Voices from the Abyss

These old souls in college-aged bodies (scrawny legs and all) put a warm smile on my face. Richard Thompson’s 1952 Vincent Black Lightning:

Flash Workout

I can’t think of a better way to convince kids to exercise. . .but then, I’m not Beyoncé or Michelle Obama. This is a campaign called Get The Kids Moving aimed at fighting obesity. The flash workout took place in middle schools across America this afternoon.


And, it comes with instruction:

Uplar

I came across this video a couple weeks ago. I've watched it over and over since then, and each time it puts a huge grin on my face. I've tried to find out more about the company - Pogo - that put all these sounds together so harmoniously, but have found nothing yet. In any case, turn your speakers up, sit back, and enjoy!

Hyperpotamus Makes Me Happy

Maybe he'll do the same for you? Innovative, a cappella, one man music making. A great composition from start to finish. In my humble opinion.

Voices Collide in the Abyss

The Voices from the Abyss column began with the intention of celebrating those earnest folks who sing into the depths of the world wide web hoping for a reply—an ode to being scrappy enough to insert your voice into the performing arts despite any marketability issues. I imagine that it’s wonderful when these seekers do get a response, there’s many a comment on YouTube. But even better, sometimes an artist actually gets a volunteer from the audience, someone so moved, she sings along. . .and a duet is born.


Voices*: ccendana (aka Chris Candaña) is from Pennsylvania. tonjesmi (aka Meghan Tonjes) is from Michigan. Song written by OneRepublic.

*Note: Yeah, there are a few pitch issues, they’re never perfect (is anyone?), perhaps that's part of the beauty—no retouching. The collaboration is nonetheless poignant, a pretty meaningful statement, especially for those who feel that the internet is making us less human. I’ll feature the female singer again, on her own. She’s pretty talented.

Previously featured Voices from the Abyss:
• ju218
• mealat

Never Gonna Give Your Teen Spirit up

Don’t really know how this video fell into my lap, divine intervention or by the efforts of an internet geek’s love of things pop-culture and quintessentially 80’s. The answer it seems is that I had been "Rickrolled"... don't know what that is? Someone needs to start surfing the nets and catch the Rick Astley tidal wave.

Rickrolling is an Internet meme typically involving the music video for the 1987 Rick Astley song “Never Gonna Give You Up”. The meme is a bait-and-switch: a person provides a web link that he or she claims is relevant to the topic at hand, but the link actually takes the user to the Astley video. The URL can be masked or obfuscated in some manner so that the user cannot determine the true destination of the link without clicking. When a person clicks on the link and is led to the web page, he or she is said to have been “Rickrolled” (also spelled Rickroll’d). By 2008, it seems that more than 18 million Americans had been Rickrolled.

Source: wikipedia

Rickrolling refers to the original Astley video, but I appreciate how these two music videos /songs—which could not be further apart from each other—could mix together so well in this video. Click here to see more work by Thriftshop xl, creator of the Rick Astley mashup video.

Goodbye, Michael Jackson

No matter who you are, there has got to be at least one Michael Jackson song that you love, or at least one time in your history that this icon is somehow a part of. Farewell to an international legend, an artist whose work was so far reaching despite his troubled life. Rest in peace, MJ.


MJ was the first musician that I connected with who inspired me artistically. The break dancing career was short lived however. Wish I could remember what I did with the red jacket though... —Rob


UPDATE: The day after—read news from June 26, 2009 here.

Another Voice from the Abyss

Despite the fact that this young gal forgets the lyrics, she has such a strong grasp of her own identity, I just couldn’t resist her. A great (and albeit less painful) rendition of Dire Straits’ strikingly tender Romeo & Juliet:



Voice: meallat, age 20 from Ireland.

A Voice from the Abyss

When I was a lonely suburban adolescent hankering to be part of a creative tribe of sorts, I would have killed for this world called the internet. In my present day www meanderings, I occasionally come across a kindred soul with whom I would have loved to virtually know. This anonymous sweetie pie is one of them. Hooray for music. Hooray for the internet. Hooray for being able to call into the abyss. . . and actually be heard.

(Yes, you do sense the beginnings of a regular column.)



Voice: ju218, age 19 from Dijon, France. Song written by Death Cab for Cutie.

Forecast - 100% Chance of Raining Rundgren

What is it to be a man?
While I struggle to understand and develop my own personal definitions, I was blindsided by this album cover as I walked down the music aisle of the public library. Todd Rundgrens genitalia descended upon you me like Thor, the viking god of thunder. Dazed, I struggled with the decision if I, myself was man enough to listen to such music. With an unsteady hand, I raised up the album from its resting place and read the flip side track list; the final track entitled Man up confirmed that our destiny was intertwined.

This One Man Army produces, performs and writes his own music. However I don't believe it stops there. . .I would go so as far as to say that it is likely he was the mastermind behind the conception, layout, and even the photographer of the cover shot!

Wielding a guitar & cymbal as weapons to be used against those who dare show up to his concerts; a semi-aggressive squatting pose; and an unreadable expression may have been enough for lessor men, but not our gladiator Todd. To complete the illusion that his essence dominates every inch of the album cover, I believe he intuitively used the Photoshop Filter > Render > Clouds > to create a flesh colored stormy backdrop.

While I expected the same intensity as vocalist Nathan Explosion*, it was more like a ballad rock song from White Snake. My words do this album an injustice, so I will borrow Mr. Rundgren’s words from track 2 entitled Afraid: “Why suffer for nothing? Suffer for something.”

*Lead singer from the animated series Metalocalypse

Dig Deeper: The Evolution of an Artist

Last year while participating via live web cast of the California Women’s Conference, I found myself again captivated by an artist who once plucked at my heart strings when I was still young enough to dip a Lik-a-stick into purple sugar while watching Video 1 music videos on channel 9. In his career, Paul Hewson a.k.a. Bono has been one of the most charitably-impassioned artists of my generation. Artists, typically, are among the “feeling” ones in society, so much so that we can tend to curl inwards into self-absorption. I appreciate someone who takes that sensitivity and acts outwardly, in a way that positively affects others.

Whether or not you jive with U2, the Red and One campaigns, wealthy rock stars, women’s conferences or even Americans; this message is for you. The following speech is specific in its cause, but more so, I think it’s a call to action. Period. We each possess our own gifts which, if we decided to share them, would no doubt make the world a better place. Sometimes, we need reminding that we can be bigger than our careers, even greater than the person we currently offer to humanity.

I know it's a lengthy one. Watch, if you like.





Some links to organizations mentioned:
• Edun, a fair trade, eco-clothing line.
• The Red Campaign, a means eliminate AIDs in Africa while purchasing items on your shopping list.
• The One Campaign, a non-partisan unification advocating for United States government funding to strengthen international aid programs

HiFana's Animated Music Video

HiFana is a Japanese Instrumental HipHop band I stumbled upon on the net last weekend.
This DJ duo consists of KEIZOmachine and Juicy.

Two things I love about these guys:
1. Use of traditional sounds mixed in a break beat style.
2. Truly unique video animation style.

Video & song title Wamono:


By the way, check out their website and click the "Fresh Push" button in the upper left. You can practice your mad skills on their turn tables and beat boxes.