9622.net

I'm thrilled to have the honor of being the first to post a response to your entry.

The most disturbing habit I've picked up with regards to new music is this. I enjoy quite a bit of new music but lack the ability I had as a teenager to remember the name of every band whose music I enjoy.

There's nothing wrong with sticking to the classics. I would love to see your music collection one day.

I knew a guy in college (back in the days before CD's) who collected every known recording of anything written by Mozart. It was probably the most impressive collection of LP's I'd ever seen.

Miguel, I'm afraid I can't give you many suggestions as probably 90% of the books I've read, movies I've seen and music I've listened to for the past few years has come from intraweb recommendations, most not more than two degrees of separation from here. And some of these folks have freaky large indie cred. But I can agree with the sentiment. There's nothing quite like that first exposure to some new work that makes you think, "daaamn, this is good!" I need some new shit, too.

*rummages for "Look What The Cat Dragged In" CD*

What percentage of music do you listen to that is, say, less than six months old?

Basically none of it. I've always been like that, too--the first tapes (it was the '80s) I bought with my own money were ZZ Top's "Eliminator" and Genesis' "Invisible Touch". Both were relatively new at the time, of course, but both bands date back to the '70s. Even when I went through the indie rock/electronica thing (well, really two separate things) in the '90s, my instincts were more to seek out the roots of the music I loved, rather than the freshest stuff. What *does* make me feel kind of old and jaded, though, is that so little modern music I hear feels truly passionate, vital, alive to me. Where's the rock and roll that sounds like a revolution? 'Cause it sure as hell ain't the mainstream, and the indie/alt/whatever rock scene seems filled with calculated posing (hello, The Strokes), same-old-same-old punk, and "ironic" rehashes of the past.

I started out listening to KSHE, which was the original pirate-radio station that made good. They played mostly classic rock, and during those years, a lot of what we now call hair-metal. In High school, I listened to tons of Clapton, Zep, and Van Halen.

Then a friend introduced me to country, which in the early 90's was in a traditionalist mode. That and grunge defined my listening for a few years.

I was over at another friend's barn working on cars, and he put in Johnny Cash's first American Recordings CD, followed by a Hank Sr. tape he'd liberated from his grandpa. It was a bolt of lighting. Thence came a serious buying kick, whereby I got into folk (from Woody to Townes) and alt-country. I'm still on a couple of music discussion groups related to the latter, which sometimes encompasses the former.

Unfortunately, my financial situation doesn't allow me to experiment with cd buying much any more, so I rarely buy anything from an artist that I'm not already familiar with.

Beyond that, I go back into my Napster catalog of ~18k songs, and download new things I hear about to see what the fuss is about.

Sorry for the long post, but here's some things that have been kicking my ass lately:
-Calexico's Feast of Wire. Southwestern ambient-reverb jazz.
-Allison Moorer's Show. Live set of the best voice in the biz today. And she writes her own stuff. And she's hot.
-Townes Van Zandt's In the Beginning. Recently-unearthed early tracks from my favorite artist; very much up to par with his later and better-known stuff.
-My Morning Jacket's It Still Moves. More poppy and less reverb-y than the last one, but still great stuff to turn *way* the fuck up and dance around the house naked to.
Stuff I'm rediscovering:
the Uncle Tupelo re-issues, Songs:Ohia, Silkworm, Idaho, Iris Dement.

I don't listen to anything over six months old. And I'm not aging. Listening to Justin keeps me young! I'm sure of it! I can still rap with the kids! I'm still cool!

In truth, I still actively seek out new music and bands, I doubt that will go away anytime soon. I do listen to a lot of new stuff, mixed in with the old. (New Twilight Singers came out today, btw).

This weekend at a friend's place I was flipping through Elle and Vogue. 80s fashions. Flashdance fashions. FLASHDANCE. The eighties have somehow raged back, there are 80s stations everywhere. Why?!?! Why are they doing this to me? Do you guys remember this music? It was not good music. Not then, not now. Journey and Poison deserve the quick, painful chart deaths they got. The clothes were ugly too. I expect I shall be painfully out of step until this phase passes.

so little modern music I hear feels truly passionate, vital, alive to me. Where's the rock and roll that sounds like a revolution?

Well said, arto. Sometimes I wish I could destroy my memory cells so I wouldn't greet so much new music with a destructive, cynical and fun-killing reaction of "Oh yes; this is a new spin on Roger McGuinn/Early Yardbirds/*insert boring old forefather/mother*...

I guess what I really miss was the gusto with which I'd search for anything new, just because it was new. For almost ten years, I made a point of not paying attention to any bands that had recorded even one single; listening to John Peel; going to the cheapest student/indie concerts; eventually settling only for obscure labels; then going on to Factory; then to Rough Trade and from there to "independent" labels put out by the majors...and finally to the majors and...the Fall of Man.

And the new Twilight Singers is very good sb.

I find myself not really noticing if what I've been listening to is old or new. Now that I think about it, I'd say I'm probably split right down the middle. I also don't have a problem with music that's popular. Popularity doesn't necessarily == bad.

Music from the last six months I've been enjoying:

Death Cab for Cutie, Transatlanticism

The aforementioned Twilight Singers, Blueberry Belle (sure, it came out today, but I can tell it's going to get a lot of play, as is the recent TS EP "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair")

I've also been enjoying Calexico's Feast of Wire.

Also very much in love with Cafe Tacvba's Cuatro Caminos.

I've mentioned The Postal Service about a million times to people lately and the brand new Rancid has been making me hell to drive near whenever I've got the volume turned up to 11 and I'm getting my punkmotherfucker sneer on while doing 35mph in the fast lane on the 101. The Tindersticks new one is good as well.

As far as popular music goes, what I've heard of the new Outkast is rad. Justin Timberlake's songs are less offensive than the shit he put out with his boy band, and I don't mind it when they become earworms.

I'm sure I need a point to wrap this up, so let me extract one from my ass: My taste in music is the same now that it was fifteen years ago (when I was 15, for those counting). I have certain leanings as far as styles go, I tend to gravitate toward punk and "post-punk" (whatever that is), but I've always listened to anything and everything else. The only criteria I have for music is that it be good.

I likes what I likes, you, and I'll fucking curb-stomp you if you gots a problem with that.

(as read by Popeye playing the lead role in American History X?)

I've always had tastes that ranged from the saccharine to the psychotic (there's a tagline there, if I do say so myself), and which were guaranteed to offend most of the members of at least one of my cirles of friends. I am more comfortable with this than ever I have been.

Sometimes shit pops out of my mouth at random, and I am compelled to make a picture of it. So (very quick and dirty), I give you : Popeye History X.

Try to be short. Today's popular music, I don't know the artist or what the F-ing words are meaning or have a meaning, sick = gooood bitch. Even though I may like them, no need buying them, they will be over played.

A possible problem too from my generation, what new music was made in the 70/80's? punk/new wave, speed metal...alternative. Not that there was not, but 70/80’s pop music sucked. The songs are remixed old song, which too may be a remixed older song. Today...did you see last weeks top 10 songs; #1 was Baby Boy the rest were all rap...the rap I first listen to was NSFW, Original Gangster Rap, so not much interested in the life of street sene criminals these days.
If the radio industry was better, I'd probably never buy any music at all.

If I don't get my copy of the Broadway recording of "Avenue Q" today from Amazon.com, I am going to cry.

Last cd I bought was The Hollies Greatest Hits; my next cd purchase will be Rancid's latest.

I'm lucky that there's an excellent (IMHO) radio station here that I listen to daily. They play Stacey Earle, Steve Earle, John Hiatt, the Jayhawks, Los Lonely Boys, the Thorns - and locals like Adrian Belew, Over The Rhine and the Ass Ponys.

On the other hand, I am totally out of touch with "new" music of other genres, and while I don't give a damn about pop music, I'd like to hear more rap but have no idea where to start.

Tizzie:
What does IMHO stand for?

V

In my humble opinion, dear.

You know, I just realized that my little 'n-bomb' soliloquy a while ago at the 'filter and the fact that I did a wee photoshop with the American History X poster above could possibly be used to convince those who would already be pre-convinced that I'm some kind of racist monster (based entirely on a misunderstanding of my utter contempt for those who would let words define their reality without understanding that they control the way those words are tools, not weapons, because they're weak in the fucking head), when nothing - nothing - could be further from the truth.

I just got that flash, and at the risk of further derailing and going off-topic, would like to dispell any intimations to that effect.

I beat racists senseless, and have done so with meat and bone, really-o truly-o, in real life and all. I am not one.

I do have some unpopular opinions about language, though. And Americans. But you knew that already.

[Sorry, Migs, amigo, for the derail]

Stavros, I would never suspect/accuse/even freaking hint that you were a racist. I don't know what your position was in the 'filter discussion, but here's mine, anyway.

I can't stand to hear anyone say "nigger" - and for that matter I can't stand to hear anyone use "retard" as a pejorative, either. Hate speech is evil, using it is like using a gun.

This has become an issue between myself and several people who I adore and respect - people who want to use words in order to de-fuse them. I don't think that's an effective approach. I think there are too many ways it can be misinterpreted to make it effective.

we've got to stop meeting for these serious discussions so early in the morning, heh.

It's to hard and too loaded-with-portent to discuss reasonably in text, I think, Tizz. But my shorthand is that

while words are everything and define our reality

words are also poor and inaccurate tools to express our thoughts

and

words are used by the smart to fuck with the not-so-smart

and so

i will not grant that word X or word Y has any power, while i understand that those who have never thought about words will kill and die because their hearts are inflamed by the power of word X or word Y

and so

fuck them dumbasses.

Music I listen to that's

I have nowhere near the shockingly huge amount of indie cred displayed by most monkeys here on a regular basis (why do you think I like getting the mix CDs so much?). About five years ago, I basically wrote off commercial radio, and the last time I was exposed to LOTS of good music was my stint in college radio from '94-'98.

I think the only things I'm listening to now that are under six months old are the Postal Service (dunno if that's that new or not -- it's certainly less than a year old), which eyeballkid introduced me to, and the new Elvis Costello, which you might like, Miguel. It's very spare and stripped-down and the songs are almost torch- or cabaret-like. It took a couple listens to get used to it, but now I like it quite a bit.

As for a random sample of what's been in the ol' Discman the last few weeks:
Los Lobos, Colossal Head;
Leonard Cohen, More Best Of;
Jurassic 5, Quality Control;
R.E.M., Document;
Lyle Lovett, Live in Texas;
Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys, some random cheapie compilation;
Willie Nelson, Milk Cow Blues;
Howlin' Wolf, The Real Folk Blues;
Friends of Dean Martinez, Retrograde;
Superchunk, Indoor Living;
Dave Brubeck, Jazz Goes To College (if you haven't listened to "Balcony Rock", rectify that soonest. You're in for a treat);
Elvis Costello, Spike;
Elvis Costello, All This Useless Beauty;
Bach/E. Power Biggs, Music of Jubilee;
Dayroom, Dayroom;
Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Don't Know How To Party;
and so on.

I realize that there's lots of really good music being made now (just like always) but it just isn't cracking the charts. That's fine -- the world is big enough for all and the charts will eventually swing back. The good stuff is just a bit harder to find, and since I'm fundamentally lazy I find that I'm exposed to much less of it than I used to be. (But some interesting musiks seem to keep popping up in various mix CDs. I'm particularly intrigued by Over The Rhine, Spoon, and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists...any thoughts from anyone as to whether these are worth a purchase, and which particular joint I should acquire?)

Anyway, enough typing for now.

Er, after about 9 beers, and typos and all, and oversimplifying. Tht's the way of it.

Also, Shannon rocks.

And fuck that guy who caught the ball during the Cubs game last night. Now there's a reasonable case to be made for tying him to the el tracks.

Well, maybe a little more. (Gosh, I do bloviate, don't I?)

Why isn't our good monkeyfriend Jon in on this one? This mirrors a conversation I had with him just a few days back.

And I am off to the grand opening celebrations of Louis Armstrong's house in Corona...I overslept and will miss the ribbon-cutting in fifteen minutes, but the musical performances and other activities will be going for a few hours yet.

I listen to almost nothing new, and if you ask me today's music* is far closer to muzak than old stuff. I've actually been buying and downloading older stuff almost exclusively, mostly 60's garage and British Invasion and bubblegum, 70's hard rock, 80's underground metal, seventies punk, obscure soul, and prewar blues and country.

Today at work I'm about to pop this in, which consists of stuff recorded before my mother was born. There's "good" music being made, I guess, but most of it is buried under a torrent of genre-hairsplitting, self-concious irony, contempt for the audience and dumb posturing.

*this is especially true of electronic music. "Ambient Chillout" my ass. It's elevator music for e-heads in shiny pants. Get over it, rainbpw brite boy.

oh cool! Leona Gabriel is GREAT. You're in for a treat.

wow, I ask for Jon to make an appearance, and pow! there he is.

Think I can do something about the dismal state of my 401K?

JonMC and Vidiot are in the house!!!

Lock up the beer. Oh, I tried the new pocky anathema recommended. It kicks ass. But you knew it would.

JonMC and Vidiot are in the house!!!

Did I miss a memo?

Less than six months? Very little. But I'm going back and buying quite a bit of stuff that I missed over the past few years.

I'm still on a huge From Monument to Masses kick. Their new album is fantastic.

The Mars Volta's record (Deloused in the Comatorium) is surprisingly good. But I was a huge AtDI fan, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I like it.

I'll also prefer to buy the CDs of bands that are coming through versus those that aren't (or buy CDs at shows so the bands get the money) so a lot of my purchases are local stuff.

Drums and Tuba are on a national label (Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe, to be exact) but they're local boys. They tour relentlessly all over the country, so if they're ever in your neck of the woods, do yourself a favor and check 'em out.

Psychobilly is still really big out here, and I love the shows, so I get to see the Reverend Horton Heat (yeah, he's still alive) all the time. Also the Flametrick Subs from Austin are phenomenal.

I bought the new Ted Leo EP, Vidjit, but haven't listened to it enough yet to give a rec or not (still in g/f's car).

When is the next swap anyways? Next month?

Are Drums & Tuba exactly what they sound like? If so, then I gotta hear this.

(with fond memories of college: my school started out as a music conservatory, and the music school is pretty big and pretty good. Every fall, the brass majors would have an "Oktubafest"...you haven't LIVED until you've seen a 70-tuba ensemble playing Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein", Iron Butterfly, or "Monster Mash.")

Haha! Stav, that's the best advertisement for Long Island Iced Tea I've ever seen!
(Not that I've ever tried one - I'm saving that coma treat for my 50th birthday.

Drums & Tuba are pretty much just that with an amazing guitarist. It's all instrumental. Occasionally on albums they'll toss in some trumpet or have a guest musician doing various things, but I've never seen them live with anything more than the Drums, the Tuba, and the Guitar(s). They started out at the University of North Texas in Denton which is a noted music school, so all three are extremely talented on their respective instruments. I get to see 'em again on Nov. 2.

When is your 50th, Migs?

'Cause I propose a monkeymeetup in Lisbon.

I'm sure there's nothing you'd like better. (Can we stay at your place?)

and Long Island Iced Tea? Ye gods. It tastes better (and has much the same effect) if you just hit yourself in the head with a large hammer.

damn you migs! shrinking my comments!

Oh and btw, if you needed another reason to check out D&T, they're newest album is called "Mostly Ape" and features the phrenology of an Ape on the back with the song titles in the various parts of the brain. I've got the poster on my bedroom wall.

Considering how many freakin' musicians I know, I sure don't listen to anything new. Or remotely cool.

On my road trip yesterday, I was quite thrilled to hear "Driver's Seat" on the radio. That should tell you something (combined with the fact that I haven't joined any other swaps since my one and only foray last year, in which I created my one perfect mix, and that's it: wad shot).

[seconding stavro's comment about shannon campbell seriously rocking]

If you had looked at me four years ago, I was in such a colossal rut music-wise that the Grand Canyon would occasionally look down and say "damn, Fes, that's a substantial rut you got going there." A dusty Brownian-motion round-robin tournament of '80s top 40, cheese metal, pop divas and "Pure [Insert Name Here]" mix CDs from Sam's Warehouse. Absolutely pathetic, and it was getting to the point where I was listening to less and less music.

Then jonmc turned me on to mp3 via WinMX, and my listening life got a LOT better. I could try out bands I'd heard of, find songs I'd heard once on the radio, etc. Yeah, it might be stealing, but I figure I've bought 300+ albums in my life, 80% of which sucked. If every album has 10 songs, that's 2400 songs that the RIAA owes me. OK, say even that half of those didn't *massively* suck, that's still 1200 and I've downloaded nowhere near that many. I save my conscience-pricking for less psychologically-rewarding ethical dilemmas, thanks very much.

Where do I find out about new stuff? (a) new music shows on local orig radio, (b) mix CDs from you all, (c) hearing other people's music and asking "what is that?" (d) reading various publications that discuss music and writing down the names of bands I want to try out, (e) gnoosic! Try it, it's kinda cool, and I have gotten some good ideas from there.

What am I listening to that's less than 6 months old? Not much, I imagine, but honestly, I have no idea. Some could be very new, some could be ancient. I can tell you what I am listening to now, though: Antiloop, Bjork, Electric Turn To Me (they're pretty new, they might qualify), Brassy (also newish, I think), Luomo, Jane Child (ancient), Les Nubians, Susan Tedeschi, Steely Dan (even more ancient), Chantal Kreviazuk.

Tuscon, Az, has not only Calexico, but also Bob Log III, a youngster making some gnarly old noises. It's the new Omaha, grandpa!

I not only don't listen to anything new, I don't listen to anything from my own generation any more. Anything prior to the disco debacle is good. Let's say '73 or '74. After that...it's all shit.

After that...it's all shit.

I once thought the same, only advancing your timeframe a decade or so forward. I was WRONG, dude. There is some fantastic music out there, waiting to be listened to. Free your mind, and your ass will follow!

Crash, send me your snail mail address and I'll send you a mix that will change your mind. And I'm older than you, so trust me.

Perhaps all this enthusiasm for the new and adventurous could wait until after National Grouch Day.

Damn kids with their zootsuits and jazz cigarettes...

DUDE! Boob Scotch! Thanks liam!

I'm with Crash for the most part. Punk, thrash metal, hip-hop and alt-rock had their moments, but the quality will never be what it was back in the day. Even the fluff was better in the 60's and 70's. I mean, wouldn't any sane being prefer "Brandy" to "Mickey" as it were?

I'll argue that popular music peaked in 1966.

[ i should have linked that, lemme try again ]

DUDE! Boob Scotch! Thanks liam!

[ THAT LINK IS NSFW, UNLESS YOU WORK IN A PLACE THAT APPROVES OF BOOBS BEING DIPPED IN SCOTCH. ]

I'll argue that popular music peaked in 1966.

I was under the mistaken impression that the 'mats were releasing material in the 80s. [ as well as the pixies ].

I don't think music ever peaked / peaks.

Yes, but the Mats and the Pixies were bright spots in a bleak era otherwise populated by the likes of Duran Duran and A Flock Of Seagulls*. The vast majority of the listening public never got to hear them and wouldn't have cared if they did.

In '66, the top 40 was full of the Stones, the Beatles, The Who, garage rock. Motown, Dylan, Stax-Volt...and that's just the mainstream stuff. See my point. We've never seen a music explosion like that and we never will, cause the minute something does occur it's immediately subsumed. In those days it took years for the flacks to catch up cause they knew they didn't have a clue. These days the suits think they know shit.

* or worse The Cure, The Smiths and Erasure.

*ducks*

I just can't take you seriously when you razz the Smiths Jon. I know that, secretly, you can't get enough of Johnny Marr's sweet guitar.

Just like I know that you go home, put on a fright wig and thrash around to Stay Hungry.

All kidding aside, those three bands represent everything that went wrong with rock and roll in the 1980's and I stand by that.

Or maybe I just don't get it.

Top 20 hits of 1966:
1. The Ballad Of The Green Berets, Sgt. Barry Sadler

2. Cherish, Association

3. (You're My) Soul And Inspiration, Righteous Brothers

4. Reach Out I'll Be There, Four Tops

5. 96 Tears, ? & The Mysterians

6. Last Train To Clarksville, Monkees

7. Monday, Monday, Mama's & The Papa's

8. You Can't Hurry Love, Supremes

9. Poor Side Of Town, Johnny Rivers

10. California Dreamin', Mama's & The Papa's

11. Summer In The City, Lovin' Spoonful

12. Born Free, Roger Williams

13. These Boots Are Made For Walkin', Nancy Sinatra

14. What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted, Jimmy Ruffin

15. Strangers In The Night, Frank Sinatra

16. We Can Work It Out, Beatles

17. Good Lovin', Young Rascals

18. Winchester Cathedral, New Vaudeville Band

19. Hanky Panky, Tommy James & The Shondells

20. When A Man Loves A Woman, Percy Sledge

The pinnacle of modern music??

I was almost ten, I had a transistor. I knew this stuff.

The top 20 hits of 1986:

1. That's What Friends Are For, Dionne & Friends

2. Say You, Say Me, Lionel Richie

3. I Miss You, Klymaxx

4. On My Own , Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald

5. Broken Wings, Mr. Mister

6. How Will I Know, Whitney Houston

7. Party All The Time, Eddie Murphy

8. Burning Heart, Survivor

9. Kyrie, Mr. Mister

10. Addicted To Love, Robert Palmer

11. Greatest Love Of All, Whitney Houston

12. Secret Lovers, Atlantic Starr

13. Friends And Lovers, Carl Anderson & Gloria Loring

14. Glory Of Love, Peter Cetera

15. West End Girls, Pet Shop Boys

16. There'll Be Sad Songs, Billy Ocean

17. Alive And Kicking, Simple Minds

18. Never, Heart

19. Kiss, Prince & The Revolution

20. Higher Love, Steve Winwood

I'd say '66 is far and away, the winner.

The 86 list is all shit, where the 66 list has only Barry Sadler , winchester cathedral and "Born Free" as clunkers.

At least half of the 66 list is bona fide classics.

I'll take Prince's Kiss over the entire '66 list combined, some of which are fine.

I think Eddie Murphy could've been a contender. If only Rick James had had a few more years to mentor him...

Communists, I'm surrounded by communists.

9622.net: Klymaxx!

forgive me monkey-father, for I have sinned. But I had to!

jonmc's list is what gets played on 80s stations, the ones I ranted about earlier. If they played Pixies and Mats and maybe a little Plastique Bertrand for flavour I'd be fine with it.

I don't know that the top songs of 96 would look much better. My impression has always been top 40 tends to be dreck for the most part, with the classics peering out as time goes by.

Duran Duran recently played in London, apparently tickets sold out in 4 mins. I don't know why that happened.

1996:

1 Always be my baby Mariah Carey
2 Because you loved me Celine Dion
3 Missing Eveything But The Girl
4 Nobody knows The Tony Rich Project
5 Ironic Alanis Morissette
6 I love you always forever Donna Lewis
7 One sweet day Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
8 Give me one reason Tracy Chapman
9 You learn Alanis Morissette
10 Killing me softly Fugees
11 Name Goo Goo Dolls
12 Change the world Eric Clapton
13 Follow you down Gin Blossoms
14 Wonder Natalie Merchant
15 Who will save your soul Jewel
16 Counting blue cars Dishwalla
17 Insensitive Jann Arden
18 Til I hear it from you Gin Blossoms
19 You're Makin' me high Toni Braxton
20 It's all coming back to me now Celine Dion

Note that the Gin Blossoms have TWO songs on there. Eesh. I can dig the Natalie Merchant and Tracy Chapman songs though.

Kids kids kids... the top forty always sucks. It was better in '66 than '86, but there's still some real stinkers on that list.

Good music is out there to be had. Ya just gots ta look for it. Non-commercial radio is your best friend. KEXP has a great stream available, so start there.

Good new music of the last six months, off the top of my head:

Guided by Voices Earthquake Glue
Pretty Girls Make Graves (I think it's called) A New Romance

If I were at home, looking at my CD collection, I'm sure I could come up with more. Right now, though, I'm drawing a blank. But this "there's no good music now" stuff is, with all due respect, horseshit. Seek and ye shall find.

Damn straight. Dare to look beyond the radio, and you'll find some gems...in any genre. (The Velvets were doing some great stuff in '66, f'r instance...but it wasn't exactly burning up the charts AFAIK.)

To everyone saying "the top 40 always sucks and there's always great undergorund music". Wrong!

The difference is in the 1960's the top 40 didn't suck for the most part, and there was great underground stuff too. Just look at the respective lists and tell me you don't grasp that

Today the top 40 sucks from top to bottom, and what passes for "alternative" is just more commercial swill, just marketed at a different demographic.

Yes, I'm a cranky prematurely old fuck.

Oops, my bad. The Pretty Girls Make Graves CD is The New Romance.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on your asssessment of current music, Jon. I mean, yeah, there's certainly no shortage of crap out there. What you have to remember, though, is that 98% of anything is crap.

The intrepid listener is like the old gold prospector panning in the river. Most of what he scoops up into his pan is gonna be worthless, but he keeps looking because the nuggets, when they're found, are priceless. They may be few and far between at times, but he knows that he's not gonna find 'em if he doesn't look.

Oh, I still dig for nuggets, bmarkey, just not among the new stuff. But then again if it's old stuff I haven't heard, then it's new stuff. To me anyway.

I'll grant that the Top 40 was better in 1966 (hell, in 1996) than it is now.

But saying that there's no good underground music going on now just means that a.) your mind is utterly closed to the possibility; and/or b.) that you're not looking hard enough.

Yes, what's marketed as "alternative" (actually, they don't often use this anymore, AFAIK -- more like "modern rock" or whatever...radio and the charts have fragmented beyond belief in the past 15 years) does often, if not always, suck hard and long. But there's stuff that's truly alternative (or underground, or whatever-have-you) that isn't being marketed as such because it's barely being marketed at all through the traditional channels. And quite often, there are gems in there that don't suck.

And yes, I'd put Yankee Hotel Foxtrot right up there with Pet Sounds, and be completely comfortable with my choice.

The "true alternative" meaning truly non-commercial independent bands who won't compromise their integrity?

They all suck too. Integrity and ethics is no guarantee of talent.

You'll reach the point I'm at eventually. Give it a few years.

For some, music is like breathing. You just need to.

I'm finding new music thanks to college radio stations. The dj's play whatever they're currently loving. That being said, I'm really enjoying middle eastern music. They had a club night called Funk Asia here in town, where they played all bollywood/bhangra music including r'n b & hip hop.

I recently saw dj Cheb i Sabbah [from SF] whose roots lie in bhangra/bollywood. His latest CD I picked up, "As Far As. a dj mix" a mix of middle eastern singers. Najma [what a voice], Natach Atlas, Asian Dub Foundation to name a few I recognize and have. His live set was great, really knew how to work the room.

Khaled, including arabic lyric notes, produced by Don Was & Michael Brooks [4 AD records]. Kind of westernized to a degree, but very hot. Can't think of the title [another CD left behind at a party I've yet to retrieve]. A great intro into middle eastern music. Very danceable.

I've been trying to find Cloudja Shamali after I left a tape at a party and never had it returned *sob*. Don't know where she's from, but a guy working at an african mask store was playing it, spoke to him, he taped a copy for me. That store is no longer around, sadly. Brilliant though.

BadMarsh & Shri, "Signs". Original "Lots of Signs" was done by Tenor Saw [reggae], dj remix with middle eastern flavour downtempo house-ish on title track. The remaining stuff, middle eastern flavoured house.

Swordfish, w/Paul Oakenfold from the movie of the same name. I liked a few of the remixes with Dope Smugglaz and NERD featuring Lee Harvey & Vita [never heard of them before], but some great tracks here.

BranVan3000, "Discosis", love some of the shit he does. Great fun. You gotta love "Astounded" what he did with a Curtis Mayfield track and "Loaded" with Big Daddy Kane. Riotous!

Calexico, yep, "Feast of Wire". Just saw them live recently also, love that stuff. Long time ago I bought Friends of Dean Martinez, which Howe Gelb was in also.

Neko Case, "Blacklisted". Wonderful voice, brilliant CD, surprise, Calexico [Howe Gelb, John Convertino, Joey Burns][pedal steel is Jon Rauhouse] plays on her CD also.

Carolyn Mark "Terrible Hostess", a stable mate of Neko Case's [mint records], great fun and funny funny lyrics. Western-ish.

The Be Good Tanyas, "Chinatown". Those voices, again. Love the harmonies.

Painting Daisies, "fortissimo", an all grrrl group from Canada. Great blues and can they ever play and sing!

Ry Cooder & Mauel Galban, "Mambo Sinuendo". Ry Cooder, what more do I need to explain.

Peaches, "The Teaches of Peaches", electro pop-ish. Wicked wicked lyrics. Her latest, "Fatherfucker" apparently has more instruments instead of mostly her Roland MC-505. How can you not like her with songs like "Fuck The Pain Away", "I'm AA Thinking XXX". Very raunchy.

Swollen Members, "Monster In The Closet". It's rap, but with guest singer Nelly Furtado on a song "Breath". Excellent. Unlike Nelly Furtado's debut [I'm Like a Bird, or something to that nature]. Hard core rap, not gangsta, conscious rap, well done.

Michie Mee, "First Cut Is The Deepest". No, it's just the name of the damn CD. A Toronto hip hop gal. Great grooves and heavy hitting lyrics. Well done.

Spacemonkeyz vs Gorillaz, "Laika Come Home", a third CD from Gorillaz, with Spacemonkeyz, heavy dub's of their first CD. It'll rattle your walls and ribs. The neighbours will be pounding on the walls.

The music of Ennio Morricone. Always loved that stuff, then I found it!

The Best of James Bond 30th Anniversary Collection, say no more.

These are just some in the last 6 months I've purchased. I have about 6 second hand CD stores in my neighbourhood and although there's the usual shit, sometimes you find new nuggets. More often than not.

I'm on the lookout for the new Outkast [I prefer to pay $10.99]. Have the previous one and saw them live. Excellent. In the same vein, Nappy Roots, "Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz".

Actually, no. It's not commercialism per se that I have a problem with; as a [hopefully] discerning listener, I have a vested interest in making sure that I can find musicians that I like, and I also have a vested interest in their being well-compensated enough to keep making music. Some of my favorite musicians do very well -- good for them. I wish more of my favorite musicians were better compensated for their efforts.

And yes, I'm a fan of integrity and ethics, too, and I realize that those principles operate independent of talent. (There are musicians I admire, but whose music I don't particularly care for. And conversely, there are some truly great musicians who are/were utter shitheels.)

My only real point here is that it's sad to pronounce the whole game over because you don't like anything that you personally have heard since 1986 or so.

But this is way too serious a discussion to have on Monkey Island, so:

I will fully agree with "if I haven't heard it before, it's new to me." But I just don't see it as an either/or thing, I guess. Liking new music doesn't mean abandoning the past, any more than liking old things means ignoring the present. I can love The Creation and FM Knives at the same time.

Not physically, mind you. My love for music only goes so far.

Also, what Vidiot said.

[ THAT LINK IS NSFW, UNLESS YOU WORK IN A PLACE THAT APPROVES OF BOOBS BEING DIPPED IN SCOTCH. ]

*dreams*

I don't really have anything worthwhile to add to the nice discussion here, but I did want to let stavros know I stole his drunken lemur. And his bandwidth too, for that matter. Nyah, nyah!

I've got nothing new to add to the discussion, other than a love of drunken lemus (even one not stolen from Stav), and the fact that it's 10pm, I'm still at work and I'm cranking old Happy Mondays stuff. Earlier it was Replacements and Gang of Four.

Clearly, the kids today would think I'm some sort of dinosaur, no?

Oooh, Happy Mondays.

Yeah. If you're at work five hours after you're supposed to be, I highly recommend it.

Gah. And it's "lemurs" not "lemus". Clearly I should go home.

This post is starting to look a lot like the desert island post.

alicesshoe: I've gotta second the Neko Case and Carolyn Mark recommendations. Haven't heard the new Neko yet, but "Furnace Room Lullaby" was out-frickin'-standing. And Carolyn Mark I've only seen in the dreaded between-headliners spot at a couple of folk festivals, but her (and her band's) energy, enthusiasm and talent shone through. (Plus, at this summer's Blues and Roots festival, she had a fella named Ford Pier playing piano, who came up with one of the greatest album titles of all time: "Twelve Step Plan, Eleven Step Pier.")

Bran Van, though, while I enjoyed their music, I found it criminal that (on their debut, at least) they didn't credit their numerous collaborators, a lot of whom were apparently random Montreal street musicians etc. Didn't stop me though, the summer it came out, bumping "Drinking in L.A." on every bar jukebox I came across.

(Well, to be fair, there's about 30 or so names listed under "Bran Van Collective" in the liner notes, but no who-played-what.)

Ooooh, pretty. Dedicated to liquid, indeed.

*imagines Migs salivating*

A couple of albums I think bridges the gap between old and new.

Jolie Holland: »Catalpa«
Peggy Honeywell: »Honey For Dinner«
Paula Frazer: »A Place Where I Know«

Check them out, I think you'll like them.

arto, You'd really really love Blacklisted then [Neko Case]. She wrote all the tunes. What a voice! Stronger than ever on this one.

She's good. (And she's purty.) I like both her work with the New Pornographers and her solo stuff with Her Boyfriends.

It's also > 6 mos. old, but I like Tift Merritt. She's an okay songwriter, but that voice! She sounds like the second coming of Patsy Cline. (And I was in fourth grade with her, and had (as did every other boy) the most massive crush on her.)

And now "Drinking in LA" is engraved in my head, which means I'll have to dig out the CD single I have, which means it'll be in my head all day.

And we did nothing/Absolutely bubkes that day....

I'm partial to an occasional boob scotch when listening to The Corn Sisters (Case & Mark), but I'd have to hide it if Prince showed up at my door.

Yeah, Vidiot, i saw Tift three eyars ago at a music festival. All the guys stared. I'm pretty sure a lot of relationships ended due to said staring. ;)

Re: Neko - Blacklisted is great, but a bit more moody where Furnace Room was sassy. YMMV.

Miguel, is there anything you'd like to tell us?

Other links I used to garner new music ideas? Musicfilter (not as popular lately as it used to be) and Art of the Mix. Also, cowboy_sally turned me on to TrouserPress, a very cool alternative site.

I'm bored with this subject.
Could someone start a new string please?

(that wasn't me speaking. that was my evil twin.)

Stop lying!!!

(see. there she is again.)

The difference is in the 1960's the top 40 didn't suck for the most part,

There is no top 40 being played today on radio unless it is a great station; it's top 20 played twice and labeled 40oz'rs.

I am sitting in my office currently being forced to listen to crappy 80s music. JackFM - "Playing What We Want". Apparently they want to play Van Hagar and Journey.

My coworkers are eating it up.

Help me. Please, help me.

If you're willing to venture really far afield, there's Cutie Morning Moon, the Garage Compilation Database, Key Of Z, Knights In Blue Denim, Relapse, tinfoil.com, Joe Bussard's Vintage 78 and Trikont for stuff worth investigating. None of them have steered me wrong yet.

Ok, seriously. Martha and the Muffins just came on.

I have a stapler and I'm not afraid to use it. I think I've discovered the real source of work-related violence.

I like Martha & The Muffins. But then again I like some of Journey's stuff too, and Foghat.

Point that thing somewhere else, lady.

Martha and the Muffins?

Is that like "Stuffin' Martha's Muffin"?

Barring Valerie's evil twin's dissension, in light of all this music talk, does anyone feel like they want to start the Autumn Swap two weeks early? I had planned a Halloween start for a just-before-Thanksgiving mailout, but...?

Let the games begin.

*cough*Fes/ufez/mizz ufez/notsnot meetup pics? Hint hint.*cough*

In other off topic news, I have developed an allergy to pigeons. Seriously.

Initiate Operation Benadryl Drop!

Allergic to pigeons? In Rome? You poor thing. (Good thing it ain't London or Noo Yawk, or you'd be REALLY screwed.)

I have developed an allergy to pigeons. Seriously.

Are you sure it's the pigeon and not the cumin that's in the marinade?

and where are those damn pics, anyways?

they're being processed by the ever-dilligent notsnot. I forgot the damn digital, so we had to shoot with a disposal, that means developing and scanning. Sorry. They'll get here, I promise.

ufez, if I didn't say so Friday, it was good to meet you.

romakimmy, come to St. Louis. Nary a pigeon in the park. Any we find hiding we'll, ah, remove, if only you come to us.

(what do you think is in that infernal toasted ravioli?

I was wondering why the beef had feathers. Them's good eatin' though.

ufez, if I didn't say so Friday, it was good to meet you.

Absolutely likewise. And Notsnot. Thanks for coming. I was glad it ended before I was fabulously smashed.

Thankee. Sorry I could only stay that hour and a half or so; I was laying a good base for pleasantly squiffed.

Allergy indeed. Is it just me, or have the pigeons become a lot meaner since Bert and Osama became *ahem* special friends?

Dear God, Ernie, take him back before it's the end of us all!

It's probably more along the lines of an allergy to pigeon dandruff, now that I'm thinking of the semantics.

/muses on effectiveness of buying a supersoaker loaded with Head n' Shoulders

What's the Autumn Swap??

Tell me quickly before my twin comes back from the WC.

Should I say that I'm anti-semantic, kimmy?

Or I think that's my evil twin that'd say that.

Gah, Vidiot, your evil twin just made me think I was having a brainfart in English.

Luckily for revenge purposes, I am my evil twin.

*gives Vidiot a patented romakimmy Atomic Wedgie (TM pending)*

You'll be spittin' cotton for a week, boy.

Valerie: We have all-voluntary quarterly mix CD Swaps here; I'm the Swapinistratator. The Autumn Swap was/is scheduled to start at the end of October, but with all this music talk, I wondered aloud if we shouldn't move it up a coupla weeks. I got one vote *for* so far.

patented romakimmy Atomic Wedgie

Hang him up! Hang! Him! Up! Hang! Him! Up!

The 7th grader in me will always love the near-gladiatorial spectacle of a finely executed atomic wedgie.

*eats bread, watches circus*

Are these recordings that we make from CD's on to tapes or do we have to sacrifice our own CD's?

Recordings compiled onto formerly-blank CD-Rs. You know, like a mix tape, but on a CD.

Also:
9622.net: You'll be spittin' cotton for a week, boy.

Oh, and count me in on moving the schedule up.

The 7th grader in me will always love the near-gladiatorial spectacle of a finely executed atomic wedgie.

Heh. The last time I was a recipient of an atomic wedgie was when I last visitied the family in Texas.

v.v. catholic father
+family tickling fight
+smartarsed sassing "I've already got a wedgie; I'm wearing a g-string"
+"Yeah, right."
=
red faced father unable to look his oldest daughter in the eye for an hour.

Good times.

I guess technology is passing me by. You can burn mixed songs onto a CD?

Vidiot: Will you show me how? I'm a bit of a "CD"iot.

Get it?

this arrived in the mail today.

rad. rad. rad.

Vidiot claims he's not Tift's manager. Love Patsy Cline, but hopefully this isn't another case of K.D.Langitis, is it? When she first started out.....

liam, I've heard they recorded once and play a lot in Victoria,BC, but have yet to hear them. That Prince story is too much! Going on for 25 minutes? They should have at least got an autograph out of the deal. First Travolta and now Prince. humph. What's with that? Success leads to the Witness? My grandfather would have shut the door in their face at the start of their spiel forthwith, with a polite no thanks.

I feel for ya salmonberry. That JackFM is too sad. To think it used to be an "urban" music station. I guess the demographics proved right, according to your office. Yoiks! Would you prefer muzak? Oh, wait, it is muzak!

Use the stapler, please. Liberally.

eyeballkid, that looks very cool. please report back on its pleasingness, please.

Never go to parties on a boat. If you are not having a very good time, or even if you are having a very good time but just want to go do something else, you must swim to shore.

I opted to stay on board till the boat docked after a work-related boat party last night, but then could not bear to take the bus back to the office and drive home. So I walked home 9about 2 miles), alone, at midnight - perfectly reasonable in my assessment.

No one at work would even speak to me today. I am now, officially, weird.

Don't worry, Tizzie, I'm officially weird anywhere I stay for more than five minutes.

I have to stop by Target this evening for bread and milk (won't cross the picket line), so I'll pick up the call-out pics. ANyone got some public space i can put the pictures?

Sure. Shoot me an e-mail: my nickname at telescreen dot org.

And sure, Val. Basically I just use the software that came with my CD burner. Drag the files (tracks) into a window, insert a disc, and hit "Go." It's pretty easy, but I can certainly show you.

Vidiot.

Any time I've tried to burn different songs onto a CD I always get a message that says it can't do it.

I'm hopeless.

I will need you to show me.

Thank you.

Valerie

Hey Stav! Ta for the great Bar TV link!

Vidiot: The things that go on in this country, honestly.

Everybody else: Thanks for the tips. It'll take a month to get through them - goody!

Y'all will have to wait another day...the processing at my local Target (I susually take my good stuff to a small shop, but this is just fun) apparently needs two days to run it through now.

Am I hearing something about an Autumn Swap?

I have to stop by Target this evening for bread and milk (won't cross the picket line)

Strike is still going on, I take it? What's the prognosis?

Move slowly Valerie. jonmc is a jealous son of a bitch.

The core of Stav is 16 stances or body postures. These are combined with breathing exercises to give gentle, non-impact exercise to tone and relax.

Interested? Here's Stav!

Does the Sixteen-Ounce Bicep Curl count?

Don Zimmer/Tor Johnson

alice, you're in Victoria? I lived there when I was a student at UVic.

I would like the mix to happen after your crazy Yankee Thanksgiving. You see, I'll be hanging with ebk and others starting in November, and my plan is to steal his entire CD collection when he's not looking. I'd be doing it for the swap - I'd be doing it for you. For all of you. Not for myself.

And thus is the Autumn 9622 CD Swap commenced!

For those of you who are new, here’s a rundown of the Tao of Monkeymusicswapping, which differs slightly from the norm:

1. To join, say you’re in. Even thinking it loudly will suffice. It’s that simple.

2. At the assigned day, you announce definitively that you have made a master disk. A master disk is an actual CD – tunes picked, playlist laid in, cd burnt, an actual thing that you can play.

3. I then take the names of the people who have declared they have a master made and divide them up into swap groups. I keep track, and I try to make sure that (a) no groups over five people, and (b) no one is in a group with anyone they were in the same group with last time.

4. I post the groups and send everyone an email with the mailing addresses of the people in their group.

5. You burn and mail your cds to your groupmates.

6. We then, on a voluntary basis, post our playlists and cover art. People may then request/beg/trade for cds they want from swappers outside their group.

7. You receive cds from the people in your swap group, the people outside your swap group whom you’ve asked for cds from, and whomever you have a side deal (I’ll send you mine if you send me yours…) with.

8. You rock.

The Book is hereby open. Right now, I see me, Vidiot, Valerie, anathema, and eyeballkid. Who's in? Declare, thou blackguards!

Deadline for masters is Halloween; deadline for mailing is November 14. For tentative newbs who want a look inside the sausage factory, below are the previous Swap threads.

SummerSwap ’02
SummerSwap Aftermath ’02
AutumnSwap ’02
AutumnSwap Aftermath ’02
WinterSwap ’02
SpringSwap ’03
SpringSwap Aftermath ’03
SummerSwap ’03
SummerSwap Aftermath ’03

Doh! Dangit, salmonberry!

btw, I have your package, it's sitting on my friggin desk, wrapped tight, addressed...

*sobs*

Please do not put adhesive labels on your discs.

Thanks.

I'm saying that Miguel is in. Whether he wants to be or not.

I'll take an autumnal rain check

I'm in. There is no more baseball in New England, only the pick, pick, pick, of the nits over the hot stove as the Evil Empire (TM) goes on to a completely (and suddenly) unremarkable World Series.

So, I might as well burn some CDs instead.

damn straight! so far:

fes
vidiot
valerie
ebk
commish
ana
migs

cowboy sally and ufez both took similar rainchecks, btw.

I also hereby call for the return of Lupo to the swap. And coldchef!

And Marquis.

And where the hell's chico? He should be in this.

Chico's jay-oh-bee has apparently been anally raping him for the last several whiles. (YMMV on whether that's a good or a bad thing...but that's neither here nor there.) I'll send him an e-mail.

[glances around wall]

Cover me, I'm goin' in!

[does flashy dive n' roll move, goes down in blaze of glory]

Oh, and Salmonberry -- this JackFM of which you speak is apparently some sort of insidious radio-borg virus, infecting airwaves at least as far east as Calgary. Either that, or you're not actually in Victoria at all. Try this simple test: Step away from the computer, go out and look at the pretty harbour. IF there is no pretty harbour because you're actually 1000 miles inland, surrounded by people who spend ten days out of the year wearing cowboy hats, getting snot-hangin' drunk and prentending Garth and Shania make decent music (well, two outta three ain't bad), you're not in Victoria.

salmonberry, no I live in Toronto, but heard from this cranky music store clerk [makes him a sterk] that they play regularly in Victoria. He was moaning about the quality of the recording of the Corn Sisters [Neko Case & Carolyn Mark]. It was recorded live in some club, apparently. I lived in Vancouver for 6 months waaay back.

I get the impression this Jack[shit]FM has spread out west? Oi!

I'm sadly not in yet, Fes - I haven't got round to learning how to do it - but promise to be up and ready for the Winter.

I have thousands and thousand of CDS, a nice new imac, an overwhelming desire to share - and a level of technical incompetence that would astound the apes of Gibraltar.

So please bear with me, for now. :)

Pending my tutuorial on mixing songs onto a CD, I am in. Thank you so much for including me.

Yay!!!!

"Move slowly Valerie, Jon MC is a jealous bitch."

Thanks for the advice. They do seem like a happy couple and I don't wanna' be the one that comes in between two people so in love

a completely (and suddenly) unremarkable World Series.

Commish, I share your pain. It could have been so good....

Miguel: You've had the imac for going on a year. It has got to be one of the easiest machines ever built for burning CDs. Please email me and we can set up a little phone conference (or iChat) and I'll walk you through it in five minutes.

arto is in, Miguel is asterixed.

For you first timers, at your convenience send me an email with you mailing address in it. I guarantee discretion, on my solemn word of honor as the Swapinistratator.

I've already got my master 60% made. Mo' creamy songstress goodness this time, I think.

Also: I don't know if there's been a mefi swap lately, but if there is someone here at 9622 that you swapped with recently during a mefi swap, let me know and I see to it that you don't end up in the same swap group again.

"The Other Woman" - The Corn Sisters.

I'm in. (jesus, allyou monkeys wake up early!)

Oh, and a local DJ on the community radio, who is a friend of mine, did a show on nothin' but monkeys a year ago. I'm gonna see if he has a setlist, or a recording of that show.

I'm in as well. Fes, do you need my street addy? I gave it to tj back when he was admining. I don't know if he gave you all that info or not.

I promise to make sure more than half the songs contain vocals.

ufez: I don't have it, so send it to me when you get a moment. You too, notsnot. No huge rush.

(jesus. all you monkeys wake up early.)

You know what they say.

*The early monkey catches the termites.*

Re-asterisk me in!

Hey, thanks ana, that's very kind of you. I'll accept that tutorial and try not to abuse your patience.

The question is: is the world ready? Here's hoping all prejudices have cleared regarding such seminal outfits as The Bay City Rollers, Richard Clayderman and late-period Demis Roussos. ;)

Btw, Fes (viva!): for those of us who dislike scrolling down - and all who will come looking for the Swap in the coming days - I think a new thread would be a good idea.

*requests at least one fado number*

good idea, Miguel: new thread next door!

Miguel, if you have iChat AV I can talk you through it without the cost of a phone call. Either way, doesn't matter.

The Thread(previous ones too)

Reality is not affected by our apprehension of it.

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