Har Mar Superstar - DUI (live)

I saw Har Mar open up for Atom wayyyy back in the day. I had NO clue what to expect. Let's just leave it at that. Also, this was back before his crazy outfits and wahtever. Just another indie looking dude who stripped down to his underoos by the end of the set.

I love this song and this video is just bizarre. I can't find a decent quality version of the actual video (in which he is singing and dancing in a pet store...) but this.. wow.. this is a treasure.

Potshot - She Is Cute

Whenever I think "Hey, Ska wasn't ALL bad", the first band that jumps in my head is Potshot, the japanese ska/punk outfit. Short, sweet, catchy as hell. I love this band. Years ago I saw an awesome music video of their that had them running in front of a blue screen but I haven't been able to find it since. Any help?

Dead Milkmen - Punk Rock Girl

Quite possibly one of the greatest guitar solos of all time. On top of that, amazing sense of humor, an accordion pumping away (but not seen), and some amazing lip syncing. I ran into this band by accident when I was younger and flipped backwards, couldn't believe what I was hearing.

I borrowed two of their cassettes from one of my friends way back in the day and um, still have them.

bis - Tell it to the Kids

Even back in the mid to late 90's, I didn't particularly trust MTV for my music. Even the music played on 120 Minutes, I often needed to gather more info on a particular cool music video I had seen. Bis was different. I saw the last 30 seconds of this video and was HOOKED. The next morning I went to the record store and bought their album. No hesitation.

I think you can understand why. Bis changed a lot through the years (turning almost completely techno) but the first handful of albums (up to Eurodisco) will always hold a special place in my heart.

NOFX - Leave It Alone

8th Grade was the summer of NOFX for me. Someone's older brother was really into them and we stole the albums and listened the hell out of them, especially Punk in Drublic. I have fond memories of the first ever "party with no parents" I went to (in which we launched water balloons from the girls' backyard and hit some gangsta's grandma and they drove over and got Aaron DeCanio in a chokehold, oops) and we turned the soundsystem as loud as it would go and cranked this album. And this song is general. It was a good time.

OPM - Heaven is a Halfpipe

This video and song sucks. I don't know why I posted it.

Pavement - Father to a Sister of a Thought

The first time I saw this video was when I finally got my hands on Slow Century. I had been waiting for that damn thing since it was still gonna be a VHS. VHS! Ancient days! But when I finally got it and watched it, this was one of my least fav videos.

No santas on a hunt in a mall, no prince of indie rock crying in a barbershop, no orange rain slickers. But after a while this video grew on me. I started to want to shape my life around it. I started eating more chili. I wore plaid button down shirts and blue jeans more. Summer 2004 was my "Father of a Sister of a Thought" music video summer.

Joe Strummer - Johnny Appleseed

John From Cincinnati is one of my favorite TV shows. What? You never saw it? Not surprised. It's also one of the weirdest, strangest, and most bizarre shows ever. But watch this intro (and listen to the music) and tell me this doesn't have infinite potential.

I dare every one of you to watch this show.

Stephin Merritt - Smile (No One Cares How You Feel)

This is one of my all time favorite Youtube clips. This is why Youtube was invented, so not just people who were awake at 6:30am on a weekday in Atlanta could see Mr. Merritt so brutally kill this interview. And even better? He jams a great track afterwards.

Even better, I think that newscaster is the same one in this video (not really, but a man can dream, right?):

Zu & Mike Patton - Chtonian (Live)

I told you there was gonna be more Patton! I discovered Zu a few months ago and totally dug their noisey, loud, churning of rock. While their studio work is a bit different from their live stuff with Patton, it still has that loud, slow jackhammer sound.

Plus Danny Devito introduces them. In Rome. Devito and Patton, the worlds most dynamic duo!

Super Junior - Pajama Party

At the 1:26 marker of this video is one of my all time favorite dance moves (right up there with the Thriller dance/zombie hands thing). Even better, the guy's name is Shindong.

I had a weird time in my life where I was obsessed with KPOP music. It fascinated me. I am going to withhold the story until another day because this video is a much more recent find while my KPOP years were many moons ago (thank god). But honestly, I just needed a reason for how/why I found this.

But admit it, it's amazing. And the dance is too.

Old 97s - Timebomb

I don't know a lot about alt-country but whenever I hear bands like the Old 97's, I want to change that. These guys rock straight out. I've been listening to these guys for ages but it seems like their fanbase has a hard time leaving the south! There is not much else to say other than watch this video and eat a pile of slowly smoked ribs and you are set for life.

Wait. I think these guys are from the northwest. EVEN BETTER

Team Select Music - NBA Jam

Sometimes you just have to step back and listen to the Team Select title music.

The Streets - Heaven For The Weather

First off, this is one funky video. I like it... it takes its time and isn't all about the jump cut and cut cut cut and all that mumbo jumbo.

Second off, I also like the Streets, most of the time. The Streets can have the most bangin' tracks ever and sometimes, as if Mike Skinner was listening to nothing but Boyz II Men, he just falls flat with these weepy cryin' ballads. What the heck? Why so bipolar? Just keep poppin' off and causing a ruckus and I will keep a place in my musical heart for you.

This post was brought to you by using an apostrophe instead of a "g"

Mad Caddies - Goleta

Imagine for a moment your first concert. Sure, it was prolly something like Yes or Cher or NKOTB or something that took place in a giant stadium or amphitheater. It prolly made a big impression on you and the $35 souvenir shirt you got is STILL way too big for you to wear.

Well, the Mad Caddies (originally the Ivy League) weren't my first concert (that goes to Phish at the Thunderdome! Booya!). On the other hand, the Mad Caddies were my first punk concert. The first time my parents let me go to a dark, smokey club called the Underground. We didn't know what to expect (except gangmembers with knives - which there were none) but when the Mad Caddies popped on staged and belted out this tune, it blew our little 8th grade minds.

We haven't been the same since.

Praxis - Animal Behavior

Something about this video reminds me of Sesame Street gone terribly wrong. Almost as if Grover called up Bootsy and was like "Yo! I haven't seen you and Buckethead for ages! Let's party! Oh and invite Gwar too".

If you want to get funky and your head implode at the same time, this music if for you. I also highly recommend the album in which the Invisbl Skratch Piklz joins forces and makes anyone listening wet their short pants.

Dapony Bros - ???

I hear about a lot of weird music. Sometimes mere words can't do justice to a certain band. Someone was trying to explain the band Detektivbryån to me and sent me a youtube video (found here) of this weird swedish trio playing on a metro train somewhere in Sweden. Well, apparently there is a website that features awesome bands from Sweden playing on the Swedish public transit. It's kinda the most amazing thing in the world.

I mean, imagine for a second. You take the same commute home everyday. Boring. Sometimes you'll find something to entertain you but you usually are stuck with your ipod and library book. But no, not today. Today there's some guy playing the acoustic guitar in the corner. Kinda annoying, whatever. Then some other dudes start humming along.. huh?

Then the kazoos. Oh the kazoos! And before you know it the whole back of the train is an explosion of sound and joy and everyone is singing and the song brings a smile to your face.

I really love this stuff and I truly think The Tram Sessions is one of the best websites on the internet.

Zeev Tene - I Bombed Beirut

I can't stop listening to the Cake song "I Bombed Korea" and thought it was pretty wild that someone redid the song and that it appeared in Waltz With Bashir. If you haven't seen the movie yet, you really should. It's got a kinda Waking Life quality to it BUT IT'S A MILLION TIMES BETTER.

Atom and his Package - Waiting Room

Who needs Fugazi? Really? When you got Atom and his Package's cover of "Waiting Room" all other versions of the song pale in comparison. Atom was a discovery SOMEONE made when I was in the dawn of my high school years and it just blew my mind. I have very distinct memories of cruising around Santa Barbara in Jason's giant Land Cruiser blasting this song, and "Goalie", and "Hats off to Halford".

The only problem with that was, aside from Atom overload, was getting the chorus to "Hats off to Halford" stuck in your brain and finding your self singing "I want to be, I want to be a homosexual!" because of how gosh darn catchy it is.

I must say, Hats off to Atom!

Sebadoh - Rebound

Whenever I pop in an old mix cd I made back in the late 90's or early 2000's, I always seem to surprise myself whenever Sebadoh pop on. I am always impressed with how fresh and excellent the song is and forget completely I had a Lou Barlow streak (thanks largely in part to Barlow super fan Max Burke).

Folk Implosion also played a huge role in my post-high school, pre-real college days but I'll save that for another post.

James Kochalka Superstar - Spread Your Evil Wings And Fl

When I was first introduced to James Kochalkas' work I didn't get it. His comics seemed dumb and his music? Huh? What was this crap. But that changed pretty quickly. His comics (http://americanelf.com) are some of the most heartfelt, funny, strange, and engaging comics since Peanuts (seriously!).

His music? While it's not for everyone, it is catchy, strange, and fun. I listened to a lot of his weirder stuff back when I was still in college in Boston. I decided that any girl worth dating had to be James Kochalka fans. After months of being alone, I gave up that rule. But it was a nice effort on my behalf.

This video is haunting but bouncy. And it was made exclusively on a Game Boy camera. Spread Your Evil Wings and Fly, truly!

Mike Patton's Mondo Cane - Deep Deep Down

In a perfect world, I like to imagine that in this video, Mike Patton just showed up at some orchestra's concert and was like "I'll take over tonight". Unfortunately, I think this was all planned out, practiced and well, perfected.

You add Mike Patton to nearly any equation and it comes out equally AWESOME. There will be plenty more Patton coming in the future of this blog.

Subsonica - Tutti i miei sbagli

Everyone in Italy swears they hate Italian music. 883, Laura Pasini, etc.. it's all crap they say. Well, Subsonica are the exception. In many ways it's kind of a mainstream Mike Patton project but in many ways it's also awesome.

I saw these guys once in a sea of a crapload of other Italians in a random square in Bologna. The amount of singing, dancing, and general excitement proved to me that not all Italian music sucks and that I think Italians were lying when they said it did. They were just trying to keep Subsonica to themselves.

Ivan Mladek & Banjo Band - Jozin z Bazin

Sometimes something pops up on youtube that just is too good to be true. A strong, driving beat. A skilled banjoman. And some dude jiggling like it's ain't no thing. What is even better is I am guessing that this was all purposeful. Carefully planned out like an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Ivan and his banjo band put a lot of forethought and effort into the production of this video, trying to find the pulse of a future generation (or generations) that will revel in the camp and cheese while clicking their way through youtube.

By the way, when I was younger I thought Batman the TV show wasn't supposed to be funny. I thought it was just a really badly done TV show. I've been skeptical of things like this ever since.

SLOUGH JAMS AUGUST 2009

SLOUGH JAMS
AUGUST 2009

1. Alamaailman Vasarat - Mielisaurus
2. Hugh Hawkins - Bring It Down Front
3. Cornershop - Soul School
4. The Halo Benders - Your Asterisk
5. Cake - Meanwhile, Rick James
6. Plastilina Mosh - Monster Truck
7. Parry Gripp - This Is The Best Burrito I've Ever Eaten
8. Béla Fleck - Angelina
9. The Microphones - Untitled
10. Pastilla - Tatuaje Radioactivo
11. Phil Davies, Ch. Ried - Muscle and Heat
12. Tugboat - El Scorcho
13. James Kochalka Superstar - Dishes
14. Fatlip - What's Up Fatlip
15. Graffiti - What Is The Problem
16. Nirvana - Territorial Pissings [SNL 92]
17. Béla Fleck - Jesus Is The Only Answers
18. X Plastaz - Msimu Kwa Msimu
19. James Kochalka Superstar - Golden Booger
20. Beck - BIT RATE VARIATIONS IN B-FLAT (Girl)
21. Cake - I Bombed Korea
22. Vashti Bunyan - Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind
23. The 6ths (feat. Mary Timony) - All Dressed Up In Dreams
24. Ivan Mladek & Banjo Band - Neopatrny krecek
25. DJ Bobo - Vampires are alive
26. Andrew WK - Make Sex
27. The Blue Hearts - Linda Linda
28. James Kochalka Superstar - Stay In Cars
29. Adriano Celentano - 24.000 Baci

DOWNLOAD http://www.sendspace.com/file/f2bv4z (148 MB)
if you need a mirror, let me know

Cornershop - The Roll Off Characteristics (Of History In The Making)

Is there a more underrated band than Cornershop? Maybe Harvey Danger? Prolly not Harvey Danger now that I think about it. Cornershop is mindmeltingly awesome. You might remember these guys from your Kidz Bop tape back in the day (the track that played right before the Kidz Bop version of "Sex and Candy" and right after the Chumbawumba track? Remember?).

I urge you to do whatever you can to pick up as many Cornershop records as you can. If you still have a record store, and it still has a used bin, you may just be in luck. What's the going rate for used CDs these days? I'm guessing the answer is either $3.99 or $23.99. Those bastards are collectibles!

Shantel - Disko Boy

Romanian? Greek? Turkish? Macedonian? Whatever this is, it's amazing. First off, I have a hard time turning down any music with a giant marching band-like bass drum like that. Secondly, something about this music reminds me of sitting on a ferry in the Aegean Sea, making fun of drunk Polish kids as a group of American girls plead to the DJ to play some Ricky Martin. The DJ refuses and continues to blast traditional Greek music.

This isn't traditional, hell, this prolly isn't even Greek. But I'm sure it makes American girls who love Ricky Martin pissed off. And I'm even more sure it's great music to make fun of drunk Polish kids to. Try it!

Mitchell Yoshida - What a Fool Believes

Friend of the blog (FOTB), Mitchell Yoshida performs the golden standard "What a Fools Believe" via accordion with a bunch of like-minded fellows and fellas in some park in NYC. Mitchell and I were in a ska band together in 1997. We have both been, individually, trying to prove our manhood ever since than. I got married, he picked up the accordion.

And thank god he did. This is a true summer jam.

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - Nightmare

Apparently this clip was taken from some movie from the 1960's called "The Committee". Regardless, this clip will tear your face off and turn your eyes into flamethrowers. I give you fair warning.

Kasai Allstars - Masanka Sankayi

I first discovered Congotronics when I was working in Boston at a bookstore/music retailer. It was, for the most part, a pretty crappy job. One of the areas of silver lining (aside from allowing me to create the worlds greatest/worst collection of curse-free gangsta rap promos) was being able to put on nearly any music I wanted. Congotronics (which included the Kasai Allstars) was blasted semi-regularly. As the album progressed, I found myself consistently turning the volume higher and higher, until some scumbag would tell me to turn it down. A few minutes later and the volume is cranked and shaking the keepers off the Il Divo cds.

Please turn up your volume as loud as it goes.

Michael Holm - Barfuss Im Regen

The true definition of "awesome" is captured within the sound and sights of this 2:38 minute span. It's funky and its funky. And when I say "funky", I am referring to the usage that Andrew Zimmern would use when describing the taste of a beating frogs heart. This song and video is that awesome.

Plastilina Mosh - Pervert Pop Song

I don't know what they are singing but I do know the song title is a bit odd/offputting. Regardless, this song has been on repeat in my head for the last couple of weeks. I'm not sure what it is about it. Possibly the jean jacket? As I had a jean jacket obsession back in 2002 when I was in Italy and was >this close< to buying one. Maybe it's because someone named Ximena sings in the song, as Ximena is a really awesome name.

I don't know why this song is awesome aside from the fact it is. Bump this loud and sing along (the best you can). You become cooler each time you hit "restart".

New Concept New Mix

Hello all out there in Booyaland. This blog was created to be a home for all current and past mixes I put together. While the new August 2009 Slough Jams will be coming in the next few days, I wanted to add a new feature to this blog.

Everyday I will be posting a new music video of either a song from a mix, a song from an upcoming mix, or just something that has an awesome/hilarious/booyalicious video. More than anything else, this is an excuse for me to update this blog daily. So keep coming back! BOOYA!