Shaun Slaughter has been a friend of LEGENDmag almost since it’s very first publish date and the relationship continues. I’ll be in Sacramento tonight judge this ipod battle for all the music lovers in the city of trees. I can’t wait, I had to cut off my right arm for gas money but he told me I only need one arm for tonight.
Sacramento Stand UP!
The Idea: verything started in March 2006 when TTC’s Teki Latex and Romain Rock, bored with strictly Hip Hop, Electro or Rock n Roll parties, decided to create a night where those scenes would share their influences. They chose the brand new Parisian club Paris Paris to host the party. The Infamous Para one, Justice, Dj Medhi, Surkin, Uffie and a lot more have already been battling to reach the podium! Since then, the Ipod Battle has been to Montreal and Geneva and soon Lausanne. This is only the beginning…. This night is always a killer. We want Sacramento to experience this event. Everyone who is invited plays a role in the game. This is going to be fun and we want you to take it seriously. This is a real battle.
There is nothing quite like the smell of fresh cooked bacon… especially if you are sleeping right next to the kitchen! Enter Wake ‘n Bacon! A wooden, pig-shaped alarm-clock/oven which summons your from slumber with the sizzling smell of bacon! Plus, they could easily modify the device for you vegetarians… and I suppose it would be called Wake ‘n Fake ‘n Bacon? Ooooh, or how about a tanning booth, bacon alarm clock called… Wake ‘n Bake ‘n Bacon!!!! Hott. (yes, with TWO t’s)
I have always been fascinated by the idea that anyone can actually compose and create music. Not to say that just anyone can do it, but rather, I am saying that it blows my mind that it’s possible at all. That someone can be brilliant enough and that their brain works in such a very specific way to turn sound waves or ideas or little black dots on a page into sounds. Into something that is as capable of breaking your heart as it is of mending it.
Music is the great unifier. It exists in every culture, on every continent (well, ok, I guess penguin calls don’t count, so there probably isn’t too much music on Antarctica) and it is part of everyone’s shared cultural heritage. The geographic, socio-economic, gender specific, religious, cultural and generational lines that are crossed by and through music are staggering. We all borrow from one another, are inspired by various sounds and energies, beats and harmonies and can all find a way to dance. The basis upon which all of this sits, the very foundation upon which music is based is rhythm. This, by the way, is the most commonly misspelled word in my repetoir.
I believe that one of the reasons that we, as humans, connect so completely with and through music is because by our very nature, we ARE rhythm. If our heart stops, we stop. The cadence of our speech and the tone of our voice, the kick in our step or the drag of our feet, the tap of our fingers or of our toes, all of this is rhythm. Not only are WE rhythm, but our precious earth, our eco-system, our life blood as a planet, is also rhythm. Do not think for one moment that we are not connected by the beat, the call and echo, the flow and the precise timing of the universe. If you doubt me, watch the video below. The brilliant creator of this piece pairs Run DMC, three, young, black men from the inner city streets of New York in the 1980s with black and white footage of Communist Russian Soldiers in the early part of the 20th century, with beautiful, surprising and inspiring results. If even these share such a distinct commonality across time, oceans, cultures, races, generations and styles, there must be hope for us yet
As always, Peace.
Oh, and just a quick note…HOLY CRAP, can those guys dance!!! And you thought the Rocketts could kick!
That’s right we’re back and again we have some crazy good prizes for this week to give out. Due to some many things going on in the LEGEND offices we didn’t have a humpday giveaway last week. From your responses we’ll get you we dissappointed.
Well we back this week with two giveaways.
First tickets to one of the Best SF events you’ll hear about this year. Chillin’ is an event that boast more then 50 designers, artist, dj’s, and tastemakers from just about everywhere.
Our runners up for the second prize will recieve OM records CD’s. (you have to love that)
This week here’s what we’d like you to do. Tell us some independent subject matter that you’d like to see us cover here on LEGENDmag. We’re always looking for new topics and things to share with our readers and we’d like you to help us out.
email yor topic request to humpday@legendmag.net for your chance and music and events. (look for clothing and gadgets coming soon to the humpday giveaways).
Ok so I hate to be a total tease (as I’m still trying to find locations where you can catch a good view of this film) but I had to tell you about it anyway. Watching the trailer is makes laugh pretty hard and a good love story is always great. If that’s not enough for you, all you “Good Times” fans will definitely love seeing “Bookman” doing some acting again. Check the trailer!
The yanks might find it hard to understand this man when it comes to the listening the first time arround. Dizzee rides the double-timed beats and spits words fast which may throw the slow off. The accent will ware off on the second pass. Trust us, it is something that you might have to get used to but makes sence in the end. This is the cat who put UK Grime on the map in the U.S. and is still making a noise like a double decker bus driving on the wrong side of the road. Members of UGK make a guest cameo, as well as Alex Turner, and Lilly Allen. There is also a remix by label mate El Producto of the track “Where’s Da G’s.” Def Jux did the right thing by putting this cat down on the team to making their roster even more diverse.
Favorite song: “Da Feelin” — Dizzee’s flow over the drum and bass track is a style of speak not heard much of these days. Its good to hear some diversity of beats and breath control on the same track.
Musically: A polished UK grime style. Still dirty and well tuned, like a muscle car from the 70.
Last words: The shit sounds cool. Real bouncy, with breath control and clarity.
In ‘92, I was always sort of grossed out when I saw the guy on a “Delicious Vinyl” label chopping at record like the cookie monster, but I always knew there was some taste groovs inside that record sleev too. In 2008 it’s no different. Delicious vinyl has allowed for some really good remixes to happen by some really great artist: Hot Chip, Diplo, Don Rimini, Peaches, Spank Rock, Diplo, Bobby Evans, and DJ Mehdi. Singles from the collection includePeaches version of Tone Loc’s “Wild Thing,”Aaron LaCarte and Debonair Samir’s re-working of Young MC’s “Know How”, Eminem’s production on Masta Ace’s “Slaughtahouse,” andDiplo and Don Rimini’s take on “Bust A Move.”
Sofa just released an extensive look into the indie Macintosh developer community, with close to 50 hours of interviews and lots of online resources! Here is what they have to say about the project:
“‘Indie Fever’ is the first result of a multi-year human geography research program to investigate the social and economical world of so-called ‘Indie’ developers on the Macintosh platform. ‘Indie’ is the self-chosen nickname of software developers that serve worldwide markets from the Internet, hold their artistic values in high esteem and celebrate their ability to make high quality software as small companies. Indies form a major part of the pool of developers of third party software for the iPhone that is currently available in Apple’s App Store.
Indies have organized themselves informally but strongly in a virtual community. Although they are scattered over several continents, they continuously interact over the Internet, share rumors and code, and discuss business and private interests as if they were coworkers while –technically– they are competitors. They share a common culture which is intertwined with the history of the platform they develop for and the Cocoa programming environment in particular. The thesis describes the turbulent social history of Cocoa and its early protagonists who became the role models of the Indie community. Furthermore, it analyses how Indies sustain and reproduce their particular culture primarily through online means, something that is argued to be rather difficult in the social-scientific discourse.
Indie Fever also pays attention to the relationships between the Indie community and Apple Inc. It argues that they have a symbiotic relationship but that the balance of power between the two is different from what one would expect from just looking at the economic dimensions. Indies substantially contribute to Apple’s software innovations and play an important role in the platform’s competitiveness.”
The Rhymesayers camp are known for no apologies when it comes to bustin’ lyrics. And Mac Lethal’s 11:11 album is no exception. Mac takes us on a trip through the eyes of a beer drinking record digging vagrant. This album is good dirty party music. The kind where you don’t know if you’ll get into a fight for taking inebriated pinches at ladies behinds at a house party where you were not invited too. Mac’s words are amusing and express full in tracks like “Make out bandit” and “Die Slow” and are a summary of the testosterone and face punches which you may get through the speaker just by listening.
Musically: The beats are diverse. Defiantly not true school or head nod style, but it will keep your attention. If the Dropkick Murphy’s made beats, they would sound like this; an array boom bap drums to tweeked guitar strums.
Favorite song: “Pound that beer” will give you an excuse to do anything you want while intoxicated without saying sorry.
Last words: Listening to this album will have you not giving a f%ck about anything, but the things you want to do…until the adrenaline wears off. Also snowboarder chicks who smoke weed are cool.
The Lips take us on a trip of late night beach clam bakes and surf boards.The twang on the guitars tells you immediately what they’re all out.If your into 60’s and 70’s surf music some sandy beach funk between your toes, then peep this.Of course you’ll hear the sounds of modern day rock and vocals in the mix.These cats don’t exactly meow in unison or key for that matter, but musically these mid-night beach beat dwellers don’t fail at their holistic craft.this album is not made to be broken down like record digging nerds who were upset because DJ Shadow made “The Outsider.”This is listening for sake of hearing how other sub-cultures of America get down.In this case, the modern day cat who follows surf or rockabilly music.
Musically:The change ups in some of the track work cohesively, as performed in the song “It Feels Right.”
Favorite song:“Lock and Key” is funky in a blues rock and roll stylee.The vocals are mixed down dirty and the instruments follow that, complementing one another. ”Bad Kids” is dope too.r
Last words:If you don’t know anything about surf music or rockabilly peep this. and then youtube that shit.
In the “taking a look at ALL relevant candidates for Leader-of-the-Free-World” series, we go from the Libertarian Party (click for previous post) to no party at all. Even in our political duopoly, there are those who have managed to permeate outside of the two parties to evoke awareness. Only a select few have done so with no party backing at all.
Independent candidates have been around since the times of Washington, who incidentally was the first and only US President ever elected as an independent (although the Federalist Party quickly rallied around him after his first term began). Whether John Anderson (1980) or Ross Perot (’92 and ‘96), independents have broken away from the Dems and GOP, to speak on issues that both majors fail to address.
The most notable independent of this year’s election is Ralph Nader, who is running with former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Matt Gonzales. No stranger to American Politics, Nader has run in every election since ‘92. After 40 years of successful consumer advocacy, he wanted to respond to the powerful corporate momentum to pursue their narrow interests (thanks Ronnie!), so Nader threw his name into the hat: “I don’t like citizen groups being shut out by both parties in [DC] — corporate occupied territory — not having a chance to improve their country.” The pinnacle of his career was his run in 2000 as a Green, when he finished the popular vote, in third.
There are many differences between Nader, and Obamcain, but FISA is definitely the most recent, glaring difference. Enacted in 1978, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act makes it illegal to intentionally engage in electronic surveillance under appearance of an official act or to disclose or use information obtained by that same electronic surveillance without a warrant. It was revealed in 2005, that the NSA teamed up with telecoms like AT&T to engage in warrantless surveillance, which involved the private communications of millions of Americans.
So the in light of the telecom industry breaking the law (save Qwest Communications), the punishment of a fine of up to $10,000 or up to five years in prison, or both, should apply, right? Well the telecom lobby bought themselves an amendment to the law. This month, the FISA amendment act of 2008, was passed. Here are just some of the “benefits”:
* Prohibits the individual states from investigating, sanctioning of, or requiring disclosure by complicit telecoms or other persons.
* Permits the government not to keep records of searches, and destroy existing records.
* Protects telecommunications companies from lawsuits for “‘past or future cooperation” with federal law enforcement authorities.
* Removes requirements for detailed descriptions of the nature of information or property targeted by the surveillance.
* Allows for warrantless surveillance up to 7 days.
* Allows eavesdropping in “emergencies” without court approval.
* Prohibits the government from invoking war powers or other authorities to supersede surveillance rules in the future.
McCain was conveniently absent from the voting and Obama voted FOR it (talk about the candidate for change, huh?)
Nader’s response to the Senate passing FISA…
When Nader was ten, his father asked him: “Well, Ralph, what did you learn in school today? Did you learn how to believe or did you learn how to think?” Be an indie-thinker! Come back to LEGENDmag Blog for posts on other Third party candidates.
Some artist can bring a mood and really make you feel where they’re coming from, and some well…can’t! Prefering to tell you about those who can, see the art of Abi Dayacap. When I saw her pieces I immediately knew I had to tell everyone I knew, I mean everyone that reads LEGENDmag. Take some time and look through her work.
