Mix-Making by King Koopa: An Indulgent Exercise of Relative Insignificance

Mix together only under direct supervision by qualified personnel.

Ever wondered how I compile a mix cd? Well, sit back and take a lesson, you’re about to get a peak at the over-thought, time-wasting method behind my cd-mixing madness. The next mix on my mixing horizon is going to be with Hideaway regular Buster Larkins as we put one together to be played during set-breaks at Gold Room’s July 4th weekend reunion extravaganza. Oh, ‘Who’s Gold Room?’, you ask? Well, they’re a group of four dudes from my hometown that came together back in high school and managed to craft themselves into a respectable jamfunk band. Three of them have since exported themselves down to Nashville, but not before doing a legendary gig at my family’s farm and playing in my barn for about 150 underage kids out in the lawn (I was 18 at the time, about to head to college, parents were out of town all week). It’s not my intent to retell that story today, but I’ll say this about it: that party is still talked about in awed, hushed tones and is often referred to as “the town’s best damn party ever thrown by an 18-yr old”. Alright, so nobody else but me says that, but I think you get the idea. Great party band. Rumor has it that Gold Room’s bassist, Greg Gsell, has been getting music lessons from one of Victor Wooten’s brothers. If you don’t know Victor or his brothers, shame on you, but Victor’s the best bassist I’ve ever seen or heard and his brothers are just as talented. On to the mix. Step 1: When I’m doing a mix cd for some party or for a friend or something, I usually try and start with a single song that captures the vibe that I’m going for. Step 2: Build your mix around your "core" songs. It would be all too easy to crank out a mix of straight dance party songs, I’ve made my fair share of those mixes. This one is a bit different, it’s gotta accentuate, yet not over-hype the band’s vibe. It’s gotta be lively and entertaining, but I can’t come in here with DeeLite, Grandmaster Flash, and a bunch of crazy dance remixes and expect to continue the same vibe created by the band. Disclaimer: It’s an outside, campout-style party in a country field in the middle of nowhere. I want people to be movin and groovin between sets, but I don’t want a “sonic shift” between the band and the stuff on the mix. So, with all that over-analysis out of the way, here are some of the songs I’m starting this mix with:

Bobby Womack - Communication - my step 1, really sums up the vibe I'm going for...

The Jackson 5 - Hum Along and Dance - A classic old school dj cut, undeniable. You've probably heard samples from this song without realizing it.

Rufus Thomas - Sophisticated Sissy - featured in DJ Shadow/Cut Chemist's "Brainfreeze"

Maze - Time Is On My Side - Franky Beverly. Do better vocalists exist? No.

The Incredible Bongo Band - Bongo Rock '73 - What I imagine as the soundtrack to coked-out California in the 70's

and now, for a couple covers...

Nostalgia 77 - Seven Nation Army - A nasty, funky, virtually unknown cover version of this modern classic. I'm hearing Sharon Jones on the vocals but I could be wrong.

Senor Coconut - Smoke on the Water - A lively, bongo & xylophone-heavy version about the burning of a Swiss rock club. The vocalist sounds like "Fes" from That 70's Show to me.

"Songs of Yesteryear That You Couldn't Get Away With Recording Today. Part 2"

The lovely Miss Wright, still putting up with all those Mr. Wrongs.

Betty Wright - Girls Can't Do What the Guys Do

Betty Wright has been around for a long time, kinda funky, kinda soul, all awesome. She was a great singer and had a couple controversial tunes in her heyday. “Tonight is the Night (You Make Me A Woman)”, besides being the kickass sample behind Candyman’s classic makeout tune “Knockin’ Boots”, is Betty’s story about losing her virginity. I highly recommend picking up Betty Wright “Live” if you come across it, she’s in top form.

Today’s song of yesteryear that would never be recorded today is “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do” in which Betty instructs her female listeners that in order to be a lady, you can’t be trollin’ the streets for hot tail like guys can do. It doesn't matter if your guy has been knockin boots with all your girlfriends, that's what guys do. Guys are guys and they’re gonna go out and find their outside woman, their backdoor beauty, but ladies, there’s really not much you can do about it. If you try and get revenge by gettin it on with the handyman down the block, you’re gonna find yourself in the gutter. And, you'll lose your self-respect. Girls simply can’t match a guy’s independence. Moral of the story: Boys will be boys and will probably cheat on you. Women: Deal with it.

“Songs of Yesteryear That You Couldn’t Get Away With Recording Today”

why doesn't anybody name their kid "Garland" anymore?

Garland Green - Don't Think I'm a Violent Guy

The theme for today’s post, admittedly, is kind of a weird one. What if I told you that I was in possession of a song that's sympathetic to domestic violence where the pro(/an-?)tagonist begins the song threatening to “tear up this place” unless his girl opens up the door. He’s just got done beating her up and now he’s outside trying to get back in. He knows she’s angry at him because he “lightly smacked [her] pretty little face”, but he didn’t mean to do it and, besides, she pushed him to it. He spends the rest of the song justifying why he smacked up his girl, saying he’s sorry and imploring his girl/the listener to not think of him as a violent guy. At the climax of the song, he tells his girl through the door that “a little smack like, it couldn’t make a baby cry. So, LET ME IN”. Won over by his empty apologies, his minimizing of her pain, and his general incorrigibility, she lets him back in.

What the hell?

My dad used to tell me that he could beat up on mom if he'd wanted to, it just meant he couldn't sleep at home. Hopefully that comes off as humorous as it was intended.

Not even Dave Chappelle, R. Kelly, or Dave Chappelle-acting-like-R.Kelly (ala “Piss on You…the Remix”) could record a song like this anymore. Spousal abuse and domestic violence aren’t crimes that inspire much sympathy these days. Where there is no sympathy, surely there is no humor. Chris Rock will at least touch the subject, admitting that he wouldn’t hit a woman, but he’d shake the sh!t outta one. Uh, let’s not dwell too long on that one. (As this post shows, it's REALLY hard to create humor out of beatin on your wife.) Sorry Garland, when you’re a woman-beater, you’re a violent guy, and everybody is thinking it.

Pass the Jelly

a taste of jelly

Lemon Jelly - Soft (1st post on the Hideaway, feat. Peter Cetera, sort of)

Lemon Jelly - The Staunton Lick

Lemon Jelly - Ramblin Man (feat. Charlton Heston, sort of)

Lemon Jelly - Homage to Patagonia

Yesterday, the Hideaway experienced it’s first “outside” link from the mp3 blogging community, which means citizens of the global village have been perusing the Hideaway for the past day or so, or at least more than the usual 5 who check this site (I think I need to work on my blog-roll). Welcome, I hope ya like it! What’s even cooler is that it appears that Dodge, the blogger in question, hangs his hat in the same city as myself (I don’t live in the Hideaway year-round). I’ve decided to revive my inaugural post on Koopa’s Hideaway and maybe even pimp it out with some additional songs.

“Soft” was roundly ignored when it first came up, but the Hideaway was pretty empty back then. Every person that I’ve played this for falls in love with it, without fail. Don't be the first person to make the other list. “The Staunton Lick” is just a blissful builder of a tune, great for summer days and feeling the wind in your hair. “Rambin Man” was the theme-song of my round-the-world trip a few years ago. If you’re a ramblin man like myself, this’ll make it onto any trip mix you make from this point forward. “Homage to Patagonia” is a song that ends of on a lot of my mixes because it fits so many different moods. I could play this song at a dinner party, beach party, or cocktail party and it’ll be catchin ears everywhere I go. Beautiful piano loop and bongo samples.

I think Lemon Jelly sorta sum up the vibe and attitude of this site. Think RJD2 or The Avalanches except with more cheeky & fun-loving British humor tossed in for good measure. Lemon Jelly are just two guys with really deep record collections and a love of music. When I started producing beats with a friend of mine awhile back, I wanted our stuff to sound like Lemon Jelly could’ve produced it. One of the guys, Nick Franglin, produced William Shatner’s stellar solo album that came out this year. And, a Lemon Jelly song off their newest album (which isn’t quite as memorable as their earlier stuff) is featured in the trailers for Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Pass the Jelly, please!

Keep Ya Head Up, Midwest!

the middies

Atmosphere - Say Shhh

Welcome back D! My boy D Friendly is back up in continental mix, so to speak. Dude’s been over in Ghana or somewhere doing who knows what. But, he’s back for a visit to middle America to hang out, watch some MTV, and eat fast food.

I’ve been trying to find a reason to post this Atmosphere song for awhile, now I’m glad I waited. It celebrates everything that’s good about the Midwest, and it’s damn fresh. "[The Midwest] is dope if only simply for not what we have, but what we don't". Ya gotta download to find what what those things are.

shhhh

M.I.A. - The Miss Singh in Action Band

Sorry, this totally has nothing to do with the "M.I.A." that I'm posting today. Looks like an ad for a German nitrous party, no?

M.I.A. - Bucky Done Gone

M.I.A. - Amazon

Like every other mp3 blog out there, I've posted some M.I.A. in the past. I caught the wave in February (sorry, couldn't help myself), and I've been keeping an eye on her ever since. Then, this morning, a friend told me she was going to M.I.A.'s Chicago show next Thursday. Besides having that buzz of freshness about her, M.I.A.'s got some crazy tight beats. Check it. For some reason, the horns on "Bucky Done Gone" remind me of the theme song from "Rocky". You can playerhate if ya wanna, but you gotta admit, she's pretty good. And, she's pretty smokin' hot.

Life's a Beach, Enjoy It While You Can

Just the 2 of them

Jorge Ben - Comanche

Cool Benny - Wobble Cha

I haven't posted in awhile and the deafening calls for my return have become too much to ignore. It's time for some new songs up here. My public is demanding and I gotta give 'em what they want: Free songs to download.

I've been busy using all my music/thinking time at work compiling a mix cd for my buddy's trip to Miami and the Keys with his girlfriend. Entirely too much time actually. But, dude gave me a free ticket to a VHS or Beta concert, so I'm obliged to bring my A-game. Plus, I've been talking this thing up to him like it's gonna be the best travelling-with-girlfriend-mix ever. I dare say I've succeeded in my task. I did color front and back covers and everything. But, I enjoy it. Here's the track listing:

1 - Rough House Survivors - Take a Trip updated 5-11-05
2 - The Avalanches - Since I Left You updated 5-11-05
3 - Jamiroquai - Feel So Good
4 - J Live - Give It Up
5 - Jackie Mittoo & the Soul Bros. - James Bond Theme updated 5-11-05
6 - Toots & the Maytals - Funky Kingston updated 5-11-05
7 - Lifesavas - L.I.F.E.
8 - Cool Benny - Wobble Cha
9 - Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Back on da Block updated 5-11-05
10 - Stevie Wonder - I Love Every Little Thing About You
11 - Visible Man (David Byrne) - Fuzzy Freaky
12 - Jorge Ben - Comanche
13 - Ralfi Pagan - Make It With You
14 - Bob Marley - Mellow Mood
15 - RJD2 - To All of You
16 - Mos Def - The Panties
17 - Philadelphia Experiment - Just the Two Of Us (instr.)

As usual, the Bens of the mix steal the show. Jorge Ben is pretty much the preeminent Brazillian musician and he finds his rhythm on this one. If you wanna get a taste of Brazillian music, he's the first place to start. "Comanche" is off the this compilation called "Black Rio" that I picked up a couple years ago. Cool Benny I know absolutely nothing about except that he turned up on a Ubiquity Records sampler called California Soul. Get set to Wobble Cha! Pretty soon you'll be lookin like a wobble cha champ!

What a Wonderful World

What a Wonderful World

Stevie Wonder - Love's in Need Of Love Today - more true today than ever...

Stevie Wonder - I Love You So - to be played at my wedding someday.

There’s something about people with disabilities. Either because of the effect of their infirmity or because of their heightened abilities in other areas, those with disabilities often produce profound and interesting works of art. Wanna know the best description for how something looks like?, ask a deaf man. Wanna know how something sounds?, ask a blind guy. One of my favorite blind guys, Stevie Wonder, has made a career of turning the feelings and sounds of his mind into beautiful and often profound music. I want to focus today’s post on Stevie’s love songs. No, I’m not in love at the moment, but I got into a really interesting discussion over on The American Mastodon on love and what it means for humanity. More specifically, I theorized that since love is a uniquely human experience and is not present in the animal world from which we descended that it provides evidence of supernatural influence on humanity. I would argue that love is what truly separates us from animals and I would propose that Jesus Christ’s influence and effect on humanity is the perfect example of what love truly is. I didn’t come close to proof or a complete argument but, check it out, it became a pretty thought-provoking exchange. Maybe I’m a romantic, but I believe in love and I think my theory has some legs. At least my romanticism puts me in the same company with my dawg, Stevie. Being in the company of Stevie is cool w/ me any day.

Survival of the Fittest

what could I possibly add to this to make it funnier?

VHS or Beta - Night on Fire

VHS or Beta - You Got Me

He gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse. He said, “Burn me a copy of the new Lyrics Born remix album and make me a summer beach mix for my upcoming vacation to Florida and I’ll go you a free ticket to see VHS or Beta tonight.” I said, “That’s the best deal I’ve heard all week. Count me in.” “He” is my old roommate Palozzy Osbourne and it’s a win-win for everybody. If only everything in life dovetailed together so conveniently for both parties. I’m big on the barter system, too.

Want a personalized mix by King Koopa? Just tell me what kind of theme/feel you want for it and give me a free ticket to a concert and we got a deal. Mix-making is a favorite hobby of mine.

VHS or Beta is a deliriously fun mix of Duran Duran guitars & vocals with Daft Punk dance beats. They hail from Louisville, KY so they come around here pretty often. This is my first time seeing them though. Ain’t nuttin but a party! Better dust off my dancin shoes.

Some Loosely Connected Ruminations On Europeans

Though you don't know me well/With every little thing only time will tell/If you believe the things I do/Then we'll see it through/Life can be short or long/Love can be right or wrong/And if I chose the one I'd like to help me through/I'd like to make it with you

Ralfi Pagan - Make It With You

Greetings and salutations, hideawayheads, I hope all 5 of you had relaxing weekends. In the area of relaxation, my weekend showed marked improvement over the one preceding it. I had an orientation meeting for the trip to Hungary that I mentioned a while ago. Much to my chagrin, but a surprise to everyone there who knew me, I was an hour early for the Saturday morning meeting. The break from my normal unpunctuality was due to another undesirable trait of mine: failure to print off important emails. I knew the meeting was early on Saturday morning, I just thought my uncle (who scheduled it) was more of an early bird. We covered a lot of different topics and schedule-related items but, interestingly, we spent an inordinate amount of time covering the fact that Europeans hold increasingly anti-American attitudes. We were instructed against engaging in political discussions with anybody while we were participating in the conference, since we are going over there to serve as Christians, not as Americans. During my travels I’ve had my fair share of enjoyable, political arguments with people from around the world, so I made a mental note to try and obey this. I'm not usually one to withold my opinion when it is asked of me, especially when I hold strong views on the subject. I genuinely enjoy an informed political discussion and understanding the point of view of people from another culture. It presses all kinds of intellectual curiosity buttons inside me. But, this has come up on previous trips and I respect that it might be distracting to the purpose of our trip. I wasn’t the only one who had questions about this request. Since I lean towards defending President Bush on many issues, including the always popular regime change in Iraq, it’s probably going to be tougher for me than it would be for some of my more left-leaning compadres, several of whom frequent this site. “What does this have to do with me downloading an awesome song today?”, you might ask. Well, I came across something funny today from last week’s Onion. Here it is.

Pardon my coarse jocularity in the face of something I sincerely believe is important, but please understand that it’s not my intention to go to Hungary on a Christian missionary trip just to get myself into the missionary position with some nubile Hungarian beauty. To all the fine young women of Europe: Yes, I would like to “make it” with you, but we can’t talk politics and we gotta get married first. But, let's not worry about that, just check out this incredibly seductive Latino-soul cover of the softly rocking Bread tune "Make It With You" while I find some wine glasses. Because, even if you don’t like my nationality or my politics or my religion, I can’t think of a reason why we shouldn’t enjoy a glass of wine together, no?