2006 Top 10 Lists (The Finale)

Ok, so i changed a few things... what of it?!

MUSIC: Albums
1.
"Return To Cookie Mountain" by TV On The Radio

2.
"St. Elsewhere" by Gnarls Barkley

3.
"Hell Hath No Fury" by Clipse

4.
"Interstellar Fugitives II: Chaos vs. Order" - Various Artists (UR)

5.
"Silent Shout" by The Knife

6.
"The Warning" by Hot Chip

7.
"Donuts" by J-Dilla (aka Jay-Dee)... R.I.P

8.
"10,000 Years" by Tool

9.
"Blue Potential" by Jeff Mills & The National Orchestra of Montpellier

10.
"Nebulae" by Outputmessage



MUSIC: Singles
1. "Black Republican" by Nas (featuring Jay-Z)
2. "Wolf Like Me" by TV On The Radio
3. "What You Know" by T. I.
4. "We Share Our Mother's Health" by The Knife
5. "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley
6. "The White Unicorn" by Wolfmother
7. "White Dwarf" by Chicken Lips
8. "Water of Nazareth" by Justice
9. "Put 'Em In Their Place" by Mobb Deep
10."Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake



MOVIES:
1.
Little Miss Sunshine

2.
The Proposition

3.
The Departed

4.
The Descent

5.
Casino Royale

6.
Children Of Men

7.
The Good Shepherd

8.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America
for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

9.
Dreamgirls

10.
A Scanner Darkly

Another Mix for the Coming Cool

1. "Mandala/Toronto" by Detroit Escalator Co.
2. "Climbing Up The Walls (Zero 7 Mix)" by Radiohead
3. "Biological" by Air
4. "Home (Air 'Around The Golf' Mix)" by Depeche Mode
5. "Left Side Drive" by Boards Of Canada
6. "Heaven Sent" by Esthero
7. "Slave To Love (12 inch Mix)" by Bryan Ferry
8. "Didn't I" by Darondo
9. "Ain't Gonna Feel" by Supermaxx
10. "2 Wicky" by Hooverphonic
11. "The Answer Is Yes" by Justus Koehncke
12. "Playground Love" by Air
13. "I Have Seen" by Zero 7

Download MIX 100906 (Quiet Storm Mix) here.
Running time: 37 minutes, 14 seconds

300 = Next Level Graphic Novel Adaptation

If the movie for "300" (centered around the Battle of Thermopylae) is as good as the trailer, it will mark the next level of Graphic Novel adaptation to Film... All comic-book heads, keep in mind. the director of this movie is slated to be "the man" behind the "Watchmen" adaptation.

An Autumn Mix 4 Your Mind

1. "Strings of Strings of Life" by Derrick May
2. "We Are Back" by LFO
3. "Pacific 202" by 808 State
4. "Velocity Funk" by E-Dancer
5. "Plastic Dreams" by Jay Dee
6. "Technicolor" by Channel One
7. "Acid Bass" by DJ Pierre
8. "Droid" by A Guy Called Gerald
9. "Shari Vari" (Ectomorph Mix) by A Number of Names
10. "Jack The Bass" by Farley Jackmaster Funk
11. "You Used To Hold Me" by Ralphie Rosari
12. "Black Sweat" (ATOM's Got Some Ripe Pits Mix) by Prince
13. "Black Water" by Octave One
14. "Future" (instrumental) by Model 500
15. "The Beat Goes On" by Orbit
16. "Play At Your Own Risk" by Planet Patrol
17. "Time Space Transmat" by Model 500

Download MIX 092006 (Autumn 2006 Mix) here.

Michael Moore Ain't Got Sh*t On This!

Synopsis: Determined to find the law that requires Americans to pay income tax, Aaron Russo (THE ROSE, TRADING PLACES) sets out on a journey. Neither left- nor right-wing, this startling examination exposes the systematic erosion of civil liberties in America. Through interviews with US Congressmen, a former IRS Commissioner, former IRS and FBI agents, tax attorneys and authors, Russo connects the dots between money creation, federal income tax, voter fraud, the national identity card (becoming law in May 2008) and the implementation of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to track citizens. A striking case about the evolving police state in America.

Visit the site here.

See the special 15 minute trailer here.

Black Merda = History Live in NYC

Pyschedelic soul-rock group, Black Merda (the original all black rock band) performed at Central Park Summer Stage last Saturday. Anyone who peeped it got a glimpse of the a Detroit sound that most people didn't know existed.

World Cup Balls

German design company Bora.Herke Stilbüro created designer balls for all 32 qualifying teams... Which is your favorite?

Starship Dimensions

Science Fiction fans rejoice! Now you can get an idea of the true scale of your favorite science fiction spacecraft by comparing ships from various sci-fi universes, as well as comparing them with familiar contemporary objects.

Take a look.

Honda Humanoid History

Honda Worldwide posted a history of the two-legged walking humanoid from conception (E0) to now (ASIMO). See it here.

Milton Bradley = Nostradamus?

In 1986, Milton Bradley released a game called Fortress America as a part of the Gamemaster Series of strategy games from the '80s (ie: Axis & Allies, Shogun).

The premise is the United States has been invaded by China in the West, the Soviet Union in the East and Central America in the South, with each player playing one of the invaders (or a combination thereof if you have less than 4 players) and one player playing the U.S. It takes place in the "not too distant future" as you play with "hovertanks" and whatnot. It's a pretty straight-forward strategic war game scenario. The goal of the invaders is to take (and hold for one turn) 18 American cities. America simply needs to wipe out all the invaders.


NOTE: Since 9/11 Fortress America has enjoyed a notable resurgance in popularity, particularly the first edition with the Saddam look-alike on the cover (this was removed from later editions).

Han Solo Shot First

FINALLY, the original version of the Star Wars trilogy is being released on DVD... coming in September. That's right, i'm a geek.

Detroit Techno Goes Symphonic

I remember Jeff Mills when he was know as the "The Wizard" of 98FM in Detroit back in the '80s. At the time i was in college in Ann Arbor where he would sometimes guest at the local club (Nectarine aka Necto). He also DJed the black fraternity parties regularly. When you saw his name on a party invitation you knew the night would be off the chain!

Now one of the hottest techno DJ/Producers out there has expanded his resume in the form of collaboration with a symphonic orchestra. It's a new DVD titled "Jeff Mills & The National Orchestra of Montpellier - Blue Potential."

My First NYC Apartment

...so, i moved to NYC in late summer of 1994. My roomates and I rented a "raw" loft space. It had it's ups and downs and the landlord was nowhere near the best... Well a few weeks ago one of the guys that lived with us was walking by and spotted the "Notice to Vacate" (photo above).


photo credit: MTP

A Rorschach Test: Are You Crazy?

Click here to begin test.

note: quicktime download is approximately 12mb.

Nippon Food Service (Pt. 2)

Dinner at a japanese style steakhouse in Okura Hotel, a tepanyaki (like Benihana but better) in Tokyo. ...now that's a fire!

note: download is approximately 4mb.

Object Lessons Exhibit

"Object Lessons" is a multimedia art exhibit with works from Peter Cho, Brian Crabtree & Kelli Cain, Sean Dockray, Nate Harrison (of Töshöklabs), Tom Jennings, and Patrick Vaillancourt. It's curated by Tom Leeser, Director, Center For Integrated Media Art at Californnia Institute Of The Arts.

exhibit info is as follows:
March 29, 2006 thru May 19, 2006 at Gigantic ArtSpace (GAS) 59 Franklin St. (between Broadway and Lafayette). Tel: 212.226.6762. Open tuesday - Saturday 11am - 7pm (Monday by appointment only)

Image courtesy of Mark Allen, Machine Project

Nippon Food Service (Pt. 1)

Dinner at Inakaya, a robotayaki (country-style restaurant as an artform) in Tokyo...

note: download is quite large (approx. 22mb)

Track Of The Month

Smiley Faces by Gnarls Barkley (Cee Lo of Goodie M.O.B & Danger Mouse) from the forthcoming release "St. Elsewhere." I think this album will be one of the best of the year.

Remember The Time

As my homie Beans says, "There will never be another spot like it..."

Special shout to Scarr for the link (the pics say it all).

iPod DJs Rejoice

The following was originally posted on Uncrate.com:

"Numark is making things even easier for digital DJs with the iDJ2 ($TBD). Featuring only one iPod dock instead of two, the iDJ2 can stream two songs at once from one iPod, and also features support for accessing MP3s, Ogg Vorbis and non-DRM AAC files from USB Mass Storage devices. Controlling it all has been made easier with an oversize LCD screen that offers waveform display and visual track-profiling, and you can record your performances back to the iPod or any connected USB device. Add to all of this full cueing, pitch control and two real-time scratch pads, and you have the new way to DJ." --Uncrate.com

... Interesting. I wonder if the latest version of the iPod will work with it (doesn't look like it judging from the picture) ..? Time will tell.

Shameless Self Promotion

After a long hiatus due to the sudden closing of Morrisey Park last year, Diamond Halo Grenade returns. Beans and I will be spinning weird shit for your ass every first Friday of the month, beginning in May at Cake Shop.

Get A (Down)Load Of This

It's a continuous mix. Total running time 50 minutes 39 seconds. While it's not my best mix by far, i think those who download will definitely find it enjoyable. ...it's springtime dammit!

PS: A song in the mix is not on the tracklist. Want to know what it is?
(Inviso-Text On)

No Way Back by Adonis
... falls between "This Is Acid" and "New Position."

Sound Advice (In No Particular Order)

The following is a list of 20 track selections on heavy rotation in my little audio environment known as the iPod:

• "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley

• "Dirty Whirlwind" by TV On The Radio

• "Girl That Speaks No Words" by Infadels

• "We Share Our Mother's Health" by The Knife

• "King Off" by Isolée

• "Address Me As Mister" by Papoose featuring Busta Rhymes

• "Gold Lion" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

• "Bill Murray" by Gorillaz

• "Rapid Rate" by Steve Spacek

• "Bernard's Song" by Outputmessage

• "Bright As The Stars" by Blackstar

• "Walking Machine (Sebastian Remix)" by Revl9n

• "To Death, Centipede" by Services

• "Crackzilla" by The Aquanaughts

• "Over And Over" by Hot Chip

• "Put 'Em In Their Place" by Mobb Deep

• "One, Two, Three (No Gravity)" by Closer Musik

• "Future Thugs" by Redman featuring Ghostface

• "Memory Leak" by Nadja

• "Hold It Attach It Connect It" by Jimmy Edgar

Be All That You Can Be... ?

It's amazing how TV shows such as "The Unit" are blatant military propaganda for all to see, especially in a time of war... like now. Is this just another example of "friendly fascism?"

I'm told by the powers-that-be, "It's TV's #1 new drama." I guess that would be correct since there are no other new dramas.

Battle Picking

We all have friends. We all have enemies. Today one of my enemies became an arch-enemy. ...'Nuff said.

Key: Mo' Therapy

Chemotherapy has always been a trying resolution for problems with cancer. But it has advanced quite a bit since inception. For instance, the method of delivery is really interesting. A plug-like conduit is installed on your body (reminiscent of the hole at the base of the neck on the characters of "The Matrix" films). This is so one can be connected into the unit of radiation delivery. ...Whoa.

Future Listening

I've heard a sampling of tracks from the following forthcoming albums and judging by what i've heard so far, they will be must-haves...

• Gnarls Barkley: collaboration between Cee-lo of Goodie M.O.B and Danger Mouse. This is what R&B should sound like...

• The Randy Watson Experience: a collaborative venture between ?uestlove of The Roots and keyboardist James Poyser. I heard a cover of Sting's "Be Still My Beating Heart." ... quite nice

• TV On The Radio: I heard a track called "Dirty Whirlwind." ...superb.

Martin Scorsese 0 Three Six Mafia 1

...because "It's Hard Out Here for A Pimp."

Return To Sender

This is an open comment on a work-related issue recently resolved... Well it's finally over. No-payment-no-project. Do not pass go. Do not reap the benefits... 021106-030406. Good luck to getting a replacement team that can and/or will produce something that is both aesthetically pleasing and has all needed functionality with a minimal budget.

Spaceman Special Edition

Just received "J Spaceman - Guitar Loops" limited edition CD in the mail from Spiritualized.com ... it's signed and numbered (mine is #307 out of 500, i believe). ...part of John Coxon and Ashley Wales' improv series for their Treader imprint (the CD is not an actual Spiritualized release, but part of a special series). The piece is a recording in one continuous take (35 minutes approx.) + the artwork is super hot!

Sunburst and Snowblind

A visit to my home town is always interesting in many ways. This time the around was no different. the usual hijinx was applied but the tone of this visit was much more serious than usual. Here's a breakdown with a few notes and observations:

• My Mother's Surgery:
This was my main reason for going back to MI. The surgery was a success and she is making a speedy recovery.

• An Extra Hospital Visit:
An old friend of mine ended up in the hospital (survivor of a drunk driving accident that happened while i was in town -- saw picture of what used to be her car, she's very lucky to be alive). ..well wishes to her and a speedy recovery

• DJ Nights at The Loft:
Always fun times... seeing old friends and sharing musical stylings ...my wish is that the sound system is replaced asap!






• Nightlife In Genessee County and the surrounding areas:
Taking in all the nightly activities and hanging with the homies is always crazy. This year was extra special because it was the first time in 2 years that the "Fantastic 4" got to hang together (1 of the 4 not shown in pic above).

• Visit to Töshöklabs:
My digital design collaborators (and former record label). Didn't actually get to visit face-to-face but did get to chat about our continued collaborations and future projects. ...special shout-out to The Big Truth!

• Flint History Website:
A friend told me about this during my visit. LOVE IT! ...it's about time.



• My Brother's New House:
Wow! I'm so proud of my bro. he did a fine job choosing his first home. ...The difference in terms of what is needed to purchase a house in Flint, as opposed to New York is "night & day." ...it's almost like you only need a valid ID and a good credit report - that's it.



• The Goddaughters:




• My Mother Receives NAACP Humanitarian Award:
Due to her surgery recovery, she couldn't make it. So my brother and i were there to accept the award. It was an honor plus we heard Rev. Wendell Anthony make an electrifying speach.



• Evenings At Redwood Lodge:
One of the best places to eat in the area. I recommend the Steak Tips and the Wasabi Tuna. Plus there is a Cigar Room that features live jazz.

• 15 Below Zero Weather:
It's a good thing i brought my parka

Capturing The Moment

The sound heard on the day my heart stopped.

Top 50 Music Videos of 2005

One of my homies told me about Docopenhagen. It's a blog that lists the Top 50 music videos of 2005 (or at least their choices). Quite fascinating. Notables for me are "Rubber Johnny" by Aphex Twin (Directed by Chris Cunningham), "Hell Yes" by Beck, "The Good Ones" by The Kills and "Glósóli" by Sigur Rós... Check 'em out.


note: be aware that a couple of the video links are dead...

South Park Personalized

Yet another project for procrastination. A friend hipped me to the "Create Your Own South Park Character" online game... Thought it was funny so i'm sharing the laughter. I created my very own "South Park Rontronik" (above). Many variations are available to help you build your very own personifcation - much like Mr. Potato Head.

If you want to save your creation, just take a screenshot. On a Macintosh: "Shift + Apple + 3" takes a screenshot of the whole screen. "Shift + Apple + 4" will give you the "Crosshairs." Then you can take a picture of your creation only. On a PC: Press the "print screen" button to take a picture of the whole screen. If you press "Alt + Print Screen," the screenshot will be of the active window only. For both PC steps, you need to paste the screenshot in an application because it will only store it in the RAM until then.