My New Job

For those of you who are curious about my life after the ILC disaster, here is the official press release.

PHANTASM IMPORTS EXPANDS TO SIGN AMERICAN RECORD LABELS

San Clemente, CA – Phantasm Imports is proud to announce that it will begin to
distribute small American independent record labels in addition to its unique import
catalogue. The first group of labels signed to Phantasm include Dr. Strange, Gern
Blandsten, Gravity, Hawthorne St., Little Black Cloud, Magic Bullet, and New Red
Archives.

Although Phantasm has only been in business for three years, the company has already
had an impressive impact on retail, distributing over 150,000 titles from their state of
the art warehouse in San Clemente. Until this point, Phantasm specialized in providing

imports in every musical genre from all major companies abroad; with the addition of the
domestic division, the company is set to conquer new corners of the musical market.

Longtime industry veteran Tracy Wilson has been brought on-board to head the
new distribution division, and with her brings over 15 years of record industry sales
experience at companies such as Caroline, Fontana and ILC. Says Wilson about joining
forces with Phantasm, “I am thrilled to work with such an expansive import catalog and
have the opportunity to marry that wealth of diversity to our now exclusive American
label roster. I may be a music industry veteran but I am still very much a music fan
at heart. I get to work with labels and bands I deeply respect (Rorschach, This Will
Destroy You, Government Issue, The Rapture, Life & Times, Social Unrest, Runhild
Gammelsaeter to name a few) no less alongside incredibly passionate and experienced
people who love music as much as I do. I’m home.”

Phantasm’s success and subsequent expansion in the current economic climate is no
coincidence. The company employs a wealth of talent and expertise with employees
combined having over 100 years of experience in the music business, and each an expert
in their specific field. Says owner Alistair Richards, “We have been looking for more
items to complement our import catalog, and are very excited at carrying these labels.
We will be actively looking for new labels as we seek to expand our offering. We believe
we are in a good place to make these labels work especially with the addition of Tracy
Wilson to our team.”

For all media inquiries on Phantasm please contact Talia@prawr.com. To request a
catalogue for distribution please contact Tracy@phantasmimports.com

So there it is in a nutshell. Not only am I employed again but I am doing the thing I love most. YAY!

August 25th, 2011 : Cause & Effect : PIAS Label Love

News stories come and go. In the modern day news cycle a tragic event is highlighted but then it is quickly pushed out to make room for the next big event. The UK riots and the PIAS warehouse fire was big news but as the world turns we quickly forget and the media coverage moves on to the next and then the next and the next again.

However the PIAS story isn't over. The record labels, artists, record stores, and distribution channels who relied on PIAS to sell records to or for them are still screwed. While PIAS has found a new warehouse space very quickly and moving forward they expect to have things be business as usual - this does not erase the fact that over 150 record labels stored product in this warehouse that was torched . These were not just UK labels, there were labels from around the world, big as well as small, and the ripple effects of this loss from this desruction is massive. The last total I heard of items lost in the fire was 3.5 million. THREE POINT FIVE MILLION records, CDs, and DVDs. One label group alone, Beggars Group, lost 750,000 units.

I know many people not closely tied to music have wondered why this fire is a big deal no less to Americans (because lets face it, many Americans don't seem to care about anything if it doesn't directly affect them) but the connection is this. Many U.S. labels send their releases to warehouse distribution centers over seas, in this case UK, to get their product to stores in that part of the world. The US rarely direct ships to stores on the other side of the Atlantic. They use a middle man like PIAS to get their music to Europe and beyond. Some American labels also license a release to a label over seas so for example a band you might know to be on a large US label here, comes out via a different label various parts of the country. And what labels you might ask? Some of the biggest American "indies" out there: Matador, Sub Pop, and 4AD to name just a few.

We are all interconnected and a tragedy in our small creative community that still cares about physical product has massive ripple effects. This isn't just a blow to England, this is truly a global issue that we have yet to see the true fallout from. Tonight from 7PM to 9PM on WRIR I will not be talking about the politics that led to the riots but rather the outcome of label discographies literally going up in smoke. Sure big labels will be able to recover a bit easier because they have more product spread out in different places around the world but small labels don't. These smaller labels don't necessarily have the money to repress more records because there is no telling what insurance will cover. Repressing costs thousands of dollars per title so some records may go out of print forever, making already limited records nearly scarce in the physical sense. Some labels have lost so much music in the fire that they may fold all together because these are already tough times for labels putting out physical product. As I have mentioned, the ripple effects are on going. And what affects a label trickles down to the bands who now have fewer or no records to sell to fans.

Everything you hear on my show tonight are labels and bands who were affected by this fire and represent a mere fraction of the total loss suffered. If you like something your hear tonight I urge you to buy the song or record in any form you can find. If there was time to support the music you love, it would be NOW. I will be posting links to every label I play tonight on WRIR.ORG.

I will record the show tonight and offer a link to it here later.

Coolest Kids Toy Ever?

Check out his auction for a rare Tomy Voice-Corder. Released in 1972.

It is a complicated and pricey toy allowed kids to record one-off dub plates on colorful plastic-covered cards which could be sent to friends and family as 33 RPM audio postcards.

 Read more about it here.

Give it up for the ladies.

...the Norwegian ladies who make up the band Razika.







No embed link but worth listening to.

Thank You Mr. Brodsky

Doing a radio show for a small community station can be a weird thing.

If you do a show like mine you spend weeks preparing for it and then you lay it all out for the world via the airwaves and in this abstract form where you are alone in the studio, maybe just maybe some people are listening as it happens. Maybe a few people make the effort to download the show later and listen to it but truly, you never know if what you are doing is reaching anyone no less in a truly meaningful way. I do the show because I am record nerd who likes to understand and hear how a band uses their influences and am endlessly surprised at how so many wildly different genres can share the same canvas.

Anyhow, so the shows come and go and the playlists live in my iTunes until my computer crashes and the playlists and blog posts about them hang out in cyberspace for people to look at, occasionally comment on, and so the pattern goes.

Imagine my surprise when a photo was emailed to me of a DVD looking box that had been decorated to celebrate one of my shows and in it was a copy of the show itself. I would like to thank Mr. Brodsky, Stephen from Cave In's father, for creating such a thoughtful thing to celebrate the show I did on his son's band. It was an honor to do to the show for the band and just as big of an honor to have a parent appreciate the radio show I did for them. Thank you Mr. Brodsky for being one of the coolest Dad's ever. And you have a pretty darn talented son there too.

August 11th, 2011 : Cause & Effect : Music in Skate Videos

Tune in from 7PM to 9PM tonight to hear my special guest Kenny Close (RVA local / DIY musicologist / long time skater ) play us two hours of music from skate videos in the '80s + '90s as well as school us on the intrinsic relationship between music and skate videos. You can stream the show live on the WRIR website or locals can listen in at 97.3 FM on your dial. I will let Kenny take over the post from here and offer a little more insight about what to expect from the show tonight.

Set list from the show is here .
Download the full show here.
********************


Tonight we will go on a journey through two decades of music and skate films. The show will begin with the origins of songs placed in early skate videos. Our trip will flow chronologically through the '80s into the late '90s and touch on what was happening at the time in the skateboarding industry and how certain songs where picked.





The songs have been collected from personal memories, recommendations, and opinions from various skaters up and down the east coast. While most of us are now into our 30s and 40s, we fondly remember how these songs impacted our musical tastes growing up and introduced us to new artists and genres of music.





Have you ever wondered why it was so hard to track down songs from the early Powell Peralta videos? Why on earth did we jump from punk to hip hop? How could a little skate company afford to pay music licensing fees for an Aerosmith song? Tune into the show tonight to find out!

They Don't Make Lyrics Like This Any More

Del the Funky Homosapien's "Burnt" circa 1991. And to think I can't remember my phone number. How does one person have this many lyrics to one song and recall them with precision. Remarkable.

Mista, twista, get ya
every single time when I rhyme like I know so I flow
with tha gifted tounge, an encriptic rung
new phases to enter the mazes-play this
two times a day with the dayo
day, hey, hey ho with a day light come
I plum forgot what a wack rhyme was
because I buzz like a bee in the ears of my peers so
they know and I know we all know day hey yo-
day light come and me wanna go home-
cool
no tool, no Smith and Wesson
just an oppisite so I can pop a bit of
shit on the mic when I get on the mic
"pee-pee--pee-ping!"
I ricochet a bit on the mic
and I like it-
Just like the Gulf or World War II
d-e-l will say and straight slay anyone who
makes advances when I make um heel
peel off the anwsers when i'm drilling in your skull like a beaver
binito-but I ain't finished
till I like to flip side rhymes cause the rhythm gets deminished.
Casual
I would if I could but I ain't cause I'm dank
time for me to lay down the law: who's raw?
you saw the blues and the shoes of the writer
stronger than a siskel and your like a side bar
artery-
try to win the lottery before you try to slaughter me
because I'm not the g
to be stepped to
let loose negative bones
that my rep crew I let loose negative tones
so you better get flows to counter act what we've done
proceed more stunts cause I'm hard like a street, son
we go and step back as I wreck shop
pronounced to break necks of those who won't stop
artist-the one who does better they ain't found
and if someone else tries to step: I knock that ass down
the bigger the batter the bigger the fatter is
whenever you figure this nigga is gettin his
be real and don't kill my walk with your next thought
and answer that your boss-
cause that's when you lost
keep on losing, amusing many tactics
I came to earn more green than Saint Patrick
and I make backs if you get caught frontin'
never bought a Newport but I'm on the button.
Tajai
I needs no sugar crisp to get swift
so what with two sylabols-it's just the positive
Tajai
I steals Souls that try to steal my laddin
coming to your brain like I would on a sheet
I respond with no distraction when I see one
fatter than re-run so what's happennin'?
it's not where you from, it's just how you come
correct my stacks will get rough to bake
get phucked enough to my men like idie midie
look in the membrane enough because I am a righty
fight these-
you'll catch follies if you folly
I make shanks to stick fakes I'm dank and you're quaint
wack shit puritian surround like ineffectual
I get um-blunt style like the heart of homosexuals.
not for sex when you cross the intersection you're damaged
get bruised knuckles and what you look for
bad ones
busted a few much more than two
a slew of sold ass phonies,
bust their cohonies
try,
you'll catch my Vans in your highnee
that's if my bankrupt slips though I doubt
how do you want to convert me in time
but I seize more than those candies-nothing gets by me
so play them tracks-
and you'll go out like beta max
next to Tajai cause I kicks the greater stacks.
Opio
Be deep boom-
bob your head to this, mischievous
soul socidle,
idle chatter never slips off the lips of this writter
might not be the greater innovater of the mind scheme
but my style is like the visine: it gets your eyes opening.
this raggedy andy gets dandy like a lion in the meadow
while the teapot blows steam like a kettle
the hip to the hop
I make up flip when I get drastic
stepping with their moods but their flows are pornographic
and man with the vocal making the locals go insane
the regal rhyming speech substan-nance for the brain
get frisky with the phrases like you praises like a deity
the one with liberated souls
-control for infinity
got style much slimma-kids' got a body child
Hieroglyphics gonna flip the rhythm for the meanwhile
articulate my lingo as I linger in my medium of speech
and I could keep poppin cause I'm trying to teach
a smidgen of religion to the fraudulant
listen, pay attention I'm the master of this convention
kick the wigidy while ye style be stutering
just like smiley
skipping singles down your satur-dreams to bad it seems you try me
and I can make it play down into extreme conscienceness
plus your wondering extinguish all them myths
optimistic, stylistic, mysticness I'm swift like murcury
nursing me
I show I've got the gift.
A-Plus
People call me Snupe: that's because I'm living fat
People call me nasty: that's because I eat the cat
and I swing a bat to knuckle heads, leaving devils dead
never said
never cause I cock my head
better dreadlock on the top of my head,
never flakky
if this was a peel then Bodasa couldn't shake me
or bake me
cause Betty Crocker's oven isn't hot enough
if you wanna spread the skins
then I got alot of stuff
got it? tough-got enough-gotta lick it twice
why step? here's a fly rep
I kept my step ladder
I had a fatter flow to be hittin on
now it's just a smidgen like a pidgeon I be shittin' on
sittin on a futon...
slip the larger roots on
I'm the type of brotha that ya have to keep ya boots on
opps-
I'm sorry cause I didn't mean to dis you
I could hook a hoe and make um blow like I was tissue
mary had a little lamb, Adam got a lot of doe
looking in my garden,
schylar got a lotta hoes
Yo-I didn't mean hoes, yo I meant women
If she got the pooh, I got the trunks: let's go swimming
dip dip dive as I'm live
moving in on the top of my jock you don't stop
here a pimp there a pimp everywhere a pimp pimp
this A-plus grades the quiz-so there it is.

Little Roy Does It Again.

No really, another Nirvana cover, no less done darn well. I give you "Come As You Are".



And here are the stats from the Youtube page:

Taken from the album 'BATTLE FOR SEATTLE' - http://bit.ly/nsl6CX
Limited edition 7'' single released on September 12th 2011
Website - www.battleforseattle.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/kHUsRi

Reggae legend LITTLE ROY releases his album of NIRVANA tracks on September 5th through Ark Recordings. More info here - www.battleforseattle.com/biography/

Green Day Keeps It Real

...and guarantees to create an utter mob scene.


"Secret live GREEN DAY show! Thursday August 11th, doors at 8PM at The Tiki Bar 1700 Placentia, Costa Mesa, CA. Tickets $20 cash at the door. All proceeds donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. NO PRESALE, STRICT NO CAMERA, NO CELL PHONE POLICY. 21 yrs and over. Be ready to dance!"

My awesome co-worker sent this photo over this morning. I love seeing a band who has come so far from the DIY roots do something like this - no less for charity.

August 4th, 2011 : Cause & Effect : Spiritualized

Tonight from 7PM to 9PM on Cause & Effect JJ has created an impressive 2 hour playlist that celebrates the music of Spiritualized, his influences, peers, and followers. You can stream the show live at WRIR or tune in the old fashioned way on your radio in Richmond, VA at 97.3FM on your dial.

Waste Landscape

I was wondering what to do with all those unwanted old promotional CDs in my storage space......

A project by Elise Morin and Clémence Eliard

"WasteLandscape" is a 500 square meters artificial undulating landscape covered by an armor of 65 000 unsold or collected CDs, which have been sorted and hand-sewn. It is well known that CDs are condemned to gradually disappear from our daily life, and to later participate in the construction of immense open-air, floating or buried toxic waste reception centers.Made of petroleum, this reflecting slick of CDs forms a still sea of metallic dunes: the art work's monumental scale reveals the precious aspect of a small daily object. The project joins a global, innovative and committed approach, from its means of production until the end of its "life"."WasteLandscape" will be displayed in locations coherent with the stakes of the project: art role in society, raising consciousness to environmental problems through culture, alternative mode of production and valuation of district associative work and professional rehabilitation. Over the course of multiple exhibitions, "WasteLandscape" will go through quite a few transformations before being entirely recycled into polycarbonate. The roaming will allow both artists to pursue new awareness-raising activities.

"The installation has been developped by Elise Morin and Clémence Eliard in collaboration with the 104"
"The building has been refurbished by atelier Novembre: Marc Iseppi & Jacques pajot"

Late to the Bachelorette Party

This S/T record came out mid May on Drag City yet I somehow missed it. I am a bit embarrassed to admit I came across a review of the record when Googling news on Trish Keenan, the singer of Broadcast who passed away in January of this year (what can I say, I still think of her often).

I 100% agree with any comparisons drawn between Bachelorette and Broadcast plus as the extra nerd bonus, there is a Bjork song that shares the name Bachelorette title as well. I am reminded of Ladytron too, another positive in my book. This is a win all around for a gal like me who likes, no LOVE, all of these artists.

Cool French Sh*t : Jocy

" High Fidelity with a Northern Accent."

"Over the last five years an independent record shop has closed in the UK every three days.

SOUND IT OUT is a documentary portrait of the very last surviving vinyl record shop in Teesside, North East England.

A cultural haven in one of the most deprived areas in the UK, SOUND IT OUT documents a place that is thriving against the odds. Directed by Jeanie Finlay who grew up three miles from the shop.

A distinctive, funny and intimate film about men, obsession and the irreplaceable role music plays in our lives."

I Love Beat Happening Too!

Only I can't sing like Calvin like BUT this guy can. Wow does Woollen Kits sound like BH ! ! !PS who needs a bass player? Double guitar attack!