PIANO, FLUTE, ?

Caraóke de la Isla

Camarón de la Isla (December 5, 1950 – July 2, 1992), was the stage name of flamenco Romani singer José Monje Cruz. The video for this beautiful song, Como el Agua, was made in 1987 during a visit to Paris. I love how the video weaves clips of the live performance and the flamenco dance with images of the mulleted Camarón taking a stroll along the Seine River. It reminds me of what might happen if karaoke videographers (is there such a thing?) actually used images that were relevant to the meaning of the songs they accompanied.

“a Danzig a day keeps the doctor away”

It’s as cold as balls right now in Sapporo. My wife and I just returned from 3 hot weeks in Thailand and Laos only to come home to several feet of snow on the ground and much more to come.

For those of you who have fallen prey to the inevitable winter flu, check out these ‘easy steps to wellness’ provided by the artist Zach Storm.

Or just skip to number 11 and listen to Danzig and punch walls (see below).

20 Easy Steps to Wellness

1. Do not hesitate. A cold moves quickly.

2. Do not cry. Crying wastes a lot of energy that you are gonna need.

3. Drink one sixteen ounce container of Kombucha.

4. Find a clean, body-sized spot on the floor. Do 15-20 push-ups. Lay still for a moment. Think about a time when you were breathing clearly and your muscles were strong and then realize that…you are going to beat this thing, “champ”!

5. Drink a gallon of distilled water in two hours.

6. Find yourself 3-4 pieces of fruit noted for their high levels of vitamin c. (Oranges are great in the winter.) Do not forget that red bell peppers have more vitamin c than any citrus fruit.

7. Eat them.

8. Create soups. Eat them.

9. Spit on the ground as you remember people who made fun of you and your family and your pets.

10. You are strong. Like iron.

11. Listen to Danzig and punch walls.

12. Listen to Lisa Loeb and dress your knuckles.

13. Sleep for 13-28 hours.

14. Drink another gallon of water.

15. Now you’re better!

16. Open your window (best if you break it open) and yell to the doggies of the neighborhood…”Bark Bark, Motherfuckers!! Let’s take this town over because we are healthy now!!”

17. Serenade the cats and squirrels of your neighborhood with strange glances and low hums.

18. More push-ups.

19. Small Dancing.

20. Shower for an hour. Now you can cry. Cry.


Explicit ONLY

This is the entire N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton album edited down into just the explicit content. Every track is incredible, but my favorites are 8-Ball and Gangsta Gangsta. The 8-Ball remix could actually stand alone as a song in and of itself, which is why I like it so much.

For more info about Evan Roth, the man behind these ill remixes, check out his website: http://www.ni9e.com/

* click on the image to listen to each track.


Cross-Culture

Nothing conjures up a ghetto casserole like this image of Tyler Held’s re-purposed, bass thumping oven.

Bass! How low can you go? Death row? What a casserole!

* click on the photo to see more work by Tyler Held

Beer Can

Tailgate Party, Victoria, BC 2006 from Nat Andreini on Vimeo.

“I’m in Love with My Car”




 The machine of a dream
 Such a clean machine
 With the pistons a pumpin'
 And the hub caps all gleam

 When I'm holdin' your wheel
 All I hear is your gear
 When my hand's on your grease gun
 Oh it's like a disease son

 I'm in love with my car
 Gotta feel for my automobile
 Get a grip on my boy racer rollbar
 Such a thrill when your radials squeal

 Told my girl I'll have to forget her
 Rather buy me a new carburetor
 So she made tracks sayin'
 This is the end now
 Cars don't talk back
 They're just four wheeled friends now

 When I'm holdin your wheel
 All I hear is your gear
 When I'm cruisin' in overdrive
 Don't have to listen to no run of the mill talk jive

 I'm in love with my car
 Gotta feel for my automobile
 I'm in love with my car
 String back gloves in my automolove

M for METAL

Is it a coincidence that so many of the world’s most influential Metal bands have names that begin with the letter ‘M’? Though it looks like a relatively short list, Heavy Metal wouldn’t be what it is today without any one of these bands.


MAYHEM

MANOWAR

MEGADETH

METALLICA

MOTORHEAD

MERCYFUL FATE


Group Sounds

In 1966 The Beatles arrived in Tokyo at the Nippon Budokan on their very first tour to Japan.

Subarashii!!!

Group Sounds is the exclusively Japanese music genre that was created in the wake of The Beatles’ first appearance in Tokyo. The Tigers were the seminal Group Sounds band who transformed, or watered-down, The Beatles’ sound for Japanese audiences.

the best duos – (draft in progress)

  • Getz & Gilberto
  • Miles & Coltrane
  • Andre 3000 & Big Boi
  • Gilbert & George
  • Sonny & Cher
  • Yes Men
  • Lennon & Yoko
  • Cheech & Chong
  • Jordan & Pippen
  • Sincerely John Head
  • Black Star
  • Tip & Phife
  • Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
  • Smokey & the Bandit
  • Gnarls Barkley
  • Popeye & Olive Oyl