Moving Pictures

Last night, I was invited to MOMAR's (The Museum of Modern Arthur) opening, in Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), at 25 Jay St. I haven't actually been "out" in Dumbo, and it was a nice change from my usual haunts. There was free booze, itunes dj'd, and also, there was art. I'm not going to pretend that I can rattle of different periods of structuralism, or pinpoint influences, and ascertain certain elements of form, but there was some interesting attachment between artist and expression, and it was well received. I'll just try to stick to music.

The event was sponsored by CMJ (the College Music Journal) and when I talked to Matt, CMJ's VP of Artists & Events he said they would def be throwing more events such as this, throughout the year. The tie in, is that Arthur is also a musician, and has been playing around NYC and dropping crazy videos. Its, dare I say, a big scene round these parts. Thanks for tryin to class us music snobs up a bit, I suppose. The next time I know of such events, ahead of time, I'll try to shout it out a little earlier. You crazy kids, and your art...and also ice cream.

Remember to Feel Real

I've always wanted to live in London. Not for any real reason- It's regularly cloudy, damp, and I hear that I would magically get bad teeth- but I feel like it may be a neat place to live, despite the hearsay. So I've started reading (and now writing for) this website called Gigwise.com. This isn't so much a shameless plug, because that's obvious, but more of a call to check out how our [only] mates in the war against terror look at music. Just as a heads up, their really gassed off of the Canadian band, Holy F*ck. So check it out and see how you fancy what I consider American music from Her majesty's point of view.

Do You Remember, the 21st Night of September?

Happy Earth, Wind, & Fire Day! No- its not Captain Planet Day, its for the band-silly. I know it’s been almost a month since I've posted, and this post isn’t to get your hopes up (its just that no one's at work so I have free reign of both my time, and the internets!). This is just to say I miss you all, and that I'm currently in the process of working on a hood internet solution. So sit tight, blast your EWF in remembrance, poor out a little from your 40oz., and I'll try to get at you with the quickness.



kisses n shit,

Von (I work with French people now)

Do You Remember The Time?

Hello all. Its been ages, years...well, weeks since I last posted, and its mostly the internets fault. Or more specifically, my lack of access to the internets while in my apartment. More specifically still, its my computers old age and inability to stay connected to the internet for more that 5 minutes. So- I'm sorry! Even as i write this, im getting kicked off and on and off, only to return long enough for me to post a tearfully goodbye till i can get either my interweb or computer fixed. later homies n hometts.

We Don't Care

Now, adding to the dumbest feud in Hip-hop history, the man who can't possible continue his career without beef (no, not the Game), 50 cent is promising to retire his solo ambitions if Kanye sells more albums than he does. Please let Kanye out sell him! Think of the fantastic world that could be, sans 50. I just hope this works in Kanye's favour, and I'm glad he isn't giving any recognition to 50, because this is seriously a cry for attention. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

We Major?

I really enjoy when rappers take themselves too seriously. Especially when they think that they are showing how multi-dimensional they are, when they are in fact just showing that no matter how many sides they think they have, each one is as dumb, if not dumber, than the next. Thus, I bring to you, the Kanye VS. 50 cent debates!
Apparently, there is some discussion over who's album will gross more once released. I am rooting for Kanye, but 50 swears he's more "conscious" of his surroundings. On 106 & Park, 50 extended the invitation to debate who's album would be better. Debate what, pray tell, fiddy? Compare marketing campaigns, or previous sound scans, or how their support of the sneaker industry has further entrenched the fight against child labour in under developed countries, or is it just which one of you Jacob the Jeweller likes best?

“I accept the challenge,” 50 Cent said. “Kanye, he’s not going to want to show up. Just don’t be asking me if I am a conscious rapper. I know exactly what I am saying — so I am conscious.”


So, does this seem stupid to anyone else, but me?

“I don’t have beef with anyone,” West said on MTV’s TRL today, in response to a question by a reporter from the Associated Press. “What am I going to debate about? I’m going to go in the studio and make music. When I heard the thing about the debate, I thought that was the stupidest thing.”



Well thats good to hear, no wonder your album is called The Graduation, and 50's is just him writing his name. Guess who's scorin more points on their SAT's?
[Source]

Gym Class's Status

I haven't posted anything about GCH since march, maybe, mostly because they have become so popular that I've been going through separation anxiety. And I know posting about this band shoots my credibility to shit, but I clearly don't care, so if you do, you can bugger off. Anyhow, these kids are doing rather well for themselves, and if you have yet to hear, have been nominated for two VMA's. Best Group, and Best New Artist. So there's that, I guess.

Closer to my heart, Gym Class's Downingtown, PA residing keyboardist, Tyler, and his side project Ladybirds, are releasing their début album Regional Community Theater in 13 days, and can be pre-ordered on their myspace/ website, or via any online music distributor. It has a really awesome dream pop/ postal service feel. I haven't heard all of the tracks yet, but from what I have sampled, and their viddy, its all really fantastic. So there's that too, I guess.



Ladybirds Viddy:

MM...Food

It goes without saying that my blog is unfortunately back to weekly postings. Meh, times are tough, monies is tight, and most of my time is dedicated to some form of freelance work that leaves my brain congealed and oozing out of my left ear. Hopefully we'll all come out on the other side of august with steady gigs, saner temperaments, and maybe even healthcare! But lets not get our hopes up just yet.
MF Doom, a rapper/ producer who has been doing pretty well for himself, and appears to be a stranger to poverty induced hunger and also sanity, is re-releasing his album MM...Food. Its a deluxe album, much like many of his meals (zing!) but its also an album that gives back. Spectre Music, his promo folks, are running this contest where if you submit a recipe that the big guy finds mouthwatering, you could win a bag-0-prizes. Prizes?: a copy of MM...Food featuring the limited edition packaging, a MF Doom Hoodie, a MF Doom T-Shirt, a limited edition copy of the color reprint of MM...Food Tour poster and a Rhymesayers T-Shirt!

[there is also a bonus surprise on the page]

So if your curious, confident, and culinarily talented, boogie on over.

Black Republicans

3 days, a score, and 6 years ago, MTV aired its first music videos. Since then, the approach to videos has birthed a unique industry that has become a component as influential as the music. It is now at the point where an artist cant even fathom releasing a single without an attaché video to complement.
The mix tape is also a key component, unique to the hip-hop industry. It allows emcees to preview they're talent, or freestyle (in both the meaning of unwritten ad lib, or reciting written material that has yet to be heard) but uses beats or instrumental tracks of popularized songs; a low budget remix. The mix tape industry is relatively underground, and major labels don't usually (or legally) reap the profits. The monies usually go to the DJ credited with chopping or dubbing the samples and recording the vocals.
These two parts of the music industry never really considered mutually exclusive, but it is hard to reason that you would spend money to shoot a video to promote illegal sampling. The attention isn't really necessary and the net loss is even more of a reason against the video. Until now.
Lil' Wayne or the young JR or whatever other name he has, and Juelz Santana have redubbed the Nas and Jay-z cut "Black Republicans" for their upcoming album I Can't Feel My Face, and have released a low budget, youtube-esk video in conjunction with that. Thanks to the low cost of filming a low quality -mix tape version music video, now we can all visualize how Wezzy and Juelz see this song. Thank you internets for giving rappers one more reason to show us their cars! I think its a cool idea to connect viddy and mix tape, and i especially enjoy the gritty feel that's transferred from mix tape culture to the video. Check it out

Love and Happiness

I'm not really one for baby making, but if the desire to spawn my own militia of super derelicts ever arose, I'd need two things. A super foxy lady (I'd settle for mediocre) who could tolerate my sub par attempts at love making, and the new super sounds of Al Green and The Roots in tandem. The Duet Album, due out late this year, or early 2008, may be the fire (or the cool) to get you through another environmentally bizarre winter. Guest appreances include Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo and possibly Alicia Keys and/or Joss Stone. K-BILLY's is gonna be pumped!

I'm Losin It

Dave Chappelle is a hero of mine. When he started a show that was a tad "racy", I stuck by him. When he broke my heart, and went to Africa, I threw up a middle finger and cried "¡Ya basta!" Even still, when news brakes that David has passed out due to "dehydration", I'm here asking "where the grape drink at?"
That's right, Dave, I got your back dun. Even when people say the reason you have been showin up to comedy clubs with unrehearsed material, droolin on yourself, is do to drug use, I say "I drool on myself all the time, and that's just when I sit still. Imagine how exhausted he must be running all over the country trying to be funny without rest. You would drool too!"
So Dave, If you're reading this while recuperating in the hospital, or back at home with your Llamas, just know I support you, and that the papers wouldn't have said shit about this if your name was Pete Doherty. And thats just "keepin it real."

Can't Tell Me Nothin...again

By now, everyone has posted something about this video, with just reason. I'm extremely pleased to see a hip-hop video that is outside of boring rap cliché, that is just funny. Kanye, I know you and I have had our disagreements, but my multicoloured throwback fitted goes off to you on this viddy sir. Well done.

Still Clown With The Underground, When We Come Around

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of taking a brief road trip to Philadelphia, to see the fillet of the South Jersey indie music scene, JeNell. I don't know what the deal is with all that crazy capitalization in her name, but it was still an entertaining and intimate show. Just good music. To get there, I was whisked down the turnpike in a ZipCar (again, crazy capitalization). Lord, those things are great (praise him)! It the most awesome car rental system this side of the Mason-Dixon, hot damn. I say all of this to say, go see JeNell where ever she may be playing next, and do so in a ZipCar.

Remember to Feel Real

So, today has been rather busy. I started an ancillary blog, that will hopefully grow into something decent, or in the very least, be mildly entertaining to read. It's name is pretty clutch, and I'll mail you a nickel if you can tell me what its from. And if you can't work google well enough to find out...for shame. Anywhoo, this post is mostly housekeeping work. I plan on trying to bring back that whole "shows coming up with month" deal that I had going for a while, but I plan on posting them in the middle of the month, so you can have a heads up on those things. If you're a local band or solo act, each month feel free to put your show info in the comments section. I doubt that this will actually happen, but feel free to self promote. Hell, if I'm in the area, perhaps I'll come to your show and we can talk about how you're one of the three people who reads my posts.

The Broken Strings

Do you remember when this blog first started? Way back, a little over a year ago? My first interview/ post was with a lil ole band named Bishop Allen. Now they have grown up to release their first full length album since Charm School and from what I've heard, its pretty glorious. They're big time now, with lablel Dead Oceans backing these fellow Brooklynites. It's nice to see a band grow up.I tried to link the interview, but due to the crap that is blogger's new format, it wont let me link it. But, it did exist, I swear!

Congrats boys, and thanks for being my first!

Here's a review of the album

Here's a myspace link

Gold and A Pager

Let me put you D' to a group from "Illville", Illinois. The name is Cool Kids, and they're on C.A.K.E. Recordings. I promise you their are the next big deal in indie hoodness. Pitchfork claims they herald a renaissance in hip-hop. I just think they're hype. Here's a clip for you to viddy, and also their myspace for you to bump while you're on the internets. I'll let you know when there is an update on album stuff.

She Wants It

What do you do, when your second album's sales dwarf in comparison to your debut's, and you're about to release your third album in a highly volatile music industry? You get golden child Justin Timberlake, and huggable producer, Timbaland to help you produce a track that throws street cred to the wind! WEEE! This is exactly what 50 (pronounced Fiddy) Cent has done, and wow are the ladies swoonin (please see picture). "Girl, he can bust a cap in my ass any day", the ladies have been heard to scream, and with good reason. "She Wants It", which was going to be titled "Ayo Pornography" is the summer smash guaranteed to get drawers in a bunch. It is essentially about getting ...err....frustrated when watching porno. You can't say 50 isn't pushing limits. He has taken us out of the club, and onto the couch, where we can imagine him, JT and Timbaland all getting frustrated together. YAY for male bonding! Perez Hilton's page has the mp3 embed, and since I cant snag it from there, just mosey on over to check it out.


So like Justin says in the song, "I'm tired of technology", so, later!

Rockers To Swallow

I know that I've been doing a piss poor job of updating. So yeah, my bad? Forgive me, please? What if I told you there was a new Yeah Yeah Yeahs Ep being released tomorrow? Would that make our relationship "a little mo' better"? No? What if I told you it was called IS IS, and that it is to be accompanied by the release of a live film that is recorded in night vision of the show at the Glassland Gallery? You say you already read that on wikipedia, and that I'm too late to catch your interest? Well then...I guess I have nothing else to say.

The Only One U Wanna C

Earlier today, my beloved moms sent me an email checking to see my thoughts on the new Prince album, Planet Earth. Bless her heart. I regretted to inform her that I have yet to grab the album, and was instantly ashamed of myself. The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) wants Prince to be ashamed of himself for releasing his album in the Mail on Sunday in London. Prince clearly ain't scurred. Still, the ERA is calling for an investigation of Prince due to the money that Sony BMG is losing over his release of the album in the paper. Poor guys, all uppity over the loss of a big tickets artists. Oh well! [Source]

Can It Be All So Simple

Protect your neck. Word is, from a reliable source, that the Wu-Tang Clans newest album, 8 Diagram, shall be released on November 9th, 2007. There's a lot of sentimental value tied up in that date. For those of you kids not up on your wu-history, the very first Clan album dropped 14 years ago on that very day. Ah, sentimentality at its best. Those from the slums of Shaolin are doing a good job on keeping the album from leaking by only releasing demo cuts to promoters and the like. If you check out spins article in its August 2007 issue, you shall be able to calculate which period we are in, in relation to when the album should be leaked. November is only a few months away, how patient do they expect us to be?



Just as a little added info, the album takes its name from a movie titled 8 Diagram Pole Fighter.