Music = Life

Vox Hunt:サウンドトラック

2008-07-04T11:02:52Z

あなたの好きなサウンドトラックCDを紹介してください。

Richard Strauss : Also Sprach Zarathustra / Previn, Vienna PO

from 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick

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Music QotW: Song for America

2008-07-03T21:51:56Z

What's your favorite song with "America" or "USA" in the title? Bonus points if you share it with us.

There are a few, like Iced Earth's sincere rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner". And you can't forget Jimi Hendrix's version. Although these don't have "America" or "USA" in the title, do they?

Anyway, my very, very favorite is "America" by Spinal Tap. Certainly their original "Black Album" was the inspiration for Metallica's album of the same name. Yes? Anybody know?

The complete lyrics to this divine tune:

We came like babies
From our home across the sea
To see America.
And the people opened up their arms
To welcome us...to America.
We came like children
From a far and distant land
To see America, and the golden
Sun of freedom filtered down to us,
In America.

And the people stood and stared
Loved us more than we had dared--to
In America.

Super highways here and there
Pretty womens everywhere.
Brady Bunch and Smokey Bear.
Buildings reaching to the sky
Afro-sheen and apple pie.
PTA and FBI.

The jumbo jet begins to rise
A joyful nation waves its bye-byes.

Each religion, race, and creed
Gets exactly what they need.
God bless Johnny Appleseed!

Spinal Tap

Spinal Tap | This Is Spinal Tap | America

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Summer Sundae..

2008-07-03T10:53:49Z

Another quick update to say that we've been shortlisted as 1 of 12 possible acts to open the main stage of this year's Summer Sundae Festival here in Leicester! Naturally this would be a fantastic gig for us as we'd be opening on the same bill as Supergrass among others. It'd also be great exposure ahead of the single release in September and album (hopefully now) in October!

But of course we need your help and support to win the slot! It's down to an online vote (isn't everything nowadays?) and so we need people to head along to the regional BBC site HERE, select 'Shortwave Fade' and press 'vote'. That really is it, no signup needed - you just click on the page and vote. It only takes a second....so please, help us out by voting TODAY as the vote closes tonight at 11.55pm GMT. Thank you!!

Right that's it - request over. In other news, the album is coming together now. Gavin has been working with the mixes and thinks are taking shape and sounding great! We're hoping to head back to the studio next week to tweak the mixes a little further and it should then be ready in a couple of weeks.... the release is going to be a little later than we'd originally planned but hey, that's always the way - right?! In any case, the 'Leave' single release is still going ahead on 8th September and we now have a bit more of a gap between that and the album release, which is actually a good thing...

We had a fun gig at The Purple Turtle in Camden a couple of nights ago. I believe that there may be some film of it floating around somewhere, which we'll try and track down and post at some point! We're also at Sumo in Leicester this Friday night for anyone in the area. It's our first hometown gig for.....so long - it's going to be great!

That's it for now. Going to post some mixes of the newer album tracks soon, hopefully after we return to the studio next week.....so erm, stay tuned!!

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IN THE BOOTH (KWAME ON THE BEATBOX)

2008-01-24T17:58:27Z

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Conversations With Eddie

2008-07-02T17:37:00Z

"Been thinking about getting a real job."

This from Eddie, my disgustingly good-looking African-American best friend as we sat on the patio of our favorite beachside St. Arbuck's enjoying a pleasant, if overcast, afternoon.

"A real job as opposed to what, the unreal one you have at present?" I said while watching a young couple streak by on inline skates, hair flying in the breeze, their skin glistening from a light sheen of perspiration.

He said, "Nah, man, the job's real, but right now it's real slow."

A reality affecting nearly everyone I know in the music industry.

"So what's slower, studio sessions or live gigs?"

"It's all slow, Jack!" he said firmly. "Been slow for most of this year, but nothing like it is right now."

"What about that thing at the Bellagio?"

He screwed up his face in puzzlement and said, "What thing?"

"You know, that thing where you were going to do five nights a week with your quartet."

"Man," he said, waving his hand dismissively, "that was all a bunch of hot air. Dude never intended to follow through on that for one minute. Just blowing smoke is all."

I said, "As I recall, the music biz has more than its fair share of that."

"You sure got that right. The whole industry runs on--"

"The stuff that sticks to your boots when you walk through a cattle yard?" I said.

"Exactly!"

Three teenaged girls entered the patio from the sidewalk still dressed in their beach attire--which wasn't much--walking in a tight cluster and all talking excitedly and simultaneously about a boy they had just seen surfing.

Once the twittering trio had made their way inside Eddie said, "That thing about getting a real job. I've actually been thinking lately about just getting out of the music business altogether."

"Because..."

"Well, because it's hard. I mean, you know that."

Immediately a line from "A League Of Their Own" sprang to mind in which Tom Hanks' character says to Gina Davis' character, "If it wasn't hard it wouldn't be baseball."

But since I valued our friendship, I let it go.

"I understand what you're saying," and I truly did, "but it'd be a shame." After a pause of a few seconds I said, "What does Sylvie think?"

He laughed humorlessly and said, "She said she just wants to see me smile again."

"And it's such a nice smile. At least I remember it being so, although it has been a while," I said and took a sip of my iced tea-lemonade. "Any idea what you'd do to replace the income?"

"Income?" he said mockingly. "What's that!"

"You must have thought of something."

He was slow in answering, and when he finally spoke his voice was coated in sorrow.

"That's just the thing, RG...apart from music, I basically have no skills. At least none that are marketable."

We sat there for a few minutes in morose silence.

Then out of the corner of my eye I spotted a guy walking purposefully toward our table.

Ignoring me completely he walked right up to Eddie and said, "You're Eddie Washington, aren't you?"

"Guilty as charged," Eddie said, making a brave attempt at humor.

"I knew it! I told my wife--that's her over there--that it was you."

The guy introduced himself and motioned for his wife to come over, a cute thirty-something blonde woman with a smile that could light up a room.

He said, "We saw you and your quartet last September at that jazz festival down at the beach."

"Really," Eddie said. "Were we any good?"

The guy's wife said excitedly, "Are you kidding? You guys stole the show."

"And the way you play drums," her husband added quickly with a sense of wonder in his voice. "I've never heard anyone do what you do. It actually made me feel things I've never felt before when I was listening to music. Anyway, I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation, but I just had to come over and say thank-you." They started to walk away but the man turned back and said, "And don't ever stop. We need you."

With that the two went back to their table leaving Eddie staring after them with a look of, well, I'm not sure what it was. Perhaps the best way to describe it would be to compare it to the expression on the face of a man dying of thirst who has just had a taste of cool water.

"So," I said, drawing the vowel out longer than necessary. "You got a date in mind when you're going to hang up the ol drumsticks?"

Eddie's gaze snapped back to me and he said, "Not quittin'! Not now...not ever."

And with that, the subject was closed.

I chuckled softly prompting Eddie to ask, "What's so funny?"

I said, "Oh, nothing. I just had a mental picture of you greeting people at Walmart is all."

He threw his napkin at me.

RG...out!

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Not Even An Empty Dish

2008-06-15T15:40:54Z

All I can sacrifice is a sheep

A goat, , cattle, camel but not even an empty dish

Not anything I’d play with

The game is never ending

Power I’ve been spending

I hope you’re understanding

It's my life that you're spending

Water

I'm not my favourite toy no more

What's been on my mind for so long

Why it had to have an excuse

Please stop talking I’m confused

Don't go away I don't want to loose

Everyone knows something

I don’t

I can only hear you calling out my name

Lets not sacrifice this game

All I can sacrifice is a sheep

A goat, , cattle, camel but not even an empty dish

I'm not even an empty dish

Am I not even an emty dish

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neW frOm NAS (mp3's)

2008-07-02T16:12:38Z

i just heard about 7tracks off Nas' UNTITLED album...CRAZY
hooke up's below, ur welcome ;-)

Nas

You can't stop us now ft Eban Thomas
Breathe
Queens get the money
We're not alone ft Mykel
Testify
America
Make the world go round ft The Game and Chris Brown

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SONGS

2008-01-11T03:57:46Z

BOB - One Step at a Time [Official Remix]

Jordin Sparks ft Beyond Belief

BOB - Make Up [Official Remix]

Jesse McCartney ft Beyond Belief

Beyond Belief

Beyond Belief

Beyond Belief

Beyond Belief

Beyond Belief

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Thank you, MOG! Wow - showing love for Raphael Saadiq

2008-07-02T12:35:25Z

Twice in 7 days I made the daily pick at Mog.com. It is a music community based soley on music. All we do is blog and talk about music. I have had some of the most intense debates on there and to make the daily pick AGAIN so quickly is pure joy. I have been on Mog.com for a year and I am still amazed at all that I learn from music insiders, fans and musicians themselves. Honestly, being a part of that community has helped me grow in numerous ways not only in my music history but in patience and appreciation for all people.

Yesterday, my blog post on Raphael Saadiq made the daily pick. I was surprised in a good way because Rapahel needs love. I have been following his career since the beginning with Tony! Toni! Tone!

Memories...

Tony Toni Tone-Anniversary

Here is my blog post and ENJOY!

Raphael Saadiq Fans in New Orleans are in for a special treat on July 6, 2008

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Natasha Bedingfield: Unwritten (2005)

2008-07-02T12:07:20Z

Natasha Bedingfield: Unwritten (2005)

Natasha Bedingfield from the United Kingdom. This song, "Unwritten", was released in 2005.

Lyrics:

I am unwritten
You can't read my mind
I'm undefined
I'm just beginning
The pen's in my hand
Ending untold

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else can speak the words on your lips
Put yourself in words not spoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

I break traditions
Sometimes my tries
Are outside the line
Within condition
To not make mistakes
But I can't live that way

Chorus

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else can speak the words on your lips
Put yourself in words not spoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

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