Tag Archives: alive with pleasure

Cool stuff, Music Sound Noise Audio, WMOM

Flim & The BB’s: God I Miss This Band

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Some of the best and craziest jazz ever.  These guys were one of the first to DIGITALLY record music (at the birth of the Compact Disc).

This is a video of them doing the song “Toy Chest”.

 

I have almost every one of their albums (at least I did on cassette and some on CD).

Some of the most whistle’able tunes ever created. Guaranteed, if you listen to any of their music, you will whistle or hum it immediately after you hear it. The musicianship is astounding but the song writing is sooooooooooo sticky.

It’s also fun to watch the videos as they are such a time piece. Notice the old IBM PC AT and the first generation Macintosh behind keyboardist Billy Barber. This song is “Sideman”. Also notice how sticky the melodies are on these songs. Its like a drug!

…also couldn’t forget the song “funhouse” (so glad someone posted these on youtube).

This song stuck in my head so much, I couldn’t rest until I could at least FAKE the main theme of this song on a keyboard. It’s not that hard, but my god does the melody stick. Intoxicating!!!

Listen and get infected.
(and the sad part is. I still cant find all of their music on the internet 🙁 ) You can hear most, if not all, of their music on WMOM (of course).

Angry Hot Dog, Grinds My Gears, silly

You Know You’re In The Suburbs When…

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This actually could be anywhere, but have you ever noticed what happens to left over pizza hut buildings? They get crazy businesses in them that seem really awkward and unrelated to the cheesy Pizza Hut architecture (the stupid tinted trapezoid windows and the dumb hut roof).

Check out the Used To Be A Pizza Hut blog. It’s a really hilarious and sad trend on business in America.

The only reason this interested me is because there is one up the street from us in Eldersburg Maryland, and I’m told there have been a multitude of failing restaurants located in it. The current is a steak house. The only issue I have is this guy’s website doesn’t include it,YET…. Not until I send in a picture.

Used to be a pizza hut
This picture is old. It is now a crappy steak house called T-Bone & More. Click the image above to visit the Used To Be A Pizza Hut blog.

 

Eldersburg Used To Be A Pizza Hut at present.
Here is the current appearance of the Eldersburg Used To Be A Pizza Hut.

Ohhh lucky us! They’re right next door to Mr. Tire. That just makes me even more hungry.

Inside Eldersburg's used to be a pizza hut.
Notice the trapezoid windows from the inside. It seems they left the Mexican themed border across the top of the windows. Whoopsy!  Also, darn it, none of those red plastic glasses from Pizza Hut of old.

Check out the Used To Be A Pizza Hut blog.

Here’s the article that started my perusal of this topic.

Chronicles of the Absurd, Cool stuff, Music Sound Noise Audio, silly

A Little Late But My Christmas Fave

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Every year on the David Letterman show, Paul Shaffer does the official singing of “Oh Holy Night” by Cher, impression. I remember this from the 1980’s and he’s still doing it which is totally awesome!

I live for this and I recently found where they are on the youtubes. Here’s an explanation:

This one is more in the flavor that I loved. I loved the reference to Donahue. Very 80’s. I loved his viewer mail and Dave was so much better in the 80’s on NBC. I sort of think he died when he moved to CBS. (…and still the reference to the “muff”)

and then we have 2008

Cool stuff, Music Sound Noise Audio, WMOM

Once Again, Trevor Horn Kicks Ass!!!

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Listen to his timid, meager voice at the beginning, then watch this man tickle a 5 string bass…

IT IS SO COOL TO SEE THIS PERFORMED LIVE!!! (and with the Mysterious Anne Dudley on keys).

Blew my mind! CRAAAAAAAAAAAAANK IT UP!

(“….I just need a bass…. THAT’S IT! START THE CAR, ANNE!)

And as always, I am musically obsessing. Here’s another video of Trevor playing AND SINGING. I have always loved his voice. He sounds so geeky, British and timid. This song is on constant rotation in my head lately. I THINK the lyrics are about dying or afterlife (everything sounds past tense’y). Probably the happiest song about dying or afterlife I’ve ever heard. It’s from the album The Producers, Made In Basing Street. This album contains some of the best music producers of my life time: Trevor Horn (of course)(bass/voc), Lol Creme(guitar), Steve Lipson(guitar), and Ash Soan(drums). I CAN NOT STOP LISTENING TO THIS ALBUM. IT’S INFECTING ME!!!

Cool stuff, Music Sound Noise Audio, WMOM

RIP George Duke, “I Need You Now”…

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For those who know me, I’m a miserable person. Music is usually one of very few cures for my ailment. As I get older, the people I have grown to love and follow are falling off like flies. We lost a great one in the music of Chad today.

George Duke and a Synth
George Duke

The man was one of great Jazz keyboardists.  The news was, of course, for a musician of such talent and depth, completely muted or uninformed at best.  It was mentioned in my research that he died of complications from leukemia. This IS INDEED what is TRULY sad.  This guy was as diverse as anything could be in the musical realm.  From R&B, Jazz, Progressive, Blues, Fusion… you name it, he was legendary.  From jazz, to R&B, to soul, to pop to his work with Frank Zappa (if you’re lazy, and want to hear wicked george duke keyboards and synth, start at 6:36). It was always fun to see how Frank Zappa brought out the crazy in him:

Notice how fast he plays the keyboard and listen to what the hell he was doing with synthesizers in 1974. Amazing. He was mostly known as a song writer, keyboardist, and excellent singer (who really knew how to multitrack his own voice to perfection)… (also had a great fro)… But what most don’t know is he was a great trombone player. Listen to the trombone breaks in this, from my favorite album “A Brazilian Love Affair”:

A lot of critics accused him of pandering in the 80’s to the pop taste, but personally, I thought his music sounded more busy and jazzy than ever. Listen to the bass line in this bit… This is an underrated classic (i think).

I know I know… It’s very 80’s and really corny, but listen to the musicianship in this… The bass and songwriting mostly stick in your head like sugary glue. Good stuff… AND NOBODY COULD WORK A KEY-TAR LIKE GEORGE! And the guy has the fastest right hand on a keyboard I’ve ever seen. He put emotion and soul into an emotionless instrument, the keyboard. Truly legendary.

On a final note… His music is very positive in lyric and in tone. It has made me feel happy, good or empowered many times (this is quite a long time as I’ve been listening to him since I was 8). His latest album “Dreamweaver” is a big bag of varying style. He put it together in tribute to his wife Corine who passed away almost a year ago. It is rumored that he really took a beating from this. He comes out about it in this promo for the album.

His music is about the music which is what I like most. He doesn’t always take a vocal. Sometimes guests do all the singing. If there is one song he does that gives me goose bumps, this one is it. It’s called, “I need you now”. I dont know why, but it’s my favorite. It’s the one I enjoy the most. I like how George comes in on verse 2 and translates it all. Today…. It makes my eyes water and gives me goose bumps… I’ll miss him.

Had to add this video at a later date. THIS WHOLE SHOW BLEW MY MIND! Crank it up!