O saxofonista Mike Hashim nasceu em Geneva, no Estado de Nova Iorque (EUA), mas começou sua carreira musical em Boston aos 17 anos. Depois ele se juntou a Orquestra Widespread Depression Jazz com a qual gravou seis álbuns e viajou pela Europa e América do Norte várias vezes. Em 1979, Mike muda-se para Manhattan e começa a estudar com Albert Regni e Phil Woods. Lá, ele tem Jimmy Rowles como seu mentor e o próprio Rowles grava em seu primeiro disco como líder de banda: “Peacocks”. Hashim tocou com grandes nomes do jazz durante a década de 80. O músico foi várias vezes premiado por sua obra e hoje além do jazz, também se dedica a trilhas sonoras para programas de televisão e filmes.

Dentre suas atividades recentes, o músico formou uma orquestra inteiramente dedicada à  obra Billy Strayhorn, grande pianista do jazz americano que tocou por muito tempo na banda de Duke Ellington. Os dois formaram umas das duplas mais importantes da história do jazz.

From/De: Activision

DAFT PUNK TO MAKE THEIR VIDEO GAME DEBUT IN DJ HERO™
Legendary Electronic Music Duo To Lend Unique Likenesses and Massive Variety of Music Exclusively to the Game

Santa Monica, CA – September 14, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — For the first time ever in a video game, GRAMMY® Award winning DJ’s and producing duo, Daft Punk, will start the party right with Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) DJ Hero™ on October 27, 2009. Featuring 93 exclusive on-disc mixes from some of the biggest acts in hip-hop, pop, rock and dance, players will be able to test their DJing chops as virtual recreations of the renowned twosome and experience their iconic sounds in eleven original mixes, including two signature “Megamixes,” using their music. Among the mixes in the game featuring Daft Punk are:

• Daft Punk “Around the World” vs. Young MC “Bust A Move”
• Daft Punk “Da Funk” vs. NASA “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB and Fatlip”
• Daft Punk “Da Funk” vs. Queen “Another One Bites the Dust”
• Daft Punk “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim “Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)” – Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts
• Daft Punk “Robot Rock” vs. Queen “We Will Rock You”
• Daft Punk “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions “Jack Of Spades”
• Daft Punk “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan “Cars”
• Daft Punk “Television Rules The Nation” vs. No Doubt “Hella Good”

“Partnering with Daft Punk is a rare opportunity in any medium and we are extremely honored to have worked with them so closely on integrating into DJ Hero in such a compelling way,” said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs for Guitar Hero®. “This is the first time in a video game that fans will have this kind of direct interaction with Daft Punk while also experiencing never-before-released mixes that feature some of their most popular tracks. It’s amazing working with Daft Punk as they are the quintessential electronic music act known around the world for their unique style and music.”

Expanding upon the revolutionary easy to pick up/challenging to master gameplay mechanics developed and refined in Guitar Hero, DJ Hero delivers an all-new interactive music experience that allows players to start the party and not only experience, but to hear music in an all-new way. With over 100 individual songs, highlighted in 93 unique never-before-released mixes that blend genres of music, including hip-hop, pop, rock and dance, DJ Hero delivers the most diverse and international collection of music ever assembled in a music game by incorporating anthems from legendary artists. Created exclusively for DJ Hero, the turntable controller immerses fans into the DJ culture and a sea of music as they utilize and master various DJ techniques including scratching, crossfading and sampling, while leaving room for creative expression with a variety of effects and player chosen samples and scratches, transforming a face in the crowd into the life of the party.

DJ Hero is being developed by FreeStyleGames for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems and the Wii™ system from Nintendo. The game is rated “T” (Teen – Mild Suggestive Themes, Lyrics) by the ESRB. For more information about DJ Hero, please visit djhero.com, facebook.com/djhero and twitter.com/djhero. To pre-order DJ Hero, check out djhero.com/buy.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

صحفہ اول / اردو نوحے / ماہم، ثانیہ، ادعیہ ہاشم (غمخواران سکینہ)۔ / گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گيا

Mahum Saania & Adeeya Hashim (Ghamkhuran-e-Sakina) UK

شاعر : صـفـدر
نوحہ خواں :

Mahum, Saania & Adeeya Hashim (Ghamkhuran-e-Sakina) UK
سال : 2008
کمپوزر : زین عباس
اس نوحے کے تحریر کرنے میں اگر کوئی غلطی سرزد ہوگئی ہوں تو اس کے لیے میں معذرت خواہ ہوں

گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

لٹ کے آئ ہوں میں نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

کیا بتاؤں نانا جان کس قدر ہوۓ ستم
کربلا سے شام تک ہر قدم ملے ہیں غم
درد کی سنو ذرا اذاں گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گيا

لٹ کے آئ ہوں میں نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

چھوڑ کر وطن چلا پراۓ دیس قافلہ
درد ، بیکسی ، اذیتوں کا سلسلہ ملا
کربلا جو پہنچا کارواں گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گيا

لٹ کے آئ ہوں میں نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

ایک روز میں اجڑ گئ تھی آل مصطفیۖ
بچ سکا نہ ظلم کوئ جو بچا وہ ظلم تھا
ہو رہا تھا گریہ و فغاں گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گيا

لٹ کے آئ ہوں میں نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

بازو کٹ گۓ فرات پر جری دلیر کے
مشک کیا چھدی کہ ٹوٹے حوصلے بھی شیر کے
ہوگۓ حرم بھی بے اماں گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گيا

لٹ کے آئ ہوں میں نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

خاک پر رگڑ رہا ہے ایڑیاں جواں پسر
کھوگئ بصارت حسین جب سنی خبر
بین کررہی ہے رو کے ماں گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

لٹ کے آئ ہوں میں نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

میرے شیر میرے لاڈلے بھی رن میں سو گۓ
تین روز کے یہ بھوکے پیاسے قتل ہو گۓ
دشت میں تھا حشر کا سماں گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

لٹ کے آئ ہوں میں نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

ہاۓ بے زباں شیر خوار بھی نہ بچ سکار
حرملہ کے تیر سے گلا جو اس کا چھد گیا
تشنہ لب رہا وہ بے زباں گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گيا

لٹ کے آئ ہوں میں نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

کیا کروں بیاں ناناۖ وقت وہ عجیب تھا
تشنہ لب حسین تیرا کس قدر غریب تھا
بھائ پہ تھا سخت امتحاں گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

لٹ کے آئ ہوں میں نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

بعد شاہ جل گۓ خیام چھن گئ ردا
اس دیار غیر میں نہ تھا کوئ بھی آسرا
بن گئ رسن سے بیبیاں گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

لٹ کے آئ ہوں میں نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

لو صفدر حزیں قلم سے خون ہے رواں
بنت سیدہ کے بین سے لرز گیا جہاں
جب کہا کہ ہاۓ نانا جان گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا
گھر میرا اجڑ کے رہ گیا

آن لائــن فـــرش عـــزا
http://www.xainabbas.wordpress.com

Setinggi-tingginya bangau terbang, akhirnya kembali ke sarangnya juga. Pepatah yang pernah kita pelajari di sekolah dahulu itu sekarang mengena sekali dengan langkah bisnis Hashim Djojohadikusumo, pemilik Grup Tirtamas, yang pernah memiliki Bank Niaga dan Semen Cibinong. Sejak perusahaannya terhantam krisis ekonomi tahun 1998 lalu, Hashim lebih banyak berbisnis di luar negeri. Kini anak begawan ekonomi Sumitro Djojohadikusumo ini berniat kembali berbisnis di Indonesia.

Sebenarnya, niat Hashim untuk comeback telah menjadi bahan pergunjingan sejak beberapa tahun belakangan. Awal tahun ini langkah kaki Hashim itu kembali terdengar. Sumber KONTAN yang dekat dengan Hashim berucap, “Ia ingin kembali berbisnis di sini.” Hal ini lantaran Hashim telah menggenggam uang miliaran dolar hasil penjualan perusahaan minyaknya di Kazakhstan, Nations Energy.

Hashim menjual Nations Energy pada Oktober 2006 lalu kepada Citic Group, sebuah perusahaan energi asal China. Sebenarnya, proses penjualan ini telah dimulai sejak Juni 2006. Tercatat perusahaan asal India dan Rusia ikut menawar Nations Energy dari Hashim. Pada akhirnya, Hashim melego perusahaannya kepada Citic Group dengan nilai US$ 1,91 miliar atau setara Rp 17,2 triliun lebih.

Di Nations Energy, Hashim duduk sebagai komisaris utama sekaligus presiden direktur. Perusahaan yang bermarkas di Kanada ini sebenarnya terbilang kinclong dan menjadi tambang uang bagi Hashim setelah lunglai terhempas krisis 1998. Lihat saja, tahun 2005, Nation Energy membukukan laba sebesar US$ 179 juta. Aset perusahaan itu sendiri sebesar US$ 2,3 miliar.

Dengan perusahaan yang begitu bagus, wajar jika banyak pihak terkaget-kaget dengan aksi jual ini. Namun, seolah membiarkan orang bertanya-tanya, Hashim menutup rapat hal-ihwal penjualan tersebut. Sang direkturnya, David Wilson, pun berbuat serupa. “Kebijakan perusahaan untuk tidak membuat komentar apa pun,” kata Direktur Nations Energy tersebut kepada Canadian Business Online.

Misi menyelamatkan Kiani

Ada kabar, setelah menjual Nations, Hashim ingin berbisnis kembali di Indonesia dengan menyelamatkan Kiani Kertas. Kita tahu, perusahaan milik sang kakak, Prabowo Subianto, ini sedang terlilit utang senilai Rp 1,9 triliun ke Bank Mandiri. Selain itu, ada banyak proyek yang ingin dia rengkuh kembali di Indonesia.

Benar saja, 21 Januari lalu, tiba-tiba Bank Mandiri mengumumkan status utang Kiani tidak lagi merah atawa macet, karena telah membayar US$ 37 juta. Pembayaran utang itu dilakukan pada 10 Januari, atau satu minggu setelah penjualan Nations Energy dinyatakan selesai. Selain itu, Bank Mandiri juga menyatakan Kiani akan membayar sisa utang sebesar US$180 miliar dalam waktu dekat.

Pembayaran seluruh utang Kiani kepada Bank Mandiri itu dipercaya menggunakan uang Hashim yang masuk lewat Merryl Linch, bank investasi ternama. Sebuah sumber yang dekat dengan Prabowo Subianto membenarkan dugaan ini. “Memang benar Hashim yang menyelamatkan Kiani,” katanya singkat.

Sumber itu juga bercerita bahwa Hashim berniat berbisnis migas dan komoditi. Bisnis komoditinya lewat Tirtamas Comexindo, sedangkan di migasnya dengan mengeksplorasi sebuah blok gas di Papua.

Di Papua, Hashim memiliki Blok Rombebai yang terletak di Kabupaten Yapen Waropen. Di sana, Hashim akan mengeksplorasi minyak dan gas lewat perusahaan Nations Petroleum yang ia dirikan Agustus tahun lalu. Nations Petroleum bertindak sebagai operator dengan pola kontrak production sharing (PSC) bersama Mid Gulf, World Oil Properties, dan SriGas Energy Asia.

Lantas, mengapa Hashim rela menjual Nations Energy untuk mengembangkan Nations Petroleum? Jangan heran, ternyata blok yang luasnya sekitar 11.590 km2 itu memiliki kandungan gas super-dahsyat. Dokumen dari pemilik blok itu sebelumnya, Medco dan Ramu International, menyatakan Blok Rombebai memiliki kandungan gas lebih dari 15 Tcf (triliun kaki-kubik).

Selain itu, Hashim juga sering menjadi bahan pergunjingan bahwa ia akan membeli saham milik pemerintah di Tuban Petrochemical untuk kembali menjadi pemiliknya. Sebenarnya, selaku pemilik lama Hashim masih memiliki 30% saham Tuban Petrochemical. Hanya, “Kita belum pernah menerima penawaran pembelian dari investor mana pun. Sampai saat ini kami belum ada rencana penjualan Tuban Petro,” kata Rahmat Saptaman, Direktur Aset Kredit dan Saham Non-Bank Perusahaan Pengelolaan Aset (PPA), kepada wartawan KONTAN Sam Cahyadi.

Siapa Ayahnya, Siapa pula Kakeknya

Kalau Hashim Djojohadikusumo sukses sebagai pengusaha, rupanya ia mewarisi kepiawaian ayahnya yang tak lain adalah begawan ekonomi Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Soemitro Djojohadikusumo. Dalam memprediksi berbagai soal menyangkut perekonomian, misalnya, pengusaha ini sebenarnya dipandang memiliki penciuman yang tajam. Salah satu contohnya, ketika ia memulai debutnya di industri semen pada 1988. Kendati pertumbuhan industri semen saat itu tergolong lambat, toh Hashim -lewat PT Tirta Mas- tak segan-segan mengucurkan dana yang cukup besar untuk mengambil alih saham mayoritas PT Semen Cibinong.

Putra bungsu Soemitro ini punya perhitungan. Sebagai komoditi dasar, ia sangat yakin semen akan dibutuhkan banyak orang. Nyatanya, belum genap tiga tahun Hashim terjun ke industri ini, krisis pasokan semen merebak nyaris di seluruh pelosok negeri ini.

Lelaki kelahiran tahun 1954 ini lebih sering menempuh pendidikannya di luar negeri. Setelah lulus sekolah dasar, ia disekolahkan di Quintin Grammar School (setingkat SMP), London, Inggris. Setamat dari sana, tahun 1969, Hashim meneruskan ke Singapore American School (setingkat SMA) di Singapura. Setelah itu, Hashim terbang ke Amerika Serikat, menimba ilmu politik dan ekonomi di Panoma College, Claremont, Kalifornia, hingga menyabet gelar sarjana muda tahun 1976.

Sebenarnya, menjadi seorang pilot pesawat tempur adalah cita-cita Hashim sejak kecil. Namun, karena matanya berkacamata minus, ia terpaksa mengurungkan niatnya. Nah, setelah menyelesaikan sekolahnya di luar negeri, ayahnya sempat menawarkan dua pilihan: melanjutkan sekolah hingga ke tingkat master, atau bekerja. Untuk soal yang terakhir, Soemitro -ketika itu Menteri Negara Riset- memang sudah menyiapkan posisi bagi Hashim di salah satu perusahaannya di Jakarta.

Nyatanya, Hashim menolak tawaran itu. Alasannya, ia merasa tak enak jika memulai bisnisnya ketika ayahnya masih menduduki jabatan sebagai pejabat tinggi negara. Toh, meneruskan sekolah pun ia tidak. Hashim akhirnya memilih menjadi karyawan magang di Lazard Freres Et Cie di Paris, Prancis. Di bank investasi ini Hashim menimba pengalaman sebagai analis keuangan (financial analyst).

Nah, setahun setelah Soemitro pensiun dari jabatan menterinya, awal 1979, Hashim pun pulang ke tanah air. Ketika itu, ia langsung menduduki jabatan direktur di Indo Consult, perusahaan konsultan manajemen yang didirikan ayahnya sejak 1978. Dua tahun setelah itu, Hashim mulai merintis usaha di sektor perdagangan lewat perusahaan yang didirikannya, PT Era Persada.

Jika nanti bisnis Hashim kembali bersinar, mungkin sudah menjadi suratan takdir keluarga Djojohadikusumo. Kakeknya, Margono Djojohadikusumo adalah pendiri Bank BNI 1946. Artinya, kesuksesan Hashim, ayah tiga anak, tampaknya tak lepas pula dari darah bisnis yang dibawanya. Siapa dulu ayahnya, atau siapa pula kakeknya.

Menjadi Obligor BPPN

Sebelum krisis ekonomi, hampir semua orang mengenal Hashim Djojohadikusumo. Lewat grup usahanya, Tirtamas, bisnis Hashim menggurita di berbagai sektor usaha. Dari perbankan dan keuangan (Bank Papan Sejahtera, Bank Pelita, Bank Kredit Asia), perdagangan, industri semen (Semen Cibinong), perkebunan kelapa sawit (hingga industri petrokimia (Tuban Petrochemical Industry).

Namanya semakin melambung setelah ia membeli 40% saham Bank Niaga dari keluarga Julius Tahija pada 1997. Nilai transaksinya Rp 756 miliar, transaksi yang kabarnya terbesar sebelum krisis. Pada saat itu Hashim sangat yakin saham yang dibeli senilai Rp 8.000 saat ini akan melambung di kemudian hari.

Sayang, ternyata krisis ekonomi datang beberapa bulan setelah pembelian itu. Saham Bank Niaga pun melorot. Hashim pun mendadak terlilit utang dari lembaga keuangan internasional maupun bank dalam negeri. Alhasil, dia masuk ke dalam tagihan Badan Penyehatan Perbankan Nasional (BPPN). Total utang Hashim (Grup Tirtamas) yang tercatat masuk ke dalam catatan BPPN adalah Rp 5,37 triliun (termasuk denda dan bunga).

Untuk menutupi tagihan tersebut, Hashim terpaksa harus menjual sahamnya di berbagai perusahaan, meski harus menelan kerugian berlipat ganda. Di Bank Niaga, Hashim menjual sahamnya hanya dengan harga Rp 250 per lembar. Ia juga harus menjual kepemilikannya di Semen Cibinong dan Tuban Petrochemical Industry. Sejak itulah Hashim jarang terdengar di tanah air. Selain menetap di Swiss, Hashim menjalankan bisnis di luar negeri, terutama menjalankan Nations Energy.

(sumber: No. 19, Tahun XI, 12 Februari 2007, ditulis oleh umar idris)

Anak Begawan Itu Kembali
copas dari http://kancutmerah.wordpress.com/2007/02/09/anak-begawan-itu-kembali/

Berikut adalah kenyataan Dato Nasarudin Hashim berhubung kemasukan beliau ke dalam PKR:

—KENYATAAN MEDIA UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA—

PETALING JAYA, 25HB JANUARI 2009

Assalamualaikum,

Setelah membuat pertimbangan terutamanya apabila melihat perkembangan suasana politik khasnya arah tuju sokongan rakyat selepas Pilihanraya Umum ke 12 pada bulan Mac 2008, serta keadaan-keadaan yang wujud dalam parti dan kepimpinan Umno, saya dengan ini mengambil keputusan untuk keluar dari Umno dan seterusnya menyertai PKR iaitu salah satu parti dalam Pakatan Rakyat.

Keputusan ini diambil setelah lama meneliti dan mempertimbangkan kepentingan rakyat seluruhnya khususnya buat para penyokong dan pengundi saya di kawasan Dewan Undangan Negeri Bota:-

1. Saya amat yakin dengan kepimpinan Parti Keadilan Rakyat yang mempunyai iltizam dan idealisme yang kuat untuk memperjuangkan hak-hak dan kepentingan rakyat yang terdiri dari pelbagai kaum di negara ini.
2. Saya yakin Parti Keadilan Rakyat akan tetap menjunjung dan menghormati hak-hak yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan khususnya dalam kedudukan Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa rasmi kebangsaan, kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu dan kedudukan Islam sebagai agama Persekutuan.
3. Saya percaya Parti Keadilan Rakyat dan rakan-rakan dalam Pakatan Rakyat mampu untuk menjadi sebuah permuafakatan komponen parti-parti yang lebih baik demi kepentingan rakyat seluruhnya.
4. Untuk membolehkan saya menjadi ADUN yang lebih berkesan dan memberi khidmat terbaik kepada penduduk setempat memandangkan Pakatan Rakyat sudah pun menubuhkan kerajaan di Negeri Perak.

DATO NASARUDIN BIN HASHIM

ADUN BOTA NEGERI PERAK

—PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—

PETALING JAYA, 25 JANUARI 2009

Assalamualaikum,

After taking into consideration the development of the political atmosphere, specifically the direction of the public’s support since the 12th General Election in March 2008, and also the condition that exists now in Umno and its leadership, I have taken the decision to leave Umno and join PKR, one of the parties in Pakatan Rakyat, effective today.

This decision has been taken after a long study and consideration of the public’s interest in general, especially my supporters and voters in the state assembly area of Bota.

1. I am very confident in the leadership of PKR that has the will and strong idealism to fight for the rights and interest of the multiracial public in this country.

2. I am confident that PKR will uphold and respect the rights that are enshrined in the Federal Constitution especially the position of Bahasa Malaysia as the official language, the sovereignty of the Malay rulers and the position of Islam as the official religion.

3. I believe that PKR and its partners in Pakatan Rakyat can establish a stronger coalition of component parties for the interest of the general public.

4.This will enable me to be a more effective assemblyman and to offer the best service to the local residents, seeing as Pakatan Rakyat has already established government in Perak.

DATO NASARUDIN BIN HASHIM

PERAK STATE ASSEMBLYMAN FOR BOTA

dipetik dari http://anwaribrahimblog.com/2009/01/25/adun-bota-dato-nasarudin-hashim-menyertai-pkr/

Last night after a thrilling quiz night 4th place finish at Pete’s Candy Store; a group of us including myself, Rich, Lina, Ahmad, Erika, Kishore, and Abdullah went back to Rich and Lina’s place for a few drinks.  It was during this time I learned a shocking truth.  My friends, The Saeed Brothers, have a famous first cousin.  That famous cousin is none other than international pop superstar Hashim. I was so excited by this discovery that I decided for my Thanksgiving post I would give my readers a little reason to give thanks for all of the talent that permeates this globe, by displaying the proud lineage of my dear friends.

So without any further ado, I give you not one, but two special Thanksgiving treats from Hashim (all the way).  And remember, this thanksgiving eat plenty of Turkey, but don’t eat any Pakistan.

HASHIM- “LOAD THE CANNON”

HASHIM- “MY MOMENT”

I have been watching a heavy, possibly excessive, amount of jubilant electro pop/electro hop music videos of late. I’ve noticed some commonalities, and have formulated some theories.

The electro pop music videos that have entranced me range from low-budget local projects to polished, lavish videos accompanying international chart-topping hits. They come from Tampa, Seattle, Kansas City, London, Paris, and Oslo.

Some mind-blowing examples reflecting this range include videos from Scream Club, the Ssion, Mika, Justice, Calvin Harris, Gravy Train!!!!, Annie and TTC.

Commonalities:

1. Fuchsia

2. Other neon 80s colors

3. 70s disco-inspired beats and outfits

4. 60s-esque trippy imagery (think Yellow Submarine or further back to Ernie Kovacs‘ style of comedy)

5. Flat color fields (a flat monochrome background, for example, somewhat reminiscent of the 1950s Color Field style of painting)

6. Happy fantasy-land settings

7. Heavy borrowings from/incorporation of gay culture

8. In many, queering of gender roles (as well as equal space for men & women, queers & straights)

Watching Mika’s “Relax, (Take it Easy)” you can see the seamless confluence of many of these elements. What interests me specifically in music videos like this is how influences have been plucked from several different decades and woven together to create a look/sound both distinctly modern, yet unmistakably retro. And, why these influences?

There are some concessions to make immediately. Many of the elements of these music videos could be dismissed as pure escapism. Other elements can be dismissed as simply “trendy”. And for a certain set of the artists making these videos, budget constraints significantly define the aesthetic of the final result.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I’d like to prod a little deeper. Color fields and disco beats are minimalist and stripped-down. They reduce their respective mediums (color and beat) to their most essential quality – i.e. clear out a lot of bullshit. They provide the background and foundation for the vision and message of the artists. Built on top of that is a very interesting structure indeed.

First, I would like to say a word about fuchsia. This color is significant in electro pop for a couple reasons. The color that actually appears in the majority of these videos is “Fashion Fuchsia” or “Hollywood Cerise” which is a color developed in the 20th century specifically for women’s clothing and having movie-star connotations. The color Fuchsia also has a life in the world of gay code-terms, possibly because it is a relative of lavender, and it is no stretch to assume that its frequent invocation represents both a reference to gay culture and to feminine Hollywood glamor. It was also popular in the 80s, and appears accompanied by many other neon or fluorescent colors that enjoyed a similar popularity in that decade.

The 70s and 80s references of the videos seem to cluster around the disco/synth aesthetic of the years 1976-1984 (more or less). Limited synthesizer and drum machine technology formed the boundaries of the electronic beats and sounds the artists were able to develop. Fortuitously for cash-strapped electro pop artists in the 00s, these sounds are relatively cheap and easy to replicate, and so continue on in a retro life.

Fashion choices for current groups also draw from this time period. This is probably because the subcultures (the gay club scene, early NYC hip hop, the backlash against the hyper-masculinity of some underground 70s rock music, art school students, performance artists) that birthed electro pop’s predecessors, disco and synth pop, also form a direct lineage to today’s subcultures that produce the electro pop. After a rather masculine music terrain in the 1990s, where grunge, alternative rock, gangsta rap, and rap-rock were prominent, electro pop music that started exploding in the late 90s and early 00s could again be a backlash against hyper-masculinity in music.

One can see the references to hip hop in some rapped lyrics, posture and movement in the videos, and blingy jewelry.  This is no accident, as some early forms of hip hop, electro funk and/or electro hop (Afrika Bambaataa, Hashim, Jonzun Crew), did successful experiments in electronically-produced beats.

The influence of gay culture on disco and synth pop at this time (76-84) was huge (Sylvester, Marc Almond, Patrick Cowley, etc), and this is by no means lost in contemporaneous electro pop. If anything, it is even more pronounced, most likely because of a more accepting social climate today. Having historically sprouted from subcultures more equitable towards gays and women than the mainstream, electro genres foster higher participation from these groups than other genres do. The jubilant tone of much of the music from this time and these genres (pre-AIDS epidemic) is reflected in contemporary electro.

What may be the truly fascinating element of current electro pop is this jubilance. I see it expressed most clearly in the use of trippy and fantastic design and images. While many would write off trippy images like in “Relax, (Take it Easy)” or Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E” as mere celebration of drugs and odes to escapism, I detect more nuance. The trippy images hearken back to the experimentations of 1960s drug culture, and its peace and love tone. While having a psychedelic experience involves liberating the mind from its ordinary thought routines or exploring new levels of consciousness and could refer to any decade, the style of these electro pop music videos directly refers to graphic styles of the 60s. They relate to a nostalgic feeling for the exuberance of the youth culture pre-1968. In many ways 1968 was a year of innocence lost: end of the Prague Spring, My Lai Massacre, Mao Zedong’s reeducation programs, MLK and RFK assassinations, the French demonstrations, and killing of college students by the military in the US and Mexico.

By doggedly focusing on the jubilance of subcultures pre-loss of innocence (1968, AIDS), electro pop is defying the general consensus that liberal-minded people should be feeling downcast. Electro pop artists are searching for time periods from which to draw their happy aesthetic. Though they, as anyone, are inundated with messages of how the world is awry, from global warming to unethical corporations to international conflict, they are defiantly happy. They carefully select cultural references to signal to their listeners and viewers. And they choose to celebrate, dance and be uninhibited.

Well, maybe that is escapism to you, but to me, these days it seems like an outright political statement.

(c) idyllicmollusk 6/16/08

Here’s the fourth batch of Music Musings and Miscellany’s unapologetically subjective selection of the twentieth century’s best 1000 singles. Nearly through the A’s.

VELVET UNDERGROUND – All Tomorrow’s Parties / I’ll Be Your Mirror (Verve 10427 1966)
If you’ve got a copy of the first Velvets single then the beers are on you – replete with picture sleeve, mint copies are worth in the region of five grand. Even the (most common) promo fetches a three figure sum. It’s not here because it’s rare, but because it’s a brilliant record – with Nico sounding like the most bored party-goer in history.

HASHIM – Al-Naafyish (The Soul) / mix / bonus beats (Cutting Records 200 1983)
This has been out loads of times on loads of labels. The reason being that it’s a timeless electro classic that, along with Cybotron’s “Clear”, helped pave the way for the Detroit techno explosion. Hashim is Jerry Calliste Jr. He’s made other records, but none had anything like the impact of his first.

LOVE – Alone Again Or / A House Is Not a Motel (Elektra 45629 1968)
Two classics from Forever Changes. Bryan Maclean’s upbeat, optimistic “Alone Again Or” with its mariachi horns is a blast of sunshine, in contrast to Arthur Lee’s paranoid visions on the flip.

DEODATO – Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001) / Spirit of Summer (CTI 12 1973)
Richard Strauss’s fanfare to Friedrich Nietzsche memorably featured in Kubrick’s 2001. Five years after the movie, it was turned in a jazz-fusion monster by Brazillian keyboard player Eumir Deodato.

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS – Alternative Ulster / 78 RPM (Rough Trade RT004 1978)
Recorded during the darkest days of the Troubles, “Alternative Ulster” is brim full of molten anger. With one of the greatest guitar intros to come out of punk, it positively seethes. The title was filched from a contemporary Belfast fanzine.

ELVIS PRESLEY – Always On My Mind / Separate Ways (RCA 740815 1972)
Probably the last decent record that Elvis made, closing a four year creative renaissance that followed a decade of tat.

SUBWAY SECT – Ambition / Different Story (Rough Trade RT007 1978)
“Ambition” was probably the first punk single to feature what sounds like a fairground pump organ. Vic Godard’s mob always were a little different, and he soon went into a kind of neo-jazz crooner direction. He never bettered this, though.

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS – American Girl / Fooled Again (Shelter 62007 1977)
DON McLEAN – American Pie / part 2 (United Artists 50856 1971)
Hard to believe that Petty was initially lumped in with the likes of Television and Talking Heads as the US’s answer to UK punk. “American Girl” is so Roger McGuinn it hurts – good tune, though. “American Pie” survived a grisly assault by Madonna. I know many people who detest the original – quite why is beyond me. It’s clever and literate and is a lot of fun to deconstruct. But it also works as an emotional response to the death of McLean’s schoolboy hero, Buddy Holly.

MASSIVE ATTACK – Angel / Group Four (Wild Bunch 10 1998)
“Angel” is loosely based on an old Horace Andy Studio One tune, but here it’s both sensual and threatening. Andy’s honeyed tones contrast vividly with the brooding background. It’s amazing that Mezzanine is already a decade old. It still sounds as fresh as the day it came out to these ears.

ARTHUR ALEXANDER – Anna / I Hang My Head and Cry (Dot 16387 1962)
Despite having songs covered by the Beatles (this one) and the Stones (“You’d Better Move On”), Arthur Alexander is still an undeservedly obscure figure. Great tunes and a rich baritone sometimes aren’t enough. Alexander spent the seventies and eighties in obscurity, but looked set to capitalise on his growing cult status in 1993 when he signed a new recording and publishing deal. A month later he suffered a fatal heart attack.

DANCE CHAPTER – Anonymity / New Dance (4AD AD18 1980)
I think I’m one of the only people on the planet who rates this. Back from the days when most acts on 4AD were proto-gothic Bauhaus / Joy Division clones, Leeds band Dance Chapter were no different. Singer Cyrus Bruton was quite a charismatic character, and he gives his all to this song which somehow transcends its influences. Nothing else they recorded was anything like as good.

More soon

Toţi directorii de ştiri care m-au trimis în Kosovo – şi au tot fost vreo cîţiva – au fost, săracii, terorizaţi să nu îmi las osemintele pe acolo. Iar asta nu doar o dată.  Ei bine, eu, după o lungă meditaţie, am ajuns la concluzia că eu, în Kosovo, mă simt mai în siguranţă ca la mine acasă. Iar asta nu are nici o legătură cu faptul că ştiu să vorbesc aproape toate limbile locului sau că am făcut mai mulţi kilometri prin provincia cu pricina decît am făcut acasă la mine, între Iaşi şi Vaslui.

Şi nici nu are vreo influenţă covîrşitoare faptul că, atunci cînd nu ştiam o boabă sîrbeşte, ştiam ruseşte. Poate avea, însă, legătură cu faptul că, atunci cînd nu ştiam decît engleză şi franceză, m-a păzit Dumnezeu, dovadă că ţine la mine. E clar că Şefu mă simpatizează, dacă am fost acolo cu Dragoş Stoian şi m-am întors să vă spun povestea asta. Cum a fost cu Stoian în Kosovo, e altă istorie, pentru altă ocazie.

Iată, însă, principalele motive: între sîrbi mă descurc, pentru că ştiu rezonabil sîrbeşte (Hvala tebi puno, uce Mile!), iar între albanezi nu am de ce mă teme, chiar dacă, mai nou, Carla del Ponti, procurorul TPI, l-a acuzat pe Hashim Thaci, premierul european şi occidental şi cetăţean model al provinciei de trafic de organe.

E simplu, dragii mei, de la subsemnatul nu are ce să ia nici un traficant de organe: ficatul a fost supus încă din liceu bombardamentelor de calibru greu cu proiectile de bere, ţuică, vodcă, rom, secărică (o singură dată, bleah!), tequila, pufoaică, vin de Cotnari (ţine-l, Doamne!) sau Busuioacă de Bohotin de la Huşi, licoarea zeilor. Deci nu mai valorează pe piaţa de organe nici cît un ficat de găină.

Plămînii au fost afumaţi constant cu tutunul din ţigări LM, Kent, Carpaţi, Bucegi, Bran (le mai ţineţi minte?), Pall Mall, Monte Carlo, Camel, Marlboro, Davidoff, Russkij Stilj, Belomor Kanal Peterburg şi tutun de rulat englezesc, cu ţigări de foi cubaneze şi americane şi cu narghilele nenumărate, aduse de prin Irak şi Afghanistan.

Rinichii sînt ca două dune de nisip, deoarece apa din Moldova, din Bucureşti şi din Londra este dură şi eu nu folosesc Calgon, că nu îmi place gustul de capsule albastre inteligente. Stomacul este erodat de agresiunile alcoolice şi culinare de trei decenii, plus de toate mizeriile pe care am fost silit să le înghit (uneori) lucrînd pentru tot felul de şaormării, sifonării şi buticuri mass-media, în plus are tendinţa să îi fie foame, deci e o pagubă constantă.

Ochiul meu drept e uşor paradit într-un mod în care nici savanţii sovietici nu s-au prins, deocamdată, iar stîngul, deşi vede suficient de bine încît să nimeresc ţinta în alergare la 200 de metri cu PM-ul de 5.45, nu are nici un farmec fără perechea sa de aceeaşi culoare unică şi mereu schimbătoare.

Creierul, posesiunea mea cea mai de preţ, e plin de idei contradictorii şi, uneori, paradoxale, aşa că nu îmi imaginez că ar vrea cineva să îşi încarce capul cu balamucul din cerebelul Ursului. Ultima pe listă, ce să zic, ar mai rămîne p%&@, dar de aia are toată lumea, mai puţin femeile. Iar ele, pînă acum, au reuşit să îşi găsească întotdeauna fără să dea bani – nici o afacere, deci, pentru traficanţi.

Deci în Kosovo sînt ca la mine acasă. Nu am probleme. Decît uneori, cu somnul la -30 de grade în camera de hotel, dar şi cu asta m-am învăţat…

Thanks for the replies re: Prefab Sprout.
One of the great things about what I do is that I can remember each defining factor that has shaped me as a musical entity right down to the moment it happened. Now don’t ask me things like dates or times my brain doesn’t retain info like that. But ask me about a melody, a lyric, a sound on a keyboard,
A drum groove, a baseline, I can tell you when and how it went down.
For instance the other day I was in the studio with the lovely Zara Taylor (wait til you hear her). When we had to reference some music for some sound sources bass sounds in particular!! We went through a joint called “Jam On It” by a group called Newcleus and a song called “Wood Beez” by a group called Scritti Politti. As we scanned through the songs listening to the hyper baselines and the scattered sequenced parts that gave the songs their drive and momentum it gave us the reassurance and inspiration we needed.
But for me it did something entirely different,it transported me to Toronto to the mid 80’s to an underground spot called THE TWILIGHT ZONE!! It was the club that all the avid record collectors,dancers, and would be producers went to. I remember when the dj mixed “It’s Time” by a group called Hashim into Newcleus. This was when the battle circle would form!!!! You could feel the excitement in the air there was something bigger then all of us in the room !! I know this sounds a little corny but this is exactly how it felt.
Every crew from every region of Toronto were there to showcase their best moves and of course rep the hood they from!.
For me it was an evolution of my musical being. It was probably the first time the music jumped off the vinyl and reincarnated itself in the shape of a dancer!! For real, a transformation took place that nite. It changed the way I make music til this day and forever!!!!!
So big ups to SCRITTI POLLITTI,NEWCLEUS,ALL B BOYS,B GIRLS,DJ’s,and of course THE TWILIGHT ZONE for incredibly defining moments !!!!!!!!!
If you care or can relate write back
Love

Newcleus “Jam On It”

Scritti Politti “Wood Beez”

Det er ikke mange som vet det, men jeg var en gang en del av en knusende HipHop gruppe kalt Flex Ovah Da money Crew. Det var et liv dominert av bitches and hoes, money and booze og sjokomelk. Meg og Mimir startet gruppen sammen. Vi skulle erobre verden med vår RapHop critics, og sette fokus på all HipHopcracy som ble stuck to us by the man.

Dessverre var vi ikke modne for berømmelsen lyricsene våre skulle bringe oss. Mimir Aka Ghetto Viking brukte alle pengene sine på Islandsk sprit, som han prøvde å smugle inn i Norge under det falske navnet Ahmed Mostafa Hashim. Tollerne fant også 5 gram oregano i en plastpose, samt de Islandske snuff filmene “Meg, deg og min Shetlands Ponni” og klassikeren “Lukten av Hai”. Daniel Aka The Toy Danni Boy, ble funnet skyldig i å lure nordlandske kommuner til å investere pengene sine, og blir nå saksøkt. Han klappet også en kattepus for hardt, så den fikk vondt.

I sin korte karriere rakk gruppen å gi ut bare en sang, med en påfølgende video.

Her får du altså Flex Ovah Da Money Crew med “Flex Ovah Da Money” fra albumet “Step On Da Cock”

Quotes:

Ghetto Viking: “i joined flex ovah da money crew, so that i could have sex with some honeys too”

The Toy Danny Boy: “people are afraid of me because i have muscles, like the guy Claude Van Damme who comes from Brussels”

Kosovo is finally having its elections. This brings up an interesting topic on the success of rebellion as a tool for independence. 

The fracturing of Western colonial empires has brought about the emergence of new, independent countries. Usually hard fought with revolutions in their various forms, nations have carved out for themselves their own territory, with their own military, and established their own state. Revolution was the battle cry of the time, and it was radical, and it was beautiful.

 As time passed though, the changing state of nations have made segments of their populations realize the need for further divisions, for new states to emerge. When their requests weren’t heeded by inherently defensive and territorially static governments, they turned to rebellion.

People joining rebellions have various reasons. One is ethnicity. The Kurds of Iraq have asked for an independent Kurdistan (actually, Kurdistan covers several countries). Albanian Kosovars want to be freed from the clutches of Serbia. Muslim Mindanao have asked for a separate state in the Philippines. Despite the fluid definition of ”nation”, it seems these movements refuse to be percolated with their fellow citizens. The claim of ethnic differences hearken to deep insecurities held by these groups against the prevailing, “dominant” race or religion. They conjure up feelings of oppression, repression, and discrimination that were the lifeblood of revolutions in the past. They spark rebellion in these countries.

These make us ask two things: First, is rebellion the solution? Second, is independence the solution?

Rebellion comes in different forms, depending on the state of the government’s controlling apparatus. In more controlling states with the capability to enforce that control (such as Russia, China and Singapore), rebellion is merely voiced out in various media, only to be clamped down on by the government. In states without the capability to defend the governing apparatus, armed movements gain control over sections of territory. This is what is seen in Africa’s rebellions in Ethiopia, the Congo, and Uganda, to name a few. The same can be said of Asia’s revolutions such as the Philippines, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka and several others. In countries where the state is not as controlling, but has the potential to be so, rebellions come in the form of a dynamic opposition using available legal means to pursue their interests. Good examples include Canada’s Quebecois independence movement, the USA’s American Indian lobbies, and the now pacified IRA in the United Kingdom.

Using a more practical analysis, it seems that rebellions without the full capacity to win their independence have detrimental effects to their country and to their cause. A resurgent and vengeful government would throw its military might at them, cutting down their numbers, repressing their freedoms, and fueling even more of the discontent and oppressive feelings that sparked rebellion in the first place. But when that government doesn’t have enough of the military muscle to accomplish its crackdown, chronic tit-for-tat battles take place lasting for decades and resulting in more detriments for the population than both the government or the rebels. Africa itself is a model for this, with rebels having the gall to attack UN peacekeepers who are tiptoeing around, reluctant to use force that may aggravate the situation and result in their ejection from the country. Active recruiting of children into the army is also a common occurence, teaching them how to accomplish the killing, the raping, and the pillaging of warfare.

Rebellions that are successful, though, result in the creation of new countries and the establishment of new governments. At this point, we have answered the first question. Rebellion is only a solution if there is enough bite to back its bark.

But this leads us to a more complicated question: Is independence really the solution?

A new government has a multitude of problems. Being a neophyte in governance, the fledgeling state has no credits in National Management 101, and frequently bungles up its job. One thing it doesn’t do well on is the establishment of viable industries. East Timor is an example of a country tied up so much in economic deals that try to please its more powerful trading partners, that it barely has any GNP left to spend on its own development. Bangladesh is wallowing in poverty, as is Pakistan, from which it gained independence. Other Asian countries, though, are proving that it is possible to learn fiscal discipline. South East Asian countries have shown their resilience post-independence, and even post-1997, when a regional economic crisis occured. The Philippines has the best performing currency in Asia this year, and Vietnam is developing at a rate second only to China.

Of course, economics is not the be all and end all. Democratization, which seems to be the byword in governance in this era, is crucial. Governments have to balance the establishment of security and control over their newly acquired territories, with the expectations of the international community and their own citizens as to their rights and freedoms. It is here that the issue becomes prickly. Juntas in different countries (such as in Thailand, Pakistan, Burma/Myanmar) seem reluctant to let go of their newly acquired power. In a time ripe for political opportunism, oppositionists quickly rise to criticize their governments, drunk too on their newly acquired freedoms. A government has to balance all interests, lest they commit the same mistakes the previous government made, and spark new revolutions in unstable times.

These concerns, along with the growing trend toward the promotion of politicoeconomic stability have downplayed the need for independence, and hence, for rebellion. The internationalization of tolerance and the increasing use of the negotiation table by governments have quelled many rebellions by satisfactory deals. The IRA, for instance has laid down its arms in favor of reforms in representation in the United Kingdom. The MNLF has given up secessionism in favor of a measure of autonomy in the southern Philipppines.

Sometimes, the moderation of formerly rebellious groups has sparked a reactionary radicalism, new movements that aspire to “purer ideals” with no compromise or wavering. The infamous kidnapping group, the Abu Sayyaf, is a spawn of the MNLF in the Philippines. In what is arguably a rebellious movement seeking independence, the Palestine Liberation Organization has split into so many factions, moderate and armed, that makes it difficult for others to negotiate with them.

Thus, in the end, there is no real answer as to whether independence is a solution because it all depends on the change that happens. A new government must prove itself able and willing. It must maintain the principles of its revolution. It must conform to internationally-conceded standards of governance. It must quell other rebellions and security threats.

In short, it must be Machiavellian.