12.14.2005
SHADES OF GRAY
What they don't want you to hear.
Not so long ago an obscure DJ, using the handle DJ Dangermouse made a splash with his very inventive remix album "The Grey Album" , that was an inventive fusion of The Beatles White Albumn, and Jay-Z's Black Album. Thanks to the viral nature of the net, and a bevy of P2P enthusiasts, the eventual cease-and desist was utterly useless in preventing the distribution of the remixed work. For many listeners this was their first and only exposure to a genre known as Bastard Pop, or more commonly these days - Mashups. I am not one of those listeners. I have become quite entranced by the reinvention of music by third parties. Imagine my surprise when I discovered another Full Length Album Mashup recently - AmericanEdit, a truly spectacular reworking of Green Day's American Idiot, put together by numerous remixers collectively crediting themselves as Dean Gray (clever lads). Not surprisingly the cease and desist route was put into play again, and the original source is unsurprisingly no longer functioning. Of course that won't stop other sources from making it available - torrents, direct downloads, and the ever popular P2P networks will hook you up should you be curious. I would strongly recommend that you at least take the time to find the opening track - American Jesus, which bears no resemblance to the Bad Religion song of the same name.
While DJ Dangermouse literaly stuck to his two primary sources (Jay-Z, Beatles and nothing else), the AmericanEdit album uses the entire Green Day album, but is all over the map for additional materials - George Bush, Bill Hicks, John F. Kennedy, Smokey Robinson, Oasis, and oh so many more find their way into the mix. The result is most gratifying for those who enjoy the notion of taking the listeners' expectations and turning them completely on their head.
You owe it to yourself to do a little digging and take a listen.
go and tell me all about it
Not so long ago an obscure DJ, using the handle DJ Dangermouse made a splash with his very inventive remix album "The Grey Album" , that was an inventive fusion of The Beatles White Albumn, and Jay-Z's Black Album. Thanks to the viral nature of the net, and a bevy of P2P enthusiasts, the eventual cease-and desist was utterly useless in preventing the distribution of the remixed work. For many listeners this was their first and only exposure to a genre known as Bastard Pop, or more commonly these days - Mashups. I am not one of those listeners. I have become quite entranced by the reinvention of music by third parties. Imagine my surprise when I discovered another Full Length Album Mashup recently - AmericanEdit, a truly spectacular reworking of Green Day's American Idiot, put together by numerous remixers collectively crediting themselves as Dean Gray (clever lads). Not surprisingly the cease and desist route was put into play again, and the original source is unsurprisingly no longer functioning. Of course that won't stop other sources from making it available - torrents, direct downloads, and the ever popular P2P networks will hook you up should you be curious. I would strongly recommend that you at least take the time to find the opening track - American Jesus, which bears no resemblance to the Bad Religion song of the same name.
While DJ Dangermouse literaly stuck to his two primary sources (Jay-Z, Beatles and nothing else), the AmericanEdit album uses the entire Green Day album, but is all over the map for additional materials - George Bush, Bill Hicks, John F. Kennedy, Smokey Robinson, Oasis, and oh so many more find their way into the mix. The result is most gratifying for those who enjoy the notion of taking the listeners' expectations and turning them completely on their head.
You owe it to yourself to do a little digging and take a listen.
go and tell me all about it
12.05.2005
SORT OF LIKE VOMITING...
...but without all the little pieces of food in my beard.
At least, that's what I'm expecting from this post, as it has been far too long since my last visit to this confessional. I won't apologize, since I'm really not sorry. It's not that I had nothing to say, rather I had no desire to say it. SO with that, on with the show.
It's funny that the post that immediately preceded thyis one was a rant about the Rolling Stones selling out. Imagine my surprise when last week's Monday Night Football game spends part of the halftime going on about the Half-Time headliner for the Superbowl - The Rolling Stones. Now it's bad enough that I'm watching the Steelers shuffle through this game like sandlot players, but then I have to hear Al Michaels try and sound excited about the Half-Time portion of the Superbowl. Folks, More people tune into watch the broadcast for the commercials than care about the half-time show. The light-beer soft-porn wrestinlg show that airs for 9 minutes on another network will draw better ratings than these fucking geezers.
Whatever we had for political discourse in this country is dead. I'm pretty sure it's all over but the burning of Rome. Mind you, I don't think that will happen anytime soon, I'm dubious it will occur in my lifetime. I do believe however, that we are closer to our end than we are to our beggining at this point. All people ever do anymore is point fingers, make snide remarks, and get back to the business of self-gratification. I'm certainly guilty of taking that road. But it used to be in between the barbs were often moments of thoughtfulness - from both sides of the aisle. If that is an occurance in this day and age it has been sadly buried so deftly into the C-Span schedule that no one can possibly set their tivo to capture the moment. I like to think that maybe the next generation makes fewer of the mistakes of mine, but history tells me that's a pretty silly thing to wish for, and maybe there is a fat guy in a red suit who can help me out with the problem while we discuss what kind of cellphone I want for Christmas. I was young and idealistic once, but sarcastic and cynical is such a good fit for me these days.
If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't.
Speaking of self-indulgence, I will have the Joy of spending the New Year in a real life Metropolis. Manhattan is the destination, and I have already begun mapping out the various culinary delights that will be savored. Italian is definitely on the menu, and since Ann will be along for the ride too, I'm sure that Sushi, or some other Asian Cusine will be penciled in too. You know what I really want more than any of the Gourmet stuff? I want a good slice of pizza. Preferably made by a proprietor who has but one location, hopefully family run, and ideally by a family that speaks fluent Italian to each other as a way to keep me out of their conversation. I have no scientific evidence for this theory, but my experience tells me you simply can not go wrong buying a Pie from an establishment that adheres to those standards.
Only mildly less self-indulgent will be the opportunity to replace my wedding ring, that is most llikely still swimming in the Atlantic at this time. I wen't just a hair over 5 years without removing the ring for any activity, except to wash it and my hands after some particularly filthy task, and to have gone the last few months without it has been very weird. I still find myself sliding my thumb over to my ring finger to spin it around only to be met by rotationally challenged flesh. Since the ring was a one-off, made in Pittsburgh, I've decided to reinvent the ring as opposed to trying to duplicate it. Wish me luck, shopping for jewelry is not, and I suspect will never be, a strong suit for me.
Well I guess thats a little something something to try and get the blogging works back into motion. See you next post.
go and tell me all about it
At least, that's what I'm expecting from this post, as it has been far too long since my last visit to this confessional. I won't apologize, since I'm really not sorry. It's not that I had nothing to say, rather I had no desire to say it. SO with that, on with the show.
It's funny that the post that immediately preceded thyis one was a rant about the Rolling Stones selling out. Imagine my surprise when last week's Monday Night Football game spends part of the halftime going on about the Half-Time headliner for the Superbowl - The Rolling Stones. Now it's bad enough that I'm watching the Steelers shuffle through this game like sandlot players, but then I have to hear Al Michaels try and sound excited about the Half-Time portion of the Superbowl. Folks, More people tune into watch the broadcast for the commercials than care about the half-time show. The light-beer soft-porn wrestinlg show that airs for 9 minutes on another network will draw better ratings than these fucking geezers.
Whatever we had for political discourse in this country is dead. I'm pretty sure it's all over but the burning of Rome. Mind you, I don't think that will happen anytime soon, I'm dubious it will occur in my lifetime. I do believe however, that we are closer to our end than we are to our beggining at this point. All people ever do anymore is point fingers, make snide remarks, and get back to the business of self-gratification. I'm certainly guilty of taking that road. But it used to be in between the barbs were often moments of thoughtfulness - from both sides of the aisle. If that is an occurance in this day and age it has been sadly buried so deftly into the C-Span schedule that no one can possibly set their tivo to capture the moment. I like to think that maybe the next generation makes fewer of the mistakes of mine, but history tells me that's a pretty silly thing to wish for, and maybe there is a fat guy in a red suit who can help me out with the problem while we discuss what kind of cellphone I want for Christmas. I was young and idealistic once, but sarcastic and cynical is such a good fit for me these days.
If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't.
Speaking of self-indulgence, I will have the Joy of spending the New Year in a real life Metropolis. Manhattan is the destination, and I have already begun mapping out the various culinary delights that will be savored. Italian is definitely on the menu, and since Ann will be along for the ride too, I'm sure that Sushi, or some other Asian Cusine will be penciled in too. You know what I really want more than any of the Gourmet stuff? I want a good slice of pizza. Preferably made by a proprietor who has but one location, hopefully family run, and ideally by a family that speaks fluent Italian to each other as a way to keep me out of their conversation. I have no scientific evidence for this theory, but my experience tells me you simply can not go wrong buying a Pie from an establishment that adheres to those standards.
Only mildly less self-indulgent will be the opportunity to replace my wedding ring, that is most llikely still swimming in the Atlantic at this time. I wen't just a hair over 5 years without removing the ring for any activity, except to wash it and my hands after some particularly filthy task, and to have gone the last few months without it has been very weird. I still find myself sliding my thumb over to my ring finger to spin it around only to be met by rotationally challenged flesh. Since the ring was a one-off, made in Pittsburgh, I've decided to reinvent the ring as opposed to trying to duplicate it. Wish me luck, shopping for jewelry is not, and I suspect will never be, a strong suit for me.
Well I guess thats a little something something to try and get the blogging works back into motion. See you next post.
go and tell me all about it
