lovehatethings

One of the greatest things about hearing live music is that, when done right, you don't miss anything. Jazz music has had the ability to do this for decades where duos to orchestras often play entire shows.

I'm not talking about the singer-songwriter genre or dropping a folk duo together; I'm talking about a band mentality that goes for a big sound on stage. In browsing though videos from several bands that I really like, I came to appreciate the following diametric between the following two bands. The Benevento Russo Duo has an amazing sound with just keyboards and drums, while Parliament Funkadelic has more members on stage than a small town - and yet I dig them both.

Let me know what you think.

I have created this summer's bucket list, and it's only one thing, but you'll have to listen to find out.

from wikipedia... Gregg Michael Gillis (born October 26, 1981 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), better known by his stage name Girl Talk, is an American musician specializing in mashups and digital sampling. Gillis has released four LPs on the record label Illegal Art and EPs on 333 and 12 Apostles.

I know I came late to the party with Girl Talk, but here's a shout to all of you who've never heard of this master of the mashup.

I'm really not into DJs or DJ culture, but when I heard Feed The Animals by Girl Talk, I was won over. This was the first time I ever "got it" with regards to DJ skills. While I never claimed that DJs lacked talent, for years I was left without a clear sensibility about artistic nature of the performance. I often thought, "well that's pretty cool, but doesn't do much for me."

In listening to Girl Talk's release, which I purchased through his website, I found that recognition of the artistic in the choices of samples, and more importantly, the amazing juxtaposition of genre, rhythm and tone. In the first track alone, he successfully mashes up the following:

"Play Your Part (Pt. 1)" - 4:45

0:00 - 0:41 Roy Orbison - "Oh, Pretty Woman"
0:01 - 0:41 UGK featuring OutKast - "International Player's Anthem"
0:01 - 2:11 The Spencer Davis Group - "Gimme Some Lovin'"
0:03 - 0:39 TTC - "J'ai Pas Sommeil"
0:42 - 1:07 DJ Funk - "Pump That Shit Up"
0:55 - 1:20 Cupid - "Cupid Shuffle"
1:08 - 1:56 Pete Townshend - "Let My Love Open the Door"
1:18 - 2:10 Unk - "Walk It Out"
1:59 - 2:37 Twisted Sister - "We're Not Gonna Take It"
2:04 - 2:10 Huey Lewis and the News - "The Heart of Rock & Roll"
2:13 - 2:37 Lil Mama - "G-Slide (Tour Bus)"
2:29 - 3:01 Ludacris featuring Shawnna - "What's Your Fantasy"
2:36 - 3:01 Temple of the Dog - "Hunger Strike"
2:48 - 3:01 Birdman featuring Lil Wayne - "Pop Bottles"
3:01 - 3:15 Rage Against the Machine - "Freedom"
3:02 - 4:05 Aaliyah featuring Timbaland - "We Need a Resolution"
3:02 - 4:06 Birdman and Lil Wayne - "Stuntin' Like My Daddy"
3:05 - 4:25 T.I. - "What You Know"
3:17 - 3:38 Edwin Starr - "War"
3:41 - 4:31 Sinéad O'Connor - "Nothing Compares 2 U"
4:13 - 4:43 Shawnna - "Gettin' Some"
4:32 - 4:45 Jay-Z featuring UGK - "Big Pimpin'"
4:33 - 4:41 Kelis featuring Too $hort - "Bossy"
4:34 - 4:44 Young Jeezy featuring Bone Crusher - "Take It to the Floor"
4:37 - 4:45 Rare Earth - "I Just Want to Celebrate"

And while I have also not been a traditional fan of contemporary rap (and am still not) the mashup combinations won me over.

What can I say? Girl Talk and I listen.

What do you get when Hip-Hop doesn't sound like what it's supposed to sound like: The Hip-Hop Hijack Podcast.

WARNING: There are some seriously fucked up misogynist lyrics here. There are also rhymes about drug use, violence, etc.. If you are easily offended, skip this. While I don't subscribe to the themes presented herein, I do like the juxtapositions involved. It's amazing how Gangsta Rap can sound when accompanied by piano or acoustic guitar.

While almost everything else on lovehatethings is Creative Commons, this is not, and if the RIAA or any of the artists ask me to take this down, I'll gladly comply. But until then, if you dig it, maybe you'll go and buy it, which will make everyone happy in the end.

As I moved from a prog rock guy throughout the 80s, and looked for some other type music to get into in the 90s, I found grunge. Maybe not the most diverse choice of bands, but, quite simply, music that had passion, force, and kicked ass.

With summer on its way, I thought, if nothing else, some of these podcasts will form my driving music with the windows down as I'm speeding along the backroads of Ontario. If there's a summer mix driving podcast you'd like to hear, let me know.

While almost everything else on lovehatethings is Creative Commons, this is not, and if the RIAA or any of the artists order me to take this down, I'll gladly comply. But until then, if you dig it, maybe you'll go and buy it, which will make everyone happy in the end.

You can't fake the funk. You can't beat the beat. You can't grift the groove. Gotta move your feet!

While almost everything else on lovehatethings is Creative Commons, this is not, and if the RIAA or any of the artists order me to take this down, I'll gladly comply. But until then, if you dig it, maybe you'll go and buy it, which will make everyone happy in the end.

This week I got some Radio-Friendly Canadian Rock of the 80s. Hopefully it kickstarts some very cool memories for you. While almost everything else on lovehatethings is Creative Commons, this is not, and if the CRIA or any of the artists order me to take this down, I'll gladly comply. But until then, if you dig it, maybe you'll go and buy it, which will make everyone happy in the end.

This week I got some all-Canadian Rawk of the late 70s and early 80s. Hopefully it kickstarts some very cool memories for you. While almost everything else on lovehatethings is Creative Commons, this is not, and if the CRIA or any of the artists order me to take this down, I'll gladly comply. But until then, if you dig it, maybe you'll go and buy it, which will make everyone happy in the end.

Perhaps one of the easiest songs to remember from childhood, and one of the easiest to sing and play (it's only three different notes to perform a simplified version of the classic children's song). Written by Sarah Josepha Hale in 1830, the rhyme was quickly put to music later in the decade by Lowell Mason who added repetition.

The original is a simple tale of co-dependency and a deep-seeded introverted child who is doomed to run a motel under the lingering presence of her deranged father:

Mary had a little lamb, whose fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go.

It followed her to school one day, which was against the rules.
It made the children laugh and play, to see a lamb at school.

And so the teacher turned it out, but still it lingered near,
And waited patiently about, till Mary did appear.

"Why does the lamb love Mary so?" the eager children cry.
"Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know," the teacher did reply.

Regardless of theme and the faux "tradition" of calling it a lilting children's rhyme, musicians have taken to the lyrics like nobody's business... except maybe yours... check them out.

I love soul music of the 1970s. Sure, some of it crosses into funk and R&B, but there's a reason that soul stands apart. Soul helps to define a time and a place, and I hope some of these tracks can do that for you.

Needless to say, the Soul Sounds of the 70s podcasts are NOT Creative Commons like the rest of the lovehatethings podcasts, but I'm grateful for every day I'm allowed to share this music with you.