tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28210619624911215432024-03-06T00:30:30.364-06:00OUR TUNESNot another blog for hipsters and scenesters - just a place for a few friends to talk about music, share finds and spout off with our opinions. Like we would if we were sitting at a bar instead scattered across the world.Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-29634673886208249902012-07-18T20:06:00.000-05:002012-07-18T20:07:38.709-05:00This is how we roll<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
</div>Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-629191503304247952012-07-10T22:40:00.000-05:002012-07-10T23:26:33.944-05:00:)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqGaauEeRBA9amCt03tB2Dlgt_gIyzod0zyIh7t6wwKXEkUYiBr9D7RtNRwG3H1XT9Kmqhyphenhyphenwkozn2eFSz2H5cCXFNUnx03-0XSFX1JQpdnFgzVr1-esqED_RjqNci81v2_k7HFXqS8LI/s1600/byrne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="157" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqGaauEeRBA9amCt03tB2Dlgt_gIyzod0zyIh7t6wwKXEkUYiBr9D7RtNRwG3H1XT9Kmqhyphenhyphenwkozn2eFSz2H5cCXFNUnx03-0XSFX1JQpdnFgzVr1-esqED_RjqNci81v2_k7HFXqS8LI/s200/byrne.jpg" /></a></div>Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-45681032867309322962011-12-24T22:18:00.001-06:002011-12-24T22:18:23.395-06:00Best of 20111. Nine Types of Light – TV On The Radio<br />
2. Goodbye Bread – Ty Segall<br />
3. Whokill - Tune-yards <br />
4. SBTRKT – SBTRKT<br />
5. Father, Son, Holy Ghost - Girls<br />
6. Fucked up – David Comes to Life<br />
7. XXX – Danny Brown<br />
8. Wounded Rhymes – Lykke Li<br />
9. Yuck – Yuck<br />
10. Gloss Drop - Battles<br />
11. What were you hoping for? – VanHunt<br />
12. In The Grace of Your Love – The Rapture<br />
13. Relax – Das Racist<br />
14. What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? – The Vaccines<br />
15. Domino – Cass McCombs<br />
16. Past Life Martyred Saints - EMA<br />
17. Strange Mercy – St Vincent<br />
18. Stone Rollin – Raphael Saadiq<br />
19. King of the Party – Big Sam’s Funky Nation<br />
20. Dye It Blonde – Smith Westerns<br />
21. Never trust a Happy Song - Grouplove<br />
22. Days – Real Estate<br />
23. Smoke Ring For My Halo – Kurt Vile<br />
24. Nostalgia Ultra – Frank Ocean<br />
25. The Pains of being Pure of Heart - The Pains of being Pure of Heart<br />
26. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra<br />
27. Undon – The Roots<br />
28. Burst Apart - Antlers<br />
29. Build A Better Rocket Boys - Elbow<br />
30. Celestial Lineage – Wolves in the Throne Room<br />
31. Parallax – Atlas Sound<br />
32. King of Limbs - Radiohead<br />
33. Raven In The Grave - The Ravonettes<br />
34. The Year of Hibernation – Youth lagoon<br />
35. New Brigade – Iceage<br />
36. El Camino – The Black Keys<br />
37. Rome – Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi<br />
38. Codes and keys - Death Cab For Cutie<br />
39. 21- Adele<br />
40. Own Side Now - Caitlyn Rose<br />
41. Let England shake – PJ Harvey<br />
42. Helpless Blues - Fleet Foxes<br />
43. Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi<br />
44. 12 Desperate Straight Lines – Telekinesis<br />
45. Slave Ambiant – The War On Drugs<br />
46. 50 Words for Snow – Kate Bush<br />
47. The Hunter – Matodon<br />
48. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming – M83<br />
49. Conatus – Zola Jesus<br />
50. The Rip Tide - BeirutJim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-19392924349092476062011-11-16T22:40:00.000-06:002011-11-16T22:40:42.378-06:00The 5 songs that saved my musical lifeAs a young music fan, I was heading down a very narrow road of nothing but hard rock, pop soul and testosterone. Aside from “Beth” by Kiss, if it didn’t rock – and rock hard! – I wasn’t interested. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my Zeppelin, Sabbath and Judas Priest, but if it weren’t for these songs I would have missed out on so much incredible music and some really good times.<br />
<b>Take me to the River – The Talking Heads.</b> The first time I heard this song I was stopped dead in my tracks. I had the feeling I was experiencing something big that I didn’t quite fully understand. Like I was over-hearing an important adult conversation. I had never imagined white people could make music so funky, soulful and deep. This song made me feel down to my core how rhythm is just as important as melody. But what still blows me away is how this song simultaneously sounds fresh and brand new and deeply rooted - and almost anointed - by the oldest of American music traditions. The Talking Heads were the first non-rock band I feel hard for and they opened up the world to me. And who was this David Byrne character? A nerd to be sure, but in total command. Was he serious? Was he a joke? Was he crazy? Whatever he was, he was the man!<br />
<b>Rock Lobster – The B52s.</b> The first time I heard this song I was in my friends front yard goofing around and something very strange came wafting out the window of his older brother’s room. We all looked at each other wondering, “What the hell is that?” I took my music very seriously in those days, and it was a mortal sin to hear “There goes a dog fish – woof woof…” But the disturbing part was I liked it… a lot! This song helped me realize music was supposed to be fun and freaky. It filled me with a sense of abandonment I don’t think I was nearly secure enough to find on my own. And, oh yeah – it ROCKED!<br />
<b>Five Years – David Bowie.</b> I was probably in about third or fourth grade when I first heard Ziggy Stardust and at the time, I completely associated rock with machismo. Here came an androgynous, wafer thin, wanna be spaceman, ass-kicking drama queen to cast the first doubts in my rock-god worship.<br />
<b>Search and Destroy – Iggy Pop.</b> I didn’t quite know what to think of punk at first, but Iggy made it crystal clear to me – it’s just rock and roll. He stripped away the circus and the excess and brought me back to the core of rock.<br />
<b>Meat Puppets – multiple songs live.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WKUTWmxKO8WVem5oL62iM__nYAGiuDneyVuJO7PROvHRjvIrsONiQ1iy7BxQ0mQ8tp0SAqam8NTuBt-etgapAOYJhV_bK9HLlY_Wmg3JpvTrcVoRLt2UWPpTPWq4-EUf9TN4xKzyLJM/s1600/C67CE9A2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WKUTWmxKO8WVem5oL62iM__nYAGiuDneyVuJO7PROvHRjvIrsONiQ1iy7BxQ0mQ8tp0SAqam8NTuBt-etgapAOYJhV_bK9HLlY_Wmg3JpvTrcVoRLt2UWPpTPWq4-EUf9TN4xKzyLJM/s200/C67CE9A2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
</b> Country music was my last musical prejudice. By the time I saw my first couple of Meat Puppets shows, my musical horizons had expanded pretty much every direction except South. It took me a while to figure out that one of the things I liked best about this incredible band was their bastardized country influences. My walls came down and I found some great music. Imagine, I might have lived a life without Willie Nelson!Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-10071822290463305162011-09-02T08:57:00.002-05:002011-09-02T08:57:11.045-05:00Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-24474998481517435382011-09-02T08:52:00.002-05:002011-09-02T08:52:31.614-05:00http://youtu.be/RBLP8A1dPQ4Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-19618812996931977602011-09-02T08:51:00.002-05:002011-09-02T08:51:37.509-05:00Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-48411220612419469192011-01-09T22:52:00.005-06:002011-01-14T20:42:17.655-06:00Best of 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFyuHiDztxEoyRGmb8Q914PzSXOg109VmjqPl8S3Uq2QcMxKvPbt-H49bteo4cxHuOwVNMruvFLNzxXoGA5PaFxPmYauuOyLFmDqfLoZ7wo8fY9-6JXwp3ymBcGHfEjYgiJNW1Va02lc/s1600/janelle_monae_arch_android.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFyuHiDztxEoyRGmb8Q914PzSXOg109VmjqPl8S3Uq2QcMxKvPbt-H49bteo4cxHuOwVNMruvFLNzxXoGA5PaFxPmYauuOyLFmDqfLoZ7wo8fY9-6JXwp3ymBcGHfEjYgiJNW1Va02lc/s200/janelle_monae_arch_android.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560416011493982642" /></a><br /><br />1. The Arch Android - Janelle Monae <br />2. Broken Bells - Broken Bells <br />3. Teen Dream - Beach House <br />4. Treats - Sleigh Bells <br />5. Plastic Beach - Gorillaz <br />6. This is Happening - LCD Soundsystem <br />7. Ginderman 2 - Grinderman <br />8. King Night- Salem <br />9. Go - Jonsi <br />10. Le Noise – Neil Young<br />11. Expo 86 - Wolf Parade<br />12. Odd Blood - Yeasayer <br />13. The Monitor - Titus Andronicus <br />14. The Suburbs - The Arcade Fine <br />15. Body Talk trilogy - Robyn <br />16. Crazy For You - Best Coast <br />17. The Guitar Song – Jamey Johnson <br />18. The Age of Adz - Sufjan Stevens <br />19. Big Echo - The Morning Benders <br />20. My Father Will Guide me Up a Rope To The sky – Swans <br />21. King of the Beach – Wavves<br />22. Magesty Shredding – Superchunk<br />23. Innerspeaker – Tame Impala<br />24. Castle Talk – Screaming Females<br />25. A Badly Broken Code – Dessa<br />26. Transference – Spoon<br />27. Snakes For The Divine – High On Fire<br />28. Maniac Meat – Tobacco<br />29. The Lady Killer – Cee Lo Green<br />30. Man on the Moon II – Kid Kudi<br />31. Ring – Glasser<br />32. Romance is Dead – Los Campesinos!<br />33. Gorilla Manor - Local Natives<br />34. Congratulations - MGMT<br />35. The First Four Eps – OFF!<br />36. Before Today - Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti<br />37. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes <br />38. Shame Shame - Dr Dog<br />39. Subiza – Delorean<br />40. The Grand Theatre - Old 97sJim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-2459141252975242662010-05-30T21:14:00.006-05:002010-05-30T21:39:50.792-05:00Woman sentenced for illegal lending of books<span style="font-weight:bold;">Onionville, MN</span> - A federal jury Thursday found a 32-year-old single mother guilty of illegally loaning books to friends and family members without paying royalties and fined her $1.9 million. The criminal, Jammie Thisis-Redunkulous, is also suspected of clipping magazine articles and cartoons and illegally distributing them to the same posse. <br /><br />RIAA (Reading Industrialist Association of America) has brought more than 35,000 lawsuits against alleged illegal book lenders. "We feel this fine is completely reasonable and in line with the severity of the crime" RIAA spokesperson Carol McDuck said. She cited Minnesota statute 609.205 which sets the maximum penalty for intoxicated vehicular manslaughter at no more than $20,000. "If community standards allow for a $20,000 fine for such a comparatively minor infraction, surely one would expect at least $2 million for such vile, unauthorized '<span style="font-style:italic;">lending</span>'!"<br /><br />The RIAA now plans to go after people who browse in bookstores and don't buy any books. McDuck said she believes the problem has reached epidemic proportions. "People are blatantly stealing words from books in bookstores all over the country. The authors don't get paid a penny for these thefts," McDuck claims.<br /><br />Reports have recently surfaced that the defendant may have a long history of skirting the law. A photo found on Facebook allegedly shows her posing next to the Mona Lisa while on vacation in Paris, smiling smugly and defiantly. A spokesman for the estate of Leonardo DeVinchi claims no records can be found of the defendant having paid for the legal rights to use image.<br /><br />McDuck went on to say that illegal lending could bring the publishing industry down in the same way cassette tapes destroyed the music industry. "We must be vigilant!"<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Note: this is a parody of the equally ridiculous prosecution of Jammie Thomas-Rasset's for illegally downloading music.<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span>Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-45913348055974046222010-05-23T21:40:00.013-05:002010-05-30T21:39:13.215-05:00Downloading is not a crime - it's good for business!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn31aMLuMhrO5glVwLFAqvwdrSZrGsF5tWYPzd0s93iSDtrz_HNB8esANeN1E39XLhYsGxR6GIdjNcJXbrkhyx26H9oTuZ17VxlpXOBIMXzw_5lLKZAGr-EFndn37CG-xBBp1p5IPWd2w/s1600/01-splashpage.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn31aMLuMhrO5glVwLFAqvwdrSZrGsF5tWYPzd0s93iSDtrz_HNB8esANeN1E39XLhYsGxR6GIdjNcJXbrkhyx26H9oTuZ17VxlpXOBIMXzw_5lLKZAGr-EFndn37CG-xBBp1p5IPWd2w/s320/01-splashpage.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474670160365351506"></a><br />Turns out the brilliant Chicago musician <b>Saul Williams</b> is also quite a businessman as well. He gave away his best album and was rewarded handsomely. He released <font></font><b><i>The Inevitbale Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust</i></b> <font style="font-style:italic;"></font>online with two payment options. One could download it for absolutely free, or one could pay $5 for a high fidelity version that also included a .pdf file of original art and some other goodies - but the same exact songs. Over 200,000 downloaded it for free and only 60,000 paid for it, so he lost out on a lot of revenue - right? Well, actually he had never sold more than 30,000 copies of any of his previous releases, and his live shows started frequently selling out. And, most importantly, he reached thousands of new ears who had never heard him before - and likely would not have otherwise. He says he has also had the added under-the-table revenue of a bunch of kids at his shows who give him $5 bills saying they didn't have a credit card, so they couldn't pay to download it online. When is the record industry going to realize that downloading isn't a threat? In fact, they might still be saved if they rise from their death bed and use their remaining energy and resources to fight <font style="font-style:italic;">for</font> downloading instead of against it! Why are so many artists able to figure out how to make money through free and cheap downloading, while the buggy-whip selling industry execs can only waste their time siccing their lawyers on people they should be courting as customers? And BTW, if you haven't heard the album - you really need to download it, buy it, steal it, rip it or do whatever you have to do - it's a masterpiece!Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-58305490990827863142010-01-01T19:08:00.019-06:002010-04-01T22:39:00.464-05:00Best songs of the decade<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPShFPWq1LWeOXOftb4wlNRqqmfLOw6nIxAOd0p8jsij0b6k01-VI1awUoi5zLueHus2uN2Cpf6VQFDCMZSYk5NsbgmytqAY4cimDpjfcxYti3rcTLVLENFJzx160hcKbGSf19BD13Ctw/s1600-h/lego+white+stripes.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPShFPWq1LWeOXOftb4wlNRqqmfLOw6nIxAOd0p8jsij0b6k01-VI1awUoi5zLueHus2uN2Cpf6VQFDCMZSYk5NsbgmytqAY4cimDpjfcxYti3rcTLVLENFJzx160hcKbGSf19BD13Ctw/s320/lego+white+stripes.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421943976438271666" /></a><br />Here are my picks for the best songs of the decade. <br />Note: I limited myself to only one song per artist.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />1. Dead leaves and the dirty ground - The White Stripes<br />2. The District sleeps alone tonight - The Postal Service<br />3. Jesus, etc - Wilco<br />4. Fill me with your light - Clem Snide<br />5. Black like me - Spoon<br />6. Can you feel it? - The Apples in Stereo<br />7. Caring is creepy - The Shins<br />8. Chemicals collide - Cloud Cult<br />9. 2 + 2 = 5 - Radiohead<br />10. The chills - Peter Bjorn & John<br />11. A sentence of sorts in Kongsvinger - Of Montreal<br />12. Broken boy soldier - Raconteurs<br />13. Kids - MGMT<br />14. Soldier's grin - Wolf Parade<br />15. I was a lover - TV On The Radio<br />16. Chips Ahoy - The Hold Steady<br />17. Float on - Modest Mouse<br />18. It's gonna be a long night - Ween<br />19. Ragged wood - The Fleet Foxes<br />20. The man who loved beer - David Byrne<br />21. I like giants - Kimya Dawson<br />22. Our love will change the world - Outrageous Cherry<br />23. Sly - The Cat Empire<br />24. New English - Ambulance LTD<br />25. Untrust us - Crystal Castles<br />26. Is this love? - Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah<br />27. The ark - Dr Dog<br />28. Dig! Lazurus, dig! - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds<br />29. Inner peace- Nellie McKay<br />30. The Golden Age - Beck<br />31. The Iliad - Tapes 'n Tapes<br />32. Bohemian like me - The Dandy Warhols<br />33. Crazy - Gnarls Barkely<br />34. Crescendolls - Daft Punk<br />35. Ten years ahead - Soundtrack of our Lives<br />36. Are you gonna be my girl? - Jet<br />37. I'll bet you look good on the dance floor - Arctic Monkeys<br />38. Skinny love - Bon Iver<br />39. My Girls - Animal Collective<br />40. The greatest - Cat Power<br />41. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens<br />42. Mirrorball - Elbow<br />43. Another lost summer - Blanche<br />44. Panic open string - Calexico<br />45. Wild Mountain Nation - Blitzen Trapper<br />46. The Modern Age - The Strokes<br />47. Art is hard - Cursive<br />48. Photobooth - Death Cab for Cutie<br />49. 99 - Black Bottom Collective<br />50. Hey man (now you're really living) - Eels<br />51. Elevate myself - Grandaddy<br />52. Two weeks - Grizzly Bear<br />53. The yeah yeah song - Flaming Lips<br />54. Formed a band - Art Brut<br />55. Up the bracket - The Libertines<br />56. Extraordinary machine - Fiona Apple<br />57. Spit it out - Brendan Benson<br />58. Worlds apart - ...And you will know us by the trail of dead<br />59. Imitosis - Andrew Bird<br />60. Now, now - St Vincent<br />61. I changed my mind - Lyrics Born<br />62. Get it while you can - The Dirtbombs<br />63. We are rock stars - Does It Offend You, Yeah?<br />64. Cherry blossom girl -Air<br />65. Never stops - Deerhunter<br />66. The light - Common<br />67. My heart is breaking down - Caesars<br />68. Karen - The National<br />69. Jenny & the ess-dog - Stephen Malkmus<br />70. Get in or get out - Hot Hot Heat<br />71. Highly evolved - The Vines<br />72. Smokers outside the hospital doors - The Editors<br />73. Hate to say I told you so - The Hives<br />74. Our life is not a movie or maybe - Okkervil River<br />75. Gold digger - Supreme Beings of Leisure<br />76. The shinning- Badly Drawn Boy<br />77. Notice of Eviction - Saul Williams<br />78. My superman - Santogold<br />79. Sweet talk - Spiritualized<br />80. Where's your head at? - Basement Jaxx<br />81. Sidewalk serfer girl - Super Furry Animals<br />82. No one knows - Queens of the Stone Age<br />83. Life is long - David Byrne & Brian Eno<br />84. Blind - Hercules and Love Affair<br />85. Sunrise - Yeasayer<br />86. Cobrastyle - Robyn<br />87. Brothers & sisters - Blur<br />88. Maps - Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs<br />89. Careful - Hot Chip<br />90. Soldier girl - The Polyphonic Spree<br />91. Out of my system - Jamie Lidell<br />92. We're from Barcelona - I'm from Barcelona<br />93. Gay Bar - Electric Six<br />94. Idle ties - Vetiver<br />95. To go home - M. Ward<br />96. Crack the skye - Mastodon<br />97. Ghosts under rocks - Ra Ra Riot<br />98. Amen - Jolie Holland<br />99. Doorman - Stereophonics<br />100. Geraldine - Glasvegas<br /> <br /><br /></span>Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-6940787278498934332009-12-22T01:44:00.008-06:002009-12-22T02:09:56.520-06:00Best Christmas songs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi316xzegEJZ4oXhfgyl9D9w4szDUrXfyd7_OZ5XqCmfZyEc2Cdj9Kv23ZNIADqD2OFcOreYJswNvGJZaml49hhbETNe8-v40KqP_HiqX9-3MhNb35SmlbX4TTA4lh-ldOhZKUdWtyvzSc/s1600-h/LouisArmstrong_WhatAWonderfulChristmas.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi316xzegEJZ4oXhfgyl9D9w4szDUrXfyd7_OZ5XqCmfZyEc2Cdj9Kv23ZNIADqD2OFcOreYJswNvGJZaml49hhbETNe8-v40KqP_HiqX9-3MhNb35SmlbX4TTA4lh-ldOhZKUdWtyvzSc/s320/LouisArmstrong_WhatAWonderfulChristmas.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417963395474754226" /></a><br />Over the past few years I've been putting together my favorite versions of Christmas and winter holiday songs as well as new works. There's a lot of holiday music out there! Below is my 2009 version of this work in perpetual progress, in no particular order. I'd love to hear your favorites.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Must be Santa Claus - Bob Dylan.</span> This just came out and I love it! So far I've heard three music critics use it as an example of how awful Dylan's Christmas album is. Yes, it's cheesy, silly and ridiculous - I have no problem with that. (See "Thank god it's Christmas" below if you need further proof!)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I've got my love to keep me warm - The Ink Spots<br />Oh holy night - Tracy Chapman</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Christmas song - Nat King Cole.</span> This version is the only Christmas song I know of that has only one definitive version - I mean no other version even comes close. Having said that, <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Blind Boys of Alabama and Shelby Lynne</span> also do a very nice version.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Christmas Song - The Ravonettes</span> (Though it shares the name with the Mel Torme written song mentioned above, it's completely different).<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">It doesn't often snow at Christmas - The Pet Shop Boys.</span> This is one of my absolute favorite modern Christmas songs. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">You're A Mean One, Mr Grinch - Albert Hague</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Silent Night - Johnny Cash, The Temptations, Willie Nelson. The Simon & Garfunkel 7 o'clock news </span>version is very moving, but I usually don't include it in my holiday collections - too somber. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">White Christmas - The Darlene Love</span> version the only one I know of that beats out <span style="font-weight:bold;">Bing Crosby</span>.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Happy X-mas (war is over) - John Lennon.</span> There are other interesting versions out there (<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Polyphonic Spree</span> comes to mind), but none I need to hear every year. I can't get enough of the original.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Christmas (Baby please come home) - Darlene Love.</span> <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Death Cab for Cutie</span> version is great, too. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Christmas must be tonight. - The Band<br />Shake hands with Santa Claus- Louis Prima<br />Pretty paper - Willie Nelson<br />Donna & Blitzen - Badly Drawn Boy<br />Thank god it's Christmas - Queen</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Little Drummer Boy -</span> I absolutely love the <span style="font-weight:bold;">David Bowie & Bing Crosby version.</span> Other good versions: <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Dandy Warhols, Johnny Cash and Neil Young.<br /></span><span style="font-weight:bold;">Let it snow!</span> - I like a lot of versions of this including <span style="font-weight:bold;">Luscious Jackson, Dean Martin, and Ella Fitzgerald.</span> Great song!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A change at Christmas - The Flaming Lips<br />That Old Christmas Moon - Leon Redbone<br />Christmastime - Aimee Mann <br />Christmastime- Smashing Pumpkins</span> (completely different song from Aimee's)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Merry Christmas, baby - Otis Redding</span> version is #1 for me. Other good ones: <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lou Rawls, BB King, and James Brown. <br />Pine Cones and Holly Berries - The Osmonds<br />Purple Snowflakes - Marvin Gaye<br />Feliz Navidad - El Vez</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Jingle Bells- The Electric Prunes</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lena Horne's </span>versions are my faves. And yes, Prunes, Christmas is the "most psychedelic time of the year"!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">All I want for Christmas - Maria Carey.</span> What can I say - she turns out an awesome version of this song.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Rudy - The Be Good Tanyas<br />Feels like Christmas - Al Green<br />2,000 miles - The Pretenders<br />It doesn't have to be that way - Jim Croce<br />Cool Yule- Louis Armstrong<br />Joy to the world - Sufjan Stevens<br />Christmas won't be the same this year - The Jackson Five<br />Fairytale of New York - The Pogues</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">White winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes. </span>Not really a holiday song, but a great song and every time I hear it I think of the season and being outside this time of year - close enough for me. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">My evergreen - The Squirel Nut Zippers</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Winter Weather - Peggy Lee, Fats Waller and Squirel Nut Zippers</span> are among my favorite versions. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Carol of the bells - The Bird and The Bee<br />Santa baby - Eartha Kitt, Macy Gray, and Vanessa Williams. <br />Light One Candle - Peter, Paul & Mary</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Put the lights on the Tree - Sufjan Stevens</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Santa Clause is coming to town </span>- I'm not sure which is my favorite version, but I like the takes by <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Jackson Five, The Crystals, & Bruce's live version</span> (even though it's really over played this time of year).<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I've longed for Christmas - Los Lonely Boys</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Jingle Bell Rock - Brenda Lee</span> is still the definitive version for me.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Spotlight on Christmas - Rufus Wainwright.</span> A great melody and an interesting lyrical take on the holidays and liberalism in general. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Christmas in Hollis - Run DMC<br />Father Christmas - The Kinks<br />Love came down at Christmas - Shawn Colvin</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Have yourself a merry little Christmas -</span> Another of my favorite traditional Chrsitmas songs. I love the versions by <span style="font-weight:bold;">James Taylor, The Isley Brothers, Perry Como, Aimee Mann, and Carly Simon.</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Merry Chrsitmas, baby (I don't want to fight) - The Ramones<br />A Christmas to remember - Amy Grant. <br />Frosty the snowman - Gene Autry, Fiona Apple versions.<br />Santa Claus go straight to the ghetto - Belle & Sabastian<br />What are you doing new year's eve?- Diana Krall<br />Presents for Christmas - Solomon Burke<br />The Gift of Giving - Bill Withers<br />Come on Christmas - Dwight Yoakam<br />Here It Is Christmas - Old 97s<br />All My Bells Are Ringing - Lenka<br />Home for the holidays - The Carpenters<br />Chrsitmas wrapping - The Waitresses<br />I'll be home for Christmas - Perry Como, Glen Campbell, and Sarah McLachlan.</span>Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-248659980820842042009-11-15T17:57:00.010-06:002010-01-16T18:09:29.229-06:00Best political and protest songs of all time<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I don't know</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96ry_7NHu-vpUooacbUwAzDK5BkN1R8_o2a28nbzvsNY4ippylRcbeO6QQtlQRNOad2JzVqEwmp67kMaTYBrxunZv6ONbEHlriaCF3SZowWUJ1dhpwpoU5vsdfalCFNN97RItzjjl2fU/s1600-h/guthrie_bio_3.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 122px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96ry_7NHu-vpUooacbUwAzDK5BkN1R8_o2a28nbzvsNY4ippylRcbeO6QQtlQRNOad2JzVqEwmp67kMaTYBrxunZv6ONbEHlriaCF3SZowWUJ1dhpwpoU5vsdfalCFNN97RItzjjl2fU/s320/guthrie_bio_3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404484096758750098" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> if it's because I'm going through political withdrawl - it's November and I'm living in an area with out a significant election this year - or all the talk about health care. Whatever the reason, I've been thinking about political songs a lot lately. So, here are my favorite political or protest songs of all time. They're in order, but I'm sure every time I look at this list I'll want to re-arrange them. BTW, if you're curious about the critera I used for my list, look at my previous post "What makes a great political song?"</span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; "><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">1. Ohio - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">2. Cortez the killer - Neil Young</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">3. What's going on - Marvin Gaye</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">4. Sam Stone - John Prine</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">5. Imagine - John Lennon</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">6. Alice's Restaurant - Arlo Guthrie</span></b></div><div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">7. Shipbuilding - Elvis Costello<br />8. Fight the Power - Public Enemy</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">9. Strange Fruit - Billy Holiday</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">10. Bungalow Bill - The Beatles</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">11. Kill the poor - The Dead Kennedys</span></b></div></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">12. Get up! Stand up! - Bob Marley</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">13. This land is your land - Woody Guthrie</span></b><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">14. Everybody knows - Leonard Cohen</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">15. Dear god - XTC</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">16. What's so funny about peace, love and understanding - Nick Lowe</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">17. Know your rights - The Clash</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">18. Alabama, God damn! - Nina Simone</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">19. Southern Man - Neil Young</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">20. American Rouse - MC5</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">21. Black steel in the hour of chaos - Public Enemy</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">22. Sunday, Bloody Sunday - U2</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">23. People have the power - Patti Smith</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">24. A change is gonna come - Sam Cooke</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">25. Maggie's farm - Bob Dylan</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">26. The man in black - Johnny Cash</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">27. Not a pretty girl - Ani Difranco</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">28. Revolution - The Beatles</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">29. Anarchy in the U.K. - Sex pistols</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">30. Untitled song for Latin America - Minutemen</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">31. Alabama - Neil Young</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">32. You haven't done nothing - Stevie Wonder</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">33. When the President talks to God - Bright Eyes</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">34. London Calling - The Clash</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">35. War pigs - Black Sabbath</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">36. The guns of Brixton - The Clash</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">37. Radio, radio - Elvis Costello</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">38. Peace Train - Cat Stevens</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">39. Sky pilot - The Animals</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">40. Won't get fooled again - The Who<br />41. Fortunate son - CCR</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">42. The Fish Cheer - Country Joe & The Fish<br />43. Union made - Woody Guthrie<br />44. Working Class Hero - John Lennon</span></b></div><div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">45. And the band played Waltzing Matilda - The Pogues</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">46. </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Taking care of business - El Vez</span></b></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">47. Stop the violence - Bogie Down Productions</span></b></div></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">48. Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other - Willie Nelson<br />49. Telegraph Road - Dire Straits</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">50. Society's Child - Janis Ian<br />51. Trouble every day - Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">52. California, Uber Alles - D.K.<br />53. Waiting for the great leap forward - Billy Bragg<br />54. The message - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five</span></b></div><div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">55. Homosapien - The Pansy Division<br />56. Universal Solider - Buffy Saint Marie<br />57. For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield<br />58. Military Wives - The Decemberists</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">59. Rockin in the free world - Neil Young</span></b></div></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">60. 1913 Massacre - Woody Guthrie</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">61. Give Peace a chance - The Beatles<br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">62. Subdivision - Ani Difranco<br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">63. God save the queen - The Sex Pistols</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">64. I shot the sherrif - Bob Marley</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">65. Army Dreamers - Kate Bush</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">66. The Hurricane - Bob Dylan</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">67. War - Edwin Starr</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">68. I ain't marching anymore - Phil Ochs<br />69. Gimme Shelter - the Rolling Stones<br />70. Ball of Confusion - The Temptations</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">71. Sound of da police - KRS One<br />72. Cheerleaders - Minutemen<br />73. </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Across the wire - Calexico</span></b></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">74. Clampdown - The Clash</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">75. Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen<br />76. Rebel Girl - Bikini Kill</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">77. I Wanna Conquer the World - Bad Religion</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">78. Us and them - Pink Floyd</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">79. Beds are burning - Midnight Oil</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">80. Is it too late? - World party</span></b></div><div><span><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">81. Redemption Song - Bob Marley</span></b></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">82. Killing in the name of - Rage Against the Machine</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">83. Oliver's Army - Elvis Costello</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">84. Never cross a picket line - Billy Bragg</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">85. I love a man in uniform - Gang of Four</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">86. They paved paradise - Join Mitchell</span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">87. The queen is dead - </span></b><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258244861_76" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; cursor: pointer; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: none; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The Smiths</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">88. Tin Soldiers - Stiff Little Fingers </span></b></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">89. God on my side - World Party</span></b></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 15px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">90. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Only Women Bleed - Alice Cooper</span></span></b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">91. No god - The Germs</span></span></b></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">92. Forgive them, Father - Lauryn Hill</span></span></b></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">93. Notice of eviction - Saul Williams</span></span></b></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">94. I have forgiven Jesus - Morrisey</span></span></b></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">95. Youth against fascism - Sonic Youth</span></span></b></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">96. No Man can find the war - Tim Buckley</span></span></b></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">97. Talkin' bout a revolution - Tracy Chapman</span></span></b></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">98. Leagalize it - Peter Tosh</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />99. Revolution - Mother Earth<br />100. The Mercy Seat - Nick Cave<br /></span></span><br /></b></span></span></div></span></b></span></span></div></div></span></div></div>Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-69662134508338692372009-11-06T20:54:00.023-06:002009-11-15T18:06:10.864-06:00What makes a great politcal or protest song?What makes a great political or protest song? The best definition of leadership is whether or not people follow, and the same is a good standard for judging political songs as well. If it moves people, or otherwise has an impact, it's a a success. The 60s protest songs truly helped end the war and Neil <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">young's</span> "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Cortez</span> the Killer" was banned for years in Spain (making it an underground hit).<br />But I want to concentrate on the music a bit more. Here's my criteria: <b>1. It must be a good song in and of its self.</b> If you change the lyrics to "ode to a peanut butter sandwich" it would still sound good. <b style="font-weight: bold;">2.</b><span style="font-weight: bold;"> The lyrics have to be clever and bring an interesting take to the issue.</span> There were a ton of very boring "Bush sucks" or "Bush is dangerous" or "Bush is an idiot" songs during the W years. Have a take, please. <b style="font-weight: bold;">3.</b><span style="font-weight: bold;"> The best political songs paint a picture or tell a story <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span></span><b> 4. add a personal touch.</b> The best songs add a personal element that pull you in on an emotional level. When Neil Young sings "What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground" about the Kent State Massacre in "Ohio" you truly feel like you're there. In fact, Neil is one of the greatest political/protest song writers ever because most of his songs in this genre use brilliant narratives that really hit home.<br />I make a slight distinction between "political" and "protest" songs. A "protest" song does all the things a "political" song does, but has the additional quality of being physically moving. They make you want to stand up and sing, and march and act!. Like Country Joe's "It's one, two, three, what are we fighting for?" or the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Clash's</span> "These are your rights!" Imagine being one of a couple thousand people singing aloud "You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant" or trying to stay in your seat as Bob Marley sings, "Get up! Stand up! Stand up for your rights!" "Strange fruit" is an incredible political song, while "This land is your land" is one of the best protest songs ever (though it seems to have lost it's teeth over the years).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJaJNzV3MqMamZ2y6u0437CTHrubA5WXaismEFjsOHiwO_-KXd9uLQ0aLNtBaP80pn3BDUJYGN8B8vyNngOmeisJJ9VODaVjg23RaCjJfsUA0ZB8Qp37bVxzzS2H2FAuK8QsGWGl3zqA/s1600-h/clash.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJaJNzV3MqMamZ2y6u0437CTHrubA5WXaismEFjsOHiwO_-KXd9uLQ0aLNtBaP80pn3BDUJYGN8B8vyNngOmeisJJ9VODaVjg23RaCjJfsUA0ZB8Qp37bVxzzS2H2FAuK8QsGWGl3zqA/s320/clash.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404002525214825650" border="0" /></a>Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-25976443726413081772009-10-03T01:34:00.006-05:002009-10-03T01:42:25.791-05:00Blown away!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju24KvFIK9W-aWWQSGRHPEpgwjufQpZcZxs4ttwsZXOLNVC6coWa5ZEBpDfFsNI4umrJO9YosntjODgmlVaAAvZFLuXBeECngzXTW9Gcu2LhP7PwpNWggWFBP_Gh0IMz4mG4jJp19tKiY/s1600-h/2851868824_34e42344b9_o.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju24KvFIK9W-aWWQSGRHPEpgwjufQpZcZxs4ttwsZXOLNVC6coWa5ZEBpDfFsNI4umrJO9YosntjODgmlVaAAvZFLuXBeECngzXTW9Gcu2LhP7PwpNWggWFBP_Gh0IMz4mG4jJp19tKiY/s320/2851868824_34e42344b9_o.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388260320932904658" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;">What's the best concert you've ever seen? It's one of the most fun questions music fans can ask each other and it's a toughie. I've got mine narrowed down to 3 or 4, but if you forced me to choose it would probably be the Talking Heads circa "Speaking in Tongues."<br />One rarely gets a chance to revisit a "best ever" moment of anything in life, but Thursday night I did just that. I attended a screening of "Stop Making Sense" (a fundraiser for Sound Opinions and WBEZ) at the Navy Pier imax theater. It was incredible.<br />I've got to admit I've got a prejudice against concert films and even live albums I think it's pretty rare that the concert experience can be captured even remotely. For the most part, I prefer seeing music live to listening to it recorded, <i>but</i> I'd <i>much</i> rather listen to the studio version of almost anything than any live recording. Thursday night was a massive exception!<br />I had seen the film when it first came out and on video since. I've always said it's the best concert video ever. But in my book, that ain't saying much! I enjoyed it for the visual aspects of the film - shot perfectly, it captured the energy, fun, deconstruction-reconstruction-deconstruction again artistic vision, showmanship and unity of those Heads shows - but the music was flat. Bottom line: like the Grand Canyon and Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burgers - you have to be there to experience it.<br />But now after seeing and hearing it as it was intended (when it was filmed in 1983, the technology existed to record directly to digital, but there was no where to play it back that way for audiences) I was blown away. It was the most incredible "recorded live" experience I've ever had. I had to move to the back of the theater and dance through the last 2/3 of the show after my seat would no longer contain me... not a pretty sight, but any one who saw me would have had to turn around and look, so it's on them.<br />It really transported me to that fun, tight, party of a concert that so moved me over 20 years ago. And it sounded perfect! Amazing. I never thought a concert film could do that.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;">So.... what's your favorite concert? Your favorite live recordings or films?<br />Thanks to Colleen for all but forcing me to go.</span></div>Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-85576497603242531602009-06-11T05:47:00.010-05:002009-06-11T10:31:29.100-05:00Danger Mouse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-nNPnKjCxxi9-ieypk3yoJWPEdeLAx3i5DbksZ-bCSFmuetaeJ3Vq5VZ1PudAXhkTqjacMijvg96VBkSjqEAit-7bsEaE2wJ59HyyKVKTI2zE2ivC0ZhlscVz7wT7XYHYcIkkSiU0Js/s1600-h/GreyAlbum.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-nNPnKjCxxi9-ieypk3yoJWPEdeLAx3i5DbksZ-bCSFmuetaeJ3Vq5VZ1PudAXhkTqjacMijvg96VBkSjqEAit-7bsEaE2wJ59HyyKVKTI2zE2ivC0ZhlscVz7wT7XYHYcIkkSiU0Js/s400/GreyAlbum.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346085596040587346" /></a><br />I am a big fan of the White Album. It is my favorite Beatles album and one of my all-time favorite albums anyway. I am also a fan of hiphop. When I heard Danger Mouse' <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Album" target="new">Grey Album</a> (a remix of Jay-Z's Black Album with samples of the Beatles' White Album) I was thrilled. What a great album! I know Beatle fans who hate it, but I don't. I love it. Of course it could not be released, another example of the needless restriction on creativity that the copyright law has become. <br /><br />Now Danger Mouse has released an album, consisting a a photo book of 50 photo's by David Lynch (!) and a ...blank CDR. It has to do with copyrights, again, and some issue he has with his contract with EMI....<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/arts/music/11danger.html" target="new">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/arts/music/11danger.html</a>Ivohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139745125806427120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-75526878407876552722009-03-01T10:19:00.024-06:002009-03-01T11:38:38.225-06:00The Bailout"The Bailout" is a piece for a Saxophone quartet and live sound manipulation using the LiSa and JunXion software, developed by <a href="http://www.steim.org/" target="new">STEIM</a> in Amsterdam. The piece is written by <a href="http://www.ivobol.nl/" target="new"> me</a> and <a href="http://www.tiesmellema.nl/" target="new">Ties Mellema</a> and it is inspired by the history of the auto industry in Detroit and the "auto bailout" by the US government. It will première March 20th in a concert that I am doing with the Amstel Quartet in the <a href="http://www.dia.org/calendar/friday_nights/item.asp?webitemid=1747" target="new"> Detroit Institute of Arts</a>.<br /><br />When the saxophones play a loud note, they start one of the sound files I have collected; text fragments from opponents and advocates of the bailout plan such as Rush Limbaugh, Bush, Obama and Rick Wagener, the CEO of GM, and excerpts from old movies describing Detroit and its Auto industry during the twenties and sixties. In this way the instruments "talk" and "discuss" with each other. I am manipulating sounds using the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii_Remote" target="new"> Wiimote</a> and the Korg Kaoss Pad (as midi controller).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dia.org/calendar/friday_nights/item.asp?webitemid=1747" target="new"> http://www.dia.org/</a><br /><a href="http://www.amstelquartet.nl/" target="new">http://www.amstelquartet.nl/</a><br /><a href="http://www.ivobol.nl/" target="new">http://www.ivobol.nl/</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2r2mZb4mQ4Jnw_46SZWGzJf9y8oq066Kg_hpTe0VRTspvHyGiIjFetAScVYOZYRHukWQd2snvVf5myxK7O0jqh4yM9NByxH4urq9IkV2x5oAJ4a_l0YjcUzFa_XBsqfprrXiXdbl_wc8/s1600-h/OMI_3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2r2mZb4mQ4Jnw_46SZWGzJf9y8oq066Kg_hpTe0VRTspvHyGiIjFetAScVYOZYRHukWQd2snvVf5myxK7O0jqh4yM9NByxH4urq9IkV2x5oAJ4a_l0YjcUzFa_XBsqfprrXiXdbl_wc8/s400/OMI_3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308260315687136002" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFylsczUtw5G9w5nFgbCLvwfYvN1NajFzj0aw0j-udCoOpFNPPMESyvqA2QptSZLDBG9-zbNmCA-tEiyLHqO9OBC8uhXpm5AJm3hyH7pTa4IsFNCvelUWd-CUmATfWfih0CjnsIIMGgE/s1600-h/amstel_quartet.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFylsczUtw5G9w5nFgbCLvwfYvN1NajFzj0aw0j-udCoOpFNPPMESyvqA2QptSZLDBG9-zbNmCA-tEiyLHqO9OBC8uhXpm5AJm3hyH7pTa4IsFNCvelUWd-CUmATfWfih0CjnsIIMGgE/s400/amstel_quartet.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308260832943938802" /></a>Ivohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139745125806427120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-69635405568417641602009-02-02T17:27:00.012-06:002009-02-02T17:59:43.598-06:00Animal Collective<big>My friend Jon records really interesting Cd's for me. I don't like all of them, for example I had to get used to "Sung Tongs" from <a href="http://www.myanimalhome.net/" target="new">Animal Collective</a>. It was too psychotic for me, really weird urban mushroom folk music, although I was attracted to it in some strange sense. Last year he gave me the solo album "Person Pitch" by AC band member Panda Bear. I absolutely love it, Brian Wilson-like hypnotic drony golden pop music with beautiful loops and a fair deal of healthy weirdness. I like the rawness of the album, the material is not 100% developed but that has its charm. This made me ready for "Merriweather Post Pavilion" the new AC album which I bought on Itunes last week. The songs are much more developed and worked out compared with Panda Bear's album. It has a distinctive sixties feel although the music is also contemporary, a bit like Beatles and Brian Wilson with samplers instead of guitars. The songs are melancholic but make me happy too, darkness with a golden shiny line, it is still weird but accessible. <br /><br />I had a similair experience with Stereolab, another band that Jon introduced me too. I was very irritated with the repetitiveness but at a certain moment it hit me and I started loving it. Funny how some music is great from the beginning and other stuff has to grow on you.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.myanimalhome.net/" target="new">Animal Collective</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyZiAdCQbINqv2_ze4ZBe0YDcZ_Jt4nWnbMQR5CUCuL-SOHx1bKeEG_kbgyCIWRGyl6M6UWSP8btm5Z8URC-NCDP1tJwgyoHO__39JFf3ASuhDWRCoUSRcoStHwObPWYbzUlulVxftu8/s1600-h/Animal+Collective.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 107px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyZiAdCQbINqv2_ze4ZBe0YDcZ_Jt4nWnbMQR5CUCuL-SOHx1bKeEG_kbgyCIWRGyl6M6UWSP8btm5Z8URC-NCDP1tJwgyoHO__39JFf3ASuhDWRCoUSRcoStHwObPWYbzUlulVxftu8/s400/Animal+Collective.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298351765534458402" /></a><big/>Ivohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139745125806427120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-10160927499029924852009-01-28T01:58:00.003-06:002009-01-28T02:25:29.594-06:00Best band names<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuM-5jkyExd5c-N23RNYKSIZkI3t7ZQZOrFCSGBWgtyGnhNLMcg7QW7zc-a4W2cC52njXSFuAcmfT-d9gssp7TBoXjqdWy1h-VuDaAcGPYG-8JD3QrnpOCyrxuFolLg_SiJDfviUjnTKw/s1600-h/00007469_ladyfuzz.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuM-5jkyExd5c-N23RNYKSIZkI3t7ZQZOrFCSGBWgtyGnhNLMcg7QW7zc-a4W2cC52njXSFuAcmfT-d9gssp7TBoXjqdWy1h-VuDaAcGPYG-8JD3QrnpOCyrxuFolLg_SiJDfviUjnTKw/s320/00007469_ladyfuzz.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296254396053523410" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Usually the best bands have the lamest names. that's not always the case, though. Here are some of my all time favorite band names - and most are bands I like a lot. What are your favorites?</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ladyfuzz</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Throbbing Gristle</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Violent Femmes</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Butthole Surfers</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Velvet Underground</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Breeders</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Touched by a Janitor</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The meat puppets</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Dead Kennedys</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Sex Pistols</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Drowning, Not Waving</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Beastie Boys<br />Revolting cocks</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Superchunk<br />The Darkness</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Hope Bombs</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Nipple Erectors</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And my favorite names for back-up singers and bands: The Pips, The Scorchers, The Bad Seeds, The Homewreckers</span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="plainMail"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div></span>Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-56637641463901551892009-01-24T03:20:00.017-06:002009-01-24T04:26:14.555-06:00Hip-Hop in China<B><a href="http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/01/23/arts/1231545688617/chinas-underground-hip-hop-movement.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink" target="new">New York Times Clip about Underground Hip-Hop in CHina</a></B><br /><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/rhymebot?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink" target="new">http://www.myspace.com/rhymebot</a><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rij6ZH6kAKc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rij6ZH6kAKc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QZ_AFW6BHpQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QZ_AFW6BHpQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Ivohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139745125806427120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-3563311621585014792009-01-22T17:10:00.005-06:002009-01-22T17:17:33.449-06:00The Open Rights GroupThis is about Europe...but the same discussion has been going on in the States..very important!! Hope this is not too much off topic Jim...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kijON_XODUk&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kijON_XODUk&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Ivohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139745125806427120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-78038700715964710672009-01-19T04:02:00.009-06:002009-01-24T03:28:31.150-06:00U2 & Negativland<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWU59JMYje_0jHBHUffvQTECxI1wY4iIdDDFhpu6zCYpsweL598fd2hHrUFTs0Dv7CADfbKn-dDzn8GB-cetpV83v2rACf2z9_DUV1SooxmZj5g1wEqceUNX6UF-x8D3fl_F1QF_Q56I/s1600-h/Negativeland.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWU59JMYje_0jHBHUffvQTECxI1wY4iIdDDFhpu6zCYpsweL598fd2hHrUFTs0Dv7CADfbKn-dDzn8GB-cetpV83v2rACf2z9_DUV1SooxmZj5g1wEqceUNX6UF-x8D3fl_F1QF_Q56I/s400/Negativeland.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293149096444990274" border="0" /></a><br />Last night I saw U2 playing for Obama. Next to me on the couch was a friend who is a big fan. For me U2 was also pretty important when I was a teenager. My first 12" was "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Although I have always been slightly irritated by Bono's Jesus wannabee behavior their music did mean a lot to me, especially the Joshua Tree album. Recently someone was telling me how U2 is now supporting arts in Ireland. There is also a darker side to U2 when it comes to art (this is old news, but hey, this is a blog, not the New York Times). Island Records tried to sue the hell out of Negativeland when they made their U2 track. Here is one of the Negativeland members with their story:<br /><br /><a href="http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LB/0511/Negativland_5.mp3" target="new">http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LB/0511/Negativland_5.mp3</a><br /><br /><br />It should be said mabey to be fair that it was Island and not U2 itself who did the sueing, but hey, they could have stopped it if they really wanted to. Negativeland are now my heroes, not Bono and his mates.Ivohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139745125806427120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-90750467213335266772009-01-16T16:18:00.002-06:002009-01-19T17:33:29.567-06:00RIP: a remix manifesto"RIP: a remix manifesto" is a very interesting film from Brett Gaylor, hope I can see it soon:<br /><br /><a href="http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=9oar9glUCL0" target="new">http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=9oar9glUCL0</a><br /><br />It is a documentary about Girl Talk, a "Mash up" artist (not a DJ) and about the changing copyright situation. The film itself is mash up; made out of contributions of many different people. Mash up, remix, sample, cut, copy and paste: its all fair game as far as I am concerned. Creativity cannot be limited by the ridiculous pressures, regulations and lobby's from the music industry mafia, who is not interested in music, art or beauty but in only in money. There was no problem when everyone had to buy their LP collection again on CD...the music industry should adapt or die.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ivobol.nl/blog//GirlTalk.jpg" title="GirlTalk.jpg"><img src="http://www.ivobol.nl/afbeeldingen/GirlTalk.jpg" align="top" height="256" width="252" /></a>Ivohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139745125806427120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-82322945793541017952008-12-22T13:36:00.007-06:002008-12-28T13:13:24.186-06:00New Year wishesFollowing up on Jim's theme of last years disappointments here is something else: my wishlist for 2009, what bands / artists would I like to see releasing a brilliant album:<br /><br />- Battles; one of my favs at the moment<br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/battlestheband" target="new">http://www.myspace.com/battlestheband</a><br /><br />- Panda Bear, crazy frontman of schizo band animal collective<br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/rippityrippity" target="new">http://www.myspace.com/rippityrippity</a><br /><br />- D'Angelo; I guess that will never happen..if only, my favorite R&B artist<br /><br />- Dr Who Dat - Since I got the album Beat Journey from my sister I was hooked, very creative instrumental hiphop<br /><a href="http://www.boomkat.com/artist.cfm?a=11296" target="new"><br />http://www.boomkat.com/artist.cfm?a=11296</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHnf0bxVeMG15D0_79QMHsi5mPtCZB3UayuJkHyrBOZYZNCRJB47ZTwdUdzHknv-aCECiWDiDayxtf0_YyUFzBmP86TxPVBRp3IQC0asnmKUpukp_BgyHgSMsl2umrz4z5TyoDSdf7WM/s1600-h/DrWhoDat-BeatSPED.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 112px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHnf0bxVeMG15D0_79QMHsi5mPtCZB3UayuJkHyrBOZYZNCRJB47ZTwdUdzHknv-aCECiWDiDayxtf0_YyUFzBmP86TxPVBRp3IQC0asnmKUpukp_BgyHgSMsl2umrz4z5TyoDSdf7WM/s400/DrWhoDat-BeatSPED.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282705482821381026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />- Portishead; because I was digging their last album<br /><br />Best concert of 2008: Sigur Ros, Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, November 17 2008Ivohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139745125806427120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821061962491121543.post-77684762142407563162008-12-21T11:35:00.003-06:002008-12-21T11:53:40.041-06:00You let me down, baby!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsG4OukERWOOx_aMyp2jO7EjpbHJzetvYCug9oXtSOloHAgMf1LtHQie71uSU5gqvK1kpI0vELVMPMc0u8u7qkouf3OTJn1hWOxaMT5B8b5_M3YeSE4SiH5v_vojputbqT822HpOH0KCY/s1600-h/disappointed_icecream001.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsG4OukERWOOx_aMyp2jO7EjpbHJzetvYCug9oXtSOloHAgMf1LtHQie71uSU5gqvK1kpI0vELVMPMc0u8u7qkouf3OTJn1hWOxaMT5B8b5_M3YeSE4SiH5v_vojputbqT822HpOH0KCY/s320/disappointed_icecream001.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282301131834473746" /></a><br /><div>The great Chicago (WBEZ) radio program Sound Opinions has an annual Thanksgiving "Turkey Shoot" show- i.e. bands and albums that have dispaointed them in the past year:</div><div>http://www.soundopinions.org/shownotes/2008/112808/shownotes.html<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Loving lists as I do, I though this would be a great idea for us to list our biggest recent dissapointments. Here are mine, looking forward to seeing yours:</div><div><br /></div><div>1. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Skeletal Lamping - Of Montreal</span>. Of Montreal is one of the band's I've been the most excited about in a while. Fun, talent, wit, brilliant song-writing and extreme silliness. However, being too clever for their own good has always been a potential flaw with this band - and in this case it proves fatal. Too much of evrything - tempo changes, interludes, effects, nerd-sex one liners, geek pimpin' - all stuff that they've used brilliantly in the past, but here it distracts from the actual music. It's still all about the songs - remember? I had thought this bad got that.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Stay Positive - The Hold Steady. </span>I really don't have anything bad to say about this album. they're still a great band and this is a fair album. I guess it's just a huge dissapointment to me compared to Boys and Girls of America. This album is fine - it just lacks majic. I just can't get into it.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Evolver - John Legend. </span>Just when you though John legend was going to be the messiah to lead R&B back to the promised land of creativity, talent and soul, he goes to sleep. This album is booooooooooring and over-produced. </div><div><br /></div><div>4. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Chinese Democracy - Guns N’ Roses. </span>Not that I expected it to be good, but I thought just maybe... ah, no! Street of Dreams may be the worse rock song ever. <br /></div><div><br /></div>Jim Klus-Salisburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11318019248346245362noreply@blogger.com1