Props

Really digging this video. Quality stuff.

Something to Believe • Blitz the Ambassador from MVMT on Vimeo.

Next video spotted over at DJ Encyclopedia Brown's redesigned http://www.djencyclopediabrown.com/ website.



Gotta respect new looks, kind of like a new haircut.

and some more Questlove stuff;

P4K's 5-10-15-20: ?uestlove

?'s Celebrity Stories

The Beat Scene

The stateside beat scene has been warming up for the past few years and has really reached a boiling point in 2010 with some massive full length releases. Flying Lotus, Lorn, The Take, Baths, Free The Robots, and that's just a small selection. Not even mentioning the EPs, singles, and beat tapes producers are giving out. And let's hope it continues growing strong.

Here are some vids that need more loving, enjoy;

Low End Theory 06.16.10 LORN x SHLOHMO x STRANGELOOP x TEEBS x TIMEBOY from Aaron Bennett on Vimeo.

Alpha Pup presents FREE THE ROBOTS [Studio Tour] from Alpha Pup on Vimeo.

Alpha Pup presents TAKE [Studio Tour] from Alpha Pup on Vimeo.

p.s. If you have any more, feel free to hit up the comments section.
p.s.s. I'll try to update a little more often, but no promises.
3x times a charm: Stay Fly.

Beat Battles

Always quality stuff over at Crate Kings.

Bart Series Beat Battle: Oak Vs S.F from Andrew Zaragoza on Vimeo.

The Good Stuff

Diplo On Bounce Music



Sunday Girl - Self Control



9th Wonders presents The Soul Council

9TH WONDER presents THE SOUL COUNCIL from Pricefilms on Vimeo.

Eli Escobar

A DJ's Tale from Charlie Hoxie on Vimeo.

Gilles Peterson In Cuba

Also..I've been sleeping on Mix Master Mike. He has free mixtapes to download at his website.

And..Notre Jour Viendra by Romain Gavras looks freaking awesome..He directed Justice’s ‘Stress’ & MIA’s ‘Born Free’

Felix Cartel - Volcano

Vocals with former Blood Brothers lead singer Johnny Whitney!

Ronson Goes 8-Bit

Interview w/Va$htie, NY based director

VA$HTIE INTERVIEW from TONE on Vimeo.

(via hypebeast)

Roger Steffens' Reggae Archives

Roger Steffens' Reggae Archives from Babylon Falling on Vimeo.

photag Jonathan Mannion

Jonathan Mannion from RESPECT on Vimeo.

from Respect Mag; kind of a new magazine dedicated to hip-hop photography.

Ted Leo And The Pharmacists cover Tears For Fears

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists cover Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"

Bark Bark Disco

Clever! Their album "Your Mum Says Hello!" is available for free (or donation) over here.

Blogs I dig

Some day I'll actually revamp this blog, and update the link section. Until then, I gotta give props to a couple of blogs I've been digging.

Analog Apartment; "is a place for people who love collecting and experiencing their music on vinyl."
Bunch of vinyl geeks. Seems like it slowed down a bit, but that's okay. That just means you have time to catch up.

Crate Kings; behind the scenes hip-hop production. I watched like 5 videos that I've never seen elsewhere. Good job!

also, Amoeba records has a neat feature called "What's in your bag?" Musicians, Producers, Celebs, and whoever explain what they're buying.

GLC – Lay It Down

GLC feat. Trouble Andrew/ LAY IT DOWN from Noah Banks on Vimeo.

Real Talk (Recommended)

Here are some intriguing video interviews, well-worth watching;

Pharrell Keynote at MIDEM 2010 from thecashmerethinker on Vimeo.

Defgrip Originals - Ed David from Defgrip on Vimeo.

Rock Meets Rap (Quality Blends or just more mash ups)

2010!



The Wu-Tang Meets Beatles by Tom Caruana. Wu-Tang Ain't Nothing To Fuck With! In this case, hell yes. Sidenote; when listening to this in iTunes, I typed "wu tang," then arranged by track number, and a track from the Deadwood soundtrack snuck in featuring dialogue from Al Swearengen & Mister Wu. It actually kind of worked since it went something like; "White cocksucker!..."Who?, Wu?!..."

Adrian Champion Presents: Stars & Stripes - The White Stripes Reimagined from Adrian Champion on Vimeo.

One of my dj friends posted this mixtape on his facebook. He says if you'd like the Blakroc project from the Black Keys and Dame Dash, then you like this mash-up. Nice.

Dope Mixtape

I missed the boat on Vin Roc's 80s-90s-ishmixtape, but its still pretty ill. It has soundclips, which nobody really does anymore but I love. Plus, a theme. Take note youngsters.

Sleigh Bells - Crown On The Ground

Sleigh Bells "Crown on the Ground" LIVE at Le Poisson Rouge NYC from AbzPunkPhoto on Vimeo.

I was in Seattle (actually..Burien, right outside city limits), Washington for New Year's. My friend has sirus/xm fm radio, which Alaska doesn't have. Anyway, the above song from the unsigned Brooklyn band Sleigh Bells came on a number of times. It was THE song of the trip.

My Kind of People

Vinyl People from Howard Silver on Vimeo.

A1 Records in New York New York

The Belly of the Beat from Gasface on Vimeo.

Happy Holidays! See you in 2010! (or sooner)

cool aphex twin cover

Lunapark. They're Dutch and they cover Aphex Twin's "Flim."

Vie Héroïque (Serge Gainsbourg Film)

Gainsbourg - Vie Héroïque - Trailer HD [VF]
by NewZmedia

As long as they don't screw up the music..this movie will be good even if it turns out to be bad.

DJ Craze - Roc Raida Tribute

ROC RAIDA TRIBUTE | DJ CRAZE from 13thWitness™ on Vimeo.

"Video tribute of DJ Grandmaster Roc Raida. Played at the tribute event hosted by Tableturns on 10.22.09 at BB Kings in NYC. Contains footage from The Official Adventures of Roc Raida vol. 1, 2, & 3, Roc Raida VHS archives, DMC and BATTLE SOUNDS (www. battlesounds.com). Edit by John Carluccio."

Yo La Tengo on Brooklyn Rooftop

Rooftop during sunset! NYC skyline! Yo La Tengo! Pitchfork has 4 videos total, check them out as well.

The Xx - Heart Skipped A Beat

I finally got around to listening to the album xx from the band The Xx. And yes, its worth a spin. Their song "Heart Skipped a Beat," floored me when I heard it. I think the following youtube video is fan-made, but its decent and not too cheeky.



Please don't say we're done
When I'm not finished
I could give you so much
Make you feel, like never before
Welcome, they said welcome to the floor

It's been a while
And you've found someone better
But I've been waiting too long to give this up
The more I see, I understand
But sometimes, I still need you

Sometimes, I still need you

I was struggling to get in
Left waiting outside your door
I was sure
You'd give me more

No need to come to me
When I can make it all the way to you
You made it clear
You weren't near
Near enough to me

Heart skipped a beat
And when I caught it you were out of reach
But I'm sure, I'm sure
You've heard if before

Ducksauce - Anyway

Armand Van Helden & A-TRAK

Air Studio Visit

The Guardian has a look at Air's new studio. This week, the French duo released their album called "Love 2." Haven't had a chance to hear yet, but I'll be on the lookout for it.

from the 80's film; Tapeheads

Avett Brothers - The Perfect Space

I wanna have friends that I can trust,
that love me for the man I’ve become not the man I was.
I wanna have friends that will let me be
all alone when being alone is all that I need.
I wanna fit in to the perfect space,
feel natural and safe in a volatile place.
And I wanna grow old without the pain,
give my body back to the earth and not complain.
Will you understand when I am too old of a man?
And will you forget when we have paid our debt
who did we borrow from?

The first half of the song is perfect. I really love (and dare I say..yes..identify with) the lyrics. But that's only the first half of the song. For whatever reason, the second half ramps up the tempo for 30 seconds. Could have been perfect without part 2, imo.

Double Dose For Your Tuesday

JR - EXTRAIT "WOMEN ARE HEROES", Kibera, Kenya
by JR

Not really music related but this video is awesome. JR is a Paris based photographer and continues to be amazing.



2DopeBrothers posted some excellent radio tributes to Grandmaster Roc Raida who passed away this month.

DJ Eclipse's Halftime Radio Show Massive three part download..a who's who of the DJ community sharing their thoughts on Raida..plus old cassette recordings of Roc Raida.

DJ Premier's Radio Tribute

Fatboy Slim - Why Make Videos (Documentary)

Alaska Gets More Shine

Summer has long gone here in Alaska and Old Man winter is creeping upon us. On the plus side, some Alaska expats are bursting onto the national scene. The Lives of the Famous Men made an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel show.



Surprisingly to me, Kanye West posted Portugal the Man's latest video "Do You" on his blog.



Both bands have relocated to Portland, but still keep close ties to Alaska. [and yes, the other Play blog did mention these videos already, so in way this is a repost, but screw copy+paste blog etiquette..support your (kind of) local scene]

Mick Boogie x Peter Bjorn and John

Mick Boogie / Peter Bjorn & John - Stay This Way (Remix) from Myk Dawg on Vimeo.

I tend to shy away from recommending mixtapes because most of them become obsolete way too quick, but in this case I'll make an exception. This one comes from Mick Boogie, and as he says its more of a "curated remix project." It remixes Peter Bjorn & John's "Living Thing" album, and makes it really fresh. You can download over here.

The Moon Knights - Sept. Show

Also, if you happen to be in Anchorage, then check out this show.

The Moon Knights invite you to bear witness to The End of Hearing. September, 18th 2009 at the Downstairs. All ages/ bar available with ID.

This Is Fresh; Turntable Clock

Even though this clock is slightly too high for my budget, I still think its a steal for the price. Handmade, found on etsy. Plus, its just freaking cool.

Light In The Attic

Light In The Attic is an indie record label based out of Seattle. Funk, old soul, RnB, etc. Quality Releases. For a summer project, they sent 4 employees across the West Coast to 50 record stores to deliver the goods. Yes, it was work, but what an awesome road trip. There are six episodes, and in the video above they visit the record plant where their records are made.

RIP DJ AM

My friend Encyclopedia Brown compiled some links to some of DJ AM's mixes, along with links to DJs who knew him better. Check it over here.

LA's Glenjamn has over one hundred short videos that capture how great DJ AM was on the ones and two's. Video Archive. (Not everything will be AM, but its the easiest way to see most of the vids featuring him)

His other homie, Thee Mike B, will be digging through his archives to give you some killer mixes, so check out his blog from time to time.

Plus, the dude had a killer shoe game. Jaw-Dropping.

If you're looking for an article, then the Village Voice has you covered.


Watch DJ AM - Imperial Stress - LIVE @ Transistor 8.15.08 in Dance  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Quality Reading For Turntable (Scratch) Nerds

URB chatted up with A-Trak, Craze, and Tony Vegas about the DMC and the current state of battle djs.


Turntable Lab Record Check (RIP, but thank goodness for archives)

Quick links, but long read.

Also, does anyone have Thud Rumble, The Main Event? Can't seem to find that anywhere. It has the last performance of the Invisbl Skratch Piklz. There was a brief clip in the documentary Skratch, but I'd like to see the whole thing. any help, greatly appreciated, and thanks for reading.

(3x times a charm, I keep adding stuff to this post, but this is the final time)

DJ Shadow revamped his website.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation- A Film By DJ Shadow from DJ Shadow on Vimeo.

Gaslamp vs Tron Legacy Trailer

Gaslamp Killer recently released his My Troubled Mind EP. Turntable lab fam Woodman did a nice blend of a song from GK's EP with the Tron Legacy trailer.

Summer Jam

This past weekend, some friends and I drove out to Homer, Alaska to attend a wedding. Good times and loads of fun. On the drive back, we heard an NPR story about potential summerjams of 2009. They did acknowledge that Black Eye Peas' "I Gotta A Feeling" is the popular most infectious song of summer. They also pointed out that the death of MJ made Jackson return to the top of the charts, despite living in an era when no one really buys music anyway. The guest reviewer ended up picking Amerie's "Why RU" as her 2009 summer jam, even though the album won't be released until the fall.

As for my summer jam? I'm going with Crystal Fighters' "Xtatic Truth." The original song is my favorite version. The remixes are okay, but there's something truly unique about the og. The lyrics are about loneliness, but I can imagine groups of people chanting it in unison, and the sound has tons of energy, which makes the song my anthem for the summer.

Crystal Fighters 'Xtatic Truth' (Original Mix) from Crystal Fighters on Vimeo.

Rafael Casal - Bay Area Slang

(via Cocaine Blunts via 38th Notes)

Word.

Useless Trivia; I still appreciate my Bay Area association, despite living in Anchorage, AK since middle school. I was born in Hayward, grandparents lived in Oakland, and I still have plenty of family in Cali. Also, my brother lives in San Jose. Its nice to know that's only a plane ticket away.

Theo Parrish Commercial

Theo Parrish: Sounds of the City from Dario Nucci on Vimeo.

"A 3min film following Theo Parrish, a producer/DJ from Detroit, as he builds an original track using the sounds of the motor city."

Radio Dingbat

"Based in Perth, Australia, Radio Dingbat delivers online music news from around the world with a regular episodic series of live performances and interviews with independent and experimental artists. Transmission received."

Seriously, one of the better channels I've stumbled upon on youtube. Quality videos of live performances with decent interviews of bands you love or didn't know you love. The above videos were released this week and at the time of this post have had less than 100 views. That's not really relevant, but I think more people should watch their vids. Major props!

Foreign Policy Meets Rap

" Some of the greatest minds in national security have turned their attention to a classic problem: When there is one dominant power, the rest of the world tries to challenge it"

Rapper Feud Mirrors World Politics

NPR did a fun interview with Marc Lynch about his article on The Game vs. Jay-Z beef that oringally appeared in Foreign Policy. You can read his whole piece, along with plenty of hyperlink sources over here. Lynch is a professor at George Washington University, so his take isn't completely wack, nor wacky, and at the very least it's generated plenty of online discussion.

Also, be sure to check out Egon, of Stones Throw fame, music series called Funk Archaeology.

Cassette Art

Really fresh art from iri5, Erika Iris Simmons. She uses cassette tapes for her work called "Ghost in the Machine." She says "The idea comes from a philosopher's (Ryle) description of how your spirit lives in your body. I imagine we are all, like cassettes, thoughts wrapped up in awkward packaging."

Tom Waits;


Michael Jackson;

Fresh Videos

The Dead Weather

"New short film "Treat Me Like Your Mother" for The Dead Weather directed by Jonathan Glazer. The Dead Weather is: Alison Mosshart, Jack White, Jack Lawrence and Dean
Fertita."

Pretty Kick-Ass video. Interested in hearing the album. Check their website for more info.

Mr. Hudson

The stars are aligning for Mr. Hudson to go Supernova. He's nearly unknown stateside, unless you were able to get hold of his first album "A Tale of Two Cities." It made my Top Albums of 2007 list, and I used to play him during Push Play's radio days. He gained quite a following on myspace back then, and even caught the attention of Kanye West who signed him to his label.

MR HUDSON [FEAT KANYE WEST] - SUPERNOVA from MrHudson on Vimeo.

Superproducer

Summer time in Alaska has been really wonderful and full of good weather unlike the previous year, which kind of explains my absence. A whole lot of good bike riding and chilling with friends.

Music producer Gonzales has released these hilarious web episodes called SUPERPRODUCER. Here's episode 1, and as of this post he's up to episode 3.

SUPERPRODUCER E01 D.O.V.E.
Uploaded by gonzales. - See the latest featured music videos.

PS22 Chorus

I'd like to think I'm a sponge for all things pop-culture and internet-hype, but somethings slip by from time to time. I feel like why didn't anyone tell me about the greatest thing EVER...Probably more my fault for not listening, but when Hasselhoff is up on the most awesome coolest thing EVER, you feel like you're out of touch..*sigh*

PS22 choir in Staten Island have been generating plenty of internet buzz for the cover versions, which at times are way better than the original. Formed in the year 2000, they are an ever-changing group of 5th graders from a public elementary school in New York City. They even appeared on Passion Pit's latest album. Here's the Fader video of the kids in the studio with Passion Pit;



You can follow all of their clippings and videos at the blog; http://www.ps22chorus.blogspot.com/

Bonus; Don't Stop Believing

Zooey Deschanel; Fabric of My Life (cover)

I usually don't pay attention to internet ads, but Zooey Deschanel covering "Cotton: The Fabric of My Life" caught my eye and made me go "for real?" I must of missed it when it made the blog rounds, but its pretty delightful. Listen to over here.

Going To Africa

Frank from Voodoofunk lived in West Africa in Conakry, the capital of Guinea. He traveled and collected many hard to find records from this region and surrounding areas. He's a DJ and has posted some of his mixes on his blog. Also, check his link section for more blogs spreading knowledge of Funky Africa. The following extended documentary trailer looks awesome, and let's hope for a proper release some time soon.

"Take Me Away Fast" Trailer from Leigh Iacobucci on Vimeo.

Hip House

(via Struggle Inc's blog)

Still Bill Documentary Trailer

I really want to see the Bill Whithers documentary. Trailer does a good job of teasing.

Weezer Covers MGMT & Gaga

glenjamn's youtube account is one of the best youtube accounts EVER. I'm a big fan. Frequent updates, so fresh, quality, quality, and more quality. I'm jealous but super glad that he uploads his dope videos. Fans of DJ AM, Daft Punk, and good DJs, you need check the videos.

Yeah, Nudity!

I'm a sucker for nudity. The first video is from a French electro group Make The Girl Dance. Ironically, found via hypebeast (a site known for sneakers and cool clothes, as opposed to the opposite; nudity). Most people may have seen the second video or at the very least heard of the band Matt & Kim. They were brave enough to march down Times Square and start stripping down to their birthday suits. Do check them out live if you get a chance. You will have an awesome time, I promise.

Make The Girl Dance "Baby Baby Baby" ( official video )
by placeblancherec

Phoenix Covering Air = 2 French, Make It More Right

Head over here for Air's Playground Love covered by Phoenix. So Good!

Me Likey; Coeur de Pirate - Comme des enfants

Coeur de Pirate || Comme des enfants from Dare To Care Records on Vimeo.

Me Likey; Pilar Diaz - "Piñata"

Mayer Hawthorne is The Truth (Re-Edit, Updated Vid)

Mayer Hawthorne has a new single and here's a simple video for the song. My first introduction to Mayer Hawthorn was through DJ Addverse. After bar hours closed, the bartenders and workers would request some tunes as they shut down. Mainly, the music was pretty chill, but not in that martini lounge setting way. More like The Doors and soul music. Each time Mayer would play, your lips come together and go "oooo." Then when I found out the vinyl is heart-shaped, color-red and he's a white dude who's NOT dead(!)..omg, where has he been all my life?. Soul music for REAL.

plus, Stones Throw record owner, Peanut Butter Wolf is good creepy;

Phoenix - Lisztomania (brat pack mashup)

This makes me wish summer was already here, instead of spring break-up. I can't wait for the French band that sings in English Phoenix's 1901 to come out. I might be setting my expectations too high, but I think it could be the summer album for 2009.

John Lennon's Jukebox

"In the mid-60s, John Lennon purchased a portable Discomatic jukebox that held forty 45 rpm records. The records in that jukebox are the focus of this documentary that examines John Lennon’s musical taste and the influences on the Beatles. ..."

Michel Gondrey

Today, director Michel Gondrey has launched his official website. Nothing really of interest, unless you want to buy stuff, which is kind of lame coming from a guy who's last film was all about do-it-yourself. Movies ain't cheap, eh? Mr. Gondry recently did a guest DJ stint on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic.

Some of the past shows on "Mornings..." are viewable, and I recommend checking out Raphael Saadiq's stripped down acoustic set.

Adventureland

I'm a sucker for good "coming-of age" movies. There's a hint of nostaglia that makes you remember "back in the days..." The really good stories reveal how messy and scary growing up can be. Gregg Mottola's Adventureland falls in the good category. This Nerve article has a decent enough review of the film, so I'll spare you a summary review.

Yo La Tengo handles the original music to the film, which makes the film 10x more awesome, but the music credits don't stop there. This site reveals how much good music is in the film and makes me what to take all of my friends to go see it just to enjoy the music. Thank goodness, it's a good film as well. (I orginally planned to see Fast & Furious with my little brother, but he had plans to see that already, so I took him to a movie I was going to see anyway) For a little more information on Yo La Tengo's film music contribtutions, check here.

Klosterman

Chuck Klosterman gave a lecture along with Q&A session about a week here in Anchorage. Klosterman is a writer known for his memoirs, Fargo Rock City, Sex Drugs & Cocoa Puffs, and his writing for Esquire and Spin magazine. He talked about his development as a writer which was kind of catered to the expected audience; students at UAA (the event was free to the public). Of course, his speech and Q&A session had plenty of pop references and he was just as witty live compared to his writing.

You can always learn something from someone's development, but Klosterman warns that he doesn't have a ritual. He did go through a post-college newspaper job that he called his "woodshedding" period, and he must have saw a lot of blank faces so he briefly explained "woodshedding." This bit of knowledge was enlightening because I feel like this stage of my is what Klosterman is describing. I'm not saying I'll become a writer like he is, but maybe I'm honing skills that will be very practical in my profession just like a musician who dedicates themself to a craft.

Portraits of BBC Radio DJs

"Ninety per cent of the population tune in every week and with listening figures soaring, top radio presenters reveal the highs and lows of broadcasting. Portraits by James Mollison"

That freaking blows my mind away! 90 Percent! Then again, I'm not sure what the rest of the statistic means. Is that out of the whole UK population? Is it out of the 3 million who listen to radio? Nonetheless, to have 90% is incredible no matter what the rest of stat means. Also, the above portrait is Annie Mac. She is mainly known for her show called "Mash-Up," which could be described as the show you would want to hear prior to going out on the weekend or if you're a fan of dance music with a bit of bounce that will instantly make you want to dance and tear the club up. Then again, that's just what I think whenever I hear her show.

Btw, sometime down the line, I'll give proper love to some stateside radio people, especially folks doing things in Alaska.

Flying Lotus

Flying Lotus - Los Angeles [Music Video - HD] from Brendan Sinnott on Vimeo.


This unofficial Flying Lotus video from Brendan Sinnott blends some wonderful scenes from essential Sci-Fi films. Be sure to also check out Bredan's bonus video. Another bonus; Flying Lotus did a 2 hour mix for the BBC1 radio show Essential Mix, which you can download over here.

The sci-fi element reminds of the promo videos Kanye had made for his listening parties for his Graduation album. The one below borrows from 2046 from Wong Kar-wai. I think this version of Flashing Lights was way better than the official video directed by Spike Jonze. Speaking of Spike, do check out the Where the Wild Things Are trailer. It's amazing!


GRADUATION ALBUM LISTENING EXPERIENCE PT. 6 - FLASHING LIGHTS from kwest on Vimeo.

Wild Is The Wind

I finished watching Steven Soderberg's CHE (Parts 1 & 2) at the Bear Tooth, which is a second-run theater/restaurant. The charm to this Anchorage establishment is that you can order REAL food, and it will be delivered to you while the film plays. If you're +21, then you order beer/wine on the first floor. If not, no worries, since you can enjoy the film on the balcony. I kind of prefer the view from the top because it reminds me of watching films on the military base growing up in Hawaii.

The Bear Tooth used to have a better art house selection years ago, but I could only assume management realized that profits were better off by showing more "Hollywood" films. I'm still amazed that people will show up and not know what is playing. All they want to do is eat, drink, and zone out to whatever is on the big screen.

aNWAYs,
Nina Simone's version of "Wild Is The Wind" is a perfect selection for the trailer to Revolutionary Road. It's very haunting, but fits so well. I tried a video search for an actual Nina Simone performance of this song, but no-go, instead I found a pretty cool black and white video of David Bowie tackling "Wild is the Wind."

The Feeling - Peter Bjorn & John (Matchstick Remix)

DJ Addverse/Matchstick is a DJ/Producer up here in Anchorage, Alaska. He hit me up with his latest remix, which makes its blogsphere debut here on Push Play. He tackles "The Feeling," a Peter Bjorn & John song from their upcoming album. Cheers!

The Feeling - Peter Bjorn & John (Matchstick Remix)

I <3 URB Mag

I was going to blog about losing a cd and the pains of music karma, but then I realized there is an easy solution to my conundrum. Back-up your data, and make copies.

When I first really got into music, URB magazine was a fundamental resource. Living in Alaska, you're kind of detached from whatever "scene" is happening and this was right before file-sharing became all the rage. URB filled a void that I desperately needed during my high school years. I still have a box of back issues in my parents home. [Sidenote, it was funny to hear at a lecture the person introducing someone say "featured in U-R-B."] The magazine has been around since the early 90s and the video below helps to explain the history and role of URB as told by the creator Raymond Roker.


Episode 02-Raymond Roker-Hay Fam Show from Hay Fam Show on Vimeo.

URB is still going strong and I have to give props to two recent posts found on their blog that coincidentally give props to Detroit. One is a video on Detroit techno label Underground Resistance, which is right below. The other post is a link to a New York Times article titled "This Band Was Punk Before Punk Was Punk," which pretty much says it all.

Wow!

I'm drifting away from my usual music-based posts, but it still kind of fits in. There's an awesome music video for the Handsome Fur's song "I'm Confused," which is really cool but not the focus of this entry. Do check out that video, can you ever go wrong with zombies?

Whenever I like a video posted on the internet, I try to check who posted it because often times they'll have other stuff worth watching. The editor to the Handsome Furs is Sarah Marcus, and I don't know much about her, other than she has some videos up on vimeo. I was completely floored by her documentary that's a work in progress. I'm not going say too much about it, other than check it out;


Feature Doc - Work in Progress from Sarah Marcus on Vimeo.

USC Marching Band W/Radiohead

In February, I watched the Grammys while working on a Sunday. The work was stressful since it was my first time handling a Sunday shift, but we made it happen. Most of the Grammys I didn't care to watch, but sometimes you zone out when the TV's on. During one of the performances, the intern asks "who is this band?" I reply "It's Radiohead." I didn't even know it was them until she asked, and I had to stop and listen to the group. I thought it was cool that they were performing with a marching band, but then my thought was wrecked by the next thing the intern said; "they suck." *sigh* Damn young kids, don't know what's good music. I thought about defending the group, but that didn't happen because I told myself; don't worry, she's young, plus she was home-schooled. Not that I have anything against home-schooling.

Here's a video behind the scenes with the USC marching band;



Here's the actual Grammy performance;

Radiohead - 15 Step (Live The 51st Annual Grammy Awards)
by wonderful-life1989

At Home

FADER TV: Brick Bandits
by thefader

The Fader visited the Brick Bandits headquarters in New Jersey, and it was really cool to see like-minded creative people excited. Brick Bandits are a collective of club djs/producers spread across the East Coast. Reppin' Jersey, Philly, and Chi-town.

Not necessarily connected, but seeing the Brick Bandits place reminded of MTV cribs. I only liked seeing the musicians homes because all the other famous people's homes were lame. "Hey, look at my fridge...look at my cars..." Yawn! Some of the musicians were also lame, but those were mainly singers. If you were actually a producer or a real musician, then we always got a sneak peek into the creative work place, which was the best part of the show.

I think my favorite cribs were Moby and Redman. Moby had a cool Manhattan spot and was insightful about his home. Such as the irony of having a dinner table that was once a butcher table since he's vegan. Also, a book shelf! Redman had a great sense of humor and I always wondered if he was joking, but I think he was for real and he's a funny dude. "Rub these wires together for the doorbell" or "Everyone needs a money box"

Beats In Space

I don't remember when I stumbled upon Tim Sweeney's radio show "Beats In Space," but I wish I found it sooner. His website updated last month, and is looking fresh. If you're in New York, then catch it on WNYU 89.1 FM every Tuesday night from 10:30pm to 1:00am. On the web, there's a plethora of archived shows that you can stream or download over here. If you're a fan of LCD Soundsystem or DFA records, then his show is a perfect match for you.


ELSEWHERE;

Speaking of site update, Pitchfork must have updated in the last two weeks and I totally missed it while making the rounds.

I had no idea Jessica Suarez had a blog. I remember her writing in the CMJ monthly and Pitchfork, and totally agreeing with most of her work that I read without even knowing she wrote them until I checked the author.

Stones Throw x Ed Banger Records photos. Plus, ST has the new Savath & Savalas (Prefuse 73's side project) album coming next week.

In case you didn't know, Daft Punk is doing the soundtrack for the sequel Tron 2.0

Little Boots' US TV Debut

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Mary Anne Hobbs, I so have a crush on you

Sounds a little creepy whenever somebody admits their crush in public, but it's true. Women with good music taste, instant crush. Then reality hits, not a chance. *sigh* At least we have the music.

Mary Anne Hobbs hosts a radio show over on BBC1, which is pretty amazing. It fulfills that weirdo-electronic taste you didn't know you have. In this video from the wonderful magazine XLR8R, she drops some knowledge on why she's digging some West Coast sounds and the UK scene. Also, big ups to the late John Peel and she rocks a wicked pair of shoes.

J'adore Paris

Satine October Dane Concert à Emporter
by lablogotheque

The Take-Away Shows over at La Blogotheque is one of the best music video websites you can visit if you haven't done so already. The performances appear really stripped down, and that creates a new level of beauty and intimacy if you're familar with the source material. Even if you're not familar with the songs or artists, you can still appreciate these videos.

I really like the videos shot in Paris because there always seem to be something unexpected that adds a unique quality to the perfomance. Check out Arcade Fire in an elevator or the kids jamming to Menomena. Plus, I've always wanted to visit Paris anyway and these videos just re-enforce my urge to go.

library love

(Photo credit: SomewhereinAK)

Before the Internet made things more accessible by a simple click download, getting good music took a little more savvy. One of the best places to go is the library. We all know that it's the place for books and reading, but I had no idea there was a media section when I was a kid. It blew my mind and I would constantly check out my limit of 5 cds. Near the library exit, there was a discard bin with free magazines and books. Years later as I got into vinyl, it dawned on me that the discard bin was an old wooden record shelf. When the Internet really took off, I kind of abandoned digging through the library cd collection. I still check out books and dvds, and will occasionally read some magazines when I have a couple free hours. It's still a great place to visit, and easily one of my favorite places in Anchorage or any city.

Record Collections

Years ago, some friends of mine started up an online magazine called Banter Online. I forget the mission statement or the primary focus, but I do remember contributing a really weak section called "On The Record." I say weak because I was very green with my writing and photography. Actually, I still am very green in both respects, but I'm working on them. What I tried doing was taking photo essays of DJs/collectors' record collections in Anchorage. The online magazine lasted only one issue for various reasons, and I ended up shooting four of my DJ friend's collection before I shifted focus to other things. Nonetheless, you can still see some photos at flickr, and perhaps someday I'll revive the photo project.


Dusts and Grooves - A diggin photo blog
I came across a Brooklyn-based, via Tel Aviv, via Mexico City, photographer's blog, which is doing what I attempted years ago. It's still in its early stages, but I'm digging the vibe and hope the guy keeps up with the project.

Too Legit Too Quit

As a kid, my family would visit our grandparents in the Bay Area whenever we had a chance. I remember many shenanigans with my cousins and little brother (My youngest brother was still a baby). They were good times, and I wish I could visit more often, but that's part of growing up. Hammer was mega huge back then, and I'm not gonna front and say I didn't like him. It's quite the opposite. I thought his stuff was entertaining and I always did like him more than Vanilla Ice. I still have Bay love, despite spending most of my life outside of my birthplace; Hayward, CA.

Hammer has been steadily making a come back and has a decent amount of people following him on twitter. I'm not sure if he or anyone could make it to the level he did in the early 90's, but I like seeing good people do their thing. One of his twitter posts today makes me wish I was little more focused and humble.

Hammer's Top 5 things to do today :
1.Gym
2.production meetings
3.Dancejam
4.rehearsals.
5.Be grateful and appreciative to be among the living

My today list looks like this;
1. Work on dad's resume
2. Continue reading Hitman by Bret Hart
3. Watch rented dvd
4. Sleep
5. ?

But I wish it was a little more like;
1. Gym
2. Listen to vinyl
3. Drink coffee and read
4. Have dinner with friends (or better, cook dinner for friends)
5. Bike to work

Also, if you would like to follow me on twitter, then holler at me here; http://twitter.com/ntorquiano

New Kids On The Glock

"Minneapolis' premier glockenspiel duo, New Kids on the Glock (Joe Beuckman & Mike Davis), perform the smash hit "Private Eyes" by Hall & Oates."

Yes! These dudes are so fresh.

Also, check out their version of "D.A.N.C.E." by Jus†ice;

Sasquatch 2009 Line-Up

Several years ago, I went to the Sasquatch out in the Gorge in Washington. It's a twothree day music festival held in a wonderful outdoor venue with three stages. For whatever reason, the year I went turned out to be anti-climatic. The pacing of the line-up along with the actual line-up did not work well. Yes, the big name acts get primetime, but you have to build tempo as well so that everyone is amped not bored and ready to call it a night. Now that I got that out of my system, I'm going to do a 180, and say that this year's line-up has me very tempted to fly out to Washington and give Sasquatch another try.

Day 1
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Decemberists
Animal Collective
Bon Iver
Sun Kil Moon

Day 2
Nine Inch Nails
TV On The Radio
of Montreal
Avett Brothers
M83
The Wrens

Day 3
Erykah Badu
Fleet Foxes
Gogol Bordello
Santigold
Grizzly Bear
Explosions In the Sky
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Beach House
BLK JKS

For The Record Nerds

Also, this is where I should have been around the Inauguration;


Jay-Z My President is black Remix LIVE 1-18-09 from pleasedontstare.com on Vimeo.

Props and Cred to The Fader and Please Don't Stare

Go Ram!

One of the best films I've seen this year was The Wrestler. Everyone did a terrific job and it really shows. All the praise that Mickey Rourke is getting is well deserved and often overshadows the other actors' performances, but don't sleep on Marisa Tomei . She really pulled it off and even had my friend who I saw the film with say "I want to be as hot as Marisa Tomei when I'm in my 40's." The film breaks your heart, but you love that it does that and Bruce Springsteen's song is a perfect example. I'm rooting for The Wrestler and especially for Rourke at this year's Oscars.

Bonus; Mickey appeared on Charlie Rose last week, and you can watch the video over here, but note it clocks in at 54 minutes.

Slow Return

No promises on how often I will update, just trying to get back into the swing. Some of my friends still link this blog, so I might as well try to keep it active.

Here's a music video I saw over at The Fader's blog, which is pretty damn awesome. I think even vegetarians will have to agree to at least the first part of the video.


Sportsday Megaphone - Meet Me In The Middle from O W L S on Vimeo.