Moogfest 2011

If you have some free time at the end of this month (October 28-30), and you are within driving/walking/flying/ distance of Asheville, North Carolina, you may want to seriously considering taking in Moogfest 2011. This synth-centric gathering is filled with many Radiojive.com artists, including Passion Pit, Crystal Castles, Austra, Matthew Dear, Flaming Lips, and Gold Panda to name but a few.

The Saturday lineup includes a Brian Eno "Illustrated Talk" - Brian, and an overhead projector, will be discussing and displaying his thoughts on art, music history, and screwdrivers amongst other things. 

Also featured all weekend will be an installation of his enigmatic "77 Million Paintings", an ever-changing display of images, accompanied by his ambient sounds. Click on the play button below to hear and see Brian's introduction to the installation.

Pirate Broadcast #013

Well summer has gone by quickly. Who has had time to spend behind a computer screen when the weather has been so great? Once again, apologies for not posting this sooner, to all those who have been waiting with bated breath.

Pirate Broadcast #013

1. Tijuana Cartel - White Dove (2010) - Hailing from the Gold Coast in Australia, this four-piece incorporates world beats and electronica to create their sound: "Multi-layered grooves, touches of slide and flamenco guitar, trumpet,Vocals and Afro Cuban Percussion mixed with some hardened electronica", according to their bio. Influences not unlike Canada's Tea Party, there is a hint of retro 80's as well.

2. Brian Protheroe - Hotel (1976) - Today, Brian's well-aged good looks have brought him more acting roles (MI5) than musical recognition. But his background was in folk/blues/rock, going back to the mid-60's when the Beatles topped the charts. From Folk Blues Incorporated, he augmented his income performing in repertory theatre in London. He was discovered on the stage and a solo career began. Taken from his third album, I/You (which also features members of Jethro Tull), "Hotel" garnered much airplay on the fledgling Spirit of Radio's playlist.

3. John Foxx and The Maths - Evergreen (2011) - The ex-Ultravox vocalist continues to create with this track taken from the Interplay CD released this past spring. A recent issue of MOJO Magazine featured a demo version cover of Pink Floyd's "Have A Cigar". For a free download of the finished version PLUS a download of Evergreen, click on this link to MOJO's website.

4. The Wombats - Techno Fan (2011) - Sharing a hometown with The Beatles, this fourth single from these Liverpudlian's album, This Modern Glitch, has been tearing up the UK charts this summer with this track. Their tongue-in-cheek lyrics and sound recall the American pop feel of bands like Weezer. Fans in the Southwest US can look for them this fall at The Voodoo Experience music festival in New Orleans on Oct 28-30.

5. Austra - Beat And The Pulse (2010) - This Canadian performer's 2010 release, One Big Silence, continues to find fans, and this track is one of the reasons. It's video, directed by Claire Edmondson and featuring topless dancers, ensures it's non-inclusion in the daytime programming at Muchmusic, and maintaining it's indie, somewhat underground, status. Dark, almost gothic, this is late night music.

6. Shreikback - Loving Up The Thing (2010) - Back with original guitarist/singer Carl Marsh and guest Andy Partridge (XTC), Barry Andrews is back for the twelfth Shriekback album, Life In The Loading Bay.  To quote the record label verbiage, "Despite the increased quotient of subtle textures and atmospheric embellishments, Barry still knows how to deliver a knockout hook, as on the glorious ‘Loving Up The Thing’, which could wreak similar havoc on more discerning modern dance floors as their ‘My Spine is The Bassline’ did in the early 80s."

Until next time......

- Williams Blood (Aeroplane Remix) (Radio Edit)

- Williams Blood (Aeroplane Remix) (Radio Edit)

Pirate Broadcast #011 and #012

Holy Smokes! Has it really been that long? For all you Radio Zazoo fans looking for the latest tracklists, my apologies. Life has been getting in the way of art, it seems. I've barely had time to search out some new sounds, let alone compile a show and follow up here. As a matter of fact, I am presently sitting in a library posting this piece.  So, I'm not sure how the formatting will be on this PC.

Did everyone get a chance to hear Live Earl Jive and Beverly Hill's special visit to the Marsden Theater a few weeks ago? David was a congenial host, as usual. It was so nice to hear them all together on the air again. David's chat room was all abuzz......as one of the people logged in for a while, I can personally attest to the warm welcome listeners were giving the visitors from Hollywood.

Anyway, let's get to it. You are probably dying to know what the latest shows have had. Well, read on.....

Pirate Broadcast #011

01. The Vaccines - Post Break-Up Sex (2011) - One of the NME's "Bands To Watch" for this year. They totally rocked SXSW in Austin this year. This is the first single from their debut. Can you hear the influence of The Ramones in there?


02. Film School - Heart Full Of Pentagons (2010) - This "Brit 80's" sounding first single from the San Fran based band's fourth album is highly addictive.


03. The Honey Month - The Owl (2010) - This roots-based band out of Brisbane OZ has a sound pumped with the drums high up in the mix, resulting in a base, almost tribal, sound. This demo continues to get airplay on Triple J, and is a free download on their Triple J Unearthed page.


04. Boy George - Amazing Grace (Original Version) (2011) - The Boy is back, and sounding better than ever! Taken from his new CD, Resident Alien (just released in the US), this song has received numerous remixes around the net. But I present the original here. Click on the link to check out his website for more. This gets addictive with each listen. 


05. Daniel Lee Kendall - Lost In The Moment (2010) - Speaking of addictive, another from the Triple J Unearthed files, this fun little song of unrequited love is one that should be destined for better things. This, too, is getting major airplay on Triple J. You'll find yourself whistling the chorus somewhere where you least expect it.....driving you nuts! Click on the link for his MySpace page, and go here for a free download of "Lost In The Moment".

(12/21/2011 - UPDATE!!!! Don't know if this broadcast had anything to do with it, but Mr. Kendall's cute little ditty is presently being heard over Canadian television airwaves over a Christmas themed Peoples Jewellers commercial, viewable here on You Tube, as posted November 11, 2011.) 


06. Angus and Julia Stone - Big Jet Plane (2010) - Really pushing OZ this time (unintentionally, but they're just so damn creative down there!), as I serve up the Number One song from 2010's Hottest 100 on Triple J. This folk duo out of Sydney touched the hearts of many with their song of unrequited love. Needless to say, they are getting airplay in the UK and Europe. The US will soon follow, I'm sure, which it already has since the song is featured in a new Maybelline commercial. (MySpace)


07. Pharaoh House Crash - Return of Beauty Queen (2009) - Mashups are something that are either really good or really bad. This one, in my opinion, is really good. Sounding like a reggae remix of the original, it works beautifully. Since it appears mashups are an unwritten "no-no" on Radiojive, (licensing issues, maybe???) allow me to sneak this one in at the end of the show.


08. Gary Lewis - Coke Commercial (1965) - Thought I'd throw in a false ending to the show for something different,,,, a little commercial break... I love the line "We never make it through a recording session without Coke!?" .....yeah, OK....


Pirate Broadcast #012

1. Blancmange - The Western (2011) - Taken from the new CD, Blanc Burn, Mssrs. Arthur and Luscombe are back with this track full of their British sense of humour and Middle Eastern rhythms, and what seems self-inspired from their own "Living On The Ceiling". Keep an ear out for the first single, "Drive Me". 


2. Martin Solveig (feat. Dragonette) - Hello (2010) - This "guilty pleasure" is all over Toronto pop radio right now.....can't get it outta my head. French electronic music DJ, Martin Solveig teams up with Canadian songstress Martina Sorbara of Dragonette for this infectious dance floor filler that peaked at number one in a few countries in Europe, plus the 2010 Dance charts in America. Is it one of those "love it" or "hate it" songs? Maybe.

3. The Kickdrums - Something's Gotta Give (2011) - The Kickdrums, born in Cleveland, living in Brooklyn, are back with a "heavy-on-the-bass" 80's inspired, party song taken from their new EP of the same name. To name drop a bit, these guys have worked with everyone from Ben Harper to 50 Cent to Good Charlotte and remixed for Kanye and Peter Bjorn & John.  


4. Rusty - Wake Me (1994) &
5. I Mother Earth - So Gently We Go (1994) - Two classics, culled from the CFNY playlists of 1994, both with similar syncopation. Hearing them back-to-back only confirms the similarity and dichotomy of the two - it's like the two groups were jamming together and they each heard/took a different song from the session. I was always waiting for 'NY to play them like this, but I never did hear it. Click on the link and check out some fun footage from The Rock in Brampton, circa 1997, at Rusty's website.

Pirate Broadcast #010

Well, another Christmas has come and gone. New Year's Eve is tomorrow, and a fresh start begins. Before the year ends, I thought I had better post this playlist. Hope you enjoyed it.

Tracklist:

1. Louis Austen - One Night In Rio - Louis is a classically trained crooner from Austria, and has been a part of the Euro electronic scene since the 90's. His output has included a duet with famed performance artist, Peaches. He has adapted the swing era crooner sound to modern day jazz rhythms and electronica, creating a sometimes cheezy sound.

2. Washington - Cement - Her full name is Megan Washington, but in her home of Melbourne, Australia she is known simply as Washington. "Cement" was initially released in 2009 on her "How To Tame Lions" EP, but due to the success of the song, it drove her 2010 "I Believe You Liar" album to #3 in the Australian Album Charts. This success also garnered her two 2010 ARIA Music Awards, for "Best Female Artist" and "Breakthrough Artist".

3. Casey Spooner - Faye Dunaway - American artist and musician, Casey Spooner's claim to fame is as half of the alt-rock band, Fischerspooner. Click on the song I.D. link to access his website, where you'll find a free download of the song available.

4. Chickenman - Costume Shop - I really didn't expect to throw any comedy pieces in my mix, but I suddenly got a tad nostalgic for this mid 60's radio show. After some searching on the net, I discovered this "bit" as a free download (here - click on the "Listen to the origin of Chickenman" link). It's basically a sample intended to get you to buy the set of CD's containing 273 episodes. I found it a great intro for anyone not familiar with it, as well as a humorous trip down memory lane.

5. Colourbox - Baby I Love You So (12") - Released on the 4AD label in 2006, Colourbox were unlike the rest of their stablemates, such as The Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance, since their sound wa reggae and dub based, often including snippets of found sound and dialogue from various film sources. This track, a Augustus Pablo cover, is a perfect example of their dub and dialogue collages. The band went on to collaborate with Britpop band A.R. Kane under the name M/A/R/R/S, and left their mark in dance music history with "Pump Up The Volume".


Hope you stop by in the new year. Thanks for dropping by, and keep on tuning into Radiojive. You just never know what he'll play next.....