Sound:Art: A childhood dream

If the record sound like this looks it's bought. Done deal! I guess I could make pretty good use of that island and this where I should have lived with 7 or 8 years. Thuringian woods were awesome too though.

Sound:Art: Sublime - Are you a bad fish too?

If you have simply everything, you couldn't be happier, and flush it all down the drain and yourself with it, does that follow any logic?

The story of Bradley Nowell adds a whole different intensity to the music of Sublime, the sunny californian lifestyle ... and it's downside.

Sublime were different, took a totally different turn on the mixture of punk and reggae and Bradley wrote songs which definitely took you somewhere away from where you are right now, and even more so considering his person and the story behind. It's a tragic story. The story of the genius true musician in the league with others who do not need to be mentioned here, but shared his destiny. He was real, talented, so committed to his music, that he sucked at basically everything else, especially life itself. An outstanding fragile guy, over-challenged and overwhelmed by life and who finally gave in to the final temptation. It seems that when you're genius at a certain thing, you're a total fail at another one. The greater, the worse.

His story and the story of his band are hard to believe. As described by his friends and family he was intelligent and understood the danger to nothing less than his life by the drug he was dealing with. This is sadly well described by himself in the song 'Pool Shark', in which he faces his addition and paints a dark picture for himself:

"Lyin' in my plastic bed

thinkin' how things weren't so cool to me

my baby likes to shoot pool

I like lyin' naked in my bedroom

tying on the dinosaur tonight

it used to be so cool to...

But now i've got the needle

and i can shake but i can't breathe

i take it away

but i want more, and more

one day i'm gonna lose the war"

Take the time and watch this documentary from the series 'VH1 -Behind the music' and find out more behind the band Sublime, what made them who they were and what evantually killed them.










Rest in peace, Bradley Nowell, thank you for the music!

Sound: Dinosaur Farmers

Has the awesomeness of Dinosaur Jr's new record FARM been mentioned? A true classic. Old men can be cool! ...and still shreddin'!

Dinosaur Jr. - OVER IT

Sound: John Frusciante

Related to the news about the Red Hot Chili Peppers and John Frusciante parting ways, I became curious about his personal musical activities. It's always important to look further and check backgrounds and details. I came across one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a long time. The video, shot at John's house, provides the perfect pictures.

Enjoy - The Past Recedes

John Frusciante - The Past Recedes from MIKE PISCITELLI on Vimeo.

If this is what he need's to focus on it's worth to go his own way apart from RHCP (as much as I love this band and their records). Speaking for myself, I'm off to the record store to get some records. Visit his myspace for a first taste and then follow me ;-)

Related to this you should also check out Mike Piscitelli. He's shot the video and is a photgrapher and video artist creating outstanding works in my eyes. Also the picture above is from him and on his page there are many more to see. Have a look (also on his blog)!

Sound:Art:Idea: Lives Of The Artists

I can only do my best, if I do what I can do best. I do best the things I believe in. Those things that make my heart beat faster, the things that don't let me sleep, but progress- first in mind, then setting plan to action. Follow the path that's been set and laid out in your heart, soul and mind. Only through this you'll be able to walk your own way and keep standing tall. Do not back down!



These were the thoughts that we're flushing through my head while watching "Live Of The Artists" by Relentless. In beautiful and breathtaking pictures it follows the lives of surfers, snowboarders and musicians, all artists in their own way, but most importantly: ON THEIR OWN TERMS! Featured are the snowboarder Xavier de le Rue in Greenland, the surfers Tom Lowe, Fergal Smith and Mickey Smith in Teahupoo, Tahiti and British punk band Gallows touring the U.S.



The intro sets the tone for the next 75 minutes and extracts the essence in the following words, as displayed in the picture:

'To be a poet, to be an artist, meant more than writing or painting or singing; it meant having a vision and courage to see that vision through, despite any opposition.

What didn't kill you made you stronger and if you had what it took you were rare and wonderous, and if you didn't it couldn't be faked'

- Danny Sugerman

"Live Of The Artists" also reminds and illustrates that this uncompromising way of life unites those who live for their art whether they surf,snowboard, paint, sing, act, build, play music or do whatever makes them free.
There's just nothing to prove, nothing to pretend, nobody to please...just following that one path and get a point across!

Enjoy this ode to freedom and art wrapped in stunning pictures and get blown (away) by the feeling! A huge Thank You! to RELENTLESS for making this movie available for free.

If there's just one more person turning to follow his or her beliefs the efforts creating this movie, writing those songs, surfing those waves and maybe even writing these lines made complete sense and a positive effect on the bigger picture.

Sound: Get on the road!! BOOKER T. JONES delivers the soundtrack

What can I do, I am a rolling stone and Booker T. Jones made me feel it more than ever. The new record 'Potato Hole' is the perfect soundtrack for the road, long roads, beautiful landscapes passing by, from dusk till dawn.

Released on the great ANTI- label he and the Drive-By Truckers celebrate instrumental highway hymns with great sleazy southern rock, thick and dirty guitar riffs and a smooth but strong Hammond B-3 on top of it. It rolls and rolls towards sunset I can do nothing but follow.

Booker T. Jones, always rather underground than mainstream released a record which deserves a lot of attention and could ease a lot of people's minds. Of course, the critics love it (and they're right):


“Booker T. Jones sounds more pithy and forceful than ever on “Potato Hole”…Mr. Jones still jabs terse, unhurried melodies that sound as if he knows the lyrics but would never tell. Where the M.G.’s suavely underplayed their aggression, the rockers’ multiple-guitar attack, with distortion and feedback, gives the music teeth.” – Jon Pareles. New York Times

“A bad ass set of MG’s-style instrumentals. Jones’ sweet, thick Hammond B-3 riffs are spiked with Truckers’ roughneck (and surprisingly funky) Southern rock and some exceptional lyrical, focused Young guitar leads. The originals feel like old standards. But the cover of Outkast’s “Hey Ya” is a zinger: It’s Southern race-mixing party music come full circle.” – Rolling Stone

Definitely check his homepage for more info, let's hope some shows in Europe in the near future and enjoy this for a first teaser:

Sound: Rammstein's naivity

Rammstein was always one of those bands I found pretty interesting as characters, less for their music. I never got too much out of their songs, but always liked to hear their point on what they did and why they did it, as they always followed their very own path and idea.

In the following you can see a good interview by the German/French tv magazine 'Tracks' from the station "ARTE".

"You can never go your own way, if you walk in other people's footsteps"

Sound: Tegan and Sara and Sainthood

I can't really recall what got me hooked on them, but I know it was their previous record "The Con" which had real songs and sweet melancholy, plus the one thing I'm always looking for: it was a real album,an entity with an idea and not just a compilation of random songs.

Now the new album "Sainthood" is released and it's definitely worth a shot. It's seems more positive and straight forward, but still unique Tegan and Sara.

The nice thing (what every band should do, 'cause that gets the people to buy it!!!) is that you can stream the new record in its entirety on their myspace page. Go for it!

For a first teaser, the music video for the song "Hell":


Hell - Tegan and Sara

Tegan and Sara | MySpace Video

Sound: ISIS "20 Minutes/ 40 Years" in 7:31

ISIS just posted the video for "20 Minutes/40 years". It's business as usual, it's its own universe. The pictures leave you space for imagination, your own story.The music takes you away and with the moving fluids.

But find out yourself:

Sound: The sound of the tour

This tour is a long road.A weird creature taking a lot of strength and time. However, at the same time it enriches with extrordinary sights, moments and experiences. It connects you to people you might have never ever met if not here and now and brings you close by living together in busses and venues. A new day, a new city. It's an intensive time, which brings me to my limits and teaches me: There are no limits. It brings you closer to yourself with rare time on your own and makes it precious.It's a dayoff in Calgary.Just a nice warm room and music, to be shared here.

My Soundtrack of these days: Elliot Goldenthal's "Frida OST". Songs, strong and colourful as the movie and her life and earned him Golden Globe and Oscar for the best score with good reason.



Check a very good review here and enjoy for a first preview the final song "Burn it blue"

Sound: interesting tunes, strange guy... Jimmy Edgar

Presenting Jimmy Edgar and strange guy with interesting sounds. And what I wanna sy with this post is basically: GET RID OF YOUR PREJUDICES!!! I come from the hardcore scene and I still love this music, but there is so much more to discover and electronic music is just one example. Independent from scenes people tend to be narrow-minded in their lives as in their music selection. Of course you don't like every style of music which is out there. However, what is really turning me off is that people just take it as given that a certain style of music is the shit and others will never be good or cool. OPEN YOUR EYES AND GIVE IT A TRY!!! 

Nuff said! Now check out Jimmy Edgar.

I found him on fixednoise.com, another interesting site to check.

Cheers

Sound.Idea: Minimum Noise - maximum cooperation...

Getting back to all the fresh input the music industry receives from this "crisis". The industry gets more and more open and it all works towards creative exchange.

Here's another interesting one from this category: minimumnoise.com

It's a new platform for the exchange of music with a commercial focus. Or even better as they describe it themselves:

"Minimum Noise is a music marketplace that allows you to crowdsource music production.

By creating a project on Minimum Noise, you have access to talented producers around the world - on a budget set by you.
The process consists of three steps." ... clickediclick

From what I see and read now I'm not exactly sure whether this one is really going through the roof. Anyhow, for any musician it's definitely worth checking out to see whether this could be an option or not. For anybody else I can also recommend it, interesting projects: dark vocals needed for fast hip hop, any vocals for digi punk track and more.

Give it a try! So many innovative ideas out there that deserve to be heard!

Thanks to Reimut for this one...

Sound: With a Leathermouth...

I don't know why, but somehow I ignored this band for a long time. Maybe because one of their members also plays in a very famous band for kids with flat-ironed hair. I'm sorry and again I learn: NEVER JUDGE A BAND BEFORE HAVING LISTENED TO IT!!!! I'm speaking of LEATHERMOUTH who really kicked ass with their debut out on Epitaph.

Check the video for "Bodysnatcher4ever" below for a first taste. A really frightening but great work and the pictures match the tunes perfectly:

Sound: The boogieman is back and he's quite ecstatic!!

Two days ago the new Mos Def record "The Ecstatic" was released and I was quite looking forward to that for some time already. Mos Def(initely), the boogieman, always got me moving, got me thinking. "Black on both sides", "The New Danger" and the legendary "Blackstar" record/project with Talib Kweli were both lyric and music wise classic records. Kicking it, still kicking it. Then "True Magic" came out and was quite disappointing. It was somehow an obvious contractual performance to finish the contract with Geffen. Both parties didn't care to much, the record was uninspired and there was just no promotion or press work.

Now Mos is back, back on track, back with fresh inspiring tracks, back on an indie, Downtown Records! Defnitely check the Myspace for loads of infos concerning "The Ecstatic", make your own judgement and give it a try! Plus, you can get the full record for $3,99 from Myspace directly, nice move!

A first feel:

Mos Def - "Casa Bey" - The Ecstatic - 6.9.09

Some nicely arranged words and pictures:

Mos Def - Words - The Ecstatic - available 6/9/09

And the classic:

 

Sound.Art: The Beatles Rockband Game Intro

Neither I'm really into computer games nor I'm a huge Beatles fan, but this one is really beautiful, it's art. 

A couple of days ago the new game The Beatles Rockband was presented at the E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) Media & Business Summit. At the press conference the intro was shown and illustrates the career of the band in beautiful cartoon pictures. Visually delicious...

Beatles Rock Band Trailer
by minitureherogames

Btw, McCartney and Starr also mentioned there, that they're planning to record an album with BOB DYLAN. Should get interesting... ClickClickSee

Sound.Art.Idea: Homemade records with strange sounds and art appeal

Source: Caleb Coppock

The coolest thing: sit at home and just draw a record. Wtf? Yepp, draw it, put it on and listen to the strange sounds you just drew. Too strange? Just put it on your wall, looks really cool. The thing is called GRAPHITE SEQUENCER exists for some time already. Definitely visit the homepage to understand how it works and see the video, a must!!!

Sound.Art: How the music works...

Getting back to the blogs, I found a nice documentary describing in an intersting and scientific way how music works. I think it's hard and not exactly necessary to describe something that emotional in rational and scientific terms. However, the product is really cool and definitely worth being seen and checked out. 

"This is the ultimate series for anyone with even a passing interest in music. Prepare to have your mind blown as the structures underlying the creation and experience of music are laid bare.

“Why do some rhythms get our toes tapping, while others make us feel mellow? How does a love song bring tears to our eyes? What links African drumming to J S Bach?

In this new four-part series composer Howard Goodall strips music down to its essential parts to find out how music works."

is what the original producer Channel 4 has to say about it. 

So how does the music work now? Have a look:

Sound.Art: You just don't need TV! just get a little active...

You just do not need TV!!! That's for a fact. It's a lazy sunday afternoon and I am looking for some nice entertainment. Fortnunately I don't have a TV and so I directly go to the internet. The good stuff is just a few clicks away, so many artists, so much art and so many people finding and sharing it. I rcently found a lot of great things on several very good blogs. It requires some literacy of German though. However, almost every article is worth to be checked out, go by the pictures, that should work. 

So definitely check out NERDCORE and KRAFTFUTTERMISCHWERK , read, see, enjoy, get inspired and get lost. And btw, also check sound.art.idea every now and then, get some input, give feedback and let me know about all the interesting music, blogs or whatever you're in touch with!

Cheers

Sound / Idea: blank recordable CD-R by Dangermouse for sale! DNOTS

I came across this one a couple of days ago and the idea really got me hooked. So guess it fulfilled its purpose. But to begin with, the infamous DANGERMOUSE recorded a new full length album together with SPARKLEHORSE which can not be released. what? read yourself:

Danger Mouse’s new project Dark Night Of The Soul consists of an album length piece of music by Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse and a host of guest vocalists, along with a collection of original David Lynch photography inspired by and based on the music.

The photographs, which provide a visual narrative for the music, are compiled in a limited edition, hand numbered 100+ page book which will now come with a blank, recordable CD-R. All copies will be clearly labeled: ‘For Legal Reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.’

Due to an ongoing dispute with EMI, Danger Mouse is unable to release the recorded music for Dark Night Of The Soul without fear of being sued by EMI.

Danger Mouse remains hugely proud of Dark Night Of The Soul and hopes that people lucky enough to hear the music, by whatever means, are as excited by it as he is.

In addition to Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse, other artists appearing on Dark Night of the Soul include James Mercer of The Shins, The Flaming Lips, Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Frank Black of the Pixies, Iggy Pop, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, Suzanne Vega, Vic Chesnutt, David Lynch, and Scott Spillane of Neutral Milk Hotel and The Gerbils.

Nuff said, a lot to be found out!

For more info visit the project site: www.dnots.com

aaaaaaaaaaand listen to the record on NPR.com

Sound and art: Edge - the movie to a lifestyle

Soon the documentary "EDGE -perspectives on a drug free culture" will be released. Having grown up with Hardcore and Punk music I have also been in contact with the Straight Edge scene. It describes an approach to life without any drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or promiscuity. The scene received it's name from the song "Straight Edge" by the band Minor Threat released 28 years ago. Their singer Ian MacKaye is also featured in the movie opens some interesting perspectives on the issue.

I always had a lot of respect for this scene, even it wasn't my way. Still I always distinguished in between those who do it just for themselves and maybe tell about it and those who perceive themselves on a mission and believe that they have to convince the whole world. I perceive it as a personal decision and this is what it should stay in my opinion.

However, I defintely recommend to give this flick a try. I am sure it will provide some interesting perspectives and insights into an alternative approach to life which has definitely something to offer. Plus, a differentiated view on life and things is a MUST!!!!

Check the trailer for a first taste:

And definitely visit the hp for more interesting background information:

http://www.theedgeprojectmovie.com/