Dance Floors Of Futures Past

The great Steve Miller once said, "Time keeps on slipping, into the future."

It's true, One instant we experience something, the next instant the experience is in the past. No matter how fresh and new an experience is to you at some time in your life, it will be old news.

Which got me thinking about music. Some music sounds futuristic. When we listen to a group like Daft Punk, it seems like we are listening to music from a world that doesn't exist yet, if it ever will exist. Our music today may sound like some of the futuristic music of the past.

This mix is a selection of songs that I feel fall into that category. Old songs that sound up to date or futuristic. New songs that sound futuristic while at the same time sounding vintage. It's the type of look at music that would make a Doctor Who fan giddy. They would say something like timey-whimey or something like that.

This mix features new music from Daft Punk, and Robin Thicke. Classics from Roberta Flack, and Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. There are some old school underground treats for those in the know and with keen ears. And there are some recent songs that probably haven't gotten the attention they deserve.

Enjoy.

Dance Floors Of Futures Past
The Rapture - Never Die Again
Glass Candy - Miss Broadway
Kraak & Smaak feat Ben Westbeech - Squeeze Me (Original Mix)
Mayer Hawthorne - Designer Drug
Jazzanova feat Ben Westbeech - I Can See
Roberta Flack feat. Donny Hathaway - Don't Make Me Wait Too Long (LP Version)
Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye - My Mistake (Was To Love You)
Edwin Birdsong - Cola Bottle Baby
Daft Punk feat Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky
Monkeyrobot - Ybmj
Michael Boothman feat Charmaine Ford - What You Won't Do For Love
Robin Thicke feat Pharrell and T.I. - Blurred Lines
The Strokes - Welcome To Japan
Karen Young - Hot Shot
Breakbot feat Ruckazoid - Fantasy
Black Science Orchestra - New Jersey Deep
Major Lazer - Pon De Floor
Taana Gardner - Work That Body

Commander Chris Hadfield - Space Oddity

I started following Commander Chris Hadfield on Twitter shortly after he joined the crew of the International Space station. Being a lifelong lover of outer space since I first saw Star Wars Episode IV during its original run, how could I not? Here's a guy tweeting from outer space! He was sending us tons of pictures of what the Earth looked like from space! How cool was that? My inner nerd was jumping up and down and had a new hero.

This guy became an internet rock-star. He was receiving tweets from William Shatner and Hadfield was answering him back like he was talking to Captain Kirk!

@williamshatner Yes, Standard Orbit, Captain. And we're detecting signs of life on the surface.
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) January 3, 2013

He was then contacted by Leonard Nimoy and George Takei was posting about him on Facebook. Nerds and geeks everywhere withdrew their proposals to Neil Degrasse Tyson and was now down on one knee in front of Commander Hadfield.

I was watching NASA TV one night (See, I told you all! I really am a big nerd.) when they were conducting an interview with Commander Hadfield. They asked him what personal items he brought with him to the space station. Hadfield said he brought his guitar! *Swoon!*

I knew he loved hockey and we had that much in common but now I knew he was a music fan too.

Monday, May 13th, Hadfield returns to Earth. He'll get to see his family for the first time in about 5 months. He'll get to watch the rest of the Stanley Cup playoffs. He'll return to Earth a hero of the space, science, and science fiction loving community!

Going to outer space is now no big deal, not like it used to be anyway. There was a time when families watched every launch. When talking with people in orbit was broadcast on network television. Now, American Idol trumps whatever happens in space. But Chris Hadfield brought sexy back to outer space like he was Justin Timberlake. Now that his mission is over, I'm a little sad that I won't be seeing pictures of Earth anymore but I am glad to have witnessed what he was able to do through the power of the internet. It couldn't get much better. ... At least, that's what I thought.

Today Hadfield released a video. A music video. He covered David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and produced a music video...ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION!!!!

ROCK STAR!!! This guy is a ROCK. STAR.

No one else has ever done this! So here it is people. Enjoy!

The Stepkids - "Suit And Tie" and "Sweet Salvation"

I caught The Stepkids when they passed through Georgia on tour with Mayer Hawthorne. Prior to that I had heard them on Gilles Peterson's "Worldwide" radio show on the BBC. I also had a track from them that came on one of the Label Love compilations I had gotten my hands on.

None of that prepared me for what I experienced when they took the stage. They hit the stage wearing all white with a movie screen behind them. The room went pitch black. As the music started the stage was filled with a psychedelic light show. The music was incredible! Full of harmonies, melodies, and funk. By the

end of their performance, I was sold. I headed out to the lobby to buy the album before the Mayer started up. I only bought the album but they could have sold me on anything they had if they had tried. Instead I convinced Dan to take a picture with me.

I played that album non-stop for about a month. It sounded like what I figured a song written by Bootsy Collins for The Beatles would have sounded like.

More than a year has passed since I saw them live. Almost two years has gone by since their self titled debut album was released in 2011. News from the land of The Stepkids had become pretty sparse. So when I saw a tweet today saying check out The Stepkids covering Justin Timberlake's "Suit And Tie", I got excited!

I got even more excited when I hit play and realized they covered it in the style of swing jazz!



Amazing how covering a song in a Jazz style can class it up a bit, huh? And now you also understand how much fun these guys are!

Well, not to just leave you hanging, I also found out that they recently released a new single and a video for it. Their upcoming album, Troubadour is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2013. The video for "Sweet Salvation" has the crew traveling through space in what was more like the idea of space travel during the 60s and 70s. Pretty fun stuff.



Now, I'm excited about hearing the new album this fall.

Roger

PS: Dan was a really funny guy.

Prince and Apollonia 6 - Manic Monday

I love Prince's music. Well, let me be more specific. I love Prince's music from his 1995 album The Gold Experience, back to his 1978 debut For You. To be honest there were a few albums in the 90s prior to The Gold Experience that I could have done without but I let those slide when I think of Prince's golden era of creating music.

And that's only HIS albums. It doesn't include the countless B-sides that we're only released as the backing cut on a single back when people still bought records. Nor does it include his side projects with other bands (The Time, Apollonia 6, Vanity 6, Madhouse, The Family), or the songs he wrote and/or produced for other artists.

You can get lost in the hunt for song that he wrote and produced for other acts because so often he published the songs or produced under several different pseudonyms. There's Jamie Starr and The Starr Company, Joey Coco, Alexander Nevermind, and Christoper.

One of the most successful songs he has written for another group is the Bangles' 1986 hit "Manic Monday", which gives the writing credit to Christopher. Any die hard Prince fan knows that's a Prince song. It sounds like one of his songs from that era in so many ways. The difference is that it's being sung by a group that had no known connection to Prince other than that one song. The reached the #2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, being held back from #1 by Prince's "Kiss". Critics were mostly impressed by the performance as well as Prince's writing ability, and many compared the song to the stylings of The Mamas & The Papas.

I have always wondered if a Prince sung demo of the song existed. I wanted to hear it. It had to exist, right? Well for years I never ran across it. Then today on Twitter a tweet from The A.V. Club came across my timeline saying, listen to Prince and Apollonia 6's original demo for "Manic Monday".

I was like I had hit triple 7's on a slot machine! Here it was, the demo I have wondered about for years. Prince wrote the song in 1984 and recorded it with Apollonia 6 for their album. However he pulled it from the album before it was released. He didn't feel like it worked.

After listening to it, I understood why.



 
It's a terrible version of the song after hearing the Bangles sing it right for years and years. Let me say, after hearing the beginning of the first verse, I was extremely nervous about how that bridge was going to come across. Be honest, weren't you?

So often when you finally hear Prince sing a song that he had written for someone else it sounds better. Think about "Nothing Compares To You", made famous by Sinead O'Conner, or Tevin Campbell's "Shhh! (Break It Down)" when you finally heard Prince sing both of those songs you instantly knew Prince sang it better and felt like you wish he had just done it in the first place!

This time, there was no satisfaction like that for me. I felt much like I did after I watched the Star Wars prequels. I went my whole life wanting to see the story that I knew existed before the Star Wars Trilogy and once I saw it, I wished it didn't exist because what I had built up in my head was a better version of it.

Well, Prince is still the god of the 80s for me. I won't let this demo tear that down. He had the presence of mind to pull it from the Apollonia project and give it to a group who could do it justice.

Kudos to The Bangles.

Roger

PS: Who knows how long that demo will exist online. Prince is notoriously known for having his music taken down from online, so listen while you can.

The Rolling Stones w/ Tom Waits - Little Red Rooster

I've never seen The Rolling Stones perform live. I wish I could say that I have but to be completely honest I just really learned to appreciate The Stones in about the last 7 years.

Now that's not to say that I hated them. There were the few songs here and there that I thought were cool, but I never really dug into their catalog. As the years went by and my tastes expanded and changed, all the while I kept running across songs that I was like, "Wow! This is The Stones, huh?" Because it's impossible to love music and avoid them. They are everywhere. That's why, and because, they are one of the greatest Rock and Roll bands of all times.

So now if the opportunity for me to see them live arises, I will jump on that chance with the enthusiasm of a drunk girl jumping on a frat boy in salmon colored shorts (And while I'm talking about guys in salmon colored shorts, I just found out that if you see 5 or more guys together in salmon colored pants or shorts, the group is called an "unpleasantry". For example, "I went into a bar earlier today and couldn't get to the bartender because there was an unpleasantry of fellows drinking Miller Lite in the way.")

But back to The Stones...

I would already be as excited as could be just by seeing The Stones live. And while I know hearing the hits is fun, I would be thrilled if they reached back and grabbed a few rarities. So if they went into Little Red Rooster, I would be beside myself. I'd be useless. BUT if TOM WAITS came out on stage and sang along with them I would probably just end up falling out on the floor.

I've never see Tom Waits live either and I am a huge fan of his. About ten years ago I was turned on to him with Nighthawks At The Diner being my first album from him. It's still my favorite. The story telling along with that voice. That's a man's man's voice. If I had to choose a voice other than my own (and believe me I am quite fond of my voice. I sound like a sexy 70's soul song's rap about how we should stay together.) I would happily pick Tom Waits' voice.

So when this video hit the web with the great Tom Waits joining the mighty Rolling Stones on stage to sing a song, I was hooked!



The Stones seemed to be in a comfortable place playing this Howlin' Wolf cover. And while I question if Waits remembers the song very well, he didn't disappoint. He was as strange in his movements as he was powerful with his voice.

Ahhhh...live music. You never know what you're going to get.

Roger

Lauryn Hill - Neurotic Society (Compulsory Mix)

Lauryn Hill has been in the news a lot lately, and not in the way I would prefer for her to be. We learned that Hill plead guilty to not filing taxes from 2005-2007 and had close to a million dollars in income tax debt that needed to be paid off. She was facing jail time when her lawyers asked for time to pay back some of the debt since she had just signed a new deal with Sony.

While that news is terrible, some of us said, "Wait...a new deal with Sony? Does that mean new music?"

It sure did mean new music!! I woke up this morning to find a link on Twitter to a new song from Ms. Hill titled Neurotic Society (Compulsory Mix). After waiting years for some new music from her, this happened incredibly fast. One day we're hearing that she's in some legal trouble and it seemed like the next we have a new song. Incredible!



I really like this. So often you see artists get away from making music and when you hear something new it seems like an imitation of their former selves, or contrived, or trying to hard to be new.

Lauryn Hill jumps all over a drum heavy, electronic beat, and we suddenly remember how good of an MC she was. It's like she never missed a step in the rap game.

And she didn't let us down by putting out a cheap love song or a fluff piece. You will never be able to say she "sold out" with this song. She makes some strong commentary on the state of society. I've long missed rap music that makes you think.

Welcome back Lauryn Hill. I hate that it took the law to put a fire under your butt, but it looks like that did the trick. Maybe the urgency gives just the right edge to this song.

Roger

Daft Punk Action Figures Exist. Why Don't I Have Any?

 David Bowie announces a new album and music lovers go crazy. What could possibly trump talk about the new Bowie album? Daft Punk announces their first album in 8 years and Bowie is left alone looking around with his hands in the air saying, “What happened?”

Random Access Memories has created a circus in the world of music media. The talk of the new album has been non-stop. There have been rumors flying, the official release of a single, well timed leaks, and most recently, a select group of music writers were invited to hear the new album. I've heard reviews that said the new album was everything from “Total bonkers” to “bold and daring” to “a touch frustrating”.

Well, what we do know for sure is that the first single, “Get Lucky” featuring Pharrrell Williams is an absolute winner and is already being hailed as the song of the summer.

The video above is in true Daft Punk fashion. If you stare at it long enough, you are treated to a brief moment where the silhouetted figures begin to groove when the break down of the song drops in.

We also know for sure that the new album will be released on May 21st and it features Pharrell Williams from N.E.R.D., Nile Rodgers from Chic, famous Disco producer Giorgio Moroder, Julian Casablancas from The Strokes, and Paul Williams. … Wait, what?

Yeah, Paul Williams.

Hey, you think of Paul Williams how you want to. I think of him as the special guest on The Muppet Show.

Now, I don't want to speculate on the album. I don't know what to expect since everyone's opinion is different, I can't go off of what those lucky few who heard it think. I doubt there will be an early leak of the album since it has been reported that the lone copy of it is kept under lock and key. Plus I wouldn't spoil the excitement by listening to a bootleg anyway. Excitement like this over the release of an album rarely happens anymore with the digital age upon us.

I will say, I am probably most excited about the song with Giorgio Moroder. He was such a brilliant producer in the 70s, using the brand new electronic sounds of that era to create songs the likes of which had never been heard before. What happens when you team up the master of the past with the masters of today?

Yeah, Moroder produced that song. It was a huge hit for Donna Summer and imagine what that had to sound like when people heard it for the first time in the 70s. This is probably the most important collaboration to happen to electronic music.

You know what, I'm not going to get myself worked up over this. I'm not even here to talk with you all about the album anyway. I really wanted to talk with you all about Daft Punk action figures.

When I heard about the release of the new album, for some reason I started thinking about how cool Daft Punk action figures would be. I loved Star Wars and G.I. Joe toys when I was growing up and I still have to swing through the toy department anytime I am out shopping. I will even buy something if I think it is cool enough.

A couple of Daft Punk action figures on my mantle would be straight swag. Well at least for me. Maybe I'd be the only one impressed by that but hell, they'd be in MY house so I'm the most important person to impress.

Bandai's new figures

I searched and found out that Japanese toy maker Bandai is making some 15cm figures to coincide with the release of Random Access Memories. They are decked out in black leather to look like they are from the Human After All era of Daft Punk. They will most likely be reasonably priced in the $40-$70 dollar range.

What, you think that's kinda high priced for a toy? Well check this out.

$600, people!

Remember seeing Daft Punk in the most recent Tron movie? (For the record that was the only part of that movie worth seeing. Don't get me started on how I paid $30 for two people to go see it in 3-D.) Well action figures were made to look like they did in the movie. You can find them for about $600 for the set or about $200 a piece . These rare figures were made by Real Action Hero and stand about 12” tall. I nearly choked when I ran across them.

Kubrick

How about these Daft Punk Tron Kubrick figures? Similar to Lego figures, a pack with both figures will run you roughly $140 at Amazon !

How about this. Trendy Japanese toy maker Medicom has made Daft Punk figures for their famous line of Bearbrick toys. They haven't been released yet but Amazon has them

Medicom Bearbrick

listed at almost $400 a piece . A PIECE!!!

Now folks, I ain't got no money. I write a music blog and that don't pay me a dime. I can't afford these toys. I don't even know anyone who can afford them AND would enjoy having them. So I am really pulling for Bandai to release their figures at a reasonable price. I would be all over those.

And for anyone who has been wondering what to buy me as a gift, see the above figures.

Roger

Funk Not Only Moves, It Removes

This mix gave me fits. I did take after take after take. I originally had it opening up with the Original Chic Mix of Diana Ross's "I'm Coming Out" but after hearing that song 20 times, I was getting frustrated and mad and took it out of the playlist. Because even though the Chic Mix is better than the version we always hear, it's still "I'm Coming Out".

After I did that I made it through the mix from beginning to end for the first time and from what I could tell, it sounded great! I went to save it and the computer I use to record crashed in the middle of the save. I fought every urge to break something and went to bed.

I recorded it again the next day and this is the result of that recording. There are some incredible covers, remixes, re-edits and whatnot in this mix. John Morales's new release, The M+M Mixes, is represented by two songs in this mix, The Blackbyrds' "Rock Creek Park (M+M Retouch)" and Loose Joints' "Is It All Over My Face".

The two amazing covers are Mayer Hawthorne teaming up with Detroit guitar god, Dennis Coffy to cover Parliment's "All Your Goodies Are Gone". This song was just all types of Michigan amazing. Then there's Salome De Bahia's "Outro Lugar" which is a Brazilian Portuguese version of Stevie Wonder's "Another Star".

 In the re-edit department we And Daniel's edit of Bunny Mack's "Let Me Love You", and I get a little re-edit action. I heard DJ Nutritious play a re-edit of The Rolling Stones' 12" version of "Miss You". I LOVED it! It was so simple but it made you look at the song differently. So I completely imitated it. I hope he doesn't mind.

In P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up), Parliament tells us, "If you got faults, defects or shortcomings you know, like arthritis, rheumatism or migraines.
Whatever part of your body it is, I want you to lay it on your radio.
Let the vibes flow through, funk not only moves, it can remove, dig?"

It is well known that there are healing properties in music. Some good dancing funk like this always makes me feel better. There is a fine line between funk and disco. Pulling that Diana Ross song made this a funk mix. But it's still close to the boarder line. Not that there is anything wrong with some good disco. It's just that all of the best disco was actually funk.

Oh and I worked a Grateful Dead song into the set in hopes that my friend Rhiannon will finally listen to one of my mixes.

Enjoy! Tell me what you think.

The Grateful Dead - Shakedown Street
Dennis Coffy feat Mayer Hawthorne - All Your Goodies Are Gone
War - Me And Baby Brother
Funkadelic - Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On
The Blackbyrds - Rock Creek Park (M+M Retouch)
Roy Ayers - Running Away (12" Version)
Loose Joints - Is It All Over My Face (M+M Mix)
Third World - Now That We Found Love
Talking Heads - Girlfriend Is Better
Barry White - Your Sweetness Is My Weakness
The Rolling Stones - Miss You (Roger Riddle's 12" Imitation Nutritious Re-Edit)
The Originals - Down To Love Town
Bunny Mack - Let Me Love You (Andy Daniell Edit)
Salome De Bahia - Outro Lugar

The Heavy feat 50 Cent - How You Like Me Now (NFL Draft Remix)

Along with being an all out, spend my last dime, music lover, I am also an avid fan of sports. I don't play any, but I love to watch them. So much so that I tuned into the NFL draft to see who my favorite team, the Detroit Lions, was going to pick.

Now, this year's draft was unusual. The #1 pick was a guy previously unknown even to the most die hard of college football followers because he came from Central Michigan University, a school not really thought of as a sports school. Heck, the school is not really thought of at all unless you go there. I grew up in Michigan and that school never crossed my mind unless one of my friends said they were going to go there.

There were quite a few other things that happened in this draft that made the first round really weird. The first three picks were all offensive tackles. Now that's not really unheard of, but it is rare. However, there was only one quarterback picked and no running backs were picked. I even saw back to back players with heart conditions get picked!

However, what I thought was the strangest part of all in this NFL draft, was the opening musical number. They featured a remix of The Heavy's “How You Like Me Now” that featured a verse by 50 Cent. First and foremost, I was shocked because I liked 50 Cent in this song, when I'm usually not a “Fiddy” fan.

Another thing that I couldn't stop thinking about was how incredibly long the legs on this song are. This song was released in 2009. Since then it has been featured in movies (The Fighter, Horrible Bosses), TV shows (Entourage, Community, White Collar), video games ( MLB 10 The Show, Borderlands 2), numerous commercials, and the list goes on and on it seems. It was even heard playing in the background at the McCormick Place Convention Center when it was announced that the projections showed that President Obama won Ohio. This song seems like it is never going to go away.

For as much time as “How You Like Me Know” gets, you would think you would know a little bit more about the band, The Heavy.

Name another song from them. I dare you.

If you could name another song from them, you are a rarity. Most people don't even know who sings the song.

The Heavy hail from Bath, England. They released their first album, Great Vengeance And Furious Fire, in 2007. In 2008 they were mentioned in Rolling Stone magazine's May “Hot List”, and played SXSW. Then, in 2009 they released, The House That Dirt Built, which featured “How You Like Me Know”. Last year, 2012, they released a third album, The Glorious Dead. Most of us missed all of this but “How You Like Me Now”.

However, I must say this song was made to win. They masterfully recreate the sounds to sample Dyke And The Blazers “Let A Woman Be A Woman, Let A Man Be A Man”.

The opening line to the song is a head nod to one of the deepest grooves James Brown ever performed, “There Was A Time”.

And the chorus gives it up for old school 80s Hip-Hop artists Kool Moe Dee.

Now that is some serious cross marketing. You can tell that The Heavy really and truly love music. Now, will they be able to get out from under the shadow of the monster they created with, “How You Like Me Now” or will they be thought of years from now as one hit wonders?

I personally will continue to check for their music in hopes that there will be something else worth remembering them by.

Roger

Gospel For The Guilty

A friend of mine hit me up and asked me for a mix for his internet radio show. With the name of the show being Gospel For The Guilty, how could I say no?

So DJ Stagger Lee asked me for a Hip-Hop mix. Which threw me for a loop. I looked at my mixes and while yeah I play some hip-hop in my mixes, I had no mix that was more hip-hop than anything else. I was ashamed of myself. So I pulled this one together and I have to admit, it was fun! You'll be hearing more Hip-Hop from me in the near future.

You can hear Stagger Lee's "Gospel For The Guilty" radio show every Thursday night at 8pm on Silent Storm Radio. silentstormradio.com/

Big thanks to DJ Stagger Lee for working this mix into his show. And you should give it a listen. He plays some really cool stuff.

Gospel For The Guilty (Hip-Hop Mix)
Pharcyde - Passing Me By
Black Moon - I Got Cha Opin (Remix)
Camp Lo - Killin Em Softly
dumhi - Alive
Pharoahe Monch - The Light
Nas - One Mic
De La Soul - Itzsoweezee (TenDJiz De La Soulviet Remix)
A Tribe Called Quest - Glamour And Glitz
The Roots - Act Too (Love Of My Life) (Brown Sugar Remix)
Gang Starr - Mass Appeal
Lootpack - Whenimondamic
Kool Keith - What's Up Now feat H-Bomb and Marc Live
Collective Efforts - Civilized Dreams
Jurassic 5 - Jayou
Black Moon - Who Got Da Props

The Art Of Finding Keeping And Losing Love

I tried to tackle this mix once before and I wasn't happy with it but I posted it anyway. Soundcloud took it down. Not because it was as bad as I thought it was but they said it violated some rule of theirs.

So that was a sure sign to me that I needed to go back and rework it.

I'm glad I did. I'm very happy with this one. I guess you can call it "Future Soul" even though there are some classics you may recognize. A couple of them reworked in the mix and edit.

Plenty of new artists that I admire.

I hope you enjoy. Would love to hear your thoughts.




The Art Of Finding Keeping And Losing Love
Hectic Zeniths - Save Me
Jose James - Touch
Kinny - Big Fat Liar
Bilal - West Side Girl
The Foreign Exchange feat YahZarah - If She Breaks Your Heart
Eric Lau feat Rahel - Everytime
Maxwell - Luxury: Cococure
Soundspecies, Ahu - Can We Call It Love
Michael Kiwanuka - Tell Me A Tale
Stevie Wonder - Golden Lady (Scrimshire Re-edit)
Mayer Hawthorne - Maybe So Maybe No
Princess Freesia - Never Gonna Give You Up
Brenda Russell - In The Thick Of It
PPP feat Sa-Ra - Deep Inside (Wajeed Remix)
I, Ced - Wildest Dreams
Steve Spacek - The Hills (Original Mix)
Van Hunt - Her December
Sade - Never As Good As The First Time
Michael Jackson - Can't Help It (Tangoterje Remix)

Kids Just Want To Have Fun

I've gotten to a point in my life where a lot of my friends have kids.

There's only a short period of time where kids listen to your music and think it's interesting. Before you know it, they have you listening to the terrible pop music that's on the radio.

So before it get's to that point. I made this mix. It's full of fun kids songs that your kids will find fun and you will think are cool.

Maybe if you play them cool music, they'll grow up to be kids who like cool music instead of the pop on the radio. I mean, it happened to us, right?

I grew up with a lot of the songs in this mix. School House Rock was a Saturday morning favorite and I jammed out and sung along while learning all types of stuff (and I have to thank my homie Niraj for helping my track down the original versions of the School House Rock songs I used). I recently had a conversation on Twitter with comedian Leighann Lord after hearing one of her podcasts, about how rare it must be to be a fan of Blossom Dearie and hip-hop. I am one of these rarities because of School House Rock.

Sesame Street was so influential on me my mom said she never taught me my ABCs. She said she walked in on me one day singing along to them on Sesame Street. I never missed an episode of The Muppet Show with all their great musical guests!

And Disney...we all have a favorite Disney song and can sing along to more than we'd like to admit!

There's also some cool new stuff out there. I originally got the idea to do a kids mixtape when Maylee Todd released her new album and it had a version of Sesame Street's Pinball Number Song (which was originally performed by Herbie Hancock and The Pointer Sisters). Medeski, Martin, and Wood put out a kids album recently and They Might Be Giants always have fun songs that you and the kids will both have fun listening to.

So I hope you and your little ones have as much fun listening to this as I had making it. May it bring you all many fun moments filled with singing, dancing, and silliness!

Enjoy!

(Thanks to all who made suggestions for inclusions in this mix)

Kids Just Want To Have Fun
Bob Dorough & Friends - School House Rock
Maylee Todd - Pinball Number Count
Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Let's Go Everywhere
Jack Shelton & Terry Morel - Conjunction Juntion
They Might Be Giants - Particle Man
Louis Prima - I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)
Dr. Doofenshmirtz - There's A Platypus Controlling Me
Samuel E. Wright - Under The Sea
Dr. Teeth And The Electric Mayhem - Can You Picture That
Baloo - The Bear Necessities
Medeski, Martin, And Wood - Pirates Don't Take Baths
Robin Williams - Prince Ali
Mike Phirman - Chicken Monkey Duck
Dr. John - Curious George Theme Song
Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five - The Green Grass Grows All Around
Feist - 1,2,3,4 (Sesame Street Version)
They Might Be Giants - Istanbul
The Fraggles - Fraggle Rock Theme
The Muppets - The Muppet Show Theme
Jack Sheldon - I'm Just A Bill
Blossom Dearie - Unpack Your Adjectives
Wee Hairy Beasties - Wee Hairy Beasties
Yo Gabba Gabba - I Like To Dance

Randy Bachman Learns The Secret Of "Hard Day's Night" Opening Chord

From www.cbc.ca

The opening chord of The Beatles' "Hard Day's Night" has mystified guitar players for decades!

How did George Harrison do that?!

There has been so much speculation that small books have been written on the subject. Just search Google for "Hard Day's Night opening chord" and all types of theories come back.

Well, I ran across a post on Openculture.com where Randy Bachman, legendary guitarist for The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive finally puts the debate to rest.

On his CBC radio show, Randy's Vinyl Tap, Bachman tells a story of how he visited Abbey Road Studio and was able to see Pro-Tools analyze each track from the original recording of the song and thus he had the secret of the opening chord!

Want to know what it is? Here's the clip from the show.

Enjoy.
Roger

Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross "My Mistake (Was To Love You)"

From Last.fm

Ever have a song get under your skin so bad that you can't stop playing it, singing it, and hearing it in your head? That's what happened to me today as I was working on my next mix. I wanted to work in Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross's "My Mistake (Was To Love You)" and it's such an infectious song that I couldn't wait for the mix to be finished to share it with you.

The song was released in 1974 on the duet album Diana & Marvin. It was written by Gloria Jones and Pam Sawyer, also known for writing Gladys Knight's hit "If I Were Your Woman".

Enjoy.

Roger

Breaking Free Of The Mold

In my last mix I talked about how playing what was expected of me nearly drove me to quit DJing. Fun though those songs may be, to play them every time I DJ and never play anything new was really hard on me.

I've since learned to play what I want. Well I play what I want within reason. There is still a lot of stuff I wouldn't dare play here in Macon that I love. But I get it out through my mixes. Like this one. It's full of great music but I would never be able to play this set in Macon and see people having a good time. But I must say when I DJed this past weekend I worked the Jill Scott and Michael Jackson remixes from this mix into my set and to my surprise people seemed to enjoy them. Maybe we're getting there in Macon. I won't hold my breath though.

As for this mix, it's full of Soulful House tunes that I've run across recently. Speaking of soulful. After the set I played this weekend I was talking to a couple of my favorite musical artists when some guys walked by and one of them stopped to talk for a bit. One told me he had been listening to my mixes here on Soundcloud and was shocked at the vast variety of stuff I play. Trying to put it in words he said, "You're different. You're just...soulful." It was a great compliment. I've been called way worse.

Back to this mix. Mario Biondi's "This Is What You Are" last heard from me in The Adventures Of Johnny Swank makes an appearance but with a rework from Opolopo. Opolopo is also behind the fantastic remix of Michael Jackson's "Rock With You". The true stand out on this mix is Josh Milan's "Thinking About Your Body" with Louie Vega on the remix. Lots of other goodies in this bag as well. Would love to hear what you think.

Enjoy

Breaking Free Of The Mold
The Foreign Exchange - So What If It Is
Moodymann - Run Away
Jill Scott - Golden (Kaytranada's Life Extended Living Edition)
Sade - Stronger Than Pride (Karizma's K2 Mix)
Mario Biondi & The High Five Quartet - This Is What You Are (Opolopo Remix)
Aloe Blacc - Dance For Life
QB - Yes No Maybe (QB's Hotstrumental)
The Layabouts - As Long As You Believe (BB Boogie Remix)
Audiowhores - Chains
Michael Jackson - Rock With You (Opolopo House Bounce)
Nativeroots, Zano - Taking Over The World (Original Mix)
Rick Wilhite - Drum Pattern And Memories (Moodymann Mix)
Black Coffee feat Soulstar - Rock My World (Julian Gomes Remix)
Josh Milan - Thinking About Your Body (Louie Vega Roots NYC Mix)
Funkineven & Fatima - Phoneline
Dee Dee Bridgewater - Children Go Round (Demissenw) (King Britt FiveSixMix)
Jose James - Spirits Above
Heidi Vogel - Black Narcissus (Emanative Remix)

No One Is Watching

I love the phrase "Dance Like No One Is Watching". I wish they were worlds the whole world lived by. It doesn't make if you can dance or not! If you are having fun, DO IT! And don't worry that people are laughing. Dancing is healthy and good for you.

Well, with that being said, this set nearly caused me to stop DJing. Not this set exactly but different variations of it. Years ago I had played enough 80s and 70s pop that I took a break from DJing for a couple of years. It got to the point that that was all the people in Macon who came to see me wanted to hear. If I played anything else, they wouldn't dance. So I stopped playing.

But I have to admit, this stuff is fun to play and dance to. I've added some other stuff in this mix to keep it moving and make it interesting. I hope you enjoy.



 No One Is Watching
Gary Wright - Love Is Alive
Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See
Grand Master Flash & The Furious 5 - The Message
Ol' Dirty Bastard - Got Your Money (feat. Kelis)
OutKast - Rosa Parks
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Down On The Corner
Dolly Parton - Jolene
Hall & Oates - I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)
Queen - Another One Bites The Dust
INXS - I Need You Tonight
Naked Eyes - Promises Promises
David Bowie - Let's Dance
Diddy - Get Off
The Lovin' Spoonful - Summer In The City
Prince - I Wanna Be Your Lover
Human League - Don't You Want Me Baby
Ram Jam - Black Betty
The Jacksons - Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)
Aretha Franklin - Save Me
J.J. Cale - Mama Don't
K.C. & The Sunshine Band - Boogie Shoes
Justin Timberlake - Love Stoned/I Think She Knows
Deee-lite - Groove Is In The Heart
Daft Punk - Harder Better Faster Stronger
Chaka Khan - I Feel For You
Rolling Stones - Get Off My Cloud
Leonard Cohen - A Girl Like You
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Gary Numan - Cars
Chicago - I'm A Man

The Art Of Finding, Keeping, And Losing Love

This mix didn't translate as well in the finished product as it sounded in my head. My blends were rough and it just seemed to lack something to pull it all together.

However, all the songs represented here are outstanding songs.

My apologies to the artists in this mix. I'll do better next time I play your songs.









The Art Of Finding, Keeping, And Losing Love
Jaco Pastorius - Portrait Of Tracy
Jamiroquai - Everyday
Annette Peacock - Pony
Soulpersona - Ultrasuperlove (Feat. Princess Freesia)
Aretha Franklin - Day Dreaming
Van Hunt - Anything (To Get Your Attention)
The Isley Brothers - Footsteps In The Dark (King Britt Scuba Mix)
Full Crate & Marr - She Was Fly
Common - Come Close
Bobby Caldwell - My Flame
Bilal - Right At The Core
The Five Stairsteps - Danger She's A Stranger
Bilal - West Side Girl
Amy Winehouse - Just Friends
Prince - If I Was Your Girlfriend
Leroy Hutson - Lucky Fellow
Maxwell - Luxury: Cococure
Brenda Russell - In The Thick Of It
PPP feat Sa-Ra - Deep Inside (Waajeed Remix)
I, Ced - Wildest Dreams (Feat. Om'Mas Keith and Suzi Analogue)

Maylee Todd - Baby's Got It (MeLo-X Sweet Baby Jesus Remix)

Awhile back I went crazy over a singer I ran across from Toronto named Maylee Todd. She quickly became my musical crush of the moment.

The first track I heard from her was the Tall Black Guy remix of her song, "Hieroglyphics". Tall Black Guy delivered his trademarked smooth production and I was hypnotized by Ms. Todd's voice. I needed to hear more.

I found my way over to her Bandcamp page where I bought as many tracks as my credit card would allow. I worked her songs into my Earshot podcasts. I was in new artist heaven! Her music was fun, creative, and danceable! I loved it! I even heard my boy Stuckey playing her songs.

So I've been sitting around waiting on her second album Escapology. It becomes available for purchase on April 2nd. Well, today Do Right Music threw us fans a nugget in the way of the MeLo-X remix of the first single from the new album.

Once those drums dropped in, the flames of my musical crush had been fanned and I was on the hunt instantly to download this song and work it into my next mix.

But guess what? It's not available until April 8th! What a tease.

...

Good things come to those who wait?

Better be glad I really like your music Maylee Todd.

Enjoy!

House Call

If you have been listening to my mixes and podcasts for a while now, then you know that I love House Music. Especially Deep House. Deep House is what Detroit DJs played when I was growing up and listening to the radio.

This music is sexy and it's also spiritual and uplifting. It's full of love and at the same time some of the dirtiest music around.

And people dance to this music. I mean they DANCE! People sweat out all of their problems to this music. Sometimes people dance to the point of a spiritual experience, and sometimes they find the hottest body in the room in a dance that is a mating call.

So I was shocked when I found out that Deep House was the newest electronic music trend. That's awesome! This music has been around for 20 years or more and now it's becoming popular? I've never heard of such a thing. It's going to be very interesting to see how a music so old that it may be settled in its ways handles popularity.

As far as this mix? It's a bundle of all I talked about. Some classic. Some new. Some spiritual. Some sexy. To be completely honest this mix is all about the Depeche Mode remix. That song is amazing. But there's lots of goodness in here.

I hope you enjoy.

House Call
Tall Black Guy - Sparkling Adventure
Dezaray Dawn - Over It
Soho - Hot Music
AD Bourke - Rio South
Ben Westbeech - So Good Today (Yoruba Soul Remix)
Trus'Me - Good God
Jungle Brothers - I'll House You
Marshall Jefferson - Move Your Body
DJ Gregory - Block Party
Moodymann - Got 2 Make It
Lil Louis - French Kiss
Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus (MKTL & Polyrythm Bootleg Remix)
DJ Technic - Gabryelle
Simbad - Shine Your Light (feat Paul Randolph)
DJ Asparagus - Ur Daddy Loves U
House Of Gypsies - Sume Sigh Say (MAW Remix)
Frank Ski - Hoes In The House
Jay Dee - Plastic Dreams

Dance Of An Inner City 80s Child

I was born in 75 but I loved the 80s. I was aware of it and old enough to appreciate it. I loved the clothes, the music, the dancing. I had a crush on Lisa Lisa from Cult Jam and if she wouldn't have me, maybe Shelia E would think I was cute. I couldn't wait to get older so I could go to the clubs and hear the music. All I wanted to do was be a B-Boy and break dance. I thought the 80s were going to last forever. I was so disappointed when I got old enough to do all the things I wanted to do and the 90s happened. The music wasn't as lively. The fashion was different I remember being excited when it became cool to wear fat laces in your shoes again. Some things never die.

My inner child who loves the 80s stops by every now and then to see what I am up to. He loves the fact that I am a DJ.

A little while ago a couple of things happened that inspired this mixtape. I was DJing one night when a friend of mine told me that she cried during my set because I played One Way's "Cutie Pie". She said her mother died when she was really young and before she passed on her mom would sing that song to her. It was the best story I have ever been told from DJing. Then I was hanging out with DJ Shawty Slim one day and we heard Rebbie Jackson's "Centipede". That coupled with a few other songs made me want to do an 80s Funky R&B mix. My intent was to make this a half hour mix for a tag team mixtape with Shawty Slim but as I started pulling out songs it got a bit longer than expected.

Well, my 80s inner kid caught wind of what I was doing. He sat in on this session and had a ball. He can't wait to grow up and become a DJ. He loves the mix and I hope you do too.

Dance Of An Inner City 80's Child
Yarbrough & Peoples - Don't Stop The Music
SOS Band - Just Be Good To Me
One Way - Cutie Pie
Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody
The Fatback Band - I Found Lovin'
Nolan Thomas - Yo' Little Brother
Junior - Mama Used To Say
Jermaine Jackson - Let's Get Serious
Pointer Sisters - Automatic
Howard Johnson - So Fine
Denroy Morgan - I'll Do Anything
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - I Wonder If I Take You Home
Change - Paradise
Rebbie Jackson - Centipede
Robert Palmer - I Didn't Mean To Turn You On
Apollonia 6 - Sex Shooter
D-Train - You're The One For Me.

The Adventures Of Johnny Swank

I have a friend named John Mitchell. He loves a smoke, a good drink, good times with his friends, and most of all women. All in all, he's a really good guy. His close friends call him Johnny Swank. Which is funny to me because whenever I hear swanky Jazz music, I think of him. But if you know Johnny Swank, Jazz isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of HIM. So while I was making this swanky Jazz mix. I was thinking, what if this became the sound of this world? What if suddenly Johnny Swank was living a life where this was the soundtrack to his life? What kind of life would that be for him?

Now I don't think Johnny Swank has anything against Jazz. I'm sure he'll probably listen to this mix and enjoy it. But Jazz isn't his first choice when it comes to music selection.

As for me, I love Jazz. This mix came about because I ran across Mario Biondi and The High Five Quintet's "This Is What You Are" earlier in the week. I couldn't stop listening to it and I couldn't stop thinking of all these other great new Jazz songs that I have heard over the years.

Most of the songs in this mix were released in the 21st century. The one exception is Kimiko Kasai and Herbie Hancock's "I Thought It Was You", which was released in 1979.

Hope you enjoy.

The Adventures Of Johnny Swank
Big Bang - Speak Low
Kyoto Jazz Massive - The Brightness Of These Days
Club des Belugas - Frankie
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson - Jealousy
Sachal Vasandani - Please Mr. Ogilvy
Povo - Uam Uam
Kimiko Kasai and Herbie Hancock - I Thought I Was You
Llorca - Indigo Blues
Mario Biondi and The High Five Quintet - This Is What You Are
Metropolitan Jazz Affair - Navarone
Jonathan Jeremiah - See

Quadron - Hey Love

I fell in love with Coco and Robin Hannibal last year. This dynamic couple from Hovedstaden, Denmark gave me one of my favorite albums from 2012. 

Well, at least that's when I ran across it. Their debut self titled album was released in 2010, but hey, better late than never when the music is as good as theirs.

At moments they sound like they stepped straight out of the golden age of Motown, and then there are times where you think Sade could be writing songs for them. Then there are very special moments when you know you are listening to something new an unique.

PEOPLE! These are good things! Coco's beautiful voice and song writing talents show roots planted in some of the best musical soil to be found. And there is the potential to hear so much more.

So when I ran across their new son, "Hey Love" needless to say I got excited. As the beat rolled in, I was intrigued. Coco's voice didn't disappoint. I was happy. I felt like the day was going to be a good day.

I will say it did sound more radio pop than I am used to from them. However, I am a firm believer in the fact that if radio pop was more diverse and played more music like this I would listen to more of it. So if this get Quadron on the radio in the States then so be it, as long as they continue to be creative.

"Hey Love" will be available on iTunes March 5th. Until then I guess we just have to keep hitting play below.

Roger

Return Of The Electronic Soul Molester

Years ago I made a mix called "The Electronic Soul Molester" it was kinda out there for the time and for Macon, Georgia. It was mostly passed around on CD. I don't think there is an electronic version of it out there.

I have always been interested in electronic music, growing up in Detroit with the birth of Techno. And even prior to that hearing groups like Art Of Noise and the music Brian Eno was making. I knew computers had something to do with the sounds I was hearing and I loved computers just as much as I loved music.

So the over the years my love of the Electronic has never faded. From time to time I find that I have collected all this lovely electronic soulful sounds and I compile them. They are too good to keep for my self so I share.

So I present:

Return Of The Electronic Soul Molester
Dego - Interlude
Taylor McFerrin feat. Vincent Parker - Broken Vibes
4Hero feat Jack Davey - Take My Time
Sebastian - Embody (DJ Premier 95 Break Remix)
Miles Bonny x B.Lewis - First Ride
James Pants - Cosmic Rapp
Millie Forte - The Titleless
Sebastian feat Mayer Hawthorne - Love In Motion
Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put A Spell On You (Jeremy Sole's Zombie Stomp Remix)
J Dilla - Love Jones
Max Sedgley - Happy (Make You Happy)
Mos Def - Jam On It (Main Mix)
fatima - On The Go
Man Parrish - Hip-Hop Be-Bop
Flying Lotus - Do The Astral Plane
Sarah White - Seek Elevation
Olivier Daysoul - In The Now
Homeboy Sandman - The Carpenter
Major Lazer - Pon De Floor
Diplo & Oliver Twizt - GO
Sbtrkt feat Sampha - Living Like I Do
Floco Torres - Hot Like The Sun
Alt-J - Fitzpleasure (The Internet Of Odd Future Remix)
Cut Chemist - Adidas To Addis
Freestyle Fellowship - We Are
Little Dragon - Ritual Union (MonkeyRobot Remix)
Sbtrkt feat Yukimi Nagano - Wildfire

The Psychology Of Musical Preferences

Ever wonder what makes you like the songs you like? Ever wonder why when you go crazy over a song and you try to play it for others, they don't respond with anywhere near the enthusiasm you have for it? Do you hear the stuff others listen to and wonder how come their eardrums haven't gone on strike? What do our musical choices say about our personalities?

Hope you all enjoy this one. Let me know what you think.





The Psychology Of Musical Preferences
Charles Bradley feat Menahan Street Band - Heart Of Gold
Slum Village - Players
The Sound Providers feat The Procussions - 5 Minutes
The Roots - Sacrifice
Tears For Fears - Head Over Heels
Serge Gainsbourg - Requiem Pour Un Con
Notorious B.I.G. & K-Def - Big Flavor
Run DMC - Sucker MCs
Citizen Cope - Hurricane Waters
Eric B & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul
Hackney Colliery Band - Africa
Electric Wire Hustle - Again
Gabriele Poso feat Osunlade - You Don't Love Me
Janelle Monae - Wondaland
J*Davey - This One
Tensei - Plazzio's Revenege
Quantic & Alice Russell - Look Around The Corner
My Morning Jacket - Wordless Chorus
Hectic Zeniths - The Loneliest City
Blackalicious - Make You Feel That Way
Bobby Cole - A Perfect Day
Gregory Porter - 1960 What? (Opolopo Kick & Bass Rerub)
Jiva - Stars (Tauriva Remix)


Roger

On The Matter Of Sundays And Relaxation

http://visual.cdavisshannon.com/

It's been awhile since I've done a mix. I apologize. I could tell you all why but that doesn't make up for the fact that I haven't been sharing music. So, all I can really do is say I'm sorry and promise to do better.

This mix started out as a downtempo mix. I don't really know if it achieved that. It's certainly tip toes along the line but I think I got away from truly downtempo songs. However, it does give a very relaxing vibe.

Please forgive the rough spots. My lack of mix making shows a little. As I get back into it regularly I'll clean it up. Other than that, enjoy.

And share your thoughts! I'd love your thoughts on the songs. The whole point of these mixes is so I can talk to people about music.

On The Matter Of Sundays And Relaxation
James Blake - Limit To Your Love
Miles Bonny - J.Birly
Sonnymoon - Magicians (MndsgnSalmonFromImpanemaMX)
Fiona Apple - Sleep To Dream
Darondo - Didn't I
4Hero - Les Fleur
Ira Sullivan - The Kingdom Within You
Lenny Kravitz - It Ain't Over Til It's Over
Lupe Fiasco ft. Jill Scott - Daydreamin'
fatima - Higher
Talib Kweli ft. Norah Jones - Soon The New Day
Seu Jorge - Everybody Loves The Sunshine
Beth Gibbons - Romance
Jessie Ware - What You Won't Do For Love
Sarah White - Reaching Up
A Tribe Called Quest - Jazz (We've Got)
Q-Tip - Getting Up
Maylee Todd - Hieroglyphics (Tall Black Guy Remix)
Chris Turner - Ain't Misbehavin (For You)
Stevie Wonder - Golden Lady (Scrimshire Edit)
Paul Simon - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
Outkast - The Art Of Storytellin' (Part 1)
Quadron - Simili Life
J.A.M. ft. Jose James - Jazzy Joint