Tuesday, October 24, 2006

The Ghastly Ones


How more appropriate for Halloween than the Ghastly Ones? I didn't realize that they had recently put out this new green 45" until I stumbled across their website. I want to make a 7"! OK then I must. Also, check out this theme song for the Spongebob Squarepants Halloween episode.
  • The Ghastly Ones - Spongebob Scaredypants mp3
  • Anyhow, the Ghastly Ones are just swell. Go to their website and buy stuff.The Ghastly Ones!

    Friday, October 20, 2006

    The Selecter - Missing Words

    I love this song. I think the Selecter looked so cool. Thank you Selecter for rocking so hard.



    Didja see the other version of this video? It's called, "A message to you Rudi" by the Specials.

    Kelly and Rachael - living on video



    My friend Kelly from my work is like wicked aewsome.

    Thursday, October 19, 2006

    French Pop Thursday - M. Gainsbourg Revisited

    Last year this tribute album came out and I just discovered it a few weeks ago. You'd think I'd be on top of this, considering... It's a compilation of modern indie/alt artists covering songs by Mr. Serge Gainsbourg, but the twist is, the songs have all been translated into english. The end result is expectedly a mixed bag of good, bad and ugly, but it's definitely worth checking out. The Franz Ferdinand / Jane Birkin song is pretty rocking and Portishead's version is pretty faithful while still sounding like Portishead. Meanwhile, Placebo proceeds to destroy one of Serge's most beautiful songs and there's some unecessary stuff in there.

    Truth be told most of this is pretty unecessary and it's disappointing that a lot of these songs are from his 70's era hits, but if you like Serge, it's interesting to hear the translations. Worth checking out though.

    And if you're not familiar with Serge Gainsbourg, then I implore you to discover this genius for yourself.

    01. Franz Ferdinand & Jane Birkin - A Song for Sorry Angel (Sorry Angel)
    02. Cat Power & Karen Elson - I Love You (Me Either) (Je T'aime Mon Non Plus)
    03. Jarvis Cocker & Kid Loco - I Just Came to Tell You that I'M Going (Je Suis Venu Te Dire Que Je M'en Vais)
    04. Portishead - Requiem for Anna (Un Jour Comme Un Autre - Anna)
    05. Faultline, Brian Molko & Françoise Hardy - Requiem for A Jerk (Requiem Pour Un Con)
    06. Michael Stipe - L'hôtel (L'hôtel Particulier)
    07. Tricky - Au Revoir Emmanuelle (Goddbye Emmanuelle)
    08. Marianne Faithfull & Sly and Robbie - Lola R. for Ever (Lola Rastaquoučre)
    09. Gonzales, Feist & Dani - Boomerang 2005 (Comme Un Boomerang)
    10. Marc Almond & Trash Palace - Boy Toy (I'M the Boy)
    11. Placebo - the Ballad of Melody Nelson (Ballade De Melody Nelson)
    12. The Rakes - Just A Man with A Job (Le Poinçonneur Des Lilas)
    13. The Kills - I Call it Art (La Chanson De Slogan)
    14. Carla Bruni - Those Little Things (Ces Petits Riens)

    Download:
    http://tinyurl.com/j8jlc
    alebo
    http://tinyurl.com/hohwl

    Rancid last night


    I wrote this whole insightful review on last night's Rancid show at the Henry Fonda theatre in Hollywood and I accidentally quit out of safari so I lost it. Anyhow, I don't want to type it again, so to recap.

    - I went with the Bat Commander to Rancid.
    - Our friend Craig bought us delicious su$hi. Thanks Craig.
    - Met Lars (again) and Matt. Nice guys.
    - Saw the (legendary) Adolescents play.
    - Chatted with Tony Hawk (Christian's old pal) and his new wife.
    - Rancid rocked with their new video screen (Thank to the Aquabats)
    - Rancid played acoustic on the encore.
    - Rancid played Operation Ivy's, "Knowledge".
    - I like that I could've sung along to every song because I knew them all...Even if some lyrics are indecipherable. Like, I knew when Tim was going to sing "blooka mooka blingy bungy buh"
    - Got an "Out Comes the Wolves" picture disk autographed by the whole band. Plus some more free schwag for my wife.
    -Yaaay for Rancid!
    - Thanks Christian

    Wednesday, October 18, 2006

    American 2 tone (Almost)


    The Nails are the new wave New York band that brought us, "88 Lines about 44 women" in the early eighties. A song to live forever to on KROQ's flashback lunch. Rewind a few years back and they played the ska. 1980! That predates the Toasters...heck that's the Specials era. Here's the page I found the single on:The Nails
    Download!
  • Transcontinental Ska (NY, Chi, LA) MP3

  • Young and Wild MP3
  • Tuesday, October 17, 2006

    me me me me me


    Ok, so it's been in the works for over a month and you may already know most of this BUT I thought I'd make an offficial announcement that I've made some updates!

    First off, my personal/portfolio site has been totally redisigned... I've tried to put up everything I've ever done that's worth looking at. Let me know if I'm forgetting anything.

    Then you can check out my profile... it has been updated accordingly with a new design, song, photos, layout, etc.

    And finally, I'm always adding new videos to youtube... check out the latest. And be sure to leave comments. :)

    --Tyler

    Skavoovie & The Epitones - Growler


    via:You & Me on a Jamboree!

    Anybody remember Boston's, "Skavoovie & The Epitones"? An amazing bunch of talented high school kids that rose big in the ska boom of the latter 90's. They used to tour in this rad black and white school bus. They weren't ever my favorite but they were very credible in the fact that they were musicians first. Comparable to Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, they were a large ensemble that also were conscious of their stage presence and image.
    This album was their lesser known effort and ultimately their last. Much more diverse than their debut, "Fat Footin". I know that Chris Murray was somehow involved in the production of the album, and contributed the first track "Boyo". Boyo was an old King Apparatus song and is also featured on Chris Murray's "4-Trackaganza".
    Songs that appealed to me was, "Boyo", "The Coffee Connection" and "Zombie Song". But what sticks out to me the most was "Salad Days" this song could singularly signify the end of the what people called the 3rd Wave of ska. The "Ghost Town" for the 90's. This song is meant to tell us that party isn't over and Skavoovie & The Epitones will outlive all of the crappy ska bands out there (for we all know there were so many). "...It's not the end of the salad days...". But what really happened? Skavoovie & The Epitones broke up. It was not only the end of the salad days but the end of the Epitones. By 1999, Ska was tired. "Salad Days" signifies that it was over by simply calling attention to it. Oh the irony.

    Monday, October 16, 2006

    Friday, October 13, 2006

    The Aquabats - 1999 Self Defense Techniques (1 of 2)

    Self defense is important. You never know when someone might call you an idiot, offer you some nuggets or ask you for a dollar.
    I'm sorry, but this Bat Commander dude is an improvisational genius.
    Thanks Pigbat and Bugjuice...wherever you are.

    Thursday, October 12, 2006

    French Pop Thursday: Le Pigbat


    In the same vein as yesterday's Sandflea relic, here comes a snippet of 2001's unreleased smash hit, "Burnt Cream" from Le Pigbat. Unavailable on Horchata Records!

  • Le Pigbat - Burnt Cream
  • French Pop Thursday: Mareva Galanter - Pourquoi pas moi

    Happy French Pop Thursday!

    Mareva Galanter is a French actress and former beauty queen who has competed at Miss Universe.
    Mareva has moved ono to music where she has mixed her version of Ye-Ye with the ukulele, hence the album, "Ukuyeye".

    Wednesday, October 11, 2006

    Ebay find: Magic Chicken Hits!


    I remember making this years ago! Autographed by the Aquabats, The Professor and the Pigbat, this was the Magic Chicken's celebrity playlist CD mix. This cover was supposed to look like a record that you'd find in a 1960's bargain bin. We made 20 and sold them only once at a show in San Diego. It was a silly idea, but we (I mean,"the Magic Chicken") sold them all quickly. Now someone else is trying to cash in on it today. You go, ebay person!


  • The Magic Chicken Hits CD on ebay
  • More Sandfleas: An Important Halloween Message


    Here's a clip of an old Sandfleas tune that has recently resurfaced.
    Have a safe Halloween...
  • The Sandfleas - Smell My Feet clip
  • Tuesday, October 10, 2006

    Back from the dead: The Sandfleas Site

    Parka just sent me this old gem - the Sandfleas website from waaaay back in the day. I decided to mirror it so people can wax nostalgic on their own time. The registration form is the only missing part, but I'm going to see if I can get Void to help me fix it... So take a look, jerk!

    Yo Gabba Gabba - HORRORVERSION?????

    ????????????????????????????



    ....from some kid in Austria....

    Friday, October 06, 2006

    New Song from the Uptones



    Before Rancid, before Skankin' Pickle, before Operation Ivy there were the Uptones. Berkeley legends, they claim to be California's first ska band. You might recall Rancid's cover of "Get Outta My Way!"
    I think they're still pretty great. Here's a new cut from the upcoming album Skankin Fools Unite(?)

  • The Uptones - Bad Men of Bodie


  • What do you think?

    I (julius happy face) my job!



    I work at Paul Frank. It's fun.

    The Go-Go's - Turn To You

    From the 1984 album,"Talk Show", "Turn To You" was a lesser known Go-Go's tune but had the greatest impact on me. I guess it was because I love this video so much. This early 60's high school rock & roll prom video was meant as nostalgic kitsch for the grown-ups of the 80s, but for a young impressionable kid living in a retarded Michael Jackson world of wack, this was utopia. Nothing's cooler than that era. Go figure, "That Thing You Do!" winds up one of my favorite movies of all time. Aside from the fact that the Go-Go's were gorgeous as both men and women, this song rocks! The driving powers chords, the back-up harmonies, the Belinda's growl, everything in this song to me was perfect.

    oh and Rob Lowe...


    Here's the Making of:


    and here's the of:
    TURN TO YOU VIDEO

    Thursday, October 05, 2006

    Skinhead Revolt



    Over at You And Me On A Jamboree they've posted THEE crucial Skinhead Reggae compilation, Skinhead Revolt! Go buy this album! Or...you know....listen to it.

    My favorites "Shu Be Du "by Clancy Eccles and "Barabus" by G.G. All Stars. "The penalty in my court is--lashes!!!"
    Man, I miss you Tyler!

    The Mummies - Uncontrollable Urge

    Via: Mod Mom
    Sorry for all the youtube posts, but garsh! Youtube is a miracle. About 10 years ago, I thought I was bad like Michael Jackson for having a copy of this cover song dubbed on cassette. The legendary Mummies playing Devo. Two great tastes that taste great together. Happy Halloween!

    Wednesday, October 04, 2006

    The Piranhas - Tom Hark

    I pulled this out of the massive, "songs G13 should cover" pile. It's the Piranhas version of the old tune, "Tom Hark". I know of a Millie Small ska version and also a skinhead reggae version by The Dynamites. But what makes this important (other than it charting in the top ten) is it that it later became a footie anthem that is still chanted by British sports fans and hooligans to this day. It has later been repackaged and marketed directly to soccer (I'm sorry, Futbol) fans and even covered by Seagulls Ska and our beloved Bad Manners.

    The Piranhas were a punk band from Britian's briny blue beaches of Brighton. "Tom Hark" entered the charts in 1980; smack dab in the middle of the whole 2-tone craze. I understand that since they were primarily a punk band with no follow up ska song to match, The Piranhas fell into the pigeon hole of "the one-hit wonders" and broke up. Super catchy song though, eh?

    Here they are in all of their glory as #26 on Top of the Pops. I love the drum kit set up in the front and the fishes for drum sticks. Hey! What's with the guitar playing with gloves on! We know you guys are lip synching and you know you guys are lip synching...could you try a little harder and fake it for us better? :D

    This is what I'm all about.

    Azure Ray- New Resolution

    In this video, a scooter gang gives a ride to a couple on their way to the Lillith Fair while they lip sync a song that's reminds me a lot of "All Tomorrows Parties" by The Velvet Underground. Very Odd indeed. Someone's got to know where this scooter club is from!