I like losing weight. Who doesn’t? But I really don’t want to think about it. Who does? One thing I know about me is I hate measuring food.  It’s not too bad in the morning, somewhat bearable at lunch, but by dinner time, forget it! I don’t want to deal with a measuring cup.

I got this idea while I was dishing up my toddler’s dinner the other night. She has one of those plates that’s sectioned into three parts. You probably have seen them: one compartment is the bottom half of the plate, and the upper two sections are a fourth of the plate each.  I grabbed a salad plate, and used the same theory for my dinner. One-fourth of my plate is for protein, and one-fourth of my plate is for a starch (I want to lose weight, not become a martyr!). I fill the bottom half of my plate with veggies. It’s not exact measurements, but it keeps me in better control at dinner.

That’s what works for me! I hope you’ll pop over to We Are That Family, and check out all the cool tips there.

Face it my friend, you suck. you really do. It’s seriously time for you to check yourself in the mirror and seriously seriously do a serious reflection on what youve been doing and saying. Maybe you can check if theyre in sync too? Here’s an advice, if theyre not in sync, why dont you try to stfu, huh?

*Hey D, cheer up. I wish i can hug you right now and make you feel better buttttt i cant but i ll be seeing you soon ! hang on there , no bitchass’ words can bring you down babeh !

“everyone is so untrue…”

Well, not everyone. There’s another line in this song where Billy muses about introspection: “but when I want sincerity, tell me where else can I turn?” Obviously, Mr. Joel never had a good girlfriend (or three). It’s kind of sad, when you think about it, that some men (or even some women) never have the kind of friendship that’s a hallmark of being a girl. (This is also, I imagine, why there are some people who never appreciated Sex and the City. Sure, it was about male/female relationships, sex, dating…but at the heart of it, it was about the relationships between four women.)

I spent this past weekend with two of my good girlfriends, so it’s not hard to imagine we ran the entire gamut of emotions in the course of our relationship conversations. Emma & I met about a year ago. We grew up in the same small town, went to the same high school, worked for the same company; somehow, though, we never met until I transferred in to UCB (a semester behind her). Now we’re thick as thieves, and we spent the weekend in “enemy territory” to watch the Big Game between Cal & Stanford. (Go Bears!) This was our first sleepover, and true to form, we stayed up late into both nights talking. Though I often see her twice a week for an hour or two at a time, we had much catching up to do. She has a non-boyfriend halfway across the country (who, were he here, wouldn’t be so “non-”) that I wasn’t up to date on. Having been single for more than a year now, I have many tales of my own (current guy stories, and LOTS of the scary ex stories…she hadn’t even heard the famous engagement ring story, which most know is easily my favorite!)

You can’t imagine the things girls talk about, unless you are one. Some guys think they know girl talk, some guys want to know what’s said…the fact of the matter is, I don’t believe any guy will ever really understand it. And don’t get me wrong – I have guy friends I can talk to. For example, I have a guy friend who knows more about me than not just some girlfriends, but some exes. I’m all about sharing with close friends, regardless of their gender – isn’t that the point? But as a reformed mean girl, I definitely appreciate the value of close girlfriends and being able to tell them anything. We analyze/obsess/interpret together. We are (like Stephanie Klein) “straight up and dirty,” and that’s the best part. If you have the kind of relationship that allows you to be your true self with anyone, you should count your blessings. No one does real like girlfriends.

After 48 hours of good food, coffee, music, football & school spirit kept afloat by a nonstop girl-talk marathon, Emma & I were headed home. We were mid-Lush (my fave!) when Dolores called. She’s the kind of friend I feel like I’ve known for decades, rather than just years. We have much in common, and where we differ, we’re each as good at explaining our side of the fence as we are at seeing it from the other’s point of view. We met in an unusual way – we were dating twin brothers – and long after my split (now among the darkest of the ex horror stories I told Emma about), we’ve remained quite close. She’s a long-distance friend, and though it’s only about an hour & a half (one way), it’s tough. With my work/school/homework/social life and her work/kids/boyfriend, finding time to get together is a challenge. She’s been having a tough time with her boyfriend lately, and since I know him quite well, she calls me often about it. She easily forgets her own strength, and calls me to talk her through it. I don’t mind, because she’s been there for me when the shoe was (in a sense) on the other foot, and neither of us is actually drawing strength from the other, but being reminded of what we’re really capable on our own. It’s an unusual bond. When she called Sunday afternoon, it was to say that she was at the end of her rope (she’s just asked her boyfriend to come pick up his stuff and leave his key) and wanted to come spend the night at my place. By the time I made it home, she’d killed nearly an hour at Target waiting on me and was ready for tequila.

A pitcher of margaritas and much shared Mexican food later, we decided on commiserating with Carrie and the girls of Sex and the City. Dolores said she wanted to know what had led to the many breakups of Big and Carrie, so those were the episodes we chose to watch. Brian, her boyfriend, had been texting her all day. Afraid to “engage” him, she’d been determined not to respond. (Besides – his texts were along the lines of “whatcha doin?” Not what a girl who wants her boyfriend to take some action is looking for.) Eventually, though, she caved against her own willpower to respond and tell him she had no interest in being a casual text for him. He does have other girls for that, which is one of their problems. He has no idea what it means to be in an adult relationship, and she’s tired of carrying them (and doesn’t have the desire to teach him). Unfortunately, responding to his text did lead to a full-blown conversation (yes, via text message), just as she’d hoped to avoid. This is a problem for them – she gets to a point where she feels she can’t go on, he promises her the moon and the stars, and she gives in because she loves him and wants for it to work. This has happened a time or two in the past, so she knows it best to avoid letting history repeat itself. She has reached the point where she needs “a little less talk and a lot more action.” Problem is, neither of us is confident that Brian can do more than talk the talk. It’s heartbreaking to watch a friend go through this, because all I can do is be there for her and talk her through it.

At one point in the night, we were both sitting on my bed, texting guys (communication in the technology age…so strange). She and Brian were continuing their frustrating conversational loop while I was texting a…friend. (I hesitated for a second. We’ve established that there’s a “mutual crush,” but currently friend is the correct word.) Of course, this opens the door for possibility in the future, but the problem with choosing to stay single for any length of time is it allows you time and perspective to decide what you will & won’t bend on, where you’ll break. I think I’ve got pretty high standards, and maybe they’re “impossible,” but if they are, then I’ll take my chances alone. I know a lot of girls who stay in relationships far too long because they fear the unknown or being alone. I do not subscribe to these fears. I am perfectly capable of surviving alone. And while it’s true I want to find a relationship that makes me happy, it’s also true I refuse to settle. I wasn’t raised to depend on anyone but me, and that’s both a weakness and a strength. This puts me in an interesting situation – my last breakup (with Brian’s twin, Brad) was brutal, although I managed to get over the heartbreak quickly. It was the first time in a long time I’d let my guard down, and he didn’t just betray my trust, he obliterated it. I’m not afraid to take a leap of faith in trusting a new person, but I think from here on out, relationships are going to be conscious choices. I’ve never gotten to know a person the correct way, as a friend, and then made a choice to take a relationship further. I believe this is why I’ve looked back and said “what did I ever even see in him?” More often than not, we get into relationships without really considering much. I suppose it’s romantic to just jump right in, but it’s not romantic to feel like a fool when it all blows up and you wonder why you didn’t think about the fact that you and he had nothing in common. Maybe it’s easier said than done, but I want to get to know a person the right way first, and then if I feel like there’s something there and I still want to be with him, then I will. It’s hard enough to take new relationships slowly, but all those amazing feelings that come with starting a new one shouldn’t be cause enough to throw caution (and reason!) to the wind. I don’t want to get carried away in the excitement and butterflies of new beginnings only to look back and wonder how much I even knew about him before I “boyfriended” him. I want to fully get to know someone as a friend, as a person (yes, with possibilities) and see how truly compatible we are before I move on. When I broke up with Brad, I told my therapist I thought I had a great “bullshit detector.” It’s true I’ve broken up with several relationships because I felt a sense early on that it wasn’t going to be what I was looking for. “(It’s why I “saw the light” two weeks after eloping with a childhood sweetheart, filed for divorce after mere months, and insist vehemently that it “doesn’t count” as having been married). Once or twice I’ve looked back and wondered if I hadn’t thrown in the towel too soon. Tim (my former therapist) made a good point – maybe I have a good bullshit detector. Maybe I don’t. Maybe I’d have a great one if I took more time really getting to know a man first. Obviously, I’ve really taken this to heart. I want to know all the relationship history, the family stuff, the idiosyncrasies…the real man, before I even think about getting involved. And as if that isn’t too much work to put into the beginning of what might become a relationship…I also don’t want to learn all of this at mach speed. I prefer organic. I’m in no hurry. That might be frustrating (to me and a guy), but I don’t care. It’s self-preservation – maybe of an innovative and unusual nature, but…so? This is why I’ve been single all this time – I had a few things I wanted to make clear to myself.

So now…here I am in a potentially precarious situation. Now that we’ve established an interest, it’s hard to return to that comfortable friendly feeling of possibility and getting to know each other without giving a guy the wrong idea – it’s not so much “put on the brakes” or “back off” as it is “keep your foot off the gas.” I don’t want to discourage, but I want to look before I leap. These are the kinds of things I tell my girlfriends. See, part of the magic is that in telling a friend things like this, you’re just reminding yourself who you are, why certain things matter to you, and to stick to your guns. In the moments between learning the history of Emma’s new relationship and offering my shoulder to Dolores, we chatted about the tightrope I’m trying to walk. Both of them think that I’m being smart by not jumping into anything (with this guy or anyone), because both know me well enough to know I think I’m far too old for flings. (If I wanted a fling, I’d have just shopped among the Cal alums at the game…plenty to choose from!) I’m a serial monogamist, and though my relationship with myself is currently the most important to me, it isn’t my goal to be single forever. Thankfully, though, while I am…I have my girlfriends, and they’re each worth their weight in diamonds.

“…honesty is hardly ever heard, and mostly what I need from you…” (Billy Joel, “Honesty”)

We all know that the best part of a meal is the appetizer, right? Or you usually enjoy those small in between meal snacks better than you enjoy your meals, right?

This summer, I learned about a book called “Japanese Women Don’t Get Fat” or something like that. I admit, I didn’t read it, but the summary had some great advice. The one that stuck with me is that you’re more satisfied with your meal and you stop eating if you’ve had small bits of a lot of things. I totally get how this relates to Japanese food (Have you ever seen a bento box? Small portions of a lot of things).

This year, I’ve tried to follow this principle, so I’ll make a small something and fill the plate with small bits of dried fruit, nuts, cheese, vegetables, really–whatever I’ve got lying around. It’s made for some really great meals that I can eat while I do homework or read because I can munch on different things from lunch.

This is the most recent lunch creation:

Garlic Lime Bread
Brie Cheese – leftover from the puff pastry appetizers
Figs – also leftover from the puff pastry appetizers
Olives
Walnuts

It makes for a pretty plate and keeps you interested in your meal. You don’t get bored halfway through and you’ll feel fuller and enjoy eating more. Give it a try!

Currently Cooking To:

Dispatch – Elias (Live)
Dan Mei & Marc Johnce – My Life on the Crazy Train Sucks (So What?)
Girl Talk – Bounce That

Like the lunch in this post, these song has a bunch of small bits of other songs thrown together to create one cohesive song. Elias somehow manages to keep me entertained for 11 minutes, while I can listen through Girl Talk’s whole Night Ripper album without getting bored.

olha esse vídeo do girl talk ensinando como fazer um mashup. dessa vez, a vítima foi uma canção do elvis costello. em menos de cinco minutos o cara entorta totalmente a música. tecnologia é um negócio realmente impressionante, não?

The Skyline of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I should first make it clear that I was born, raised, and still technically live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is likely not the city you probably envision in your mind. I have heard many falsities about my hometown in my tenure here at Bates. Pittsburgh is not a suburb of Philadelphia. It is no longer dirty. Ihere is, in fact, an ‘H’ at the end of our name, and there is more to life than the Steelers, Penguins, and, of course, our lowly Pirates.

Chances are, if you are a student at Bates College, you have never been to Pittsburgh; if you have, maybe you passed through our airport once or twice, you might have a second aunt who lives in the area, or maybe you have just been content to steer clear of anything industrial your whole life.

One thing, of course, is usually looked over in discussions about my hometown is how much of a cultural hub it is for a fairly large amount of territory. In Pittsburgh reside some of the world’s finest museums, several epic concert spaces, great theater companies, and several major universities.

Pittsburgh is both an ethnic and geographic melting pot. It is as Northeastern as it is Midwestern and Southern. Residents of Western Pennsylvania come from a myriad of ethnic backgrounds, and that blending cultures have made for a unique and diverse artistic scene in the area. In case you didn’t know, it was Pittsburgh that brought you Andy Warhol, Girl Talk, Mr. Rogers, Jeff Goldblum, Tunde Adebimpe, George Romero, August Wilson, Chris Franz, and David McCollough.

Pittsburgh is, despite its reputation, one of the most intriguing cities right now for independent music. Sure, it’s not Brooklyn, London, or Athens, Georgia; there is a different sensibility in my hometown. The scene is less competitive; the sound is warmer, friendlier, and more inviting to the casual listener. On more than a few occasions, have I walked into a bar in Pittsburgh and seen an awesome concert and wondered why these guys have not hit the big time.

At present, I have been into a band called Good Night, States. It’s the kind of slow-paced semi-electronic indie-pop, which is great music for lovers of hyphens. I would also direct you to look into two more folksy bands called The Lost Sea and Chet Vincent and the Big Bend. I saw these two bands in one night, and what a night it was. Our local heroes, The Clarks, are always a sure bet, and for those of you keeping score, they have been together about as long as any of us have been alive. I’ve seen them a few times, if they ever get billed in your city, I encourage you to check them out. To expound our indie rock scenes are rising Hip Hop acts, such as Wiz Khalifa, and our, almost famous, Punk Rock scene which has spawned bands such as Anti Flag.

Yes, I grew up in a city that is a national punch line, but maybe it is time for people to take notice to what is happening in the City of Bridges. It’s a secret that is not worth keeping.

-Doug Ray

Doug Ray is the co-host of Saltimbocca & Escargot, Sundays at 8-10 PM Eastern Time on WRBC.

Back in Austin…NYC was so much fun!

I had a great time hanging out in Alphabet City and hitting the clubs on Avenue A. It was like the good old times when I lived there. There are so many great sounds coming out of NYC, and it’s always great to see my buds. The highlight of my trip was meeting Matt Pinfield at the CMJ music conference. He spun my song Warriors….it was so exciting!

Before heading out to New York, I was able to catch some shows at Austin City Limits. It rained most of the festival and it got very muddy and gross in the field. I was still able to enjoy some pretty great music though. At the top of my list was of course…..the Dead Weather. Jack White playing drums while singing was something to be heard. He is such a well rounded musician and writer. I also was able to catch Passion Pit, Girl Talk, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to name a few. Despite the horrible weather it was a good time!

I have been adding more dates to the tour! Check out the dates on the Shows page of my web site (link below). Bassist Colleen Bonner and drummer Marty Mack will be joining me. I have also been recording again and have started working on a new album. More details on that next time!

If you live in Austin, come check out our show on December 16th at the Red Eyed Fly.
http://www.whitewidowmusic.com

Lo prometido es deuda, aqui esta el flyer que promociona la visita de Girl Talk a la Ciudad de Mexico por segunda ocasion, Monterrey y Guadalajara son las capitales primerisas en disfrutar la marea “mashupera” de este muchacho. A continuacion pongo las especificaciones para cada estado:

Guadalajara

Jueves 03 de Diciembre, 2009
Smirnoff + 8106.tv presentan: Girl Talk & Hello Seahorse!

Lugar: Teatro Estudio Cavaret (Av. Pares Arias y Periférico)

Precios:
Preventa: $200
Taquilla: $250

Boletos en: www.ticketmaster.com.mx
3818-3800 con un horario de lunes a domingo de 10:00 a 19:00 hrs.
En los Mixup’s y todos los centros Ticketmaster.

Distrito Federal

Viernes 4 de diciembre de 2009
Smirnoff + 8106.tv presentan: Girl Talk & Hello Seahorse!

Lugar: Velvet (Insurgentes Sur 878)

Entrada a Mayores de Edad

Precios:
Preventa: $280
Taquilla: $350

Boletos a la venta en www.eticket.com.mx o 01800-ETICKET.

Monterrey

Sábado 05 de Diciembre, 2009
Smirnoff + 8106.tv presentan: Girl Talk & Hello Seahorse!

Lugar: Escénica (Hidalgo 450 Pte. entre Rayón y Aldama, Col. Centro)

Entrada a Mayores de Edad

Precios:
General: $200
VIP: $250

Boletos en: www.superboletos.com o al 82204100.

Me emociona de sobremanera su visita, pero por que que Hello Seahorse!!!??? WTF???, hubiera preferido a Disco Ruido, los NSM PSM o ya de perdida el IMS pero ni modo……….

Aqui dejo estos videitos para abrir boca…….. a ahorrarle para no quedarse afuera de este eventazo.

Estos son de su presentacion del Mx Beat de Toluca este año

Últimamente me he abocado a conocer toneladas de música nueva (y también no taaaan nueva). Mi más reciente obsesión, y por lo tanto, un track recomendado de esta semana, lleva por título Hands In The Air, de un chaval originario de Pittsburgh, de apenas 28 años, llamado Greg Gillis, mejor conocido como Girl Talk (GT) :)… esta rolita es el noveno track de su aclamadísimo y cuarto álbum intitulado Feed The Animals (2008), y bueno, ya que este dude estará presentándose el próximo 4 de diciembre en Velvet, en una 8106 party con She’s a Tease, resulta un muy buen momento para recomendarla… Las rolas que podrán distinguir en esta creación de GT son (en orden):

• Big Country – In a Big Country
• Tag Team – Whoomp! (There It Is)
• Kraftwerk – Numbers
• Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock
• The Cardigans – Lovefool
• Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor
• Flo Rida featuring T-Pain – Low
• The Velvet Underground – Sunday Morning
• Justin Timberlake featuring T.I. – My Love
• Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson and D.O.E. – The Way I Are
• Yo Majesty – Club Action
• Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You
• Genesis – Invisible Touch
• Michael Jackson – Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
• Sly and the Family Stone – Dance To The Music
• George Clinton – R&B Skeletons (In The Closet)
• Edgar Winter Group – Free Ride
• Janet Jackson and Nelly – Call On Me
• Bossman – You’re Wrong
• P. Diddy featuring Black Rob and Mark Curry – Bad Boy For Life
• Drama – Left Right Left
• Janet Jackson – Escapade

Escúchenla haciendo clic aquí, y disfrútenla tanto como yo . Por lo pronto, xoxo…

This is late because my computer ate it for a little while sorry. xo.

My five came fairly quickly to mind:

2. Jim Halpert from the office

Somehow I managed to get Jesse to talk about this too. I feel like thats winning enough. He had a little bit harder time than I did but came up with a list I am mildly envious of.

1. Leeloo

I had a crush on her as soon as I saw her and it hasn’t let up a bit. The beautiful and exotic Leeloo. The Fifth Element. The perfect being sent to save mankind from certain destruction. An exquisite blend of self-sufficient, elegant badassery and unguarded love-me-now fragility. She’s sexually naïve, but not in a childish or off-putting way. I get the feeling I might be able to kiss her, but never without her permission.

2. Tank Girl

Rude, dirty, offputtingly eccentric, but still irresistible. Tank Girl is an unapologetic badass who doesn’t know when to quit. She’s fiercely loving and loyal, but won’t put up with bullshit. She also would be great in the sack; sweaty, grimy, might-as-well-burn-the-mattress-now sex, and that’d just be starting off the night. Oh, and you know she wouldn’t wait till after sex to smoke, she’d be doing it the whole time.

3. Chani

Since my first read through of Dune I’ve had a thing for Chani. The Fremen concubine of Paul Muad’Dib, Chani is hard and weathered but young and graceful. Beautiful and passionate and absolutely deadly with a crysknife. And those eyes… those blue-in-blue, terrifying eyes.

4. Ygritte

Fire touched and ice-hard, Ygritte is a spear wife of the free folk. She is a combination of girlishly naïve and wise beyond her years in a way that is nothing but endearing. She took some time to grow on me, but she managed to work her way to one of my favorite fictional women in a very short time. I certainly wouldn’t mind giving this fur-clad vixen the Lord’s Kiss.

5. Sabriel

Sabriel is dark and powerful, beautiful and odd. She probably has the best hygiene out of anyone on my list, but also has some of the dirtiest work: battling demons and the zombies they raise from death. She’s sometimes fragile, often scared, but always strong enough to face the task at hand, even if she needs a bit of help.

Thats our girl and boy talk. whats yours? Girl Talk Thursday

So… that’s how Lady Gaga REALLY looks like? Hmmm… I never knew.

i’ve been on a mash-up kick lately. it hasn’t been just girl talk or diplo either, i’ve had my ear to the underground–so to speak–finding some great mixes by anonymous and not so anonymous djs. you won’t find any of these songs coming to the radio soon, but they are certainly worth a listen. i’ll list a couple of these mash-ups and where to get them later in the post. in addition to the mash-ups i’ve been finding, i’ve also found some great covers of well-known songs by well-known artists. like imogen and heap covering michael jackson’s “thriller” or joshua radin covering the sesame street theme song (see after the jump for links). these new takes on old songs puts a whole new spin on things.

wale. heard of him? you will soon. he’s a rapper out of d.c. and his current single “chillin’” of his album attention deficit features lady gaga. anything gaga touches lately seems to be gold, even her–always interesting–new song “bad romance.” when i first heard his album, it actually wasn’t because of “chillin’,” but for his song “90210″ about a girl with a cocaine addiction and eating disorder learning that hollywood isn’t as glamorous as it is on tv. a really catchy track, even with its sad story. another track of interest is the one right after “90210″ called “tv in the radio” and features k’naan who is straight ‘outta’ mogadishu. wale’s upbeat rapping, the verse k’naan ripping on ryan secrest, and fun horn loops make this song another winner. so check out wale’s album attention deficit out now. “chillin’” video after the jump.

tracks of interest: chillin, 90210, tv in the radio

mash-ups

white panda’s mash-up of t.i. vs passion pit – what you know about little secrets

hamden xc’s mash-up of biggie smalls vs miley cyrus – party in nyc

brooklyn soul’s mash-up of jay-z vs marvin gaye – hello brooklyn (ft. lil wayne)

covers

lcd soundsystem – bye bye bayou (alan vega cover)

imogen heap – thriller (michael jackson cover)

joshua radin – sesame street theme song

ever wonder what little girls really talk about when they get together?

i do.

read more >>

When it comes to music, we all have those tried-and-true songs we love to listen to as we get ready to go out for the night, or the ones we squeal giddily to when a DJ spins them on. But one of the great things about recent technology is that almost anyone can become a DJ–and a pretty decent one, at that–by being able to create song mash-ups. Now while this post isn’t directly about the Internet, I definitely think song mash-ups are a crazy phenomenon that certainly only spread through viral videos and the Internet, otherwise you would only hear such mixing if you went to see a professional DJ at a bar or club.

I mean, look at Girl Talk. He had a nine-to-five job as an engineer but was able to quit his job in 2007 to become a professional DJ and tour around the world. And he also allowed fans to buy his 2008 album, Feed The Animals, online for any price they were willing to pay, a la Radiohead.

Girl Talk aside (Although you should DEFINITELY check him out if you haven’t heard of him, seriously) I am posting today some common mash-ups of Top 40 songs that we all know, so that you can recognize how badass the mash-up is in action. The first is a combo of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.” I felt this one was important to include because “Rick Rolling” is also a viral video that took off a couple years back online, and so I thought this would pay homage to that.

When it comes to music, we all have those tried-and-true songs we love to listen to as we get ready to go out for the night, or the ones we squeal giddily to when a DJ spins them on. But one of the great things about recent technology is that almost anyone can become a DJ–and a pretty decent one, at that–by being able to create song mash-ups.

Now while this post isn’t directly about the Internet, I definitely think song mash-ups are a crazy phenomenon that certainly only spread through viral videos and the Internet, otherwise you would only hear such mixing if you went to see a professional DJ and a bar or club. I mean, look at Girl Talk. He had a nine-to-five job as an engineer but was able to quit his job in 2007 to become a professional DJ and tour around the world. And he also allowed fans to buy his 2008 album, Feed The Animals, online for any price they were willing to pay, a la Radiohead.

Girl Talk aside (Although you should DEFINITELY check him out if you haven’t heard of him, seriously) I am posting today some common mash-ups of Top 40 songs that we all know, so that you can recognize how badass the mash-up is in action. The first is a combo of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.” I felt this one was important to include because “Rick Rolling” is also a viral video that took off a couple years back online, and so I thought this would pay homage to that.

<embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/NN75im_us4k&autoplay=&fs=1&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&rel=0&hl=en&fs=1″ type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” wmode=”opaque” width=”480″ height=”415″ id=”myytplayer”></embed> <div style=”font-size:0.9em;”> <a href=”/watch/1927215-nirvana-vs-rick-astley-never-gonna-give-your-teen-spirit-up-via-workforfood”>Nirvana vs Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give Your Teen Spirit up</a> – Watch more <a href=”http://vodpod.com/music”>Music Videos</a> at <a href=”http://vodpod.com”>Vodpod</a>.</div>

Another mash-up I liked and thought was worth adding was Biggie Smalls’ “Party and Bullshit” and Miley Cyrus’ “Party In The U.S.A.” I like this mash-up becuase…well, of any two artists you could try to get to do a duo, Biggie and Miley would be the least likely. And not even just becuase Biggie is dead…it would just NEVER happen.

<embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/ENYsanXR0pQ&autoplay=&fs=1&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&rel=0&autoplay=&fs=1&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&rel=0&autoplay=&fs=1&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&rel=0&hl=en&fs=1″ type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” wmode=”opaque” width=”480″ height=”415″ id=”myytplayer”></embed> <div style=”font-size:0.9em;”> <a href=”/watch/2314765-biggie-smallsparty-and-bullshit-hannah-montana-party-in-the-usa-remix-by-andrew-hathaway”>Biggie Smalls(Party and Bullshit) Hannah Montana (party in the usa) Remix by andrew hathaway</a> – Watch more <a href=”http://vodpod.com”>Videos</a> at Vodpod.</div>

And last but not least I included a mash-up of Black Eyed Peas’ “Lady Lumps” and Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” just because this seems like a classic club mash-up that I could see being played at any bar in any college town, including ours. Enjoy!

<embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/BhnNKv09OxA&autoplay=&fs=1&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&rel=0&autoplay=&fs=1&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&rel=0&autoplay=&fs=1&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&rel=0&hl=en_US&fs=1&” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” wmode=”opaque” width=”480″ height=”415″ id=”myytplayer”></embed> <div style=”font-size:0.9em;”> <a href=”/watch/2517558-black-eyed-peas-vs-lady-gaga”>Black Eyed Peas VS Lady Gaga</a> – Watch more <a href=”http://vodpod.com”>Videos</a> at Vodpod.</div>

Esta es la expresion de alguien al que se le presentan tantos concietos y no tiene dinero para cada una de las entradas, pffff!!! esta es la guia de concietos para noviembre y diciembre de este humilde servidor.

Jueves 19 de Noviembrde 2009

Salon Covadonga

Boleto: $250.00 General

Este me emociona de sobremanera!!!! A-trak en el Velvet!!!

Buenisimooooooo!!!! El bailongo se va a poner gruesooo!!!!

Va a venir tambien Girl Talk para el 4 de diciembre, aun no hay flyer pero ya cuando salga lo pondre aqui ya que ese evento tambien esta recomendadisimo por este servidor.

Hey, I guess I’m going to post sooner than December. :]

Here’s the deal girls.

Today.

Friday the 13th.

Is To Write Love on Her Arms Day.

For those who don’t know what To Write Love on Her Arms [TWLOHA] is check their website.http://www.twloha.com/

They are a non-profit organization that strives to help those facing addictions by telling them “love is real.”

Today is the day, where people all around the world write love on their arms, showing people hope is real and alive.

It’s a helpline for cutters, druggies, etc. For this facing the world alone.

I support them. I think they are amazing.

so I’m letting the word spread.

Check them out.

Hope is Real.

Love is the Movement.

Rescue is Possible

To Write Love On Her Arms.

Do you like mash-ups? Love listening to 100 songs in one album with Girl Talk or Super Mash Bros? Then you need to check out The Hood Internet. These guys put out great mash-ups all the time, and pretty regularly too. From Phoenix to Wale to Michael Jackson to Lauryn Hill to Bon Iver, these guys cover everything. And now you can sample the best of their work in one album, The Mixtape Volume Four.

First off, how can you say no to any album that had this cover. I would consider listening to Celine Dion if her album had a cover this awesome. Secondly, this album is just over an hour long, which is a bit longer than Girl Talk’s Feed the Animals and longer than all the Super Mash Bros. tunes I have. Now we come to the actual music, which is awesome. Most of the tracks are fairly short (there are 34 of them) so you get a similar effect to the fast paced nature of more well known mash-up artists. All in all, the album is upbeat and fun to listen to, as well as very eclectic in its selections. So check out this album, and if you like it, there’s 3 more mixtapes for you to enjoy too.

TYLER STARR ‘10

Here are the next five artists that I consider to be, “the cream of the crop.” You can’t go wrong with any of them, but in the end, just like in The Highlander, “THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!”

#5: E-603

E-603 is the most consistently good masher I know of. All of his remixes are quality because of their catchy beats. There is a down side to E-603: hardly any of his mash ups are amazingly spectacular. He has two albums, Something For Everyone and Torn Up, and both are solid. Torn Up is significantly longer than Something For Everyone, and without its release last summer, E-603 would not have made the Top 5. Like many of these other artists, E-603 incorporates music from all different genres and time periods; my favorite remix is his Wheatus’s “Teenage Dirtbag” with Swizz Beatz’s “My Drink n My 2 step.” One thing to note about E-603 is that his albums are essentially one continuous song, and this distances him from a lot of other DJs. Though he clearly isn’t the best, E-603 represents New Hampshire extremely well. You can get all of his work for free at http://www.e-603.com/E-603/DISCOGRAPHY.html

#4: Milkman

Last spring, Sam Freeman ’09 introduced me to Milkman. Milkman sure is sweet. He has two albums: Lactose and THC and Circle of Fifths. Though Lactose and THC is definitely a fun album to listen to, Circle of Fifths is significantly better. Freeman strongly feels that Milkman is the best mash up artist, but I have to disagree. Don’t get me wrong, Milkman is very talented, but he uses a lot of the same artists. More than once in his album does he sample Lil’ Wayne, which sounds pleasing but doesn’t add anything new to the songs. Also, Milkman’s albums are not one continuous song, and, to me, this is not as impressive. Not having the album one continuous song allows Milkman to vary the style of song he has in his album. “Heart to Heart” is very slow and sweet while “Put in Work” is more suited for a rave. Milkman is a must for your iPod. You can get his first album Lactose and THC on his website: http://www.milkmanmusic.net/fr_music.cfm

#3: Super Mash Bros.

On my community service trip this summer, I was talking with my friend Emily from LA about mash up artists. I mentioned Super Mash Bros., and her eyes lit up. She told me that the two kids behind Super Mash Bros. go to her school, and, of course, she has met them in person. Small world. Super Mash Bros. is awesome. A lot of really cool mash ups including one with Tenacious D’s “Tribute,” Tupac’s “Changes,” and Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl.” Their second album, All About the Scrillions, is perfect to drive to. It starts with a heart pumping remix of “Right Now” by Van Halen and “Wamp Wamp” by Clipse. Though some people would have put them at the top of this list, Super Mash Bros do have a few minor flaws in their work. First off, their music is not continuous, and that is a little disappointing to me, especially because it seems that they are talented enough to make their album that way. Some points in their albums do not flow fluidly and certainly are distracting and reduce the quality of the music. You can download Super Mash Bros at http://lazerwolf.com/

#2: Easter Egg

Easter Egg is spectacular. For such a childish name, he really produces some of the best remixes out of all the artists. For many, he is placed under the overwhelming shadow of the Hood Internet, Milkman, and Super Mash Bros, but I’ve always loved him. His first album, Jackin’ For Beats, is a monster album. It has twenty eight songs and goes for more than a full album, and that length is even longer than Girl Talk’s album. My favorite Easter Egg remixes have to be one with the “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” song and “Int’l Players Anthem” by UGK feat. Outkast, and another combining “My Mustache” by Party Time 2000 with “Heaven is a Place” by Belinda Carlise. One thing that sets Easter Egg apart from the rest of these artists is his album Club Crooks X East Infection (Block Party Promo), which is more of a techno album. I really enjoy that album and always want to dance to it. It starts really slow but picks up as the album progresses. You can download Easter Egg at: http://www.myspace.com/eastereggmusic

#1: Girl Talk

Hopefully everyone, from your best friend to your grandfather, knows who Girl Talk is: the King of Mash Ups. He was my first mash up artists and is easily my favorite. One day in ninth grade, I heard this amazing music coming from my brother’s room, and I sprinted to his room iPod in hand and quickly downloaded Girl Talk from his computer. I’ve listened to Girl Talk’s two albums a combined 250 times! His three albums are both lengthy and high quality. At the end of his second album Night Ripper, his remix of Paul McCartney and 2 Live Crew brings me to tears with its beauty. I have also seen Girl Talk in concert and have heard many stories of how Gregg Gillis, the man behind Girl Talk, is one chill dude. If there is any mash up artists you should get from this album, it is most definitely Girl Talk: http://www.myspace.com/girltalk

On a side note, after doing research for this article I have actually discovered more and more remixers. Truly the best aspect of this genre of music is that you can just stumble upon a new mash up artists on Google.  As more kids continue to learn how to sample music, the number of mash up artists will proliferate. I really encourage everyone to look up these artists, and if you’re brave enough, try to learn how to make a mash up.

Giggle Party w/Original Cyndi
Friday, Nov. 13  |  8 pm

Black cloaks, silver masks, silly string, confetti, malt liquor and cupcakes?  Just an average show for We Are Giggle Party, the four–piece party punk rock band from Dallas, Texas.

“Ever wonder what Girl Talk would be like if it was a 4 piece band, and not some guy standing at a card table with a lap top? Well, that is kind what a Giggle Party live show is like, the Dallas foursome pepper contemporary tracks into their hyper kinetic live show, making their party pop sound flow seamlessly above a crowd of manically laughing, dancing fans.” -Day Bow Bow

Giggle Party bring the atmosphere of a dance party to any show they play.  They mix electronic dance beats with catchy group vocals, sharing the playfulness of Matt and Kim, the spazzyness of the Deathset, and the honesty of Daniel Johnston.

Here’s their video “Jason Bought a Hatchet”, which Pete Freedman from the Dallas Observer thinks might be the best music video of the year…

And opening for Giggle Party is local band Original Cyndi, a garage/glam hybrid based around a saturated organ sound and dirty production with the intentions of bringing some real, spastic energy back to rock and roll.

You won’t want to miss this one.
$5 / BYO
Link to the event on:  

And thanks to Kerry a.k.a. I Love Memphis for naming us one of her top picks for this weekend!