became favorites. I mean, who can hate a song titled “Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset”? Hell, my first time seeing them was in September of 2001. I did a review of that show for the now defunct site I helped George with then. I got to meet Brock after the show. To say he is an odd man? Well, I’m considered pretty fucking nuts. My mind is not a place for the timid. This guy makes me look borderline sane. Which is probably why I liked the band.
Anyhow, back to this particular show. No recent album out. Which right away screamed, “The label is fucking them, so they are trying to make a buck.” And that’s fine. The House of Blues in Boston, despite the whole mantra of “Love One, Love All” doesn’t really show love to the fans with tickets in the Mezzanine. Craptacular view. And hot. In a terrible way. I wanted to find a midget to punch. They are here for our entertainment, after all, right?
So they did “Float On” early, and I even overheard some of the dipshit bandwagon fans say, “Wow. I’m surprised they did that one so early!” Do you know why? BECAUSE THEY ARE SICK OF THAT FUCKING SONG! See, the thing is, that whole album, Good News For People Who Love Bad News is good. However, take a look at their album titles the further they’ve gone. It’s like watching Jack Kerouac get darker and darker in his novels. He knew there wasn’t a good ending, and I have a feeling Brock knows this, as well. He has essentially become part of something we know he probably hates. But with his twisted sense of humor, he’s certainly going to milk it for what it’s worth until then. In a weird way? I’m alright with that. Again, well played Isaac. Anyhow, other tracks I can remember include “Paper Thin Walls” – which I love – and “Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine”, “Dramamine”, and “Blame It On the Tetons”. My favorite that got love from the band was “Here It Comes”. God do I fucking love that song. Not one person around me was singing along. Not one. Let me repeat that. NOT ONE. A song with lyrics like “walking around with shit on my shoes…oh here it comes” is something you idiots can’t remember? And see, the kicker here is that they repeat the line “here it comes” a myriad of times. It’s called repetition. Stop lamenting why Johnny Marr isn’t with the band, any more, and get with it, you small minded bandwagon douches. By the way, the fourth shirt you’re wearing needs its collar popped.
Well, after all of that business, I was just going to leave. The thing with the mezzanine was I couldn’t go back to the floor level. Understood due to the fact that it was sold out. Here was one of the few bright spots of the night. The girl working that knew I couldn’t see squat? Well, I was about to leave before the encore, and she actually grabbed me and told me if I wanted, I could stay below, now. Essentially, enough folks were leaving to deal with the crowding issue. I don’t want to potentially get this young lady in any trouble, so I will omit her name. Gotta look out for those that looked out for me, after all.
Immediately after getting down there, another view of what a bunch of pricks this new generation of Modest Mouse fans are. An encore. We all know about this. Why? Because we go to enough concerts to know about them. Well, I had the pleasure of standing next to three couples. The girls? Basically foul mouthed trophies for the frat boy guys they were with. That’s the first bad sign. When one of the girls yells, “Come on assholes!” to, I guess, coax the band out? I cringed. It wasn’t until one of the guys screams, “Fucking come out or I’m leaving!” that I had it and bitched out these little shits. As I told them, it’s a concert. This is what an encore is.
The finish of the show included one of my other favorites by the band – “Gravity Rides Everything”. Now, I have a personal attachment to this song, so I was quite pleased to head out on a high note. The crowd and venue was just terrible. In both instances, there were redeeming qualities, for sure. The band did seem to feed off of the crowd, so at times they looked a bit bored. They were still good. Just nothing like the previous three times I had seen them. How much more of this can Brock take? Well, he seems to have a sense of humor about it, so I’d say we may still see a few more albums before they call it quits. Here’s to hoping I can see them without these dopey fans, though. I can do without them.
So a few of the readers here may be from Boston. A lot probably aren’t. Well, if you’re unaware, the city of Boston lost its clean water supply for about four days due to a breach in a pipe that delivered water to Boston and many of its suburbs. Well, we have our water back. And now that “aquapocalypse” – as some termed it – is over, the jokes aren’t going to stop. This blog entry, included.
The first song will be familiar to anyone that’s gone to Fenway Park and stuck around after the Red Sox won the game. Below is your introduction.
Recognize the song? Most people probably wouldn’t. That song is “Dirty Water” by the Standells, a garage rock band hailing from LA. Now, considering all that’s gone on here in Boston since this BS started on Saturday, how great would it have been to be there at Fenway Park on Monday after they won? And to hear that song? Hilarity would have ensued. Personally, I nearly brought a couple of water bottles down to the grocery store with a lawnchair and would have rolled them down the aisle to watch people fight over them. Turns out the joke’s on all those morons that cleared out the shelves of all bottled water in the mass panic you knew would ensue. ‘Never mind, water was safe all along’ was the headline on the Boston.com front page today. So here’s “Dirty Water”.
Next up is just a song that is freakin’ amazeballs. For real. It’s like you all could slow dance to this bastard back in the mid ’80’s and it would have fit in. Even better? The group’s name is 100% fitting for this post. Double win! Washed Out is the name of the group. This track is just unreal. Just take a listen to this one. Right now my early favorite for best track this year. Really.
So I was out at a Haiti benefit Sunday night pretty randomly. Fun was had. Don’t believe me? Check out the picture of me looking like a complete ass. George actually submitted it to This Is Photo Bomb, so I assume there’s a bit of teh funnay involved.
Anyhow, there were a slew of DJs involved in this benefit. The next to last one I remember was playing a ton of old school – or as some call it, the Golden Age – hip-hop. So today’s post is going to be filled with happy thoughts of old school stuff.
One of the forgotten groups from back when is Ed O.G. and Da Bulldogs. They’re originally from up my way, in Boston. Roxbury, to be exact. Also the home of someone else later in this post. You’ll have to keep reading to find out who, though. Anyhow, the first album, Life of a Kid in the Ghetto, produced two notable singles: “Bug-A-Boo” and “I Got To Have It”. The latter is what I’m sharing here. A great bootleg remix of this was released by Peaches Music on their Jager Bomb EP.
Another track, albeit a few years older, is by the Marley Marl Allstars. This one features a bunch of old school guys. Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, as well as Big Daddy Kane. Not a bad collection, eh? Well together, they release one of the seminal hits of the late ’80’s in “The Symphony Part 1”. Part 2? Forgettable. So Part 1 is what I bring you.
Next is probably the strangest man in hip-hop history. Well, at least when he was still part of the Ultramagnetic MCs. The man is Kool Keith, and some may recognize him from Dr. Octagon fame. Well, this track, I remember watching the music video and seeing Kool Keith in a straitjacket, and if I remember right? What looked like a bird cage on his head. Just fucking weird. Well, the mix in the video was the East Coast mix. The album version of this track doesn’t come close to this one. So enjoy!
And the last one for today? Is the other Roxbury native I spoke of. His name in the hip-hop world is none other than Guru. While there may be better overall cuts by Gang Starr, this one is one of my personal favorites. Off of the album Daily Operation, this track shows the immense talents of DJ Premier, also. “Take It Personal” is a cut that simply talks of the world of betrayal, and I’m sure more than a few out there can relate to some degree with this song.
Okay, this is the special treat I’ve worked so hard to get. Just this past Friday, Chicago house legend Derrick Carter graced Boston again. One of my good friends, Randy DeShaies, booked Derrick just two weeks prior to the event, so this was a simple slap in the face to wake me up and make me go dance – which I rarely do. I’ve wanted to get an interview with Derrick for years, now. That started while still helping George with the Vegas website we co-owned earlier in the decade. The blog gave me a new opportunity, and after really being persistent? Derrick obliged.
So after the show Friday, July 10th, he gave me a few minutes to discuss his views and be his usual jovial joker self. The conversation started with a lot of joking, and with Derrick outing his pal Mark Farina – jokingly – via the use of his iPhone. The text he read from it, as Derrick says, has Farina saying, “I was going to pee in Boston Friday, and looked up, and saw your big head staring at me!” Definitely only something the BFFs could share. And most definitely get a laugh out of me.
Eventually, we briefly discussed his discography, where he made note that he really doesn’t have a favorite record, per se. “I don’t have one of those moments where everything culminates,” Carter states. He continued by saying he’s “more evolutionary than revolutionary.” This makes sense to anyone in the game as long as he’s been in it. People simply do need to evolve in order to survive the game, and his statements re-affirm that. As he continued, “I’m just trying to find a spot where everything works out, and it’s all good.”
When asked about putting on a show for the folks that come out to see him, he sort of shirked when I made mention of a quote that Erick Morillo gave me, but it still holds true. All those years ago, he told me that he simply knew people paid to see a show, so he wanted to try to put one on. While this may have changed with Morillo? The statement did speak volumes, and Derrick’s take was a bit more verbose and insightful.
“When you get that sort of platform,” he begins, “and you’re able to do things with people watching, and you’re charged with presenting people with a good time? That’s my situation.” And despite it being a different city on countless nights? “I’m here. This is not my home, but whatever. We’re trying to have a good time, so let’s do it.”
When finally asked about any new projects, he was vague about a new one, but the reasons are simply put by the Chicago legend. “I’ve got an album I’m working on, but I don’t have a whole lot of….’This is some secret shit!’ or have a insight into any of it.”
Despite the brevity of the interview, I felt incredibly lucky to be able to pick his brain with even what sounds like basic questions. Then again, it’s not every day I can spend talking to someone that helped influence how I DJ’ed.
Seriously? Go see this man play. You won’t be disappointed! This week, there are no MP3s posted, but I have left a link where many of the man’s live mixes are posted up online. Click here to check out these mixes.
That’s a stupid title. I know. Whatever. The tracks, however, aren’t stupid. They’re both record rips from my own collection, which I think a lot of people reading this regularly are starting to get used to. Hey, I have a lot of good shit on wax. What can I say?
Anyhow, after the Modjo postings a few weeks back, I tried in vain to see if anyone else had already posted the Harry “Choo Choo” Romero dub of their cut “Lady”. Nope! So here is the “Titanium Dub” by Romero. A bit too long, as he probably could’ve cut at least a minute off the total length, but a good DJ will know how to use this extra time well.
Next is a track I hadn’t listened to in years, in all honesty. Macy Gray’s “Sexual Revolution” got the remix treatment by the boys at Subliminal, and this is really the only worthwhile mix – save for the acapella – on the 12″. Dark, dirty, and just the right length. One of the more underrated and impressive cuts by Subliminal, in my opinion. Definitely take a listen to this one! So fucking beautiful….so fucking beautiful!
Next week, by the way, sees the release of the new Sunset Rubdown album. I picked up a copy at their show here in the Boston area last week, and they didn’t fail to impress yet again. The album has a couple key cuts on it I do love, and next week to coincide with the release, I’ll put up a review of the album. So stay tuned!
As usual, open your pockets. Help these guys out! Buy this stuff!
For one, their last album was just not that great. The fanboys a couple years back were SO FUCKING ANNOYING.
“Oh my god! They got Johnny Marr! YES! HE WILL MAKE THEM THE GREATEST BAND EVAR!”
Umm. No. He won’t. Even more annoying was the group of dipshits after the last show I saw them play talking about how they “weren’t very good” because they played too much “old stuff.” WTF? Are you fucking kidding me? Go back to finding whatever band is hot on top 40 next, you weak-minded piece of garbage. Yeah, I hear Kelly Clarkson is going indie. Why don’t you jump on her? You’re not jumping any other girl right now, anyhow. Here’s a tip. Spend more time on social skills and less time nitpicking music you don’t fucking know.
Anyways, they were great live. Have been the three times I’ve seen them. Isaac Brock is a weird, weird dude, btw. First couple of times I saw them was before Good News…. made them over the top huge. So seeing them play older stuff, like “Doin’ The Cockroach” made me quite happy. I’ve included a pic I took at the show here in Boston a couple years back, also. Which brings me to why I’m pissed with them. They didn’t come here on their last tour. How the fuck do you NOT come to Boston?
Anyways, here’s “Doin’ The Cockroach” as well as a live version. As you were.
So the French sound seems to have permeated the airwaves again! Justice came practically out of nowhere to become the new French electronica darlings, a la Daft Punk. Well, the sound isn’t limited to people born in France. You can ask our wonderful blog owner himself how much of the stuff I used to play while DJing! And I actually still have quite a bit of it lying around, too! May have to update you all with some slick French house one of these weeks!
Well, today, the post is dedicated to that heavily filtered sound and a band that’s beginning to make a few waves. They’re Thieves Like Us, and they just recently released their first full-length album, called Play Music. The best way to describe the sound will need some explanation. The band’s name is the title of an old New Order track. So it’s no real surprise that the sound seems to meld some elements of New Order with the French House sound – albeit at a lower BPM, many times.
The result is a sound that just sounds calming, yet makes you want to dance a bit. The single making a lot of noise right now is the second cut off of Play Music, titled “Drugs In My Body”. Along with the original, I’ve also included a remix done by a a duo of…well….sort of strange dudes that go by the name of Designer Drugs. I can’t knock strange. I am, also. It’s more fun that way, anyhow.
And there’s even a video for such a wonderful tune! Check it out!
And for those who – for some reason unknown – haven’t been exposed to the Daft Punk I knew and loved back in 1996? Here are two tunes. It was off of their landmark album Homework, which still gets love from many out there, and rightfully so!
And if you are also up for a little house music on the deeper and more soulful edge? A friend of mine who I’ve known for right around 12 years now here in Boston has a site that’s dedicated to house music in it’s most pure form. DJ Bruno has been doing his thing here in Boston for twenty years, and I owe a lot to him, to be honest! So if you get a second, please make a visit to Utopia Boston Radio! If you’re ever in Boston? Please do send me an e-mail. As you can see from all of us, music is our lifeblood, and we love to share!
One final note! I am still digging through some contributions. I will be doing many of these in the final two blogs this months, as a sort of round-up of what to look for in 2009! So thank you for your patience!
And please, shell out those duckets! Buy a little of the aforementioned music, so these guys can keep bringing you more of the good stuff!
So for this concert series piece, I will be discussing Stereolab. Don’t know them? Well, you should! These guys have been around for close to two decades, and they’ve even had their worst emotions tested when one of Stereolab’s members, Mary Hansen, was tragically killed a few years ago. They have a new album out now, and are touring in support of it, so being a decade-plus-long fan? I had to go. I’ll be showcasing a few songs of theirs, but also I will be talking a little about their opening band, Le Loup.
Stereolab is the sort of group your parents would probably dig. Think indie-rock meets bachelor-pad easy listening music. It sounds odd, but they’ve established themselves as the kings in such a small niche. Many times, a band suffers from such marginalization, but these guys have mastered it. The unfortunate death of Hansen took a bit away from the band, as they relied on two singers for many of their songs, but they’ve worked to solve that, by adding another singer (a male falsetto) to the repertoire. It works surprisingly well, and hopefully it continues.
The album that first got me interested was one that many people also say first turned them on to the ‘Lab. Emperor Tomato Ketchup is a funny title, but it’s one hell of an album. I’d go so far to say one of the top ten of the ’90’s. It’s certainly debatable but that’s the beauty of the subjectivity of music – there really is no such thing as a right answer. They worked more towards the moog synthesizer sound the later into the ’90’s they went, and it produced some of the best – and underrated – music of the later half of the decade. Here, I’ll be focusing on three tracks in particular.
First up is “French Disko”. This tune was originally just a single, but was later included on Stereolab’s second compilation of Switched On, titled Refried Ectoplasm. This sounded just as good Monday night as it did when I first heard it over a decade ago.
Follow the links below for treats off of ETK that I mentioned earlier. “Les-Yper Sound” is just one helluva cool rollin’ track. Mellow, yet it rocks. “Les Yper-Yper Sound” is essentially a live remix on BBC Radio that was included on the box set Oscillons From The Anti-Sun. Sick sick track. [Download Stereolab-Les-Yper Sound] [Download Stereolab-Les-Yper-Yper Sound]
I’ve just got to share another vital Stereloab track. “Diagonals” from Dots and Loops is chill… Loungey… Whatever you want to call it, it’s a great cut for playing at a house party that’s made up of people older than 25. This track essentially defines the sound they took on starting with this album. [Download Stereolab-Diagonals]
As I mentioned, the band Le Loup opened for Stereolab. They could easily be signed onto the DFA label with what I saw Monday, and they’re a good reason people should check out the opening bands. They had a very unique sound to them, which contrasted with Stereolab’s, but complemented it at the same time. Good choice by the ‘Lab having these guys open up for them!
Here is a sample of what you will hear from Le Loup. And below that? Links to buy all of these fine products! Because buying this stuff helps keep it alive!
