Best Online Disco Music

My Chemical Romance draft new drummer in after Mike Pedicone's sacking

2012-02-02T10:01:00.004-08:00

My Chemical Romance have pulled in Dead Country's Jarrod Alexander on drumming duties for their tour after Mike Pedicone was allegedly caught stealing from the band.

The former Death By Stereo and Suicide File man played with the band at their Salt Lake City show in the US last night (September 3), reports Altpress.

It's not yet known whether he'll continue to tour with the band for all their upcoming live appearances on their Honda Civic Tour, which they're playing alongside Blink-182 or whether he'll act as a permanent replacement for Pedicone.

Their former sticksman was sacked on Thursday (September 1) after their gig inWashington.

A statement posted by guitarist Frank Iero on their official websiteMychemicalromance.com read:
Some shit happened and before the blogosphere gets all crazy with false statements and ridiculous opinions we want the true story to come from us. But please listen close because this is the only time we are ever going to talk about this. The relationship between My Chemical Romance and Michael Pedicone is over. He was caught red handed stealing from the band and confessed to police after our show in Auburn, Washington.

The band headlined the Reading And Leeds Festivals last weekend where they performed with Brian May [pictured].

Wilco stream their new album 'The Whole Love' online - audio

2012-02-02T10:01:00.003-08:00

Wilco are streaming their forthcoming album 'The Whole Love' in its entirety online ahead of its official release.

The band posted a message to fans saying it is "a reward for your labours, our labours, and those of our forefathers/mothers". Head over to their official website Wilcoworld.netto listen to the LP now.

'The Whole Love' will be the Chicago-based band’s eighth studio album, following 2009's self-titled effort 'Wilco (The Album)', and is due out in the UK on September 26.

The LP was put together at the band's recording studio The Loft and was self-produced.

The band are due to hit the road for a series of tour dates in October including a date atLondon's Roundhouse.

Wilco will play:

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (October 24)
Manchester Academy (25)
Bristol Colston Hall (27)
London Roundhouse (28, 29)

To check the availability Wilco tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.

You can also listen to the band's recent single – their first release on their own dBpmrecord label – 'I Might', below:

Hercules And Love Affair: 'I don't want stars like Antony Hegarty and Kele Okereke on next record'

2012-02-02T10:01:00.002-08:00

Hercules And Love Affair mainman Andy Butler says he has no interest in pulling in a guest star for their next record.

The DJ who previously worked with Antony And The Johnsons' Antony Hegarty on the track 'Blind' on their 2008 self-titled debut and Kele Okereke from Bloc Party on this year's follow-up 'Blue Songs' said he has ruled out a guest spot on their third LP because they can never tour with his band.

He said:
With Antony he was just blowing up to the point where he became unavailable. We couldn't tour with him and he had a huge fucking life in front of him. Getting him on the record was one thing and having him play with us was another. So it's not very interesting to me to have a star on the record because they can’t be with us. It was the same with Kele, he only got to do three or four shows with us. I'm more interested in working with young people entering into the industry now.

Butler said he has already written six tracks which could make it onto the next record. He added:
I'm writing everything from dark dubstep to anthemic house tracks. I've got two really poppy songs at the moment - 'Sleep Away' which sounds like [Rhythim Is Rhythim's] 'Strings Of Life' and 'True love' which sounds like Robin S.

'Wolverine 2' script to be re-written

2012-02-02T10:01:00.001-08:00

The Wolverine, the next instalment in the X-Men spin-off, is being completely re-written byMark Bomback.

The film's production has already been delayed until next year partly because Hugh Jackman, is currently shooting Les Miserables. Now director James Mangold has replaced current script-writer Christopher McQuarrie, who previously worked on The Usual Suspects, with Bomback, who recently wrote Len Wiseman's Total Recallremake, reports Variety.com.

The sequel finds Wolverine suffering from amnesia and searching for answers about his past in the Japanese criminal underworld, finding both love and tragedy.

The entire cast will be comprised of Japanese and Japanese-American actors except forJackman and a character named Viper, the Caucasian secretary for Japan's Minister of Justice.

The road to production for the Wolverine sequel has been a rocky one, with directorDarren Aronofsky walking away from the project during pre-production, citing 'creative differences'.

After a long search, with names ranging from Moon director Duncan Jones andBourne's first film father Doug Liman, Mangold was eventually chosen as the replacement.

Justice's new single 'Audio, Video, Disco' surfaces online - audio

2012-02-02T10:01:00.000-08:00

Justice's forthcoming single 'Audio, Video, Disco' has emerged online.

The song is the title track to their second album due out on October 25. A release date for the single has been set for September 19 in the US. A UK date is yet to be set.

The track follows the previously available single 'Civilization', which the duo debuted earlier this year in an Adidas advertisement, which featured the likes of Katy Perryand FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.

The official video, which is heavily loaded with CGI, features a large number of bison running through an arid desert, with Brazil's famous Christ The Redeemer statue superimposed in the background, then followed. Scroll and click below to watch it.

Guest vocalists Ali Love, Diamond Nights' singer Morgan Phalen and Vincenzi Vendetta, who is part of the Midnight Juggernauts, will all feature on the follow up to their 2007 album 'Cross'.

The tracklisting for 'Audio, Video, Disco' is as follows:

'Civilization'
'Ohio'
'Canon (Primo)'
'Canon'
'On'n'on'
'Brianvision'
'Parade'
'Newlands'
'Helix'
'Audio, Video, Disco'

The Increasing Popularity of Ceilidh Bands For Wedding Receptions

2012-01-05T15:23:00.000-08:00

As anybody who has organised a wedding will know, planning and preparation is key to ensuring a successful day. As important as the actually marriage ceremony, is the evening reception and arranging the best entertainment for your guests, to ensure an enjoyable, fun evening. There are many options to choose from but the increasing demand for high quality live music has helped to raise the popularity of Ceilidh dancing as a choice of entertainment for wedding receptions. There are many aspects to consider when deciding on a band, some of which are discussed below.

Making the right choice of band

Ceilidh Bands come in all sorts of sizes and line-ups, and it is often down to personal preference which style of playing one prefers. The traditional line-up of Accordion, Fiddle and Drums can be augmented to include other instruments such as bagpipes, guitars, keyboard and double bass. One should also be satisfied when deciding on a band, that they use high quality, professional audio equipment capable of providing crystal clear sound.

Which are the most common dances?

Most Ceilidh Bands will have a caller, who will ensure that if some guests are not sure what to do, need a reminder or have never done ceilidh dancing before, then they'll be able to join in without any problems and have a great night. Usually the caller will talk the guests through the dances and may also do a walk-through prior to beginning each dance. Some of the most popular dances are The Gay Gordons, Strip the Willow, The Dashing White Sergeant, The Flying Scotsman, Military Two-Step, The Eightsome Reel, Canadian Barn Dance, The Virginia Reel, The Cumberland Square Eight, and The Orcadian Strip the Willow.

How large does the dance floor need to be for Ceildh Dancing?

All hotels and wedding venues will either have a dance floor built into the room, or will put one down prior to the evening function commencing. These vary greatly in size, but the generally, the larger the dancing area, the better.

The ceilidh bands will require some room for themselves, but don't worry Scottish ceilidh music is suited to a venue of any size.

Ceilidh and Disco Combination

Many Scottish Ceilidh Bands now offer an evening consisting of both Ceilidh Dancing and Disco music. This can be the perfect combination to cater for all tastes during the function and much more economical than hiring a Ceilidh Band and a separate DJ. It is usually possible to request certain tracks to be either played or avoided during the disco. Some couples decide to provide a complete playlist for the DJ, while others will make a list of the favourites to be included in the evening. Disco lighting is important and the addition of professional lighting effects makes the complete Ceilidh/Disco package.

Learn Something New About NYC Night Clubs

2012-01-05T15:22:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about NYC is the nightlife, you can be anywhere in the city and never be far away from a bar or club. Whatever your tastes in music there's a night club in NYC to suit your needs. Whether you like banging house anthems to soulful renditions, New York has every possible type of night club available. After a hard day's work there's nothing better than hitting a New York bar or club to dance the night away or simply have a quiet drink with friends. I'm not sure of the exact number of venues in this city but it's safe to say there are thousands of choices.

During the 70s, NYC night clubs experienced a boom thanks mainly to 'disco' music. Discotheque's popped up everywhere and DJ's pumped out the latest in disco hits, in front of large dancing crowds and strobe lighting. The times were magical, John Travolta was king and everyone had their dancing shoes on. During the 1980s London and Europe took over from NYC as the capital of the dance scene and bands like Boy George came out, their style of music was influenced by reggae music. The 1990s and 2000s was a time when much change occurred in club land and the Superclub evolved. Venues went from a capacity of 200 to 500 people to venues which held thousands of people. Venues like 'Cream' in Liverpool, UK and the famous Ministry of Sound night club in London became household names the world over. The style of music progressed from disco into house music and techno. Also, many NYC night clubs starting playing Hip-Hop and R&B style of music.

These days' people are moving away from the Superclub style of venue and heading back to smaller intimate establishments. I think it's safe to the days of having thousands of people squashed into a club are well and truly behind us. NYC night clubs are certainly geared towards the boutique style of clubbing mainly due to size constraints, New York has always had smaller style venues. A trip down to the East Village in NYC will uncover 100's of bars and night clubs and the area is perfect for bar hopping. Whatever you taste in music New York has it covered from Rap music to Jazz there are nightclubs to suit your every needs.

Le Freak by Nile Rodgers - Disco, Drugs, and Destiny - Memoir Book Review - We Are Family Reinvented

2012-01-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

Odds are, you've heard the classic Pop and R& B tune, "We Are Family," by Sister Sledge, on the radio, at a wedding reception, or remember it as the anthem for the 1979 World Series Champion, Pittsburgh Pirates. The song was written by musicians Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, co-founders of the late 70s R&B/Disco group, Chic. While disco eventually died, Nile Rodgers' musical talents penetrate the music scene even today and his accomplishments are notable. Rodgers chronicles his life in his new memoir, Le Freak, named after Chic's 1978 monster hit.

Nile Rodgers is the son of Nile Rodgers Sr., a talented musician who, unfortunately, died penniless in New York City from his alcohol and drug addiction.

Rodgers' mother, Beverly (always on a first-name basis), met Niles Sr. at the age of 13 (he was 16). Their initial sexual encounter created Niles Jr.

Much of Rodgers' life involved alcohol and drugs before ever entering the music business. His mother and stepfather, Bobby were both heroin addicts; and Rodgers was introduced to sniffing glue at 13, for starters.

Growing up, Rodgers was shuffled between New York City and Los Angeles to be with family. He developed his musical talents early on, enjoying numerous opportunities to play with industry titans, including Screamin Jay Hawkins and Jimi Hendrix.

He met Bernard Edwards while playing the Chitlin' Circuit (a string of black nightclubs stretching from Buffalo, New York to South Florida). Musically, the two could read each other's mind. They would go on to create the R& B/Pop group, Chic.

Rodgers shares many intriguing behind-the-scenes stories about the music industry, including the origins of Chic's smash hit, Le Freak. Famous club performer, Grace Jones had invited Rodgers and Edwards to her show at Studio 54, the infamous Manhattan nightclub; and they were denied entrance.

The duo returned to a friend's nearby apartment. There, they drank Dom Perignon, snorted cocaine and jammed out their frustrations on bass and guitar. "Awww-f*** off Studio 54," morphed into "Awww, freak out," which became Le Freak's ear-catching refrain.

Le Freak was an international hit, giving Chic their first seven-figure check for their label's only triple platinum single. "The Zen of it was, by not getting what we wanted, we got more than we ever imagined," says Rodgers.

Rodgers narrates working with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including David Bowie, Madonna, and Diana Ross.

In 1980, superstar Diana Ross was looking to reinvent her career. Her record label, Motown, teamed her with Edwards and Rodgers for the project. Despite their best efforts, Motown didn't like the results and demanded the master tapes be returned for their own post-production arrangements.

Devastated, the duo steadfastly believed that they'd produced quality work. Ultimately, Motown released their original production with trepidation. "Diana" went on to become Diana Ross' biggest selling album of her career, yielding the No. 1 hit, "Upside Down," and top five pop single, "I'm Coming out."

Studio 54 became Rodgers' number one hangout during its day. He vividly describes its appeal to serious partygoers and A-list crowd, with sex and drugs aplenty. "It may seem highly unlikely today, but inside Studio there was a Dionysian sense of belonging and trust. Nothing was taboo."

Racism is no stranger to Rodgers, as he's experienced it periodically, including during Chic's ascent. He and Edwards visited a Manhattan Mercedes Benz dealership. "A salesman charged over to us to try and delicately shoo us out of the store. It was clear to him the likes of us couldn't afford his wares," he says. His post-Chic years found him accepting invitations to parties on Martha's Vineyard and being turned away at the door by bouncers, due to his dark hue.

The 9/11 roll call of victims brought Rodgers sad news, as he recognized the name of one the dead, a woman who had photographed him several times for Billboard magazine. Rodgers received numerous calls from family, friends and acquaintances suggesting he reinvent his classic tune "We Are Family" in tribute to our national tragedy. He obliged, gathering celebrities, singers and emergency workers in New York to re-record the tune, not unlike the "We Are The World" celebration of 1985. He also assembled a Los Angeles version.

The We Are Family Foundation originated from the bi-coastal project and today is a successful not-for-profit organization. It's dedicated to forming a global family that strives to solve some of the biggest global challenges.

Le Freak reads full circle, as Rodgers poignantly describes the circumstances surrounding his long-time friend and business partner, Bernard Edwards' death. Both were in Japan in 1996 where Rodgers was being honored for his musical accomplishments. During their lengthy performance, Edwards fell ill, yet defied doctor's orders to cancel the second part of the show.

After their performance, at 1:33 am, Rodgers was awakened from a nightmare believing he was experiencing an earthquake. He landed on the floor and eventually fell back to sleep. Hotel staff awakened him in the morning to inform him that Edwards (staying in a room across the hall), wasn't answering his wake-up call. Rodgers forcefully knocked on Edwards' door, but he never answered. Upon entering his room, he and the housekeeper found him dead.

Briefing the medical examiner on Edwards' last hours to determine his time of death, he described his earthquake dream. The medical examiner assured him that no earthquake had occurred. "That was your friend leaving you. The time of death is 1:33 a.m., just like you said. Thank you for this information."

Le Freak transcends being another story of a self-indulgent musician. Sober since 1994, Rodgers is busier than ever, and is currently working on a project with American Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert.

Rodgers reminds us of the resiliency of the human spirit, that, despite a turbulent childhood and periods of being a wandering adult, we can reinvent our lives.

History of the Discotech - The Paris Connection

2012-01-05T15:19:00.000-08:00

Until Nazi Germany's brutal occupation, Paris nightclubs had been some of the top hosts of the American Jazz movement. Black American jazz musicians, artists and followers had discovered Paris after the Harlem Renaissance through the stories of black servicemen returning from WWI. These artists were grateful to the French for the opportunity, respect and pay equality that wouldn't be seen in America until 40 years later.

The French, for their part, were obsessed with all things Negro due to the Primitivism movement in art and the spirit of "Negritude". New forms of art were finally able to bloom under this broad acceptance and generous patronage. Paris served as a welcome home to many jazz luminaries..

With the rise Naziism throughout Europe, many Black expats returned home, anticipating better chances with the old Klan than with the new Reich. Notably, Josephine Baker and Thelonious The Nazis wasted no time shutting down their vibrant cabaret society and nightlife- jazz was the first target. As a collaboration of Black and Jewish musicians from America, jazz was anathema to Hitler's vision of a "Pure Society". Every revolution must have its soundtrack, and jazz soon became the theme music of the French Resistance.

New bars and clubs began to open underground - literally!. These late-night basement joints were run like the American speakeasy and included the use of passwords, memberships and revolving locations. The new form of nightclub was called "discotheque", the French for "record library". Live acts and known venues were too dangerous to chance, as today's trespassing ticket was a one-way trip to the labour camps in 1941. The latest jazz records from the United States were eagerly awaited by this new underground.

The term "discotheque" soon grew to mean any type of nightclub that played recorded inste`d of live music. Virtually overnight, "Le Discotheque" opened on rue Huchette in 1941, an underground bar dedicated to jazz records. These early clubs served as refuge and solace for dusty Resistance fighters, sympathizers and dancers. They weren't extravagant venues, but cozy hovels that served a stiff drink, good music and renegade opinion. In the daylight hours, the French experienced enough discomfort at the hands of Vichy collaborators and de Gaulle guerillas. The music was the only thing that stayed consistent, and the Underground clung to its identity

With the end of the occupation in 1944, jazz flowed once again, and the clubs became bigger, better and a bit snobbier (sound familiar?). The black expatriates returned in a second wave that would last through the sixties and incubate jazz for the coming birth of the Cool. In 1947, Paul Pacine's passion for jazz records, the discotheque scene and American liquor came together to form the first real plush drum, the Whiskey au Go-Go. The Whiskey featured the latest in American jazz and spirits, which drew ever-larger crowds of dancers. The foundation for the animal called Disco was now complete.

America was just entering its "Golden Age of Radio". Deejays until that time had primarily served in a commercial capacity as advertiser and news anchor. Deejays playing their own records between news, ads and soap operas established the deejay as music selector..

At the same time in the South, African-American laborers transformed the 1889 Edison Phonograph machine into the "Jukebox," the first tool for the wide scale distribution and appropriation of independent black music. "Juke" is rural black vernacular for the possessed movement of the body as in dance or lovemaking ('jack your body,'?) After a long day of harassment and back breaking labor in the hot sun, that one record and a cold beer on a Saturday night could transform a simple machine into medicine. Because the proprietors of these Love Shacks owned the jukeboxes, both national and local records could be loaded as soon as they were pressed.

Due to the cultural mores of thd time, black music was produced by specialized subsidiaries and labelled "race records". Local music (most often blues) was produced a single at a time, and was often dependent on the ability to collect money from hobbled friends as well as finding a studio that would rent their facilities to blacks. White owned stations wouldn't play even the most ethnically ambiguous records (even some Italians) until the 50's, so the jukebox came into its own. The juke joint would establish the early tradition of the nightclub as the first place to hear new music in the African American community. This focus would allow disco music to develop from the discotheque itself in the years to come.

How to Compare Current Rap Lyrics to Lyrics From the 70's and 80's

2012-01-05T15:16:00.001-08:00

Rap music which is 'in' today was not the same from the start. It originated from the West African region influenced by the praise singing and historical poetry by griots or djeli. This music style became popular in U.S. around 1970s but it was earlier termed as disco rap.

This genre is sometimes deemed synonymous with Hip hop but it is not true. It has influenced hip hop music deeply and its popularity has taken a backseat, however, its sub genres have greatly developed, like Pop rap is the earlier version of hip-hop.

This style has many sub genres resulting from fusions with rock, core, pop, metal like rap-opera, underground-rap, ragga, reggae-ton etc. Rap songs generally fall into one of these categories. However, the genres are vast and often, some music cannot just be confined to just one genre as it has various different elements.

Rap rock is a fusion of various forms of rock with elements of hip hop, which was introduced in the early 90s and gained fame later that decade. Rap core, generally confused with rap-core and rap-metal, is a sub-genre of rap rock crossing elements of hiphop with punk rock or hardcore punk.

Conscious rap is named so because it deals with social issues. The lyrics of such music encompasses subjects like the state and attitude towards rap and hip-hop, religion, African American culture and the everyday life of their people. Often due to its subtle but deeply involved subjects, it is linked with controversies.

Rap songs have evolved over the years in their music, lyrics and beats. DJS and MCS have now taken this music to new heights with their technologies. This music gap has created a divide and the earlier rap music is now known as old school rap. Songs like Wild Wild West (with Kool Moe Dee), Message (Grandmaster Flash), Roxanne Roxanne (U.T.F.O) remind us of disco music with hypo tonic beats. The new rap songs are way different than old school, for instance, Bring It Back (Travis Porter) and Moment 4 Life (Nicki Minaj ft Drake).

Rap lyrics can vary from dreams and themes to materialism and crime. These lyrics are sung with a flow with different rhyming techniques to a musical accompaniment. This music style grew in various places with different styles but this development was not mutually exchanged; rather rap battles took place to decide who the best is amongst all.

You can listen to free music at Brainstorm Live with download links, streaming, mixtapes, hot wallpapers, juicy gossips and latest news, all at one place!

House Music Is Fast Catching Music Lover's Fancy

2011-12-06T11:32:00.000-08:00

The kind of music that refers to a style of electronics dance music is known as house music. The earliest form of house music was played in the early to mid 1980's. House music was developed by club DJs in the city of Chicago in United States. The influence of certain elements like the funk infused dance music style and disco style can be seen heavily in house music. The origin of the name house music is uncertain. Some suggest that the name is derived from the name of the club called The Warehouse. In the late 70's and early 80's warehouse parties that were held underground were very popular in the city of Chicago. Now one of these underground parties that were frequented mostly by Latino and black gay man was known as the warehouse.

The Dj at The Warehouse Frankie Knuckles mixed European synthpop music with mixed classic disco music, punk recordings, industrial music and the new wave music for people who were regulars there. Frequent clubbers referred this music as House Music and thus the name cam into being. But as mentioned earlier this is disputed. Musician Larry Heard claims that the term House Music comes from the fact that most of the Djs records the music at their house. Generally these Djs use drum machines and synthesizers to record the music at their house and hence the term House Music came in to being. Dj Chip E has another story to tell behind the popularity of the name House Music. Chip claims that the name came from the method of recording at a studio. However none of the claims are conclusive.

House music developed in houses, clubs and garages where mostly teenagers and local club goers used to assemble. The popularity of house music increased when the music was played in commercial radio. House music was much longer and conceptual then any other type of music and also this music was not meant for widespread commercial use. Basically house music combined the traditional elements of the musical instruments to give it a more humane touch. The house music scene is very popular worldwide even today as many musicians have made huge contributions towards this. Many new generation producers and Djs have emerged in the house music scene and their main purpose is to make House Music popular.

House Music is popular these days and this music can be seen to be catching up in Detroit, New York, Atlanta and some other cities in America where people of racially mixed origin reside. It is not only in USA that the music is catching up but also in several countries worldwide like Germany, Australia, Canada and Scandinavia. Recently the Mayor of Chicago proclaimed that 10th of August to be celebrated as house Unity Day in the city. The craze for House Music is one the rise and this is evident worldwide.

Wedding Disco Jockey Services

2011-12-06T11:29:00.000-08:00

When planning for an event, couples should consider hiring a wedding DJ mainly because they have the ability to keep the guests entertained throughout the ceremony. Music is a central factor in any Toronto marriage ceremony and this explains why many people access deejaying services. Many people access their services over the internet because it allows them to visit different sites at the same time and provides them with all the details that they need to know concerning the deejays. Some of the information a couple is likely to find include the type of services offered the physical address of the business, the charges and the conditions for hiring them. When shopping online for a deejay, one should consider a number of things.

Couples should avoid hiring their friends as deejays. Instead, they should invite them as guests. Inviting a friend as a wedding DJ may convey the wrong impression to them and couples may avoid this by inviting DJ's that they have no friendship or family ties with. Nuptials are one-time events therefore, people should hire professional Toronto DJ's to play music at their marriage ceremony. Professionals tend to have the ability to keep the guests entertained through out the ceremony and most of them are talented at reading the mood of the guests. Many people residing in Toronto prefer to hire deejays as an alternative to hiring a live band. Hiring live bands can be very expensive and people who cannot afford such services opt to hire wedding DJ services. Before hiring a deejay, a couple should Blog onto their websites in order to obtain views from other customers concerning the DJ's services.

This is important because it assists in determining whether they are suitable for hire or not. Hiring amateurs may result in poor service delivery and people can avoid this by taking time to search for the most suitable. When accessing their services, people should avoid expressing their excitement as it could distract them from carefully analyzing the wedding DJ. Another important factor to consider is the pricing. It is tempting to select those offering very low fees though one should consider the quality of their services as well. It is better to incur high costs and obtain quality services than incur low costs and obtain poor services. Many Toronto DJ's provide their customers with quality services thus ensuring that the guests enjoy themselves during the entire marriage ceremony.

The personality of a deejay is another factor that a couple should consider. Couples like to present themselves in the best manner possible during their marriage ceremony and this prompts most of them to hire a wedding DJ who has suitable traits. Most of them double up as Masters of Ceremony and this makes it much easier for couples organizing a wedding. Couples organizing a nuptial under a tight budget are likely to access such services in order to cut down on costs. Alternatively, couples may hire a deejay and a Master of Ceremony as separate entities. Toronto weddings require the services of both personalities for the smooth running of a wedding ceremony.

Disco Birthday Party Ideas

2011-11-11T20:29:00.000-08:00

When you are looking for ideas to plan the next birthday party for your favorite child make sure to investigate the many wonderful ideas available by making it a disco party. Children love these energetic events as the dance music makes an invigorating atmosphere and allows them to burn off excess energy in a positive manner.

Adding karaoke to your disco birthday party will enliven it even more. Every child wants to be a star. With the ease at which karaoke helps them get the words to their favorite song right, there is seldom any embarrassing moments to ruin the fun. It allows every participant to get the feel of being a real music pop star and helps reinforce positive social skills.

If you want to set up a specific theme idea for the disco birthday party, costumes can add to the fun. You can pick a specific retro decade for your theme and it shouldn't be too hard to find outfits to fit the mood. Adding karaoke to the mix will involve only a bit of work to find just the right songs to fit the event.

A bit of video editing can turn your child's disco birthday party into a fun documentary or an "episode" of a popular dance show. Creative editing of the dancers and performers can give you child a memento they can treasure for years.

Children do like to emulate adults so your disco birthday party ideas can range from the most casual of party events or go for an ultra formal event. The main idea is to make sure the fun factor is high. Whether your party is down to earth or a flight of high fantasy, adding the excitement of the dance will have them looking forward to the next birthday party so they can do it all again.

Disco Fever Dance Party

2011-11-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

Do you have Disco Dance Fever? If so, you need to celebrate! A Disco theme party can be a great way to celebrate a birthday of any age, honor a retiree or just plain have fun. Costumes and decorations will make this party even more fun and realistic.

Pick a theme for your dance party, whether it be disco, break dancing, rap or country and find coordinating decorations. A party supply store will have every theme for dancing the night away and all the trimmings to make your party a smashing success.

If Disco is your chosen theme, buy, rent or make a disco ball to hang in your party room. Whether it functions or not doesn't really matter, it adds to the ambience of the set. Find old posters of bands and singers from the disco era and hang around the house or room.

You can't have a Disco Dance Party without music! Use a karaoke machine to play only disco songs. Make it a competition for who has the best act. Turn it into an American Idol game and hand out personalized trophies as favorites or plastic records. Using the posters bought, see who can remember the names of the most acts. Winner gets to take an old record home for a prize.

Serve "Disco" food at your party. Serve things that are all round like the disco ball. Pizza, veggie trays, ham roll ups, cookies, brownies dips can all be made or put into circular dishes. Rename certain foods to give them a 70's flair. Make Bell Bottom Taco Dip or Groovy Potato Salad to serve the hungry dancers.

When serving food, buy all of your paper products from a party supply store. They will have every color and theme of plates, silverware, cups and napkins at your disposal. Have fun dancing.

Wedding Day Disco

2011-11-11T20:04:00.000-08:00

Your wedding day should be one of the happiest days of your life and one of the most memorable images from the day is often people dancing and enjoying themselves during the evening at the disco.

Along with all the other crucial decisions, choosing the right D.J. to host your evening is paramount. Everyone has different tastes and favourites in music and wedding crowds traditionally offer the widest appreciation going. From boy band loving teenage girls to grannies who can't resist the chance to jive, you are guaranteed to have them all.

Our professional DJ service know what songs are likely to get the party started and we make sure no one is left all by themselves. While the mobile disco is traditionally associated with the wedding evening, modern matrimonial occasions tend to happen over three days with arrivals the day before and departures the day after, all providing the opportunity to keep guests entertained with mood music, ceremonial compositions and all out party tunes.

We are able to provide musical accompaniment at the church, during the wedding reception and breakfast as well supplying the evening's entertainment. During the day there are times when the couple are not available to entertain their guests and cannot be there constantly so our service will provide a quiet and comforting background to the special day.

Working closely with you to provide the perfect sound track to your day, we are able to offer a distinct service that will only add to the enjoyment of your memorable day. Our modern technology enables a discrete presence tucked quietly away in a corner if preferred or alternatively if should you require lights, sound effects and an entertaining compare for the evening, we can pull out all the stops.

With extensive knowledge and experience of providing wedding disco, we are able to make suggestions and advice but also work closely with the happy couple to ensure they hear the type of songs and tunes they and their guest will love.

House Music - A Brief History of Early House Records

2011-11-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

In the Beginning

The origins of house music can be traced back to the early 1980's in Chicago, Illinois. House rhythms were originally rooted in disco, but the music was influenced by a wide range of styles including blues, jazz, soul, R&B, and funk.

Framing the "House"

The coining of the phrase "house music" is a hotly debated topic among musicians and DJ's. Some say it originated from a club called "The Warehouse" where longtime resident Producer/DJ Frankie Knuckles played his unique brand of dance music until 1982 when the venue closed. Knuckles himself said he first heard the term while passing by a bar on the south side of Chicago that displayed a sign in its window reading "We play house music". DJ Leonard "Remix" Rroy claims the sign was a reference to the type of soulful music one would play at home.

Another opinion is that the term referenced the creation of music in the homes of pioneering DJ's and dance producers. These early creations would be recorded using synthesizers, drum machines and sequencers. Others claim that "house" references the correlation of certain tracks with their respective DJ's, as in the house DJ's played their own house records.

The Pioneers of House

The Chicago club scene of the early 80's was fueled by DJ's spinning various forms of music including disco, hip hop, funk, pop, and R&B. The advent of relatively inexpensive electronic instruments led to many DJ's producing their own blend of existing songs by mixing in drum machines and effects.

Considered by many to be the first original house music record, "On & On" by Jesse Saunders was released in 1984. The album's success stimulated a wave of recordings from the early DJ's trying their hand at producing house music. The music soon branched off into subgenres of house such as deep house and acid house.

With the support of club DJ's such as Lil Louis, Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy, and radio stations like WBMX, house music quickly gained popularity in Chicago. At the same time, house began to spread to neighboring DJ's and producers of Detroit, Michigan. Artists like Marshall Jefferson helped push house outside of Chicago with his widely popular track "Move Your Body". From the mid to late 80's artists like Larry Heard, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Farley Keith, and Steve Hurley, continued to popularize the genre.

Today, house music is stronger than ever and can be heard in some form throughout clubs across the globe. The genre has continued to branch off into subgenres including progressive house, electro house, techno house, breakbeat, and the list goes on. House is not just a form of music, but is a religion supported by devoted practitioners the world over.

How to Choose the Right Music for DJ Mixes

2011-10-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

What makes a DJ stand out from the rest? Is it the equipment they use? Is it the image they project? Is it the logo or how they're able to pull in huge crowds? Not necessarily. What truly makes a DJ is their ability to select music that is going to make the crowd go wild.

This article will share how to find those music tracks that will light up the dance floor and turn your DJ skills into a powerhouse force to be reckoned with.

The Right Music for DJ Mixes

Although music will vary depending on what genre you wish to spin, there are some common, underlying factors which make people fall in love with what you do.

Dropping the exclusive track

The 'white label' is some of the hardest to find tracks but they can be infinitely powerful when it comes to creating a DJ mix that blow people away. Exclusive tracks are generally given out to those that are well up there in the DJ ranks but you could always try to get in contact with record labels to see if they would be willing to send some your way.

The reason why exclusive tracks work is based on the fact that people don't want to just hear the same thing over and over again. They are all secretly looking to hear a track by an artist they know and if you drop that one that isn't even out yet - people go nuts!

Try to throw in a few unreleased tracks in the middle of your set that cranks up the power of your mix; that will get people hyped up and dancing like crazy when you do.

Hitting them with mainstream then obscurity

A great DJ set is a mixture of mainstream and obscure music. I know this sounds a little out of your comfort zone to play radio type music but they're very effective for getting people interested in your DJ mixing. The reason for this is that people may not know nearly as much music as you because, after all, you're a DJ and you have access to a lot of music.

Once you get people's interest, it's time to start working in the obscure tracks that will get the music lovers in the crowd; the people that spend all day finding obscure tracks. You want to have a blanket approach in your mixes so you can get everyone in the club rather than scaring them away with music that no one has heard of.

Pulling the ladies in

A trick that a lot of beginner DJ's seem to miss out on is the fact that if you can get ladies to the dance floor, the rest will follow. People go to clubs to have fun but the biggest reality is that people are there to score with the other genders. The music, club, drinks and everything else are social lubrication for people hooking up; that, at its core, is a lot of what DJing is about - creating the environment.

Although it may not completely fit your DJ mix, you'll want to throw in a few tracks that you know ladies love. Play something that may be a bit more mainstream that they're likely to know and want to get to the dance floor with their friends. If you can single out a group of women to come dance than you'll also begin to pull the guys in. Once you have people on the dance floor, they're yours to control.

Good DJ Music Will Make Your Event Shine

2011-10-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

When planning a party, you spend a lot of time deciding on decor and menu offerings. You also carefully include friends on the guest list that you know will contribute to the mood and bring out the best in the crowd. You also need to pay attention to the DJ music. Music provides the background that sets the ambiance of your event. Careful selection is necessary to get the desired results. Don't just rely on someone else's mix. Take a minute to assess your party, the guests and the mood you want to create.

When you are working with children, there can a lot of difficulties. First, kids have an unbelievable amount of energy. When choosing DJ music, you need to determine whether you are going to play off that energy or calm your young guests down. Depending on what the particular activity is, you may want to vary the mood throughout the event. If a game is being played, choose upbeat tunes. For the gifts or food, put on something that is a bit more mellow. Another thing to play close attention to the is the content of the music. Try to keep the values of your guests in mind. Even if you find something appropriate, you may have a more conservative family coming. If you unsure, ask a friend or family member whose opinion you trust.

For an adult party, you have a lot more leeway. Your choices in DJ music will vary all the way from classical to hard rock. If you have a diverse guest list, it's a good idea to avoid extremes on either end. Easy listening, contemporary or modern pop are probably good choices. For a wedding, an eclectic mix of love songs is appropriate. If you are throwing an event celebrating a life event, choose songs that celebrate life and triumphs. Take the extra time to tailor your playlist to your intended mood.

There are many choices when it comes to DJ music and only you can be sure what is the best choice. Even if you hire a professional disc jockey, you will still need to work closely with the professional to ensure that the final product is just what you had in mind. Good music will always be noticed and can really make your event shine.

The Resurgence Of The Disco Ball

2011-10-10T20:45:00.000-07:00

Remember walking into clubs in the 1970s and 1980s? What was the one staple that every room had? If you said, "disco ball," you would be 100% correct. This room accessory was the one must have item for any club to be considered hot and they are making a huge comeback today.

Once the disco craze died down, having a disco ball became a thing of the past. Many of the clubs that had them up ended up removing them for fear of being classified as a disco club. For whatever reason, people started to once again realize that they added some interesting effects to the room and they slowly started to show up again at night clubs.

Today, a disco ball of some sort seems to be the focal point of clubs all over the country. Regardless of the type of music that is being played, DJs and club owners are integrating the effects into the scene. When ball gets turned on and the lights start flying across the room, it is not uncommon to hear a loud roar come out of the crowd.

Of course, clubs are not the only places that they are beginning to show up again. Individuals that are having a party are using disco ball rental services to add a realistic club effect to their own home. There are also smaller, more portable units that can sit on the floor, but still have the same effect as the hanging variety.

There is little doubt that the disco ball in once again back in style. If a club doesn't already have one, it will probably not be very long before one shows up hanging from the ceiling. The moment they get turned on, excitement seems to pulse throughout the room. Because there are now so many variations of the classic version, there is truly something for everyone that will take the party to the next level.

The classic disco ball has made a resurgence and no party should be without one. If you are a club owner or getting ready to have a party, be sure to add a disco ball to the room and when it gets turned on, watch the crowd go wild!

5 Best Nightclubs in Rome, Italy

2011-10-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

If you have scheduled a trip to Rome and are eager to sample some of the city's nightlife, then you are sure to have the time of your life as Rome plays host to a large number of nightclubs, lounges, bars, cafes and restaurants. The people of Rome know how to party and their nightclubs are based on this ideology of entertainment and pleasure. Here is a list of the top five nightclubs in the city.

1. Bar Del Fico - This nightclub is very popular amongst the artistic crowd in the city, and is located at the Piazza Del Fico. The club serves up a heady blend of great music and well mixed drinks, making it very popular among young crowds. The Bar Del Fico is also a popular hangout for many of the famous artists and actors from around Italy.

2, Piper Club - This was the first discotheque to have been established in Rome. The address of this club is 9 Via Tagliamento Rome 00198. The Piper Club mainly plays house and underground music, but is also famous for their 70s disco and rock music. In the summer months, the Piper club moves to an open air setting at the Via degli Eugenii.

3. Micca Club - This is a very unusual club, and it is one of the latest additions to Rome's nightclub scene. It is located at Via Pietro Micca 7a - Porta Maggiore, and is currently very popular among the locals. The club is located in the heart of a residential area, in a vast underground space. The Micca Club is famous for its themed nights, the DJs, the eclectic mixes of music and great drinks. If you are in Rome for a few days, you should make it a point to visit the Micca Club, just to get a feel of the local nightlife.

4. Club 84 - The address of this club is Via Emilia, 84 (Pinciano), and it is a very popular club that even slightly older people enjoy going to. On an average night, guests will pay around 15 or 20 Euros for entry, which includes a drink from the bar. The bar is closed on Monday, but when open, it serves as a disco and a piano bar, featuring music from the 60s and a range of Latin American inspired tracks.

5. Gilda - Gilda is one of the best known clubs in Rome, and it is located on the Via Mario de' Fiori. It is a fashionable club, where people go to be seen and even on a weeknight at Gilda, it is not uncommon to spot a few celebrities and politicians.

Disco Themed Weddings

2011-10-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

Every wedding needs a great theme. The trick is to pick a theme that really showcases your personality. If you can pick a wedding theme that will also be a blast for your guests, so much the better. For a really good time, why not have a disco themed wedding?

The disco era was all about dancing and having a great time, so it certainly works for a festive occasion like a wedding. It is perfect for a bride and groom who love to dance, and are not afraid to have a wedding that is a little bit different. A disco theme also will make the wedding attire and decorations very easy to choose.

The bride at a disco themed wedding should wear something fabulous. There are two approaches to take: you can wear a cool disco inspired dress for the whole event, or you could wear a more traditional wedding gown for the ceremony and change into a slinky little number for the reception. The perfect dress would be a body conscious style made out of a fabric with a sheen or shimmer, like a charmuese or a sequined fabric. The dress should look great moving and twirling on the dance floor as you show off your moves. Accessorize it with low platform sandals and crystal bridal jewelry. Your crystal bridal jewelry should definitely include an impressively large pair of earrings, with a stack of bracelets on your wrist.

The groom's outfit is a little more of a question. It depends on how far he wants to take the disco theme (without looking like he is wearing a costume). If he is really into it, he could go all out and wear a white suit with a black shirt just like John Travolta's famous duds from Saturday Night Fever. A less brave groom could wear a more traditional dark suit; the bride's outfit will set the tone very well.

Dancing and décor will be the other things that really make your disco themed wedding spectacular. For music, you will obviously play all of the great dance hits from the 1970s. Just watch how much fun your guests will have trying out their moves on the dance floor! Naturally, the newlyweds will want their first dance to be choreographed to a great disco hit, as well.

There is no question that a disco ball, or multiple disco balls will be the central decorating scheme for a disco themed wedding. It would really add to the ambiance to have multi colored lights over the dance floor, as well. The rest of the décor does not have to be totally retro '70s; instead think about shimmer, silver, and anything fabulous.

The theme of your wedding will definitely determine the mood for the affair. A disco themed wedding might not be right for everyone, but it could be a lot of fun for a playful, fun-loving couple. It will certainly make your wedding one that nobody will ever forget!

Zisk # 20

2011-10-01T18:02:00.000-07:00

Catcher of the Future, Groupie of the Past (The Real Real Joel Skinner Story) by Dr. Nancy Golden

My Ballplayers Food All-Stars by Jake Austen

America's Team by Johnny Tsaur

Pale Blue Eyes by Mike Faloon

Disco Demolition Night by Todd Taylor

Mark Hughson Reviews Where Have You Gone, Vince Dimaggio? by Edward Kiersch

Steve Mandich Reviews The Underground Baseball Encyclopedia by Robert Schnakenberg

It's Not Working Anymore by Mike Faloon

Catcher of the Future, Groupie of the Past (The Real Real Joel Skinner Story) by Dr. Nancy Golden

2011-10-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it’s telling to reach back and revisit how things started. Sometimes…not so much.

This one started between classes, beside my locker, 11th grade. We were just a few weeks into the baseball season and the guy with the locker next to me, a Red Sox fan, was systematically going through the Yankee lineup relating to me how each of them sucked. I, in turn, would counter each accusation with an anecdote of their awesomeness. It was trash talking at its purist: a declaration of the sucking of one team or player by Party A, followed by a refutation with supporting evidence by Party B. We sparred like this all the way around the bases until we got to the catcher, Joel Skinner. Joel Skinner? I had never heard of him. Nevertheless, I defended his honor as if he were Don Mattingly or Dave Winfield, or hell, even Mike Pagliarulo.

“His hitting will pick up,” I countered. “And besides, he’s a great defensive catcher.” It was easy to make shit up. Anyone practiced in trash talking can do this.

That night at home, I looked up the stats on Joel Skinner. And not on Google or ESPN.com. Back then we opened the Sports Section of the New York Times and checked the stats box. And the next day we checked the stats box again to see if anything changed. And, wow, this guy really couldn’t hit. I wondered how long the Yankees would let this go on, let a guy hit below .100. Here in New York, in the major leagues. But then these weren’t the Yankees of Joe Torre and Derek Jeter and fistfuls of championship rings. These were the Yankees of my youth, of their long pennant-free draught that was the 80’s. Perhaps this was all they could come up with.

As it turned out, Joel Skinner really was a great defensive catcher. I learned this as I began following him, watching his at-bats, listening to the announcers try to accentuate the positive as they simultaneously spoke of his batting average in terms of Bingo (O-74!) or, in better days, the interstate (I-95!). I really began to pull for this guy. And he wasn’t too harsh on the eyes either. Thus he became not only my guy, but “Joel Skinner—Catcher of the Future,” a way for me to firmly establish my belief in his potential with the team, while fully acknowledging his current lack of hitting skills. The guys at school brought me Joel Skinner baseball cards, all too willing to cast off their extras to the kid with the unexplained obsession. And fearing that I was his only fan, I lugged an old sheet spray-painted with his future superstar status to games in the Bronx, just in case the other fans were unaware. I even took the time to craft elaborate scenarios every time he got sent down to the AAA affiliate in Columbus. None, of course, mentioned his poor batting skills, rather they fingered Rick Cerone, who competed for the Yankees catching position that year, for trying to sabotage Joel’s career. (At its extreme, I authored an episodic soap opera while working the slow shifts at the local movie theater, starring my best friend and me. In the series finale, Joel is killed by a wayward ice cream truck, later revealed to be driven by a disguised Cerone. The story was written in flashback and chronicled the development of a film—Passion: The Real Joel Skinner Story—intended to replace an earlier exploitative made-for-TV biopic starring Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth. It was very meta.)

Eventually Joel Skinner got traded away to the Indians, his playing time lessened, and well, I became an adult and lost track of him. The Yankees of my youth were replaced by teams with winning records and no one ever questioned the selection process that produced future favorites like Paul O’Neill, David Wells, or Robbie Cano. Come game time, the ragged bed sheet with crooked blue letters explaining why you should like these guys was no longer in tow, as there was no longer need to explain. With their widely revered talent and all. In a dark blue t-shirt with my guy’s name and number written in white, from behind, the grown-up me had turned into any fan.

But Joel Skinner’s story didn’t end with my ascent into adulthood—for either of us. Years later during a visit with my brother, we reminisced about my fangirl days and wondered what had become of him. Thinking back to how we received letters from a retired Bud Harrelson on behalf of the local Chevy dealership while growing up, I was sure Joel would be a used car salesman by now. But he wasn’t. Instead of turning to the noble ranks of vehicular barter, Joel continued on with his baseball career without even telling me. After retiring as a player, he managed for six seasons in the Indians minor league system and earned numerous accolades for his five trips to the playoffs, including Minor League Manager of the Year in 2000, when he led the AAA Buffalo Bisons to the best record in the International League. In 2001, Joel returned to the majors and coached most of eight years for the Cleveland Indians at third base, with one year on the bench. During that time, he served as Interim Manager for the second half of the 2002 season, replacing the outgoing Charlie Manual, and compiling a 35-41 record.

And with this discovery, my fandom was reborn. Only not quite as public. The advent of Ebay saved me from having to explain my sudden interest in a retired catcher with a .228 career batting average, as I could work to complete my Joel Skinner baseball card collection from the comfort and anonymity of my home. I’d receive cards purchased for a dollar (including shipping) at my doorstep in unmarked yellow envelopes like others might receive porn. It didn’t take long until I expanded my collection to include Joel’s father Bob Skinner, who covered the Pittsburgh outfield alongside Roberto Clemente and Bill Virdon, and went on to manage the Phillies. Joel’s 76 games helming the Indians would make them only the second father/son managing duo in major league history. My favorite collectible—the Bob and Joel Skinner card from the Topps 1985 father/son collection, signed by each under their respective photos—pays homage to them both. But even more fun than the clandestine amassing of widely available and easily attained artifacts of a middling career is rooting for Joel again. Especially on the days when it means you’re the only one at the ballpark pulling for the third base coach instead of the cleanup hitter. To do what in that particular game, I’m not sure. Maybe wave someone home with particular vigor and finesse.

I’ve thought about trying to meet him, to wait for him after an Indians game or now an Oakland Athletics game, where he’s currently bench coach. Having stalked future Hall of Famers (sorry about that, Jeter), I imagine that I’d barely even have to flex my skills. But what would I say? I prefer the kind of celebrity encounter where no explanation of my presence is necessary—an author at a book signing or that astronaut that posed for pictures after his lecture. With Joel I’d always felt as if I’d need to provide the details of why I passed up, say Grady Sizemore, for a shot to talk to the third base coach. I’d find myself justifying why I killed off his character to provide a European ending to my story but how it was okay because I had kept the baby anyway. Or explaining how I was too cheap to shell out the $20 for his Triple A card in grad school but stuck the picture from Ebay in my album instead. Or how my favorite fake pickup line involves a sultry invitation back to my place to see my Bob and Joel Skinner baseball card collection. No, that wouldn’t do. None of it. This fandom was born of my youth, of the days before the compulsion to justify every action took hold. Maybe when Joel gets his major league team to manage and ushers them to the playoffs, I’ll wait for him outside the players’ entrance and get him to sign that old minor league card. And perhaps post a picture of us on Facebook that will make a couple of old high school friends smile. But for now, I think I’ll stick to quietly keeping tabs and anticipating my next brown paper wrapper delivery. And rooting from the sidelines. Because….because somebody 25 years ago said he was no good? Nah, not really. Just because.

Dr. Nancy Golden roots for the Yankees and the Nationals, yet we at Zisk still like her.

My Ballplayers Food All-Stars by Jake Austen

2011-10-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

Who has time to travel the globe and scour the bodegas to experience every ballplayer-related restaurant, candy bar, encased meat product, sexual–performance supplement, etc.? Not I, but I did have enough time to put together a position-by-position All-Star team of the handful of players whose edible accomplishments I’ve sampled (Warning: White Sox-centric).

RF Sammy Sosa cereal—Though I’ve never been a Cubs fan I completely had Sammy Sosa (former White Sock) fever the year he and Big Mac were having their dinger fest. After that season a New York company called Famous Fixins (which seems to no longer exist) released Slammin Sammy’s, a generic-tasting Frosted Flakes-clone “commemorating 66 home runs.” In addition to a photo of Sammy hitting a super homer from inside a bowl of cereal, the box also features two contests (win an autographed bat or a limited edition baseball card), a description of the Sammy Sosa charitable foundation (that works in the “Baseball has been very, very good to me” joke he was rockin’ that year), and an order form for some non-MLB sanctioned Sammy Sosa caps and t-shirts. I ate a dozen boxes of this stuff.

1B Ron Kittle—A few years ago the White Sox stadium gave all their concession stands historical or clever Sox-related names. You get the Winning Ugly is Sweet dessert stand, Sherm Lollar’s Guard the Plate Grill, Shoeless Joe’s All Star Stand, and no less than two Nellie Fox concessions, Nellie’s Pivot Point Pizza and Fox’s Frozen Zone (because Nellie loved his margaritas!). Stands are named after Carlton Fisk, Luke Appling, Tony LaRussa, Jack McDowell, Al Lopez, Moose Skowron, Robin Ventura and many others. Rarely does the food relate to the player, though the only current Sox honored is Alexei Ramirez, as the Cuban Comet stand sells Cuban sandwiches (sliced ham, shredded pork, cheese, pickles, special sauce, something else, on Cuban bread). Of course, most stands just sell hot dogs or variations thereof, so you get Chico Carrasquel’s Dogs and Polish, Luzinski’s Rooftop Dog’s and Polish, and Dick Allen’s Rooftop Dogs and Polish. Oddly, Dick Allen only hit one ball on the roof of old Comiskey, though he did it prior to homeplate being moved 8-feet closer in ’83 (as did this mag’s namesake, Richie Zisk, who hit his lone roofie in ’77). The Bull hit four of ‘em. Oddly, the man who hit the most of anyone, seven, including the last one in 1990, has his stand called merely Kittle’s Brats and Sausage. But, it is actually much closer to the roof, being on the nosebleed upper deck, near the cheap seats where I always sit, giving me full access, so no complaints. Kittle was my fave player growing up and will always be. I went with my son last year to a miserable game and saw Kitty just walking around looking confused and got an awesome picture of him holding my child. For the rest of the game as my friends lamented the shitty play of our team I just kept pulling out my phone and showing them it was actually an awesome game. An awesome game to eat a Ron Kittle bratwurst!

C Josh Gibson—Can’t remember if it was called a Josh Gibson burger, but I definitely sat underneath a painting of the great catcher when I ate at the short-lived Negro League Café, a D.I.Y. theme restaurant in the Bronzeville section of Chicago’s southside. The restaurant was OK, but not great, and the main thing I remember is not the burger, but hearing the radio in the restaurant play R. Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet,” the first time I’d heard it. So today when I think of Hall of Famer Gibson I always think of Kelly crouched in a closet clutching a Baretta waiting to shoot his lover’s cuckold.

SS Ozzie Guillen—A few years back Chicago got one of those Brazilian steakhouses, where costumed gauchos roll abundant wagons of meat to your table then cut it to order with giant swords. The poster/billboard/print ad for the place was Ozzie wielding a meat-covered sword, and nothing ever got me into a restaurant faster than that ad. I brought my mom, mother-in-law, kids, wife and my hungry self to that place on Mother’s Day and ate approximately thirteen pounds of delicious meat in honor of Ozzie’s uniform number.

2B Jackie Robinson—Though this isn’t exactly a personal connection, one of my fave things about the great Jackie Robinson is that back in the pre-millionaire ballplayer days when even stars needed offseason work and post-career jobs, Robinson’s gig after his playing days was joining the Chock Full o’ Nuts company in 1957 as Director of Personnel, eventually becoming Vice President. That’s one of the best endorsements ever in my mind, because if I bought coffee, and especially if I bought nut-filled coffee, I would always buy this coffee, because every single time I see a can of it in the store I always think, “That’s Jackie Robinson’s coffee!” Then I sing, “Chock Full o’ Nuts, it’s that heavenly coffee, better coffee a millionaire’s money can’t buy!” Best endorser and best jingle!

LF Carlos Lee—One time when Lee was on the Sox my friend was wearing his Carlos Lee jersey when he was eating at Nuevo Leon, the popular Mexican restaurant in Pilsen (next door to the Thrill Jockey Records office by the way) and Carlos Lee was eating at the next table. That’s an awesome story.

3B Wade Boggs—I suppose I don’t have much personal Boggs experience, besides living in New England for a few years during his reign. Boggs was famed for having to eat chicken before every game, and I seem to recall that when he was caught adulterizing it had something to do with variety—he needed women with varying chicken recipes when he was on the road. I once saw a cheap looking cookbook by Boggs for sale either at or around Fenway called Fowl Tips –My Favorite Chicken Recipes. Did not buy it.

CF Mickey Mantle—I wandered into Mantle’s restaurant one day when, for some forgotten reason, I had to kill time around Central Park West, probably in the early 90s (Mantle was still alive, and I overheard someone say he came in occasionally). I seem to recall it was a pretty bland sports bar/family restaurant hybrid, and I either had a very unmemorable burger or decided to just bail.

P Babe Ruth—I was never a big fan of the Baby Ruth candy bar, even though I probably ate tons of them as a kid. It has all the good stuff but it just seems kinda dry and off-kilter. Like they’re always stale. Another thing off-kilter about it is the claim that the candy was not named after Babe Ruth, but rather after the long-dead child of ex-President Grover Cleveland. The Curtiss Candy Company (of Chicago) named the candy in 1921, when Ruth had become a Yankees superstar, and they probably made up the bogus dead baby story to avoid paying the Sultan of Swat royalties. Or maybe in the 20s dead baby candy was a hot trend, who knows? Though Gummi Lindbergh Babies weren’t popular ‘til the 30s. I have Ruth listed as a pitcher here because of his amazing pitching career in Boston prior to his Yankee-dom. I’ve always felt that even if he wasn’t the all-around ball player that Willie Mays was or the prolific dinger man Aaron proved to be, the fact that he coulda been a Hall of Famer pitcher or batter is a good argument for him as the all-time greatest baseball dude. Another great untrue but awesome candy bar name rumor: The Oh Henry bar was a handshake across the ocean, naming a sweet treat after Japan’s and the U.S.’s home run kings! Of course, Chicago’s Williamson Candy Company created their confection in 1920, twenty years before Sadaharu Oh was born and fourteen years before Henry Aaron was born. But what an unexpected surprise it would be if somehow that crazy story did turn out to be time-defyingly true. If only I could think of an American short story writer who was good at twist endings to write it?

DH Reggie Jackson—So the story goes Reggie Jackson boasted that if he played for the Yankees they’d name a candy bar after him. Apparently in addition to coming to the Bronx, to earn the candy bar he also had to spend a year fist fighting with Billy Martin, get a nickname (Mr. October), and win the World Series with the best single game batting performance ever on October 18, 1977: Reggie swung the bat three times and got 13 total bases (a 4-ball walk, and three first pitch homers! The last off Hawaiian knuckleballer Charlie Hough). Plus he had to survive fans throwing firecrackers at him to honor his greatness. On opening day 1978 (Yanks/White Sox, by the way) they had these bars at Yankee Stadium, and as if these were firecrackers, fans also chocolate rained these down on him. In an orange wrapper with a photo of Reggie swinging on it, these were made by Curtiss (who made Baby Ruth) and were basically round Baby Ruths, minus the nougat. But despite being kinda dry, they were a little more satisfying than BR’s, because something about the shape just worked. I don’t know if these were nationally distributed, maybe it was supposed to just be in New York and we got them in Chicago because they made them here, but I sure dug ‘em. When Reggie left the Yanks they stopped making them rather than produce a confection with a California Angels uniform on them.

B-Ball Bonus All-Stars
F Scottie Pippen—I think the Scottie Bar was something that schools sold as a fundraiser, not an actual buy-it-in-the-store candy. Can’t remember if it was good, but I assume so (it featured caramel and pecans, also known as “A Winning Combination.” Not sure if Scottie was the caramel and Jordan was the nuts, or vise versa…but it woulda make more sense if Jordan was almonds rather than pecans). The back of the candy has a quote from Scottie: “Life is a commitment of hard work and discipline. Set your goals and reach them.” Sales goals no doubt. Made by Morley’s Candy Makers, Villa Park, Illinois.

F Dennis Rodman—Rodman briefly had a bar/restaurant and I got invited for some preview night or opening or something. I remember they had his wedding dress in a glass case and I think they had appetizer-type food, maybe sushi, but I really can’t remember exactly what the food was. The place was not around long.

G Michael Jordan—Michael Jordan’s, a massive restaurant, was around for a few years. It was located near all the novelty restaurants north and west of downtown. The food, American comfort food or some such theme, kinda sucked, but I remember the big selling point was “Juanita’s Macaroni & Cheese.” I guess playing on the idea that Mike’s wife-at-the-time by virtue of her black womanhood must have an amazing, down home, Southern, magical, secret macaroni and cheese recipe they pumped this concept up. It was just regular mac and cheese.

G LeBron James—I definitely chewed a few pieces of LeBron’s Lightning Lemonade Bubblicious gum. Nobody likes LeBron amymore, and I don’t know if anyone ever liked this lemonde flavored gum, but I liked way the cartoon captured his weird face. But despite not being a Cubs guy, I have to say, I’m more of a Wrigley’s man than a Bubblicious boy.

C Shaquille O’Neal—You would think that someone who did the Kazaam movie would have a hard time finding anything in his resume more embarrassing than that genie costume, but sadly the Shaq Bar was not even a legit candy bar – it was a foul tasting “energy bar” sold by the evil Amway pyramid scheme organization to its sucker salesmen. I bought one on a convenience store (where it shouldn’t have been, a clerk must have been in the cult) and it was bad, but I can’t believe I didn’t save the wrapper. Did I think I’d ever buy another one? Shaq also appeared on the wrappers of the Canadian Mr. Big chocolate bars. The internet reveals he also put his name to Nestle’s “Shaq sized” 9.25 pound candy bars.

COACH
Mike Ditka—Where to start! Ditka has his own steakhouses, a line of fine wines, vitamins, a salsa featuring Da Coach in a sombrero on the bottle, a product called “Mike Ditka’s Bear Cheese” and a pill called “Iron Mike Ultimate Virility Enhancer.” Plus he threw his gum at a heckling fan once, which I think qualifies as his own line of one-of-a-kind, custom, designer candy.

ANNOUNCER
Harry Caray—I’ve never eaten at Harry Caray’s restaurant, though I’ve walked in a few times, but I have eaten his two foot-high plate of fried, grease-soaked potato “chips” at the Taste of Chicago outdoor food festival…and that is some seriously Chicago food! That stuff borders on Wisconsonian!

BENCH
Walter Payton (football) Though “Sweetness” would have been a natural for a confection, he went the savory route with his endorsement, appearing in ads for Kentucky Fried Chicken where he sang a soulful jingle about how both KFC and the greatest running back in NFL history (I’d wager that even Emmitt Smith’s mom doesn’t think her son is better than Payton) are “Doin’ it Right.” This was significant because you could get a flexi disc of him singing the song at this chicken joint, which was the late Payton’s only solo record. He, of course, had a million-seller with the “Super Bowl Shuffle,” recorded a single with a Blackhawks/Bears blues band called the Chicago Six, and did a hip hop 12” with the Fridge.

Mr. T (competitive bouncing – as in bouncer at a club, not pogo sticking) Quaker’s Mr. T cereal tasted like Captain Crunch, made a guest appearance on an episode of Pee Wee’s Playhouse, was shaped like the letter “T” and I ate a Ton of it!. I probably ate 2000% more than my daughter ate Kellogg’s Hannah Montana cereal. I almost dated Mr. T’s daughter, ask me about it sometime.

Stan Mikita (hockey) – Despite what Wayne’s World implies, the Blackhawk great does not own a donut shop in Aurora. To my knowledge.

Jake Austen is editor of Roctober magazine and produces the all-ages children's dance show Chic-A-Go-Go. His latest book Flying Saucers Rock N Roll: Coversations With Unjustly Obscure Rock N Roll Eccentrics was just published by Duke University Press.

America's Team by Johnny Tsaur

2011-10-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

Not to digress from baseball for too long, but I recently came across an article that labeled the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys as “America’s Team”—and I agreed for all the wrong reasons. The Dallas Cowboys do represent a side of America, but not precisely one that we should be proud of. No disrespect to the great people of Texas, but the Cowboys are precisely a representation of what America looks like from the outside looking in. Delusional, over-the-top, can’t win a big game to save their life showboats. They’re the home of the world’s largest TV and a 6-10 record.

It’s hard to see what makes the Cowboys so deserving of the title. In fact, not living in Cowboy-land, I find it hard to recollect a conversation about them that even relates to football. The conversation is never about what they do on the field, but is so focused on the grandeur of the sidelines. The Cowboys are the clichés that people see when they look at America. The focus is built on the flashy, talented, but misguided wide receiver in Terrell Owens of 2007, or the strained relationship with his All-American quarterback, Tony Romo. Tony Romo’s girlfriend (whoever it is, when you read this), Jerry Jones, the Texas oil man, satisfying his need for bigger and better things by building the Cowboys Stadium, the largest domed arena in the world, home of the largest HD screen, a screen so large, it directly interferes with the game. They are a team of caricatures and represent a cartoon America.

For a little background, I’m a 24-year-old college student in Southern California, and have been a fan of the hometown Dodgers for the last 15 years. Going into the 2011 season, there are moderate expectations to respond to the Giants’ World Series win last October. If you were to ask me who My America’s team is, it’s without a doubt, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The history of the Dodgers shows a connection to the multicultural roots of our national melting pot. They broke the color barrier with Jackie Robinson, but it’s more than just that. Dodger blue is a place where Sandy Koufax can find a balance of his religion and his duty. Dodger blue is where a Mexican teenager can become Fernandomania! Dodger blue is where Hideo Nomo’s rookie season bridged the gap between East and West. Dodger blue is where Orel Hershiser’s bulldog, blue-collar work ethic can make an everyman into a World Series MVP. Dodger blue is where, just when you think they can’t, a man with two bad legs from Michigan pulls through in the bottom of the ninth. That is what America is all about; many people coming together underneath one banner, the best of the world putting their effort to build a unified place in history.

This, unfortunately, is not where the metaphor ends. Being a college student, it’s hard to turn in any direction and not receive some bad news. The economy is so bad you won’t be able to get a job, there are wars going on across the globe and we’re spread too thin, there is “terror” around every corner. Being born in 1987, I was one year old when the Dodgers had won their last World Series, and have lived with the mediocrity of the Dodger Blues ever since. The problem has always been too large, and much like America, the small fixes are just band-aids on an open jugular—with the most recent being a retreat to familiarity, like putting a Bush back in the White House, Joe Torre was hired to mixed results. They’ve been just “good enough” for too long, and like America, we need a new identity.

With the McCourt’s ugly divorce being headline news in the sports section, there is an obvious lack of direction of the team. There is political strife in America, much like there is in the Dodger front office. However, with a new spring training and a new season ahead, there is hope. The hope rests on the shoulders of a new generation: Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, James Loney, Chad Billingsley, Jonathan Broxton, and Clayton Kershaw. The youthful core is there to build around to win a championship. Talented, hungry, and done waiting their turn, there is hope that they are to be the heroes for those born in 2011.

Enter Andre Ethier. An NL All-Star this last season, the bi-racial heartthrob was leading the National League in home runs, RBI and batting average in 2010 before his pinky injury. Then comes Matt Kemp, the powerful 26-year-old CF. He ended the 2010 season with five home runs in five games, showing off the youthful swagger by topping off the season with the streak. First baseman James Loney returns to the lineup after a down season, however he has given the Dodger fan base plenty of chances to remember why Baseball America labeled him the best pure hitter of his draft year. Then there is the pitching core: Chad Billingsley, an Ohio born RHP, All-Star in 2009, he appears to be the incumbent ace in the rotation. Clayton Jershaw, a Texas born LHP, a former USA Today high school player of the year, and a YouTube sensation for throwing one of the nastiest curveballs I’ve ever seen. These pitchers represent Middle America, what they lack in flamboyant personality, they make up with a combined 1,248 strikeouts in their young careers. Last but not least comes Jonathan Broxton, a 26-year-old closer for the Dodgers. A paragon of “throw the ball as hard as possible” style pitching, he broke a 103 MPH fireball against the Padres in 2009. Although coming off a bad season in 2010, Broxton is reminiscent of Eric “Game Over” Gagne, a dominating figure who was unfortunately linked to the steroids scandal of baseball. They have personality but more importantly, they have upside.

It is time to leave the Andruw Jones’ and the Manny Ramirez-es behind and to build the new identity. It is time for the youth to turn promise into production, to step up and become the new legends of Chavez Ravine. When one comes to see a game at Dodger Stadium, the first thing they notice are the vintage giant posters that cover the outsides of Dodger Stadium, immortalizing the past heroes that donned the Dodger Blue. They are sun-faded and vintage photographs, at first reminding the fans of their original personalities, but also reminders of their talent. They are images of a unique era in Dodger baseball; however, one must remember that they are only reminders. Koufax will not step out of the poster and pitch tomorrow. Much like America, it is time for the new generation of leaders to rise and make the Dodgers no longer a place where great things used to happen, but a place in which they still do.

Pale Blue Eyes by Mike Faloon

2011-10-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

I’ve screwed up. I’m driving through eastern New York, halfway to Cooperstown. I’m on my way to the Baseball Hall of Fame to spend the weekend with my dad and my brothers. We’re celebrating our dad’s birthday.

I’m not lost. That’s usually how I mess up on roadtrips, especially when I’m on a route I’ve never traveled before like this one. The drive is really nice. Two lane roads that gently twist and wind with very little traffic in either direction. I haven’t seen a chain store and fast food restaurant all day. There’s just one mom and pop place after another. Sometimes I forget we can still travel considerable distances free of Targets and TGI Fridays.

There aren’t many gas stations along the way either, which is a bit unsettling but nothing compared to the yard sale I pass where some dude is selling shotguns. I know this reeks of creative license but here’s what I saw: At the end of his driveway this guy had three guns laid out on a folding table. A second guy stood on the other side of the table—the one closest to the road—and looked through the scope of a shotgun, not aiming it, inspecting it. It seemed very much like a pending transaction. This is not how friends check out each other’s weapons. That takes place in the garage or the backyard or the basement. Those are also the locations in which I assume home-based guns sales take place. Were there sun flares today? What did I miss?

So the relief that comes from thinking small town America is still alive is offset by illegal small arms sales. (What’s a dose of Norman Rockwell without some Deliverance mixed in?) But that’s not my mistake. I was right to choose backroads over the interstate.

My mistake is the playlist on my mp3 player. In the words of Neil from The Young One the music is making me “all heavy and uncool.” I thought quiet, sparse songs would put me at ease, wash away the workweek, and put me in a place where I could fully appreciate the weekend. That plan has backfired.

The playlist starts with Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You” and Sam Phillips’ “Reflecting Light.” Then there’s a bunch of Kelly Hogan songs, Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” and the song the closes the mix, the song that put me over the edge: Kelly Hogan and Alejandro Escovedo’s cover of “Pale Blue Eyes.” Their version is even more delicate than the original. It’s an equal mix of their voices and his guitar. It feels like they’ve already crumbled apart and they’re just waiting for the wind to carry them away.

There is one line in particular that really gets to me. I’ve heard it dozens of times over the years—first R.E.M.’s cover, then the Velvet Underground original, later Mo Tucker’s version. It’s passed by unnoticed for over 20 years but now it’s burrowed straight to my heart. “I’ve thought of you as my mountain top/I’ve thought of you as my peek/I’ve thought of you as everything I’ve had but couldn’t keep/I’ve had but couldn’t keep.”

Normally it’s a song about lost love but today, after listening to the rest of the playlist it’s become a song about mortality. Not mine, my kids’. How could someone, someone like my kids so pure and full of beauty not live forever?

This is not what anyone wants to think about, especially when they’re driving to Cooperstown to spend a weekend at the Baseball Hall of Fame with their dad and brothers. Apparently the Norman Rockwell/Deliverance hybrid isn’t enough. I’ve let some Beaches seep in, too.

I slowly drive down Main Street and the sadness evaporates. It’s gone by the time I meet up with dad and Casey at the entrance to the Hall of Fame. They’ve already been inside and have come out to meet me. My dad is wearing a “Happy Birthday” button. He’s tickled. The setting, the company, the fact that he got into the Hall of Fame for free because it’s his birthday (or maybe because he’s a veteran—that’s not clear). Dad gives me the details of their drive from Syracuse. Casey makes fun of me. I’m in the right place.

It’s been 30 years since my last trip to the Hall of Fame. My mom tells me we made a day trip when I was a kid. No one else in the family remembers that trip. I do recall coming to Cooperstown for a Boy Scout trip in sixth grade. My painfully lame troopmates could barely wait to leave the HOF. They were far more interested in the Farmer’s Museum down the road.1
As I pay to enter the hall my dad strikes up a conversation with the attendant.

“I got in for free because it’s my birthday,” he says, “either that or it’s because of this.” He points to his Vietnam Veteran hat. Dad served a tour of duty in ’66-’67 leading a transportation unit.

Attendant: “Do you have your 20-year service id?”

Dad: “No.”

Attendant: “Tiffany must have been feeling nice.”

So not only does the Hall of Fame allow you to reenter the place as many times as you’d like once you’ve paid, sometimes they let people in for free because they’re in a good mood.

And that’s just the start. A few strides in we see a display of John Fogerty’s bat guitar, which apparently spent five days under flood waters before being donated. Then we enter the art room. One of the first rooms is devoted to paintings. Along with the Norman Rockwell, there’s also fascinating outsider art (Ray Materson, Charles Fazzino) and a portrait of Turkey Stearns by Kadir Nelson.2

Next we’re off to see the plaques. I’m ready to cruise past the 19th century inductees but Casey lingers. “Harry Chadwick. He wrote the first rulebook and invented the box score. He’s the all mighty father!”

A few minutes into the tour my brother Pat surprises us. We weren’t expecting him for a couple of hours. With the quartet now complete it’s not long before we get into our first argument of the weekend. We love to argue, but we have a different way of arguing. In our family there is a general aversion to conflict, but with that there is also an intense need to voice and cling to opinions. So if you overheard us arguing you’d hear two, or more, different claims being asserted. You wouldn’t hear meaningful exchanges or follow ups or critiques. You’d just hear the same opinions repeated and/or rephrased—ideas cruising along side each other on parallel tracks, shaking their fists at each other. It usually irritates me but not today. Most of the time we hold onto these silly notions until the bitter end. Our claims are seldom mutually exclusive but as siblings it’s our duty to pretend that they are and that something significant is at stake. This weekend the disagreements dissipate rather quickly. This only makes them funnier.

We open this weekend’s round of squabbling with the following: why are baseball gloves bigger now? I make the technological argument: we’ve learned to make better gloves. Pat makes the evolutionary argument: we’ve grown larger. We bow out after two or three exchanges, each convinced that he’s right.

Typically museums are quiet, but the four of us never stop talking. When we get separated for a bit in the broadcasters’ exhibit my dad calls out to Pat, “We’re over here!” To which Pat responds, “I know. I could hear you guys in the next room.”

The general pattern of the weekend is that we argue now and again but mostly we geek out on baseball. After seeing a photo of former Phillie, and 1950 NL MVP, Jim Konstanty we start keeping track of players who wore glasses. We find nine by the end of the day:

Jim Konstanty
Darrell Porter
Andre Thorton
Ken Phelps
Ron Kittle
Greg Luzinski
Reggie Jackson
Julian Javier
Dom DiMaggio

We also see Pete Rose photos and references all over the place. Not having a plaque seems to have little impact. Charlie Hustle is all over the Hall of Fame.

Our second argument: the role of Robert Moses in the development of New York City, specifically his impact on the Brooklyn Dodgers decision to relocate to Los Angeles. Or maybe we’re arguing about the demolition of the Polo Grounds. I can’t say that we listen all that well and I quickly lose track of who’s arguing what. I don’t think we listen to each other. I listen when I’m at home. I listen when I’m at work. But when dudes gather, talk prevails.

My next note simply says “1976, Hal McRae.” He finished second in the batting race that year but I don’t think that’s why I wrote the note. I think it’s because he had cool facial hair on his ’76 card. The sentimental has its place at the Hall of Fame, but so does the silly.

The best exhibit is called “One for the Books.” It features artifacts from historic games. A game ball from Jack Chesbro’s last start of the 1904 season, when he was going for his 42nd win. The bat from Rennie Stennett’s 7-hit game. The spikes Sachio Kinugasa wore when he tied Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played streak in 1987.3 The more esoteric and removed from my firsthand knowledge of the game, the better. There is one exception, though. Eric Bruntlett’s jersey from a 2009 Mets/Phillies game. I was in attendance that day. I remember being relieved when I saw that Bruntlett—then hitting .128—was starting at second base in place of notorious Met killer Chase Utley. Of course, Bruntlett went 3-for-5. He also recorded the first game-ending unassisted triple play in National League history. Ironically, the two runners were on base as a result of Bruntlett’s miscues at second. Two ground balls were hit to him and both times he failed to get an out. He came so close to handing the game to the Mets. They were down 9-7 with two on and no outs. Then Jeff Francouer smashed a line drive up the middle. I was stunned by how little time it took for my hopes to rocket and then for Eric Bruntlett to record three outs.

The rest of our time in the hall is a blur. I’m too swept up in things to break out my notebook. But not our arguments. I’ll always make time for those. Topic number three: Leaf blowers.

“I’m sorry leaf blowers are not in my lexicon!”

“If you knew how many leafs we have in our yard.”

Like its predecessor this disagreement passes and we’re soon relaxing in a pub. I’m surprised by the extent to which the locals size us up as we walk in. I figured they’d be tired of checking out the tourists given how many of us pass through their town each year. But those seated at the bar make it clear that we enter only with their consent. And that’s fine, it bonds us. The place has a good selection on tap—including a variety from the local Ommegang Brewery—but they also have soccer on both of the televisions.

Casey sees a flyer for the pub’s weekly trivia competition. “We could do really well.” He points to Pat, a research scientist by profession, “Science.” He points to himself, “Movies.” This makes sense. Casey can recall dialogue from a movie he’s seen only once. He points to me and shrugs. He points to our dad. “Old shit.”

Nearing the end of our pints we approach a decision. What should we do next? This could take forever. It usually does. My family does not make decisions quickly or easily. We can take twenty minutes to part ways. We’ll say goodbye half a dozen times then renew the conversation. Our low threshold for conflict renders us less effective than The Three Stooges when it comes to collective decision making.

Take last summer, for example. Dad, Pat, my family and my Uncle Steve’s family had gathered in Gloucester, Massachusetts for the weekend. After considerably maneuvering we made it to a beach but the group was split as to whether or not we should stay. The question before us: stay or return to the beach from the day before.

“With our half price parking voucher it’s only $10.”

No reaction from the group.

“We only have to pay $5 for parking because of the parking vouchers.”

“I need to be in the shade or get some sunscreen.”

“If we’re going to just do a beach for the day, why make this our beach?”

“The seaweed’s not that bad and because we’re protected by the cove we won’t feel the wind. When we went to the other beach it was kind of breezy.”

“There are stones but they’re small and you won’t even feel them when you get a little ways out.”

That’s us. That’s my family, slowly reaching a decision. It’s kind of like a game of football where everyone decides not to use their hands or their feet. Notions are nudged forward but no one will pick up the damn ball and run with it. But this weekend is different. We’re in Cooperstown and we have a clear directive: make dad happy. It’s his birthday. Let him decide what to do. He wants to check out Doubleday Field.

From beyond the stadium we can’t tell whether or not there’s a game. We walk up the runway and see a batter hit a pop up behind the plate. It takes a bounce and winds up in the hands of a thrilled 6-year-old. I stand behind the fence along the first base line. It’s quiet and low key. There are only two people in the third base section of the grandstand. The on-deck hitter picks up a foul tip as the sun ducks behind the trees.

We don’t know who’s playing. The girls in front of us are rooting for players by name. We figure they’ll know and they kind of do. “The Colts are from Massachusetts and the other team is the Sea Dogs, I think.” It’s a ballgame. Why sweat details?

When it comes to dinner there are two frontrunners. One is an Italian restaurant. The other is a pub. At first, no one steps up to advocate for one over the other. No one is surprised by this. We defer to dad who senses that the votes are split. Pat makes his move. As we look at the pub’s menu he points to the photo and reminds us that we would not be eating in the upstairs dining room that is visible through the plate glass window, classy but closed. We would be eating downstairs, in the pub show in the photo. Whoever took the photo used far too much flash. The most brightly lit object is the back of a faux leather high back chair. I have to admit that the picture does suggest Wonder bread and those cheap plastic menus that stick to your arms. Italian it is.

And it’s the right call. There’s no wait for a table and when our drinks come Dad raises his glass for a toast. “I’m going to make this quick.” He almost tears up. “You’re the best sons a dad could ask for.” After what happened this morning I think I understand the look in his eyes a little better.

Back at the motel I put on the playlist. The rest of the songs are pretty and soothing but I skip the Kelly Hogan and Alejandro Escovedo duet just in case.

Mike Faloon is the co-editor of Zisk. His first book, The Hanging Gardens of Split Rock, is available through Gorsky Press. He’s currently working on a one-shot music zine called Learning to Surf.

1 A bunch of 11 and 12-year-old kids from the suburbs choosing agriculture over sports—like the roadside gun sale this too sounds like I’m making it up. But it’s been my steady recollection ever since sixth grade.

2 Next time you’re in a bookstore—you still go to bookstores, right?—check out Kadir Nelson’s We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. It’s in the kids’ section and the artwork is beautiful.

3 Which I never knew about before seeing this exhibit. Kinugasa eventually ran up a streak of 2215 games from 1970-1987. How did I miss this during the Ripken mania of 1995?

Disco Demolition Night by Todd Taylor

2011-10-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

CIVIL RIGHTS… AND EXPLOSIONS
Bill Veeck, Jr. was owner of the Chicago White Sox in 1979. Veeck had been a journeyman baseball club owner and a staunch supporter of civil rights.

In 1947, Veeck hired the American League’s first black player, Larry Doby. A year later, he signed forty-two-year-old Negro League pitching legend Satchel Paige to a contract, making Paige the oldest rookie ever to play professional baseball. Although Veeck had an artificial leg, he participated in a day-long civil rights march in Selma, Alabama in March 1965, without the use of crutches. Fellow baseball club owners often derisively likened Veeck to circus huckster PT Barnum: a sucker for a good promotion.

Veeck’s accomplishments forever changed the face and tenor of baseball. He was the first owner to introduce fireworks displays after games. At Comiskey Park, he developed and deployed the “Monster,” which was an enormous, garish, Willy-Wonka-inspired scoreboard. It came with sirens, sound effects, flashing lights, and multicolored pinwheels. It also shot fireworks whenever the White Sox hit a home run. As a fan of the fans, another Veeck innovation was the picnic area in the ballpark. He created this by replacing portions of the left field walls with wire screens and setting up picnic tables under the seating areas. (1)

On May 2, the Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago White Sox game at Comiskey was rained out. American League rules called for the game to be made up at the teams’ next meeting in Chicago.
The 1979 Chicago White Sox were “second-rate,” to put it nicely. More bluntly, they sucked pretty hard. At 40-46, they were twenty-two games out before the All-Star break. Average attendance was slightly more than 10,000 fans.

On July 12, the White Sox were scheduled for a twilight doubleheader against the equally struggling Detroit Tigers to make up for the previously rained-out game. The preceding night’s game had drawn only 15,520 fans.

Veeck put his son Mike—and White Sox marketing director—in charge of getting asses in seats. Bill didn’t balk or blush when his son brought up the idea of a promotion, an event hyperbolically billed to “bring an end to the disco era.” Bill lived in hyperbole when it came to promotion. It didn’t sound like that big of deal.

Mike Veeck had been listening to a twenty-four-year-old DJ, Steve Dahl, on the radio. Dahl was planning to blow up disco records in a shopping mall.

“I called him at 10:05 AM, as soon as he got off the air,” Mike said, “and offered him the chance to do that at Comiskey Park. He was going to do it in front of three thousand kids. It didn’t take long to convince him he could do it in front of forty thousand kids.” The planned promotion was a joint effort between the White Sox and Chicago radio station WLUP-FM, The Loop, and also involved station Promotion Director Dave Logan and Sales Manager Jeff Schwartz.

The promotion promised the presence of Steve Dahl and the official “Rock Girl” of the station, Lorelei (2), who was featured in all of the radio station’s advertisements. Disco had become a personal battle for Dahl, not just an abstract potshot or a woefully easy musical target. Previously, Dahl gained popularity in Chicago at FM rock station WDAI. In 1978, WDAI abandoned its AOR rock format. It embraced disco and changed its name to “Disco DAI.” This prompted an abrupt and unexpected end to Dahl’s show and employment at the station. He and the station parted ways on Christmas Eve in 1978. Happy holidays, Steve.

Disco’s ubiquity couldn’t be denied. Saturday Night Fever, the Bee Gees, and Donna Summer swarmed the airwaves. Kermit the Frog sang “Disco Frog” on Sesame Street in 1979. That same year, a band called Chic (3) entered 1979 riding the very top of disco’s rollercoaster. Their debut single, “Le Freak,” sold a million copies within a month. It hit number one in America, where it remained for six weeks. According to Billboard, it was the third most popular song of 1979. (One of Chic’s founders, Nile Rogers denies that Chic was disco. Rogers stated that, “People couldn’t tell the difference between us and Lipps Inc.” Fair enough. I still can’t tell the difference. I’m no discomusicologist.)

After parting ways with WDAI, Dahl landed on his feet at WLUP. The Loop’s format had recently changed from light to hard rock. Dahl’s fans followed him and echoed his pro-rock, anti-disco sentiments. Dahl smashed disco records over his head. Dahl mugged for the cameras taking bites out of disco records.

Dahl also cited philosophical, dermatological, and classic Marxist reasons for his disdain for this particular genre of music: “Disco is a disease. It’s a thing you have to be near-perfect to get into. You have to have perfect hair and a three-piece suit, and musically it’s just the same song with different words… I’m allergic to gold jewelry, hate the taste of piña coladas, and I’m a cheapskate.”

Dahl had formed an on-air anti-disco, card-carrying army called the “Insane Coho Lips.” The strange name was an amalgamation of The Insane Unknowns (4), a well-known South Side street gang, and the Coho salmon fishing fleet in Burnham Harbor that Dahl passed every morning on his way to work. The Cohos lofted Dahl’s “disco sucks” banner and zealously attacked a form of music they considered exclusive, expensive, and empty. They got their class war on by attacking the soundtrack to the hedonism of the elite. They also just liked having fun and laughing along with Dahl.

Disco-makers viewed Dahl and his listener-army differently. “It was the rockers versus the discoers,” said Harry Wayne Casey, frontman of Florida band KC And The Sunshine Band (5). “We were like Elvis in the fifties and the Beatles in the sixties. Of course there was a backlash. We changed music… I had two hits on the charts, ‘Please Don’t Go’ and ‘Yes I’m Ready.’… I just figured the guy [Dahl] was an idiot.”

The meeting between the White Sox and The Loops’ management went well. A name for the promotion was agreed upon: Disco Demolition Night. It was a simple promotion distilled to a short sentence: Let’s blow up some disco records.

AN OUNCE OF PRECAUTION?

The plan called for admission at the double header to be 98 cents for any fan who brought a disco record. The ticket price matched The Loop’s frequency. FM 98. The hope was that 20,000 disco records would be collected by the ticket takers, placed in a big box in the outfield, and the box would be detonated between the two games by Dahl, signifying the hopeful and abrupt end to the disco era.

Disco Demolition Night overlapped the ballpark’s Teen Night. The consensus was they needed more than Cub Scout and Boy Scout troops to fill the stands. It was predicted and hoped of the promotion would draw 25,000—10,000 of which would be new patrons to the old ballpark. Sox Park had a seating capacity of 52,000.

“I was really just trying to get through the evening without being humiliated,” Dahl said. “I mean, how many people could you draw? A few thousand? The park would still look empty.”

“Rock Girl” Lorelei threw out the first ball.

Once the gates opened at the beginning of the first game, it quickly became apparent that Disco Demolition Night would exceed all attendance expectations.

“I remember forking over a Bee Gees disc for 98 cents and, as I recall, they actually gave back two cents in change when turning in the voucher with your dollar at the ticket box,” said fan Glenn McCullom.

“We brought the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack, a double record, which was good for two of us to get in,” said K.M. Lisowski, another fan.

Attendees also brought along and strung up homemade banners, primarily made from bed sheets. On TV, the “Disco Sucks” battle cry could be clearly read from throughout the ball park. Not televised were the “What do Linda Lovelace and disco have in common?” banner and the more political, fuck-you-Australia “Welcome Home Skylab” banner (6).

Fans made giant paper airplanes with the Lorelei posters and threw them onto the field. Other fans came ready for a battle against disco with bottle rockets and long cardboard tubes. The empty center of wrapping paper rolls served nicely as suburban bazookas. For reasons still unexplained, the second base umpire was particularly targeted for bottle rocket attacks.

Beer vendor sales were brisk. Brian Pegg reported that, “On Disco Demolition night, I sold forty-nine cases of beer. Ordinarily, twenty cases were considered an outstanding total for a single night game. Thirty to thirty-five would be pretty good for a double header.” Math showed that’s just shy of two-and-a-half times the usual volume of beer sales at a typical game. Raging against disco proved a thirsty business.

After 20,000 disco records were collected for demolition, ticket takers let fans keep their records—proof of how unprepared they were by the boosted attendance. “So that was a bad start,” Dahl admitted. “And then things just kind of got worse from there.”

In short order, fans glided records like Frisbees all through the park. The game was stopped constantly as disco records were thrown out on the field. Vinyl’s sharp. It shatters, leaves ragged edges.

“They would slice around you and stick in the ground,” Rusty Staub, player representative for the Detroit Tigers said. “It wasn’t just one, it was many. Oh, god almighty, I’ve never seen anything so dangerous in my life. I begged the guys to put on their batting helmets.” Defensive players. Guys in the outfield. Not just guys batting. Ron LeFlore, a former convict and center fielder for Detroit, was visibly afraid. In the later innings of the first game, fans remember the Tigers running back to the dugout, then removing their helmets.

The Tigers were not the sole targets of the record fling-a-thon. Chicago pitcher Ed Farmer picked up a record that had sailed by closely to his face. He was confused. It was a Beach Boys record. It wasn’t even disco.

Other fans suffered from the flight of records.

“Later that night,” Sox fan K.M. Lisowski said, “my friend’s husband got hit in the head with a ‘Frisbeed’ record, and I remember getting cut with the edge of a broken 45 that had been flung our way.”

David Schaffer, director of operations for the Sox, said that security had been beefed up from thirty to forty-five men in anticipation of a large crowd.

Another miscalculation: This wasn’t the typical baseball crowd. It was a rock concert-type crowd.

The White Sox lost to the Tigers 4-1 in the first game.

A SUCCESSFUL DISASTER

The umpires ordered the grounds crew to clear debris from the warning track between innings of the first game.

By the end of the first game, the ballpark was filled well beyond its maximum capacity. On the books, paid fan attendance for the evening was 47,795. Over 12,000 extra fans crammed in. The majority snuck in though the Sox’s porous security. The official tally didn’t include the fans who brought ladders, formed human ladders, or shimmied up drain pipes into the park.

It was at this time that Mike Veeck, along with The Loop and the Sox organization, realized they had woefully underestimated the draw of disco’s suckage. “It turned out there were 60,000 inside the park and another 30,000 to 40,000 on the streets around the park,” Veeck said “Traffic was backed up all the way out to O’Hare Airport. Who had any idea that many kids would come out? WLUP was a 5,000-watt station, it wasn’t a giant.”

The Chicago police department closed exits on the Dan Ryan Expressway at 31st and 35th streets to discourage late-arriving fans. Traffic gridlock stretched for miles around Chicago’s South Side.

Dahl was dressed like a character in M*A*S*H. He wore an Army jacket bedazzled with fishing lures over a Hawaiian shirt. An Army helmet was strapped loosely to his head. He was ushered to the outfield in a Jeep with his second-in-command Garry Meier, Lorelei, and body guards. Dahl admits he hadn’t prepared a speech.

“Steve started to get the crowd excited as only Steve could do, chanting “disco sucks” over and over,” Lorelei said. “I think that mantra was probably the kicker—the swarming sound was getting louder and louder. It was deafening.” The crowd was going bananas in their seats.

The big box filled with the fans’ 20,000 disco records had been brought out to center field. A short burst of fireworks were touched off in a row in front of the box. That lead up to an impressive percussive charge, which detonated a fireworks “bomb.” Vinyl disco records were blown to bits. Some continued to burn after they landed in fragments on the field.

“That blowed up real good!” Dahl exclaimed.

NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME FOR A PLAN... RUN!

Dahl didn’t really have a plan after the explosion, except to get off the field, maybe go home, maybe watch the second game. There was no advisement from anyone with a microphone to the fans to stay in their seats, to remain calm. Folks were riled up.

Here’s a recap: big explosion; adrenaline-high levels of “disco sucks!” excitement in the air; a large, mostly empty, beautifully-lit, largely-untouchable field beckoning fans; crazy-low security; and a silence so pregnant that its water was about to break.

This is when the trouble began.

What started at 8:40 PM was a confluence of several key factors.

Outside the park, some of the temporary ticket booths—staffed with older people—were being rocked by disgruntled fans who couldn’t get inside the park. Some of the yellow-jacketed security guards were moved off the field to take care of that issue.

“What happened next was the worst thing that could possibly happen,” said Mike Veeck. “The crowd began thinking as one and they realized there were only thirty-five to forty police [security] on the field. When a crowd begins thinking as one, there is no such thing as ‘crowd control.’”

Conservatively, on the field, it was one security guard per 1,333 fans. Not good odds for reestablishing order.

“It was like popcorn. Boom! Everyone jumped on the field.” One fan stated. The fans’ feeling of rushing the field was, “sort of like the pennant celebration we would never get.”

The players who had returned to the field for pre-game warm-ups for the second game quickly retreated.

“Before I knew it, I had a bodyguard on either side of me,” Lorelei remembered, “Each grabbed one of my upper arms and literally lifted me off the ground, running with me towards the Jeep, throwing me in the back. Steve jumped in the Jeep and we started rolling. I looked behind me and understood why I was whisked off—crowds of people were streaming onto the field.”

The Jeep drove out of the stadium and onto the street. It looped around and its occupants snuck back inside as 10,000 people ran onto the field.

Among the revelers was actor Michael Clarke Duncan (the big dude in The Green Mile), a Chicago South Side native. He was among the first fans to run onto the field and slide into third base. Other fans took the roles of umpires, calling both “safe!” and “out!” Fans took bases. (An usher salvaged first base.) Fans dug out home plate. The pitching rubber was stolen from the infield. Duncan admitted to stealing a bat from the dugout.

Bill Veeck’s “Monster” flashed, “Please Return to Your Seats.”

Harry Caray stared down in disbelief at the field from his broadcast booth as the batting cage was wheeled out to the outfield then trounced, disassembled, and set on fire along with the remains of the disco records and the big box. A shirtless fan climbed to the top of one of the foul poles. Another fire burned in centerfield. The head groundskeeper shook his head in disbelief as the benches from the special picnic area were dragged out into the middle of the field and set ablaze. Revelers jumped through that fire.

Harry Caray tried to restore order by yelling “Holy cow!” over the public address system. He then asked the crowd, “What say we all regain our seats so we can play baseball again?” When none of the excitable fans took their seats, a tremor of horror resonated in Harry Caray’s voice. “People, people, please get off the field!” Jimmy Piersall, Caray’s broadcasting partner, was openly disgusted and repeated over and over that, “These are not baseball fans here. These kids are obviously on something more than beer.”

Unruly? Absolutely.

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Bill Gleason called the event “an unmitigated horror… They were vulgarians who came to Comiskey Park to be ruffians.” But people weren’t physically violent to one another. This was no replay of the 1968 Democratic National Convention bloodbath eleven years prior in the same city. Fans were really worked up; they got all hyper. Much of the crowd, once on the field, simply milled around aimlessly. Some sat in the infield.

Fans from the upper decks couldn’t get down to the field. More than half of the fans on the lower deck didn’t go on the field and began chanting, “Na na na na, na na na na, hey assholes, sit down.”

Bill Veeck looked at a quickly dissipating silver lining. “The great thing was all the kids were stoned,” he said. “Had we had drunks to deal with, then we would have had some trouble. The kids were really docile.”

At 9:08 PM the Chicago police department’s tactical force entered Sox Park and efficiently took care of business clearing the field. Within five minutes, they had the situation under control. The cops had no trouble dispersing the crowd. The police and players showed an incredible amount of restraint in their dealings with the unruly revelers. This was not a true riot. True riots offer resistance to law enforcement and provide cops ample opportunity to work on their batting averages. This event was a gang load of partiers not given enough supervision. It was a bunch of nutty kids.

After the police sweep, Bill Veeck returned to the playing field and grabbed a microphone. “Please keep your rain checks,” he told the crowd. “We’ll tell you what to do with them once we figure it out ourselves.” Behind the scenes, Veeck was busy rescheduling the game as part of a Sunday doubleheader against the Tigers.

Surveying a field strewn with bottles, exploded cherry bombs, smoldering patches in the midfield, and broken disco records, The Tigers countered that the Sox forfeit on the grounds that the delay was not a result of “an act of God.” Tigers manager Sparky Anderson was vehement that his players would not take the field in any case due to safety concerns.

Umpire crew chief Dave Phillips agreed with Sparky and stated, “The field is not in playable condition.” Home plate had been uprooted from the ground and hadn’t been measured. The grounds crew was showing no effort to put it properly back in.

The White Sox were ordered by American League president Lee MacPhail to forfeit the second game of the twi-night doubleheader. It was only the fourth forfeit in American League history (7).

At the end of the evening, six people reported mild injuries. One vendor broke a hip. Thirty-nine people were arrested for disorderly conduct.

The Sox lost both games.

GET YOUR BIG FOAM POINTY FINGER OUT

The local Chicago press wasn’t kind to Dahl, the Veecks, or Disco Demolition Night. Predictably, the media asked, “What went wrong? How did this disturbance by youthful crowds happen?”

Channel 7’s Rosemarie Gulley’s insight was as good as any for this cocktail of hyperactivity: “The explosion, the heat, and a lot of drugs.”

Other talking head snippets called the promotion “a gimmick that’s gone too far,” and “They created a climate… (word not omitted, just a pause) “an error in planning.” (End of statement, back to footage.)

Deputy Chief Charles Pepp invented one word and one new meaning in his short explanation of the promotion. “It was a good methology to get a crowd, but it overworked.” (Italics mine.) Bill Veeck echoed the chief’s sentiment. “Sometimes a promotion can work too well.”

Later, a report caught up with Dahl and his thoughts on the Demolition.

Reporter: “You don’t feel culpable?”

Dahl: “I’m not a security guard.”

Reporter: “Would you do it again?”

Dahl: “Yes… with more security guards.”

Later, Dahl—in a less pragmatic mood—expressed some regret. “I’ve always felt bad. I’m a baseball fan. I’ve always felt bad that the second game was canceled.”

Two days later, Sox Park hosted a large concert called The Loop’s “Day in the Park,” featuring Eddie Money, Molly Hatchet, Thin Lizzy, Santana, and Journey, further ripping up the outfield for the rest of the season.

IT’LL BE SO FAMOUS, IT’LL BE INFAMOUS

Predictably, Disco Demolition Night (8) was criticized throughout the disco community.

Unpredictably, Sox promoter Mike Veeck was blacklisted from Major League Baseball. “After that, I didn’t work for ten years,” Veeck said. “The second that first guy shimmied down the outfield wall, I knew my life was over... It backfired, and I took the heat. And it cost me personally. I went down the sewer. I didn’t work in baseball until 1989.”

Twenty-two years after Disco Demolition Night—in Miami, Florida on Thursday, July 13, 2001—Mike Veeck, then a marketing consultant for the Florida Marlins, asked Harry Wayne Casey of KC And The Sunshine Band, to accept his apology on behalf of the entire disco world. Casey accepted. “I feel redeemed,” Casey said. “It gives closure to the whole thing… It wasn’t a very nice thing to do. There was no reason or call for it. It was a direct hit on myself and other artists who did that for a living. I didn’t bash his baseball team.”

So, did Dahl kill disco? Maybe yes. Maybe no. Maybe both. Most likely not. Well, no.

“You know, I think that it was a fad,” Dahl said. “And it was probably on its way out. But I think it hastened its demise. I don’t want to take credit for killing it.” Later, however, the Bee Gees personally told Dahl that he did, in fact, destroy disco.

It feels good to blame someone else and to know the exact moment things started heading downhill for good. It’s much easier than looking inside.

The disco juggernaut was still able to prance around in sparkly platforms and satin bodysuits behind bubble machines and into the national consciousness post-Disco Demolition Night. On Wednesday, October 17, 1979, The Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series in the best of seven games against the Baltimore Orioles. The Pirates proudly blasted Sister Sledge’s hit disco anthem “We Are Family” as their adopted theme song throughout the final game of the 1979 season.

Todd Taylor is co-editor and co-publisher of Razorcake fanzine. When he was eight years old, sitting on a Pic’n’Save floor, looking up at the blasting speaker overhead, he wanted to become a millionaire and then spend every last cent of it making it illegal to play whatever was playing over the loudspeaker. (It just happened to be disco.) Separately, he also vowed to never again wear bell bottoms, starting the day when he could buy his own big boy pants. He also thanks Mary Clare Stevens and Kari Hamanaka for their assistance with this piece.

FOOTNOTES:

1 Bill Veeck, in 1960, added player’s surnames on the back of their uniforms. Veeck also installed a shower behind the speaker horns in the center field bleachers for fans to cool off on hot summer days.

2 Lorelei Shark: “I even did a spot with Pete Rose and another with a baby orangutan.”
“Yes, I am those famous biting lips in The Rocky Horror Picture Show poster.”

3 Chic’s Nile Rogers had been an active Black Panther at the age of sixteen. Duran Duran’s bassist John Taylor had envisioned the band he was in as a combination of Chic and the Sex Pistols.

4 The Insane Unknowns itself was an amalgamation. Two gangs, the Division Skulls and the Unknown Souls, merged in 1967 and called themselves the Insane Unknowns.

5 K.C and the Sunshine Band took their name from lead vocalist Harry Wayne Casey’s last name (“KC”) and the “Sunshine Band” from KC’s home state of Florida, “The Sunshine State.” KC originally called the band KC & The Sunshine Junkanoo Band.

6 Skylab was engineered to fail within five years. The day before, on July 11th, 1979, NASA’s version of duct taping a pair of Chucks to get every last step out of them—called Skylab—broke up in the atmosphere and scattered its remains across the Australian outback.

7 Other forfeits in baseball history: June 4, 1974’s ten-cent beer night fiasco and forfeiture in Cleveland preceded this event. On August 10, 1995 30,000 Dodger fans throwing baseballs onto the field followed this event.

8 Steve Dahl has copyrighted the term “Disco Demolition.”

Mark Hughson Reviews Where Have You Gone, Vince Dimaggio? by Edward Kiersch

2011-10-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

I went to an estate sale last summer. My wife and I own a house now so I feel like going to one of these is some kind of “circle of life” thing. Amongst the usual furniture, tools, and clutter was a huge bin of sports books, many of which I’ve already read (and reviewed for Zisk). I had to get one. There’s just something about a paperback baseball book from the 80s that brings a warm feeling to my innards. Where Have You Gone, Vince Dimaggio? by Edward Kiersh was my selection, and it proved to be much more of an adventure than I anticipated. Over 300 pages, and in some sense only about half of it is about baseball. The book’s tagline summarizes the content well enough: “From baseball’s biggest sluggers to it’s all-time bobblers—Where did they go when the cheering stopped?” Seemed like a good premise, and as I poured through all 55 (short) chapters, stories ranging from exciting to mundane, joyful to terrifying, and funny to sad hit me like a ton of bean balls.

The “past and present” element was the main focus of each story (kudos to the author, wherever he may be, for the research and dedication to this project), but throughout the book two other themes struck me. Ball players circa 1950s-1970s, especially the benchwarmers, weren’t paid the ridiculous salaries of today. Nowadays a guy can bat .230 in the majors for a few seasons and practically be set for life. Back then you’d bust your ass just as much and earn about 15 to 30 grand a year. This of course leads to an interesting little game of “Where Are They Now?” (see next page). The other running theme is that baseball, especially for the super stars, does a number on your noggin.

Ernie Banks, Mr. Cub himself, was a star player and then an organization man over the span of 25 years. “I had to see a psychologist. I didn’t know how to deal with my environment, the real world. It’s fabulous being a baseball star. But too many people direct your life. You’re always doing what you’re told. This hurts you. Functioning later on is so difficult. I got tired of people recognizing my face, my voice, my walk. I just wanted to be alone to find some answers.”

Gene Conley, one of the early two-sport athletes (91-96 lifetime with Boston Braves, Milwaukee, and the Phillies, as well as a player on the Boston Celtics in the late 50s, averaging 10 PPG), adds another sad element to the mental strufgles after hanging up your cleats: The longing for your hey-day. “I only know that I’m still adjusting to being out of sports. When my playing days were over I couldn’t go to a ball game. I still can’t. Maybe inside there’s a feeling that I can do it better than the guys out there. I don’t know what the pain is. I just miss those games. Now I’m on the other side of the fence, they’ve locked me out, and it’s cold.” Cold, indeed.

Some athletes took it better than others. Mickey Lolich (217 Wins, 2,832 Ks, three spectacular wins in the ’68 World Series) went on to run a bakery. “You just have to accept that you’re living another life, that you’re an average workingman. I still have my home, I can maintain it, sure. I just can’t blow $100 a night on dinner, or buy a new car every year. If you’re a ballplayer, you never think about these things. You just go out and buy what you want. Now that’s impossible for me.”

The list of accounts goes on and on—I’ve got every other page marked with interesting quotes of regrets, dreams, and humbled nostalgia. The stories themselves are entertaining, as some of the players had some exciting (albeit brief) careers despite not putting up great stats. Remember this was over five decades ago, when a B-list ballplayer could disappear for two days on a bender and it wasn’t the biggest scandal of the weekend. There’s also some odd photography included. Some typical posed “baseball card” shots, some action shots, and then there’s a picture of Gene Woodling (hit .318 and scored 21 runs in five World Series with the Yankees in the early 50s) vacuuming his living room. Huh? Overall the book succeeds at the double-duty. It reviews the careers of some superstars (Roger Maris, Harmon Killebrew, and Boog Powell all have chapters) as well as some forgotten oddballs, and it also gives the reader a glimpse into the psychology of post-baseball life. If you comes across this one in a garage sale by all means snag it. If I had a stamp that said “charming and weird” I’d be pressing it on the cover as we speak.

Mark Hughson lives in Syracuse, NY and roots for the Oakland A's. His prediction/curse (the Yankees will never win a WS while Jason Giambi wears pinstripes) from Zisk # 16 was validated in 2009, as the Yanks won the title after cutting Giambi the previous season. Not that he holds a grudge or anything. If you want to read about very current music instead of very old baseball paperbacks, visit www.beattheindiedrum.com.

Steve Mandich reviews The Underground Baseball Encyclopedia by Robert Schnakenberg

2011-10-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

Baseball constantly rewards us with historic, unforgettable moments— new milestones, no-hitters, World Series victories and so forth. But for every Lou Gehrig farewell speech, there’s a Disco Demolition Night, as baseball also delivers an ever-increasing amount of arcane, oddball lore. There are enough drunken antics, wild ‘70s hair hairstyles, and George Brett hemorrhoids to fill an encyclopedia. Now, thanks to Brooklyn-based author Robert Schnakenberg, they finally do.

The Underground Baseball Encyclopedia (Triumph Books, 2010) is a tidy, cross-referenced compendium of the game’s underbelly: the sordid and the silly, the scandalous and the stupid. Other than tasteful coverage of a few truly ugly episodes, Schnakenberg usually goes for the laughs. And why not?

Here’s an A-to-Z sampler: Astroturf, The Bad News Bears, Cocaine Seven, Double Knit Uniforms, Eephus Pitch, Fuck Face Card, Greenies, House of David, The Isotopes, Juiced, Harry Kalas, Lake Erie Midge, Morganna, “No Pepper,” Saduharu Oh, Joe Pepitone, Dan Quisenberry, Road Beef, Schottzie, Tomahawk Chop, Bob Uecker, Bill Veeck, Winfield Seagull Incident, Xenophobia (“See Rocker, John”), Youppi, and Don Zimmer.

Baseball is a game full of eccentrics, and the UBE has loads of ‘em—players (Dock Ellis), fans (Steve Bartman), broadcasters (Harry Caray), and various other characters (wacky ballpark vendors, secret mistresses, “disgraceful” National Anthem singers). There’s Chief Wahoo and Chief Noc-a-Homa, Billy Bean and Billy Beane, The Baseball Bunch and The Brady Bunch (specifically, the episode guest-starring Don Drysdale). And, of course, mascots. Nearly 60 are listed, and while most of the book’s entries are limited to a few sentences, the Phillie Phanatic has by far the longest UBE write-up, spread across four pages.

Schnakenberg admits up front that his survey is “far from comprehensive,” but a few oversights remain: the (Mario) Mendoza Line, 1975 bubblegum-blowing champ Kurt Bevacqua, Kenny Powers… Granted, defining what constitutes “underground” is pretty much impossible, yet some inconsistencies are apparent: Dodger Dogs are included, Fenway Franks are not; Johnny Bench Batter Up is in, the Rod Carew Batting Trainer is out; there’s Larry Doby’s Cock, but no Merkle’s Boner.

Still, the UBE is a fun read for both casual and hardcore fans, at least those of us whose appreciation of the game isn’t limited to the Ken Burns-y, Field of Dreams-type stuff, but who dig the offbeat sidelights just as much. Maybe even more.

Steve Mandich runs the blog Super Ichiro Crazy! at http://superichirocrazy.wordpress.com.

Bring the Disco to Your Desktop

2011-09-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love the weekends? It is the time that you can dress up or dress down and you can enjoy the night and you do not have to worry about waking up early the following morning. After all, you do need a pretty good rest because the main thing that you love doing during the weekend is going to the disco and dancing the night away. With all that stress at work, dancing surely just melts it all away and you are recharged.

But of course you cannot go to the disco every day of your life. It is also important that you work because you do need the money that comes with it. But you sure do think that life would be far better if we all could disco and get money for doing it. You do feel that you have been born to be part of this and you just do not want the music to stop.

Now there is no need to stop the music and there is no need to put out those wonderful lights. The disco can be brought right to your desktop and you can do that easily. Yes, that is right. All you need is the Desktop Disco and the disco fever stays with you even while you work. Oh just imagine working with this gadget right with you. Sure enough, you will be more than energized that you will definitely breeze through the day without even noticing where the time went.

So now you are thinking just what kind of gadget is this Desktop Disco. Well, do not be surprised because this one is surely going to blow your brains away. See, this is actually a USB gadget and it comes as a mouse and a mouse pad.

They come as a set and they have been made to remind you much of the disco. The mouse itself has been made to look like your disco ball - only smaller. And since it is a USB gadget, you just need to plug it right in your computer and you will see that the different colors of the lights start flashing. In that instant, your office becomes a disco club. Well, at least, it will remind you of one.

A lot of USB gadgets can really knock your socks off and this one is included in those amazing gadgets that you just plug in.

Boogie Down in Disco Diva Style

2011-09-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

Disco might be dead, but the spirit definitely isn't. Just because you never made it through the doors of Studio 54 doesn't mean you can't enjoy a little bit of the disco life; with the right beats and the perfect disco-fabulous costume, dancing the night away is just as much fun now as it was in the 70's!

The disco era is probably one of the most mocked when it comes to the fashions. Men wore suits with huge lapels and bell-bottom pants, while women dressed in wild outfits with bright patterns, and wore heavy makeup. Certainly today the clothes seem over the top; they were outrageous to be sure, but it was a truly outrageous era, and anyone who lived it can tell you it was also an incredibly fun time.

In the late 70's Disco fever was at its height, and people from all walks of life dressed up in their best and headed out to spend the night boogying at clubs across the country. The dance floor wasn't just a showcase for your Saturday Night fever inspired dance moves - it was also a place to see and be seen, and take in the sight of people dressed in some of the wildest outfits ever to grace a dance floor.

Women wore short, tight dresses adorned with sequins, fringe, bright colors and patterns as well as one-piece jumpsuits that clung to curves in all the right places. Men arrived in suits in white or varying colors, shirts open to reveal gold chains and bell bottom pants. Platform shoes were all the rage, and both men and women sported them. Having interesting things appear in the platform portion of the shoe was a disco favorite, most famously the trick of a live goldfish.

Disco costumes are wildly popular to this day, as so many people still remember the heyday of the music, dance and fashion that sent the 70's out in unforgettable style. Disco was the antithesis of the hippie movement - all about glamour, fun and hedonism, with a certain selfish disregard for consequences. It was a brief time in history but left a mark through unmistakable musical sounds and clothing. It set the stage for the rave movement that would come later, and to this day everyone wishes they could have spent a night grooving on the dance floors of the famous disco clubs.

Fortunately, thanks to some super sexy and incredibly fun disco costumes, you can relive the disco era at Halloween or any time - don't forget to feed the fish in your shoes!

Glasgow Gay Bars

2011-09-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and over 1 and a half million people call Glasgow home. Glasgow gay bars and Glasgow gay clubs are brilliant and the gay scene in Glasgow is better than you'd expect. There are many Glasgow gay bars and Glasgow gay clubs and you may struggle deciding where to go.

When in Glasgow the choice of gay bars and clubs is endless, each with its own features, the Glasgow clubs such as Aqueerious + Passionality, Burly, the Court Bar and others, with all types of entertainment. The Aqueerious + Passionality is located at Planet Peach, Union Street and is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 11:00 PM to 3:00 AM. Monday night is quieter night of the two nights; Tuesday night is a music filled club night.

Burly is located at The Arches on Midland Street, this is a trendy bar where the dress code can include rubber, denim, leather and kilts, because this is after all Scotland. There are drink promos and live DJs, along with other events at Burly. The Court Bar is located on Hutchinson Street, this is a smaller Glasgow gay bar, is a pub setting and music from the seventies and eighties. This is a pub where drinks, conversation and dancing can start the evening, prior to clubbing.

Delmonica's is one of the popular nightspots in Glasgow, with cabaret, karaoke, and disco music. They also serve food daily until 7:00 PM and have a full line of drinks until midnight. This popular gay bar is located on Virginia Street. The Polo Lounge is a club with three levels, there are bars and a dance floor on each level for its patrons and is located on Wilson Street. This bar also has extended hours from Friday until Sunday isn't until 3:00 AM and Monday through Thursday it is open until 1:00 AM.

Here we offer a list of the best Glasgow gay bars and Glasgow gay clubs in order for you to be able to decide where will suit you best for your night out in Glasgow. You are able to view user feedback and comments about the venues and we have a rating system.

Arcade Fire announce plans for celebrity charity basketball match in Canada

2011-09-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler has announced plans for a special charity basketball match in his hometown.

The singer is staging the 'POP vs. Jocks' event, featuring NBA stars including San Antonio Spurs' Matt Bonner and musicians such as Vampire Weekend drummerChris Tomson, at Montreal's McGill University Sports Centre on September 24 .

The event, which is part of the POP Montreal International Music Festival, will also seeButler take part in the match along with his brother and bandmember Will Butler.

Arcade Fire's Régine Chassagne will play organ, and band member Richard Reed Parry will premiere a bicycle symphony called 'Drones' during the halftime show, which will also feature Kid Koala.

The band are due to perform a gig during the four day festival on September 21. The POP Montreal International Music Festival will be held from September 21-25.

For more information go to the POP Montreal International Music Festival website

Jay-Z faces protests over renovation work on his New York nightclub

2011-09-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

Jay-Z has been criticised over the handling of renovation work on his New York '40/40 Club'.

The city's District Council Of Carpenters has set up giant inflatable rats outside the club in protest over "substandard wage" conditions and the fact union workers aren't being used for the job. Protestors have also set up a huge banner which reads, 'Shame On The '40/40 Club' (Jay-Z) For Hurting New York City'.

The union is claiming that the company which was hired to make renovations to the building, Conelle Construction Corp, "does not meet area labour standards, including providing or fully paying for family healthcare and pension for all of its carpenter craft employees."

They are holding Jay-Z responsible saying the rapper "has an obligation to see that area labour standards are met for construction work on their future location."

But a spokesperson for the club told gossip site TMZ it is a non-union building and they are not required to use union contractors. They also said some protestors have been using "racial slurs against the workers, to try intimidate people and scare away business".

The '40/40 Club' is scheduled to re-open on November 1

Madonna confirms new album release in spring 2012 - video

2011-09-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Madonna has confirmed she will release her new album next spring.

The singer said she has started work on the record with producer William Orbit and is expected to be busy in her New York studio until the end of the year in a video interview for Sweden's Sveriges Television. Watch the interview by scrolling down and clicking below.

Madonna revealed the news during promotion for her new movie W.E. at theVenice Film Festival. She recentlyconfirmed that the first single for the record is due out in February or March.

Her manager Guy Oseary previously confirmed she had started work on the record in July.

The album, which is the follow-up to 2008's 'Hardy Candy', will be her first in a deal to release music in partnership with concert promoter Live Nation.

Conrad Murray's lawyers appeal over jury isolation decision in Michael Jackson trial

2011-09-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Lawyers for Michael Jackson's doctor are appealing against a decision not to isolate the jury in the forthcoming manslaughter trial.

Attorneys for Dr Conrad Murray urged the sequestering of the jury because of fears that massive media coverage could influence them.

But Judge Michael Pastor who will oversee the trial, said he didn't think it would be necessary and said it would be unlikely the Los Angeles court system would be able to afford it, with costs likely to exceed $500,000 (£308,000). He also said it would be difficult to cut members of the jury off from their families.

Jury selection officially begins on Thursday (September 8) and the trial is set to get under way later this month, reports Perezhilton.com.

Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.

The trial will take place more than two years after Jackson's death from an overdose of a powerful anesthetic used as a sleeping aid.

Prince on the brink of $4 million (£2.4 million) payout to perfume company

2011-09-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

Prince is facing the prospect of being forced to pay almost $4 million (£2.4 million) by a perfume company that claims he failed to help promote the '3121' fragrance named after his 2006 album.

A New York judge has recommended the singer pay the amount to Revelations Perfume And Cosmetics Inc, but the sum will have to be confirmed by a second judge.

The company said it licensed the musician's name, likeness and the album title to market its fragrance and that he broke promises to help promote the scent after its launch in July 2007.

It also claims Prince's refusal to give interviews and stage in-store events forced the cancellation of the licensing agreement because the fragrance failed to meet its minimum sales requirements.

But the singer's lawyer told the New York Law Journal he will fight to ensure he doesn't have to pay compensation. The lawsuit was first filed in November 2008.

The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt releases collection of early recordings

2011-08-23T06:46:00.000-07:00

The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt is set to release 'Obscurities', a 14-track collection of his early material on October 10.

'Obscurities' is made up of songs which were all released prior to 1999’s triple album,'69 Love Songs' and features five previously unreleased songs.

Three of the five come from The Song >From Venus, an unfinished sci-fi musical by Merritt and Daniel Handler, the US author who writes under the pen-name Lemony Snickett.

Five songs from The Magnetic Fields’ 7” vinyl singles are also included as well as '69 Love Songs' outtake 'The Sun And The Sea And The Sky’. "This song didn’t go on'69 Love Songs' because it wasn't actually about romantic love," says Merritt.

'You Are Not My Mother And I Want To Go Home', a song written by Merritt for the audiobook version of Coraline by Neil Gaiman is also included.

The tracklisting for 'Obscurities' is:

'Forever And A Day' (previously unreleased)
'Rats In The Garbage Of The Western World' (The Magnetic Fields)
'I Don't Believe You' (The Magnetic Fields)
'Plant White Roses' (Buffalo Rome)
'Rot in the Sun' (the 6ths)
'The Sun And The Sea And The Sky’ (previously unreleased)
'Yet Another Girl' (the 6ths)
'Scream (Till You Make The Scene)' (previously unreleased)
'The Song from Venus' (previously unreleased)
'Beach-A-Boop-Boop (The Magnetic Fields)
'When I'm Not Looking, You're Not There' (The Magnetic Fields)
'Take Ecstasy With Me' (The Magnetic Fields)
'When You’re Young And In Love' (previously unreleased)
'You Are Not My Mother And I Want to Go Home' (The Gothic Archies)

Summer Camp to release debut album on Halloween

2011-08-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

Summer Camp have announced plans to release their debut album, 'Welcome To Condale', on October 31.

Working with Pulp’s Steve Mackey, who helped produce the 12 track album, the record includes debut single 'Ghost Train', as well as song named after a character from 1990s teen drama My So-Called Life, 'Brian Krakow'.

The duo part-financed their debut by offering mixtapes and homemade chocolate brownies to fans in exchange for contributions to the recording process.

The London based act, made up of former anti-folk singer songwriter Jeremy Warmsleyand Elizabeth Sankey release the album on their own Apricot Recording Companyimprint, with support from Moshi Moshi and Pledgemusic.

The album will be preceded by a single, 'Better Off Without You', which will be released on September 12.

The 'Welcome To Condale' tracklisting is:

'Better Off Without You'
'Brian Krakow'
'I Want You'
'Losing My Mind'
'Summer Camp'
'Nobody Knows You'
'Down'
'Welcome to Condale'
'Done Forever'
'Last American Virgin'
'Ghost Train'
'1988'

Arctic Monkeys' Matt Helders talks solo album - video

2011-08-23T06:41:00.000-07:00

Arctic Monkeys' drummer Matt Helders has jokingly made it known that he wishes to release a solo album.

The band were speaking to NME at V Festival where they played at the weekend and were joined onstage by Miles Kane, click above to watch the video.

When asked where they wanted to be in five years, Helders said: "Doing my debut record, or celebrating four years since I've done my debut record."

Helders has previously done backing vocals for the band and most recently taken the lead for the track 'Brick By Brick'. The drummer also curated an album as part of the 'Late Night Tales' series in 2008.

On that album he covered the Livin Joy dance anthem 'Dreamer' with vocalist Nesreen Shah.

During the interview Alex Turner also spoke about being one of few guitar bands on the weekend's bill. He said:"It not like you make a plan want to play V Festival and save rock and roll, but it's cool that you get a guitar band, because not many play it."

"I'm sure a lot of people who saw us play in the arenas would see us here."

Owner of 'Amy Winehouse Foundation' website name refusing to give it up

2011-08-23T06:39:00.000-07:00

Amy Winehouse's father Mitch has become embroiled in an argument with a Londonbusinessman over the domain name 'Amywinehousefoundation.com'.

According to The Sun, Martin McCann, who purchased the domain name hours after plans for the foundation were announced, is refusing to sell the name and has said he believes he is "not exploiting anything."

Asked why he had bought the web domain name and if he believed he was exploiting anything, McCann replied:
I'm not exploiting anything yet. I've just bought some domain names. Anybody could have. It only takes the click of a mouse. I'm not ashamed or embarrassed. Detach yourself from emotions and think business. He [Mitch Winehouse] is making every effort to hijack this charity to satiate his own needs for the charity. She's not the only Amy Winehouse in the world.

McCann also criticised Mitch for calling him a 'dickhead' on Twitter. He said of this: "I'm not the dickhead. The dickhead is sitting over there without the name in his possession." He has also said he will not sell the name until Mitch apologises to him.

The late singer's father revealed recently that they had been forced to start handing donations back after delays to the foundation being set up and this is sure to push the start date back even further.

Good Charlotte on Pukkelpop tragedy: 'It was horrible' - video

2011-08-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

Good Charlotte have spoken out about the Pukkelpop festival tragedy.

The band who were at the festival the day the tragedy took place (August 18), spoke toNME at the V Festival, click above to watch the video.

Benji Madden said: "It was terrible, nobody knew what was going on at the time. It got worse as the day progressed."

Joel Madden added: "The storm was crazy but it was a five minute blast. Even backstage it was chaos and then waking up the next day to find that people died, no one wants that."

His brother continued: "People going to shows, it's the reason why we all have jobs you know? It's terrible, the last thing you want is people getting hurt at a show, all bands feel that. You don't want to think about a kid going to a show and not coming home. We definitely feel for all the kids who didn't make it home. It's really weird and sad."

'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' songwriter Nickolas Ashford dies aged 69

2011-08-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

Nickolas Ashford, who co-wrote hit singles for the likes of Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross, has died at the age of 69.

The songwriter passed away yesterday (August 22) at a New York hospital after a lengthy battle with throat cancer, reports BBC News.

Ashford, who worked as a co-writer alongside wife Valerie Simpson, began his career in 1966 when he and Simpson's song 'Let's Get Stoned' was made a hit by Ray Charles. Then they went on to compose hits across four decades, including Chaka Khan's 'I'm Every Woman', Diana Ross' first solo single 'Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)' and Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough'.

Ashford and Simpson also had their own musical careers, with a string of albums across the '70s and '80s. They most famously produced the 1984 hit single 'Solid'. The pair were inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 2002.

Alicia Keys paid tribute to Ashford on Twitter, writing: "I'm so sad that he's gone. What a legacy of infectious music."

Beyonce to play Michael Jackson tribute concert via satellite link- up

2011-08-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

Beyonce has announced that she will be appearing at the Michael Jackson tribute concert in Cardiff in October, but only via a satellite link-up.

According to the event's Facebook page, the singer will perform a cover of Jackson 5song. It does not state whether the link-up will be live or pre-recorded.

The announcement of the 'Run The World' singer's performance reads:
A unique, never-before-seen performance by Beyoncé of one of her favourite Jackson 5 songs will be shown at the concert. A lifelong Michael fan, Beyoncé really wanted to be involved in this tribute concert. Due to scheduling issues she can't be there in person, but this performance is not to be missed.

The singer joins Christina Aguilera, Leona Lewis, JLS, Cee Lo Green, Smokey Robinson and Craig David, who will all be physically performing in person at the gig. The event is scheduled for October 8 at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Kiss have now been removed from the event's bill after pressure from fans and the singer's estate.

'Hound Dog' and 'Stand By Me' songwriter Jerry Leiber passes away aged 78

2011-08-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

Jerry Leiber, the songwriter who penned global hits for the likes of Elvis Presley andThe Drifters, has passed away at the age of 78.

According to Yahoo News, Leiber passed away yesterday (August 22) as a result of heart failure in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Members of his family were by his side.

Leiber, along with songwriting partner Mike Stoller, wrote over 200 songs during his career, which were covered by the likes of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, The Beatles,The Rolling Stones, James Brown, BB King, the Drifters and Peggy Lee. Elvisalone recorded over 20 songs written by Leiber and Stoller during his career.

Among the tracks they composed were 'Hound Dog' and 'Jailhouse Rock', which were both made famous by Elvis. They also penned 'Stand By Me' with Ben E King, 'Poison Ivy', which was a hit for The Coasters and 'Love Potion No.9', which The Cloverscovered to great success.

Mike Stoller paid tribute to his friend and writing partner in a statement. He said:
He was my friend, my buddy, my writing partner for 61 years. He had a way with words. There was nobody better. I'm going to miss him.

Red Hot Chili Peppers stream new album 'I'm With You' for free on iTunes

2011-08-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

Red Hot Chili Peppers are streaming their new studio album 'I'm With You' online ahead of its formal release on Monday (August 29).

The Los Angeles quartet have made the whole album available to stream via iTunes. Click on the option to 'View on iTunes' and you can listen to the album in full on the pre-order page.

The band have also recently announced that they will be broadcasting a screening of them playing 'I'm With You' in its entirety at a live show. This will take place in cinemas across the UK on August 30.

'I'm With You' is the band's first album since 2006's double LP 'Stadium Arcadium' and is also the band's first with former Warpaint man Josh Klinghoffer on guitar. He replaced longtime player John Frusciante in 2009.

Red Hot Chili Peppers will undertake a UK and Ireland arena tour in November, which will take in nine shows, including two nights at London's O2 Arena.

Noel Gallagher adds three more UK dates to October tour - ticket details

2011-08-23T06:15:00.000-07:00

Noel Gallagher has added three shows to his debut UK solo tour.

The ex-Oasis man, whose first solo tour sold out in just six minutes earlier this summer, has added two new shows in London and one in his home city of Manchester.

Gallagher will play Manchester's O2 Apollo on October 26 and has also added two shows in the UK capital in different venues. He will play the HMV Forum on October 30 and the Roundhouse on October 31.

'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds', the singer's debut solo album, will be released on October 17 through his own Sour Mash Records.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds will now play:

Dublin Olympia Theatre (October 23)
O2 Apollo Manchester (26)
Edinburgh Usher Hall (27)
HMV Hammersmith Apollo London (29)
HMV Forum London (30)
London Roundhouse (31)

Tickets for the shows on October 26, 30 and 31 go onsale on Thursday (August 25) at 9am (BST), the others are already sold out. To check the availability of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.

Cornershop post new single 'Don't Shake It (Let It Free)' online – video

2011-08-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

Cornershop have posted the video for their new single 'Don't Shake It (Let It Free)'online – scroll down and click to watch.

The band worked on the video for the track with the non-profit organisation Free Tibet, which campaigns to bring an end to the country's occupation by China and fights for rights on behalf of Tibetans.

The video features footage of the recent protests in Tibet which have coincided with the 60th anniversary of China's invasion of the country and are caused by belief that the government are suppressing Tibetan culture, with the BBC reporting that a Tibetan monk had burnt himself to death in Sichuan last week (August 15).

The release date of 'Don't Shake It (Let It Free)' is September 19. It is the final single to be taken from 'Cornershop And The Double 'O' Groove Of', the band's collaborative LP with Bubbley Kaur which was released earlier this year and was the follow-up to their 2009 effort 'Judy Sucks A Lemon For Breakfast'.

Carl Barat: reports of Libertines reunion are a 'complete fabrication'

2011-08-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

Both Carl Barat and his management have dismissed tabloid reports that The Libertinesare reuniting for a UK tour.

It was reported in the Sunday Mirror that Pete Doherty and Carl Barat had reconciled and were on the brink of announcing a tour, after Barat tweeted a picture of him andDoherty together, but the prospect of a reunion tour has now been completely ruled out.

Barat posted a message on his Facebook page Facebook.com/carlbarat which reads: "So that "story" in the Mirror yesterday? Complete fabrication, folks."

NME also contacted management of the band, who said of the reports:
None of us are aware where this is all coming from beyond the fact the pair of them met for a tea and had a nice time. Carl posted a picture of them on Twitter and that's that really.

It continues:
Truth of the matter is there are NO plans whatsoever in the pipeline and both of them are committed to other things for the next year anyway. Carl leaves for Paris next month for rehersals on his opera which will keep him busy until next June and Peter is away on tour.

Hard-Fi criticised for 'misrepresenting' Staines after calling it a 'ghost town'

2011-08-22T18:24:00.000-07:00

Hard-Fi have been heavily criticized by a councilor for their hometown of Staines after they said it was turning "into a ghost town."

In an interview with The Times, Hard-Fi frontman Richard Archer said of his hometown: "Staines is in a dark place at the moment, like a ghost town. A lot of the bars are closing, Habitat went into administration, Jane Norman, Thorntons. It's all starting to fall to bits."

However, local councillor Colin Davis said that the singer had got his facts wrong, telling BBC News:
Far from Staines being a 'ghost town', retail vacancy rates in Staines are running at 8 per cent which is less than half the national average. This has not increased to any great extent during the poor economic climate, in contrast to many other towns.

He also pointed out that the town had never had a branch of Habitat and that their branch of Thorntons wasn't closing either.

Alex Tribick, chairman of local pressure group Spelthorne Business Forum, also layed into the band, saying:
It's frustrating to see the town being misrepresented. These sorts of comments can give a wholly unfair and inaccurate picture of Staines, so it's only right that they should be swiftly corrected.

Hard-Fi have not responded to these comments as yet.

Lil Wayne rushed to hospital after skateboarding accident

2011-08-22T18:22:00.000-07:00

Lil Wayne was rushed hospital last night (August 21) after injuring himself while skateboarding.

According to Fox News, the rapper, who is currently on a US tour, was admitted to hospital in St. Louis and received nine stitches to a nasty cut above his upper eye. Another patient told the network that a member of the rapper's entourage had said he had sustained the injuries while skateboarding.

The rapper also tweeted about his injuries, writing on Twitter.com/liltunechi: "Busted my fuggin head at the skate park! 9 stitches! Gnarly gash over my left eye!"

Lil Wayne has also revealed the tracklisting for his new album 'Tha Carter IV'. The album features 15 tracks, with Nas, Busta Rhymes, Drake and Rick Ross among the guest rappers.

The tracklisting for 'Tha Carter IV' is as follows:

'Intro'
'Blunt Blowin’
'MegaMan'
'6 Foot 7 Foot' feat. Cory Gunz
'Nightmares Of The Bottom'
'She Will' feat. Drake
'How To Hate' feat. T-Pain
'Interlude' feat. Tech N9Ne
'John' feat. Rick Ross
'Abortion'
'So Special' feat. John Legend
'How To Love'
'President Carter'
'It's Good' feat. Drake and Jadakiss
'Outro' feat. Bun B, Nas, Shyne and Busta Rhymes

Lostprophets reveal two collaborations with Labrinth

2011-08-22T18:19:00.000-07:00

Lostprophets have revealed that they have worked with Labrinth on a two new tracks

The band, who have been working on their fifth album, said that they were "pumped" to be working with the producer who won a Brit Award for his writing and production work on Tinie Tempah's 'Pass Out'.

The band had previously said that they were collaborating with him, but guitarist Mike Lewis revealed to NME.COM, during a conversation at V Festival, that the band had worked on not one but two tracks with Labrinth, one for his album and one for theirs.

Lewis said:
Labrinth sent us a track he was doing on his album. He sent us a loop that we were working on for our record. We'll see what happens. It's pretty good, we're really pumped for it. It was cool to do something different. It was a different way of working for us.

Lewis added that the fifth album was "finished" but his bandmates didn't reveal much about its contents.

Bassist Stuart Richardson said: "We've only got working titles, we haven't got anything to get out there. We took a two week break to do some club shows (and) V Festival. This was a break after being solidly in 'album mode'."

Alice Cooper admits Rolling Stones influence on new single 'I'll Bite Your Face Off'

2011-08-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

Alice Cooper has admitted that his new single 'I'll Bite Your Face Off' is a tribute to the early work of The Rolling Stones.

The singer revealed that the track – which is released on August 22 along with another new track, 'Caffeine', and is the first single to be taken from his new album 'Welcome 2 My Nightmare - was similar to Rolling Stones material from the mid 1960's, and insisted that he had no problem "showing people where I get my songs from".

He said:
This is my tip-of-the-hat to early Rolling Stones. Like in 1964/65 when their songs were very Chuck Berry orientated. They just feel so good, in the pocket. This song was begging to be in the live show. We've done it in four different continents now and no one had ever heard it. By the second chorus, the whole audience is singing'I'll Bite Your Face Off'. It's the perfect little three minute hit single.

He added:
I don't mind showing people where I get my songs from. I can guarantee there were times when major acts took an Alice Cooper song and said 'we want it to sound like that. Because I've heard it and recognised it. I see it as a compliment.

Cooper also spoke about 'Welcome 2 My Nightmare', which is a sequel to his 1975 album 'Welcome To My Nightmare' – his first record as a solo artist, and not as frontman of the Alice Cooper Group - and claimed it was more humorous than its predecessor.

He said:
This is Alice's nightmare 35 years later. Bob [Ezrin, producer] and I created this character and we know how to write for him. I play the part but we're not writing for me, we're writing for Alice. We kept the first 'Nightmare' album very personal to us, on this one we found more humour and we were more open.

The release date of Alice Cooper's new album 'Welcome 2 My Nightmare' is September 12.

'The Inbetweeners Movie' sets record opening for UK comedy

2011-08-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

The Inbetweeners Movie has smashed the UK Box Office with first week sales of over £13 million.

The movie, the first big screen outing for the Channel 4/E4 comedy, has taken £13,196,422 from 455 cinemas, making it the biggest opening for a UK comedy ever.

The achievement knocked former biggest opener Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason off the top spot. Speaking about the success producer Chris Young said:
We are thrilled that 'The Inbetweeners Movie' is the biggest opening of all time for a UK comedy. We really want to thank all the cinema goers out there who have made the film such a huge success.

Capitalising on the strong opening day of £2.5m, the comedy didn't let up throughout the weekend, taking in approximately the same figure each subsequent day.

In an exclusive interview with NME.COM, the makers of the show said they thought much of The Inbetweeners success is down to the four young actors, with writer Iain Morris saying:
Those four men are four of the best comic actors of their generation, if not the four best. To get them all together in one show has been amazing.

You can read our take on The Inbetweeners Movie over at the Film Section, and watch our interview with the writers below.

Razorlight's Johnny Borrell: 'I quit music for four months'

2011-08-22T18:14:00.000-07:00

Razorlight's Johnny Borrell has admitted that he quit music for four months.

Speaking at the V Festival, he told us that he wanted to get out of the music business following 2006's 'Razorlight'.

He said:
I went to live on an Hebridian island for four months with a population of 250 people. I wasn't doing that to be cool, I was doing that because I didn't want to be around anything to do with making music or anything like that.

Speaking about the band's 2008's album 'Slipway Fires', Borrell said that it was misunderstood at the time. He said: "It was the break up record in every way. I think a lot of people were trying to turn 'the break up record' into 'the party record', and that wasn't going to happen."

The singer recently admitted that the mood in the band's dressing room eventually became toxic.

Speaking about the tense relationship between band members he said:
The Razorlight dressing room has been a horrible place to be in the past and that’s not good for anyone. You all have to bring a good energy. I’ve always been positive – I just love being in a band and love making music. I always just wanted my band to get somewhere and as soon as we did I was pretty chilled.

Pixar movies about dinosaurs and the human brain on the way

2011-08-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Pixar studios have announced two more projects headed for the silver screen within the next few years.

At D23, the Disney company's very own film convention, the animation studio gave details of two films in active development.

While neither film has been named as yet, the projects do have brief synopses attached with the first movie, as reported by Empire, poses the question: 'What if that life-changing asteroid missed Earth? The hilarious tale depicts a world where dinosaurs never went extinct.'

The Untitled Pixar Movie About Dinosaurs is due out November 27, 2013, just a few months after Mike and Sulley return for Monster University, the sequel to Monsters Inc.

The second feature will be directed by Pete Docter, the man responsible for Up andMonsters Inc., and will tell the story of how are brain works and how we come up with ideas.

Currently known as the Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You Inside The Mind, it will be due for release in May 2014.

Pixar's next film Brave, which tells the tale of a Scottish princess, is due for release in the UK on October 17, 2012. You can watch the trailer below.

Emma Stone film 'The Help' beats up 'Conan' to take top spot at US Box Office

2011-08-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

The Help, a southern drama about life in sixties Mississippi, has become an unexpected summer Number One in America.

Opening last week to the tune of $26 million (£15.7 million), the film – which received glowing reviews and is already garnering Oscar talk – took a further $51 million (£30.9 million) to take the top spot from Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes.

Despite the rising star of Emma Stone, the film's success is somewhat unexpected in the midst of the summer blockbusters. The film stars Stone as a young writer who causes controversy in her small Southern town by interviewing African American women who have lived their lives working as housekeepers for rich, white families.

Elsewhere in the US charts, the reboot ofConan The Barbarian took a disappointing estimate of $10m (£6m) opening in fourth spot two places ahead of another remake,Fright Night starring Colin Farrell and former Dr. Who, David Tennant.

Spy Kids 4 beat both to open third with a below expectations $12 million (£7.2 million).

The adaptation of the David Nicholls best seller One Day, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess also opened poorly, with a predicted weekend total of $5.1 million (£3.1 million).

The Help is due for release in the UK on October 28.

For more box office statistics visit BoxOfficeMojo.

Kaiser Chiefs: 'We predicted the riots'

2011-08-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

Kaiser Chiefs have said that they predicted the riots in the UK.

Speaking to NME.COM at the V Festival, lead guitarist Andrew 'Whitey' White said that their lyrics foretold of the civil unrest around the country, click above the watch the clip.

In the video which can be seen above, White said: "It's funny, if you listen to our lyrics and give it a fucking chance, we did predict this. We sing about culture and the state of city centres and the state of society for five years."

Singer Ricky Wilson added: "I was reading an article about a moaning old rock star who was saying that no one writes about culture anymore and I was thinking 'who are you listening to?'"

Wilson said that the band had flown back from Australia and stayed up watching the rolling news of the riots. "It was pretty shocking stuff. The next day we had a day off (so) we had a bit of a look round and clean up with brooms."

Clive Barker slams new 'Hellraiser' film

2011-08-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

The creator of the horror franchise Hellraiser has lambasted the latest instalment in the series and distanced himself from it completely. Posting on his Twitter page Barker said:
Hello, my friends. I want to put on record that the flick out there using the word Hellraiser IS NO FUCKIN' CHILD OF MINE! I have NOTHING to do with the fuckin' thing. If they claim its from the mind of Clive Barker, it's a lie. It's not even from my butt-hole.

As reported by Empire, the new film, Hellraiser: Revelations, was a 'stopgap release' to prevent the lapse of the series rights for film company Dimension.

The new film, due for a limited theatrical run in the US, is the ninth movie in the series that began in 1987.

The English horror and fantasy writer has only had a credited hand in four of the nine films in the franchise, directing the first and producing the first three sequels.

It has been reported that Clive Barker will be back on board in some capacity for next year's intended reboot to be made by Drive Angry's Patrick Lussier.

Hellraiser: Revelations is due for release in America on September 2, you can watch the trailer below. No UK release date has been announced.

'The Inbetweeners' success down to 'four best comic actors of their generation' - video

2011-08-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

In an exclusive interview with NME.COM, the writers of The Inbetweeners have spoken about why they think the comedy has been so successful. In the video, which you can watch above, Iain Morris and Damon Beesley lay much of the kudos at the feet of the four main actors. Morris said of Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison and Joe Thomas:
Those four men are four of the best comic actors of their generation, if not the four best. To get them all together in one show has been amazing.

The new film, out last Wednesday (August 17) tells the story of the four friends, Will, Simon, Jay and Neil, taking a lads holiday to Malia, Crete.

In the exclusive interview the creators of the show went on to say how they came to the conclusion that a film would be the best step forward for all involved. As Iain Morrisexplained:
We always wanted to make a film, we always wanted to make a teen film. We love those actors, we love those characters. It felt like the right thing to do.

The Inbetweeners Movie took over £2.5 million on its opening day and brought in a further £10m over the weekend, earning a staggering opening box office of £12.5million.

Glasvegas: 'There's no need for us to have a label right now' - video

2011-08-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

Glasvegas have spoken for the first time about being dropped from Columbia Records.

Speaking to NME backstage at V Festival in a video interview which you can see at the top of your screen, guitarist Rab Allan said that the band weren't concerned afterColumbia let them go earlier this year, saying that they didn't "need a label right now", but had received plenty of offers from other record companies. He also dismissed rumours that the band were on the verge of splitting up.

He said:
We're definitely not breaking up. We're thinking about what we want to do, which is probably why people think we're breaking up. People have come in about signing us, but there's no need for us to have a label right now, James [Allan] is writing the third album and when its ready we'll probably sign. The people who want to sign us will still be there in four months time.

Asked if the band would go it alone without the support of a label in the future, Allanreplied:
I think we need the support of a label, we were lucky because our label gave us support so we now don't need a label, but we're quite lazy and we don't like doing things ourselves, so we'll probably still use one. The label were great for some things and they were awful for some things.

He also revealed that the band would be recording a U2 cover this week for a special reissue of the band's classic album 'Achtung Baby'.

Glasvegas endured a difficult weekend at V Festival. They ended their set early on both sites, leaving the stage after only four songs at Hylands Park after a member of the crowd threw bottles and ending after only six songs at Weston Park.

Mitch Winehouse forced to return donations made to the Amy Winehouse Foundation

2011-08-22T18:04:00.000-07:00

Mitch Winehouse has been forced to return donations made to the foundation set up to honour Amy Winehouse as he does not own the rights or have a bank account in the name of 'The Amy Winehouse Foundation'.

The late singer's father took to Twitter to tell people that he was having to return cheques he had been sent to the foundation as his solicitors worked on resolving the situation.

Mitch revealed last week (August 19) that another person had "pinched" the name of the 'Amy Winehouse Foundation' before he had been able to register it, which had forced him "to hold off" on his plans.

Speaking over the weekend (August 20) onTwitter, he said:
Instead of concentrating on allocating funding I am having to send cheques back cos we don't haven't got bank ac in that name.

He went on to add:
Our solicitors are all over this, but it takes time. Meanwhile we can't get on with foundation.

Mitch also claimed that the person who had registered the rights to the name was offering to sell it on a website, and had been trying to get in touch with Winehouse's former husband Blake Fielder-Civil, adding:

He was also trying to get in touch with Blake to set up the foundation. Blake? Can you imagine?

An investigation into Winehouse's death is still ongoing, with more results expected in the autumn after an initial autopsy with unable to establish a cause of death.

Her goddaughter Dionne Bromfield joined Mark Ronson and Lady Gaga in paying her own tribute to the singer at V Festival this weekend.

Reading and Leeds Festivals stage times revealed

2011-08-22T18:01:00.000-07:00

The stage times for this weekend's Reading And Leeds Festivals have been revealed.

The event, which takes place from August 26 - 28, will be headlined by My Chemical Romance, Muse and a co-headline effort from Pulp and The Strokes.

See NME.COM/festivals/reading-and-leeds, Readingfestival.com andLeedsfestival.com for more information.

Reading on Friday August 26/ Leeds on Saturday August 27

Main Stage

22:00 My Chemical Romance
20:10 Thirty Seconds To Mars
18:35 The Offspring
17:20 Deftones
16:10 Rise Against
15:05 Bring Me The Horizon
14:00 New Found Glory
12:55 The Blackout
12:00 Architects

NME/Radio 1 Stage

22:30 Beady Eye
21:10 White Lies
19:55 Noah & The Whale
18:45 The Vaccines
17:40 Metronomy
16:35 Patrick Wolf
15:30 The Naked And Famous
14:30 Mona
13:35 Miles Kane
12:45 Frankie & The Heartstrings
12:00 Pulled Apart By Horses

Dance Stage

22:15 Uncle Sounds
21:10 SBTRKT (DJ Set)
19:50 Simian Mobile Disco
18:45 Nero (DJ Set)
17:35 Sub Focus
16:30 Devlin
15:25 Crystal Fighters
14:20 Mount Kimbie
13:15 Does It Offend You, Yeah?
12:15 D/R/U/G/S

Festival Republic Stage

22:30 The Horrors
21:20 Digitalism
20:15 Tom Vek
19:15 White Denim
18:15 Anna Calvi
17:25 The Antlers
16:35 Foster The People
15:45 Cerebal Ballzy
15:00 Dry The River
14:15 Royal Bangs
13:30 The Computers
12:45 Islet
12:00 Mini Mansions
11:20 Cherri Bomb

BBC Introducing Stage

20:40 General Fiasco
19:55 Don Broco
19:10 Milk Maid
17:40 These Furrows
16:55 Kirk Spencer
16:10 Clock Opera
15:25 The Boy Wonders
14:40 A Genuine Freakshow
13:55 The Minutes
13:10 The Bronze Medal
12:25 Circles
11:40 Heart-Ships

Alternative Stage

17:55 Henry Rollins
17:25 The Petebox
15:45 Al Pitcher
15:15 Stephen Williams
14:00 Hypnotist Hugh Lennon
12:45 Saul Williams
12:20 Dizraeli
12:00 Brigitte Aphrodite

Reading on Saturday August 27/ Leeds on Sunday August 28

Main Stage

22:15 The Strokes*
20:15 Pulp*
18:45 The National
17:25 Jimmy Eat World
16.05 Madness
14.55 Two Door Cinema Club
13.50 Seasick Steve
12.55 The Pigeon Detectives
12:00 The Joy Formidable

*The Strokes will play second headline at Leeds, with Pulp in the later slot

NME/Radio 1 Stage

22:00 Jane's Addiction
20:30 Crystal Castles
19:15 Bombay Bicycle Club
18:10 Glassjaw
17:05 Everything Everything
16:00 The Kills
14:55 OFWGKTA*
13:50 Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
12:50 Yuck
12:00 Funeral Party

*Not appearing at Leeds Festival

The Lock Up Stage

22:30 The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
21:10 The King Blues
20:00 The Bronx
18:55 Capdown
17:50 Leftover Crack
16:45 Comeback Kid
15:50 Boysetsfire
15:00 Street Dogs
14:15 Letlive.
13:30 Teenage Bottlerocket
12:45 Title Fight
12:00 Sharks

Festival Republic Stage

22:30 The Midnight Beast
21:20 Rival Schools
20:15 And So I Watch You From Afar
19:15 Little Roy
18:15 Smith Westerns
17:25 Cloud Control
16:35 Cults
15:45 Mariachi El Bronx
15:00 Grouplove
14:15 Tribes
13:30 Big Deal
12:45 She Keeps Bees
12:05 Yellowire
11:30 The Coopers

BBC Introducing Stage

20:40 Fixers
19:55 Discopolis
19:10 Spector
18:25 Daughter
17:40 Tomahawks For Targets
16:55 Anguish Sandwich
16:10 Black Diamond Bay
15:25 The Kill Van Kulls
13:55 Rainy Boy Sleep
13:10 Castrovalva
12:25 The Simon Pollard Band
11:40 Arthus Rigby & The Baskervilles

Alternative Stage

17:30 Lee Nelson
17:00 Rob Rouse
16:00 Doc Brown
15:30 Paul Chowdhry
15:00 Michael Fabbri
14:00 Tom Stade
13:30 Late Night Gimp Fight
13:00 Daniel Sloss
11:00 Mark Thomas

Reading on Sunday August 28/ Leeds on Friday August 26

Main Stage

21:30 Muse
19:50 Elbow
18:35 Interpol
17:20 Friendly Fires
16:15 Enter Shikari
15:10 The View
14:05 Frank Turner
13:00 Taking Back Sunday
12:00 We Are The Ocean

NME/Radio 1 Stage

22:00 2manydjs
20:20 The Streets
19:00 Death From Above 1979
17:50 Panic! At The Disco
16:45 Warpaint
15:40 Chapel Club
14:35 Cage The Elephant
13:40 Best Coast
12:45 Fucked Up
12:00 Dananananaykroyd

The Lock Up Stage

22:30 Descendents
21:10 Flogging Molly
20:00 Special Guests
18:55 Face To Face
17:50 Hot Water Music
16:45 Bedouin Soundclash
15:50 Off!
15:00 The Black Pacific
14:15 The Menzingers
13:30 Your Demise
12:45 Spy Catcher
12:00 Fighting Fiction

Festival Republic Stage

22:30 Peter Doherty

21:20 Viva Brother
20:15 Ed Sheeran
19:15 Young Legionnaire
18:15 Cocknbullkid
17:25 Twin Atlantic
16:35 Fight Like Apes
15:45 Benjamin Francis Leftwich
15:00 Little Comets
14:15 Dutch Uncles
13:30 Nightbox
12:45 Flats
12:05 Romance
11:30 Our Fold

BBC Introducing Stage

20:40 Rizzle Kicks
19:55 Cuba Cuba
19:10 The Winchell Riots
18:25 Sam Sure & Giacomo
17:40 Murkage
16:55 Ham Sandwich
16:10 Courage Have Courage
14:40 Rae Morris
13:55 Save Your Breath
13:10 Funeral Suits
11:40 The Mexanines
12:25 Original Rudeboys

Alternative Stage

18:25 Nirvana 92 Live At Reading Screening
17:30 Rubberbandits
17:00 Tom Wrigglesworth
16:30 Marlon Davis
15:30 Tim Minchin
15:00 Jarred Christmas
14:30 Steve Hughes
14:00 Mixtape and Disco
13:30 Tom Deacon
13:00 Seann Walsh
12:30 Josh Widdicombe
11:30 Popcorn Comedy

'Amy Winehouse Dead' named most searched Google term of the summer

2011-08-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

The death of singer Amy Winehouse was the most searched for phrase on search engine giant Google this summer.

When online rumours that the singer had died began it caused frenzy of googling, with 'Amy Winehouse dead' ultimately becoming the most searched term of the summer. She was sadly found dead last month aged 27.

News of the 'Back To Black' singer's death came above the search engine's own new service 'Google+' in the tally, as well as Harry Potter spinoff website Pottermore' and the tragic death of Jackass actor Ryan Dunn.

Cheryl Cole was the only other musician in the list, coming in at Number Nine. She was sandwiched in between scandal hit footballer Ryan Giggs and his alleged former loverImogen Thomas, who were at Number Eight and Ten respectively.

An investigation into Winehouse's death is still ongoing, with more results expected in the autumn after an initial autopsy with unable to establish a cause of death.

Her goddaughter Dionne Bromfield joined Mark Ronson and Lady Gaga in paying her own tribute to the singer at V Festival this weekend.

Marina And The Diamonds post comeback video for new single 'Radioactive'

2011-08-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

Marina And The Diamonds have posted the video for their new single 'Radioactive'online.

The track, which has a release date of October 3, will serve as a stop gap before the second album from Marina Diamandis, which is set for release in early 2012. You can hear the track at the bottom of the page.

Speaking about the song, Diamandis claimed that her approach to songwriting had "changed completely" and that her new material was more "streamlined" and "minimalistic".

She said:
I wrote 'Radioactive' in New York in the middle of a heat wave. Introduced to a glittering new nightlife, I fell in love with New York; it has this magic, fizzing white energy that no other city in the world has. I felt happy and was inspired to write a song that felt light and euphoric, a more streamlined, minimalistic style of songwriting.

She added:
I have changed my approach to songwriting completely, and as a result, written songs that I would never have written on my on (i.e on my shit Argos keyboard alone in my bedroom in London).

The singer also dropped another hint that her new album would be called 'Electra Heart', after the phrase was also included in thevideo teaser for the LP that was posted online earlier this month.

Diamandis said:
I've been working hard on my new album for a year and a half and hope'Radioactive' can tide you over until it's ready… (Argos still features on some of the songs). I'd love to introduce you all to something soon. An Ancient Greek tragedy, old Hollywood fantasy… 'Electra Heart'. M x x

My Chemical Romance set to return to the studio in the autumn

2011-08-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

My Chemical Romance have reportedly said that they will be returning to the studio in the autumn to begin work on their fifth album.

According to Absolute Punk and various online news reports, the New Jersey rockers frontman Gerard Way said from the stage in Chicago on Saturday night (August 20) that the band wouldn't be back for some time as they were heading to the studio as soon as they finish with their touring commitments.

The band are currently on a US tour with Blink-182 and headline Reading And Leeds Festivals next weekend.

They had previously indicated that their double bill of festival shows were likely to be their final UK commitments in promoting their fourth studio album 'Danger Days (The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys)' and it appears it will be their final commitment for the whole cycle.

You can watch NME's countdown of the ten best My Chemical Romance tracks at by scrolling up to the bottom of the page and clicking.

What's The Best My Chemical Romance Track? - Vote Now!

Booking Your Wedding DJ

2011-08-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

Finding a wedding DJ for your big day can be time consuming and a challenge, but take a look online and you'll find there are all kinds of wedding entertainers out there just waiting for you to book them! Choosing the perfect one from the wide choice you're faced with is the next task so take a quick look at the tips below for some guidance.

Any established and professional DJ for wedding will have their own website where videos and photos of them can be viewed. This is much more convenient and quicker than having to go along to watch them play live or arranging meetings to get a sense of their style. Just watch a few videos by different DJs and draw yourself up a short list of the ones you like.

Before making any final decision you should always take a look at what past clients have said about entertainers, this feedback can be found on their websites and is invaluable in helping you make up your mind. Also arrange to meet up with them so you can see if you get on, a good entertainer will have an easy-going sense of humour and be friendly and easy to talk to. Some also offer you the ability to plan your reception online with an online planner that allows you to build music lists, select songs and ask for particular requests. Compile your own playlist via the website, fill in basic details and get an instant online quote.

Once you have made a choice then book your DJ early if you don't want to be disappointed, it might even be necessary to book as much as 6 months to a year in advance if you have your heart set on a particular person.

Next you need to confirm with a deposit, also read through the contract very carefully as changes may incur costs and you want to be sure that the price given includes everything, from the latest sound equipment and transportation to the number of hours played. All costs and fees should have been discussed with you beforehand and there should be no nasty surprises in store! The total price will be in the contract with any applicable taxes added.

After the DJ is booked arrange another meeting well before the actual wedding day whereby you can get together and arrange the songs you want played in the order you prefer. They will have a song list of thousands to choose from and be able to offer you plenty of advice and recommendations of music that gets the dance floor full and everyone jiving. With everyone up dancing and enjoying themselves you can relax and have fun too. Your first dance with your new partner is also important and these are details that need time spent on them if you want everything to run smoothly on the day.

Other questions worth asking are how many years experience they have, particularly for wedding parties as the more they have the better they will be at coping with any problems or situations that may arise. A professional will know how to read the crowd and change the song accordingly making sure your night runs as smoothly as possible.

Expect your act to arrive early so they have time to set everything up well before the guests start to arrive, and have their sound check completed. As soon as people start to enter the room then the entertainment starts. Most DJs and wedding singers should welcome any requests on the night as long as they are family-friendly!

If you're interested in wedding entertainment Yorkshire, Lancashire or anywhere else in the UK then do a search online and find something that will suit your taste and style. Fun and affordable a wedding DJ can create the perfect atmosphere and make your day a beautiful one to remember.

Christmas Party Theme Ideas

2011-08-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

Whilst Christmas itself is often enough of a theme for any seasonal party, having a different approach is a great way to break away from tradition and do something new, fun and interesting for your event. From the invitations through to costumes and fancy dress down to the music and food, your chosen theme can be carried on throughout the whole party planning process.

Disco 70's themed Christmas party A 70's inspired party is all about the clothes and the music, from the giant bell-bottom flairs to the Saturday Night Fever dance floor. Encourage guests with fancy dress ideas of disco platform shoes or knee high boots, loud colourful trousers with velvet, velour or hippy style fringed suede. Set up a mirrored disco ball above the dance floor and position lighting to reflect off the ball for maximum effect, strategically placing lava lamps in darker corners. For full authenticity, go for classic drinks of the era such as Martini, Chinzano or all time favourites like piña colada's and tequila sunrise. It almost goes without saying, music is key to any disco themed party and Leo Sayer's "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing", the Bee Gees "Night Fever" and Abba's "Dancing Queen" should get guests on the dance floor.

Circus themed Christmas party Create the atmosphere and excitement of a circus with bright colours, streamers and bunting and continue the theme through to table decorations with red and white table cloths. If your room has enough space, a big top effect can be created with a canopy tent decorated with bold contrasting fabric, decorated with fairy lights. Enhance the effect by setting up and decorating tables as themed circus stalls for carnival themed food or hire popcorn and candyfloss machines to delight guests during the party. For true authentic entertainment, hire performers with unusual or circus related routines that will fit with the circus theme such as fire eaters, jugglers and clowns.

Cabaret themed Christmas party Capture the magic, glitz and glamour of cabaret with pearls, feathers and twinkling lights. Black and red fabrics, balloons and streamers are ideal decorations for a cabaret theme and can also be used on party invitations. Adorn tables with red glass platters and tableware for the food over black velvet table cloths. If cabaret acts, showgirls and live music are part of the plan for the Christmas party, a raised stage area would be ideal and will allow hired performers to be easily viewed by guests. Ladies costumes should include red and black corsets, skirts or dresses and stockings with feather boas for a nice touch while men can in black slacks and trouser braces.

Vegas themed Christmas party The lights, glamour and thrills of Vegas attract millions of visitors to the city each year and this excitement makes the ideal theme for a great Christmas party. Gaming, shows and the sights and sounds of sin city offers a huge variety of possibilities for activities and decorations. Use multiple sets of fairy lights set the scene with carefully placed mirrors to create the effect of bright flickering city lights with shimmering golden palms for decoration. A variety of hired card and dice games and tables can be provided along with chips to gamble away during the night. Extra helpers can dress for the occasion with visors and black vests and act as dealers for the evening. Champaign, cocktails, daiquiris and margaritas are ideal drinks for a Las Vegas theme and buffet style food allows guests to mingle and play games without a formal sit down event. Music for the evening should represent classic Las Vegas such as Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond and Wayne Newton, although any type of characteristic lounge music will do.

Simple Steps to Sell Music and Audio Files On Your Website

2011-07-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

Audio files are a popular medium for people to stay up to date with new books, to learn new skills, be entertained, find motivation in all aspects of life and more. Whether you are a musician, a teacher, or a writer at some point in time you will likely decide to include digital audio files of your work so people can pay and simply download your creations rather than wait in the mail for a physical cd.

Praise for Digital Audio Files

With digital audio files, there is no cd cover....no art...no physical item to hold in your hand. Instead, it is in the simplicity and remarkable convenience where the beauty lies. It is in the ability to sunbathe on the beaches of Brazil while listening to the newest music from home. It is the ability to close one's eyes, relax and tune in your ears to learn a new skill or be entertained with a story. It is in the fact that cell phones are rarely created nowadays without the ability to play music whenever and wherever you please.

How to Sell Audio Files on Your Website (Step by Step Guide):

1. The first step is coming up with a domain name. This should be something that is easy to remember and type into the address bar. It is generally recommended to avoid symbols and numbers whenever possible. Short and memorable is best.

2. Once you have your domain name, you must see if it is available by going to any domain name service online and typing in your choice. If it is not available, then you will usually be given some alternative options.

3. Purchase your domain name and a web hosting service. There are literally thousands of web hosts available to choose from. Look around, read reviews and then make a choice. You can always change.

4. Buy and install music vendor software, which allows you to sell your audio files on your website.

5. Begin playing with your software and add individual tracks and entire albums.

Booking Your Wedding DJ

2011-07-15T21:43:00.000-07:00

Before making any final decision you should always take a look at what past clients have said about entertainers, this feedback can be found on their websites and is invaluable in helping you make up your mind. Also arrange to meet up with them so you can see if you get on, a good entertainer will have an easy-going sense of humour and be friendly and easy to talk to. Some also offer you the ability to plan your reception online with an online planner that allows you to build music lists, select songs and ask for particular requests. Compile your own playlist via the website, fill in basic details and get an instant online quote.

Once you have made a choice then book your DJ early if you don't want to be disappointed, it might even be necessary to book as much as 6 months to a year in advance if you have your heart set on a particular person.

Next you need to confirm with a deposit, also read through the contract very carefully as changes may incur costs and you want to be sure that the price given includes everything, from the latest sound equipment and transportation to the number of hours played. All costs and fees should have been discussed with you beforehand and there should be no nasty surprises in store! The total price will be in the contract with any applicable taxes added.

After the DJ is booked arrange another meeting well before the actual wedding day whereby you can get together and arrange the songs you want played in the order you prefer. They will have a song list of thousands to choose from and be able to offer you plenty of advice and recommendations of music that gets the dance floor full and everyone jiving. With everyone up dancing and enjoying themselves you can relax and have fun too. Your first dance with your new partner is also important and these are details that need time spent on them if you want everything to run smoothly on the day.

Other questions worth asking are how many years experience they have, particularly for wedding parties as the more they have the better they will be at coping with any problems or situations that may arise. A professional will know how to read the crowd and change the song accordingly making sure your night runs as smoothly as possible.

Expect your act to arrive early so they have time to set everything up well before the guests start to arrive, and have their sound check completed. As soon as people start to enter the room then the entertainment starts. Most DJs and wedding singers should welcome any requests on the night as long as they are family-friendly!

If you're interested in wedding entertainment Yorkshire, Lancashire or anywhere else in the UK then do a search online and find something that will suit your taste and style. Fun and affordable a wedding DJ can create the perfect atmosphere and make your day a beautiful one to remember.

House Music: My Favorite Songs and Artists

2011-07-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

House music is a form of electronic dance music. It originated in what one might call post-disco America. House is a relative of disco music. Some may say that house evolved from disco music. It was also influenced by soul and funk.

Frankie Knuckles was one of the founding fathers of house. He was a DJ at a club in Chicago known as The Warehouse. Some people say that house music takes its name from The Warehouse where primitive house began. Frankie Knuckles would mix disco, Philly soul, European pop, synthesized drum beats, and sound effects to make his music. Later artists would use synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, mixers, electronic drum machines, vocals, and other effects to make the first original house records.

A genre of music known as garage house also became popular around the same time in New York City. Larry Levan was a DJ at the Paradise Garage from which garage house gets it name.

I had a friend named Mark who introduced me to house during my college days in the late 1980s. Mark was from the Chicago area so it's no surprise that he was familiar with the genre. He used to play a lot of house and other dance music. He made me a few a mix tapes, some of which were recordings of WBMX and WGCI radio programs. I had never heard anything quite like Chicago house music before.

Some of house music's popular songs contained the word jack. Jacking was the word used by Chicago club-goers to describe the frenzied body of a dancer when dancing to the Chicago house sound. Larry Heard uses the word jack in the opening of his song "Can You Feel It?" He says, "In the beginning, there was Jack, and Jack had a groove. And, from this groove came the groove of all grooves. And, while one day viciously throwing down on his box, Jack boldly declared, "Let there be HOUSE!" and house music was born."

Some Names Associated with House:

Frankie Knuckles

Larry Levan

Marshall Jefferson

Todd Terry

Farley "Jackmaster" Funk

Ralphi Rosario

Jesse Saunders

Tyree Cooper

Chip E.

Adonis

Steve "Silk" Hurley

Phuture

Lil' Louis

J.M. Silk

Ron Hardy

Kevin Saunderson

Some of My Favorite House Songs:

1. Can You Feel It? - Larry Heard (a.k.a. Mr. Fingers)

2. Jack it All Night Long - Bad Boy Bill

3. Rhythem Method - Mink

4. House Nation - House Master Boyz

5. Whatever Turns You On - Mario Reyes

6. Pump Up Chicago - Mr. Lee

7. Used By DJ - MKII

8. Jack Me 'til I Scream - Julian Jumpin' Perez

9. Can You Party? - Royal House

10. Can U Dance - Fast Eddie Smith and Kenny "Jammin" Jason

11. Can't Stop the House - Thompson and Lenoir

12. How to Play Our Music - Reese and Santonio

13. Don't Make Me Jack (Tonite I Wanna House You) - Paris Grey

14. Pump Up the Volume - M/A/R/R/S

Other songs I heard on WBMX or WGCI mixes that were house or dance music:

Big Fun - Inner City

Good Life - Inner City

American Soviets - C.C.C.P.

Baila - Raz

Rock This House - Mark Imperial and Dennis Ramirez

Bass Line (The Gemini Rap) - Mickey Oliver Project featuring M.C. Taste

I Want to Be Your Property (Street Latin Wolff Mix) - Blue Mercedes

I'm So Hot For You - Bobby Orlando

Birthday Suit (House Mix) - Johnny Kemp

Some different styles of house music include deep house, acid house, and ambient house.

An interesting genre related to house is hip-house. Hip-house is a blend of hip-hop and house components. Hip-house was extremely popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Some hip-house songs may include:

I'll House You - Jungle Brothers

Pump Up the Jam - Technotronic

Groove is in the Heart - Deee Lite

Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) - C&C Music Factory

Strike it Up - Black Box

Everybody Everybody - Black Box

The Power - Snap!

Vogue - Madonna

Yo Yo Get Funky - Fast Eddie

It Takes Two - Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock

House continues to have a presence in contemporary times. My favorite is Chicago house from the 1980s. Trax Records and DJ International Records pressed many of the Chicago house songs onto vinyl. Some of these songs can be heard at online video websites. Compact discs can be found online and even some classic vinyl records are for sale as well.

Choosing The Right DJ For A Great Disco Party

2011-07-08T21:39:00.000-07:00

If you are organising a party, no matter what the occasion, and you would like to make your party successful, you will have to be versatile in organising the whole event. If you are willing to base your celebration on the concept of a disco design, you will have to cooperate carefully with your DJ to ensure that you are happy with the songs that are being selected. It will benefit you to select the most skilled DJ that you can discover, therefore you, and your event can benefit from their knowledge especially if they are into disco style celebrations. Listen to the DJ's advice, but remember you are the one having to pay the bills and eventually the last choices are yours.

An excellent way to locate a good DJ is to ask people you know for names of great disco DJ's.

If you cannot get any references then your research can be a little more difficult, it is possible to reach some entertainment business organisations and ask for recommendations. When you locate a couple of DJ's that you are fascinated by then reach them, and set up a time to talk to them. When you meet the DJ, ask if he is insured, and afterwards see if you are compatible with the DJ's music vision for a party of this kind, and if he is amenable to your way of handling the whole event. Once you have made your decision on a DJ then you will have to make a list of what you expect for your money, and a list of priorities, and go over it together with the DJ well in advance of the party to ensure you are each on the same sheet of music.

Make sure to let the DJ knows profile of the guests so that he can select appropriate music. The age range of the visitors will be critical to the DJ so that he can select age corresponding music. The DJ has the ability to recommend you on karaoke and various services that he can present to keep the party going in the appropriate direction. Guarantee that your visitors are requesting songs, this will ensure that very favored tracks are being played. If you and the DJ work with each other, you can put together a disco event that your visitors will be referring to for a long time. Thus, if you discover the appropriate DJ you can put your mind at ease and enjoy the show.

Funk and Disco Grooves For Bass & Guiitar - Book Review

2011-06-29T05:11:00.000-07:00

Bernard Edwards of Chic laid down some essential funk grooves during his time with Chic. Finally someone has had the foresight to transcribe some of his greatest grooves and present them for the bass community. Stuart Clayton has released a book of both Bernard's bass lines AND Nile Rodgers' guitar lines. The book is called Funk & Disco Grooves For Bass & Guitar.

So What's The Book About?

This book is a collection of transcriptions of both guitar and bass lines to a host of great tunes that were played on by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. The book covers songs from Chic, Sister Sledge & Diana Ross - as well as the song they produced for Carly Simon called Why.

How Is The Book Presented?

Because these songs relied heavily on sections built upon grooves that then repeated, the transcriptions are not always presented as 'whole' songs. Instead you might get say the intro, the verse, the chorus and the bridge.

The transcriptions themselves are published in standard notation with chord symbols and tab.

The book is around 140 pages long and soft bound. Stuart Clayton the author has self published this book and previous books of his have featured spiral binding - sadly, this one doesn't have a spiral binding. As well as the transcriptions there are some short sections on gear and technique, and the history of how Chic came together.

What Songs Are Included?

The book features bass and guitar lines to 20 songs. These include Dance Dance Dance, Everybody Dance, Strike Up the Band, Le Freak, Chic Cheer, I Want Your Love, Happy Man, He's The Greatest Dancer, We are Family, Lost In Music, Thinking of You, Pretty Baby, Good Times, My Feet Keep Dancing, My Forbidden Lover, Upside Down, I'm Coming Out, My Old Piano, Burn Hard and Why.

How Could This Book Be Better

There's no CD to playalong to with this book - the author states that he thought about it, but then decided it would be better to play along to the original recordings and absorb the essence of groove directly. I still think a CD would have made this better though.

Some video lessons - whether available with the book, or as additional content accessed via the internet - would also have been good. Especially some footage of the unusual 'thumb as pick' technique that Bernard Edwards used on Everybody Dance.

And from a personal viewpoint there are some songs that Bernard played on that I'd have liked to see included - and some that are included I'd have liked to see not included. But that's always going to be the way with projects of this nature.

Summary

This is a 5 Star book. Even the lack of spiral binding can't stop me giving this book 5 stars. The bass lines of Bernard Edwardr are well worth of study and reproduction. Don't let the fact that Chic were a 'disco' band fool you - there are some serious bass lines going on and we should all be thankful to Stuart Clayton that he was transcribed some of Bernard Edwards's finest moments for us.

Best Guitar Practice For How to Hear Intervals

2011-06-27T05:09:00.000-07:00

Learning guitar theory is an important step to becoming a great guitar player. One of the beginning musical theory concepts that you will learn in music is called intervals. Intervals, are when you take two notes in either play them together or separately.

Another important step to becoming a great guitar player is to learn how to apply music theory to your six string instrument. This is accomplished by what is called ear training, and is an important step that you should incorporate into your daily practice schedule.

Continuing on with our quest in learning how to hear intervals, let's take a look at the five, final intervals that you will want to learn to recognize.

Minor 6th: Once you get past the beginning intro, the beginning verse of the song known as "The Entertainer" is a great way to recognize a minor 6th.

Major 6th: The tunes known as "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean," and "Nobody Knows" are excellent for learning to recognize the major 6th interval.

Minor 7th: The minor 7th interval can be a tricky interval to recognize, however, thanks to the classic science fiction show known as "Star Trek" you can use the first two notes of the theme song to help you recognize this interval.

Major 7th: Probably the most dissonant sounding interval, the best way to recognize this interval is to listen for the dissonant sounding notes when played together, or the seventh note wanting to resolve up to the octave note.

Octave: Just listen to any disco record with a repeating baseline, and chances are you will hear octaves everywhere. If disco music is not your style, then you can always think of the first two notes of the song "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."

If any of the songs mentioned are not familiar to you then the two things you can do to help your ear recognize intervals is to...

1. Memorize the sound of the Interval: Sometimes there are no songs that you may be familiar with. If that's the case, don't fret. You can still learn to hear intervals, however, it just might take a little longer. If you enjoy writing music, try having one of your songs start off with the intervals that you are having the most difficult time in hearing.

2. Find another song that starts with the interval: The interval hearing list given above is just a small sample of songs with interval comparisons. If you're unfamiliar with any of the songs listed above, then begin finding other songs that you listen to, and begin to use the songs you are most familiar with to recognize intervals.

4 Secrets of Top Disco House Producers

2011-05-27T05:20:00.000-07:00

Disco is the much maligned genre that helped spawn modern dance music and carved out a niche for electronic beats in the mainstream. While the original disco wave may have died out long ago, its influence still reverberates strongly in the world of house music. In fact, an entire genre has sprung up called disco house, which celebrates this musical style in a thoroughly modern context. This article takes a look at 5 secret ingredients that disco house producers employ while banging out some of their hottest tracks.

1. When in doubt, remix. In the past 10 years house music has adopted a strong tendency to remix classic tracks. Since disco music was so danceable in its original form, the addition of modern technology, beats and basslines coupled with advances in sampling is capable of generating a monster track if properly remixed. This can mean either revamping an entire song like M & S did with 'Salsoul Nugget' in 2000, or merely grab the main melody like the filter house / disco house classic 'Music Sounds Better With You' by Stardust.

2. Harnessing the power of a live element. One of the big differences between disco and modern dance music was the fact that while drum machines and sequencing played a role in the original recordings, most of the time real drummers, guitarists and bassists had a heavy hand it what ended up being pressed onto wax. This human touch can sometimes be missing from house, and the most savvy disco house music producers have had big hits thanks to savvy sampling of some of the most organic elements of original disco tracks. A perfect example of this is the track 'Let's All Chant' by Disco Queen, which borrows heavily from the Michael Zager original. This can really get a good crowd response going at a club.

3. Vocals, vocals, vocals. A large part of the power of disco house music comes from its vocal flavor, which can be either male or female. In disco tracks, the vocals often carried the entire track, along with the baseline, so when putting together disco house producers try make sure that they can include a sweet vocal hook to snare in listeners. If a vocal isn't available, then accenting the most recognizable elements from a past disco classic can help create a killer theme.

4. Have fun with the stereotype. For better or worse, disco music has become inextricably associated with leisure suits, big hair and elaborate dance moves. Disco house music that has fun with these images is often very successful, whether it be in the form of sampled references to pop culture touchstones or simply through embracing the whimsical and non-serious aesthetic of the genre.

The 70's: Storytellers, Rockers, and Disco

2011-05-15T05:18:00.000-07:00

The '70's rolled in and pretty much took up where the '60's had left off. The turbulent '60's had seen the assassination of president John Kennedy and soon after, the shooting of his brother, Robert, an unpopular and seemingly no win situation with the war in Vietnam, and another assassination of a man who was trying to bring about great change, Martin Luther King Jr. But there was light at the end of the tunnel for the U.S. In May of 1969, the first manned- moon landing took place.

Not only did America beat the Soviets to the lunar surface, but we did it within the time frame that President Kennedy had proposed some eight years earlier. With all this going on, the music was there throughout.

Music would take a hard shot as well, however, right at the opening of the new decade. After six years of creating and playing music that changed and made history, the Beatles went their separate ways. After about four years of artistic, financial, and personal differences, John, Paul, George, and Ringo called it quits. Their fans were devastated. Their last no. 1 hit was Paul McCartney's, moving 'Let It Be'. All four would have success on their own, but the chemistry and charisma that was the 'Beatles', was gone.

A huge gear was missing in the machine that was rock 'n' roll, but the machine wasn't broke. How could it be? There were still so many great artists that were and had been there. Not to mention new stars that were on the horizon. The hard rocking Led Zeppelin got mellow and poetic with '71's No. 1 smash, 'Stairway to Heaven'. Singer/songwriters like Elton John, James Taylor, Carly Simon, Neil Young, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, and the late great Jim Croce were filling the airwaves with songs that told stories that spoke to us all, then and now.

Black Sabbath, along with front-man Ozzy Osbourne introduced the music to 'Metal Rock'. Hard-driving, in-your-face, and with no apologies, it struck a very loud core with listeners. Love it, hate it, face it, Metal was here and impossible to ignore. African American artist like "the godfather of soul", James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, and Sly and the family Stone, were educating and bringing folks of different races together, as well as entertaining. Marvin Gaye's unforgettable classic, 'What's Going On', spoke to rising poverty and crime of the inner-cities.

A new word, "funk" was being used more and more to describe the music that was coming from the black artists of the day. Stevie Wonder expertly mixed soul, funk, and a little touch of rock with mega-hit, 'Superstition', (challenge you not to move to it).

Another genre of rock was developing and growing popular, especially with southern listeners. A combination of country and rock, this new sound was known as 'Country' or 'Southern' Rock. Leading the way were bands like .38 Special, the Almond Brothers, Bad Company, and the legendary, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Their huge classic, "Freebird", is probably being sung along to by partially inebriated, enthusiastic, rednecks as I write this. God knows I have. Another band with a 'country' twang was the Eagles. Always just a little more rock than country, songs like, "Take It Easy", "One of These Nights", Best of My Love", and the ultra-classic, "Hotel California", along with an almost perfect melodic harmony between the members, made the Eagles one of the most popular, influential bands in pop-music history.

Then, in 1977, the film, "Saturday Night Fever", opened up in theatres. Creating a mega-celebrity out of 23 year-old star, John Travolta. The movie's soundtrack introduced America to the 'Bee Gees' and 'Disco'. The Bee Gees, hit 'Staying Alive' was the no. 1 hit of that year. Lasting only 4 years the "disco era", made stars out of artist like, Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Chic, and, at the top of the totem-pole,the Bee Gees. A pulsing rhythmic beat, along with a soaring choir of instruments like trumpets, the music was 100% dance driven. Although it's reign was short, disco's legacy has out-lived it's sound. Whenever you hear today's dance-club music, your listening to disco, (slightly evolved), but still there.

For just regular, good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll, there was Paul McCartney and his band,' Wings'. The former Beatle was pumping out hit tunes like, "Band on the Run", "Juniors Farm", "With A Little Luck", and the simplistic but very catchy, "Let 'em In". Newcomers', Fleetwood Mac and their ground-breaking album, "Rumors", swept the airwaves in 1976. In 1979, Pink Floyd built an album and called it, "The Wall". It became an instant classic. Blondie sang about a "Heart of Glass", the Kinks met "Lola", but stayed just friends, and Queen promised, "We Will Rock You".

In 1977, an unexpected tragedy occurred. Legendary performer, and the 'King of Rock 'n' Roll', Elvis Aaron Pressley died in a Memphis, Tenn. hospital at the age of 42. He had been found unconscious in the bathroom of his Graceland home. Prescription drug abuse was the primary cause.

An entire nation mourned the once dynamic singer's passing. 24-48 hr. musical tributes on the radio and constant television coverage. One got the feeling that some head of state had died, and the truth was not far off. Elvis Pressley, it seemed had touched so many people with his music, movies, and his down-home country, manner. He is greatly missed to this day. "Long live the King".

The '70's. Some musical genres came and stayed, some came and went. We regretfully said good-bye to performers that were dearly loved like, Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Croce, and Janis Joplin. But like the Righteous Brothers sang, "If there's a rock 'n' roll heaven, you know they got a hell of a band"!

Disco Dance Floor - The King Of The Nightclub

2011-05-12T05:16:00.000-07:00

So now that you have planned to break into the night club scene, you have yourself the building and you have yourself the idea - what about adding in a disco dance floor? No, really, they are now starting to be some of the hottest nightcltb products in the world and once you think about it, why wouldn't they? Disco music was hot in the Seventies and the disco dance floor was something that was in each and every single night club from around the world, whether you are situated in Europe or in the United States!

Now that the disco dance floor is arriving back, you have to make sure that it fits into the topic of your club - all of those bright colors may be intimidating and even though this is an amazing technology, you need to make sure that you are not adding one into your club if it basically does not go with the decor or the whole concept. For example, if you are opening up an ultra modern or even just a modern night club that is mostly covered in white, black and chrome, adding in a disco dance floor may not be the best idea.

There is a time and place for this kind of equipment though and that time and place is in brightly coloured night clubs! Now, naturally, the technology has evolved very much, heck, there are even LED dance floors that may be regarded as interactive. Yep, you can step on one area and it will light up, step on another and it will light up. The interactive floors truthfully bring much fun for the visitors and if you want to impress them, these may be the best option!

Now that you have decided to spice up your night club decor using a disco dance floor, you now have to do your research! Yes, that suggests going on the internet and looking at all of the different kinds and colors available. One can pretty much bet that whichever producer you happen to go using should have all types of kinds and colors for you to choose.

Whether you are looking to just bring more of a crowd into your night club or you are just trying to transform your night club into something special, a disco dance floor can absolutely do it and can turn your club into one of the best ones!

Donna Summer, the Disco Queen is Still Dancing

2011-05-09T05:15:00.000-07:00

Donna Summer earned the title "Disco Queen" early in her career. Today her voice continues to soar with boundless range and fire whether recorded or live. The personable winner of Grammy Awards, gold albums, an Oscar and dozens of other honors continues in top form. Her latest release, "To Paris With Love," is already a hit with its irresistible melody and her signature disco beat that begs listeners to leap from their chairs and dance.

The incentive to compose the song was her unabashed love for Paris. Because France was one of the first countries to embrace her music, she wanted the song to express her boundless affection for the nation and its people. She initially planned to release it only in the south of France during the country's popular vacation season, but her co-writer, Bruce Roberts, thought it was perfect for summertime everywhere, so they put it out for her fans as an escape to the romance and allure of the City of Lights.

Summer has been a favorite in Europe since arriving in Germany during the late 1960s to play Sheila in "Hair." She regards performing in Europe for many years before returning home as a true learning experience that taught her the outlook on fame she has to this day. While Americans want fame right away, Europeans have a more sober idea of fame. She wholly embraces their concept of fame as a distant thing to achieve even though she is one of the most famous entertainers worldwide.

Employing the art of characterization she developed in "Hair" and succeeding musicals, she amassed fans at live concerts and began recording songs in the disco style that soon defined her. To this day, other musicians clamor to cover the songs she made famous, many of them her own compositions. Her goal is to tell the story of each song she sings by becoming the character in the song. The character can be light and fluffy, deadly serious, or something in-between. A painter with words, she wrote her earlier album "Crayons" with the idea that each song would stand for a different color in a box of crayons and represent a different dance style.

At age 60-plus and still a veritable bundle of energy, Summer is one of the most popular personalities in show business and is always ready and willing to pay homage to others. She sang in tribute to her close friend Barbra Streisand at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2008 and more recently in Oslo when President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize. She herself was honored in June as an inductee of the Hollywood Bowl of Fame together with The Carpenters and French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. After her performance, Michael Christie, conductor of the Phoenix Symphony, rushed backstage to invite her to be the headliner at the orchestra's Gala concert in October.

Accepting with pleasure, she plowed into preparations for the show that has, in her words, everything:dancing, singing and visuals. She loves performing with symphonies and always laughs when she overhears the musicians griping and wondering why they have to play for her. Then they look at the charts that they have to learn very quickly and pay attention to every note. Getting it right is a lot more difficult than they realized. More likely than not, many approach her afterward to apologize.

While Summer is recording her next album, "Ordinary Girl" sits on the back burner. She began writing the musical shortly after her autobiography by the same name was published. At the time, she intended for the show bursting with her classic numbers to be a Broadway vehicle for her three talented daughters, but now that one has her own band and is on the road much of the time, Broadway must wait. As a devoted mother, Summer is always careful about what she says, especially because she is determined to let them find their own way in the business.

In the meantime, thankful for the career that has been good to her for so many years, she says, "Even though being on the road and singing is a lot of work, I love every minute of it. My greatest pleasure still is entertaining my fans."

Music Versus Body Energy Relationship

2011-05-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

I wonder why we listen to music! What do we feel when listening to music! What happens to our body! Why a fantastic song for someone is terrible for the other! Why we sometimes feel different and want to listen to our best music but bored, we replace it, and replace it and replace it, still don't like any of them. We sometimes buy a CD to listen in one day, we like that CD but never want to listen and always choose something else instead. We don't like a kind of music but after years, we suddenly like it! I will try to share some points here.

Music is a kind of energy form that feeds our spirits. Music works in two directions. If we need energy, (being moody, feeling weak and demoralised) it provides the energy. If we are in anger, mad, furious, it takes the negative energy out of our body. I assume music stimulates some points in the brain, so some hormones are produced. In night clubs, disco music is played often but after sometime, the energy level in body is so much charged, then disco music is interrupted by slow music to release the excessive energy back.

Music mainly can be classified to two groups; Energy Removal and Energy Releaser. It is not always necessary to enjoy energy delivering music. You may not like it but you may still capture some energy out of it. I sometimes feel flying when listening, I became in deep trance and when the music is over, I feel much stronger, powerful and self-confident. So many people shared the same feelings with me.

Energy Releaser:

We sometimes feel that our arms, legs, head rhythm during listening. We tend to increase the volume up in such music. Sometimes, we don't like a kind of music at all but still rhythm. Energy releasing music may change the body chemicals, feed us, liven up and make us feel better. Disco, Black slows, Rhythm & Blues, kind of Jazz, Acid Jazz, Impressionism age in classical music, Russian composer's music can be considered in that category.

Energy Removal:

For business people, particularly after 40 years of age, worked hard all the day long then fight against to traffic jam of the cities, felt exhausted may need such sort of music so frequently.
Such energy removal music may be Baroque, Renaissance, Romantic, Post Impressionist Ages in classical music or North Jazz (Norwegian Jazz), most of ECM Labels, most of Windham Hill Labels or such kinds.

If the aim of that article is conclude with a tip, we better decide about our mood and choose the kind of music carefully. I judge my mood before listening and decide what type I need, then select from those types. I don't listen anymore my brand new not-listened CD's at the first change if they don't fit with my current mood. As a matter of fact, compared to years ago, I enjoy more in music.

Various Artists - Subliminal at Greece 2003 Online

2009-07-12T13:08:00.000-07:00

Subliminal at Greece 2003

Do you like Subliminal at Greece? It's my favorite mp3 from Various Artists.
Walkwatchdrink (vocal mix) is very mad song.
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Genre: house
Tracks:

Shined on Me (radio mix)
Walkwatchdrink (vocal mix)
Stomp Your Feel (the Hump mix)
Shout (main vocal mix)
Choo Romerojose Nunez featuring Jessica Eve Dancin (2003 mix)
Sting Me Red (main mix)
Hypnotize (Original mix)

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Load Various Artists - Devolution 1994 Online Now

2009-07-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

Devolution 1994

Do you like Devolution? It's my favorite album from Various Artists.
A Forest is very cool music.
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Genre: new wave
Tracks:

A Forest
Temptation
Homosapien
Dancing with Myself
Treason
Planet Claire
Once in A Lifetime
Israel
Gimme Shelter
Ove Like Blood
This is not A Love Song
The Passenger

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Check out Paradox - Planet Acid 2002

2009-07-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

Planet Acid 2002

Do you like Planet Acid? It's my favorite track from Paradox.
Dark World is really crazy music.
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Genre: trance
Tracks:

Dark World
Planet Acid (Straight mix)
Planet

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Download Roberto Carlos - Canta Para A Juventude 1965

2009-07-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

Canta Para A Juventude 1965

Do you like Canta Para A Juventude? It's my favorite mp3 from Roberto Carlos.
A Garota Do Baile is really cool song.
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Genre: ballad
Tracks:

Historia de Um Homem Mau
Noite de Terror
Como Eh Bom Saber
Os Sete Cabeludos
Parei� Olhei
Os Velhinhos
EU Sou Fan Do Monoquini
Aquele Beijo Que Te Dei
Brucutu
Nao Quero Ver Voce Triste
A Garota Do Baile
Rosita

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Download Bomb Legacy - Street Lyfe 2005

2009-07-04T17:45:00.000-07:00

Street Lyfe 2005

Do you like Street Lyfe? It's my favorite release from Bomb Legacy.
Blaze 4 Me is really cool track.
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Genre: rap
Tracks:

Belly of the Beast
Never on E
Anxious
Livin that
Give it All
I Can Show You
Throw Ya Handz High
Blaze 4 Me
Cash Money
Street Lyfe
Eastside Throw it Up
Crush this
Up in the Club
Whats Really Good
Beware
Lifes A Bitch
Make A Move
Fuck Jake
Thuggin
Knowledge
Get Down

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Download Various Artists - Underground 14 2006 Online

2009-07-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Underground 14 2006

Do you like Underground 14? It's my favorite album from Various Artists.
Flashback is very load track.
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Genre: rap
Tracks:

Pas Dombre Sans Lumiere
K-Off-Au Feeling
La France Au Rap Cense
Flashback
Machine de Guerre
Materialisme
Destination Finale (instrumental)
Alma (instrumental)
Gaza (instrumental)

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Download The Hacker - Missive 46 (Missile 46) 2000 Online Now

2009-06-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

Missive 46 (Missile 46) 2000

Do you like Missive 46 (Missile 46)? It's my favorite release from The Hacker.
Cold as Silence is really the best song.
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Genre: techno
Tracks:

Nothing Lasts
Cold as Silence

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Check out Justin Timberlake - Futuresex 2006

2009-06-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

Futuresex 2006

Do you like Futuresex? It's my favorite release from Justin Timberlake.
Sexy Ladies-Let Me Talk to You Prelude is very load song.
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Genre: r&b
Tracks:

Futuresex-Lovesound
Sexyback
Sexy Ladies-Let Me Talk to You Prelude
My Love
Lovestoned-I Think She Knows Interlude
What Goes Around. . . -. . . Comes Around Interlude
Chop Me Up
Damn Girl
Summer Love-set the Mood Prelude
Until the End of Time
Losing My Way
(Another Song) All Over Again
Take Away Your Love
Pose
Floatin
Sexyback (remix)

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Download Leftfield - Space Shanty (Streetlife DJs re) 2004 Online

2009-06-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

Space Shanty (Streetlife DJs re) 2004

Do you like Space Shanty (Streetlife DJs re)? It's my favorite mp3 from Leftfield.
is very cool song.
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Genre: house
Tracks:

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Leftfield - Space Shanty (Streetlife DJs re) 2004 - click here

The Skunkburners - Latin Bounce 2004 Online Now

2009-06-21T15:13:00.000-07:00

Latin Bounce 2004

Do you like Latin Bounce? It's my favorite tracklist from The Skunkburners.
A1 Mats remix is really sexy song.
DOWNLOAD Latin Bounce!!!

Genre: house
Tracks:

A1 Mats remix
A2 Original mix
B1 Luca Cassani remix

Download Latin Bounce mp3 preview here.
Complete mp3! No additional programs or browser addons required! You can use them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded mp3 will work on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
The Skunkburners - Latin Bounce 2004 - click here

Play Antiloop - Start Rockin CDM 2000 Online Now

2009-06-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

Start Rockin CDM 2000

Do you like Start Rockin CDM? It's my favorite release from Antiloop.
Start Rockin (radio version) is very crazy track.
DOWNLOAD Start Rockin CDM!!!

Genre: dance
Tracks:

Start Rockin (radio version)
Start Rockin (Extended version)
Start Rockin (Redtops Funky Filter mix)
Start Rockin (Stonebridge Triple F Club mix)

Listen Start Rockin CDM release demo here.
Complete music! No additional programs or browser plugins required! You can copy them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded mp3 will work on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
Antiloop - Start Rockin CDM 2000 - click here

Check out Disco Dice - Clubnight EP 2005 Online Now

2009-06-20T23:00:00.000-07:00

Clubnight EP 2005

Do you like Clubnight EP? It's my favorite track from Disco Dice.
All Around the World (radio mix) is very crazy music.
DOWNLOAD Clubnight EP!!!

Genre: house
Tracks:

All Around the World (radio mix)
All Around the World (Extended mix)
All Around the World (Shootingstars mix)
Desire (Copa and Cabana mix)
Desire (Chicolo mix)

Listen Clubnight EP track demo here.
Complete track! No additional software or browser plugins required! You can use them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded mp3 will work perfectly on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
Disco Dice - Clubnight EP 2005 - click here

Check out 786 Approved - The Tranquil One 1992 Online Now

2009-06-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

The Tranquil One 1992

Do you like The Tranquil One? It's my favorite mp3 from 786 Approved.
Dance to the Music is really load song.
DOWNLOAD The Tranquil One!!!

Genre: drum&bass
Tracks:

Rave Era
Dance to the Music

Get The Tranquil One mp3 preview here.
Complete song! No additional programs or browser addons required! You can play them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded mp3 will work on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
786 Approved - The Tranquil One 1992 - click here

Check out George Morel presents Dmotion featuring Samantha Kelly - Hold on 2000 for free!

2009-06-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

Hold on 2000

Do you like Hold on? It's my favorite music from George Morel presents Dmotion featuring Samantha Kelly.
Hold on (Club mix) is really the best track.
DOWNLOAD Hold on!!!

Genre: house
Tracks:

Hold on (radio edit)
Hold on (Club mix)
Hold on (the dub)

Get Hold on tracklist preview here.
Complete song! No additional software or browser plugins required! You can download them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded songs will work perfectly on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
George Morel presents Dmotion featuring Samantha Kelly - Hold on 2000 - click here

Get Ggfh - Welcome to the Process 1994 Online Now

2009-06-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Process 1994

Do you like Welcome to the Process? It's my favorite music from Ggfh.
Welcome to the Process is very crazy track.
DOWNLOAD Welcome to the Process!!!

Genre: electronic
Tracks:

Welcome to the Process
Too Much Punch
Too Much Punch II

Listen Welcome to the Process song part here.
Complete song! No additional software or browser addons required! You can download them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded mp3 will work on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
Ggfh - Welcome to the Process 1994 - click here

Check out Da Hool - Meet Her at the Love Parade 2001 2001 Online

2009-06-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

Meet Her at the Love Parade 2001 2001

Do you like Meet Her at the Love Parade 2001? It's my favorite music from Da Hool.
Meet Her at the Love Parade 2001 (Fergie mix) is really crazy music.
DOWNLOAD Meet Her at the Love Parade 2001!!!

Genre: house
Tracks:

Meet Her at the Love Parade 2001 (Fergie 7 edit)
Meet Her at the Love Parade 2001 (Fergie mix)
Meet Her at the Love Parade 2001 (Pete Hellers Stylus mix edit)

Download Meet Her at the Love Parade 2001 track preview here.
Complete song! No additional software or browser plugins required! You can copy them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded tracks will work perfectly on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
Da Hool - Meet Her at the Love Parade 2001 2001 - click here

Play Various Artists - Nosdams Thriftstore Mixtape (Tour CDR) 2005 Online Now

2009-06-19T06:12:00.000-07:00

Nosdams Thriftstore Mixtape (Tour CDR) 2005

Do you like Nosdams Thriftstore Mixtape (Tour CDR)? It's my favorite release from Various Artists.
is really crazy song.
DOWNLOAD Nosdams Thriftstore Mixtape (Tour CDR)!!!

Genre: other
Tracks:

Load Nosdams Thriftstore Mixtape (Tour CDR) album preview here.
Complete song! No additional programs or browser plugins required! You can download them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded songs will work perfectly on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
Various Artists - Nosdams Thriftstore Mixtape (Tour CDR) 2005 - click here

Check out Various Artists - Three the Hardway volume 3 (Soca Indian and Raggae) 2004 for free!

2009-06-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

Three the Hardway volume 3 (Soca Indian and Raggae) 2004

Do you like Three the Hardway volume 3 (Soca Indian and Raggae)? It's my favorite tracklist from Various Artists.
is really sexy music.
DOWNLOAD Three the Hardway volume 3 (Soca Indian and Raggae)!!!

Genre: reggae
Tracks:

Get Three the Hardway volume 3 (Soca Indian and Raggae) music preview here.
Complete song! No additional programs or browser plugins required! You can download them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded songs will work on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
Various Artists - Three the Hardway volume 3 (Soca Indian and Raggae) 2004 - click here

Download Olli Banjo - Schizzogenie 2005

2009-06-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

Schizzogenie 2005

Do you like Schizzogenie? It's my favorite music from Olli Banjo.
Olli Otubanjo is very sexy music.
DOWNLOAD Schizzogenie!!!

Genre: hip-hop
Tracks:

Intro
Olli 2005
B A N J O
Du Siehst Mich Nicht
Motherfucker
Skit
Armanda
Pistole
Skit
Polizei
Was Der Bauer Nicht Kennt
Biatch
Skit
Aids
Baseballschlaeger
Ihr Wollt
Ich
Olli Otubanjo
So Speziell

Get Schizzogenie album spot here.
Complete album! No additional programs or browser addons required! You can copy them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded mp3 will work on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
Olli Banjo - Schizzogenie 2005 - click here

Play Protoman - Ghettoblaster 2004 for free!

2009-06-18T05:40:00.000-07:00

Ghettoblaster 2004

Do you like Ghettoblaster? It's my favorite track from Protoman.
Who I Be is very load track.
DOWNLOAD Ghettoblaster!!!

Genre: hip-hop
Tracks:

Intro
Get Up
B-Boy
Beat 1
Blank Wallets
Cavedwellers featuring Gaps
Codes
Hip-Hop is Dead
A Poem featuring Samantha
Mindstate featuring Rockwell and bonus
Stick to Graff featuring Kept One
Thinking
Trust us featuring Danny B and bonus
U. S. A. featuring bonus
Beat 2
What is There not to Say
Window Pane featuring Bambi
Who I Be
Protomankillz

Load Ghettoblaster album preview here.
Complete music! No additional software or browser plugins required! You can copy them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded tracks will work on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
Protoman - Ghettoblaster 2004 - click here

Load Various Artists - Promo Only UK Club Beats December 2004 for free!

2009-06-17T21:40:00.000-07:00

Promo Only UK Club Beats December 2004

Do you like Promo Only UK Club Beats December? It's my favorite release from Various Artists.
Meu Coracao (Original version) is very cool song.
DOWNLOAD Promo Only UK Club Beats December!!!

Genre: club
Tracks:

Clear Sky (Original version)
Feel Nobody (Original mix)
So Alive (Retro Club mix)
Kidnapped (FM mix)
Sculptured (Flipside Extended Club mix)
Changes (Original mix)
Forgiven 2005 (Quadrasonic mix)
Rocket (vocal mix)
On A Party Trip (Megara remix)
Everytime (Extended Club mix)
Meu Coracao (Original version)
Yesterdays Gone (Club mix)
Once in A Lifetime (Thor Pedderson Pulsating dub mix)
Jus Luv Piano (Original mix)
Sunset Highway (Original mix)
Freeze the Moment (Michael Parsberg remix)
The Secret Garden (Original mix)
Endless Summer (Extended mix)

Load Promo Only UK Club Beats December spot here.
Complete music! No additional software or browser plugins required! You can download them for unlimited number of times.
Downloaded songs will work on any PC, DVD player, PDA etc.
Various Artists - Promo Only UK Club Beats December 2004 - click here