SpongeBob Quote
His chops are too righteous. The helmets can’t handle this level of rock ‘n’ roll.
— Plankton, in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
CD
His chops are too righteous. The helmets can’t handle this level of rock ‘n’ roll.
— Plankton, in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
The magic of video editing - This guy can neither play the piano nor the drums … but phenomenal editing puts this entire song together out of video fragments.
Welcome to one of the best recording studios in the world - What do you imagine when you think of a recording studio? A small, soundproof room with ratty carpet and a dilapidated mixing booth? Try this place on for size. Started by George Martin, the producer of the Beatles, AIR Studios has three absolutely world-class recording areas in its facility. Click the photo on the linked page to browse their stunning gallery of pictures.
In February of 2005, I mocked up an idea I had for attaching the iPod shuffle directly to my full size headphones. Today, when I got a second-generation iPod shuffle, I was able to realize this idea and correct a shortcoming in this newest iPod. Note that the shuffles currently ship with the previous generation iPod earbuds. You know, the ones with slightly inferior fit and sound quality to the newer ‘buds. Thanks, Apple. I had assumed the pictures depicting the old earbuds on the Apple website were used simply because the newer model was not available at time of photography/photoshopping (I’m not sure how those images were originally generated). In an effort to correct the earbud shortcoming, I realized I could combine headphones and a shuffle into a cords-free wundermusik contraption. In short, I could make my original idea a reality: a version 2.0, if you will. I’m still looking to get a shorter y-cable (1/8” stereo jack to 1/8” dual mono … anyone?), but for now this works pretty well. I’ll walk you through it.
On the local classic rock station, I heard a song by Carlos Santana today; luckily, I thought I had it in my iTunes library. Headed home, checked, and there it was: “Oye Como Va” from the Best of Santana album. Naturally, I wanted to learn a little more about the guy … I knew he had been around a while and experienced a resurgence in the 90’s. I didn’t realize that his album Supernatural was essentially all collaborations, and pretty good ones, too.
I hope that the kids, while they sing along to my songs or dance to it, feel that life is not that bad at all. Even for just a minute.
— Scatman John
I was born to sing. When I don’t, I feel empty. When I do, I feel fulfilled. It’s that simple.
— Natalie Walker
I just hacked out a big music list from my Facebook profile that came off as elitist and pretentious. For posterity, I’ll preserve it here.
(in no particular order), George Winston, Keith Jarrett, Beatles, Jimmy Eat World, Verical Horizon, Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, Nickel Creek, Peter Gabriel, Stephen Speaks, Lifehouse, Radiohead, Dishwalla, Bright Eyes, Dashboard Confessional, Enya, Dirty Vegas, Cornershop, Aberfeldy, The Raveonettes, The Strokes, Dexter Freebish, The Afters, Switchfoot, Cake, The White Stripes, Franz Fredinand, Imogen Heap aka Frou Frou, The Dead 60’s, Coldplay, Silvertide, Steadman, Weezer, Weird Al, The Arcade Fire, Paul van Dyk, DJ Tiesto, Darude (not Sandstorm), DJ Encore, Paul Oakenfold, ATB, Moby, Hoobastank, Something Corporate, Jem, Jamie Cullum, Wheat, St. Germain, Queen, Five Iron Frenzy, Keri Noble, Jack Johnson, Bjork, Benny Benassi, Kasabian, Snow Patrol, Anna Nalick, Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul Simon, Simple Plan, The Shins, Sheryl Crow, Semisonic, Scatman John, Scissor Sisters, Rufus Wainwright, Rockapella, Frank Sinatra, Ben Harper, Loreena McKennitt, Fountains of Wayne, Damien Rice, The Cynic Project, Howie Day, Keane, Telecast, Vince Guaraldi
The theremin is played without touching it - An electronic instrument invented by a Russian scientist in the early 1900’s … it’s responsible for some creepy sound effects in movies (especially in the 50’s), but also playable as a ligitimate musical instrument.
In the central Minnesotan radio market, Clear Channel Communications owns more than one station. Initially, I didn’t think much of this, until I realized truly how many stations it controls: 101.3 KDWB (Top 40), 102.1 K102 (Country), KFAN (AM Sports), KFXN (Sports), 107.9 KQQL (Oldies), 97.1 Cities 97 (Adult Alt.), and 100.3 (News/Talk). If you expand your search across the state, you’ll find 19 stations owned by Clear Channel. Combine this monolithic parent company structure with payola through a third party loophole and non-musical compression techniques, and you have what appears to be a musical wasteland. Grating as it all is, one thing bothers me far more: the capacity to introduce listeners to new music and to provide mechanisms for their feedback is being squandered. The same dang list of songs is being repeated over and over when a simple hour or two per day could be used to facilitate a “we play it and you vote on it online” format. The profits of blaring the same set of songs repeatedly is too attractive to allow for any other methods of playing music.
While my slides for tomorrow’s lectures are printing, I thought I would update you all (and my future self … while I write, I typically tend to think of “future Alex” reading “present Alex’s” musings) with my current musical enjoyments.
Dashboard Confessional
They’re coming to St. Thomas, and we are treated to an exclusive (St. Thomas students only), free (FREE!) concert. Intimate venue, big band, all going down about two hundred yards from where I’m typing this. The excitement builds.
Well, that was awesome - Ben Folds cover The Postal Service song “Such Great Heights.” This is nothing short of tremendous. Nils, I expect commentary from you about said video.
OK Go’s famous music video for ‘Here It Goes Again’ - Stunning choreography.
I really like this Bob Dylan & iTunes Commercial - I never thought I would use “Bob Dylan” and “iTunes Commercial” in the same sentence … but here we are and really, there’s not much to dislike about this little spot. Great music, cool camera work, and probably better video quality than you get on your TV.
Bluegrass band from … central Europe? - Yeeup, Druha Trava, from the Czech Republic, plays bluegrass music - fascinating to hear that Kentucky style sung with European accents. Great covers and great original stuff.
Via The World, August 24, 2006 Edition - while you are at that page, check out the interview about Ramses’ statue in Egypt. Funniest interview ever - the Egyptian guy is absolutely irrepresible.
Proms Music Festival - The largest classical music festival in the world. On my life to-do list: see this sometime.
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