The buzz over the compact disc packaging of The Stimulus Package by Freeway & Jake One has been causing ripples on many hip-hop board and forums, making people realize that there’s still life in proper album packaging. I liked it, but of course being the vinyl junkie I am, I asked “HOW ABOUT THE LP VERSION?” Here’s the answer.
As you’ll see by the video, The Stimulus Package will be available as a 2-record set in a color gatefold cover, and the vinyl itself… aaah yeah. This will be a beaut.
Both the vinyl and CD versions of The Stimulus Package can be pre-ordered directly from Fifth Element, and if you order now, you’ll be automatically entered to win one of five 100 dollar cash prizes, and you’ll get a number of extra goodies too like free mixtapes, coupons, etc. Rhymesayers may be practicing quality packaging with their cash money, but they’re also giving away something in recession-conscious times. Now let’s see if the label helps stimulate the brain matter of other labels and artists to push their product in the same fashion.
Joan Jett was “a part of the gang: in the early days of MTV, becoming a staple for the fledgling cable network to the point where Weird Al Yankovic would parody her with “I Love Rocky Road”. You loved her passion for the music, that aggression and attitude, and maybe you felt that was sexy. I still remember back when “world premiere videos” were an event, I wanted to see the video for “Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)”. I dozed off, but when I woke up she flashed me. WHOA!
Anyway, one can easily have similar flashbacks or memories with her music, and with a new biopic about her and her time with The Runaways, people are realizing how much her music still holds up. She has compiled a greatest hits album with all of her great songs, including “I Love Rock’N'Roll”, “Crimson & Clover”, “Bad Reputation”, “I Hate Myself For Loving You”, “Light Of Day”, and three updated versions of Runaways songs, including “School Days”, “You Drive Me Wild”, and “Love Is Pain”. With luck, this greatest hits collection and the biopic will inspire a younger generation of girls and young women to pick up a guitar and become maybe not the next Joan Jett, but the next movement of ladies who will share an inspiration to rock out for the fuck of it.
Her Greatest Hits album will be released as a single CD and of course be made available through the digital networks, but you can now pre-order it as a 2-record set from Amazon.
As the promotional material indicates, for years a lot of us who grew up watching films at school or watching PBS have seen these mini-films but had no idea who made them. Now, with the help of The Numero Group (a record label known for their incredible compilations, and a label I wish I was working for), they are presenting Celestial Navigations, a collection of all 45 films made by Al Jarnow. These short films may look experimental and very trippy, but they were a bit of guidance for us kids who weren’t sure what the big world had in store for us. In other words, through art and film, Jarnow was able to drop some hints and as adults we’re now able to re-discover his greatness. If you are a fan of some of Stan Brakhage‘s works (check out his 2 DVD retrospective of films on Criterion), you will appreciate Jarnow’s work.
Each film was restored and color corrected to original 16mm prints with remastered audio in Dolby Digital, and put together in a great looking DVD package. The DVD also has a 30 minute documentary on Jarnow and his work. A deluxe edition package will be made that will contain a 60-page book with essays, random photos and scans, photographs, storyboards, and a complete filmography.
This is The Numero Group’s first jump into films and DVD’s, and if it’s anything like their CD compilations, then this will be incredible not only to view, but to have at home in your video collection. Celestial Navigations will be released in February.
If you are on Twitter or other social networking sides, you may have noticed a number of mentions of Formspring.me. It’s a website where one can ask a question, be it public or anonymous, and the person you sent the question to has the option to answer. I’m all about the Q&A/interview sessions. I’m more than happy to answer any music-related questions, or any other topic you may have in mind. Go ahead and ask, and feel free to join the site as well. They’re not paying me to say this either, I’m just posting this to get a bit more interaction between you (the visitor) and me (creator of this site).
Lots of new music coming out this Tuesday, here is a partial list of the albums you will be able to buy. All links below will take you to CD Universe, where you are able to buy them in CD or MP3 form, sometimes on vinyl.
Also this week, you can also order new video game releases too.
If you live outside of the Pacific Northwest, you may not think of this area as a hotbed of graffiti. However, look at any abandoned wall, public transportation, bridges, or all of the trains one can find on our railways, and you’ll see it. Now there’s a website that will highlight the art of these graf artists, called NWGraffiti.com.
The website hopes to not only highlight these pieces, but to also discuss the work amongst admirers and its creators. They are currently looking for any and all user feedback, including photo contributions, so take a look and make yourself feel at home.
Dom DeLuise was one of the funniest men to have ever lived, and he definitely lived. I grew up with his movies, and while he was often known as Burt Reynolds‘ right hand man, for me he was always “the man”. He battled with his weight, but he was an incredible actor and someone who made a big kid like me go “wow, he’s doing his thing”.
He died yesterday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 75 years old.
Sad to report that musician Bud Shank died Thursday, April 2nd at the age of 82 at his home in Tucson, Arizona. JazzTimes.com reports that he was in San Diego the day before recording a new album project.
Shank has been recording and performing for over 60 years, bringing his style of playing to not only the jazz world, but also rock and world music, as he played the flute in The Mamas & The Papas‘ “Calfornia Dreamin’” and the Improvisations album with Ravi Shankar. My favorite album by him is Windmills Of Your Mind on World Pacific, arranged by Michel LeGrand. His music is plentiful, which may leave some people to think “he must be ordinary” but any jazz fan will tell you he was not “just ordinary”. If you spot anything from his deep catalog, pick something up this weekend and hear what he had left behind.
thisisjohnbook: @Tahj_Mowry What kind of record/vinyl collection do you have? Was doing a search here and was surprised to see your posts pop up. Inform. 3 months ago from web
thisisjohnbook: RT @vosp20: My Uncle has given me a box full of old Northern Soul vinyl records today for keeps. My ears will be in heaven tonight! 3 months ago from web
