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Monday Mashup: Wrapped Detective
2007-10-08 05:21:00 From Mark Vidler (aka Go Home Productions), "Wrap ped Detective " is a brilliant mashup of five artists: Elvis Costello ("Watching the Detectives"), The Police ("Wrapped Around Your Finger"), Lionel Ritchie ("Hello"), Peggy Lee ("Fever"), and Bob Marley ("Exodus"). I particularly like this mix because of the effortless way GHP moves between songs so no single element is jarring, but fits sonically and logically with the others. It also let me listen to "Wrapped Around Your Finger" without wincing because, although it has never been a favorite of mine, here it is taken to new levels. If only The Police had tried the tune with a rhythm foundation like this one... Listen to Go Home Productions "Wrapped Detective" More About: Monday , Mashup
Rigors of The Road: The Cribs
2007-10-07 14:57:00 Friday night, British indie trio The Cribs were playing at Birmingham Academy when singer Ryan Jarman decided it would be a good idea to crowd surf the mosh pit. Bad move. The overly enthusiastic crowd tossed him around like a rag doll. Security guards, not recognizing him and thinking he was just a fan as he was passed around, kept Jarman from returning to the stage. According to NME.com, he was finally hauled from the crowd unconscious by a security guard, with most of his clothes ripped off him by fans. He regained consciousness after being shaken by another security guard. Jarman was unconscious for around 20 seconds in total. Shirtless and wearing the remains of his jeans, Jarman completed his band's set by playing two acoustic songs before being assessed by paramedics. The following day, bassist Gary Jarman was hospitalized after complaining of pains in his arms. Jarman was taken to a nearby hospital where the was diagnosed with blood poisoning. It is thought he got the poiso... More About: Road , The Road
iheard It Through the Grapevine
2007-10-05 18:09:00 Tired of the local "classic rock" radio station that seems to have built its entire playlist around six CDs? (You know who you are.) Check out iheard.com, an intertube radio aggregator service. It collects meta data about stations with internet feeds into a comprehensive directory so you can find whatever style suits your mood. One caveat: A couple stations I tried did not connect, possibly from heavy traffic or maybe an outdated link, but that seems to be the exception. Others connected quickly and streamed smoothly. And if you have your own net radio station, iheard can help you promote it for more listeners.Stations are organized by genre, country and language, and includes streams for iTunes, Realplayer and Windows media player.Genres included on the iheard directory are: Alternative, Country, International, R&B, Ambient, Dance-Electronic, Jazz, Reggae, Blues, Eclectic, Latin, Religious, Christian, Folk, Oldies, Rock, Classical, Hiphop-rap, Pop, and Talk.And each genre lets you... More About: The G
Hot Ticket
2007-10-04 20:13:00 Miley Cyrus is about to embark on a 54-date concert tour. For those of you who live in a cave--or don't have children--she's the daughter of the guy who used to sing about the achey-breaky mullet, Billy Ray Cyrus, and she has her own show on the Disney Channel called Hannah Montana. On the show (yes, I've seen it) she plays high school student Miley Stewart while her father plays... her father. (Stay with me here.) He writes hit songs for Miley's alter ego, Hannah Montana, who Miley becomes by donning a blonde wig. Why? I'm not entirely sure, but apparently no one knows that the girl they sit behind in math class is a superstar recording artist. Her father disguises himself as well by pasting on a moustache. Clark Kent couldn't have found a better disguise, because no one seems to know it's the same guy.Anyway, it's all pretty harmless fluff and my niece really likes it. But that's not the point of this post. Instead it's about tickets to the concerts, where Cyrus will app... More About: Ticket , Tick
The Perfect Guitar Hero Song?
2007-10-03 15:39:00 Sex Pistols have re-recorded their classic song "Anarchy in the U.K." for use in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock, due out this month. The band got together in the studio (minus original bassist Glen Matlock, or his replacement, the inconveniently dead Sid Vicious) for the first time since the 1970s. They even used the same analog sound desk they used back in the day, which was built for George Martin in the late 60s. It really is the perfect Guitar Hero song, because it was one of the tracks that inspired thousands of teenagers to pick up guitars and rock out in the late 70s. Why not just license the original master tape for the game? Umm, well, you see, they can't find it. That's right, the master tape of what became one of the seminal records of the burgeoning punk movement is missing, probably sitting in a box in someone's closet somewhere, collecting dust. More About: Song , Perfect
Alton Brown's Music Video Past
2007-10-02 19:55:00 I saw this item mentioned TV Food Fan, a great blog for foodies (like me). It seems that Alton Brown, FoodNetwork host of one of my favorite shows, Good Eats, has a past. In this case it was as a cinematographer and video director whose work included R.E.M's "The One I Love" video. So here is some of AB's work before he became the Mr. Wizard of the kitchen: More About: Video , Music , Music Video , Past
Monday Mashup: Intro-Inspection
2007-10-01 06:13:00 This is an amazing piece of work by palindromic British mixologist Osymyso.It's a few years old now, but this track set the bar very high for any would-be mash up artist who followed. Osymyso takes the intros to 101 different songs--mostly chart toppers--and creates a single cohesive 12-minute piece of music that works as well as any of the individual tracks from which it is made. Here's the list of samples used for Intro -Inspect ion 1. "Rivers of Babylon" - Boney M 2. "Wild Thing" - The Troggs 3. "Hello" - Lionel Richie 4. "Fairground" - Simply Red 5. "Hey Jude" - The Beatles 6. "Vienna" - Ultravox 7. "Unchained Melody" - The Righteous Brothers 8. "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys 9. "Tainted Love" - Soft Cell 10. "Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen 11. "No Woman, No Cry" - Bob Marley 12. "Hound Dog" - Elvis Presley 13. "Drinkin' in L.A." - Bran Van 3000 14. "99 Luftballons" - Nena 15. "The Lovecats" - The Cure 16. "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears 17. "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou ... More About: Monday , Mashup , Mash
Jim Carrey Is The Walrus
2007-09-30 22:40:00 What the...I...how...hmmm. Have you seen this clip of Jim Carre y (yes Jim Carrey) singing "I Am The Walrus" as George Martin produces and conducts a studio orchestra? The song is from Martin's 1998 album In My Life. It's...ummm... different to say the least. I don't recall ever hearing about this album, but a quick stop by Amazon reveals that, in addition to Carrey, it was loaded with guest performers such as: ? Bobby McFerrin ("Come Together")? Goldie Hawn ("A Hard Day's Night")? Jeff Beck ("A Day In The Life")? Celine Dion ("Here, There & Everywhere")? Vanessa-Mae ("Because")? John Williams ("Here Comes The Sun")? Billy Connolly ("Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite")? George Martin ("The Pepperland Suite")? Phil Collins ("Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, The End")? George Martin ("Friends And Lovers")? Sean Connery ("In My Life")Normally these things leave me cold (if you remember the BeeGees Sargent Pepper fiasco you know what I mean), but I have to say this really is...
Sunday Soul: Be Without You
2007-09-30 18:01:00 This single, from Mary J. Blige's 2005 album The Breakthrough ranks as one of my favorite songs of all time."Be Without You" reached number three on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, while peaking at number one on the R&B charts for a record-setting 15 consecutive weeks. That made it the most successful release in the history of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Take a listen. The haunting melody will stay with you, and you'll be blown away by the spectacular vocal and harmonies. Fellas tell your lady she's the one. Enjoy.Listen to Mary J. Blige "Be Without You" More About: Soul , Sunday
Adams Has (Another) Meltdown on Stage
2007-09-30 15:32:00 (From AP) Ryan Adams pitched another fit for a Minneapolis audience, a few years after his last local meltdown.Throughout a show Thursday night, the 32-year-old singer-guitarist complained about the sound monitors onstage at the State Theatre. At one point, he moved two monitors, his microphone and his guitar pedals.After 70 minutes he'd had enough. Adams announced "the last song," played it and didn't return for an encore. Many fans stood and booed."I don't know what the story was," guitarist Neal Casal told the Star Tribune afterward. "I just play guitar."In 2003, Adams gave a famously bad performance at First Avenue, a rambling two-hour show where he griped about the sound system, played several songs twice and lambasted local rock legend Paul Westerberg. More About: Stage
Saturday Smackdown: Samson
2007-09-29 19:41:00 YouTube is the internet version of the American Idol auditions where you see some very good singers and many more who.... well, let's just say their ambition is greater than their talent. But, because YouTube makes video sharing so easy, everybody gets their 3:30 of fame.Regina Spektor's "Samson " (from Songs, later redone for Begin to Hope) has to be one of the most covered songs on YouTube, with dozens of different versions. It's easy to see why: the piano part isn't that hard (even I can play it) and the vocal melody is in the ballpark for most voices. The YouTubers perform on piano, guitar, and even a capella. Some of the vocals are quite good, and some not so much, but they win points for even trying (because I don't think I'd have the nerve to do it myself). What surprised me was how many males took on the song. Here are some of the better versions.Here's the original by Regina Spektor:This version by maia4246 ids pretty good.Here's another version by PussySugar, who m... More About: Saturday , Smack , Smackdown
Today in History: Hey Jude
2007-09-28 00:44:00 On September 28, 1968, the Beatles? ?Hey Jude ? hit number one on the US charts, where it stayed for nine weeks. It was on the charts for 19 weeks total, and has sold over 8 million copies. The song clocked in at more than 7 minutes, unusual for pop music at the time. The joke among disc jockeys at the time (back when deejays actually spun records) was that ?Hey Jude? was the song you played when you needed to take a bathroom break. Frankly, I think it could have been better at a shorter run time?the fade out is longer than the actual song--but then the deejays would have to cross their legs."Hey Jude" is, in my opinion, not one of McCartney?s better lyrics because it doesn't seem to work all the way through. As he has said, it?s a message to then 5-year-old Julian Lennon to help him get through his parents? divorce. That's okay for a few of the verses, but then it seems to be about... finding your love? Huh? And this line: ?The movement you need is on your shoulder.? What does th... More About: History , Today
Spector To Be Retried?
2007-09-27 16:39:00 The judge in the Phil Spector murder trial ended the suspense of whether the jury would find him guilty or not by declaring a mistrial yesterday. That raises the likelihood that there will be a second trial and this thing will drag on and on and on. I can't blame the jury for being unable to reach a decision. From what I've heard of testimony in the trial, and from what I've read about Spector (check out Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector by Mick Brown) the guy had some anger and control issues that could have contributed to the scenario in which Lana Clarkson died. On the other hand, the defense introduced quite a bit of evidence to suggest that Clarkson was suicidal. Which side is right? I don't know, and I don't think I'd want to be on a panel deciding Spector's fate. The jurors have said this case had nothing to do with celebrity and there's no reason to doubt that. Frankly, "celebrity" is an odd word to be using with Spector who has been o... More About: Trie
Chaka Khan Says Funk This
2007-09-26 15:49:00 The inimitable Chaka Khan is back with a new album of cover songs and original material called Funk This that hit the stores yesterday. She puts her own twist on some classic tracks of the past, including Joni Mitchell's "Ladies Man," Prince's "Sign 'O' The Times," and Jimi Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand." Michael McDonald, sounding grittier (for a change) and more soulful than he's ever sounded, duets on his "You Belong To Me," and Mary J. Blige joins in on "Disrepectful."At 54, Khan still sounds as good as she did back in the days of Rufus. You can listen to the entire album at her website.Track list: "Back In The Day," "Foolish Fool," "One for All Time," "Angel," "Will You Love Me?" "Castles Made of Sand," "Disrespectful," "Sign 'O' The Times," "Packed My Bags," "Ladies Man," "You Belong To Me," "Hail To The Wrong," and "Super Life." More About: Chaka Khan
Van Halen Ready For The Road
2007-09-25 23:31:00 The almost original lineup of Van Hale n is ready to hit the road for a tour after warming up last week in Los Angeles. This rehearsal video shows that Edward appears to be fit and healthy after his stint in rehab, and David Lee Roth is... well ... David Lee Roth as the band runs through "Everybody Wants Some." Wolfgang Van Halen is clearly capable of handling the bass lines formerly played by Michael Anthony, but as VH fans know, Anthony's real strength was as a backup vocalist hitting those high notes. It will be interesting to see how the group handles that. Also, will the set lists be limited to Roth-era songs or will they include later material (because I'm thinkin' Mr. Roth's vocals aren't remotely in the same league as Sammy Hagar's)? We'll know soon. Watch the video: More About: Road , Ready , The Road
Some Dylan With Your Coffee Frappuccino
2007-09-25 18:31:00 If you're a Starbucks customer, you're in luck.News Release:Starbucks plans to give away 50 million free digital songs to customers in all of its domestic coffee houses to promote a new wireless iTunes music service that's about to debut in select markets.Here's the deal: Go to a Starbucks between Oct. 2 and Nov. 7 and get your morning Joe. You'll be handed a free "Song of the Day" card that can be redeemed at Apple's online iTunes Store.Featured artists include Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Joss Stone, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Annie Lennox and Band of Horses. The first song will be Bob Dylan 's "Joker Man."At the iTunes price of .99 for each song, that's quite a chunk of change for Starbucks to be shelling out (although I'm pretty sure they get major discounting on the deal). Still, this is a generous promotion that may actually help boost sales for these artists.I don't drink the stuff myself, but if I did, I'd be ordering my Tazo Iced Chai Latte with a side of Joss S... More About: Coffee , Some , With You
Tuesday Trivia
2007-09-25 14:33:00 Last week's questions (from Ken Jennings' quiz):1. What band is named for a British government form for claiming unemployment benefits?Answer: UB402. What unusual distinction is shared by all these famous people? Marc Bolan, Ray Bradbury, Jimmy Breslin, Albert Einstein, Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Imperioli, Quincy Jones, and Vladimir Nabokov.Answer: All were famous, at some point, for never having learned to drive a car. This had unhappy consequences in a few cases, such as Bolan's death on September 16, 1977. Despite never learning to drive, he owned a number of vehicles, including a famed white Rolls Royce.Today's question:What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "American Woman" by the Guess Who, "Glamorous" by Fergie, "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani, "I'm Back" by Eminem, "I'm Henery VIII I Am" by Herman's Hermits, "Lola" by the Kinks, "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats, and "Turn On Me" by the Shins. More About: Trivia , Tuesday
Oops, She Did It Again.
2007-09-24 21:09:00 It would be too easy to say that Britney Spears' car crash is a metaphor for her flailing career, but what the heck, I'll say it anyway. Prosecutors charged her with misdemeanor counts of hit and run and driving without a valid license last Friday after her car hit another in a parking lot in August. If convicted, she could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine for each count, according to a county spokesman. That seems to be a rather steep penalty for what really happened that day. Her car merely bumped the other, and little if any damage appears to have been done to either car. I can understand that it might be difficult to focus on the car ahead of you when you are surrounded by photographers snapping away and yelling your name. Still, driving without a valid license and leaving the scene are violations just about everywhere.Here's the accident:
A Moment of Silence for Marcel Marceau
2007-09-24 14:37:00 Marcel Marceau, perhaps the world's greatest mime, died Saturday. He was 84. His last words were, "....................................... ." Actually, as one might expect from a mime, he died quietly in his sleep.What many people don't know is that sometime in the 1970s, when record labels could afford to do such things, Marceau released a limited run "Greatest Hits" album on the MGM label. The album consisted of 27 minutes (some say 40 minutes) of silence with applause at the end. More About: Marcel , Moment , Silence
Bottom Biting Bug
2007-09-23 05:39:00 There's a new hit song in Japan called "Oshiri Kajiri Mushi" (or in English, "Bottom Biting Bug"). It's a kids' song with silly lyrics about a bug that bites peoples bottoms... and something about how city bottoms are bitter. This weekend the song climbed number 8 on the Japanese charts.The vocal performance sounds like a Japanese version of Alvin & the Chipmunks, or maybe Barnes & Barnes, whose legendary "Fish heads" song still sounds as weird today as it did when it was recorded. "Biting is important business" indeed.See for yourself:And for those of you that feel the need to sing aling, here are the lyrics:Oshiri Kajiri Mushi (Bottom Biting Bug)Oshiri Kajiri Mushi (Bottom Biting Bug)Kajitte, kajitte (Biting, biting)kajitte nanbo (biting is important)kajitte nanbo no shoubai da (biting is important business)Oshiri Kajiri Mushi (Bottom Biting Bug)Oshiri Kajiri Mushi (Bottom Biting Bug)Oshiri to Oshiri de (Bottom to bottom is)oshiriai (getting to know someone)Kaba to kab...
Sunday Soul: Who?s Lovin? You
2007-09-23 04:03:00 This song was written by Smokey Robinson for his group the Miracles in 1960. Robinson was, and is, one of the finest songwriters who ever put pen to paper, but he is also blessed with a remarkable voice, and this tune gave him a chance to really stretch his vocal chops. As such it would become a showcase piece for all kinds of singers in ensuing years.As with many Smokey Robinson-penned tunes of the time, ?Who?s Lovin? You? was also recorded by other artists in the Motown family, including the Temptations, whose lead singer David Ruffin offered a smoother, more controlled rendition than that of the Miracles on their album The Temptations Sing Smokey in 1965. It?s a great performance, but somehow lacking in the urgency suggested by the original. The Supremes and Brenda Holloway also recorded the song for the Motown label. Brenda and the Tabulations, a quartet from Philly with a puzzling name, released their take on the song 1967, and scored a modest hit. Brenda Payton?s clear voice ... More About: Soul , Sunday
Cover Connection: Sugar, Sugar
2007-09-20 06:10:00 It's been called the ?perfect pop song? and the ?blueprint for Bubblegum,? but whatever you want to call it, "Sugar , Sugar" is a classic tune. It hit number one on this day in 1969 and stayed for four weeks. In England it hung on to the top spot for two months. Written by Jeff Barry (who produced The Monkees) and Andy Kim, the song was featured on The Archies cartoon show and very quickly climbed the charts.Like the greatest of pop songs, "Sugar, Sugar" has hook chorus that you can?t get out of your mind once you hear it. (Don?t forget the ?ba-ba-ba-ba ba-baa? part either.)Sugar, ah honey honey You are my candy girl And you've got me wanting you. Honey, ah sugar sugar You are my candy girl And you got me wanting you I just can't believe the loveliness of loving you.(I just can't believe it's true). I just can't believe the wonder of this feeling too. (I just can't believe it's true). (chorus) When I kissed you girl, I knew how sweet a kiss could be. (I know how sweet a k... More About: Connection , Cover
What Do You Listen to When You Work?
2007-09-20 02:35:00 An article on Mental Floss magazine's website revisits the oft-debated question of whether listening to classical music can make you smarter.The theory is better known as "The Mozart Effect" and has spawned a mini-industry of recordings and videos for parents to play for their infants in the hope s of boosting their intelligence. Sounds promising, doesn?t it? Enough so that educators and legislators jumped on the bandwagon in a big way.According to the article, "in 1998 Georgia mandated that new mothers be given classical CDs, and not about to be left behind in the great Southern baby brain race, the same year Florida required day care centers to pipe symphonies through their speakers."I'm all for the idea of exposing young children--and adults for that matter--to classical music. But I don't buy the idea that listening to it necessarily makes you smarter. Rather, I think listening to it helps one recognize patterns, themes and variations that can be applied to other instances. I... More About: Work , Listen
Sex Pistols Say One More Time
2007-09-20 00:37:00 The four original Sex Pistols will reunite to play a one-time concert November 8. John Lydon, Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock are putting on the leather pants and safety pins one more time in honor of the 30th anniversary of Never Mind the Bollocks, their only album.The group had gone through various names and lineups since 1972, with Jones and Cook always at its center. They finally emerged as the Sex Pistols in November 1975 at a gig that, legend has it, they never finished because they were thrown off stage. Within a year, however, they were playing large clubs and doing concert tours in Britain.But this is where image and substance diverged for the Sex Pistols, as well as for numerous other bands of the era. Like their American counterparts the Ramones, beneath the contrivance of the rebel-against-everything attitude, the Sex Pistols were a decent band with a solid rock sensibilities. One need only listen to their first single ?Anarchy in the U.K.? to understand that th... More About: Time
Tuesday Trivia
2007-09-18 13:48:00 Last Tuesday I posted two music-related questions from Ken Jennings' weekly trivia quiz. Here they are again with the answers:1. Who famously wrote the slogan "This machine kills fascists" on his guitar?Answer: Woody Guthrie. Sometimes the phrase was scrawled, as in this photo, while on other guitars, it appeared as a more neatly written sticker.2. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Billy Joel, Les Moonves, Demi Moore, Brigitte Nielsen, Kelly Ripa, Dennis Rodman, Salman Rushdie, and Seal.Answer: They all have been married at some point to reality TV hosts (to wit: Katie Lee Joel, Julie Chen, Ashton Kutcher, Sylvester Stallone, Mark Consuelos, Carmen Electra, Padma Lakshmi, and Heidi Klum).Didn't get that one either? Try your luck with these two from today's quiz:1. What band is named for a British government form for claiming unemployment benefits?2. What unusual distinction is shared by all these famous people? Marc Bolan, Ray Bradbury, Jimmy Breslin, Al... More About: Trivia
One Hit Wonder: Play That Funky Music
2007-09-18 05:22:00 It's September 18, 1976, and "Play That Funky Music " hits the charts and stays for three weeks, long enough to become ingrained in our cultural conciousness forever. Because even if you weren't alive back then, or know nothing else about the song, you probably know the chorus to this one:Play that funky music white boy Play that funky music right Play that funky music white boyLay down the boogie and play that funky music till you dieThe song was the only hit by a Pittsburgh rock band called Wild Cherry, led by singer and songwriter Rob Parissi. Named after a box of cough drops, the band had a rather unremarkable career in the early 1970s before breaking up. Parissi got a job managing a Bonanza steakhouse until he was overcome by the urge to get onstage once again.But with disco music taking over the charts, the reformed Wild Cherry wasn't doing much better than its predecessor, until a fateful night in a club when they saw the direction their music would take."In the dressing r...
Regina Spektor, Austin City Limits Music Festival
2007-09-17 04:32:00 Regina Spektor did a set this afternoon at the live web cast of the Austin City Limits Music Festival . The performance was part of a three-day event, which today included Willy Mason, The National, Robert Earl Keen, DeVotchKa, Lucinda Williams, Ben Kweller, Nicole Atkins & The Sea, Ghostland Observatory, Bloc Party, and The Arcade Fire. Spektor was preceded by Grammy winning country-rocker Lucinda Williams who, despite some long pauses between songs, played to an enthusiastic audience. But Spektor's late afternoon set, in beautiful 80 degree weather, was in a word, great. In a few more words, it was, as Barenaked Ladies say in "One Week," like Snickers, guaranteed to satisfy. The set was everything I hoped it would be. Spektor is as mesmerizing to watch as she is to listen to. It must also be said that she is one of those artists that you either love or scratch your head over thinking 'what on earth is this woman doing?' I'm a member of the first camp. Spektor can go from m...
Off topic, shameless plug
2007-09-16 01:13:00 So there's a new blog traffic builder called BlogRush that looks like this. You'll see the live links in the lower right hand column of this page under the archives. If you have a blog, you might want to consider adding this to yours. Go here to get more info and sign up. Will it build traffic as they hope it will? Hard to say at this point, but if you are reading this, I suppose it works, eh? More About: Topic , Plug , Sham , Shame , Mele
A Real Blast From the Past
2007-09-15 03:38:00 It's Sept. 15, 1967 and The Who are the musical guests on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on CBS television. The lineup this evening includes actors Bette Davis and Mickey Rooney, as well as comedian and perennial presidential candidate Pat Paulsen, but viewers are tuned in to see this crazy band from England that smashes their instruments. The Who, for better or worse, had become known for this onstage wreckage, precipitated by an episode in which guitarist Pete Townsend accidently snapped the neck of his guitar on a low club ceiling. The crowd at that gig went crazy, thinking it was part of the act, and Townsend, being no dummy, recognized a good gimmick when he saw one. The instrument-wrecking finale became an occasional part of the band's gigs, but not nearly as often as legend had it. On the Smothers' program, however, they decided to make a real spectacle of it. Guitar amps were rigged with flash pots and smoke, and one of Keith Moon's bass drums was packed with a small ... More About: Blast from the Past , Past , Real , Blast
What Makes Music Tick?
More articles from this author:2007-09-14 20:22:00 There's an interesting article called "Mapping Music " in the new issue of Harvard magazine. It describes the efforts of a Harvard researcher to determine mathematically and statistically why certain melodies and chord groupings are pleasing to the ear. It's well known that math and music go hand in hand (think octaves, triads, sevenths, etc.) and I've read elsewhere of research into the mathematic structures of Bach compositions. So it seems Dmitri Tymoczko (pronounced tim-OSS-ko) may be on the verge of uncovering some powerful truths not just about music, but about how our minds work. Here's a sample:Humans seem to have an instinct for music. Certain songs have a quality that makes us want to tap our toes and sing along. We can?t quite say what makes good music, but we know it when we hear it. Sheet music, which tells musicians very precisely which notes to play and when, provides little clue to that mystical ingredient, but Dmitri Tymoczko ?91 has devised a new way to map musi... More About: Tick 1, 2, 3 |



