The Lyrics of Zelda

Pretty funny stuff from YouTube entertainer Brentalfloss. He's also laid down tracks to the Final Fantasy, Mega Man, and Duck Tales theme songs. Check out more of his off the wall work here.

Thanks to Kotaku for the heads up.

8-Bit Weezer

When you go on a retro kick (and I know you do) and you start hanging out in the garage and blowing on cartridges and drinking lots of sody pop, your mind tends to wander towards the finer things in life and the mysteries of the universe. You may wonder aloud, "Hey, I wonder what some of Weezer's songs would sound like if they were a soundtrack for my favorite NES games?" because, hey, I know I have. Well finally, we have an answer.

Enter 8-Bit Weezer, a compilation of Weezer songs from Pterodactyl Squad all made in the style of retro game soundtracks. All of the tracks are very well done, clear standouts being Tugboat's cover of El Scorcho, nordloef's blistering rendition of Buddy Holly, and my personal favorite (and my favorite Weezer song of all time) Bit Shifter's excellent version of The World Has Turned And Left Me Here. Honorable mention goes to videogame orchestra for getting Castlevania in my Weezer with their brilliant Island In The Sun (Belmont's Revisal). Gosh darnit, people are just so frickin' creative!

If you like Weezer or if you like retro gaming, you owe it to yourself to check this out. Thanks to Winston LaGrange and Offworld for the heads up!

Billy Corgan Apparently Needs Money

Wow, Billy. Tough times getting to you too?

Here's an excerpt from a not-so-recent (2004) Newsweek interview with the Pumpkins' prickish front man:

The notion of "selling out," licensing songs, how has that changed? Fifteen years ago, that seems like it would have been unacceptable. Career death. Is all this completely different now?

I'm not romantic about the notion of "selling out." People who are not in your position deciding what is and isn't selling out I always thought was a crock of s---. The song I wrote, "Today," which ended up being a pretty big song--that song literally saved my life. I was completely suicidal, and I wrote that song in a cold bedroom on a day where it was like, "I'm either going to kill myself today, or I'm going to live because I'm sick of thinking about this." When I played it, it was an intense, extreme feeling. Last year, I was offered heavy, heavy money to license that song. I actually turned down two huge, huge, seven-figure-plus deals last year for two songs.

For "Today" and for which other song?

"Tonight, Tonight." That's a fundamentally difficult position to be in. At this point, it's just free money. Song's already been played. It's been exploited. The record company's literally begging me: go ahead and take these commercials. At this point in my life, I don't feel comfortable. Those songs are the reason I'm alive. If your music is not sacred to the point where it's a really, really, really heavy decision about whether or not you would allow somebody else to exploit it, then what's not for sale? For a long time there was this dream that you could hit this utopian point The Beatles hit. "All you need is love." You'd write that song that would change the world. That seems to have gotten lost. Now songs are just vehicles for personality. The song is not the sacred thing anymore.

That's why your new stuff doesn't really rock. Ass.

Time to revisit Siamese Dream...which, by the way, was released in 1993. Wow.

I'm On A Boat

If the Lonely Island keeps this up, they're going to have a lot of friends. I think I may have to buy their new album.



This video is sheer brilliance. T-Pain's contribution stands out as he tosses in supporting muthafuckas, and his solo is the highlight of the entire song. How can you top lines like "Poseidon, look at me" and "I fucked a mermaid"?

Grammyhead

The Grammys are a joke...but Radiohead makes everything better. Here's a cool Thom Yorke Grammy promo. If you missed the performance tonight at the Grammys, it featured Thom and Jonny Greenwood performing 15 Step with the USC Marching Band. Fucking Trojans. Cool performance, though.



The boys from Oxford's stellar In Rainbows lost out the Album of the Year to Alison Krauss and Robert Plant for their equally impressive Raising Sand. I can live with that. I'm just glad it wasn't Coldplay...no offense to Chris Martin and company. I enjoyed me some Viva La Vida (though Joe Satriani sure didn't!). Coldplay naysayers...get over it. It may not be your taste, but those guys have got a good thing going. Just ask any of their millions (and millions!) of fans around the world.

I Like Der Gummibären

Krist Novoselic Sucks at Rock Band 2

Novoselic is (of course) the bass player for one of Rock's most groundbreaking acts of all time: Nirvana. Ya heard of 'em?

Krist has a blog on Seattle Weekly's site in which he writes about music (of course) as well as politics and sociopolitical issues. It runs every Tuesday in case you're curious what one half of Nirvana's rhythm section (and one third of the band) has to say about...stuff. In addition to blogging for Seattle Weekly, Krist is an elected Democratic State Comitteeman and is the chair of FairVote, a voter awareness group seeking to be a catalyst for voter reform. His last musical endeavour was playing bass (of course) in a band called Flipper. Ya heard of 'em?

Anyway...one of Krist's recent blogs is about his discovery of Rock Band 2 while browsing in a big box store. He attempts to play a Nirvana song (In Bloom), a song with a bass line that he originated, and fails miserably. Afterwards, he looks on, impressed, as a kid who wasn't even born yet procedes to play the same song and rock it right the fuck out. Novoselic did not make his identity known to the boy (or girl...he doesn't say), choosing to look on in wonder and silent appreciation. He concludes that Rock Band is a good thing for the world because it gets people excited about and involved in music...and will probably lead to more album sales and less file sharing (good luck with that one, buddy).

Thanks to Kotaku for the heads up.

Jaydiohead

What do you get when you combine one of hip hop's most influential MCs and entrepreneurs of all time with one of rock's most innovative and influential bands of all time?

Jaydiohead.

NYC's Minty Fresh Beats makes a big splash with this impressive mash-up which takes a page out of Danger Mouse's playbook. If you recall, Danger Mouse made (controversial) waves of his own with 2004's pairing ofJay Z's Black Album and The Beatles' White Album, aptly titled The Grey Album. Now, he's making beautiful music together with Cee Lo as the indie funk duo Gnarls Barkley.

Jaydiohead is certainly worth a listen and Minty Fresh Beats deserve applause for the solid effort. Standout tracks include Wrong Prayer, 99 Anthems, No Karma, Dreaming Up, and my personal favorite Dirt Off Your Android.

Drum Hero: Super Mario Bros. 3

Something tells me the Def Leppard drummer may not be able to handle this one...

Truly an amazing display of skill and featuring those timeless themes that never fail to put a smile on my face. This could only be more impressive if he was wearing a Tanuki suit. Nerdgasm.

Thanks to Kotaku. For more on this rhythm phenom, visit his site andreavadrucci.com.

Django, this is Mario. Mario, Django.

This is nothing short of fantastic. I'd forgotten what a great little ditty (from the city) the Super Mario Bros. 2 theme is. Furthermore, I'll be listening to Django Reinhardt on Pandora at work all morning, of that you can be assured. (And if you're not yet aware of Pandora...what's wrong with you?)

I can only hope to be as awesome at anything someday as this guy (whose name is Adrian Holovaty) is at playing guitar. Bravo.

Thanks to Kotaku.

I Ain't Afraid of Your Husband

In the late 1970's, comic book publisher Marvel Comics released a new series that explored the proverbial road less traveled. Narrated by an omnipotent, dome-headed alien known as The Watcher (stay with me here...), What If addressed a number of often ridiculous alternate possibilities within the Marvel Universe. Ever wonder what would have happened if Captain America had become President? Now you can find out! What would the world be like if Spider-man had joined the Fantastic Four? Guess where you can find the answer? You get the idea.

I've often tossed and turned in the night, mulling over my own what if scenario. For a time, I even considered developing a support group for others dealing with the same plaguing question: What if Johnny Cash had been turned into a vampire by Dracula (as portrayed by Bela Lugosi)?

While this inquiry might be humorous to some, I submit that the ramifications of this unholy union would've rocked the foundations of both the vampire and musical communities to the core. What would Count Cash-ula sound like and look like? Would he have devoured the inmates of Folsom Prison without hesitation? Would June Carter have become his queen of the night?

Like the potential existence of aliens and the Sasquatch, these questions will invariably go down as history's greatest mysteries. It is with great pleasure, however, that I submit to you the closest possible answer: Unknown Hinson, The King of Country-Western Troubadors.

Fans of Adult Swim's Squidbillies may know Unknown Hinson as the voice of Early Cuyler, but if they've not yet sampled his musical offerings, they're only seeing a small facet of this amazing performer.

To be fair, Unknown Hinson isn't as much a musician as he is a concept. With songs such as I Ain't Afraid of Your Husband, I Cleaned Out a Room (In My Trailer for You), and Peace, Love & Hard Liquor, it's easy and frighteningly effortless to fall into the white-trash, psychobilly vibe that he offers. As a fan of between-song banter, I also salute Unknown for his uncanny ability to more or less let his "character" completely assimilate the man. I feel confident that anything could happen and Unknown Hinson wouldn't skip a beat - he'd still refer to the fairer sex as "womern" and would still encourage everyone to "take a drank of brown party liquor and be somebody."

For those of you who have frowned upon gimmick-based musicians in the past, fear not. Unknown Hinson is, for all intents and purposes, a real-live guitar hero and an avid follower of Jimi Hendrix, it would seem. I've seen him in concert only one time, but the transition from I Make Faces (When I Make Love) into Hendrix's Manic Depression was flawless and majestic.

Side note: I don't throw around the word "majestic" - it's just not in my character.

Please, please, please, please - do yourself a favor and track this man down. Buy him drinks. Take him for a round of mini-golf. Do whatever it takes, but make sure he gets what he deserves.

Radiohead: Live at Lollapalooza 2008

Someone went and did something awesome. This guy rc529rdhd, a YouTube user, recorded Radiohead's ENTIRE set at Lollapalooza'08, a show I was also at (albeit about 150 - 200 yards from the stage amongst the sea of thousands). RC (for short) also recorded Thom Yorke and Co.'s set at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and also a smattering of other bands at Lolla '08 (Check out Holy Fuck...you will not be disappointed. They live up to their name.) Check out his YouTube channel here. I further recommend visiting his page because you can watch all of the videos I've embedded here in higher quality. If I ever see you, buddy, you're getting a huge hug from me.

To all of you who didn't get a chance to see Radiohead on this last tour (shame on you), or for those of you that did see them but didn't get to see them live at Lolla '08 like me (and tens of thousands of other people)...enjoy.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. 15 Step


2. Airbag


3. There There


4. All I Need


5. Nude


6. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi


7. The Gloaming


8. The National Anthem


9. Faust Arp


10. No Surprises


11. Jigsaw Falling Into Place


12. Reckoner


13. Lucky


14. The Bends


15. Everything In Its Right Place


16. Fake Plastic Trees


17. Bodysnatchers


18. Videotape


19. Paranoid Android


20. Dollars & Cents


21. House of Cards


22. Optimistic


23. 2+2=5


24. Idioteque

Again, check out the higher quality videos at rc529rdhd's YouTube channel. And thank him for being so awesome. And thank Radiohead too.

Reckoner

Find more videos like this on w.a.s.t.e. central

The official new video...hand picked from fan submissions. Pretty incredible animation. And the song's not bad either ;)

You Got The Touch

This is probably the single greatest music video ever made. Stan Bush's The Touch is flawless, though Mark Wahlberg's rendition in Boogie Nights is a close second (Good Lord, John C. Reilly is awesome).

By the way, at approximately 4:20 (heh) into the video, Bush shoots a laser beam out of his guitar. Awesome. I don't know about you, but I got to get me one of those.

This video is brought to you by seibertron.com. Don't worry. You'll be bombarded with reminders.

Particle Man

Midnight Radio

I have to give a shout out to my good friend Jonathan Whitton for all of the amazing work he does. Here he is performing the final number in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (a role I am honored to have played as well).

Check him out at jonwhitton.com. If you're in the New York area and have a chance to catch his award-winning cabaret (or one last concert performance of Hedwig), don't miss it. You will not be disappointed. "Whitton is a winner."

Love ya, Jonny.

Know When to Make a Better Video

Know When To Walk Away - Jay Clifford

I am thrilled for Jay Clifford that he has his first music video and that Zach Braff is promoting the shit out of his music. Jay is a tremendous talent. His musicianship and songwriting are unparalleled and he deserves a huge following for his craft. Likewise, Braff's likability and relatability, coupled with his talent, good looks, and oh-so-indie taste in music make him a winning partner...a perfect fit for Clifford's target audience.

However, I wish the video was different. i was skeptical when they first announced that the video would be comprised of fan submitted content, consisting of lip-synching. I understand the idea behind it, giving back to the fans, giving off a relatable vibe, etc. But I really think Jay would have benefited more from a "real" music video.

I think Braff's product screams amateur (especially the shots with Jay behind a set wall) and I really just want better for Jay. Not to mention that the whole "YouTube" music video thing was JUST done by Weezer for Pork and Beans, the first single off their (yet again) disappointing new album. (The guitars sound great, guys...but are your lives just completely superficial now or what? I'm having a hard time finding the substance in these new songs...2002's Maladroit was your last decent album.) (And what's with The Red Album...how is this album significant in ANY way? I didn't mind that you did The Green Album because your barn-burning debut The Blue Album was phenomenal and Green marked your return after a long hiatus...but it hasn't been that long since the dismal Make Believe...and this new album ain't that good either. Enough with the pretention. Deliver the goods or else I'll shake Rivers Cuomo upside down until a decent song falls out of his head.)

Back to Clifford and Braff - I just expected more out of the director of Garden State and the driving creative force behind Scrubs (besides Bill Lawrence, of course). I hope the video does well for Jay and that people like it, but I hope he goes with a director who knows what he's doing in creating a music video next time. All due respect to Braff, but stick to the stuff you know, bro.

And Jay - better luck next time.

WIKI-EDIT: Zach Braff has also directed the music videos for Gavin Degraw's Chariot (which is a pretty decent video), Joshua Radin's Closer, Cary Brothers' Ride, and Lazlo Bane's Superman (the theme song from Scrubs). According to his wiki, Braff also claims that he "know[s] nothing about music." By the way, Braff won a Grammy for "Best Compilation Soundtrack for a Motion Picture" for Garden State.

Take It Like a Man, Kid Rock

It is with a heavy heart, dear friends and citizens of the World Wide InterWebs, that I begin our mutual blog-relationship on such a sour note. Before you criticize, you have to understand that I'm speaking with the voice of a man who simply can't take it anymore. My rational, open-mindedness has fled for the hills, leaving me with the mentality of an angry audiophile whose good taste has been raped via pop culture.

What is this canker that has me so "bug-a-boo" all of a sudden you ask?

It's Kid Rock, I tell you. Kid Rock...

Here's the point in my diatribe where I would love to say something positive about the self-proclaimed Early Morning Stoned Pimp, but there's simply nothing positive to say.

Earlier today, I went to get my oil changed. While I was sitting in the waiting area, enjoying an excellent article about the creation of The White Album, my ears perked up as the opening piano riff of Warren Zevon's Werewolves of London began playing on the radio. "Wonderful," I thought to myself, as I enjoy Mr. Zevon's delightful portrayal of a lycanthrope-stricken Britain. That's when everything changed and Werewolves of London began mingling with Lynard Skynard's Sweet Home Alabama. My mood at this point? Puzzled and somewhat confused, but far from annoyed. And then everything changed. My shipment of FAIL had arrived.

"And we were trying different things, we were smoking funny things
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow
Singing 'Sweet Home Alabama' all summer long"

Dang. In all fairness, my deep-rooted disgust for Kid Rock, aka Bob Ritchie, goes back many years. It began when he decided that he was a wordsmith of sorts and coined the phrase "bawitdaba (bada dang diggy)," which translates roughly to "I speak nonsense and am a moron." Look - I've made up plenty of ridiculous words and phrases. In fact, I'm sure that PK over here can cite more than a few. The difference? We haven't sold 25 million records.

Making up words isn't so bad...you're right. I should cut him some slack, you say? Were you aware that he titled an album The History of Rock? Holy crap! Could you be anymore unjustifiably pretentious and full of vileness? I didn't think so in 2000 - I thought that we'd reached the peaks of bad taste and I could finally sleep again.

Some years passed and I grew happier with each passing day. And then I heard this (taken from the song Amen on the album Rock n' Roll Jesus [which I find redundant]):

"Simplify, testify, identify, rectify
And if I get high stop being so uptight
It's only human nature and I am not a stranger
So baby won't you stay with me tonight"

Wow. Just when you think that Kid Rock's growing up a bit and trying to coax some global unity out of us, there it is: his hidden agenda to sleep with a roadie. Ahh, compassion... the aphrodisiac of champions.

Now, I'm just a sad and bitter man who's had two great songs blended together and summarily executed at the hands of my de facto arch-nemesis, Kid Rock.

I hope it feels good, Kid Rock. I hope it feels good to climb so high with so little merit. And yes, this is just one man's opinion, but believe me when I say that this opinion is really, really strong and burns with the heat of one thousand suns.

Don't worry, friends; I'll climb out of this rut by listening to something much more uplifting and well-crafted. Ah-ha! Some Randy Newman ought to do the trick....

Until next time, digital boys and girls, take care of each other and if you see Kid Rock fall down on the street, it's okay to help him up. I encourage it. Just do it with a mean face.

Your Obedient Servant,
Winston LaGrange

+KN | Kitsune Noir

This cat is pretty hip.

He's an opinionated dude with good taste in music and some friends who contribute some pretty sweet desktop art to customize your comp with.

Check out his Desktop Wallpaper Project (including some really sweet Radiohead wallpapers) and his Mixtapes, complete with thoughtfully designed artwork - just like Winston and I used to make. *tear*

+KN | Kitsune Noir

New Edition

No...not the Bobby Brown group.

I'm proud to announce that my good friend AQ (AKA WickedSomething, AKA Winston LaGrange) is joining the good fight as the newest Pirate Robot. Effective immediately, AQ will feed your dread by contributing posts on Music and whatever else he deems interesting.