Audio files: The worst thing about music is the people who play it
I’m back with a rare Thursday night edition of the once weekly and now sporadic “Audio Files” column. And look out, because I’m armed with the contents of my Google Reader, namely…
Entries Tagged as 'Michael Cade’s audio files'
Audio files: My favorite fan-made YouTube videos
We’re all familiar with the genius of YouTube; how it lets the unknown masses contribute to pop culture as freely and often as they’d like. But lately I’ve taken a particular shine to YouTube’s vast array of fan-made music videos (i.e. fan-chosen footage splattered onto musicians’ songs).
A few such gems recently caught my attention.
Audio files: LEATHERBOY
In my time on Earth I’ve had some silly, stupid encounters with rock stars.
Backstage at a Triumph concert in the 1980s, I witnessed Yngwie Malmsteen stick his tongue down the throat of an appreciative female fan.* During that same backstage experience, Triumph’s Mike Levine shooed me away as I tried to get an autograph.
I got to attend several of these events because the dad of my best friend worked for a local concert promoter. For a few nights each year, half-deaf pal Jesse G and I rocked out at the Brown County Arena. Denim and leather.
Audio files: Deadly (tender? steady?) wolves ’round the town tonight
One of my favorite songs of the past decade or so is “Star Witness” by Neko Case.
And you know what one of the most overlooked qualities of this great, amazing song is?
The drums.
John Convertino from Calexico bring its. Nothing showy but he’s got the right touch — warm, understated cymbals. Deft use of bundle sticks, a tasteful command of the kick drum. The works!
(Click image below for the YouTube version.)
Audio files: My Katy Perry problem
I cannot stop watching Katy Perry‘s “California Gurls” video. It’s addictive. The production values are sky-high. Gleaming.
See, as time rolls on, I find myself really liking vapid mall pop. The more insipid the lyrics, the better. The more it feels like I’m in a department store, the better.
I call this genre “Impressive Tripe.”
Snoop Dogg‘s appearance in the Perry song/video is a stroke of genius. You’ve gotta admit that Snoop makes selling out look like the greatest thing ever — a commendable, ennobling act. Purposeful, wise.
Audio files: Sticking a fork in the (expletive) of my recent Miles Davis obsession
Today’s post wraps up my three-part “Audio Files” series devoted to Miles Davis’ musical tree.
Part One focused on former Miles drummer Tony Williams.
Part Two explored Planet Davis — as in Richard Davis — and though I originally intended to share one more Richard Davis story, I’ve decided to leave the old man alone.
That’s because there’s other things to discuss, as today’s post will be the last of my weekly “Audio Files.”
Audio files: Miles Davis’ Kill Whitey Academy of Jazz All-Stars, Part II
Today’s post continues last week’s meditation on Miles Davis, Tony Williams, and incontinence among jazz musicians.
A quick recap: Recall that Absurdity and Despair govern our world. Recall further that these overlapping magisteria often surface in the realm of jazz music, particularly whenever someone conjures the words “Miles” and “Davis.”
Last week I discussed this phenomenon in the context of a performance by the late, great Tony Williams. This week, we move from a surly drummer to a no-nonsense bass player.
Enter Richard...
Audio files: Miles Davis’ Kill Whitey Academy of Jazz All-Stars, Part I
Throughout his life, the late Miles Davis struggled to cultivate a decent relationship with WhiteDevil Honkey-Caucasians. He once reportedly said:
“If somebody told me I had only one hour to live, I’d spend it choking a white man. I’d do it nice and slow.”
Personally, I think that may be the greatest quote ever. It’s funny.
But then I have no problem mining a laugh from something that might be direly offensive. Call it a 21st Century reflex, but I accept the fact that two frequently overlapping magisteria, Despair and Absurdity, govern our tragicomical world.
But how far do these magisteria extend into the realm of music?
Audio files: Bjork’s bejeweled panties, Stevie Nicks, Thundra, and Muppets
Bjork, Bjork, Bjork — it’s so fun to say.
Below is a four-ply suite of Bjork information — a “Bjorkalogue.”
BJORKALOGUE PART I: Iceland On the Isthmus
I enjoy the music of Bjork. I also like her old band, the Sugarcubes.
Recently my appreciation for these Icelanders resurfaced in a random way.
Audio files: The abstract non-event of a new album; the slow strangulation of the mind
It’s rare that I stumble upon an album in the same year it’s released. That happened more often when I was younger. Back then, time moved more slowly. Polaroids and phone booths were the proud faces of instant gratification. If I wanted some gossip on the pending divorce of David Lee Roth and Van Halen, I had to wait for Rockline or buy an issue of Hit Parader while grocery shopping with my mom at Cub Foods.
These days, the tsunami of instantly available information makes it tough to stay current. Moreover, bands and labels package and distribute music in more abstract ways than in 1987, when Debbie Gibson made your Jim Dog quiver.
So what follows is a list of albums released in 2010 that I never sat down and gave proper attention to. They zipped right by me. Had they come out 25 years ago, I would’ve known every track by heart.
