This video shows what it’s like in my house when my cat Zoe is hungry. According to Wikipedia cats only meow to their mother and use purrs, grunts and screams when talking to other cats.

“my cat wrote the song, I just played the music and shot the video” – cyriak

via Matrixsynth

I’m very glad my father is still around. It’s strange to know these are the good times and that they won’t last forever. Happy Father’s Day!

There is one song that in mind mind holds the “best intro ever” title. Furthermore, the song is perfect all the way through to it’s end. Lyrically it touches on the old man meets young girl relationship theme (my own take). It also has killer synth and guitar solos. You must know by now that song is: Just What I Needed by The Cars. I never owned this song until I bought it today but every single time I ever came across it on the radio or in a bar I just absolutely loved it. The intro is some sort of time trick matched with some of the best recorded guitar ever. As one guitar line changes to another it pans, pitches down, and the killer vocals start. It would have been enough to make this one great song like this but alas The Cars have many more. This song makes me dream about girls, love and showing off my machismo. What more do you want?

Download audio file (Just_What_I_Needed.mp3)

I don’t mind you coming here, wasting all my time
Cause when you’re standing oh so near
I kinda lose my mind
It’s not the perfume that you wear
It’s not the way you wear your hair
I don’t mind you coming here, wasting all my time

I guess you’re just what I needed
I needed someone to feed
I guess you’re what I needed
I needed someone to bleed

I don’t mind you hanging out, talking in your sleep
It doesn’t matter where you’ve been
As long as it was deep
You always knew to wear it well
You look so fancy I can tell
I don’t mind you hanging out, talking in your sleep

I guess you’re just what I needed
I needed someone to feed
I guess you’re what I needed
I needed someone to bleed

Yeah, yeah, yeah, so bleed me

I don’t mind you coming here, wasting all my time
Cause when you’re standing oh so near
I kinda lose my mind
It’s not the perfume that you wear
It’s not the way you wear your hair
I don’t mind you coming here, wasting all my time

I guess you’re just what I needed
I needed someone to feed
I guess you’re what I needed
I needed someone to bleed

Yeah, you’re just what I needed
Oh you’re just what I needed, yeah, yeah
You’re just what I needed

Buy this song: iTunes Amazon

photo credit: vladdythephotogeek

Here’s a list of all the cars I owned in my life: 1966 Chevy Nova, 1986 Nissan 300ZX, 1982 Cadillac Sedan Deville, 1985 Volkswagen Golf, 1996 Mazda 626 and a 1999 Saturn SC1. Most were hand me downs or bought used off a lot. Each car had something I loved and hated about it. The 66 Chevy had a V8 and no brakes. It had brakes but they rarely stopped the car. I remember flying through entire intersections with my brakes pegged to the floor. True I was usually going 80MPH+ but hey I was 17 years old (sorry). The Nissan had a digital display, beige leather and an awesome T-Top. Unfortunately, if there was one drop of water on the road the car would go flying off the street into the surrounding woods. It happened to me 3 times before the last instance of slippy fun when the car was totaled. Once I reached my 20s I gained an incredible sense of respect (fear!) of crashing so I rarely go more than 5 miles over the speed limit these days. I put a high powered amp and Alpine stereo into the Cadillac and whenever it would rain the lights would dim whenever the bass drum kicked. The VW handled great but everyday it took all my strength to squeeze the rusted door handle open. The Mazda was the best car of the bunch. It was fast, handled incredibly and never needed a repair. The only problem with it was it the color burgundy (maroon?). Not just the outside paint but the seats and every bit of plastic inside the car. I refuse to buy anything with that color on it to this day.

If your a musician there is a good reason to own a car which I appropriately call the “car test”. Car speakers range from suck badly to sick bass and testing your tunes in a range of cars will without doubt help you find the perfect mix. The following is six songs I like about cars. I wonder do you think the members of Kraftwerk took their song Autobahn and played it in a few Bimmers or VWs to check it’s mix?

My favorite online spot for car news is Autoblog. If you want to see something crazy take a look at Steve Green’s AMC collection: click here

Did you own a car you loved?

photo credit: macwagen

Growing up I thought Willie Nelson was an old fluffy duffy singer. The only song I knew he did was “On the Road Again”. When I aged to the point of understanding life a bit more I discovered an album Willie recorded called “Teatro”. Produced by Daniel Lanois with many of the songs backed up by Emmylou Harris this album is one of my all time favorites. The song that made me played it a hundred times in a row is called “I Just Can’t Let You Say Goodbye”. It’s a heart breaking tune that tells a story of a man’s last encounter with a woman he loved. If you never had your heart smashed into a million pieces well then you probably won’t get this song at all. Nevertheless, you should enjoy the great studio work here.

“What force behind your evil mind can let your lips speak so unkind to one who loves as much as I I just can’t let you say goodbye.” – Willie Nelson, I Just Can’t Let You Say Goodbye

This is one of those albums that every single song adds to the album’s worth. I bet if you listen to this a few times you will think of Willie in a different light. The lyrics, slide guitar and Emmylou’s voice are so wonderfully haunting. Take a listen:

Download audio file (I_Just_Cant_Let_You_Say_Goodbye.mp3)

Buy Teatro: iTunes Amazon

It was sunny and warm in New York the past two days. I hiked at Tallman Park and then walked the Pier at Piermont which shoot outs about half way into the Hudson River. I’m one of the few people happy to see our economy tank hard beacuse it’s pushing green tech. The song “Electricity” by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark was recorded in 1978 but every one should put it on their iPod, walk outside and stare at some trees and give it a listen:

Our one source of energy
The ultimate discovery
Electric blue for me
Never more to be free
Electricity
Nuclear and HEP
Carbon fuels from the sea
Wasted electricity

Our one source of energy
Electricity
All we need to live today
A gift for man to throw away
The chance to change
has nearly gone
The alternative is only one
The final source of energy
Solar electricity

Electricity
Electricity
Electricity
Electricity
Electricity
E . . .

This song ties into a new job I hope to be starting soon. It’s time to sign up and help nature. We are not going to make it into outer space so soon so we need this air here breathable. By the way there is one very easy thing you can do today to help the environment: click here

Buy this song: iTunes

photo credit: onlinewoman

Everyone has a favorite Christmas song right? Whenever I hear Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” I get stupid happy for some reason. Imagine this song with different lyrics and it would still be pretty kick ass. Something about this song is punkish and in your face. It says to me, “Yeah whatever… it’s Xmas so freak out!”. See that pink tree below? That’s a photo of my tree.

“”Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” is a Christmas song, written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958 on Decca 9-30776. Although Decca released it in both 1958 and again in 1959, it did not sell well until Lee became a popular star in 1960; that Christmas season, it hit #16 on the Billboard pop chart and turned into a perennial holiday favorite. It continued to sell well during the holiday season, hitting #5 on the Christmas chart as late as 1984. Brenda Lee’s recording still receives a great deal of airplay. For decades, Brenda Lee’s recording was the only notable version of the song. Radio stations ranging from Top 40 to Adult Contemporary to Country Music to Oldies to even Adult Standards played this version. The song has been covered by numerous artists, with one of the most successful versions being recorded by Amy Grant, Ronnie Spector with Darlene Love, Dion and a version by Kim Wilde and Mel Smith featuring Pete Thomas. It reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart during the 1987 Christmas season. Today there are dozens of different versions of this song with about half a dozen versions being heard on the radio but Brenda Lee’s version remains by far the most widely played.” – Wikipedia.org

Now sing along kiddies: Rocking around the Christmas Tree at the Christmas party hop. Mistletoe hung where you can see. Ev’ry couple tries to stop. You will get a sentimental feeling When you hear voices singing. “Let’s be jolly; Deck the halls with boughs of holly” Rocking around the Christmas Tree. Have a happy holiday. Everyone’s dancing merrily. In a new old fashioned way. Rocking around the Christmas Tree. Let the Christmas Spirit ring. Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie. and we’ll do some carolin. You will get a sentimental feeling When you hear voices singing “Let’s be jolly; Deck the halls with boughs of holly”. Rocking around the Christmas Tree. Have a happy holiday. Everyone’s dancing merrily. In a new old fashioned way.

Do you have a favorite?

This was Cabaret Voltaire at their best. I just love the bubbling bass on this song. I just love the rich analog synth pad. I want a time machine.

“In 1978, Cabaret Voltaire signed to Rough Trade Records. With Rough Trade they released several highly acclaimed musically experimental singles and EPs, including Extended Play, Nag Nag Nag and Three Mantras, and albums such as The Voice of America in 1980 and the widely-hailed Red Mecca in 1981.” – Wikipedia.org

Where are they now? Check out their official website: www.brainwashed.com/cv/

via thegfantasymeadow

Today’s Sunday sounds will just focus on one song: When I Hear Music by Debbie Debb. This song gets my vote for “Best Freestyle Song Ever”. Freestyle was an 80s genre of music mostly based out of New York and Miami.

“Freestyle reached its peak in 1987 before it fell in popularity and was slowly replaced by burgeoning house music in 1988. Silent Morning, composed by Noel (poster boy for Freestyle), hugely boosted Freestyle’s popularity and brought it to the forefront of the international scene in 1987, expanding its potential. But, before Freestyle could make a permanent impact, by the late 80s and early 90s, house music, a reincarnation of 1970′s disco, challenged the original, upbeat 1980′s Freestyle.” – Wikipedia.org

Besides the fact that I just think this song is hot I hear some nice equipment: Roland TR-808, Simmons Toms, Minimoog Bass, Analog White Noise Thunder Noises, and a great Vocoder. Can you pick out anything else? I know everything could have been done with sampling but I’m going to guess most of the stuff used was the real deal to tape.

So get your girlfriend to spray a “Mall Claw” on the front of her hair and head to Dancin in Palisades Park for teen night. Next, repeat after me: ewwwua ewwwua!

Buy this song: Amazon

I’m in the process of moving from Berlin to New York and all the packing is making me feel like a robot. What I thought would take two days has become four and the work is all repetitive. If I only had my own robot to do this stuff for me. At least some of these songs are keeping my feet tapping.

“And she has a gay relationship with our television set.” – Say Hi to Your Mom

For those interested the move will change me from renter to landlord and yes I will be building an all new studio! Stay tuned…

I created this playlist at Grooveshark. My profile there is: thingstocome