Archive for May, 2011

My Moonlight isn’t Very Serious at All

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

I went through and cataloged all my freaking CDs this weekend (I know how to party!) and to my shock I found two discs that are not only worth a ton of money that I actually am okay with selling. (Usually the only stuff I have that’s worth any money is the stuff I never want to get rid of).

So if anyone wants a limited edition Day Of The Dead Soundtrack CD (limited to just 3,000 copies) or a gold-pressed copy of Use Your Illusion II by Guns N’ Roses, send me an offer! Give me money to buy more records! We all win.

Foo Fighters
Doll (Live Acoustic)
See You (Live Acoustic)
For All The Cows (Live Acoustic)
Everlong (Live Acoustic)
As a near-psychotic collector of recorded music, I own quite a bit of concert DVDs. While I love them, they can be kind of a pain. Going to a concert and rocking out is a lot of fun. Sitting on your couch and watching a concert? Not as much fun. With rare exception (Nirvana’s Live At Reading, Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense), I find it hard to watch a concert movie in its entirety – I’ll take a live CD over a live DVD any day.

But I like the music on them, so I finally decided to try to rip all the audio from all my concert DVDs. I’ve been using a combination of DVD Decrypter, Audacity and Format Factory to do it (a good starter guide to this process can be found at Doom9), and as you can tell from those acoustic Foo Fighter tracks (taken from their excellent 2003 live DVD Everywhere But Home), it seems to be working pretty well.

When I rip the audio from the DVD to my computer, it’s usually in the AC3 audio format, which can easily be converted to MP3 using Format Factory or Audacity. However, there’s one problem with converting audio to MP3, that problem being the MP3 format itself.

The MP3 file format is really popular, it also really kind of sucks. This suckage is especially notable when converting AC3 or WAV audio to MP3. When you convert to MP3, a small fraction of a second silence is added at the beginning and the end of the audio track. This is almost never a problem, unless you are converting a live concert or DJ mix, then those microseconds of silence are a fucking nightmare that ruin the whole cohesion of the recording!

And there is almost no way to get rid of them. In most programs, if I delete them they just pop right back after I close them. I can mostly eliminate them in Audacity, but a vestige still remains.

And don’t go recommending WMA or AAC audio as a solution, they do it as well. The only compressed audio format I found that doesn’t add a bit of silence when being converted from WAV was OGG, but since I can’t get OGG files to play on my iPod easily, that’s not an option.

So please, don’t point out the gaps in the audio if you download these tracks. Trust me, they annoy me far more than they annoy you.

David Bowie
Let’s Dance (Bollyclub Mix)
Another DVD rip. This one was taken from the DVD that came with some versions of the Best of Bowie compilation from a few years back. Nearly every other mix from that DVD has since been released and can be found on the Club Bowie 12″ Mixes that you can get on iTunes and Amazon, so I’m not including them here. This particular mix of “Let’s Dance” still hasn’t had a digital release though, so it’s fair game to me.

If more Bollywood music sounded like this I think I’d watch more of those movies.

Flesh For Lulu
I Go Crazy (Dynamix)
I Go Crazy (Instrumental)
These are not DVD rips, just regular old vinyl rips, taken from a 12″ single. I think my obsession with getting every single John Hughes movie-related release (this is from the Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack) went a bit too far with this one. It’s still a fun track though.

Posted in David Bowie, Foo Fighters, live, remixes | 3 Comments »

All My Friends are Coal-Powered

Friday, May 27th, 2011

I would pay a thousand bucks to see a collaboration between the two artists I’m featuring tonight.

RuPaul
Whatcha See is Whatcha Get (D & D Bentley Mix)
Whatcha See is Whatcha Get (RuPaul Talk Radio)
Whatcha See is Whatcha Get (Acapella)
Whatcha See is Whatcha Get (Dubs 2)
Whatcha See is Whatcha Get (Dubs 3)
If you don’t see the inherit humor in a drag queen performing a song with that title, well then there’s no helping you.

I think it’s about time I came out of the closet…as a huge fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race! I hate reality TV, but I find the utter fabulousness of that show consistently fascinating and hysterical. This season was probably the best yet, and not just because someone who was deserving finally fucking won.  I think you can still watch the show on Logo’s website, I suggest checking it out. RuPaul is the shit yo.

I need to get more of RuPaul’s music. She’s a shockingly good singer and has some great tunes. But what I’m really interestedthough isher early stuff. I’ve heard some stuff off of Sex Freak and it sounds crazy. RuPaul was punk rock! Who knew? Anyone know where I can get a copy of that weird record?

Gary Numan
My World Storm (12” Mix)
My World Storm (Instrumental)
This Wreckage (Metalmorphosis Mix)
Are ‘Friends’ Electric? (Metalmorphosis Mix)
For the past few days I’ve been going through all my CDs and cataloging them. Spoiler: I have a lot of CDs.

When you have as many stupid CDs as I do, you start to forget that you own stuff. For example, I completely forgot that I bought a CD single of “Rip” a few years ago, I never even ripped it to my computer (ironically enough). While “Rip” isn’t the best Numan song, the “Metalmorphosis” mixes that are included with it are pretty awesome,  each taking these two classic Numan songs and reworking them into his more modern style. Sure, he does that a lot (he even releases an entire two-CD set dedicated to that) but they’re still worth listening to. I may be a bit bias though, I’d probably listen to a cabaret version of “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” and still dig it.

The “My World Storm” remixes were taken from a 12″ single that I bought a few months back in Miami but never got around to posting for some reason. “My World Storm” is from the early 90s, an era that was not Numan’s best. I still like the tune though, even if it’s more than a bit dated.

Posted in Gary Numan, remixes, RuPaul | 5 Comments »

It Sounds Better Than “Idaho Bishops” I Guess…

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

It’s raining.

It can stop anytime.

Stupid rain.

Aztec Camera
Backwards And Forwards (Live)
Jump
The Bugle Sounds Again (Live)
Mattress of Fire (Live)
The Birth Of The Tune (Live)
Do you like Aztec Camera? Do you like the fact that I semi-routinely post rare tracks by them? If so, swing on by to the amazing Anna Hegedus’ website. If it wasn’t for her I would have never heard of them, and I buy most of my Aztec Camera to make her happy.

And yes, that “Jump” you see there is a cover of the Van Halen tune of the same name. It sure is…something.

These were all taken from a 10″ single for “Backwards And Forwards.”

Jimmy Somerville
Heartbeat (Armand Van Helden Mix)
Jimmy Somerville was the lead singer of Bronski Beat, and he’s fabulous. The DJ compilation record in which I found this mix, however, was very much not fabulous. It was scratched to shit, skipped like crazy, and overall just sounded like a pile of ass.

Now, I have previously stated my aversion to audio “clean-up” programs that remove the clicks and pops found on vinyl records. They tend to make the recordings sound compressed and distorted, which is way worse than a couple clicks and pops.

I usually just go through myself and remove all the bad parts if possible, but this recording was a mess. While browsing the Internet for good audio editing software I came across ClickRepair and I thought I’d give it a shot. It seems to do a pretty good job, but I’ll be the first to admit that my ears aren’t always trained for this kind of thing. I used it on this track though, so download it and let me know how it sounds.

I would appreciate any input you all have. If you’re an audio geek and really want to see how the program works then download this zip. Included in it are two copies of a live version of Tom Robinson’s “Glad To Be Gay” (I know it’s an odd test file, but it was the most damaged track I could find that I thought was still salvageable). Listen to both to the “before” and “after” tracks, is there anything wrong with the after track? I don’t notice any significant audio degradation. I really want this program to work, it would make my life so much easier!

Utah Saints
Ohio (DJ Misjah Mix)
On Feburary 24th, 2009, I said the following:

“The Utah Saints were neither from Utah or saints, discuss.”

Commenter Rekanize responded with the following:

“New Orleans, once upon a time, used to have a basketball team known as The New Orleans Jazz… in 1979, they were moved to Utah, then known as the Utah Jazz.

Well, New Orleans’s football team is the Saints…

yeah?”

That was over two years ago and it still blows my fucking mind. Shit’s crazy.

This remix is from the same compilation that the Jimmy Somerville track is from, but the side it was on was in considerably better shape, and required no digital touching up.

And, no, this is not a cover of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s “Ohio.” One could only hope. I assume it’s called “Ohio” because it samples “Fire” by the Ohio Players. This track samples something else though right? What is it?

Update 5/25/11: File was removed because it was actually the album version, and not a remix.

 

 

Posted in Aztec Camera, B-sides, covers, live, remixes, Utah Saints | 4 Comments »

I Spent Five Minutes Thinking of a Title and This is the Best I Could Come up With

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Man, the week just flies by doesn’t it? I realize I have not been posting as much as usual lately, but life has been pretty hectic. Everything returns to normal next week though, so expect more quality (and not quality) content coming soon.

Until then, fucking Beastie Boys are dope, yo.

Beastie Boys
Get It Together (A.B.A. Remix)
Get It Together (A.B.A. Instrumental)
Three MC’s And One DJ (Live Video Version)
Negotiation Limerick File (Handsome Boy Modeling School Remix)
Body Movin’ (Kut Masta Kurt Remix Instrumental)
Negotiation Limerick File (Accapella Wet)
Can someone please tell me that the new Beastie Boys’ album is good? I want to buy it, but holy shit To the 5 Boroughs was trash.

Recently the Beasties re-issued their classic work in deluxe editions with bonus tracks and remixes, which makes it hard for people like me to find truly “rare” tracks. I guess these remixes were on the cutting room floor for those deluxe editions though, as they remain rarities as far as I can tell. I could be wrong though. I swear some release in the past had the video version of “Three MCs and One DJ.” Am I just imagining thing? Wouldn’t be the first time. Knowing me my intuition is probably flipped, that’s the only track that’s actually rare, and the rest are all on iTunes somehow and I missed them.

Hey, if I am wrong do me a favor, tell me. But don’t be a dick about it. I appreciate knowledge directed towards me in a non-dickish manner.

The remixes of “Get It Together” are from a 12″ single for the track, and the rest are from an odd vinyl EP called “Scientists of Sound – The Blow Up Factor Vol. 1.”

Posted in Beastie Boys, remixes | 6 Comments »

When will Charles Bronson get his own song?

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

In an effort to post all the crap I’ve accumulated over the past few weeks tonight’s post is completely random. Anyone who can find a connection between these three artists gets a cookie.

Mmmmm…cookies.

Love And Rockets
R.I.P. 20C (D.eath M.etal T.echno Mix)
R.I.P. 20C (R.I.P.ella)
When I hear the name “Love And Rockets” I think of the chill folk sound of Earth, Sun, Moon. To be honest, my knowledge of their 90s output was practically nil when I picked up the 12″ single that had these crazy remixes of this crazy song, which is nothing more than singer Daniel Ash droning off a list of acronyms behind a pulsing beat. I mean, I like it, but damn it’s not what I expected. Anyone care to comment on the quality of Love And Rockets later material? Anything worth picking up?

Ayla
Liebe (ATB Remix)
Liebe (Minimalism Remix)
Liebe (Cyrus & The Joker)
Aside from what I read on Last.fm five minutes ago, I know nothing about Ayla. I bought this 12″ single because of the ATB remix. And since I’m being honest I’ll confess that I know little about him aside from some remixes he’s done and his debut single “9PM (‘Till I Come),” which I fucking love. I also love this track, although in my opinion it sounds shockingly similar to the previously mentioned ATB track, maybe that’s why ATB remixed it?

Sheryl Crow
Steve McQueen (The Minge Binge Great Escape Mix)
Steve McQueen (The Minge Binge Great Escape Dub)
Steve McQueen (Jorio’s Lectoluv Vocal)
Steve McQueen (Jorio’s Lectroluv Dub)
Okay, I feel as if I should preface my discussion of this song with the following: I HATE Sheryl Crow. For real. I cannot stand her. I hate her stupid whiny voice, I hate her boring inane lyrics and I abso-fucking-lutely hate her hideous cover of “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” I only like two songs of hers, and this is one of them.

I really like this song. I have no idea why. Maybe it’s just because I like Steve McQueen? I don’t consider it a guilty pleasure though. I hate that term. To paraphrase Chuck Klosterman, a song cannot be a guilty pleasure because it’s not actually causing you any harm. Cocaine, now that’s a guilty pleasure.

To me, a song like this is an “angry pleasure.” It pisses me off that I like it so much. Other examples for me include The All-American Rejects’ song “Dirty Little Secret” (which is kind of ironic if you think about it) and Bon Jovi’s “Living On A Prayer.” I really hate that I like those songs.

The horribly-named “Minge Binge Great Escape” version is pretty much just the original sped up. The “Lectoluv” versions are much better, and transform the song into something barely recognizable as a Sheryl Crow tune (which is really for the best).

And for the record, the other song of her’s I like is “Safe And Sound.” That song is so beautiful that it almost makes me want to forgive Crow for “A Change Would Do You Good.”

Almost.

Posted in Ayla, Love & Rockets, remixes, Sheryl Crow | 11 Comments »

Rush For A Change of Atmosphere

Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

Hey, I’m back.

So, I totally planned on updating this blog a whole bunch last week. Even picked out the songs and everything. But then I went to Disneyworld and, well, it’s really hard to write witty (or even witless) commentary on 80s/90s pop music after walking across the Magic Kingdom for eight hours or traversing the semi-educational wackiness of Epcot for a day and half.

Anyways, it was a crazy week full of ridiculous family bickering, magical princess, Space Mountain and Captain EO, but I’m glad to be back in Pittsburgh, hunched over my computer in my dark office and listening to obscure 90s music.

Speaking of which…

Aztec Camera (with Mick Jones)
Good Morning Britain (recorded live at Glasgow Barrowlands)
Good Morning Britain (Mendelsohn single mix)
Good Morning Britain (Morning Acid Mix)
Good Morning Britain (Hypno-Mix)
Good Morning Britain (Hypnomental)
Good Morning Britain (Hypno-Edit)
Consolation Prize (performed live by Roddy Frame and Edwyn Collins)
I posted  two remixes of “Good Morning Britain almost a year ago to this very day. Eerie. At the time I called the track “moderately awesome.” Well,I think I’m going to upgrade that rating to “all-the-way awesome.” Since I picked up the CD version of the single that included three additional version of this excellent track, I have completely fallen in love with it. I’m not going to lie though, I love this track solely because Mick Jones sings on it. That dude could sing me the phone book and I’d go gaga.

Anyways, a few notes about these remixes. The “Mendelsohn Single Mix” was remixed by Julian Mendelsohn who, according to Wikipedia, is best known for working with the Pet Shop Boys. The various “hypo” mixes were by a group called Laylow Posse, and I know nothing about them aside from what their Discogs entry mentions. The “Hypno-mix” and “Hypno-edit” were on the 12″ single, but oddly on that release they were called the “Kitsch ‘n’ Synch Mix” and the “Vocal Mix.”

The “Morning Acid Mix” was done by one Norman Cook, AKA the bass player from The Housemartins AKA Fatboy Slim, and it totally sounds like it. When Cook is at his best he can take a catchy as hell track and make it even catchier (see his remix of “Brimful of Asha“) and this is no exception. How this remix never ended up on a Fatboy Slim compilation is beyond me.

Mick Jones is nowhere to be found on “Consolation Prize” and for those who are wondering, Edwyn Collins was the lead singer/guitar player for Orange Juice, a post-punk group that shared members with Aztec Camera. It’s still a good track, well as good as a Mick Jones-less track can be.

Big Audio (Dynamite)
Mirror Man
Medicine Show (Live)
Rush (Live)
Yay! More Mick Jones! Not-so-little-known-fact: Mick Jones is the motherfucking man.

Big Audio Dynamite, in their original form even, recently reunited and are even playing a few shows in the states. And guess what? I’m totally going to one! Shockingly though, it’s not Lollapalooza. I’ve been to every Lollapalooza since it became a destination festival, so the fact that I’m going to miss this years is kind of upsetting. It’s a long story, and it involves bloodshed, so I’m not going to get into it.

All is not lost though! Instead I will be going to the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco! It doesn’t seem to be as good a festival as Lollapalooza (no Foo, added Phish) but hell, it has BAD, throw as many jam bands you want at me, I don’t care. I’m there.

In preparation for this epic occasion, expect many BAD, BADII and Big Audio tracks to be posted here in the coming months. Kicking things off are these three rarities taken from the 2 CD single for “Looking For A Song.” A weird collection for sure, the first CD is actually a greatest hits of radio mixes, while the second is a maxi-single featuring these three tracks and some additional remixes I’ll be posting later.

“Mirror Man” was co-written/performed by Lionel Bart, who wrote Oliver! If someone wants to explain to me how the hell that happened I’d appreciate it. The two live cuts, which were exclusive to this CD single, were taken from the Mick Ronson tribute show in 1994

Posted in Aztec Camera, Big Audio Dynamite, live, Mick Jones, remixes | 4 Comments »

I’m not Dead!

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

I feel happy!

New posts this week I promise.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »