Six Degrees of Your iPod: Kaleidoscope to The Amboy Dukes (with Rusty Day in between)

18 Jan

*I have a theory that all music is somewhat related. All artists have some connection (whether it be inspiration, concert, producer, etc.) with other artists which have connections with other artists. It may be confusing but it is most likely true. The iPod allows for all of this music to be randomly dispersed or, in iPod terms, shuffled. Six Degrees of Your iPod is an easy game to play. Go to your iPod (or other musical device) and play one song. Do not use that song. Then, after you make sure your iPod is set to random, skip to the next song. Starting with that song post six songs on the comments and attempt to connect the first and sixth song. If I am right, you will be able to find a connection between the first and sixth. And, that is exactly what I am going to try to do. Let’s play the musical version of the Kevin Bacon classic.*

The U.S. Kaleidoscope

1.) “Minnie the Moocher” by Kaleidoscope (US).

Kaleidoscope – not to confused with the UK psychedelic band with the same name – was a psychedelic folk band that operated between 1966-1970, releasing singles on Epic Records and then fading off into the abyss with many other talented bands like them. The band won their recording contract with Epic Records because of their stringed prowess. The group certainly knew how to play their strings. They also could play practically any genre of music. Seriously. Rock, blues, folk, jazz, middle-eastern; you name it they’d play it. This is evident in the song featured today. “Minnie the Moocher” is a jazz song first recorded by Cab Calloway (an influence on the group). It is based, both musically and lyrically, on Frankie Jaxon’s 1927 “Willie the Weeper.” Calloway’s version is famous for his call and response scatting, which Kaleidoscope attempts to imitate in their version (below).

2.) “Sleep” by The Dandy Warhols

3.) “You’re the Cocaine” by Joshua James

4.) “My Fight” by Greg Laswell

5.) “Hang on Sloopy” by McCoys

6.) “Journey to the Center of the Mind” by The Amboy Dukes

“Journey to the Center of the Mind” is the pinnacle of The Amboy Dukes’ success. The song is a psychedelic-rock masterpiece. In 1968, the song was released as track 1 on side two of Journey to the Center of the Mind. The album is a solid piece of conventional late 60’s psychedelic music. The Amboy Dukes are most famous for launching the career of guitarist Ted Nugent.

The Connection

I think this is going to be an easy one. The last few times I have played Six Degrees I have been stuck with next to impossible connections. Today I get to play around with two American psychedelic bands that were playing music during the same years. The only difference is the type of psychedelic music. Kaleidoscope were playing psych folk in LA and The Amboy Dukes were playing hard psychedelic rock in Michigan.

This is actually too simple. I can take a shortcut on this one and immediately connect the record label. Kaleidoscope released their music on Epic Records and Ted Nugent, after dropping the Amboy Dukes band name in 1975, went to Epic Records. So, yes, at different times members of each band played under the umbrella of Epic Records. But come on, that’s too easy.

I have to choose something much more complex. Kaleidoscope’s band leader was David Lindley, who became a famous studio musician (mainly because of his proficiency playing a ton of musicians). His long list of collaborations includes one with Rod Stewart who had at one point of his career (before joining Faces) considered joining a supergroup named Cactus with Jeff Beck and others. Instead of joining Cactus he joined Ronnie Wood in Faces. Cactus did form eventually and it consisted of the Vanilla Fudge rhythm section, Jim McCarty of Mitch Ryder‘s Detroit Wheels and singer Rusty Day, who came from a short stint with The Amboy Dukes.

There you have it. I’m looking forward to your games below!



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Buenos Aires Beatles – Juuurassic Paarkk – Holy Sh*t Reznor

17 Jan

Buenos Aires Beatles Museum Opens

Rodolfo Vazquez loves the Beatles. Well, I love the Beatles. Let me reword that sentence. Rodolfo Vazquez has an obsession with the Beatles. The 53-year-old accountant from Buenos Aires, Argentina, has been in love with the Beatles since acquiring Rubber Soul when he was 10 years old. He has worked since then to amass the biggest Beatles memorabilia collection in the world. The Guinness World Records marked it as the biggest collection in 2001, when he had already amassed 5,612 items in the attic of his home. The collection has reached over 8,500 items and Vazquez wisely decided to move most of it into a bigger space.

The Beatles museum in Buenos Aires opened on January 3 and has already allowed Vazquez to share his wealth of Beatles’ gadgets and gizmos with 2,000 people. So, what does he have?

Here is a short list of stuff. Vazquez has acquired a brick from the Cavern Club, Beatles’ wig, toys, pictures, concert programs, and even a box of condoms with the name of John Lennon and Yoko Ono (yeah that is really disturbing).

What does the man with everything want more of in the Beatles’ world?

“What I am missing is to shake hands with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, hug them and chat with them a little bit,” he said in an interview with AP.

“It is what would complete me and I would be the happiest collector on earth.”

Paul, Ringo. I believe you know what to do next.

AP Article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110116/ap_en_mu/lt_argentina_beatles_museum

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Jurassic Park Theme Slowed Down

Ever wonder what the classic “Jurassic Park” theme song would sound like if you slowed it down 90 percent. No? Well neither did I until I stumbled on a Gawker post that answered the question of what happens when you slow the “Jurassic Park” theme song down by 90 percent. Here is what it sounds like.

<span><a href=”http://soundcloud.com/birdfeeder/jurassic-park-theme-1000-slower”>Jurassic Park Theme (1000% Slower)</a> by <a href=”http://soundcloud.com/birdfeeder”>birdfeeder</a></span&gt;

It’s heavenly. If this version of “Jurassic Park” narrated my life, or any movie, it would be narrating one of the most epic and long scenes of amazing success, like the entrance through the Pearly Gates.

One commenter, JEMathews on Gawker wrote, “The human mind likes hearing resolved cadences, and slowing a piece of music down removes the context you’re used to hearing it in (like the fact that it’s really a terrible Bieber tune or a trite movie theme) and makes even the simplest chord resolutions seem like genius.”

He is absolutely right. Music is powerful, especially when you slow it down.

Here is the original.

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Reznor Golden Globe Recipient

Perhaps no exclamation explains Reznor’s Golden Globe win more so than “Holy Sh*t.” That is exactly what he tweeted after winning the award for his joint score for “The Social Network.” He wrote the score with Atticus Ross.

On the red carpet, Reznor explained to the New York Times that he was there to support the film. He also spoke of the Grammy Awards, which he never has attended even though he has won Grammy awards for his work with Nine Inch Nails.

He said, “Not to be disrespectful, but the weight of a Grammy feels much less important than the film side of this. The music business has very much done everything it can to lessen the weight and importance of music as art.”

Reznor is a smart dude. The Grammy awards have done an excellent job promoting poor, washed down, terrible mainstream music. Rarely do talented performers like Reznor pick up substantial awards. Reznor and Nine Inch Nails have won the award for “Best Metal Performance” twice which is seriously like honorable mention in summer camp Olympics.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at the nominees for the Grammy awards.

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Gorillaz Have New Cartoon – CSN Leaves RR and C – Chilly Music Proven

13 Jan

Gorillaz Sign On New Band Member

Back in November Gorillaz beckoned their fans to submit drawings for a new cartoon character they would add to their animated band. Do you know how hard it is to snatch up a new band member out of the cartoon realm. It’s much harder than simply drawing someone up. Gorillaz gave a broad description as to the appearance of the Evangelist, the new character. Basically, they said he was the opposite of the saturnine, gas mask wearing Boogieman character who has already appeared in some videos (see Stylo).

So, Gorillaz listeners took the call and over 5,000 submitted what they thought the Evangelist should look like. I would have just sent in a photo of Billy Graham. After sifting through submissions, Daman Albarn and Jamie Hewlett decided on a drawing by a user named Jirouta. Hewlett redrew it and this, my friends, is the Evangelist:

Ha...Doesn't look like the harbinger of right-winged christian theology

Well…that’s terrifying. Jirouta gets a framed, signed print of the photo in a gift pack (pretty awesome deal) and Gorillaz has their new cartoon member. He looks like what would happen if you dunked Benson from Regular how into the ocean…a radioactive ocean.

New Gorillaz character...part 2?

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Long Time Gone

Crosby Still and Nash have parted ways with producer Rick Rubin and Columbia records after planning on releasing an album of cover songs. It seems that the folk band lost patience with the producer, who was working to complete other projects before delving into the CSN covers album.

CSN had previously stated that Rubin was quite picky in his song choices. In an interview with Spinner, David Crosby said, “We write down a list of songs we think are potentials, learn them, make up our version, and sing them for him. He’ll like maybe one out of eight, so we go back to the drawing board and learn another eight or 10. It’s a very slow process.”

I haven’t heard anything about CSN releasing this album independently or on a different label. Until then enjoy CSN performing “Ruby Tuesday.”

Link: http://www.spinner.com/2011/01/11/crosby-stills-and-nash-covers-album/

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Music and Science!


According to a study from The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital — The Neuro at McGill University, scientific pleasure can be released by listening to music. The study, released in the Nature Neuroscience journal, proves that listening to music releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked with pleasure. You see, music is not just murdering our hearing.

The report was released in article from yesterday’s Science Daily.

“The team at The Neuro measured dopamine release in response to music that elicited “chills,” changes in skin conductance, heart rate, breathing, and temperature that were correlated with pleasurability ratings of the music. A novel combination of PET and fMRI brain imaging techniques, revealed that dopamine release is greater for pleasurable versus neutral music, and that levels of release are correlated with the extent of emotional arousal and pleasurability ratings.”

Hooray for science. The article is an interesting read and certainly proves that music is a vital part of human nature. I mean we did not need a genius to tell us that music is pleasurable, but it does help to have the scientific proof!

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110112111117.htm

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“Summercholy” by Britta Pejic.

11 Jan

We at the Music Court would like to welcome Britta Pejic into our humble blog castle. She comes with acoustic cheer, eccentric lyric and folky voice.

This Maine-based singer/songwriter released her debut solo album Backyards That Weren’t There Before in 2010 and is beginning the gain recognition for her talent. She has been compared to Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, but I do believe her voice is quite different than Sharpe vocalist Jade Castrinos. While Jade’s voice is accented and slightly esoteric, Pejic’s pipes are smooth and understandable. She is a classic storyteller and her lyric does her justice. Her voice does not overpower and instead highlights her guitar and story. This is a positive trait for an aspiring troubadour.

Track four off her new album is a creative song entitled “Summercholy.” While I am currently experiencing a blend of wintercholy, this interesting piece is perhaps the strongest off her easily accessible album.

She creates great noise from a lone acoustic and her voice. The rhythm guitar chugs along with the riff and the words flow over the guitar effortlessly. Pejic creates a great balance. If you like what you hear travel on over to the link provided and buy the CD. Also included is her website.

CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/brittapejic

Britta Pejic: http://brittap.com/

Coldplay’s Touch of OCD – A Tribute Band Longs For Full Authenticity – Aerosmith, I Don’t Really Care

10 Jan

Okay, now everytime we sit on this couch it needs to be in this specific sitting order.

Chris Martin Talks New Album

Coldplay fans will probably have to wait until the end of this calendar year for the release of the band’s fifth studio album that lead vocalist Chris Martin says may begin with an M and be two words. May I suggest More Manic.

In an interview with BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe, Martin said that the album will explore “love, addiction, OCD, escape and working for someone you don’t like.” Yeah! Fight the establishment.

Martin also described how the album will be representative of “what happens within the group.” Anyone smell volatile group relations. It would seem that this interview subtly portrayed portentous happenings. Well, if my ramblings are true, I’m sure Jay-Z wouldn’t mind forming a group with Chris Martin. Recently he said that Martin was a “‘a brother from another mother” and lauded him as a true musical genius. Well, I don’t know if I would go that far.

It will be difficult to eclipse the success of Coldplay’s last release, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends. But, Coldplay has a large following and anything is possible.

Link: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/chris-martin-says-new-coldplay-disc-is-about-love-and-ocd-20110110

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Good Luck With That

Tribute bands often attempt to clone the look of their heroes in an attempt to be more authentic. Somehow echoing the band’s sound is not enough. But, Pyromania, a Dallas-based Def Leppard tribute band, may be taking their search a little too far.

In a flyer (above), the band wrote they are looking for a “one arm drummer (no prostetics).” I presume this statement means they are looking for a drummer with one arm who does not wear a prosthetic replacement. You would think that someone in the band would have done a quick spell check before posting the flyer. Come on guys.

Def Leppard is of course famous for their drummer Rick Allen who overcame the complete amputation of his left arm at 21 years old. Even without his left arm (which he lost because of a car accident) he is still able to pour some sugar on anyone.

Pyromania also requires the drummer to have a “flame retardent kit & stick.” Pyromania, the correctly spelling of retardant is retardant. And, remember folks, “seriose inquarys only!” So, if you lack an arm and an ability to spell correctly, Pyromania is looking for you. Actually, scratch that, let me add to the flyer that the drummer needs to also be semi-literate. Yes, someone who can spell to write future flyers.

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Problems in Aeroland

Steven Tyler, who is currently a judge for “American Idol,” wants to get Aerosmith together for a new album but he cannot find guitarist Joe Perry.

“I’m trying to rally the guys together,” he told Rolling Stone. “We’re having trouble getting Joe [Perry]. I don’t know where he is, but just come down to L.A. at the end of January sometime. I’ve had enough downtime.”

Joe Perry does not like Steven Tyler. The two barely talk off stage and Perry has made it clear that he thinks “American Idol” is absolute garbage and he would be ashamed if Aerosmith was linked to the show at all.

Do I really care about the ramblings of these two musicians? No, no I do not. So, instead of making this story a story, I am going to turn this over to Acoustic Affairs a German guitar trio who perform an awesome acoustic cover of Aerosmith’s “Dream On.”

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