M Is FOR MASHUP - Dec 10th, 2008
Bhangra Bootay Be Shakin' It
By DJ Useo
There's certainly a lot of mashups available nowadays. That translates
into a fair amount of mashup compilations too. There's usually a
release a week of fine bootleg material, whether by a solo DJ, or
from a group of like-minded mixers. What this means to the audience
(you) is that you get a constant stream of records in a DJ"s
particular style, or along a theme, like CHRISTMAS. Or else a tribute
style, like the recent Rick Astley, or David Lynch compilations. Into
this atmosphere of competitiveness arrives a release that carves
it's own niche. BHANGRA BOOTAY
is 15 tracks by 13 people, but that's not the most amazing thing about it.
Check it out! BHANGRA BOOTAY enlivens it's mashups with tasty Indian
Bhangra stylings. You get the regular pop goodness of artists like
Snoop Dogg, Madonna, & the Supremes, but you receive them elevated
with the latest Bhangra sounds like Ru-Ba-Ru, Panjabi MC, & Punjabi
By Nature. The fine folk at
www.sound-unsound.com took many months
readying this release. As tracks slowly assembled, more potential
mixers heard the early submissions & the interest grew as it
became clear how appealing the combo of Bhangra & international
pop was proving to be.
From the opening notes of Eamezey's "Blunt Bhangra" & its James Blunt
pairing with Bhangra Knights & Husan, to the last echoes of Bobby
Martini's "F.E.A.R In Lila's Eyes" (Vas vs Kelly Clarkson vs Ian
Brown) the difference is startlingly apparent. The contributors are
so happy with the release, there is already considerable discussion
of a sequel. The project is only a week old so far, yet 2 likeminded
bhangra tracks have already appeared. This speaks volumes
for the potential of the style. People mention to me a lot that
they are waiting for something new in music. Well, this is about as
new as you're going to get, aside from Crance music.
Lots of talented mixers take their knives & tape to already fine
music with the goal of enhancing it into a cool Bhangra
mashup. You get naught but winners here with tracks by
mARKYbOY, MaxwellJump, & DJ Spider. There's plenty of appealing
grooves with the other tracks by Neiltomo, Guv'nor, Oscar TG, The
Reborn Identity, Mattbland, Mr Rusty, & Phil Retrospector. I bet you
expected me to say 'dj useo', well, I will now as I got a track
accepted as well. I took a track from the number one Bhangra album
of that time & dropped lots of Chromeo samples atop it, & now I
can't get the tune out of my head. I don't even care, tho, because
it feels so good.lol
Catch some actual fresh grooves from the Sound-Unsound crew with
BHANGRA BOOTAY. Scope out the fantastic sleeve writings of
Neckice & obtain your demo copy here -
sound-unsound.com/forums/downloads/bhangra-bootay/3/bhangra-bootay-compilations-10/
No mix of the week this week as no new mixes were made. Really, not
even one. I heard of one that IS being mixed, but it's apparently
still a work in progress.
Mashup Tip : Tempo is extremely important when mashing, so never use any track under 140 beats per minute.
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Julia M. Klein: An Elegy for Us (obit-mag.com)
I think of those jobless workers now as I read about the crescendo of buyouts and layoffs in my own profession. Between the accelerating flight of readers and advertisers to the Web and the deepening recession, is the death of ink-on-paper newspapers imminent? Or is it, in Mark Twain's inimitable phrase, greatly exaggerated?
Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar: Lasting Homeowner Help? Try (Financial) Fishing Lessons (huffingtonpost.com)
As a nation, we have lost our financial way. Founded in the principles of thrift, frugality, and hard work, our beloved country has morphed into a giant financial couch potato.
ERIC GIBSON: "Pleading Poverty: Colleges Want Parents to Foot the Bill for Their Largess" (online.wsj.com:80)
We can now add colleges and universities to the list of victims of the financial crisis. The stock-market collapse has badly eroded endowments, forcing schools to suspend capital projects, freeze hiring, rethink need-blind financial-aid policies and cut budgets. The Journal reported this week that Harvard University's giant-killer endowment, which stood at $36.9 billion as of June 30, has lost 22% of its value in the months since and that the university's administration is planning for a 30% decline for the fiscal year ending next June.
Robert Roy Britt: Is Einstein the Last Great Genius?
Major breakthroughs in science have historically been the province of individuals, not institutes. Galileo and Copernicus, Edison and Einstein, toiling away in lonely labs or pondering the cosmos in private studies. But in recent decades - especially since the Soviet success in launching the Sputnik satellite in 1957 - the trend has been to create massive institutions that foster more collaboration and garner big chunks of funding.
Tom Jacobs: Attacking Alzheimer's with Red Wine and Marijuana (Miller-McCune.com; Posted on alternet.org)
Two new studies point to a wonderful way to ward off Alzheimer's disease and other forms of age-related memory loss.
"The Selected Essays of Gore Vidal" by Gore Vidal: A review by Jonathan Raban
In his essay about the top ten best-sellers on the New York Times fiction list of January 7, 1973, Gore Vidal gave a characteristically withering notice ("Tolstoi hangs over the work like a mushroom cloud") to Solzhenitsyn's August 1914. He finished with the remark, "I fear that the best one can say of Solzhenitsyn is gore vidal (a Russian phrase meaning 'he has seen grief')." I'd always taken this as a joke -- rather a below-par joke by Vidal's standards -- until I checked it out with my Russian housecleaner.
"Mark Twain, Unsanctified Newspaper Reporter," by James E. Caron: A Review by Brian Burnes (McClatchy Newspapers)
Even in 1860s Nevada Territory, newspaper readers had expectations and didn't always appreciate being trifled with. That's something young Sam Clemens learned the hard way, and it's the principal story told in Mark Twain: Unsanctified Newspaper Reporter, by James E. Caron, an English professor at the University of Hawaii.
IAIN ELLIS: Rebels Wit Attitude: Talking Heads (popmatters.com)
In this excerpt from PopMatters' new book "Rebels Wit Attitude," Ellis looks at the Talking Heads' art school intellectualism, pop melodies, funk rhythms, and abstract humor that made them outsiders.
Rene Rodriguez: Making 'Marley & Me' with director David Frankel (McClatchy Newspapers)
When filmmaker David Frankel showed a rough cut of his film "The Devil Wears Prada" to his boss, Fox 2000 Pictures president Elizabeth Gabler, she was so pleased that she handed him a copy of another best-selling book to adapt into a movie: "Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog."
Rick Bentley: Timothy Hutton heads up cast of thriller 'Leverage' (McClatchy Newspapers)
Timothy Hutton has starred in two television shows that were quirky in design, a favorite of critics and lasted less than a year. In 2001, it was "A Nero Wolfe Mystery." Then in 2006, he came back to television for the short-lived "Kidnapped." Maybe the third time will be a charm.
David Bruce: Wise Up! Good Deeds (athensnews.com)
The great 19th-century actor Sir Henry Irving hired a number of old people who needed money to survive but who were incapable of doing much work. In doing this, he was careful not to take their pride away. He told one aged actor to whom he was paying a salary much more abundant than was justified by any acting the old man did, "Now, my boy, what I want you to do is very important - humph! - very important. This is a critical moment in the play. You come on - come right on; you see what is happening; you say (to yourself, of course) 'My God!' You see? My God! And then - ah - you go slowly off. Š Most important."
David Bruce: "William Sleator's 'Oddballs': A Discussion Guide" (lulu.com)
Free Download.
Hubert's Poetry Corner
Please Don't Take My Daddy's Job at Christmas
All I want for Christmas is for HIM to just go away!
The Weekly Poll
New Question
The Obama 'So far' Edition
Are you satisfied with the cabinet picks and policy statements that our President-elect has made to date?
A.) Yes! They are all spot on!
B.) Kinda, sorta... I like__________, but am not entirely happy about__________..
C.) No! I am not a happy camper and here's why__________...
Send your response, and a (short) reason why, to BadToTheBoneBob ( BCEpoll 'at' aol.com )
4 prizes in all - 3 first-prizes:
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Hope to have tomorrow's page up around noon (pst) or a bit earlier.
Friday's page should be up before 9am (pst).
And, Saturday's page should be up around 3am (pst), putting us back on the regular schedule. Whew.
Group Letter
Climate Change
Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu led a group of singers, writers, actors and campaigners in urging rich nations Tuesday to lead the way in tackling global warming to protect the world's poor.
In a letter to The Times, 19 signatories including broadcaster David Attenborough, actress Scarlett Johansson and singer Annie Lennox said developed nations must "show leadership" at UN climate talks in Poznan, Poland this week.
It notes the effects of global warming are hitting the poor the hardest, citing the damage wrought by more intense and frequent monsoons in Bangladesh, and the difficulties that changing weather patterns pose to Ugandan farmers.
The other signatories are: Janina Ochojska, Gael Garcia Bernal, Ian McEwan, Kristin Davis, Rahul Bose, Jarvis Cocker, Colin Firth, Angelique Kidjo, Iain Banks, Bill Nighy, Thom Yorke, Missy Higgins, Mark Lynas and Miguel Bose.
Climate Change
Hollywood Walk O'Fame
Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett joked that she was chuffed about the placing of her star on Hollywood's legendary Walk of Fame.
"Location, location, location!" the Aussie star excitedly joked with crowds. "I thought I'd be outside the men's urinals like five miles from here but I'm outside the Egyptian Theatre which is incredible to me."
The actress is the 2,376th person to receive a star. Crowds of fans turned out to watch the special ceremony, alongside the actress' family and film buddies like Steven Spielberg.
The actress laughed: "They've even spelled my name right, thank you."
Cate Blanchett
Form Of Protest
'Call In Gay' Day
Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress. Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" - scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants - also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.
Sean Hetherington, a West Hollywood comedian and personal trainer, dreamed up the idea with his boyfriend, Aaron Hartzler, after reading online that a few angry gay-rights activists were calling for a daylong strike to protest California voters' passage last month of Proposition 8, which reversed this year's state Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage.
The couple thought it would be more effective and less divisive if people were asked to perform community service instead of staying home with their wallets shut. Dozens of nonprofit agencies, from the National Women's Law Center in Washington to a Methodist church in Fresno collecting food for the homeless, have posted opportunities for volunteers on the couple's Web site.
"We are all for a boycott if that is what brings about a sense of community for people," said Hetherington, 30, who plans to spend Wednesday volunteering at an inner-city school. "You can take away from the economy and give back in other ways."
'Call In Gay' Day
Wins Libel Case
Mark Lester
Former child actor Mark Lester - famous for his title role in the film Oliver - accepted substantial libel damages over allegations that he assaulted his ex-wife and allowed his three-year-old son to sleep in the same bedroom as Michael Jackson.
His solicitor-advocate David Price told Mr Justice Eady in the High Court in London that the claim arose from an article about the break-up of Mr Lester's marriage which was published in the Daily Mail in March.
Mr Price said: "This article suggested that the claimant had violently assaulted his ex-wife several times during their relationship and allowed his three-year-old son to sleep in the same bedroom as Michael Jackson.
The lawyer said Mr Lester, an osteopath who runs his own clinic based in Cheltenham, was "deeply hurt and upset by the article which was extremely damaging to his reputation both personally and professionally and which also caused immense distress to his children".
Mark Lester
Fallon's House Band
The Roots
Cult hip-hop band the Roots will serve as the house band on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," which premieres March 2 on NBC. Fallon, who is filling the slot to be vacated by Conan O'Brien, made the announcement Monday on the show's newly launched Web site.
Fallon is taking over "Late Night" for Conan O'Brien, who is in turn taking over "The Tonight Show" from Jay Leno.
The Roots will get in a handful of live dates before taping begins on the show, including December 30 in Atlantic City, N.J., and a four-date run in Japan in mid-January.
The Roots
Deny Plagiarism Accusation
Coldplay
British rock band Coldplay on Tuesday denied virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani's accusation that it ripped off one of his instrumentals, saying any similarities were "entirely coincidental.
Satriani filed a copyright infringement suit in Los Angeles last Thursday, claiming Coldplay's hit single "Viva La Vida" incorporates "substantial original portions" of his 2004 song "If I Could Fly."
The 52-year-old guitarist is seeking a jury trial, damages and "any and all profits" attributable to the alleged copyright infringement.
But Coldplay, whose soaring atmospheric tunes have been unfavorably compared to those of Irish rock band U2, brushed off the allegations.
Coldplay
Wins Suit
Tyler Perry
A woman who accused actor-screenwriter Tyler Perry of stealing material from her play for his movie "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" lost her federal lawsuit against the entertainer on Tuesday.
Jurors in the East Texas town of Marshall found Donna West did not present evidence that supported her claim of copyright infringement.
In the lawsuit filed in May 2007, West argued that Perry lifted material her "Fantasy of a Black Woman." The play was performed three times in 1991 in Dallas and West contended Perry could have gained access to the script in 1998 when he presented his plays at the Dallas Black Academy of Arts and Letters.
Perry, who testified during the trial, insisted that his screenplay is an original work. His work on the film gained him several awards and nominations.
Tyler Perry
Loses Appeal
Sen. Larry "Wide Stance" Craig
Idaho Sen. Larry "Wide Stance" Craig has lost his latest attempt to withdraw his guilty plea in the Minneapolis airport men's room sex sting that effectively ended his Senate career.
A three-judge panel of the Minnesota Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected the Republican's bid to toss out his disorderly conduct conviction.
In its 10-page opinion, the appeals panel said that Craig failed to show that Hennepin County District Judge Charles Porter abused his discretion by denying his petition to withdraw his plea. Porter had said the plea was "accurate, voluntary and intelligent, and ... supported by the evidence."
Tuesday's opinion also said Craig failed to show that the state's disorderly conduct law was unconstitutionally overbroad.
Sen. Larry "Wide Stance" Craig
Obamas Need A Pitbull
Jamie Foxx
As the quest for the first dog continues, Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx thinks he's come up with the perfect solution for the President-elect and his family.
"(I'm) trying to pick out Barack Obama's Christmas puppy right now, so we're working hard on that," he joked. "I think I'm going to get him a pitbull, we just got to keep it street."
Foxx made the comments after performing at the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting in New York last week.
"I'm just celebrating Barack Obama (and) celebrating the new president," he said.
Jamie Foxx
Prime-Time Nielsens
Ratings
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Dec. 1-7. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.
1. (7) "The Mentalist," CBS, 18.74 million viewers.
2. (3) "NCIS," CBS, 18.52 million viewers.
3. (1) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 17.48 million viewers.
4. (16) "The OT," Fox, 16.22 million viewers.
5. (5) "Desperate Housewives," ABC, 16.09 million viewers.
6. (7) "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 15.28 million viewers.
7. (9) "60 Minutes," CBS, 13.79 million viewers.
8. (11) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 13.63 million viewers.
9. (5) NFL Football: Washington at Baltimore, NBC, 13.29 million viewers.
10. (X) "Barbara Walters Presents the 10 Most Fascinating People of '08," ABC, 13.19 million viewers.
11. (14) "Survivor: Gabon," CBS, 12.73 million viewers.
12. (15) "House," Fox, 12.52 million viewers.
13. (17) "Without a Trace," CBS, 12.32 million viewers.
14. (X) "Hallmark Hall Of Fame: Front of the Class," CBS, 11.88 million viewers.
15. (X) "Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer," CBS, 11.82 million viewers.
16. (X) "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," ABC, 11.41 million viewers.
17. (43) "Law and Order," NBC, 11.31 million viewers.
18. (12) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 11.16 million viewers.
19. (X) "Shrek The Halls," ABC, 11.14 million viewers.
20. (19) "Eleventh Hour," CBS, 10.86 million viewers.
Ratings
In Memory
Robert Prosky
Robert Prosky, a character actor with hundreds of credits on stage and screen including "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Hill Street Blues," has died in a Washington hospital. He was 77.
Prosky appeared in more than 200 plays on Broadway and with Arena Stage, a regional theater company in Washington. He appeared in 38 films and numerous television shows.
A native of Philadelphia, Prosky studied economics at Temple University and served in the U.S. Air Force.
On Broadway, Prosky's credits included "Glengarry Glen Ross" and "A View from the Bridge." He also completed a long run in Michael Frayn's play "Democracy."
More recently, Prosky appeared with two of his sons in Arthur Miller's play, "The Price," in Philadelphia. He planned to continue in a San Diego production of "The Price" this winter, Stefan Prosky said.
In the 1980s, Prosky spent three years on the NBC television series "Hill Street Blues" as a police sergeant. He later appeared as a priest on trial for murder in ABC's legal drama, "The Practice."
Prosky is survived by his wife, Ida Prosky, and three sons, Stefan Prosky of Washington, John Prosky of North Hollywood, Calif., and Andrew Prosky of New York. Funeral arrangements were incomplete.
Instead of flowers, the family is asking for donations to The Actors Fund or for people to "just go see a play," Stefan Prosky said.
Robert Prosky
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