To end the year, it's only right that my final Archival Thursday of 2010 concludes with some proper downright dirty party music. The Soft Pink Truth is the alter-ego of Drew Daniel, who is one half of the San Francisco experimental electronic duo Matmos. The genius sound Drew created with this project is pure and full of funk. Righteous samples and cut up vocals, beats layered with deep bass, and clicks, clips and cuts that will leave you shaking your ass and wanting more! This New Years Eve, jam out to some bangers like "Gender studies" or "Big booty bitches" for a sure-fire way to get the party started.
I purchased this double LP version at the now defunct Virgin Megastore in South Miami. Happy New Year everyone!
I always love this time of year...Not only because Santa was good to me or because it's the holidays, but because there's time off from the daily grind. No schedules, no traffic, no worries...just good ale's, good rides, and good times. And of course it's also an opportunity to catch up on some much needed TV. I have tons of media laying around on my hard drive so I figured I'd do some catching up. Now, everyone knows I've been an avid hockey fan for decades and that my favorite time of the year is during the NHL Winter Classic which is an outdoor hockey game played annually on New Years Day. Well, HBO 24/7 created a series properly titled The Road To The Winter Classic which is a four-part documentary chronicling the preparation of the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins for this years outdoor game, which takes place at the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the great Heinz field. The documentary follows them on home and road games and gives unprecedented access on the functionality and politics of an NHL hockey team. You'll see Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau lose his cool and throw "F" bombs like there's no tomorrow, great rookie pranks, locker room footage and traditions, and for the ladies, Alex Ovechkin in his briefs. Plus you'll hear what is actually being said on the ice, which is what I always wonder, especially during fights, penalties and that non-stop chirp players do to one another. One word...Excellent! It's basically all you ever wanted to know about what goes on behind the scenes of an NHL team. Highly recommended if you're into the game and it's got great music too, as most HBO 24/7 shows do.
Below are the first and second episodes , which aired December 15th and 22nd. The next episode is this Wednesday, December 29 at 10:00 PM. For more info and photos, click here.
Tool are the benchmark of progressive metal...there, I said it! Mostly every band within the genre have been influenced one form or another by this outfit, and there's no denying that. 'Undertow' is their first full length album, which expressed more diverse dynamics than their previous EP's and singles, and shaped the future of the band. Shortly after 'Undertow' was released, Tool's identity was formed and what followed was a chaotic beauty that will probably never duplicated by anyone else. Besides, lead singer Maynard Kennan is a creative genius, definitely not of this earth. Some of my favorite tracks off this wonderful LP are "Sober" and "Swamp song". School yourselves!
I grabbed this release about a year ago off eBay. This particular copy is the 1996 re-press.
It saddens me to bring such horrible news right around the holidays, and truthfully, this post is troubling to write. Yesterday the cycling community lost a leader, a mentor, and most of all, a great friend. Ferny "Lancito" Heria was involved in a fatal automobile accident on the 836 west yesterday morning while driving home in such an unfortunate situation, just two days before his 26th birthday. I am still in shock and I never thought I would be writing this.
He was an inspiration to me as well as many cyclists here in Miami, especially with his hard style of riding, his love for cycling, his endurance and always winning alleycat races, and finally his large, perfect smile. He was the most skilled fixed-gear rider in our scene and always looked out for his boys with his huge heart he wore on his sleeve. I'll remember the rides we had, the laughs, the advice you gave me, the blunts we smoked, the way you aggressively corked on Critical Mass, the crazy offers you threw at me when I sold bike parts...all those things will come into focus each and every day on my way to work as I drive right by the scene. May you finally rest in peace, Ferny. Forever young, forever 25. Thanks for everything man, see you on the other side.
My deepest, sincerest condolences go out to his family and close friends. Check here for info on any memorials, group rides, etc.
Since this is probably the last Fuck It Friday of the year, I wanted to go out with something new and fresh. Monuments are a UK progressive metal outfit that have been ripping shit up as of late in Europe. Just recently formed, they don't even have a full length release yet. "Admit Defeat" is one of their first singles out there, and has gained huge success overseas as well on the net with sites such as Last.fm and Youtube. You know these guys are onto something after listening to this hell of a track. Loaded with 8-string riffs, bashing beats and unparalleled energy, this is a perfect song to end the year with...turn it loud!
Bob James is a master jazzman. His sound has been sampled by almost every prominent hip-hop artist and his influence on smooth-jazz musicians is never ending. I recommend anyone that wants to delve into some Bob James to try his sixth studio album, "Touchdown". It includes the timeless classic 'Angela' which became the theme song for 70's TV show, Taxi. 'Caribbean nights' is another one of my favorites from this LP, with smooth arrangements and an excellent groove. Touchdown is an outstanding example of the late-70s/early-80s fusion sound and features input from legends David Sanborn and Earl Klugh. A must listen!
I found this release at a thrift shop on Steinway Street in Astoria, Queens back in 2000 when I lived there.
San Fran cycling giants Mash have just dropped their sweetest cycling kit yet, the Mash Greyscale Histogram kit to match the new 2011 Cinelli x Mash. The new kits, released today, are made by Capoforma which I can attest use great materials and are everlasting. One can never own enough cycling kits, such as myself, so if you're looking to buy me something for Christmas, PLEEEEASE consider this! Get yours!
The famous wall on Bowery & Houston which once graced the art work of Keith Haring and Shepard Fairey has recently been given a proper make over by none other than NYC street bomber "Adek". In broad daylight, he painted an enormous "Sace" throwy in honor of the late artist, which was also known as Dash Snow. Amazing to say the least, and risky is an understatement. Peep the step by step action, beautifully captured by legendary graffiti art photographer Martha Cooper below.
One of my first track bikes was pure steel. Steel builds are the classiest form of the bicycle in my opinion. The welds, the rigidity and geometry, but overall the pure rawness of it. It's the original way they were built and meant to be since the early days of cycling. Even though I own two aluminum bikes, I can always appreciate a solid, steel frame, especially since I used to own one. I can definitely say they ride smoother and cushier than stiff, aluminum frames, but then again steel bikes are heavier and the handling is not as precise and accurate as aluminum, but that's a never ending debate...steel or aluminum, aluminum or steel. Check out a few of my favorite steel steeds below and remember, there's a reason they say "steel is real"!
Lootpack picks up where hip-hop left off, plain and simple. These guys are on a mental-plane like no other and make hip-hop sound fun & worth listening to again! Battle-style rhymes with static filled beats are the recipe here and when it comes to production, no-one does it better than Madlib. Tracks such as "Whenimondamic" or "Crate diggin" are perfect examples of the attributes this album has to offer. Released on the wonderful Stones Throw label, guests on the album include Quasimoto, Dilated Peoples and The Alkaholics.
I found this release at the now defunct Blue Note Records back in 2001.
If you have a Last.fm account, there is a pretty cool option called 'Paste Your Taste' which basically generates a list of your favorite bands so you can post them on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. I most recently discovered this option and had it generate my list of favorite bands. Check em' out below.
Deftones, The Murder City Devils, Monster Magnet, Machines of Loving Grace, Megadeth, Tesseract, Tool, Quasimoto, Slipknot, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Burial, Danzig, Dozer, Korn, Bochum Welt, Madvillain, Bush, System of a Down, Limp Bizkit, Motörhead, Mudvayne, Hatebreed, Fellsilent, Kyuss, Rage Against the Machine, Drowning Pool, Dudley Perkins, Interpol, The Sword, Team Shadetek, Live, Godsmack, MF DOOM, P.O.D., Gang Starr, The Verve, Madlib, Lootpack, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Radiohead, Black Sabbath, Legowelt, Black Moon, Linkin Park, The Pharcyde, Porno for Pyros, Foo Fighters, UNKLE, Pete Rock, Portishead, Aphex Twin, DJ Krush, The Smiths, Diplo, Giorgio Moroder.
Also, while you're at it check out this website which allows Last.fm users to generate banners with all your favorite band logo's so you can paste anywhere. You can have it generate your overall favorite bands which you play frequently or your favorite bands from 3 or 6 months ago. I generated one from my most recent favorite bands and below is the outcome. Dope!
As most of you know, Art Basel was this weekend and as I was out and about, I couldn't help but notice a few tribute pieces for my man, the late Bernie Perez aka Oil. Check em' out below.
It's Friday afternoon, the weather is a beautiful 50 degrees, and I'm ready for the weekend! Starting it off, we have US metal legends Mastodon with total epicness on the track "Hearts Alive". Clocking in just over 13 minutes, it delivers ass kicking riffs, dense rhythms and complex textures. Released off their classic concept album "Leviathan" in 2004, this has to be my personal favorite title. Pure raw sludge metal is the best way to describe this band and this song is a perfect example of the Mastodon sound. Be sure to lend them an ear!
Here's a movie I recommend watching, especially if you're attending Art Basel this weekend here in Miami. 'Exit Through The Gift Shop' is a documentary type film released this year that was supposed to be about street art legend Banksy, but in turn the film is really about frenchman Thierry Guetta and his obsession with street art and how he became a legend in the art world. It opens with Thierry commenting on how he became addicted to documenting every bit of his life on film. He filmed everything at every moment of his life, accumulating hundreds of thousands of hours of tape which he soon lost track of. One day, he goes back home to France and meets his cousin, famous street artist Invader, and Thierry becomes obsessed with filming him on the street, in action, doing his thing. Shortly after, his cousin introduces him to other street artists to document such as Shepard Fairey, Swoon and eventually the ever so evasive, Banksy. Soon, Thierry wants more from the art world he is obsessed with and begins his own bombing campaigns, labeling himself as "Mr. Brainwash" and leading to enormous, successful exhibitions all over the world. It's quite a funny story actually. It also features Neckface, Kaws, Borf and a few other notables.
What makes this film so interesting is the way everything is presented to you by british narrator Rhys Ifans, it almost seems like it's all a hoax. There actually has been much speculation that the film and story of Mr. Brainwash are a hoax concocted by Banksy himself. Among the most questionable aspects of his character in the film is the absence of any footage of Thierry actually creating his uncannily Banksy-like images. When he is shown "working," he is only seen splattering paint using aerosol cans to haphazardly color images and clumsily attempting to paste up a poster, which was hilarious! Other aspects of the Mr. Brainwash character seem deliberately comical, such as him being pushed in a wheelbarrow after supposedly breaking his foot, but I'll leave it up to you to be the judge. View the extended trailer below. A must see!
When it comes to minimal techno records I only own a handful, but those that I have obtained throughout the years mean a lot to me. Being that I don't really collect minimal techno, I'm very picky about what I buy and listen to whenever it comes to this particular genre. Releases such as 'Discord' by techno legends Stewart Walker & Geoff White is a case in point. I first heard of this LP on Soulseek and shortly after I was immediately on the hunt to buy it, especially since Force Inc was behind it. "Cumulus bloom" is by far my favorite track on this stimulating project, but what about the drive and deep elements in "Cloud city"?
I purchased this release back in 2003 from the best place to buy electronic records online, Forced Exposure.
I can't get enough of Crihs' videos. The footage is always edited with care and quality, contain great music and most importantly, they always make me want to get out there and ride! Not to mention the Go-Pro cams he frequently uses which makes things feel as if it's you out there pedaling your life away.
Check out this quick, five minute edit Crihs made of the annual Bombing Broadway race which runs all the way down Broadway from uptown to downtown. Plenty of skitching going on, near misses and tight spots. Serious stuff, see for yourself below.
Taking a break from the usual is always good, especially if it's a holiday. Being that Thanksgiving was last week, there was lots of food and beverage to consume, family and friends to host, and most of all some much needed time away from the 'puter. Not only does this blog-post sanction my return, but it also marks the arrival of the annual art orgy that is Art Basel. Dudes like Shepard Fairey and Dickchicken have already started their pre-Basel bombing campaigns throughout Miami's neighborhoods, flyers are beginning to appear any and everywhere and galleries like OH-WOW are working overtime and into overdrive to make sure everything is perfect! Yep it's that time again, and since there's such a heavy saturation of exhibits and events all going on at the same time, I'm here to trim the fat and present to you a few of the better art gatherings going on such as Primary Flight's 'Street Art Cycles' or the Friends With You exhibit 'Rainbow City'. Check out the flyers below, click for hi-res.
Overtown Miami is one of the oldest, yet poorest neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County. Incorporated in 1896, famous developer Henry Flagler's railroad workers took refuge in this part of town since segregation during those times prevented blacks from living anywhere else, therefore the workers lived west of the railroad tracks and the town became known as "colored town".
These days, Overtown is still predominantly black and is one of the roughest, crime ridden areas in Florida. I happen to live just one block east of those railroad tracks that separate Overtown from the rest of Downtown Miami and let me tell you, it's an entirely different world and way of living. Check out this short, solid video below produced by photojournalist Stretch Ledford, which provides a detailed insight into the urban-underbelly of Miami. It's filmed using Cannon 5D's so the quality is superior. Great work!
Jean-Michel Basquiat's productive career spanned just one short decade, yet he is considered one of the best-known artists of his generation. Graduating from subway walls to canvas and from the streets of New York to the galleries of SoHo, the artist and his work will forever remain a mystery to those who seek explanation. Sadly, he lost his life to heroin at the young age of 27.
The film 'Downtown 81' is a real-life snapshot of the hip, drug fueled clubland that was downtown Manhattan during the post-punk era of the 1980's and tries to explain the identity of Jean-Michel Basquiat at the same time. It's basically a day in the life of Basquiat as he wanders around NYC trying to sell a painting he made in order to pay his rent. He was recently evicted and would wander different downtown clubs trying to pick-up women so they could take him home and give him a place to sleep, which in real life was going on with the artist as during the actual making of the film, Basquiat was homeless and would sleep in the production offices. Throughout the movie, several real-life downtown superstars make appearances, such as Blondie, James Chance, Fab-5 Freddy, Lee Quinones and a few others you might recognize. It was originally titled 'New York Beat', but the film was later abandoned due to various financial issues. Then in 2000 after original writer Glenn O'Brien purchased the rights to the film, it was resurrected as 'Downtown 81'. Just over an hour and ten minutes, I'm totally in love with the music and footage they display throughout and the way it's captured on film. A must see!
You can view the entire film below. Unfortunately, the audio is of slightly poor quality due to the original dialogue audio being lost, therefore actor Saul Williams stepped in and dubbed the late Basquiat's voice. However, the musical soundtrack, mostly live club performances recorded on location using a RCA 24 track mobile unit, survived. Be sure to also check out the 1996 biopic/drama feature film titled 'Basquiat' as well, which is based on his life and death. For more on Jean-Michel Basquiat, click here.
The Portishead complexity became ever so clear with the release of 'Third'. It was their first studio album in 10 years and at first listen, it can be a little confusing or even off-putting. The static laden samples and sluggish scratching are gone, and most electronic effects have been pushed into a warmly analog moog and theremin role. However, patience and a little faith reveal 'Third' to be a work of sublime subtlety and dynamic depression easily on par with its critically adored predecessors. Tracks such as "Threads" and "Machine gun" are audible proof that Portishead's sound has evolved into something greater than ever. Amazing in every way!
I purchased this box set pre-order from Portishead's online store back when it was released.
Here is another cycling 'shortumentary' just over six minutes. It's directed and edited by Johannes Bay, shot in the picturesque hills of New Zealand. I truly wish I had the time and space to ride as much as this lad! Check it out.
It's Fuck It Friday time and I'm delivering some more UK experimental/progressive metal. This time we have Fellsilent, possessing a technical polyrhythmic style of music, these boys are relentless. The track "Immerse" packs one hell of a punch and is one of my favorites off their debut album, 'The Hidden Words' which came out in 2008. Sadly, they broke up in April 2010 before they can make another album and are now doing separate projects, such as TesseracT. Give em' a listen!
In honor of Veterans Day, I bring you Metallica's "And Justice For All". Since this is a concept album revolving around war and politics, I figured it would fit in just right. This was their fourth studio full-length and was their best selling upon it's release. I remember buying the cassette at K-mart back when it came out in 1988 and playing the life out of it till the tape snapped. How can I forget the first time I saw the morbid video on Headbangers Ball for the track "One"? I was immediately sold! Then I took a listen to the rest of the album and heard "Harvester of sorrow" and remember thinking to myself, 'these guys are going to be around for a loooong time'.
I bought this original version at Sweat Records here in Miami during the summer of 2007.
Henry Rollins' analogies are so spot on, aren't they? "I don’t want to pass through life like a smooth plane ride. All you do is get to breathe and copulate and finally die. I don’t want to go with the smooth skin and the calm brow. I hope I end up a blithering idiot cursing the sun - hallucinating, screaming, giving obscene and inane lectures on street corners and public parks. People will walk by and say, “Look at that drooling idiot. What a basket case.” I will turn and say to them, “It is you who are the basket case. For every moment you hated your job, cursed your wife and sold yourself to a dream that you didn’t even conceive. For the times your soul screamed yes and you said no. For all of that. For your self-torture, I see the glowing eyes of the sun! The air talks to me! I am at all times!” And maybe, the passers by will drop a coin into my cup."
'I'm Here' is a 2010 sci-fi romance short film written and produced by Spike Jonze and commissioned by Absolut Vodka. The film is a love story about two robots living in Los Angeles during a time where humans and robots coexist.
The film begins by giving the impression that the robots are the underclass in society and had a vibe of robo-racism seeping through. Sheldon is the quiet librarian type, following the rules and living out a pretty lonely and sad existence. He rides the bus daily to and from work in Los Angeles where he works as a library shelver. One day at the bus stop, Sheldon meets the rebellious Francesca who happens to be driving (something the robots are not allowed to do). A human woman reprimands Francesca for driving a car, saying that she is 'not allowed'. He sees Francesca at the bus stop once more, this time with a car full of passengers. Francesca turns the car around and convinces Sheldon to let her give him a ride home. The group ends up at a shopping mall, hanging out in the parking lot. Francesca and Sheldon walk off together, and Francesca falls, injuring her knee. Sheldon repairs her knee with his toolkit. They begin to date. At night, they sleep together, sharing the same recharging cable. Francesca tells Sheldon about her dreams, which he thought was clearly impossible for robots. At a rock club, Francesca's arm is detached while she dances. Sheldon fixes it by transplanting his arm. Later, she stumbles home without a leg. Sheldon transplants his leg, despite Francesca's protests, telling her that he had a dream about it. Finally, he gets a phone call summoning him to the hospital, where Francesca lies on an operating table, torn in two. Sheldon donates the rest of his body to her, leaving only his still functioning head. Francesca is discharged from the hospital in a wheelchair, cradling Sheldon in her lap. Basically the film follows their story together and the happiness they enjoy while spending time with each other. Inevitably things start to go wrong and Sheldon ends up sacrificing various body parts to keep his love alive.
Ever since the days of Spike Jonze's 'GoldFish' skate video, I've always found interest in all of his work. Smart, unique, different and emotional is the best way to describe this film. The video is beautifully shot and full credit to all involved. Check out the official website here where you can view the entire film, view the trailer below. The soundtrack is out now via the wonderful Chocolate Industries.
'Gods Of The Earth' is the second studio album by doom metal legends The Sword. Breaking it down with downtuned guitar riffs and dominant four note power chords, this album is one of the better works from this band in my opinion. Released during spring 2008 on NY's Kemado records, it provided the band with its first chart success. Standout tracks include "The black river" and "The white sea". Pretty gnar artwork too, eh?
Interesting write up in this Sunday's New York Times about a hidden art show which took place illegally in one of the many abandoned subway station's in NYC's vast network of underground tunnels. So hidden that the only attendees were the artists themselves and access to and from was destroyed shortly after it's opening. Titled 'The Underbelly Project' and put together by artists "Pac" and "Workhorse", the purpose of this gritty project is defying the norm. No clean white gallery walls or servings of wine & cheese, the public can't buy or view the art and danger is ever present in the dark, risky tunnels. The exhibit features work of over 100 well established street artists such as Revok, Swoon and Ron English and took over 18 months to complete and organize. According to curator Workhorse, "There is a certain type of person that the urban art movement has bred that enjoys the adventure as much as the art. Where else do you see a creative person risking themselves legally, financially, physically and creatively?"
I totally agree and I wish I could have seen this in person. Down in those tunnels there is no bullshit, just real art displayed the way it should be. Read the entire article here, view the short video here, and peep some photos below.
To end the year, it's only right that my final Archival Thursday of 2010 concludes with some proper downright dirty party music. The Soft Pink Truth is the alter-ego of Drew Daniel, who is one half of the San Francisco experimental electronic duo Matmos. The genius sound Drew created with this project is pure and full of funk. Righteous samples and cut up vocals, beats layered with deep bass, and clicks, clips and cuts that will leave you shaking your ass and wanting more! This New Years Eve, jam out to some bangers like "Gender studies" or "Big booty bitches" for a sure-fire way to get the party started.
