Under The Covers

I'm working on a new mix tentatively titled: "under the covers with the mennu method."

You can listen to it as one big hairy, but high quality .wma file. I've had problems downloading it with Internet Explorer, but no problems at all doing it with Firefox. Oh yeah, here's the file.

Otherwise you can read the playlist and hum the tunes to yourself...

1. Handle With Care - Jenny Lewis With the Watson Twins (Travelling Wilburys)
2. Lets Go To Bed - Ivy (The Cure)
3. Just Can't Get Enough - Nouvelle Vague (Depeche Mode)
4. Sympathy for the Devil - Bossa N' Stones (The Rolling Stones)
5. Stayin Alive - Ozzy Osbourne (The Bee Gees)
6. Faith - The Boy Least Likely To (George Michael)
7. Lost In The Supermarket - The Afghan Whigs (The Clash)
8. Rusty Cage - Johnny Cash (Soundgarden)
9. Hot for Teacher - Lounge Against The Machine (Van Halen)
10. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Santa Esmeralda (The Animals)
11. Common People - Pulp (William Shatner)
12. Jump Into The Fire - LCD Soundsystem (Harry Nilsson)
13. Paint It Black - U2 (The Rolling Stones)
14. How Soon Is Now? - t.A.T.u. (The Smiths)
15. Pop Life - Life Without Buildings (Prince)
16. Gin and Juice - The Gourds (Snoop Doggy Dog)
17. Boyz N The Hood - Dynamite Hack (N.W.A.)
18. Across the Universe - Rufus Wainwright (The Beatles)
19. Pink Moon - Beck (Nick Drake)
20. Wonderwall - Radiohead (Oasis)
21. Within You Without You - Alan Lorber Orchestra (The Beatles)
22. Private Eyes - Towa Tei (Hall & Oates)
    

Everyone Wants To Be Like Mennu

I need to have a talk with the Japanese Prime Minister. He needs to come up with his own sense of personal style.

Silver Jews - People

On my recent mix, Belmar, I included a track by Silver Jews. It's the oldest song on the mix (1998), but it's gotten a huge response from, well, People. People love this track. Here's a sample of the lyrics:

"I love to see a rainbow from a garden hose
lit up like the blood of a centerfold
I love the city and the city rain,
suburban kids with biblical names.

People ask people to watch their scotch.
People send people up to the moon.
When they return, well there isn't much.
People be careful not to crest too soon. "

You can read the rest of the lyrics here.

They're going to be performing in Tel Aviv on July 10-11. (The shows are sold out!)

Blathering on and on over instant messenger when I was asked a really simple question

T: what's your scene right about now?
mennu: right now right now I'm in my underwear contemplating going downstairs to get my shorts on and go to the quick check to get a cuppa coff, after which I'll return and do some job applications while waiting for a call from TD waterhouse which will then necessitate a trip to Paramus. Once out, of course, I could take a trip out to MetroWest and drop off my grades and graded final exams and talk to sue about next year, but at the moment I'm listening to "Cassettes Won't Listen - Lunch for Breakfast" which is apropo since I haven't had anything to eat today, and I'm also trying to get a rough draft of the coverart for the rough draft of the mix.

Greetings From Belmar, NJ

Click on this picture (or here) to check out my new mix called "Belmar."

The mix is currently going into the later stages of production and should be ready as a CD mix by July 4th weekend. That's right. A mix. On a CD. A CD-flavored CD. Like the kind you put into a CD player.

In the meantime, you can listen to it online as I gather together materials, and decide on the cover art and packaging.

Josh Cheslow: The Mayor of Marshmallows and a Puppety Oddball

Next in my series of ringtones, here's Josh Cheslow with his ringtone. Click on the image (or here) to launch the flash animation.
This best exemplifies what goes on in my mind when The Chezz calls. 

The Gratuitously Long Post Title Which Does Its Best To Emulate The Very Long Song Titles Listed on Wikipedia Under A Similar Heading

Check out this Wikipedia entry for Songs With Particularly Long Song Titles. It loooks like a solid competition between:

1. Sufjan Stevens (4)
2. Of Montreal (3)*
3. The Flaming Lips (2)

My Favorite Titles:

• The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience but You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, I Have Fought the Big Knives and Will Continue to Fight Them until They Are off Our Lands! By Sufjan Stevens (Illinois)
• Regretting What I Said to You When You Called Me At 11:00 On Friday Morning To Tell Me That 1:00 Friday Afternoon You Were Gonna Leave Your Office, Go Downstairs, Hail A Cab, To Go Out To The Airport, To Catch A Plane, To Go Skiing In The Alps For Two Weeks. Not That I Wanted To Go With You; I Wasn't Able To Leave Town, I'm Not A Very Good Skier, I Couldn't Expect You To Pay My Way, But After Going Out With You For Three Years, I Don't Like Surprises. (A Musical Apology) By Christine Lavin (Future Fossils)
• I Got My Heart Broken By A Girl On Myspace®, Tragedies Like This Have Left Me Wondering Where Exactly My Life Is Going and Made Me Consider Spending Less Time By The Computer. By Sever The Head of Potemkin.
• I'm a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old Tank on the Streets of Yokohama with my Honolulu Mama Doin’ Those Beat-o, Beat-o Flat-on-My-Seat-o, Hirohito Blues. By Hoagy Carmichael.
• Multi-Variational Stimuli of Sub-Turgid Foci Covering Cross Evaluative Techniques for Cognitive Analysis of Hypersignificant Graph Peaks Following Those Intersubjective Modules Having Biodegradable Seepage. By Man or Astroman (A Spectrum of Infinite Scale).
  

*Two of them are about Dustin Hoffman in one way or another.

Music at the Push of a Button

I'm working on a big mix for the summer. So I've spent a lot of time sifting through music, and my computer has not been holding up well. The computer regualrly overheats and has no more storage space. It takes the computer about 7 minutes to boot up, which is a pretty long time.

This morning I made a disc to listen to in the car while I go and get my coffee. I decided to shut the computer down, before I left so it would not overheat.

When I got home with my hot coffee, I had a number of very good ideas about what to put on and off the mix. I was excited to make the playlist updates on the computer. I nearly lost my enthusiasm when I thought about how long it would take to boot the computer up. As the computer began its long start-up sequence, I glanced at my clock-radio(pictured), and thought, "music at the push of a button! How novel!" I pushed the on button and was instantaneously able to enjoy mid-day jazz from Newark. The speed of delivery made my head spin.

Two Options:
1 - You could click here and listen to my local jazz station wherever you are.
2 - You could click here and listen to Clock Radio by Action Figure Party. 

Picture in Grayscale

I just downloaded Picasa from Google. It's easy to use: it took a minute to take my picture, make it grayscale and post it here.

Now I need more data storage for more music projects. I'll need a good 500 gigs, at least.

This summer's mix is on the way. Keep the suggestions to yourself and consider the following:

• Jenny Lewis and Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
• Theivery Corporation - Versions
• The Boy Least Likely To - The Best Party Ever
• There's more, but I don't' want to give too much away. Let's just say that there's going to be a lot of covers, some comedy, sound clips, and maybe even something original.
• Wait-n-see....
  
  

The Dude On Hell Day

Click on the picture above to get a page with the dude and his custom ringtone from my phone.
Making this was a complete and utter waste of time.
Just the latest from the Ministry of Silly Things.

Happy Hell Day

Prepare To Face The Consequences

The Consequences catch up with you again Wed night June 7th @Midway, 8:30 PM.

Club Midway (formerly Scenic/Guernica/Save-the-Robots)
25 Ave B
between 2nd & 3rd St.

$5 Cover
Tell the door staff you're there to see "The Consequences".

Goodbye Ironhead

Craig "Ironhead" Heyward died this week. He was a decent football player, and a total mess of a human being. He is probably best remembered for his commercial for Zest bodywash.

When I was in high school, my friends and I would meet for a football game on the Friday after Thanksgiving. We called the game "The Turkey Bowl" and we would play tackle, with no pads. Since it was a pickup game, anyone who was in the park could play if they wanted. I was a little late for Turkey Bowl 1982, and as I arrived, my friends came over and told me, in concerned tones, that Ironhead was playing for the other team.
"Who's Ironhead?"
"His name is Craig Heyward, he's, like, all-state or something at Passaic High."
"Well so what?"
"He's really good."
I was undaunted by my friends warnings and I told them that I would play quarterback if they were too scared. My friends agreed and I took my first snap, keeping an eye on Ironhead who was playing in a linebacker position opposite me. I dropped back to pass, and while looking for an open receiver, I saw Ironhead rush in on a delayed blitz. Right before he would have made contact with me, I pump faked and got out of his way. Ironhead breezed past me and I headed down the field. I was amazed at how easily I eluded him, and was concerned about two defenders converging toward me from opposite sides of the field. I sprinted as fast as I could, trying to thread the needle and get through the two defenders. Before I could reach that point, I was hit from behind by Craig's iron head. Not only did he manage to change directions and catch up with me downfield, he hit me with such force that the lenses popped out of my glasses. Mimicking my favorite football players, I popped up ready for the next play, while trying to mask my pain and the fact that I had the wind knocked out of me.

The strategy for the rest of the game was to keep the ball away from Ironhead.

Last night when I showered in Passaic, I gave a long sigh when I picked up my lather thingie.

Craig Heyward 1966-2006

schadenfreude

schadenfreude: enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others.
Etymology: German, from Schaden damage + Freude joy

Best exemplified by watching Jimmy Kimmel get bitten by a snake.

Bartok the Randomizer as Guru

Here's a great setlist from Bartok. He played it for me when I was having a rough morning. By the time I had arrived at my destination I felt as though I had attained enlightenment. All this bliss was achieved without using any kind of POD, but rather, by using the technology produced by the good folks over at Creative Labs.

Bartok's Enlightenment mix:

1. Gâyatrî Mantra (a prayer of praise that awakens the vital energies and gives liberation) - From the Rig Veda (2500BCE)
2. Israel 70 - Danny Ben Israel - Bullshit 3 ¼ (1970)
3. At Least We Were Together - Moby - 18 (2002)
4. Open the Door of Peace - Critters Buggin - Stampede (2005)
5. Capricorn Dance - The Platina - The Girl With The Flaxen Hair (1976)
6. Kafo Fite - The African Divas - The Rough Guide to Global Dance: World Beat Carnival - All Areas Access (2000)
7. Take Me Inside - Christophe Goze mix, with Afterlife/Dannii Minogue - Buddha-Bar, Vol. 7 (2005)
8. Natural Blues - Moby - Play (1999)
9. Lama Li Politika Achshav - Mashina - Ladies and Gentlemen... (1989)

Bartok the Randomizer

Bartok the Randomizer is truly amazing, but he is not long for this world.

The power recharger cord is frayed; the wires are exposed and don't charge Bartok any longer.

Bartok has been having other troubles. He seems to have lost sound on one side, so the music no longer plays in stereo. In fact, music with a high level of separation, like The Beatles, sounds really bad. You can either hear the lead vocals or the backups vocals, but rarely both. You get the picture.

So although it's a little too early to eulogize my trusty old friend, I will instead post playlists which have exemplified some of Bartok's brilliance. I have spent many mornings driving to work and wondering how Bartok was able to feel my mood and play the best songs for the moment. These are actual playlists, with Bartok set on "random." These mixes are his and not mine:

Mix #1

1. Put A Needle On The Record - Luscious Jackson - Natural Ingredients (1994)
2. Sangue Quente - Guilherme Vergueiro - Brazil Boogie (2002)
3. Bright Nights (feat. Yukimi Nagano) - Koop - Waltz for Koop (2002)
4. Love Cliche - Bran Van 3000 - Discosis (2001)
5. Ramblin Man - The Allman Brothers Band - Brothers and Sisters (1973)
6. Better Days - Lord Flimnap - Point of View (1986)
7. Late In The Evening - Paul Simon - One Trick Pony (1980)
8. If I Like It, I Do It - Jamiroquai - Emergency On Planet Earth (1993)
9. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) - Bruce Springsteen - Live 1975-1985 (1986)
10. Swoon Units - Digable Planets - Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) (1993)

Mix #2

1. Beast Simone - Exit Clov - Starfish - (2003)
2. Bug Powder Dust - Bomb The Bass - The K&D Sessions (1998)
3. Another Brick in the Wall Part II - Pink Floyd - The Wall (1979)
4. Stepchild - Bran Van 3000 - Discosis (2001)
5. Rainmaker - Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die (1970)
6. Magic In The Air - Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour of Bewilderbeast (2000)
7. You Can't Turn Me Away - Sylvia Striplin - AnotherLateNight: Zero 7 (2005)
8. Something's Got To Give - The Beastie Boys - Check Your Head (1992)
9. I Love Every Little Thing About You - Stevie Wonder - Music of My Mind (1972)
10. Trouble - Coldplay - bootleg (2001?)

New Stuff!

• Retro radio blog: July 26, 2002. An encore presentation of the mennu method streaming web station circa '02.
  
• Passover 2006 donation cup. Well, to be honest, the cash would help. They ain't giving out the imported wine for free!
  
• Still have that gig...So why not stop by?
  

Gig Alert

I'll be hosting another night of mennu method music on Sunday, April 2, at 7:00PM-12:00 at the mocca lounge. They have a decent menu, good atmosphere, an impressive variety of cocktails, and some of the best music you'll hear on a Sunday night.

When: Sunday, April 2, 2006 from 7:00PM till around midnight.
Where: Mocca Lounge (corner of Church and Reade Streets)
Cover: None!

Happy St. Patricks Day!

I made a playlist to help all you get ready for St. Pats day, a day when we all feel Irish. To hear the music click here.

I am really hoping that I can make a pre-pre-shabbat scene at Fitzgerald's Harp and Bard in Clifton where my cousins John and Jon will be playing from noon to 6:00.

Yehuda Galantz: Go Daven Already

Hilarious video.