The Rakes’ new album “Ten New Messages” came out today! I’ve been waiting a couple of months for this to finally be released. There’s been a couple of tracks floating around online for a while and I’ve been drooling over them since the first one hit the net. “When Tom Cruise Cries” is one of the best tracks I’ve heard all year. Yes, I know it’s not really a club floor filler or dance track but it just rules. Everything about it works. Buy this album.
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They’re on tour right now in Europe.
19 Mar - Rock City, Nottingham
20 Mar - Vicar Street, Dublin
21 Mar - Barrowlands, Glasgow
22 Mar - Octagon, Sheffield
23 Mar - UEA, Norwich
25 Mar - Ritz, Manchester
26 Mar - Academy, Newcastle
28 Mar - Academy, Birmingham
29 Mar - Academy, Bristol
30 Mar - Guildhall, Southampton
31 Mar - Brixton Academy, London
last night was pretty much amazing. we went to beauty bar in the day and saw mstrkrft.. for free.. drinks.. for free. then went and djed the nylon party with le castle vania, datarock, peter bjorn and john, steve aoki, etc.. and hanson (mm bop) played the after party. not something you see everyday..
tonight we will be djing at the same place with young love and spankrock.
there was a few 100 people there last night. i think tonight will have more people so get there early. free drinks again all night for everyone.
during the day today we will be at beauty bar for the urb party to see tommie sunshine.
Sounds like NPR may be the first to take action against the recent massive increases in the royalties Internet radio stations are obligated to pay to performers of the music they play. The following statement is from National Public Radio’s communication VP Andi Sporkin, and the key sentences outlining action, a petition for reconsideration, are at the end:
“This is a stunning, damaging decision for public radio and its commitment to music discovery and education, which has been part of our tradition for more than half a century. Public radio’s agreements on royalties with all such organizations, including the RIAA, have always taken into account our public service mission and non-profit status. These new rates, at least 20 times more than what stations have paid in the past, treat us as if we were commercial radio – although by its nature, public radio cannot increase revenue from more listeners or more content, the factors that set this new rate. Also, we are being required to pay an internet royalty fee that is vastly more expensive than what we pay for over-the-air use of music, although for a fraction of the over-the-air audience.
“This decision penalizes public radio stations for fulfilling their mandate, it penalizes emerging and non-mainstream musical artists who have always relied on public radio for visibility and ultimately it penalizes the American public, whose local station memberships and taxes will be necessary to cover the millions of dollars that will now be required as payment. On behalf of the public radio system, NPR will pursue all possible action to reverse this decision, which threatens to severely reduce local stations’ public service and limit the reach of the entire music community. NPR will begin on Friday, March 16 by filing a petition for reconsideration with the CRB panel, the first step in this process. We ask that the online royalties be returned to their historic arrangement and that public radio can continue to provide its vital service to music discovery.”
Bang Gang, from Iceland, is the brainchild of the eccentric, twisted deviant wizardry of writer/producer/multi instrumentalist Bardi Johannsson. Hes one of those colourful, magnetic, creative mavericks whos first love is music, but who can and has turned his hand to many medias. Bardi, his sinking eyes and his floating silhouette. The brainy geek glasses on the outlandish features. Its all there: a work addict and a short-circuited madman. A bird-like UFO, directly issued from good old pop music and death metal to get to this the purely orgasmic sky of this soaring record, between the Beach Boys and film soundtracks.
This remix, done by Nik of Shout Out Out Out Out, isn’t much like S.O.O.O.O. or even the new trend of style that most hot remixes are done these days. The fat synth is very hot, don’t get me wrong, and the mix is great, but it just seems a little dated. I love bass synths though. I bet there’s a secret remix that they didn’t release that is in the S.O.O.O.O. style of rocking - but they’re keeping that for themselves… jerks.
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This video isn’t new by far. I think it’s from 2005? I don’t really know. But with that out of the way, it is a pretty nice video. I do not know very much about Eskimo Disco, but I do know that they do a pretty suave cover of ‘The Final Countdown’!
“Eskimo Disco have been together for two years, playing their infectious party music at warehouse parties, clubs and festivals across the UK, including supports with the Arctic Monkeys, Chromeo, Mint Royale, and Jamie Liddell. They have developed their music into a powerful live show that has taken the band throughout the UK and Europe.”
No much of an exciting description, but check them out none the less.
Things to talk about today. Dance Robots, Dance! is playing some parties at SXSW this year! Here are a couple that I know of off the top of my head
& John Bourke from DRD! is opening for IAMX on Friday the 16th @ Old Gallery Lombardi - 910 W. 3rd St.
I got the new Foreign Islands EP “Restart Now!” in the mail the other day. It’s pretty rockin’ - comes complete with remixes from Boys Noize and someone else that is equally as awesome but seeing that I left the CD in my roommate’s car I don’t exactly have the track listening in front of me. Dur. Oh, Filthy Dukes… I remember!
“‘Restart Now!’, which fulfills Ryan’s no-filler mandate with six instantly appealing club-ready new songs and two remixes, was recorded in bits and pieces over the past few months, mostly in the middle of the night when Baltulonis could snag free hours at the studio. Twitchy, glitchy first single ‘We Know You Know It’ - which boasts a razor-riff chorus topped by a blend of harmonies - is about ’some hardcore-type dudes just overstaying their welcome.’ according to Ryan.” This EP comes out March 20th. Get it.
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Something else happened. Earlier this week, the Copyright Royalty Board, the group overseeing statutory licensing for US-based internet radio stations, announced the new royalty rates for streaming radio performance rights. The board rejected the arguments made by webcasters and instead chose to adopt the proposal put forth by industry-backed SoundExchange, a royalty fee collection agency created by the RIAA.
I don’t know what this is going to do to Robotic Radio right now… Hopefully not much. I still don’t understand yet. To find out more about it, check out save-internet-radio.com.
In a lighter note, I heard an upcoming track that is going to blow your ears off. I don’t think that I am allowed to mention names so I’ll just say JB+TA+B(S2)+H=Ears Blowing Off. You will never guess. Oh, and there’s a lot of secret DRD! news that will come to light some day.
If you’re in Oklahoma, don’t forget this sunday, March 11th!
[edit] Oh snap! I forgot to mention - The Secret Handshake EP “Summer of ‘98″ is now out! New songs & Awesome remixes! Go buy it now and support our friends!
Last night I got to see Totally Michael at the Soundpony in Tulsa. Talk about fun times! I picked myself up a totally rad shirt and a CD.
According to his totally sweet website his name is Michael, he likes cashews, he is from Bloomington, IN, he enjoys dancing a lot, and he was cursed with a small penis. Also, he has a wonderful story about balloons which goes like this: “i bought 1000 balloons off of ebay for like 20 bucks. they were all melted and shit when i got them. whenever i ask my friends to help me blow them up they always complain. “these are the worst balloons ever.” my friends say. i tell my friends “i’ll give you something to complain about.” and they back down”
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Oh, and here is a totally cool live video I found on Youtube. It shows what my favorite part of the show was - when he had the room split in to two parts. You could either be a cheerleader or part of the drill team. I think we all know that the drill team kicks ass. I had to move all the way to the other side so that I wouldn’t be a suspected cheerleader.
In other news, MSTRKRFT has teamed up with PUMA and now they have their own shoes. They’re pretty cool. Cool and spikey. See more pictures here. You can also enter a contest to win the shoes. I did, so you really shouldn’t enter… they’re mine. I also really want the TRON shoes (Reebok) when they come out… if they come out.
