Friday, July 27, 2012
Hey. Ive got something special this time! I did an interview with my friend Andy McKee. If you aren't familiar with his work. He is a, or should I say THE, fingerstyle guitarist in the world today who began his path to glory in the teaching room next to mine at Steam Music here in Top City, KS (If youre looking at the list of top crappiest cities in the world).
He recorded a couple of good but small time albums in the mid 2000's and then recorded a series of videos which were released on Youtube in the days of the sites infancy. Someone there liked him and promoted him heavily, which led to him exploding onto the scene and gaining tens of millions of views. His popularity spread, leading to appearances on late night network TV shows, playing on albums by superstars, and becoming a member of Prince's live band.
He's never left home permanently though, which is good for us, his friends, because we still get to hang out with him. So here is the fun interview I did with my friend Andy...
If you'd like to hear his music, here is a sample:
And here is a clip of us and our friend Jarrod Guth (another fantastic guitarist) performing "Dust In The Wind" at an award ceremony for my uncle Kerry.
BUY ANDY"S MUSIC!!!!
If you'd like to hear his music, here is a sample:
And here is a clip of us and our friend Jarrod Guth (another fantastic guitarist) performing "Dust In The Wind" at an award ceremony for my uncle Kerry.
BUY ANDY"S MUSIC!!!!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Well it's every time that I think I'm so "with it" and well informed that I suddenly hear about something that I can't believe I hadn't heard about. The other day my sister Jessie mentioned how she was so mad that she could never afford to go to concerts anymore. She listed a few that were happening soon and one of them was Ben Folds Five.
If you aren't familiar with Ben Folds, chances are you were either born after 1996, or you are criminally uneducated in modern pop music. I often state (and still maintain) that Folds is the greatest songwriter of the modern age. The band had three amazing albums before breaking up around 1999 and Ben's subsequent solo albums are even better. In case you have no idea, they are piano driven pop music with brilliant lyrics, melodies, and harmonies and more hooks in every song than my uncle Cal's tackle box.
So anyways, I looked into the validity of this claim and found that they are not only playing in KC within a couple of months, bu that they had reunited as a band and have a new album coming out soon as well. If you are among the uninitiated, check out their stuff and improve your musical life.
If you aren't familiar with Ben Folds, chances are you were either born after 1996, or you are criminally uneducated in modern pop music. I often state (and still maintain) that Folds is the greatest songwriter of the modern age. The band had three amazing albums before breaking up around 1999 and Ben's subsequent solo albums are even better. In case you have no idea, they are piano driven pop music with brilliant lyrics, melodies, and harmonies and more hooks in every song than my uncle Cal's tackle box.
So anyways, I looked into the validity of this claim and found that they are not only playing in KC within a couple of months, bu that they had reunited as a band and have a new album coming out soon as well. If you are among the uninitiated, check out their stuff and improve your musical life.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Ok, squeezing another post in before the stroke of midnight. You know this is kinda fun, creating other musical beings with like minds...I mean it will be if anyone ever sees this blog!
So this time I'll lay another of my current favorite bands in existence. They are from England and their album "Measure" just blew my mind. It was one of those like Jellyfish's Spilt Milk and Carpark North's Lost that just took over my life for a long while. I had to hear it AT LEAST once a day for months on end. They are called Field Music. Here is a taste:
There stuff isn't all quite so poppy. Well at least it isn't all as instantly accessible as this track, but it's so musically deep and multi-layered that it's worth the effort to let it sink in. Once it does, it will get its hooks in ya DEEP!
On a side note, I saw these guys put on a magical show at a tiny little bar in Kansas City. It was a miracle that they were doing a US tour in the first place, considering that they have a small but loyal following in the States. I hung out with Peter and we had some great conversation too.
The most magical part of the night, however, is that the night I saw this show, I was with my best friend/sister Britta
It was the last night I was ever with her. She tragically died two nights later of sudden heart failure in her sleep. I will cherish that night above almost all others in my life. She was an amazing person, a phenomenal singer, and a huge music fan in her own right. Consequently, I introduced her to Field Music that same night and she loved them.
Anyhow, they have a new album since Measure that I havent given enough of a chance to fairly review, but they are incredible and a worthy addition to any music fan's consciousness.
There stuff isn't all quite so poppy. Well at least it isn't all as instantly accessible as this track, but it's so musically deep and multi-layered that it's worth the effort to let it sink in. Once it does, it will get its hooks in ya DEEP!
On a side note, I saw these guys put on a magical show at a tiny little bar in Kansas City. It was a miracle that they were doing a US tour in the first place, considering that they have a small but loyal following in the States. I hung out with Peter and we had some great conversation too.
The most magical part of the night, however, is that the night I saw this show, I was with my best friend/sister Britta
It was the last night I was ever with her. She tragically died two nights later of sudden heart failure in her sleep. I will cherish that night above almost all others in my life. She was an amazing person, a phenomenal singer, and a huge music fan in her own right. Consequently, I introduced her to Field Music that same night and she loved them.
Anyhow, they have a new album since Measure that I havent given enough of a chance to fairly review, but they are incredible and a worthy addition to any music fan's consciousness.
OK guys, this week you get the treat of beholding two posts from me on the same day. This is happening for a VERY good reason...procrastination. Wait, did I say good reason? Well maybe not so much but these Summer classes are kickin my ever-lovin' tuchus!
So for this update, I'd like to focus on a band that changed my entire musical life. When my best friend introduced me to their music around 95, the axis of my tastes shifted completely. Up until that point, my focus was a little hazy. I was into hair metal pretty heavily in the late 80's/early 90's, and like the rest of my peers, a grunge phase after that. By this time, alternative was taking hold but on a magical night driving to Manhattan for a band rehearsal, I beheld Spilt Milk, by the band Jellyfish.
Put yourself into my musical shoes at that point in time: a life dominated by the likes of Motley Crue, Metallica, and Pearl Jam, and suddenly hearing this:
Now I know any particular music isn't for everyone, but how could this not be? It's like the mutant love child of Queen, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, ELO, Supertramp, and Cheap Trick. I was enraptured by the amazing harmonies, melodies, arrangements, wide assortment of instrumentation, lyrics, just everything. When I got home I sought out everything they'd done and found out that they looked like this:
So anyways, I went through a big phase of being completely obsessed with them and any other band that sounded at all like them. They changed my writing style, my philosophies on stage singing and persona, and so much more. They were short lived but incredibly influential. Get their music and let it affect you too! Heres one last video of them playing live. Insane!
So for this update, I'd like to focus on a band that changed my entire musical life. When my best friend introduced me to their music around 95, the axis of my tastes shifted completely. Up until that point, my focus was a little hazy. I was into hair metal pretty heavily in the late 80's/early 90's, and like the rest of my peers, a grunge phase after that. By this time, alternative was taking hold but on a magical night driving to Manhattan for a band rehearsal, I beheld Spilt Milk, by the band Jellyfish.
Put yourself into my musical shoes at that point in time: a life dominated by the likes of Motley Crue, Metallica, and Pearl Jam, and suddenly hearing this:
Now I know any particular music isn't for everyone, but how could this not be? It's like the mutant love child of Queen, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, ELO, Supertramp, and Cheap Trick. I was enraptured by the amazing harmonies, melodies, arrangements, wide assortment of instrumentation, lyrics, just everything. When I got home I sought out everything they'd done and found out that they looked like this:
So anyways, I went through a big phase of being completely obsessed with them and any other band that sounded at all like them. They changed my writing style, my philosophies on stage singing and persona, and so much more. They were short lived but incredibly influential. Get their music and let it affect you too! Heres one last video of them playing live. Insane!
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Sunday, July 15, 2012
Whelll, at the behest of my professor, I will be narrowing the focus of my raging fountain of opinions to that of music. She suggested perhaps I focus on the Topeka music scene, but apparently someone forgot to tell her...THAT IS AN OXYMORON! (apologies to my good musician friends who continue to toil on gallantly in their attempts to change this depressing but indisputable fact) .Therefore, I will continue to share the good news (or the bad) about music in general.
Today's tidings will be a continuation of my ongoing attempts (previously on Facebook) to help further the world conquest of the fantastic Danish Electro-rock band CARPARK NORTH. After over a year of listening heavily to their music, I can say that they are my favorite band currently active. Is is heavy yet electronic, full of great melodies, harmonies, and musicianship, and lyrics that are sometimes emotional, sometimes cerebral. It's easier to just listen and love than to sit and read half-assed descriptions so...
http://www.youtube.com/artist/carpark_northhttp://carparknorth.com/
Here's their award winning video for "Human". It is the song that first introduced me to these guys. The video is amazing too.
Today's tidings will be a continuation of my ongoing attempts (previously on Facebook) to help further the world conquest of the fantastic Danish Electro-rock band CARPARK NORTH. After over a year of listening heavily to their music, I can say that they are my favorite band currently active. Is is heavy yet electronic, full of great melodies, harmonies, and musicianship, and lyrics that are sometimes emotional, sometimes cerebral. It's easier to just listen and love than to sit and read half-assed descriptions so...
Here's their award winning video for "Human". It is the song that first introduced me to these guys. The video is amazing too.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Heyall! My first review will be bestowed upon you today! Take a second and settle down...Ready? Okay. I'm going to talk about an incredibly cool band that I (and about 126 million other people) discovered this year. They are called Walk Off The Earth and they are from Canada. They have been around for about 5 years, struggling to make it, and recently achieved that milestone due to thier brilliant arrangement and video for Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know". Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NF2edxy-M&feature=relmfu
I love these guys because they are the classic example of most everything I love in a band or musician. They are self-made, great musicians and singers individually, eat/sleep/breathe music and have a quirky yet brilliant personality as a band. Thier video blew up almost over night on Youtube and achieved everything they had been working toward for years. They now have a record deal and are working on a major label release that I'll be eagerly awaiting. Watch the video for the newest single "Summer Vibe" for a glimpse at what they may become in the next few years!
I love these guys because they are the classic example of most everything I love in a band or musician. They are self-made, great musicians and singers individually, eat/sleep/breathe music and have a quirky yet brilliant personality as a band. Thier video blew up almost over night on Youtube and achieved everything they had been working toward for years. They now have a record deal and are working on a major label release that I'll be eagerly awaiting. Watch the video for the newest single "Summer Vibe" for a glimpse at what they may become in the next few years!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Hey ! This is my new blog page! It's one of my assignments for a media class I'm in for now, but who knows maybe I'll get addicted and it'll become a "thing"! The theme of this blog will be giving my "take" on something I'm currently digging big time. It might be a movie I saw or a TV show I'm addicted to. It might be a band I've discovered or feel the world needs to discover, or a new song or album I can't stop listening to. Maybe its a new restaurant I found or a book I'm listening to. Who can say? Only me. Hope you enjoy!
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