Daft Punk Alive 1997

This album is great and it is nowhere near the overexposure of Discovery or Daft Punk in general. This is quite different from the latest Daft Punk spectacle of the traveling pyramid of lights and sounds. This is a sweatier, clubbier experience, for it features no robotic choirs or prog rock guitar riffing. Just beats that sound robotically precise, yet full of feeling. That umph that hits yo' kidneys. The album was released and should be listened to as one continuous track.

Jam of the Week

The Jam of the Week is raspberry jam! Its delicate balance of tart and sweet is nothing short of brilliant.

Playing other people's music part 2

What is DJ-ing? Many uninformed people will dismiss it as simply "playing other people's music." I think it is far more than that. It's an art unto itself and it has just as much to do with connecting with people as with the music itself.

DJ's throughout time have all used records as a way to channel the energy of the crowd through their music and vice versa. From Grandmaster Flash to Andy C. A DJ has a world of music at his disposal with which to create a musical quilt. Like a master chef, a good DJ applies just the right amount of ingredients to make a perfect meal. It is not simply playing other people's music; it's taking that music and using it to create a musical journey, to establish unexpected connections between pieces of music (sometimes of entirely different genres), and to surprise and delight
the listener. In a way, a DJ can dig a lot deeper and surprise more than a live band.

I used the word "records" up above, but I am using it generally and not specifically referring to vinyl or acetate records and dub plates. I think CD's (although practicaly obsolete), MP3's and other digital tools are a perfectly acceptable way to bring music to the masses, although I do think vinyl sounds better.

DJ-ing is one of my favorite art forms, and although I cannot DJ myself, I can spin records in my head.

My current favorite DJ's are Spor and the Streetlife DJ's.

Playing other people's music

No I am not talking about the common criticism of DJ's. I will save that for another post. I am referring to cover songs and how a good cover can completely change the mood of the original composition while acknowledging the artistic accomplishments of the original artists. It's like looking at something through a new pair of glasses. Something that was subtle in the original is now at the forefront of the cover. Or something that was prominent in the original song is now reduced to a fleeting blip. I will now peruse the Internet to exemplify my point. Nevermind the videos.

The original song:



^Blue Monday by New Order^ - 1983

The cover:



^Blue Monday covered by Flunk^ - 2002

Then there's the covers that "feel" the same, but definitely do not sound the same. Case in point:

The original:



^I Put a Spell On You by Screamin' Jay Hawkins^ - 1956

The cover:



^I Put a Spell on You covered by Marilyn Manson^ - 1995

I am very excited to see a live taping of the Maury Povich Show this Thursday! I hope it's either an "Are YOU the Father?" episode or a "My 15-Year Old is a SLUT!" episode. Either one will do.