Chariots Of The Gods

I've owned a copy of this book for quite some time now but I just discovered this video. It's crazy, funny, weird and interesting. It's an interesting idea but probably not something I can fully subscribe to.

New styles of graffiti

Here's a few new explorations into graffiti worth checking out:

PaintThatShitGold allows you to bomb any other site on the web. It's part of the promotion for Atmosphere's recent album (I don't know if it's the most recent one)

Graffiti Playdo allows you to do graff with other people over the web.

Green Works' Reverse Graffiti is a really cool project. So simple but thought provoking in different ways. Thanks to one of my professors, Tony G from Grow Design, for letting me know about this. You can see a lot more pictures of these pieces on Flikr


Tagged In Motion is insane!!! I love the blend between the primitiveness (yes, it's a new word now) of graffiti with the cutting edge computer/tech/geek/vr stuff.
This still blows me away when I watch it. I first saw this about 6 months ago and it's stayed in my mind since then so it's pretty damn impressive.


Hektor is another project I've known about for a while (although I was late...it's a few years old). It's essentially just a couple of motors and a string that moves the can of spray paint around. It makes the images from basic vector art and then figures out the path that it must go in to produce the art, similar to a CNC machine.

A couple more reasons why NY is better

There's always good stuff going on in NY but here's a couple that will be going on for a while so those of us not cool enough to live in NY can still make time to see. I was really upset that I couldn't make it to MoMA for "Design and the Elastic Mind" and I wish I could attend some of the Buckminster Fuller Institute's events but here's a couple that I'm looking forward to not missing. If any of you plan on going, let me know.

NYC Waterfalls by Olafur Eliasson

You should really check out more of Olafur Eliasson's work. He's does amazing and inspiring installations all over the world.

Playing The Building by David Byrne. 

If you didn't already know it, David Byrne is a genius. Although I know that many of us may have had this idea, he's the first I've seen to something like this on this level.

Bad and worse videos of the week

Thanks to my man Statik for always taking time to suffer through some of the worst music clips on youtube and sending them to me. Thanks for taking one for the team bro!.I'm sure they get waaaay better but I turned them off at about the 20sec mark..because I didn't want to spoil a good thing and that much awesomeness might be too much for me. Statik just give me the war report.

First up is by a group destined for stardom called Thug Slaughter Force (or TSF as I like to call them). This song is amazing because it seems like there's only about 20 of them in the crew and together they were able to write these provocative and catchy lyrics that will be sure to make this an instant classic.


Next is a live performance of this new soul super star named Tay Zonday doing his smash hit "Chocolate Rain". Which, is apparently a more modern and urban version of Diarrhea Cha Cha Cha. Or maybe he's just some sex perv like R. Kelly. Eitherway, people take his shit seriously!

Awe...isn't that sweet

Here's a couple stories that I thought were touching. I like romantic stuff like this sometimes because it makes me feel human and I can laugh at somebody for being such a wimp! (just kidding) I'm a bit of a romantic myself but I'm not sure I'd do anything as crazy as these guys. Then again, I haven't been in a relationship in a long time and haven't had the chance to spend as much time with someone as these guys have.

I think this story is amazing. Not only is it romantic and sweet but it really shows tests the limits of focus and endurance.
read- Man carves 6,000 stairs for his wife
(what if he was just building himself a faster escape route?)

Now, this one isn't so sweet. Basically this man is suffering from a common mental illness only found in males called 'I can't believe she did this to me' syndrome. The cause is when a woman whom a man has spent considerable time, emotion and even money on, just decides to end the relationship or cheats on the man. Nobody really knows what causes the woman to do such things but some researchers believe they most likely suffer stupidity, selfishness and a cold heart. Unfortunately, symptoms will be with the man for life but there are cures to make life livable again. Such as getting rid of any physical evidence that reminds him of the woman. That's what this guy did. I wonder though, if he's selling everything he owns, isn't he selling his life before her too?! That seems kind of dumb if you ask me. Yeah, ok, this guy is just an idiot and she should have left him. ("that's right baby, you're with me now and I'd never sell everything I own to get you out of my life. See, i told you I'm romantic!")
Read his story and check out the auction>

On a side note, I've been asked the question 'so, why are you single?' quite a bit and I honestly don't know. I have met and went out with a lot of girls in the last couple of years (like a pimp!) but have only met a couple that I sincerely wanted to be with. Even recently I met someone I really wanted to know and be with..she's awesome, smart, funny, caring, interesting, etc...we had a great time and really connected and were both looking forward to seeing each other more...I wasn't planning of building 6k stairs but would have done some other good stuff with/for her. We only hung out once though and she won't talk to me now!? I know you're probably thinking,"wtf?!" I don't know, maybe you should ask her! haha.. Or, if you know someone whom I might like, let me know. I'll warn you though, I'm picky..they must have all their limbs! (being awake, able to speak and walk would be nice too!) hehe...I kid, I kid..

Must See->

Here's a clip of Talking Heads performing in Rome circa 1980!! They always had an amazing line up of musicians but that was probably their best tour. Maybe it's just me but I am very distracted by how beautiful Dolette MacDonals is. I'd recommend searching for more live footage of Talking Heads & David Byrne. Definitely watch Houses In Motion from this footage too!!

A slice of hipster heaven

As I've said before, I do not understand the whole 'hipster' scene. I think a lot of the music coming from that scene sux azz but I like some of it A LOT! Hell, good music is good music and transcends all barriers (except for commercial radio and the FCC).  Here's a few selections that you should know..

First up is by Simian Mobile Disco. If you don't know, these dudes are amazing electronic musicians that are mostly analog. They do use digital recording methods but for the most part they're old analog dudes that make some really dope music. Their videos are pretty done really well and although they conflict with the music they work since they fit in with the irony and randomness of their main audience. Although these are well over a year old they still kill on the dance floor. "Hustler" is an undeniable modern club classic in my opinion. "I Believe" is a great early or late night monster..very versatile track. You really should invest in a copy of their last album- Buy it!

fellas, you may like uncensored version of this next video a lot more



Next up is a video by Hollywood Holt. I really don't know much about them but this video caught my attention a while back when browsing the interweb. I know it's a spoof but I like it. It's like something Del would've done back in 98 or something. The lyrics and the video are fun. Imagine if more hip-hop was really about fun or if 'fun' in rap music didn't include violence, drugs, money, cheating, etc... (Confession: I like the original "Throw Some D's")





For this next video you just have to click on the link since you're not allowed to embed it. It's by this group called MGMT. They are super hipster, Brooklyn based and are really good. Unlike much of these hipster 'bands' they actually do play instruments and seem to know a lil' something about 'good' music. Now, I have TONS of disco and have heard a lot but this really caught my attention the first time I heard it. It really sounds like it could have been done in the late '70s or early '80s and I'm sure that's the sound they were going for. The song writing is simple and sweet the way disco should be. I would have went for a different look with the video but I do like the crazy weirdness of their choice too. I'm glad to see music like this actually becoming popular but it's still not played on the radio which is a shame. You can buy the album HERE>
WATCH THE VIDEO>>

Good resource for us designers...

Seriously, you may never use these materials for any projects but knowing what's out there is super important. Sure, this doesn't have everything that's in the book but you can find more information elsewhere. This is still very good starting point. I would highly recommend buying a copy of the book (for me! I'll let you borrow it though)

read more at Transmaterial


-pictured: xGNP. a new kind of nano particle that can be used in small amounts to make plastics electrically or thermally conductive

HUGE balls of steel

Get your minds out the gutters ladies..this isn't about me! (wink)

This is about a building tuned mass damper in the worlds' tallest building- Taipei 101. Read more about it here> It was put to the test recently during the massive earthquakes that rocked China and it worked as expected. Watch the video below. 

Good to know: I'm not the only person with this theory

I'm not a scientist by any means although I love learning about scientific things. I am however into thinking about logical or practical theories to explain things. Such as, aliens really coming from the center of the earth and not the center of the universe...you know hard core logic based on fact and empirical evidence. We don't even know where the center of the universe is. Sorry ladies, you are not the center of the universe. That would defy logic and based on the evidence it would appear that the earth remains completely still and everything is moving around us...so, there you go, the center of the earth is where aliens come from. 

Ok, back to serious reality land is the pangea theory and plate-tectonics. Even as a kid i thought it made more sense that the earth was at one point much denser and the surface was all land. Seriously, how else would all the land mass go back together  unless the earth was smaller but contained the same mass. Plus, the earth is heating up and as things heat up they expand. Therefore, it would make sense that the earth is in-fact expanding. I stopped sharing this with people since it is an unpopular theory and was tired of it being called crazy, weird or dumb. I'm not surprised to learn that other people have thought this but am pleased to see that some lunatic made a video. It's ok that I call him that because  he is...c'mon, he's a comic book author! Those people are scare me more than animals that look like plants.

Here's a video of this theory..

Contact Info

If you want to just talk it up or book me for DJ or design work, here's my info....

main email- vinyl@theRecordPlayer.net

MSN- the_Record_Player@hotmail.com

AIM- therec0rdplayer

FaceBook- HERE

Myspace- HERE

phone # available upon request

Frequently Asked Questions

-How are you allowed to post music on this blog?

-I'm not allowed but I am doing it to promote the support and sales of music I like and think people should buy and listen to. I always try to provide links directly to the artists page where you can buy their products. If any artists or labels want me to take their music down I will do so immediately upon request. Or, if you have more info on any of the music on here, please let me know.

-I can't download the songs. What is wrong?

 -Nothing. I am posting music only to share the knowledge and to spark interest. Of course I love those sites too where you can download songs. However, that's not my goal or anything I'm personally interested in doing. If you have rare recordings to trade I would be more than welcome to trade with you. The songs I post though, are just for listening and can be found by clicking on the "Listen" button up there in the menu bar. You can always download my mixes though..click on that big "download" button to the right!. 

-Do you still DJ and/or do mixes anymore?

 -Not as much as I would like to. Going back to school to has essentially sidetracked me, or derailed rather, from DJing. It remains a passion of mine and will be able to focus on it again once I'm done with school make money again and regain focus. Of course the downward spiral of the music scene here in Philly has also affected this but it is really more about pursuing a different creative path in the world of visual art & design. Sometimes when I do play out, I'll record my sets and edit out some good segments to share. Plus, I still have a lot of old recordings of live sets and practice sessions that I'll try to put up from time to time- just click on the 'Downloads' button from the main page.

-Can you post my music, art or design?

-You can email it to me and if I like it I definitely will.

-Can I contribute to the content or writing?

-Absolutely! Just email me links, pics or articles. 

-How can we share links?

-Just email me with some information about you or your site/service. We'll take it from there.

-Can we advertise on your site?

-Possibly. Currently, I'm only placing ads/links with people I actually know and support. I use do use AdSense in my RSS feed but would consider replacing that with a custom ad. I do want to have the option of having more ads for sites and products I support. If you're looking at this site, we probably support each other already so it should be easy.

-I have a different question?

-Just write me a message and I'll be happy to answer. I'm pretty easy to find and will write back as soon as I can. Just click on the "Contact" section above.

Magic is DEFINITELY real...

I don't believe what people say about magic not being real. There's tons of pictures and videos of it and now even artists are doing it. Check out German artist Johan Lorbeer. And here's some pictures and even a video from some one's camcorder!! So, you know it's real now. See...told you so!

Revolutionary car-design looks fishy...

If you haven't already seen or heard, BMW has developed a new car that uses fabric instead of metal as the outer skin. I don't know why but BMW's design team seems to like fish and sharks...this is seriously the 4th or 5th car from them that makes me instantly think of a shark, manta ray, angler fish or some other type of marine life. Maybe they used a fabric like sharks' skin? If you've never really looked at shark skin you should...it's super aerodynamic but can also work like sand paper in the other direction. Anyway, as a designer this project made me extremely happy:
1- it is really pushing boundaries and thinking way outside of convention
2- it is REAL!! they actually did it!! (this is not just some computer model folks! they made and prototyped this!!)
3- it is promoting people to think about and question their consumption but also about their choices
4- it is a great study in materials and technology
5- it is a beautiful marriage of above and below the surface design and engineering

Unfortunately, this will only remain a concept car. There is only one and will be put into a German automotive museum. You can see some really good pictures of it at AutoBlog.

another BAD video!!

After checking out some other hipster blogs I found something worse than those previous videos. There were many bad songs to choose from but some of the videos are actually pretty interesting. I'll post those at times too. Anyway, this is one of the worst songs I've ever heard and what is worse is that the site I saw this on was presenting it like they seriously liked it. So, don't be surprised if you hear this being played. The internet has some kids and DJs in a death grip which prevents them to make up their own opinions about what they like. And, to think...I bet a couple dudes actually got laid after this trash and those girls think their going to be famous. I'm laughing while crying;'[

David Byrne news....

I want to do a thorough post dedicated to David Byrne but today I stumbled upon this video. I was a little skeptical of the cameo with Dizzie Rascal but it's a quick enough verse that it doesn't hurt too much. The video is pretty clever though. The only real problem is that it's a grainy YouTube video and there's distracting black boxes everywhere.

What's wrong with music the club scene right now

UUUGGGGHHHH.....
can somebody PLEEEEEEASE tell my why bullshit like this is considered dope right about now in the club scene. I have seriously asked people that are into this kind of trash why and they can't seem to understand the question. Typical responses include, "because dude...it's the shit" or "you mean, you don't like this.?" I'll continue to raise this question since I am legitimately curious as much as I am angry about popular music these days. A lot of it just seems to me like it is produced with the intent to be as bad and ridiculous as possible.



this is pretty bad too...kids really think this is 'good music' though (shaking head)

thunderheist - jerk it from thatgo on Vimeo.

Wire Frame Car

I'm attempting to go back and find some of my favorite things I've seen online over the past couple years. This isn't something I actively spend time on but some things show up again or I see something new that makes me go back and look at other work. Case in point: these sculptures by Benedict Radcliffe. His other works are nice too but he is most known for his wire framed cars. The one in the picture is called 'Modern Japanese Classic' and is now owned by collector David Roberts. There are other pictures of this piece all over the web since this would get 'parked' on the street for everybody to admire.

FREE Latin/Brazilian mix to download

Here's a mix I did a couple years ago that was just the first draft but I've decided to give it to you. You're welcome!



The South...the deep south.
download it here>

or here (zShare link)

Absolute Machine(s)...absolutely amazing

This is a piece I first learned about a few months ago from an issue of Tokion I was reading. I'm a sucker for real heady art & sound installations and experiments. But I'm especially intrigued by projects that cross into understanding and interaction from the general public. Recently two prize winners of Absolute Vodka's "Absolut Visionaries" initiative built a remarkable instrument. The first part of Absolut Visionaries is Absolut Machines with a multi-layered question "In an Absolut world, would machines be creative?"

Dan Paluska & Jeff Lieberman have built an instrument called Absolut Quartet that receives data that you input from your computer from any where in the world via internet, then teaches itself a new composition no matter how seemingly random your keystrokes seem to be. This part of the project is amazing in itself and would be impressive if it were just generating computer based music but these guys are nuts and took it much further. They liked the sound of a marimba but just having mallets strike the keys was too simple for them. No, they have balls that are launched and strike the notes at just the right time then bounce off. There is also an organ and drum sounds but they are really just in the background.

This is an amazing feat of engineering, design and programming. Figuring out the delay needed must have been a challenge, but then to program each motor to propel the ball at different arcs and speeds with regards to the size & weight of the balls is an entirely different challenge. And, of course, the balls can only hit one note or else it will mess up the sound. Oh yeah, and part of this quartet is wine glasses w/ water or oil in them that turn underneath some apparatus that makes them produce sound. In case, you're wondering, yes, each part of the 'quartet' plays their own part the same as people would. This is like the Telematic Drum Circle on drugs although, that is an interesting piece as well. (you can find that on youtube as well) I'm pretty upset that I didn't get a chance to make a composition on it. Oh well.. Hopefully, I will get chances to work on future projects such as this one.

Read more about this and other Absolut Machines

Hip Hop is NOT dead (yet)

Sure 'rap' is very much alive but raw hip-hop seems to be a thing of the past as far as mass media is concerned. But fortunately some people just won't let the legacy die. Yes, people DO care about positivity..and culture..and intelligence..and creativity..and...well, you get the idea.

Wale "The Grown Up" (from The Mixtape About Nothing © 2008)
SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC- DOWNLOAD THIS ALBUM FOR FREE!!!

Honestly, I kinda forgot about this dude since the last mixtape he did with Nick Catchdubs which was actually really dope. This new project is better though.



J Dilla "Creepin' On You" (from the unreleased MCA album © 2002?)
SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC!!

I know by now most of you have this but on the off chance that you don't, here's a jewel. Yes the material is old but since it really just became available I put it in this post.





Little Brother "System f/ Tone Trezure" (not from The Get Back © 2007)
SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC- BUY THIS ALBUM!!!

I just got this and for some reason I hadn't heard this song before. It should have been on the album. Either way, Little Brother is always a sure bet. If you can only buy one album from this list, make it an L.B. album. Seriously, as dope as the other songs in this post are the full albums aren't as thorough.



Lupe Fiasco "Gold Watch" (from The Cool © 2008)
SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC- BUY THIS ALBUM!!!

This album came out a while ago but still, this has stayed in rotation. There's enough solid material on this album to make it worth getting. The last album only had like 2 tracks worth playing but this one really caught me by surprise. This track here sounds like it could have been made about 10 years ago but in a good way...like aged whisky. Yeah, get drunk on this shit.


The Roots "Lost Desire f/ Malik B & Talib Kweli" (from Rising Down © 2008)
SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC- BUY THIS ALBUM!!!

I know a lot of people aren't really feeling this new album. I think they just need to really listen to it. If anything there's only 2 songs that aren't bangers. I'm really feelin' this album. It's waaaay better than their last album. You need this in you life.

Brand New..

Last week I got a bunch of new joints to listen to and here a couple teasers you should definitely check out. I'll try to stay up on these new goodies as well as dig in my collection for some new gems for your ears.



Sonar Kollektiv Orchestra "Boom Chlicky Boom Klak" [Jazzanova] (SKR © 2008)
SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC- BUY THIS ALBUM!!! (when it is released)

The project was assembled to be in sync with Sonar Kollektiv Records' 10 year anniversary. Honestly, I'm feeling some of the versions even more than the originals. You can check out more tracks, watch some video of them live and learn more here>



Zaki Ibrahim "Computer Girl"
SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC- BUY THIS ALBUM!!! (when it is released)
Learn more about her, hear more song and see some pictures here>

Physical Attraction : magnetic art

Here's a couple videos involving magnets. The first one is one of many videos I've seen with FerroFluid (an oily fluid with magnetic particles suspended in it). This was developed by Japanese artist, Sachiko Kodama.


The second video is from some company called NASA. They're not too good at making movies although the technology the used is amazing. They might be better suited for space science and aeronautics.

Naked ladies! (almost)

This woman,Emma Hack, does some beautiful work. I'm espeically impressed by the medium- beautiful naked woment. Why didn't I think of this?! Actually, I have thought about this A LOT since I was a little kid. All that happened though was a lot of rejection, slaps and, as I grew older, court cases. I should probably ask first but I'm just not that kind of artist.



This guy, John Vargas, does some nice body painting too but in a more commercialized way.

New 3G iPhone: kinda disappointed.

Yes, that's right, a disappointment. C'mon Apple! There was soooo much hype and then you introduce a phone that is what the first version should have been. Great, now you finally have a phone that compares to Blackberry or Treo. But it still lacks basic features that even the cheapest phones have (like a headphpne jack that's flush with the body!!?) and then they made a big deal about the 2.0 firmware release features that should have been there to begin with! (such as 'delete all' for mail...big deal!) Ok, it DOES do a lot of things that no other phone does but it should do all the things that other phones do do. (HAHA..get it. Sorry, I had to for shits & giggles. Ok, I'm stopping now because I think I just pooped! No shit!)

From a design perspective, I have to question Apple's choice in material- plastic. This strikes a nerve with me for a couple of reasons. For one, it's not recycled plastic and chances are, it never will be recycled. There's also a durbility issue with plastic since it can crack and scrathes easily. (it's that super-glossy kind) Wasn't that a big issue with old iPods? If they stuck with aluminum, they could not only use a higher percentage of post-consumer waste but it could also help to keep the product out of the landfill. Not to mention the fact that it is much more durable and scratch resistant. OK, so I got three points. The third is the fact that Apple is voiding their own promise to be environmentally responsible and conscious. Which, by the way, they are not very responsible with their packaging for the iPhone either. I think consumers will be just as happy if their new iPhone came packaged in a 100% post-consumer recycled cardboard box printed with soy inks and no plastic bags. Apple does claim to be very environmentally aware and responsible about it's products but I'm not totally convinced since it is also very trendy to put this kind of stuff on your website nowadays. However, I think Apple's choice to only redsign the back and not the top was a good one to make. But what about all the things it does do or have...

The camera still sucks (except outdoors) and has no flash.
Still no MMS.
Still no cut and paste.
Still no date on the main screen.
Still no SMS features such as letting you know how many characters or how many you've used, canceling send, etc..
Still no sorting features for the iPod
Still no manually moving the cursor (w/ keypad)
Still no viewing quicktime or mpg vids on sites
Still no flash browsing
Still no full-screen browsing
Still no control over the drive for downloading, importing or exporting files (such as email attachments
Still only on ATT
Service fees are higher than 2G version by about $15/mo.
Cannot activate from home anymore (very strange since it will be available online.)

After I get 2.0 for my 2G iPhone I'm sure there will be A LOT more issues. This is just a small list from what the current version (1.1.4) doesn't have. It is only $199 though..hopefully they will offer a refund on recent purchases of the 2G model. I was also surprised that they didn't introduce a new MacBook Pro which they were expect to do. Not that I would be able to afford one, but it would make the price of the current ones a lot less and hopefully attainable for me!

News: blogger.com breaks, I waste a lot of time

Since yesterday, Blogger.com has been royally screwed up. Everybody using FTP with their service has been experiencing issues ranging from very long loading times to not being able to publish anything at all. Most people wouldn't expect this too happen. So, like I'm sure most of us did, I tried everything I could possibly do to fix the situation on my end including having a programming master take a look at it. About an hour later I found out that the problem WAS on blogger's end. Of course this is after I wasted roughly 5 hours trying to fix the situation and repeatedly attempting to republish.

I LOOOOOVE wasting time too. Thank you Blogger and Google! I guess you get what you pay for though.

DJs ARE alive (maybe too much!) A rant about Jermaine Dupri's comment.

Earlier today my man Statik showed me a video of wack-ass Jermaine Dupri saying "the DJ died." His point is that the days when an artist could just give a DJ a 12" or CD and he'd play it right there are dead. Well, J.D. I got news for you- it's corny dudes like you that made us skeptical of playing anything you hand us. If people like yourself in 'the game' made better music, you wouldn't have to worry about it getting played or not. Honestly, if Jermaine Dupri makes something truly dope, let me know and I'll play it. But at this point he's basically pissed off enough people that he's guaranteed to get less love. What an idiot! The situation that sparked his statement probably went something like this:
J.Dupri- "hey man, I got some hot fire for you"
DJ- "ok thanks" (DJ listens to it and is SUCKS!)
J.Dupri- "are you gonna play that joint...shit is hot son"
DJ- "umm, I'll try to work it in my set."
(an hour later the song hasn't been played)
J.Dupri- "yo! play that song man!"
DJ- "I told you, I'll try to work it in."
(another 30 minutes pass)
J.Dupri- "what's the deal cousin...you better play my song."
DJ- "look! your song is WACK! sorry, if you wanna take it personal, do what you gotta do. hell, I'd be happy to take your money in court! In the meantime, let me to my job. Until, you're paying me serious money, I'm not playing this bullshit."
J.Dupri- (leaves the club then proceeds to dis DJs on the internet)

However, I will say that the integrity of radio DJs (and most 'club' DJs) in America has been severely compromised and they are essentially robots. This is not what Mr. Dupri was referring to though. I can also say that most DJs out here these days are essentially dead since they lack the soul and artistry that once made DJs respected. All you corny cookie-cutter DJs have really fucked it up for the rest of us. Since when can kids that just started, have paid NO dues, have no records and no soul steal all the gigs? You little cut-throat mutha fuckers taking gigs for peanuts have fucked all of us and made us less valuable in the eyes of the public. AND, because most of these new DJs are so wack and have horrible selection, they have NO longevity. It's these DJs that are helping the problem by playing all that radio bullshit. Trust me, if DJs in the clubs just don't play that stuff, people will still dance. The fact is that most people think that music sucks but they rely on us to tell them what's hot and we have DJs misinforming the public. If anything Mr. Dupri, there are too many DJs alive.

Shed a tear (introduction to music postings)

So, finally a 'real' music posting. This is in-fact one of my main reasons for starting this blog. My sole purpose for getting into DJing was to share good music with people that may otherwise never get to hear it. Without getting too deep into it, I've been addicted to music and collecting it since about age 6. I got into collecting vinyl only about 11 years ago and about 3 years ago I started collecting music in digital format as well. So, over the years I've acquired a considerable amount of music and knowledge but I never have or will claim to be an expert in any area. Even though my collection is pretty damn big I am consistently amazed by how much great music has been made in the past 50-60 years and always humbled. Music is like any other form of knowledge- "the more you learn, the less you know." (trust me, that statement makes perfect sense)

I'll get into some issues at another time but for now you need to hear these-



Amnesty "Liberty" (taken from Free Your Mind ©2007, Now-Again)
SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC- BUY THIS ALBUM!!!

I love reissues and compilations. Especially when people take the time to find and release jewels that were rare even in their day. This collection of rarities by Amnesty is simply amazing. From the 7"s I had from them I was expecting more funk there are some funk bangers on there too!!) but this album has really grown on me and especially the songs with little instrumentation. Their harmony and arrangement is perfect while their message and delivery maintains a raw feeling that gives me chills. The passion & soul pours right from the music and flows through you making you almost feel as you are one with them. This song really makes you feel like crying for so many reasons. To think that it was recorded over 35 years ago and is still completely relevant makes you realize that America is not as far along in it's progress as it should be. Until human beings reach a point where nobody struggles songs like this will always be around.
"give a cry out for liberty"




5 Spiritual Tones "Bad Situation" (taken from Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal © 2008 Numero Group)
SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC- BUY THIS ALBUM!!!

This company has consistently releasing some of the best soul compilations ever done. You don't even have to listen before you buy...just get it while you can! Now, I'm not a religious person and am not really into gospel music. I am into good music though no matter what form it takes and this compilation just took my by surprise. I was expecting maybe 2 or 3 songs that I'd really listen to and hopefully play out sometime. Nearly all the tracks are 10s. This song isn't even one of the best ones! Seriously, that's how good this record is.

This song is weird. It's talking about serious stuff but makes you want to smile & dance as if that's going to solve the problems their singing about. Sadly this wasn't true but this song gives hope. Ok, enough talking...just listen to the music.

Muto painting animation by BLU

this blew me away when I first saw this about a month ago...the still images would still be really nice but this artists known as Blu. I've seen TONS of graffiti in all different styles from all over the world but this really stands out to me. It's cool too that he leaves his mark only by a clean black or white surface for the next artist to use.

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

The Roots' Picnic

In case you didn't hear about it, The Roots hosted a bunch of other bands for an all-day event here in Philly on Saturday and called it "The Roots' Picnic". It was extremely HOT too (about 98º F). So, all day I was amazed that the acts were performing as though they were in a nice air-conditioned room. I missed The Roots' first 2 sets unfortunately (yes they playe 3 times!!) and I missed J-Davey (she's soooo fine). The Cool Kids were finishing their set and all I can say is DAMN!! First off, I've seen soooo many hip-hop shows so I'm not easily impressed. But for a new group that most of the crowd had never heard of they had everybody's attention. Tons of energy and great crowd control and as a bonus, they make some dope music.

I don't know who the next band was but wasn't really into them either. Maybe I was just a little anxious to get a beer. Next on the stage though was this group I hadn't heard of called Deerhoof. I'll definitely be checking for their music though. Their stuff reminds me of some of the mid-80s New York punk/funk stuff which I'm a huge fan of (although I haven't dedicated much time to really learn much about it yet).


I was really there just to see Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, The Roots & Gnarls Barkley though. I couldn't believe Blinky Griptight was still wearing the full black suit in that weather...for the whole show!! They killed it!! About 90% of the crowd didn't know who they were but it didn't matter. When a group is that tight, people can't deny that it's good. It was refreshing to see all these people who would probably never listen to them music totally appreciating what they were witnessing.


Next was The Roots. I don't have to explain....they one of the best shows in all of music. I can't say that it was the best Roots show I've seen but, they're always amazing. Oh....Leonard Hubbard came out for a couple songs and did one of his insane solos!!! I was surprised/disappointed that they didn't have a bunch of people do guest spots with them like usual. All that talent there and nobody else came out to perform with them.





Gnarls Barkley was good too. Their show was almost too clean though...the band was so tight that it sounded almost identical to the albums. They were 'crazy' though (sorry, I couldn't resist). Cee-Lo is incredible!!! I'm sure most of us have see live performances of them online so, I won't bore you with more commentary. Oh...but ?uestlove did come out and jam with them for 2 songs- one on traps and one on percussion.

About

working on this section...for now these links will help-

For now you can check out my MySpace profile (getting updated soon)


or Facebook

You can also check out my design portfolio at:

view my portfolio:
coroflot.com/MattBraun

Life gets easier (not really)

I just discovered that I can post new stuff from iPhone!!!!

I am soooo going to make the most of my time at work now. No longer will I have to pretend that I'm doing something instead of my normal days at the office that are spent checking to see if the water cooler needs a new bottle. When we actually do need a new one I just tell someone else to do it because I have work to do.

"thanks Kevin! You know I got your back bro!"

Nothin but time...

So, I'll admit that I somehow find time to do thing that may not make sense (such as browsing the world for content) but some people just seem to dedicate their lives to doing everything but work. I guess that's the advantage to never moving out of your parent's house...you get to do cool (uhhh, I mean, nerdy) things all day long. This is the first entry for a section all about things that are done by people with seemingly 'too much time' on their hands.


Revamped Graphic Equalizer from Marcelo Costa on Vimeo.

Now, this video is just weird but good for a laugh. This definitely wins the WTF award of the day.

Welcome aboard..

Welcome to a journey.

As you get to know me and this site you will quickly learn that I watch, read and listen to an insane amount of media. Although it seems at times that not a lot is getting done, I still remain amongst the busiest and most productive people I know personally. This site is both an avenue for me to share some of these findings with you as well as a way for me to catalog some of this information from this point forward. There will be plenty of time to talk more about everything but for now let's get right to it!

First is a video I stumbled upon a few months back while researching for an unrelated project. It is of a small group painting in only black and white on only one wall over the course of one week. Equally impressive with these works is the content, styles, improvisation and collaboration. Enjoy!