Canada Astound Me

And dig around their Vimeo page for updates. They definitely make musicians much, much cooler.

The Other Side by Tiny Tim

The ice caps are melting, this Tiny Tim guy is acting like a fish and little girls are singing a chorus including the words "the tide is rising to wash away the sins". Sheer lunacy. It's beautiful. Your day will be better for watching this and singing along.

The TV Show

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f5bcn_z0Qg]

The channels get mixed up in a wonderful, gaming, anime, smorgasbord. The track suits the subject and the experience gets dizzy after a minute. A fun diversion for the whole family.

The Density of DJ Technology

DJ, Richie Hawton, has offered up a video tutorial on his technique involving a piece of software named Traktor. He runs 4 decks simultaneously with multiple loop and sampling potential on top of that. He explains how the computer takes care of all the timing so he can experiment, and collaborate with at least 4 other DJs. It's dense layering, but I think it's interesting how technology has helped him explore his art more thoroughly. On the other hand, the tools can have the habit of playing the operator, which can kill the joy of the mistake and create the cult of same. That's just something I've noticed with design and the proliferation of Adobe CS. Same tools, similar outcomes, unless you fight with everything you have. The best DJs will avoid that bullet is my guess.

Viva Originals. Watch the video here (Vimeo is still not supported by WordPress. Tut tut.)

via PSFK

Megasoid vs Girl Talk

I have no idea what that may sound like considering both groups sample, mash, destroy and are making me shake this morning. It's a religious experience. I'm feeling the spirit, and the double shot Americano.

Girl Talk are visiting Toronto in November 2008. I have my tickets. And you can buy his album for whatever you think it's worth here. Roy Orbison collided with Deelite massaged with Nirvana, I am full of enthusiasm.

Megasoid, the remix punks from Montreal are just ass kicking. They're a similar beast but a little less ADD. You may sample their wisdom here.

The drawing is of John Borra of the Rattlesnake Choir. Make sure you watch them on Monday nights at the Dakota Tavern. Roots attitude.

Rick Rubin and the Future of the Record Industry

 

The New York Times has an interesting article about Rick Rubin and Columbia Records (Sony). The traditional record industry is in trouble and Rubin is attempting to get his bit back on track. His approach is revolutionary: It's All About The Art. It's interesting from a personal interview aspect, as well as the larger music industry issues that abound in the digital age. Rubin's honesty about the state of music and his task at Columbia is worth the 10 pages of text

Link

Nude - Remixed by the Pro-Am

Radiohead have released a new track by the name of "Nude", and now you can download the stems, the components that make the song, from iTunes and remix your own version of the track. It's a cool idea, not wholly original except you have to buy the stems from iTunes (Good for Radiohead and Apple). The cynic in me wonders why it is that the highest rated mix so far is by Holy Fuck. Are the Canadian band fanboys of Radiohead (perfectly acceptable) or paid ringers sent in to make sure that the mixes didn't all suck?

And then, I wonder, perhaps Holy Fuck did it as a lark to self-promote on a budget. Which would be hilarious.

Link

Macabre Musicotherapie!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpwoRq9W-AY]