Video of the Day

Folks, 80's music videos just don't get a lot more awesome than this:

Day of the Utensil

Last week, Spoon's album "Transference" made its official debut and it continues their streak of Wilco-esque consistency.  In lieu of boring you with breaking down why I like it or what it sounds like or whatever else, today is a tribute to the three tools that help us slurp, stab, dice, and eat.  (Sporks have yet to break into my music collection, so you'll have to wait a little longer or look somewhere else for a spork-related song.)  

First up, is King Tubby's "Knife & Fork Dubwise" from Tubby's album Dangerous Dub.  It's a dub song.  It reeks of dub.  It's dub you can smell as soon as you walk in the club.  Don't knock this dub til you try it.  

King Tubby - Knife & Fork Dubwise

Next is Charlie Patton's "Spoonful" from The Music Never Stopped: Roots Of The Grateful Dead.  It's old-as-your-great-gramps acoustic delta blues from a guy Bob Dylan dedicated a song to ("High Water, for Charley Patton").  Born in 1891, he influenced both John Lee Hooker and Howling Wolf.  He's the oldest of the old timey.   

Charlie Patton - Spoonful

Next is Plate Fork Knife Spoon's "Theme from Spacewalk" which is all slow keys & drums.  It's what Whoopi Goldberg's Star Trek character, Guinan, might cue up on the juke box in the Ten-Forward lounge while dispensing sage advise to a conflicted Jean Luc Picard.  

Plate Fork Knife Spoon - Theme From Spacewalk

Finally...new Spoon.  Just check it out.  

Spoon - Who Makes Your Money

Quick Hits

So, I'm reading The Onion AV Club's "Gateway to Geekery" article on Northern Soul and one of the songs they featured is this gem from girl group The Flirtations out of South Carolina.  The vocals have a definite Michael Jackson-like quality to them, which I guess is sorta interesting since the lead singer here is a female.  But, the song is 2 minutes and 30 seconds of soul-pop wonderfulness.

Live Mutations!

from hammerandbeyond.blogspot.com

Today Koopa’s Hideaway celebrates the release of Beck’s “Mutations” album.  Happy 11yr, 2month, 17 day anniversary, Beck!!!  No one has put out an album since then that is any better than Mutations.  Nobody!  Sure, there have been other great albums released in the decade since, but nothing that goes above and beyond this one.  And for being released near the height of the music industry’s selling power, the 600,000 units that have been sold makes Mutations relatively under-appreciated.  Trufax:  8Ball & MJG’s album “Lost” sold more than 2,000,000 units….

Let’s tick off what makes a great album: 

1.  No stinkers:  Check.  This album plays well from start to finish and even has a relic of its time: a hidden track at the end (Diamond Bollocks). 

2.  Great songwriting:  Check.  So many great lines and suggestive images.  These are songs that can be covered in a variety of ways and dressed up in different musical outfits. 

3.  Fresh musical style:  Check.  The Brazilian tropicalia style Beck & Nigel Godrich mixed into some of these songs felt new and different.  Add in the spacy Moog keyboard effects throughout and you’ve got yourself a distinctive musical palette. 

4.  Hasn’t been successfully copied:  Check.  Can you think of a subsequent album that sounds remotely like “Mutations”?

5.  References to underground musical influences:  Check.  It stands to reason that the name “Mutations” is both a comment on the differences from “Odelay” and a reference to Brazilian tropicalia legends Os Mutantes.  Beck would later do a version their song “O Menina”. 

I spent the better part of yesterday on Becktabs.com’s online forum downloading live material from this album.  I had live versions of most of the album from a couple KCRW radio sessions I had downloaded somewhere, but there were a couple holes.  I found out from whiskyclone.net that one of my all-time favorite Beck songs, Static, has only been played live 4 times.  But, I’m very happy with the finished product and I know you will be too.  I give you, “Live Mutations”:

Download:  Sendspace link to the zip file

Tracklist: 

Cold Brains, from KCRW 11.23.1998

Nobody’s Fault But My Own, from KCRW 11.23.1998

Lazy Flies, 2.14.2003

Canceled Check, 1.10.1999

We Live Again, from KCRW 11.03.2000

Tropicalia, from KCRW 11.23.1998

Dead Melodies, from KCRW 11.23.1998

Bottle of Blues, from KCRW 11.23.1998

O Maria, from KCRW 11.23.1998

Sing it Again, from KCRW 11.23.1998

Static, 10.29.2000

Diamond Bollocks (hidden track), 4.19.1999

Bonus, from the 1998 KCRW appearance, an amazing version of "Debra":

Chess Expressions

Herein follow minutes concerning the Earth House Chess Club meeting on 01/14/10.

(Or "Why I never win; the nature of the beast.")

On this day we begin the 11th meeting of the Earth House Chess Club.

Total members = 2
Including: Bradley Jones, Ian Doe

Total members in attendance = 1

Including: Bradley Jones

Turn out for chess club was scant this week. Brad Jones was the only member in attendance, not by happenstance, but in accordance with his work schedule. Thus, no proper games were won, lost, or drawn. However, two homeless men (non-members), here named Billy Joel and Charlie 5 (homeless men who enter Earth House more than once are assigned a "Charlie" title, and a number designating their order of appearance, unless endowed with a special trait; "Billy Joel" had the ability to play scales on the house piano for multiple hours without signs of fatigue, for example) were present and available for conversation and fellowship.

As Billy Joel warmed-up and the aether of the church sanctuary filled with dashing glissandos, Brad mentioned to Charlie 5 an interest he had developed in Rube Goldburg-esque suicide machines.

Quoted conversation:

"Have you been thinking of them for a long time?" Charlie 5 said.

"Not really, just for the last few minutes." Brad replied.

"Is it the piano?"

"Yes."

"Want me to ask him to stop playing?"

"No, a suicide machine would be easier."

"Need help building it?"

"Sure, I was actually hoping you might set it into motion for me?"

"What were you thinking of?"

End Quoted Segment.

Brad removed an ink pen from a dented canister on the front counter and sketched a rough diagram for Charlie 5. The plan called for a dog dish filled with wet food, two foot-long lengths of string, 14 dominoes, several cats-eye marbles, a series of pulleys and levers, and finally a child-sized crossbow loaded with a razor tipped, poison dipped arrow positioned to launch from one side of the sanctuary and accurately pierce Brad's heart at the other. Brad pointed with his toe to a spot on the floor stained by espresso coffee (a story in itself) and announced that this was the place where he would be conveniently seated on a stool to make certain the arrows purpose.

Charlie 5 agreed to the plan and they set to it's realization. Just as they finished, the two were interrupted by Billy Joel harshly striking a sour note at the piano and coming to a full stop. Both looked up questioningly.

Quoted conversation:

"God damn fuck fuck fuck!" Billy Joel said.

"What happened?" asked Charlie 5

"Sour note. Everything on this piano works perfectly except this one fucking note and it drives me crazy. How am I supposed to even play this piece of shit?"

"Maybe you shouldn't.." Brad said.

"I've got to, fucking song goes though my head all day and I need to play it fucking perfectly; it's like one of those infected splinters in your finger and you can't think of anything but getting the fucker out. It's making me sick."

"You know the key is bad, but still complain. What do you expect?"

"You obviously have no idea what it's like to be an artist, dude."

"Is it like being an idiot who expects a repeated action to arrive at an impossible, however so desired, consequence?"

End Quoted Segment.

At this Billy Joel turned back the the piano to begin again. Brad sighed and made his way to the carefully positioned stool in defeat. Sitting so as to make his chest an open a target as possible, he pointed to his heart, then motioned for Charlie 5 to set the machine into motion.

The sequence of steps was flawless. Brad felt a rush of anxiety and hope, despite his resolve, as the order of opperations approached the crossbow's trigger. The deadly missle's tip glinted for a split-second as it took flight. It whistled across the room. Brad closed his eyes. The arrow glided just past his neck, he felt the fletchings brush against him, before burying itself in the wall some feet behind.

He opened his eyes. Charlie 5 shrugged at him scratched his head. Billy Joel contiued his playing, the sour note rapidly approaching.

Quoted conversation:

"Load it up again Charlie 5, maybe it will work this time." Brad said.

End Quoted Segment.

Net Surrealism Art Blog: Buy Original Oil Paintings by Jeremiah Palecek

Net Surrealism Art Blog: Buy Original Oil Paintings by Jeremiah Palecek

Do the Bloggy Blog!

All right, stop whatcha doin 'cause I'm about to ruin the image and the style that ya used to [from this blog].  I look funny but yo I'm makin money see, so world I hope you're ready for me [and my new co-bloggers].  Now gather round, we're the new fools in town and our sound's laid down by the underground.  We drink up all the Hennessey ya got on ya shelf, so just let me introduce myself [and my co-bloggers].

First up, his name is Bradley, pronounced very radly.  Yo ladies, oh how he'd like the hump thee.  And all the other bloggers in the top ten, please allow him to bump thee.

Next up is Mr. Rowland, pronounced like rock n rollin'.  He likes to rhyme, he likes his beats funky, he's spunky, he likes his oatmeal lumpy.  He's sick wt dis, straight gangsta mack but sometimes he gets ridiculous, he'll up all your crackers and your licorice.

It's a new era here at Koopa's Hideaway.  New header & layout (thanks "Elle"!!!) and new bloggers.  Same awesomeness you've grown accustomed to.  It's KH3.0.

Facebook | rowland1964 Notes

Facebook rowland1964 Notes: "ingredients:
3 lemons
can of chicken stock or broth
fresh tyme
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
box linguini
1/2 stick butter
olive oil
1 pac chicken breasts

dice one small onion
strip leaves off tyme about 1/3 cup
mince garlic
zest lemons
juice lemons
cube chicken

start boiling the waterfor the pasta. cook chicken in skillet with a little olive oil salt & pepper and set aside
in a seperate skillet start to sautae onions in the butter and a little oil so it doesn't start to smoke, when they are translucent add garlic sautae for anothe minute
add lemon juice (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup), chicken broth(the same amount as lemon juice) lemon zest, almost all the time and let reduce.
at the same time you start the onions start the linguini
once the linguini is done and the sauce has reduced put the pasta into the skillet with the sauce and toss, also add the little remaining tyme
then feed people
if its good, YES!
IF IT SUX, YOU MADE IT WRONG YOU MORON!
this is good, it is what my son and wife ask me to make almost weekly, my daughter only eats cheese and chicken nuggets."

What Have I Been Up To?

Before I get too deep into blogging again, I need to account for the 3+ years I've been absent from this blog.  I owe it to my lovingly concerned readers, who I'm sure called their area hospitals looking for new patients named "King Koopa" and drove down country roads searching the ditches for my twisted frame.  I'm alive, I'm well, and if you're reading this I assume you're about the same.  So, what have I been up to?
1)  I got married to "Elle"!
2)  I travelled the world by bumper boat.
3)  I got two orange kitty cats, Otis & Newton.
4)  I voted in an election for the first time.
5)  I invested heavily in beanie babies.  Oops.
6)  I contracted Hoof & Mouth disease.
7)  I turned 30.  Boo.
8)  I bought a sweet ride!
9)  I got laid off.  Boooo.
10)  I lost weight!  Back in my 36-30s, natch.
11) Ron Artest's R&B label "Tru Warrior" issued my solo debut as compensation for punching me.
11a) I went platinum in Morocco!
12) I started wearing curduroy pants again.
13) I started a small business based on inspection/maintenance for stormwater treatment units.
14) I set up a wireless network in my house to connect my laptop, external hard drives, and stereo.

And, that brings us up to the present.  I just set up the wireless network yesterday and it is a wonder to behold.  I have wireless access to all 22,083 music files on my iTunes and can play them on my wireless speakers with a single click.  Longtime dream come true.  Next up, I'm DJ-ing for my old buddy Jason Rowland's gallery show at the Murphy Building here in Indy on February 5th.  Here's a link to his stuff on Etsy.  But, more on that later!

Enough exposition, right?...lets get to the music!  This track is fresh as Binaca, with equal parts Brazillian Girls, New Young Pony Club & LCD Soundsystem.  And, I've not played it for anybody but "Elle", Otis & Newton.  I hope your dance moves are as good as Newton's!

The Phenomenal Handclap Band - 15 to 20 (feat. Lady Tigra)

Update:

That Old Heat

So, the past six months I've really been getting back into hip hop, primarily mid-to-late 90's NY stuff.  These two tracks are ones I've discovered that absolutely slay.  Both tracks are DJ Premier beats, and you can. not. front. on Primo.  The Group Home "Supa Star" track was sampled for DJ Cam's "Gangsta Shit (live)".  The Showbiz & AG track is one of those tracks that anyone with an appreciation for hip hop will fall in love with.

Showbiz & AG - Next Level (DJ Premier remix)

Group Home - Supa Star

Me -> Saddle, Again

Well, would you look at that! This ol' blog is still here just as I left it...son of a gun. Lord knows I've said and thought some not-so-friendly things about blogs in the past, but I take it all back. Blogs are awesome! Time for me to get back on this saddle and get frustrated all over again with others lack of interest! Woo hoo!