R.I.P. Isaac Hayes
Performing “Theme from Shaft” at 1972’s Wattstax festival (introduced by the Rev. Jesse Jackson).
Across the blogs (with mp3’s)…make sure you hit that Soul Sides link…
- Issac Hayes: 1942-2008 (Soul Sides)
- TVD remembers Issac Hayes (The Vinyl District)
- Isaac Hayes: Coolest Dude in Heaven (Bongo Jazz)
- Isaac Hayes (Got the Fever)
- I Can’t Go To Sleep – RIP Isaac Hayes (Passion of the Weiss)
Gordon and Bruce, then and now
[courtesy of Perez Hilton]
Nice photo of the Boss with Señor Sting at Thursday’s Police finale at Madison Square Garden in NYC.
Rewind 20 years to a nice version of “The River”…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-zOKTOajaI]
Rhymin’ and Stealin’: Kid Rock’s All Summer Long
Okay, so I guess Kid Rock’s idea was to borrow heavily from two of his summer favorites growing up: “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Werewolves of London”. The result, “All Summer Long”, is zooming up the charts as we speak (currently #34 on the Billboard Hot 100).
It’s an interesting concept. And depending how popular the song gets, you have to wonder if the copycats will soon follow. What does this say for originality in songwriting? Come to think of it, hip-hop artists have been doing this for years now. Some sampling is so blatant, and shapes the song so much, it’s a wonder they can get away with it at all (I keep thinking of that Puff Daddy song that was basically Zeppelin’s “Kashmir”, with Diddy “uhh”ing and “yeah”ing his way through it).
So what do you all think of this? Lynyrd Skynyrd and Warren Zevon’s estate have to be getting paid for this, right? (or whoever owns the songs)…
Kids…. this is Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama“, and this is the late, great Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves in London“.
Gotta hand it to Kid Rock though. He’s hitting that nostalgia vein hard – playing to the masses like the populist he is.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwIGZLjugKA]
Games in the Forbidden City
The Olympics got under way today. I haven’t been too in tune with who to watch out for this year, but I will undoubtedly get in the spirit over the next couple of weeks. All I’ve really seen is Michael Phelps’s Village People-riffic mustache!
So let’s forget about that pesky issue of China’s horrific human rights record, and let’s focus on cute panda bears or something.
Let the games begin!
Smog smog go away!Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros – Forbidden City (mp3)
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: August 8, 2008
So if you are reading this you clearly have been on the internet long enough to know that today 8-8-08 is the official beginning of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, People’s Republic of China. And in honor of the occasion, I thought it only appropriate that we take part in the festivities with an Olympic themed playlist. So in the spirit of “One World One Dream” here is your playlist for this week’s Friday Five.
Match ANY of the following conditions
NAME contains One
NAME contains World
NAME contains Dream
NAME contains Games
NAME contains Flame
NAME contains Gold
NAME contains Silver
NAME contains Bronze
756 Tracks, not bad… (at Pete’s suggestion I’ve added the other medals)
Last week’s birthday celebration brought out a parade of everyone’s party favorites and served as the basis for some interesting juxtapositions across the genres, tempos, moods, you name it.
“The Theme Days of Summer” are coming to a close and as I mentioned last week I’m looking to give back to the faithful fivers so send your playlist ideas to michael at Ickmusic.com with the subject line “The Theme Days of Summer” and I’ll choose the best two to be featured in a coming Friday Five.
For those who have not joined in the Five, here’s how it works: … I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five with some words (and on occasion the song itself) for each track.
Then it’s your turn! You can play along with the themed playlist or just share the first five of your shuffle, either way the fun is in playing musical voyeur for the day.
Here are this week’s tracks:
1. Maceo Parker – Tell the World (from Funkcronomicon)
I love me some Maceo Parker, but this is not really the Maceo I know and love. Part of a brilliant overall record this is Maceo with Sly Stone, Bobby Byrd and Bootsy Collins performing a track from Maceo’s For All the King’s Men.
2. Earth, Wind & Fire – That’s the Way of the World (from That’s the Way of the World)
It has got to be hard being the song after “Shining Star”, no?
3. Daft Punk – Around the World (radio edit) (MP3) (from Around the World)
10 years on this track still makes me move my butt.
4. Dave Matthews Band – The Dreaming Tree (from Before These Crowded Streets)
From what I consider the bands magnum opus, this song stands as a testament to the power of music to heal. Written by bassist Stefan Lessard after the death of his infant daughter, the songs protagonist questions his faith in dealing with death while clinging to the perfect world in his mind (The Dreaming Tree). Lyrically and musically it’s one of the most beautiful and moving songs in the bands discography.
5. Otis Redding – I’ve Got Dreams to Remember (from The Very Best of Otis Redding)
This is a very good tune. My mother used to sing this. I love Otis.
So what’s got you going for the gold this weekend?
Video: BPA’s Toe Jam feat. Dizzee Rascal and David Byrne
Here’s Fatboy Slim’s new project under the name BPA (Brighton Port Authority). It features special guests David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal.
“Everyday is fu*k*ng* perfect” – David Byrne
Now this is entertainment! What brilliant usage of the “black bar”(s). Enjoy. Mostly SFW, right?
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/1146413 w=500&h=281]
THE BPA – THE BPA ‘TOE JAM’ FEAT. DAVID BYRNE & DIZZEE RASCAL from Fabio Resende on Vimeo.Thanks Marco for the tip.
A Nudge in the Right Direction
It’s been a while since a nudge toward some sites and posts that have piqued my interest. Here’s a good batch…
- Captains Dead is a fine blog. You should really check out a full Faces concert from 1970, part one and part two.
- Sir Jeff and his merry gang of bloggers are keeping Popdose at full steam ahead. Check out the collaborative Tweener Mix Tape post; Matthew breaks down Prince’s Batman album; and the latest installment of “The Popdose Guide to” features the Pogues! Go and be edu-ma-cated.
- You know, Paris Hilton’s response video to McBush’s campaign ad isn’t really that annoying. Paris actually got a chuckle out of me. I’m – well – shocked!
- Stereogum has video of Wilco’s “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” gig at Wrigley Field the other day.
- Aikin is going ballistic at Licorice Pizza with a multi-part series featuring tons of Led Zeppelin studio sessions, outttakes, etc. He’s three parts into it so far. A one. A two. A three.
- And – hey wow, Ekko posted a 1988 Joe Strummer show on Berkeley Place, with his then backup band the Latino Rockabilly War. Hold on, must download now. *click* Okay, I’m back.
- The Vinyl District is always ripping some great LP tracks. Check out these early reggae selections.
- Non-music: In these times, we all need a good laugh at the expense of others. For a daily dose, be sure to make Hot Chicks with Douchebags a stop!
My, What Cute Lepers
Okay, well, this band hasn’t grabbed hold of my love handles like the Hawaii Mud Bombers, but the Cute Lepers (besides the catchy moniker) lay down a nice brand of retro pop-punk. Their debut album for their new label, Blackheart Records, just came out, and they’re in the midst of a tour across this great land of ours.
“Terminal Boredom” is their first single from the album. The affectations of lead singer Steve E. Nix – yeah, I said it – may remind you of Green Day’s Billie Joe. And if you’re like me, the verses will most certainly remind you of the Clash’s “Safe European Home” (which I listened to very loudly in the shower this morning – TMI? Perhaps).
Do you like? Do you hate? Is it crappy, is it great? You tell me. The comments have been a tad dead lately. Liven up the joint.
By the way, the band photo up there? The one on the left? Hands off. She’s mine.
Cute Lepers – Terminal Boredom (mp3) [thanks to Shorefire for clearing the mp3 with the label. I’m too legit to quit!]
Links: Official Site | MySpace | Buy Can’t Stand Modern Music
Little Sea Horse
Non-parents may want to move on to the next post, ’cause this one’s a little ch-ch-cheesy.
I’ll make it short & sweet – my four year old daughter attended her first day of kindergarten today. I’m a proud papa, and I’m sort of blown away that I have a child who is now going to school. Seasoned parents are nodding their heads, while at the same time shaking them in a sort of “you have nooo idea what you have in store for you” way. It just keeps getting more and more interesting, folks, and I’m just underway…
Well, a couple of weeks ago, my girl had a sort of “graduation” ceremony at her YMCA preschool. Her class was referred to as the Sea Horses. As the Sea Horses shuffled through in a controlled-chaos single file to receive their cute little certificates, with their cute little caps on, I had this Bruce Cockburn song going through my head. It comes from a brilliant 1976 album called In the Falling Dark.
I count this and Dancing in the Dragon’s Jaw as two of my all time favorites. They soothe and calm me, and bring me to a good place when things seem a little jagged and confused.
The lyrics merit an appearance here (bolded by me):
Little seahorse
Swimming in a primal sea
Heartbeat like a
Leaf quaking in the breeze
I feel magic as coyote
In the middle of the moon-wild nightIn the forge-fire time
Your mother glowed so bright
You were like a
Voice calling in the night
And I’m watching the curtain
Rising on a whole new set of dreamsThe world is waiting
Like a Lake Superior gale
A locomotive
Racing along the rail.
It’ll sweep you away
But you know that you’re never aloneLittle seahorse
Floating on a primal tide
Quickening like a
Spark in a haystack side
I already love you
And I don’t even know who you areNice eh? It’s enough to make a tough dad get a tad misty eyed. And that’s okay. Congrats kiddo – I have no earthly idea how I ever got along without you.
Bruce Cockburn – Little Sea Horse
Buy In the Falling Dark
Hawaii Mud Bombers: Swedish Surf Rock!
They’re the Hawaii Mud Bombers. They’re from Sweden. And they r-r-rraawwk. I am telling you. Swedish surf rock! They impressed Little Steven so much that he signed them to his Wicked Cool Records label. They released Mondo Primo in the U.S. last summer, but being that I just discovered it, the album quickly moves to the forefront of my Summer of 2008 soundtrack, and my “get off my ass and run” music.
Hawaii Mud Bombers are made up of:
- Hans Jörnlind, Guitars and vocals
- Petter Godske, Vocals and guitars
- Mats Carlborg, Drums
- Mattias Utterström, Bass
Quality tunes. Make Mongo happy.
Hawaii Mud Bombers – MTV
Hear a handful of tracks from the album streaming on their web site in GREAT quality, may I add. Seriously. Go there, let it play, and go about your web surfing. You won’t be sorry. It will urge many of you to, indeed….
BUY Mondo Primo!!
More mp3’s from the band here.
