CHICAGO Mixtape Edition!!!

On my way to Chicago!!! Pretty excited! Never been there... I was all set on going for a much needed vacation then I noticed that Lollapalooza was being held August 1st - 3rd so that solidified it for me. I figured that would be the perfect time for a visit. Check out the City, the Bean, play a couple of gigs and check out a festival. Don't think I'm gonna go all three days, too expensive and not the biggest fan of the line-up, but Saturdays is gonna be my day. MGMT, Ting Tings & Booka Shade sounds pretty sweet to me! Might go Sunday too depending how beat I am, those all day festivals wear you out.

If your going up there or are from Chicago come say hello to one of your favorite Off the Radar Bloggers in the flesh! I'm gonna be spinning at a Bar called Fivestar Friday Night from 9PM-2AM or so (thanks to Arunas for hooking that up) and then Sunday at a Lollapalooza Afterparty called 'Dancing is Allowed' @ Evil Olive. I put the flyer for that one above. Thanks to Derek Berry for hooking that up! He used to be from Miami and throws a weekly Monday Night party there called Rehab that I hear is really cool too!

Anyways before I head out I wanted to leave you with some new music to hold you off till I get back! I've been really digging this new stuff! My favorite collection for a Mixtape yet! It's got a little of everything, from Dancefloor Jams (1-4) to Indie Rock (5-7) and mellower stuff towards the end (8-9). Track #8 Metropolis by Faded Paper Figures is probably the closest thing I've come across to that Figurine feel, even has similar name. The last track Goodbye Lennon by Vanilla Swinger is a gorgeous ballad! Reminds me of Black Box Recorder. Don't have time to write up and post pics of the artists like I usually do, but trust me it's a great bunch! Download them all! You won't regret it! All Highly Recommended!!!

Have a great week-end and see you next week...

MP3: When You Talk - The Twelves (YSI)

MP3: Meddle - Little Boots (YSI)

MP3: Solid Gold - Golden Filter (YSI)

MP3: Sexual Sportswear (Donovan Remix) - Sebastian Tellier (YSI)

MP3: Heartbeat - Late of the Pier (YSI)

MP3: I Wish I Could Keep You - Little Pictures (YSI)

MP3: Power to Change - Black and White Years (YSI)

MP3: Metropolis - Faded Paper Figures (YSI)

MP3: Goodbye Lennon - Vanilla Swinger (YSI)

They Make It Good

Another quality DJ mix from Shilo's We Make It Good series. This time they feature Alex XXXchange (of Spank Rock fame) and the mix is anything but typical. Beetlejuice to Bollywood. I have officially become a fan of their series (I am already a fan of XXXchange). Open up your musical palette a bit. Head over to We Make It Good for a complete track listing and Alex's comments.

MP3: Shilo Presents Alex XXXchange

I hear that you and your band have sold your guitars and bought turntables

Didn't James Murphy talk about this before? Okay not exactly.

"A new generation of music lovers is starting to groove to the sweet sound of vinyl records, reviving sales of the kind of turntables their parents used to own. A lot of older technology has been swept away by the digital age, but old-fashioned analog audio is still alive. Record and turntable sales indicate there is new interest in the sound of vinyl."

Click to read more at the Washington Times.

Groovin' On Vinyl

(Editor's note: lamest title for an article ever - and he used groove again in the first sentence...).

I predict a surge in sales of Serato hardware next as soon as the kids realize how heavy the crates are. You have to admit, comparing a CD to vinyl, you realize the CD has no soul. Maybe that is what draws people to vinyl? While I agree the quality of a GOOD vinyl pressing is hard to beat (not the 20 year old copy that has moved from bin to bin at your local thrift store that has an AC that breaks down twice a year). How many people actually have systems capable of reproducing that sound? (Let's be realistic here, it will be difficult to tell the difference of the different media types with a $250 Best Buy home theater system.)

And they mention the turntables that have USB ports to convert the vinyl to MP3 but then why buy the vinyl in the first place if that was your intention? Of course there are those hard to find releases that seemingly only exist on vinyl. And fans that have every version of every release.

I don't know what it is, but there is something else that attracts people to vinyl. Myself included.

MP3: LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge (ysi)

I hear that you and your band have sold your guitars and bought turntables.
I hear that you and your band have sold your turntables and bought guitars.

Speaking of relevancy (or staying relevant), superb minimal tech artists, Beckett & Taylor have a new release, (World of Me) (with the parenthesis, it is not a punctuation error) and were kinda enough to put out their own remix of the title track called Me Too. Check out more at their record label, Hand on the Plow.

MP3: Beckett & Taylor - Me Too (ysi)
Check out the Marantz Model 26 (1973) that I am refurbishing. It works perfectly minus some scratching if you try and adjust the volume or balance. But if you leave it alone... amazing. (yeah that's a Bose 901 active equalizer above it...) The irony is that the source that transmits to this setup is all digital.

Here is a YouTube video of the original version of World of Me. No video, just audio.

Hey Hype readers! Just so you guys know, our feed to Hype is having some issues so if you want to stay up to date with us subscriber to our RSS feed or just bookmark us. You never know what you might miss if you don't.... Just sayin'...

Off the Radar Feed

New Junior Boys Album?

Maybe not but this is DAMN close.

Remember (or maybe not) that nugget of a gem Morgan Geist released a couple of years ago Most of All? It featured Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys on lead vocals. Well fast forward a couple of years and that track is now part of Morgan Geist's next full length Double Night Time, out on Environ Records in September.

Most of All as well as the b-side from the 2006 12" Skyblue Pink, are on the album and seven other new tracks. Kinda short but as long as it is quality, I am not complaining (Beck's album clocks in a 33 minutes!)

Anyways, the album has an overall 80's Italo vibe, extremely sexy (can I say that?). You can almost say it is Junior Boys 2.0 but that's mainly due to Jeremy Greenspan's vocals (those guys are due for a new album too, I wonder what's up with that?).

MP3: Most of All (feat. Jeremy Greenspan) (ysi)
MP3: Palace Knife (ysi)

James Triumphant Return!

After a depressing break up (at least for me) in 2001 James Return with their 10th Studio Album Hey Ma and it's excellent!! Fans of James will not be disappointed and they might even make some new ones. Time will tell were this album will fall amongst all their albums as they have many great ones. My favorites from them are 1993's big commercial crossover success Laid and 1999's almost un-noticed in the US Millionaires. For me the beauty of James has mostly been their underground status, just under the radar for the most part. Except for their brief commerical success in the early 90's they've mostly been an under the radar band and that's kinda were I like them. What's the fun if everyone was into them? They've probably gotten more fame in the last few years due to nice placements of their big 1993 hit Laid which came out in American Pie as well as commercials. Seems they reunited like other big bands to play some festivals when their fans began clamoring for new material and then bang a new album was born. They've not lost any of their passion and even get political in tracks like Hey Ma were Tim sings 'hey ma, the boys in bodybags, coming home in pieces.' Tim Booths voice sounds as beautiful as ever! Long may they live!!! The album is already out in the Europe and will be available in the US on Sept 16th. Here's a couple of my favorites to tide you over till then...

P.S. Much thanks to Rob who sent me the album!!

MP3: Whiteboy (YSI)
MP3: Of Monsters & Heroes & Men (YSI)

Here's a Classic James Track off of another under-appreciated album of theirs 1997's Whiplash. Although not their best, it had several stand out tracks, like this one.

MP3: Waltzing Along (YSI)

The Ting Tings Chat w/Off the Radar!

My friend Nikki who represents a bunch of cool artists like MGMT & Ting Tings got my questions for an interview over to the Ting Tings and Jules from the band was kind enough to answer them for us! Here's what he had to say... They're gonna be at Lollapalooza Saturday, Aug 2nd. I'll try to get a few pics of them while I'm up there.

Enjoy!

1 - Were are you guys from?

I’M ORIGINALLY FROM LONDON BUT HAVE LIVED IN MANCHESTER FOR 6 YEARS.
KATIE’S FROM MANCHESTER

2 - Whats the scene like there? Any good dance clubs? Do you go out dancing alot? Whats the best club/party/city you've been too?

WE’RE NOT THERE OFTEN THESE DAYS FOR TOURING BUT NORMALLY IT’S BRILLIANT, FULL OF ARTISTS, THE CITY IS NOT OVERSIZED YET!! THE NORTHERN QUARTER IS A BUZZ PLACE TO BE.

3 - How did you guys get started making music? Did you have musical/artistic upbringings?

NO MUSIC UPBRINGINGS, WE BOTH FELL INTO CREATIVITY. I STUDIED FINE ART AND KATIE USED TO DO BALLROOM DANCING. WE ALWAYS DID MUSIC AND FINALLY WE MET AND SPARKS FLEW.

4 - What are your influences? Who artists/bands did you dig growing up?

TALKING HEADS, TOM TOM CLUB, MADONNA…

5 - Whats the best Live show you've ever seen?

NOT THE BEST BUT SEEING HARMAR SUPERSTAR SNOGING HUNDREDS OF GIRLS FROM STAGE IN MANCHESTER EARLY LAST YEAR. THAT WAS A TREAT.

6 - What new bands/artists do you like?

THE GOSSIP

7 - Do you think music is better now or do you prefer older/classic stuff? If older, whats your favorite era? 70's, 80's etc...

LOVE ELVIS PRESLEY BUT LOVE TODAYS MUSIC MORE SO.

8 - Are you guys a couple???

NAH

9 - Are you guys surprised by your sudden success? I first found out about you guys because you were #1 on Hype Machin'es most blogged/searched artists.

WE’RE NOT THE SURPRISING TYPE. WE’RE LEARNING SO MUCH ON TOUR AND HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR MONTHS. TO US IT DOESN’T SEEM SO SUDDEN THOUGH EVERYONE KEEPS TELLING US THAT FOR A BAND THAT FORMED IN JAN 2007, THIS IS QUICK. SO BE IT.

10 - What's it like to Debut at #1 on the UK Charts? Did it change anything with your lives?

WE’VE GOT EVEN BUSIER, WITH MUCH LESS SLEEP. WE’VE SEEN MORE COUNTRIES AND CITIES. MET SOME AMAZING FOLK, SOME ARSES, APART FROM THAT THINGS ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.

11 - Have you guys performed in the U.S.? If so what'd you think? Gonna be touring the States anytime soon?

WE’VE BEEN OUT ON EAST ANS WEST COAST TOURS. THEY WERE AMAZING. WE LOVED THAT THE INTERNET GAVE US AN AUDIENCE TO PLAY TO. WE FLY OUT ON MONDAY 21ST JULY FOR A 2 WEEK TOUR. LOVING PLAYING THE STATES.

12 - What do you think of the current state of the Music Industry? Blogs/Internet/Bands like Radiohead Releasing their Albums for Free, etc? Where do you think it's all heading?

IT’S ALL HEADING WHERE IT ENDS UP. THAT’S THE BEAUTY OF MUSIC. THE INDUSTRY HAVE TRIED AND TRIED TO CONTROL IT. TO CONTROL THE INCOME IT MAKES. BUT IT’S THE ARTISTS THAT REALLY CONTROL THE MUSIC BIZ. THEY CREATE IT AND BREAK THE RULES. INTERNET HAS OPENED THE UP WORLD AND WE’RE COMING TO TERMS WITH THAT NOW. IF YOUR MUSIC IS GOOD, THE DIGITAL AGE IS A GOOD THING CAUSE PEOPLE WILL LIKE GOOD MUSIC FOREVER MORE.
RADIOHEAD RELEASING FOR FREE IS A FALSE START. THEY CAN ONLY DO THIS CAUSE THEY PROFITED FROM YEARS OF SUCCESS. I THINK ALL ART SHOULD BE VALUED EVEN IF IT’S A MERE CENT.

13 - Do you prefer recording or touring? Do you guys get on each others nerves while on tour or have you have you figured out a way to keep that from happening already?

LOVED RECORDING THE ALBUM AS WE PRODUCED IT OURSELVES AND MADE UP ALL THE RULES.. SINCE TOURING STARTED, WE HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH IT. TRAVELING CAN BE A PAIN BUT PLAYING GIGS IS NOW KING.

14 - What's your process for writing new music? Any new gear you've gotten/been working with alot lately?

USED TO WORK ON PRO TOOLS AND GARAGEBAND (FOR QUICK STARTS) BUT NOW USING LOGIC TOO. MIXING ON THE MOVE. HAVE BEEN COLLECTING SOME NICE GUITARS TOO, NOT STUPID PRICES BUT GOOD SOUNDS ON STRINGS. WE DON’T WRITE ON THE ROAD. WE WANT TO CREATE ANOTHER ALBUM IN TIME AS WE DID THIS ONE, LIKE A SNAPSHOT OF OUR LIVES THERE AND THEN.

15 - Do you guys use visuals on tour? If so whats that like? Who does it for you?

WE CREATE ALL OUR OWN ARTWORK. VISUALS TOO. WE START OUR UK HEADLINE TOUR IN SEPTEMBER AND WILL BE TAKING OUR VISUALS OUT THEN ON FULL SCALE. WE’RE SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AS IT’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A WHILE.

16 - When you guys perform live do you use a backing band or is it just the two of you? If only the two of you does that limit what you can do?

JUST TWO OF US. WE FIND MORE ENERGY WITH TWO OF US THAN 5. WE WERE IN BANDS BEFROE TOGETHER WITH MORE MEMBERS AND WE’RE JUST TOO CONTROLLING AND NEED TO CHALLENGE OURSELVES. TWO GIVES US ALL THOSE CHALLENGES AND LIFTS US TO NEW LEVELS LIVE EACH TIME. WE USE LOOP PEDALS CONTROLLED BY OUR FEET TO CREATE LAYERS OF SOUNDS BEHIND OUR GUITARS, DRUMS AND VOCALS. NOTHING IS ON PLAYBACK ORTIME CODES, IT’S ALL LIVE.

17 - Any advice for up and coming new bands?

ARTISTS SHOULDN’T TAKE ANY ADVICE, JUST BE INFLUENCED.

18 - Anything I've missed or you'd like to say to your fans?

COME TO A GIG TO SEE THE REST.


Thank you!!!!

THANKS
J

Here's a sweet Kasper Bjorke Remix of Ting Tings 'That's Not My Name' which I've been playing out lately plus a Live Performance of That's Not My Name at Radio Ones Big Week-end. Their New Video for Shut Up and Let Me Go is pretty sweet also! Check that out here::http://youtube.com/watch?v=StP-yIQeT2o

MP3: Thats Not My Name (Kasper Bjørke Remix) - The Ting Tings

The week-end is upon us....

The week-end is upon us and I haven't posted any tracks this week, so wanted to squeeze in a few before the week-end hits!

P.S. I'm gonna be heading to Chicago for Lollapalooza (MGMT here I come!) in a couple of weeks if anyone from the windy city can hook a brother up with some gigs, let me know. Have one already and working on another, but could always use more help. Also if you have any places you think I should check out whilst there send them my way::offtheradarfridays@gmail.com. Oooo also affordable Hotels/Apartments for rent near Grant Park/Downtown area. Nearly impossible to find online. Thanks!

First off here's a SUPER HYPER remix ddpesh from Brooklyn sent us of Diplo's Wassup Wassup. This track kinda gives me anxiety (it's so fast), but I'm sure it'll obliterate the dancefloor if dropped at the right moment. Try it on for size...

MP3: Wassup Wassup (ddpesh remix) - Diplo (feat Rye Rye) (YSI)

I love Ladyhawke and I love French vocals. Here Ladyhawke hooks us up with her big hit Paris is Burning sung in French! Sweet! Love the chorus... Pop genious!

MP3: Paris s'enflamme - Ladyhawke (YSI)

Speaking of pop genious here's a new track from Van She called Strangers. Love these guys, have a feeling they are gonna be huge. Especially if they keep cranking out hits like this. Love the bass line on this! They also do great remixes as Van She Tech which you should check out as well.

MP3: Strangers - Van She (YSI)

That's it for now... Hope you have a great week-end! Just found out one of my favorite all time bands James has reformed and put out a new album called Hey Ma! Can't wait for that! Tim Booth's completely bald now! So weird to see. He always had all that great curly hair. Getting old is a mother fucker! Still love him though...

Here's a classic James track that takes me back to my college days... Born of Frustration people, Born of Frustration.

Cheers!

Man of Many Projects

Maurice Fulton, I had no idea how many projects this guy is involved in. On top of the gazillion remixes (The Rapture, Annie, Hot Chip, etc...) he has done, and solo projects, he is also produced his wife's music project Mu (remember the track Paris Hilton?) and some of !!!'s early tracks and plays with his band, Syclops on Kathy Diamond's ridiculously awesome debut, Miss Diamond To You, and he has now just released my current obsession, the new full length from Syclops on none other than DFA.

Just look at how many aliases and projects he is involved with:

Aliases
Boof, Dr. Scratch, Eddie & The Eggs, Equal People, Javen Souls, Ladyvipb, Noize Boyz, The, Orphies, Sticky People

Projects
2 Flights Up, Chantilly, Hot Sauce, Moonwalkers, The, RWJ, Spenitch, Syclops, Watershine

Syclops first came under my radar with the track Mom, My Radio Broke on Four Tet's DJ Kicks (get it). Well that was the tip of the ice berg. The album drop kicked me in the face when I first heard it. Definitely different. It skips the 4-4 beat most of the time in favor of more experimental beats. An extremely progressive album. (Weird?) These are the types of albums that blow me away and I realize that there are still new ideas being created.

All of this from a Detroit DJ.

Maurice Fulton's name is one of those unexpected recurrences in dance music, I mean still knowing almost nothing about him he never seemed to merit mention along with Frankie Knuckles/Bones/Whoever nor in the Detroit pack of May, Carter, Atkins, and of course the master Craig or early euro-stirrers like Kirk Degiorgio and others. But none of that really matters, much like early hip-hop or the days of disco, house music wasn't created with the intention of lasting, crates of 12"s siphoned off the press with none of rock's bravado of "making it" either financially or into history. It was still somewhat naive. Fulton went a different route than many of his contemporaries. His work appeared on left leaning house label Warp records right alongside deep house classics . His music is more complex than Craig's or Knuckles, breezing through an mp3 can present you with 4 very different compositions in on track, yet on listen your only aware of one central conversation holding the entire thing together.

So what do I have for you today??? First up, is a DJ mix that Maurice Fulton made for Resident Advisor back in 2006. It really showcases his taste in music and his expansive record collection. Next up are a couple of Fulton remixes including the definitive Over & Over remix. (Can you believe this song came out in 2005??? Please don't start playing it again though... It's up there with Le Tigre's Decepticon already...). The Mu track smacks you in the face. He's married to that woman! Next is up is Brighton's disco chantreuse Kathy Diamond. Her follow up album is in the works for this year. And finally it is Syclops with their album opener NR17.

Kathy Diamond's and Syclop's debut efforts are worthy of a splot in your record library. Syclops's I've Got My Eye On You is currently on my shortlist for album of the year. THAT good.

MP3: Maurice Fulton - Resident Advisor - RA.021
MP3: Rollmottle - Take A Break (Maurice Fulton Remix) (ysi)
MP3: Hot Chip - Over & Over (Maurice Fulton Remix) (ysi)
MP3: Mu - Out of Breach (ysi)
MP3: Kathy Diamond - All Woman (ysi)
MP3: Syclops - NR17 (ysi)

Speaking of Lasers...

Ravers lose sight at Russian laser show
By Chris Baldwin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Dozens of partygoers at an outdoor rave near Moscow last week have lost partial vision after a laser light show burned their retinas, Russian health officials said on Monday.

Moscow city health department officials confirmed 12 cases of laser-blindness at the Central Ophthalmological Clinic, and daily newspaper Kommersant said another 17 were registered at City Hospital 32 in the centre of the capital.

Attendees at the July 5 Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Moscow, began seeking medical help days after the show, complaining of eye and vision problems, health officials told Reuters.

"They all have retinal burns, scarring is visible on them. Loss of vision in individual cases is as high as 80 percent, and regaining it is already impossible," Kommersant quoted a treating ophthalmologist as saying.

Read the rest at Reuters...

You know, Glowsticks never hurt no one. That's all I'm sayin'.

Here is a reworking of a classic Orbital track Are We Here? I was happy to be able to catch them live before they retired. Anybody care to share their favorite rave tunes?

MP3: Do They Here? zshare/ysi

Friggin' Lasers!

Absolutely my favorite song on In Rainbows, House of Cards was just released by Radiohead. When I peaked at the shots they put up late last month and the Pitchfork article explain how no cameras where used, instead lasers captured the shots, I was immediately intrigued.

No cameras or lights were used. Instead two technologies were used to capture 3D images: Geometric Informatics and Velodyne LIDAR. Geometric Informatics scanning systems produce structured light to capture 3D images at close proximity, while a Velodyne Lidar system that uses multiple lasers is used to capture large environments such as landscapes. In this video, 64 lasers rotating and shooting in a 360 degree radius 900 times per minute produced all the exterior scenes.

The best part is how the video was released via Google Code (a website for application developers to share code and open source programs) instead of a typically entertainment website. Whatever, I'm a geek. Friggin' lasers man!!

A Journey Across The Pond

My current goal is to some be able to play this song the next time I DJ.

MP3: Uncle O - Avalanche zshare/ysi

I consider it a challenge. I know it will be. The crowd will not know what hit them. In fact it could even kill the party. Or it could work. The mood will have to be right, the build up must be momentous and spill over to the next track, obviously the follow up track is key here. This song sets you off on a journey but does not necessarily take you all the way there. But sometimes it is not the destination but the trip that is the best part.

Uncle O released his latest LP on Cosmo Vitelli's I'm a Cliché Records.

Let's speak like what we definitely are: fans.
Uncle O is someone we have an unlimited respect for, here at I'm a Cliché.
A restless record digger with an insane record collection, a resident Dj at the mythical Bains-Douches club in Paris at its golden era (82-85), a graphic designer for James White, OMD, The Cure, A Certain Ratio as they were touring in France, and later part of the emerging French hip hop scene (he even appeared on vocals on the seminal French hit « H.I.P – H.O.P », french people will know what it's about!).
He produced occasional instrumentals for French hip-hop bands like Assassin, released a few cult records as JACKOS and organized some of the best parties we've been to, here in Paris, the TOXIC nights.
To finish with boring lists, we should mention some of the many compilations of soul breaks, Miami bass anthems or dancehall classics he did, like the « Shaolin Soul » serie, « Champion Sound », or « The Joint », etc…).
We were lucky enough to have lots of his unreleased tracks since ages and we thought that time had come to go for this release, the 14th of I'm a Cliché and its first LP. Everything we like at the moment is inside : Italo gems, weird industrial funk, deviant hip-hop, slow folk-disco…Yeah, it's all in there!

Supported by Trevor Jackson, Tomboy, Trickski, Krikor, Jean Nipon, DJ Morpheus, Roy Dank

- Cosmo Vitelli
I'm a Cliché Records

Check out some more tracks over at Cosmo Vitelli's own blog AlainFinkielKrautrock. He has a TON of rare tracks, DJ mixes, etc... to download. Sometimes I get really jealous at the things that happen on the other side of the pond.

An Interview w/The Faint!

The Faint were kind enough to do an Interview for Off the Radar! I sent Jacob from the Faint some questions about a whole bunch of stuff and here are his answers... Great interview if I do say so myself. Not too shabby for my first ever! Hope you like it, more in the works!


1 - Hey guys big fans of The Faint at Off the Radar. Why has it taken so long to release this new record? Last we heard from you guys was 2004's Wet from Birth.

We're pretty slow at writing songs. We want to make sure that all five of us are happy with the outcome of each song we write. But this time took us an especially long time because we built a studio after we were done touring for Wet From Birth. We hired contractors and completely remodeled the building we practice in. The whole project took about two years, and we were writing that whole time. I think it was a bit of a blessing that it took so long for the studio to be built because it allowed us extra time to polish the songs for the record. It took us about five months to record the songs and two months to mix them. It took about another month to master it, but that's another story.


2 - Notice you guys are releasing the new record on your own label. Why is that? What happened with Saddle Creek who had released your previous records?

We've always talked about putting out our own records, and with the industry being in such a weird transitional state, it seemed like it might finally be the right time.


3- How Does your new record 'Fasciinatiion' compare to your previous ones?

It's hard for me to say. I can't really be objective about it. I feel like we've incorporated our favorite elements of each record into this one, as well as some new techniques that we experimented with in the studio. The process of writing the songs was even a combination of the methods we've used on the previous records. Some of it was written in that five-dudes-in-a-room style that we wrote Blank-Wave and Danse Macabre in, and some of it was written in the demo-and-record-as-we-go method we used on Wet From Birth. I think we got the best of both worlds.


4 - What do you think of the current state of the Music Industry? Blogs/Internet/Bands like Radiohead Releasing their Albums for Free, etc? Where do you think it's all heading?

It's exciting to see everything shifting. It seems like the heyday of major labels is over. They were so excessive with their expense accounts and A & R departments. We know first hand from having many of them take us out to fancy dinners. I think it means more artists releasing their own music and making money off of touring and licensing. At least that's the way it seems to be working at the moment.
I love reading blogs and finding out about music through the internet. But nothing beats seeing a good live show.


5 - What are your musical influences? What are some bands/artists you liked growing up?

I've listened to all kinds of stuff throughout my life, and I feel like it's all had an influence in some way. Fugazi, Gravity Records stuff, Men's Recovery Project, early Human League, Aphex Twin, David Bowie. I don't know. Tons of shit.


6 - How old were you when you first started playing music? Did you have a musical family? What was the first instrument you played?

My mom played the piano and can sing pretty well. She taught me the basics on the piano and then I kind of taught myself chords and scales from there. I never really learned proper fingering technique, I don't think. I played the French horn for a year when I was 13. I've had a guitar and a bass for the last 15 years, but I don't play them too much.
The rest of the band has all different kinds of stories about how much formal training they've had and what kinds of bands they've played in previously. For example, Dapose was in a death metal band, while Todd majored in classical guitar in college.


7 - How did The Faint members first meet/decide to start making music?

I think Todd, Clark and Joel were all looking for something new to do since Todd wasn't really supposed to skate anymore after he had knee surgery. They ended up seeing a local show where some bands that eventually became Cursive and Bright Eyes were playing and they got inspired to do the same thing. They thought, "These kids are our age and they're doing it. Why can't we do it to?" I had the same kind of revelation with hardcore bands when I was in high school. I had a hardcore band for a while that I broke up for good when I joined the Faint. I told them that it didn't matter because Black Dice was doing everything we were doing anyway, only better. That was back when Black Dice was a hardcore band.

8 - What new bands/artists have you been digging recently?

Late of the Pier is my favorite new band. I like the Whip. The new Kills record is good. So is the new Ratatat.

9 - Do you think music is better now or do you prefer older/classic stuff?

I just did an interview for NPR that was all about Yaz, so I listened to their first record again and it's really good.
In general I think that music is getting simpler and dumber, like lowest common denominator style. I guess I'm talking about pop music mostly. Like people did better work when the technology made it so much harder, and that seems really fucked up to me. I'll listen to a new band and think, "This is boring. It just sounds like Bruce Springsteen. There's no no ideas here. Now I just want to listen to Bruce Springsteen." And I'll put on the Boss's record and it's way better. But then something new will come along that totally blows me away and I'll think, "Wow, what a great time to be alive!" Like SebastiAn or Oizo or something that sounds really modern and uses new technology in a great way.


10 - You guys all still live in Omaha? What's it like there? How's the club scene there? Do you guys go out dancing/Djing alot? What do you do for fun besides music?

There is not much of a club scene here. Todd and I started a party with this kid Derek who plays in Tilly & The Wall. It was really fun for a while, but then we got busy with our bands again. There are gay clubs and the occasional night here or there but that's about it for dancing. So no, not a lot. House parties are kind of where it's at. A lot of people go to shows here now, which is great.


11 - Do you prefer recording or touring? Do you guys get on each others nerves while on tour or have you have you figured out a way to keep that from happening already?

They're both great fun and also can be very stressful at the same time. Nobody really gets on my nerves on tour, but I can imagine that I get on other people's nerves. I'm going to try to keep that from happening as much as I can on this next tour.


12 - What's your process for writing new music? Any new gear you've gotten/been working with alot lately?

We don't have one method. The best method is when Todd has a song comprised of a vocal melody, hopefully some lyrics, and a chord progression he likes. Otherwise we'll try to come up with progressions for him to build from. Sometimes just a beat and a synth sound is all it takes.
We use all kinds of stuff in the studio. I like to try my synth parts on all different synths and see which one sounds the best.

13 - I always love your guys visuals while your on tour/performing. Anything exciting for this tour? Who does the visuals for you guys?

Thanks! We do them ourselves and our sequencer keeps it on time with the music. We're switching it up for this tour, but that's what we're working on now so I shouldn't say anything or I'll jinx it.


14 - Any advice for up and coming new bands?

Get a fuel efficient vehicle for touring.

15 - Anything I've missed or you'd like to say to your fans?

Come to a show and dance with us. If you're in Florida, please be patient. We'll be there in a couple months!


Here's one of the Projection Visuals I was talking about for 'Desperate Guys', plus a couple classic tracks from Wet From Birth. Enjoy and go buy their new record 'Fasciinatiion' when it's out August 5th! The Geeks Were Right, their first single off the new album is available on Itunes now, for the backbreaking price of .99!

MP3: Symptom Finger (YSI)
MP3: Southern Belles in London Sing (YSI)

The Darkness...

Ha, not that crappy band.... I mean more of the dark tracks variety. Got a little time till I gotta get ready for work so thought I'd share some darker tracks I've been digging lately. You know I love the dark pop stuff. All stems from my Goth upbringings, can't shake it loose.

First here is a great slow brooding Remix Diplo did for Black Ghosts track Repetition Kills You. Sexy as hell!

MP3: Repetition Kills You (Diplo Remix) - Black Ghosts (YSI)

Here's a Fake Blood Remix of Stuck on Repeat by Little Boots. Didn't realize what a cutie she was. Like her better as a brunnete. Love when the break comes in around 3:45 and the vocoder kick in. Check out her new track Meddle as well! Good stuff!


MP3: Stuck on Repeat (Fake Blood Remix) - Little Boots (YSI)

Heres a new band I found about called The Phonograph. Don't know that much about them but I've been loving this track The Abscence. Kinda reminds me of a band like The Editors or The Whip. Check it out...

MP3: The Abscence - The Phonograph (YSI)

Thats it for now... Gotta run! Let me know if you guys hear of any cool new videos for me to post. Wanted to post one but couldn't think of anything right now.

So smooooth...

Local celebrity (and fellow blog partner) Ray Milian just had an article published in the Miami New Times.

Whoever said nice guys finish last has obviously never had the pleasure of meeting Ray Milian, who's definitely one of the nicest guys in DJdom. But don't let the soft-speak fool you. For beneath that mild-mannered exterior lies the heart and the soul and the chops of a monster, a man who knows how to kick a mean beat and kick a floor full of asses while he's doing so.

Check out the rest of the article on the the Miami New Times site. Go Ray!

Since Ray has been DJ'ing for close to a century now, what better song than the Traks version of The Doobie Brothers' Long Train Runnin' (that Prince Language happened to drop at last week's Fourth of July set at APT). I had been secretly playing that song on my iPod for a bit and did a double take when I heard the infamous guitar lick on South Beach.

MP3: Traks - Long Train Runnin' (YSI)

I have been seeing a resurgence of these tracks from the late 70's (early 80's) in DJ sets lately (and blogs) and most notably with the internet sensation of Yacht Rock (friggin' hilarious). I am guessing our generation grew up listening to our parents play The Doobies, Loggins and Messina, Hall & Oates ("Your music scene is for pussies! Co-coa!" Just watch it...I can't stop laughing) and now we realize the profoundness of the music? No wait that can't be it. I know! It's because it's soooooo smooth you can't deny it!

DISCLAIMER: Please Mr./Ms. DJ do not start playing EVERY SINGLE ironic Yacht Rock song in your set like you have just discovered some unreleased gem that no one has ever heard. The dance floor is not a doctor's waiting room. Unless, of course, you happen to be throwing a Yacht Rock party in DC (that my friend happens to be hosting) at @ Cafe Saint-Ex).

Yacht Rock - Episode 1
What A Fool Believes


Traks performing Long Train Runnin' (don't know how "live" this really is...)

Sacre Bleu! Mixtape Time!

Sorry haven't posted for a bit, but I was pretty busy last week getting new music for my new Saturday Residency at Back Door Bamby/Vagabond. Had to find a lot of classic house stuff I didn't have. Still gotta go to Chris's sometime this week to get some more jams from him. Have to say I had a blast! It's fun playing a new genre that your not used to, keeps you on your toes.

Last Thursday Prince Language and Shaka 23 came down from NYC and TORE up our APT Party @ Love/Hate! We had an amazing turnout and there were amazing vibes all night long! It's so much fun when your at a party were you can tell everyone's there just for the music and to have a good time, not to be 'seen' or or any of that BS. Here's some of the pics from that night including our own Chris Mora and Myself in the last two...

Anyways I'm like one of the only people in the world who loves Mondays, cause it's my day off! I spent my day off doing the blog rounds and I found some great tracks for you! Here they are for your enjoyment!

First off here's a track by the Islands from Montreal/Quebec Canada. Seems they were formerly the Unicorns who had some pretty good stuff as well. We brought them down to Miami at some point. Loving this new track from them called Creeper. Great catchy pop track! Think you guys are gonna dig it. Their sophmore album is called Arm's Way and is out in stores now.

MP3: Islands - Creeper (YSI)

If dark Italo Disco is your thing then your gonna love Division Kent! This new track I got from them is hot! It's called L'Heure Bleue and it's pretty amazing! Smooth silky electronic rhythms coupled with sexy french female vocals. What more could you possibly want? Doesn't hurt that the singer is absolutely gorgeous! The original version is great, but I think this Keenhouse Remix is even better. Gives it that added dancefloor punch. See what you think...


MP3: Division Kent - L'Heure Bleue (Keenhouse Remix) (YSI)

Next here are a couple great instrumental dance jams that use great samples and killer beats to great effect! The first one is from Casa Del Mirto from Italy called Say Goodbay and the other is from someone who they've worked with and remixed some of their stuff Broke One called EVRBD! Both are killer tracks sure to get the crowds going. They match good back to back too. Got them that way on my Ipod playlist.

MP3: Casa Del Mirto - Say Goodbay (YSI)

MP3: Broke One - EVRBD! (YSI)

Finally I leave you with a killer Remix Midnight Juggernauts did of Sebastian Tellier's Divine track. Such a good remix, better than the original! I can hear this track over and over and not get bored. Beautiful!

MP3: Sebastian Tellier - Divine (Midnight Juggernauts Remix) (YSI)