Which side of the ideas war are you on?

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I have been on a remixing !KICK!! lately. Desperate to find a new project, I remembered that Trent Reznor had put up stems of a bunch of his tracks for users to remix and upload back to the site. It’s remix.nin.com if you are interested. I decided to start a remix using Capital G and the beats from a Birdman track called Money To Blow. I think it turned out ok:

Nine Inch Nails – Capital Geezy (Jaizer Got Money To Blow Remix)  by  geediablo

I was kinda stoked to upload it and share it with the NIN community. I log in…click UPLOAD A REMIX, and get greeted with this message:

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to lawsuits way beyond our control, we have been forced to restrict the functionality of this site in a very crippling way. Before any remix can appear on this site, it must be manually cleared by a moderator to ensure it does not contain any copyrighted material. Only once your submitted mix has been approved will it show up on the site. Please see the FAQ for detailed information regarding which materials are unauthorized for use in your remixes.
We are not happy with this process, but we have been left with no choice. Our approval process relies on the much-appreciated efforts of volunteer moderators, so it may take some time before your mix is approved. Thanks for your patience and understanding. We’re as frustrated with this as you are, and we hope it doesn’t interfere too heavily with the enjoyment of this site.

It’s a shame, especially since no one is trying to make any money off this particular site or project. It’s just lame and disappointing.

After reading that, I remembered a powerful documentary I watched several months ago but never got around to writing about. RIP: A Remix Manifesto.

In RiP: A remix manifesto, Web activist and filmmaker Brett Gaylor explores issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers.
The film’s central protagonist is Girl Talk, a mash-up musician topping the charts with his sample-based songs. But is Girl Talk a paragon of people power, or the Pied Piper of piracy? Creative Commons founder, Lawrence Lessig, Brazil’s Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil, and pop culture critic Cory Doctorow are also along for the ride.

I even wanted to get my cousin, a Copyright attorney, in on the post. I wanted her to watch it and for us to have a dialogue. Although supportive of me and this blog, what we do here must be at odds with her views on the issue right? At least from a professional point of view. Life gets in the way and I don’t think she ever got around to watching this documentary…so no discussion. (I still want her to watch it. I still want to have that discussion. That’s your last friendly reminder, cous!) But you, fellow readers, will watch it…Right? You can pay whatever you want to download the movie.

I had to force TLO to watch it kicking and screaming. I’m not sure why she resisted watching it. Maybe she hates documentaries. Perhaps she would rather watch The Kardashians. Most likely she has some guilt about what we do here on this blog. Giving away the work of artists we respect and enjoy isn’t something we do lightly. We really try to do the right thing. We take down music at the request of bands and labels. We have only been asked to do so twice (well three times now, counting Friday) in a year and a half by the way. Not a bad record for the hundreds of MP3’s we have made available for your perusal.

Once I got her inebriated enough that she had no ability to run away, I threw the DVD into the ‘ole XBOX. I think she liked it? Maybe she will comment and share her views.


I am passionate about music. Maybe moreso about remixes, since I have been involved in DJ culture for a large part of my life. That’s not the point though, not totally. The main focus of the film is Girl Talk after all.

What you realize through the first half of the film is that ALL music is built on the work of the past.

All ART is built on the art of the past.


The entities that own this art will do whatever they can, namely suing the shit out of you, to protect it. These entities are in trouble though. Many big bands are producing and distributing their music without the help of these “entitities”. Radiohead realized they no longer NEED a label. No longer on a label, they offered their latest effort In Rainbows to be delivered from the bands website and to allow the consumer/fan to pay whatever they thought the work was worth. This is like an atom bomb in the ideas war. It changed everything.

The label, in desperation, tried to legally pursue a fan who had decided to remix the album. The label no longer had rights to this new album, so the band stepped in to tell them to fuck off. Which they had to do, tail between. Then Radiohead upped the ante yet again. They offered the stems to Reckoner so that everyone could remix the song.

Download Radiohead – Reckoner (The Twelves Remix)

Radiohead gets it.

To lock up this art for the life of the artist plus 70 years stifles creativity or forces it underground. In the film, the director drives the point home in regards to the patents and copyrights involved in medicine. Could these laws be stifling the work on finding real cures for health issues in a timely manner because drug companies patent and protect all their work? Think about that for a minute.

Music might not “save” lives, but in the science world, this impacts us all in a very real way. The Rolling Stones’ stealing all the great blues riffs from the past, but suing anyone else who steals riffs from them seems like a petty issue to some. But suing a drug company because they “borrowed” your scientific R&D to work on a drug to help cure cancer. That should hit home.

The filmmaker even puts the very documentary itself up for “remixing”. You can take any part of the film and rework it, add or tweak the images in the movie as you see fit.

A participatory media experiment, from day one, Brett shares his raw footage at opensourcecinema.org, for anyone to remix. This movie-as-mash-up method allows these remixes to become an integral part of the film.

Download Girl Talk – Non-Stop Party Now

Support the film, and support your remixers.

Does one want to get more used to the mall and misery?

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You never know how low an angry heart can go.

I am loving this album tremendously. Danger Mouse and James Mercer. It’s a match made in heaven. OK, let’s be honest: who could Brian Burton (the Mouse’s real name) team up with for anything but stellar results? The man is a genius. I don’t mean to take away from the success Mercer has had with The Shins. I’ve loved their albums as well. And Mercer has recently formed his own label (now counting The Shins among their talent.) Broken Bells is what happened when the two finally decided to act on their ideas of collaboration.

Walk out before you make it worse on yourself

It is so hard to explain what it is that makes this one of the best albums I have heard in a long time. It doesn’t make me cry, or dance, or yell, or stand up and fight. It’s just, GOOD. It’s just, MUSIC.

It’s every genre. It’s a sound that you know but can’t point out. I’m loving it.

Will someone measure this moment now?
I’m back again in this one-light town
I cut the tie and I don’t have to rely on nothin’ and no one.

MP3 Preview not available by request of the label… However……

The album drops on Tuesday. You need to own it.

Mass Appeal

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Well, in light of the recent news of Gang Starr‘s Guru (real name Keith Elam) suffering a major heart attack, I figured it was time to dust off an old house bootleg I’ve had kicking around for a few years now and really never got to play it out enough.

Well, thankfully? It appears as though Guru is doing well, as he issued a brief statement to his fans. So with that being said, this post will be more of an appreciation for the goodness that was Gang Starr. The first track here is that bootleg I spoke of. It was created by house music’s Sona and released on the short lived Hook-Up Tunes. It looks as though this was the next to last release from the label, but they did have a few quality bootlegs. Here’s Sona’s remix of Gang Starr’s “Mass Appeal”.

Download Gang Starr – Mass Appeal (Sona’s ‘Assappeal’ Bootleg)

Next is just another old track off of the same album that “Mass Appeal” appeared on – Hard To Earn. This one is “DWYCK”, which featured Nice ‘N’ Smooth. How’s that for dating yourself. You’re pulling out a one-hit wonder like them? Wow. But this is still a great tune. So enjoy it.

Download Gang Starr ft. Nice ‘N’ Smooth – DWYCK

Now, if you don’t go buy this? I will cut your balls off. Unless you’re Lance Armstrong. Then I only need to cut one off.

Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind

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I was going to develop this post more. I ran out of time. I’ll make it up to you next time. The point is that Klosterman is a great author if you love music and pop culture. He even writes fiction! If you need something new to read, it’s inALLcaps recommended.

Found in the book IV By Chuck Klosterman:

Interviewing Britney Spears is like deposing Bill Clinton: Regardless of the evidence, she does not waver.
“Why do you dress so provocatively?” I ask. She says she doesn’t dress provocatively.
“But look what you’re wearing right now,” I say, while looking at three inches of her inner thigh, her entire abdomen, and enough cleavage to choke a musk ox.
“This is just a skirt and a top,” she responds.

It is not that Britney Spears denies that she is a sexual icon, or that she disputes that American men are fascinated with the concept of the wet-hot virgin, or that she feels her success says nothing about what our society fantasizes about. She doesn’t disagree with any of that stuff, because she swears she has never even thought about it. Not even once.

“That’s just a weird question,” she says. “I don’t even want to think about that. That’s strange, and I don’t think about things like that. Why should I? I don’t have to deal with those people. I’m concerned with the kids out there. I’m concerned with the next generation of people. I’m not worried about some guy who’s a perv and wants to meet a freaking virgin.”

And suddenly, something becomes painfully clear: Either Britney Spears is the least self-aware person I’ve ever met, or she’s way, way savvier than any of us realize.

Or maybe both.

This is a fantastic cover of a horrible song:

Download Or, The Whale – Toxic (Britney Spears Cover)

Get more free songs from the band Or, The Whale over at daytrotter where they did a set.

Excerpt from the book Downtown Owl: A Novel by Chuck Klosterman

Music that Mitch did not recognize distortedly blared from a thirty-five dollar JVC ghetto blaster. The first song was futuristic, churchlike, and boring. the second song celebrated the inherent pleasure of jumping. The third song promoted the nation of Panama.


Has anyone seen the show Glee? Is it worth watching? Let me know. Anyways, the soundtrack to the show had a Van Halen cover.

Download The Glee Cast – Jump (Van Halen Cover)

I do it so good I don’t need nobody else

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I was about to write about another album I recently came across. With multiple windows open, including a workout blog from Zuzana over at BodyRock.tv, I just flipped over to iTunes and hit Play. I meant for the slower sounds from my intended album to come out of the speakers. Instead, I heard this:

Download Milkman – Put In Work

I had just finished a ball-busting workout from Czech guru Zuzana Light, and when I accidentally played this equally obnoxious song on accident, I was motivated to get up and do just a few minutes more of booty lifts. Put In Work!

For what seems like it can’t possibly be a year already, I have been working out to the brilliant mashups provided by Girl Talk. I never tire of those energetic songs, but maybe Mookie was getting tired of hearing them? He spent an entire day looking for new mashups for me, and came up with Milkman. Milkman is another skinny white kid, but this one is from San Diego, born Gregg Luskin. Circle of Fifths is his second album, both of his efforts having been put out in the year 2008.

The first thing that attracts me to a mashup is a fast, pounding beat that refuses to allow you to remain on your ass. And not all of them qualify. I am very picky when I want DJ/electronica/post-produced music for dancing or working out (which is often one in the same) and I don’t settle for something with just a nice beat. I need all the motivation I can get. The second thing is random drops, often provocative, that I probably haven’t heard before (I don’t listen to a lot of hip hop.) And the third, essential component for bringing it all together, is a subtle sample of a favorite song from my childhood or teen years.

Milkman does a pretty good job of this.

I do it so good I don’t need nobody else

Nah. That’s not true. I have steadily gained a good amount of weight in the last 12 months. Every fat molecule in my body called up all their old lost friends and decided their family reunion would occur just in time for Valentine’s Day, but the party is OVER baby. I am working my ass every day and I need music like Milkman to keep me motivated.

And it keeps me just barely in touch with popular hip hop songs and hooks, without having to sit through an entire album. And suddenly I understand what the hell Mookie is talking about when he says he leans like a Cholo.

My milkshake does bring all the boys to the yard. I could teach you, but I’d have to charge. So get up and move it with me right now. Come on. You know you’ve got an extra inch here and there too.

Download Milkman – Controversy

Right where you are now, no matter what you’re wearing, you can do it just for a few minutes… lift your knees, shake your butt, lunge a bit… Tupac, Kelis, Kilo, Eminem, Britney, Fatboy Slim, even the Fine Young Cannibals are all here to help you out. You want that body back just as much as I do.

Everybody just follow me. We need a little controversy.

Buy his stuff here.

If It Ain’t Broken…..

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So everyone and their grandmother seems to be posting the new Broken Social Scene track “World Sick” that was put up online. Well good for you. You got the jump on me. Still, I think this is a great track from their forthcoming album Forgiveness Rock Record.

Anyhow, for anyone not all that familiar with this band, they are an odd sort in that it revolves mostly around a core group of members. The rest? Well, that all depends on the mood of the band, I’d guess. They’ve played shows with as few as seven members to as many as fifteen. If I’m wrong on the numbers? Please feel free to correct that.

Anyhow, their songs are many times on the verge of jam band-ish, yet it keeps more of the indie feel. Which is good to me, because I just can’t seem to stand jam bands. Dave Matthews Band? Hate them. Grateful Dead? Ditto. Phish? Makes me want to punch myself. A lot. Personal preference, after all. So it seems odd that this group is one I’ve liked for a few years now. They’re entertaining live, to boot. Their sound isn’t really that close to the aformentioned groups, however, so it has a pretty refreshing feel to it all. Well, since you guys have probably stopped reading? Here’s that tune. Go get that!

Download Broken Social Scene – World Sick

As an aside for a track this week, I just recently remembered a tune I have meant to post for a while. The track is “Velvet” by the band The Big Pink. Their one of the many from overseas that have started making a little noise in the underground here. This track? Well, it’s for you if you like a lot of the electro tracks that groups like Depeche Mode were making in the ’80s. Now, I am not comparing them to DM. Just a reference point and want to make that clear and avoid the flaming that sometimes happens with this stuff. It’s a great tune, though, so just kick back and enjoy it.

Download The Big Pink – Velvet

Yes. Buy some stuff. It’s cold. It’s rainy. It’s dreary up here in Boston. So I have no desire to put energy into making a smartass remark this week. I know. You’re disappointed. Now you know how my family feels.

My Condolences

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I’ve just returned from the funeral of a close friend’s father.

“Funerals are for the living not for those who have left us.” I learned this after my mom died a few years back. Burying my mom is the hardest thing I have ever dealt with in my life.

My friend’s father is not someone I knew closely. I learned a lot about him from his family speaking and singing about this man. He was their friend and their hero.

One of his sons, Casey, recalled a story I want to share with you. I hope that I get the details of the story right, but the message he wanted to share with those who came together to pay respects to his father is not something to find in the details.

His name was Travis. He was an active man, and would participate in these long 4 or 5 day bike rides. On one of these excursions, he brought his son Casey along. Casey was probably too young to join this particular ride. 12 years old was a few years shy of the recommended 14 that is normally the minimum age. His father decided that he should come regardless and they set off. On one particular night the weather had turned and the wind was biting and strong and of course the final stretch for the day was uphill.

Casey began to lose hope, barely able to keep up and thinking of giving up. His father slowed down to ride closer to him and offer some words of encouragement. He positioned himself next to his son slightly in front of him, to help block the cold winds. Pedaling along, Travis began to tell his son: we are almost there, you can do it, don’t give up just yet. He suggested they sing a song to keep from thinking about the weather and the ride. It was a song that Travis particularly enjoyed. Listening to Casey sing these words behind his father’s body laid in front of him was so moving, I choke up even now recalling it.

When You asked how I’ve been here without you
I’d like to say I’ve been fine and I do.
But we both know the truth is hard to come by
And if I told the truth, that’s not quite true

Some days are diamonds some days are stones
Sometimes the hard times won’t leave me alone
Sometimes a cold wind blows a chill in my bones
Some days are diamonds some days are stones.

Download John Denver – Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days are Stone)

Some days are good, some are bad. This was the first funeral I have been to since my mother died. It was like picking off that scab and allowing the salt in. I must have seemed awfully emotional today at the funeral for a man I barely knew. My emotion came from knowing what it’s like to lose a parent, and knowing how each of these family members must be feeling. How they will feel on Thanksgiving and Christmas. How the world seems a little bit more empty. Some days are easier than others. Grieving doesn’t end at the funeral, even though the funeral is for the living, to have some sort of closure. Apparently I had a whole lot of grieving still left to do today.

I wished I could have been stronger. To provide some of my perspective of losing a parent. All I could do was choke back my own emotions of my own loss. It was obvious to me how I continue to be the walking wounded even 4 years later.

Luckily, my friend has a strong and loving family to do that for him. Luckily, we have John Denver and other great music to help us understand and convey our feelings and emotions.

Electro-break goodies!

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So this week, the theme will switch from the indie-rock to the electro kitsch. Pretty funny word. Kitsch. Sounds like something you use one pinch of in a recipe. Well, it’s not. It means funky. Weird. Whatever you wanna call it. This stuff is pretty cool. So, instead of reading my droll ramblings? How about I bring you this music?

First off is something I’ve recently stumbled on. If anyone isn’t aware of who the Stanton Warriors are, then here’s a good cue to what they may be like. Basically, it’s breaks. Toss in a bit of electro feel? There you go. Well, this is their take on the classic Beach Boys song “Good Vibrations”. It’s not bad, but definitely something a bit different than what you may expect. Give this one a listen!

Download The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations (Stanton Warriors remix)

Next up is something from the boys of Soulwax. And of the robot helmet wearing duo of Daft Punk. Now, this is more a reworking than a legit remix. It still has a great feel to it, though. It’s been sped up, some rehashing of the samples throughout. More dance friendly. Which, for the Soulwax guys? Is what they wanted. If you’re a fan of either group, check out this stompin’ work. Dance your little butts off, children!

Download Daft Punk – Robot Rock (Soulwax remix)

Now, get your ass in gear. Help the economy. Stimulus shit. That crap. You’re not a real American unless you buy fifteen flags in various sizes and an album by the above. Big Brother is watching you! Don’t be a dick!

Trust In The World

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You find your happiness inside.

My brother posted on my FaceBook wall the other day. Seemed harmless, but its impact was wide and forever.

I have been wanting to remix and produce tracks for some time now. I’ll buy gear and software, and then muddle around with them to only give up hope. Apparently some learning was taking place, but either the pace or my patience was too slow or too short to make a go of it before.

You can do it… let me know how i can help.

Those were the words preceding the hyperlink he posted on my “wall” Friday morning.

The link is to a contest on indabamusic.com. The details for the contest are as follows:

Weezer has provided you with the stems for “Love Is The Answer”, a track off of their latest album, Raditude. Before the song was finished, the band reworked the song with their friends Ananda and Amrita Sen. Weezer liked the resulting version so much that they put it on Raditude. Now, Weezer is asking you to re-imagine the track in your own style to continue spreading the message of the song. They would love to hear as many different sounding versions as possible. Be it Ska, Reggae, Hip-Hop, Dance, Trance, Death Metal or Scream-O. Hopefully by the end of this contest there will be inspiring interpretations of the song in different languages from different countries with different styles but all relaying the meaning of the song…”Love Is The Answer”.

Step up to the challenge and show them that your mix is the answer. Use the stems to create a remix or cover the song in your own style to show the band what you’ve got. Weezer will be hand-picking the top submissions to be released as an official compilation and the winners will be paid appropriate royalties based on their version being on the release. One winner will also be selected to create a brand new song by collaborating with Rivers Cuomo on Indaba.

Granted I have put together some great DJ mixes over the last 10 years, and have done some reedits and mashups for these mixes, but an actual remix has always been a failed endeavor for me.

His confidence hit a chord in me. I wanted to do this. I was not going to fail this time. Even though I hated this new Weezer album, maybe I could create a remix that I loved. I cared less about winning a contest, but needed to jump over this final hurdle.

I download the stems. Drop them into Ableton, and begin fiddling around. Disaster. Delete.

Attempt number two, I just grab the drums stem. Looking for a loop that will define this sound for me. Finally I find a sound, and the right amount of effect that makes me move my head. I think I am onto something. I bring in the other stems. The bass, background vocals, keyboard all get included and manipulated. Some more than others, I leave the keyboards almost untouched. It’s going to be what ties my remix to the original.

The vocal is the part that makes me the most nervous. I want to loop the 4 main words of the chorus and leave it be, Love is the Answer and be done with it. A dub remix of sorts. It feels like a cop out though, so I add more of the song lyrics to the project.

It feels like the tough part is over, and now I just need to sequence these parts into a song. I need to create an intro and outro, I need breakdowns and buildups. I need a body for the hands and feet!

I need a break.

I step away from the project and play long stretches of Borderlands on the Xbox and take The Little One out to shop. We watch movies and eat dinner. Throughout all this I am formulating my plan. The road map to finishing this remix. It’s going to happen! I am stoked!

When I get back in front of my trusty Macbook, I start to build these individual parts. First the intro and a solid 32 bar main section. Then I work on a small breakdown after that. It’s at this point that I think I want to add a new kind of sound. Up until this point, every sound I was using was created from the stems that Weezer has provided us. When TLO and I were shopping, I found a beat up old drum that I quickly purchased. I love collecting instruments. I decided to use this drum in the song and it would make its appearance in the break down and later in the build up.

I save my work and grab the drum. I can’t find my drum sticks, but I already spot a replacement object to bang the drum with. A wood back scratcher in hand, I start recording myself playing along to the intro of my remix. I just want to record some sounds to manipulate with some effects processing. I am not sure even what it might turn into. Recording done, and I am cutting up the drumming and dropping some effects on it. Suddenly it sounds like some message from outer space. A message of love? I think so!

I scramble to finish the rest of the song. I want to see the finish line. Then a disaster. I seem to have knocked something out of time. I feel failure looming. TLO is home from work to eat lunch with me and I try to ignore her comings and goings so I can get the problem fixed. She makes it difficult to do this by making food. I love eating, so I must leave my remix in disarray.

After eating and chatting, TLO returns to save the world and I shrug off the feeling of defeat. I push through, reworking the screwed up parts and life is good again.

I make some final adjustments to track volume and the triggering of effects parameters. It’s done.

Love Is The Answer (Geebus Speaks to Me Remix)  by  geediablo

It’s not going to win, of this I am sure. After I uploaded my remix to Indaba I perused some of the other entries. There was some amazing work up there. Winning was not my goal though. My goal was to prove that I could do this. The final hurdle in my rearview, I feel relief.

Now I can’t wait to remix another song! Oh look! Indaba has a contest for Matisyahu! I can’t wait!

You ask if I might like to write your name in the sky

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It’s been a long time since we’ve found a great new CD on a Target endcap. I mean, we all have to admit it’s pretty rare. A few years ago, though, Mookie discovered Stars of Track and Field in just this way. Not on the interwebs, not at the indie record store, not on the radio (that’s for sure), not by browsing iTunes. But it was on display on an endcap at Target.
And that first album we discovered, Centuries Before Love and War, was excellent. I still love it. They actually released two albums prior to that (well, an EP and a self-titled LP.) Hold onto your seats, because that draft you’re feeling is Mookie racing to gather those prior albums for yours truly’s enjoyment. I like him.

There are few things you can take from someone whom you’ve never met, without pissing them off. I think naming your band after another band’s song is one of those things. Stars of Track and Field is our name, but the original concept isn’t our idea, so there’s not much more to say about it. In case you hadn’t recognized it already, the band name is derived from the Belle and Sebastian song. “You only did it so you could wear terry underwear…”

You can hear a B&S influence in the Stars’ music, however, they take it further and let it rock. The crystal-clear vocals, the urgent building of the music… It’s good stuff. They open strong with Track 1 – “Racing Lights”:

Download The Stars of Track and Field – Racing Lights

If you’re a stupid and horny woman who likes cake, you may have heard their song “End of All Time” on a November episode of “Grey’s Anatomy.” They do make that epic, dramatic sort of music that should be played on the soundtracks of great movies and shitty but highly-acclaimed prime time dramas. What, what’d I say? I would love to share that track here – I really can see it being played for just about any scene on the screen – but I just don’t believe in playing Track 1 and Track 2 from the same album on the same post. Sorry. You will have to buy the album – but you will not regret it.

How about if I share the video from one of my favorite tracks off the previous album, “Centuries.”

Stars of Track and Field – Centuries (Official Music Video) – Watch more top selected videos about: Stars_of_Track_and_Field

Put your coat on and don’t ask why

The new album is called A Time for Lions and it’s been out for several months. Released in September 2009, the Portland trio wrote and recorded the album in Manhattan. Lead singer Kevin Calabra has the most amazing but underrated voice, which he uses as quite the instrument as it meets the ebb and flow of the building and subsiding music, leading and following, commanding and complying.

One more track for you. The slow, but no less compelling “The Stranger”:

Download The Stars of Track and Field – The Stranger

If I was airtight and my conscience was light
Would it matter?
Could I just lie down?

Stars of Track and Field has really given a lot to me personally. When I see the album cover from Centuries, strong emotions are conjured. I hope you listen and love, and I hope you can by extension help me give back just a little to them by buying their albums. I’m serious.

A time for lions
A time to be quiet
Are you writing all this down?