Eyeball Studies

KLAUS SCHULZE

2009-12-14T12:43:00.000-08:00

Klaus Schulze Live WDR Köln 1977

WE HATE SCHOOL

2009-12-13T16:32:00.000-08:00

Jimmy Hart and the First Family - We Hate School

From the glory days of regional wrestling promotions.

E=MC2

2009-12-12T12:50:00.000-08:00

Giorgio Moroder

HEY CHRISTMAS TREE, HEY LIGHT HEAD

2009-12-08T13:58:00.000-08:00

Harold Faltermeyer - The Running Man

FLETCH LIVES

2009-12-08T13:53:00.001-08:00

Harold Faltermeyer - Fletch Lives

From the movie FLETCH starring Chevy Chase.

PAYBACK

2009-12-03T19:20:00.001-08:00

Jan Hammer - Payback

Jan Hammer used to be number one.

I BLESS THE RAINS

2009-11-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

Toto - Africa

INVISIBLE TOUCH

2009-11-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

Genesis - Tonight, Tonight, Tonight

YOU BELONG TO THE NIGHT

2009-09-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

Glenn Frey - You Belong To The City

A lot has changed since my last post. School has started again, I'm living in a new house, just got a new job. Exciting things on the horizon too, keep yr eyes open.

ITS HARD BEING A BABY

2009-08-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Jordy - Ooh La La Baby (LIVE)

STEEL TRANSMISSION

2009-07-12T07:06:00.000-07:00

Steel Harmony - Transmission (Joy Division)

I don't think I've ever heard such a happy rendition of a Joy Division song. Ian Curtis would be proud.

Its a far better cover than my attempt:

OUT OF TOUCH

2009-07-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

Hall and Oates - Out Of Touch

I had this as my ring tone for a while, but my phone broke. Its such a slick song, I kinda want to buy a giant drum set now.

VISKI COCA COLA

2009-06-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

This is the kind of video that makes me thankful for youtube.

ELECTRIC ANNIHILATION

2009-06-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

Wet Hair - Crucifix in the Waves Live

Killer show at the clinic next week! DON'T MISS THIS ONE!

June 27th

Wet Hair (ex raccoo-oo-oon, night people, nnf)
http://www.myspace.com/wethairgoldsounds

Dead Luke (sacred bones records)
http://www.myspace.com/bornunderadick

Smut
http://www.friendsandrelativesrecords.com/

Dylan Ettinger
http://www.myspace.com/dylanettinger

and the first ever live performance from Rob Funkhouser!
http://www.myspace.com/hawaiianwinter

Show starts at 9PM, please bring money to donate to the touring bands, they will be worth it!

KEEP BLOOMINGTON WEIRD
THE CLINIC
111 E. 9th St.
Bloomington, IN

SAME AS IT EVER WAS

2009-06-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

Talking Heads - Born Under Punches (Live in Rome)

I have a huge crush on Tina Weymouth. David Byrne is pretty cool, too.

IN THE AIR FOR YOU AND ME

2009-06-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

Kraftwerk - Radioactivity

Radioactivity is one of my favorite tracks off of Kraftwerk's most underrated album. In contrast to the pop sensibilities expressed on "Computerworld" or the driving kraut-rock beats on "Autobahn" and "Trans-Europe Express", "Radioactivity" presents a stark, eerie atmosphere, achieved by using ethereal synth settings and sound effects ranging from Geiger counters to Morse code. The rhythms on this album are less driving and dance-able, they seem to be trying to emulate scientific equipment.

Anyway, if you're a fan of any of Kraftwerk's other albums, I highly recommend listening to "Radioactivity", its an interesting foil to their earlier and later, more popular albums.

SERIOUS DELIRIUM

2009-05-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Wu-Tang Clan - Triumph

The Wu-Tang Clan were always kind of unlikely heroes. This song "Triumph" shows the clan's unrelenting approach to their craft. Following up probably the most successful and influential debut records in hip-hop with a six minute single with nine verses and no hook is definitely not a career-friendly move, but the strength of all of the verses on this track (with the exception of maybe Cappadonna's) hold this single together. Also the video is pretty rad.

RZA, GZA and Bill Murray from Coffee and Cigarettes

I can't get enough Wu in my life right now.

WU TANG CLAN AINT NOTHIN TA FUCK WIT

2009-05-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

GZA - Liquid Swords

Things have been hectic for me lately with finishing finals, moving to a new place and starting summer school, but I keep finding time to listen to Liquid Swords. I've really been getting in to all of the Wu-Tang solo records recently, mainly this one, Only Built 4 Cuban Lynx, and Supreme Clientele.

I've really been listening to nothing but rap recently. I wonder if I can get RZA to produce my next tape.

RUN WIT ME OR RUN FROM ME

2009-05-04T06:05:00.001-07:00

Rick Ross - Mafia Music

I have been listening to the new Rick Ross album non stop for the past week. In the past, Rick Ross has been really devoted to his cocaine dealer image. "Deeper Than Rap" is all about Rick Ross' idea of luxury. In his mind he's made it and this album is a way for him to revel in his success. Thankfully it makes for a great listen. Guest spots from T-Pain, John Legend, The-Dream, Nas (impressive!), and top dogs Lil' Wayne and Kanye, really round this album out.

Highlight of the video: Officer Ricky licking his watch.

Now where am I supposed to live?

2009-04-22T20:00:00.000-07:00

Superwolf - I Gave You

INTRODUCING... RONALD JENKEES

2009-04-16T19:48:00.001-07:00

Ronald Jenkees - Throwing Fire

I think I first heard about Ronald Jenkees from Mike Dixon. He was trying to explain what Ronald Jenkees did to me and I just didn't get it. I went home and looked him up and I was instantly converted, this guy is the real deal.

NEVER A FROWN

2009-04-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

The Stranglers - Nice and Sleazy

I seriously cannot get enough of this band right now.

The drummer's set in this clip is pretty hilarious.

ITS YR FAVORITE FORIEGN MOVIE

2009-04-12T20:16:00.000-07:00

Steely Dan - The making of Peg

This is worth watching through just to hear the backing vocals without the track.

JANDEK ON FUNKWOOD

2009-04-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

Jandek - Live in Houston, TX

This may be the funniest thing I've ever seen.

UNLEASH THE PARTY WITHIN

2009-03-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

Me and The American Teens - Kingston Falls

So, I wouldn't normally post my own band, but we're going to be on tour this week and I wanted an excuse to post the tour dates. Come out and say hello!

March 13 The Cinemat, Bloomington, IN with OS

March 14 The Bunk Warehouse, Cincinnati, OH with Rocket 00000 and Kevin Bruce

March 15 The Market Hotel, Bushwick, NY with Magnet City Kids, PC Worship, and Cop City/Chill Pillars

March 16 The Butcher Shoppe, Allston, MA with Exusamwa, Night Moves, and Yawn Alms

March 17 TBA, Belfast, ME with Caethua, Shep and Me

March 19 The Comfort Dome, Baltimore, MD with Needle Gun and Funky Spot House Band (Dan Deacon)

March 20 Morning Glory Coffee Shop Pittsburgh, PA

March 21 The Skylab, Columbus, OH, with Sewn Leather, DJ Dog Dick and Narwhalz of Sound

March 25 The Cinemat Bloomington, IN with Real Estate and Ducktails

http://www.myspace.com/dylanettinger

ILL FUCKING BITE YOU

2009-03-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

Puff Daddy - Come With Me

Now, just imagine you are ten years old. You have never heard Led Zeppelin, you know nothing about rap. Without any much cultural reference at all, this video comes off as intense and bad ass instead of the over the top big budget clusterfuck it really is. I'm starting to miss the 90s.

PURE MOODZ

2009-03-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

Pure Moods TV Commercial

If you grew up in the 90s and watched a lot of television, you know this commercial. It was everywhere. I downloaded the whole compilation and its pretty uninteresting actually. The way the songs are cut together in this video are really all you need to hear. If you listen really carefully at the end of the commercial, you can hear the theme song from Twin Peaks, weird.

I'VE GOT NOTHING

2009-03-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

Krokus - Screaming In The Night

They just don't make music like this any more.

FEELIN ON YO BUTT WHAT

2009-03-04T21:28:00.001-08:00

Jamie Foxx and T-Pain - Blame It (On The Alcohol)

This video wins the award for most random and pointless celebrity cameos of all time. What's Nathan Vollmar doing in this one?

LIGHT UP THE SPLIFFS

2009-03-03T15:22:00.001-08:00

J Dilla - Lightworks

I've been listening to Donuts non stop lately. I remember right after Dilla's death, people were raving about this record constantly. I was put off for a while, and avoided listening to it. If I had heard it then, I don't think I would have "gotten" it either. I just wasn't open to this kind of music at the time. After my friend Caleb raving to me about this record for a while, and hearing that DOOM was sampling Dilla's track "Lightworks" on his new record, I decided to give Donuts a spin.

When I was through with my first listen, I was impressed, but still not sold. After talking to Caleb about it for a little bit and discussing the record, I went back and listened to the song "Stop" and I was utterly blown away. I started back at the beginning and everything just made sense. The samples are combined absolutely flawlessly. Each new track challenges any conceptions the listener may have made about the album to that point. Just when you think Donuts is going to play out like a straight forward, neo-soul mixtape, a track like "People" or "Lightworks" comes on and just shatters whatever idea you had of what this album is really all about.

Understanding the context of when and how this album was recorded really does add another layer of depth to the album that is hinted at, but not obvious. Since Dilla relies on his own weird, cryptic method to tell his story, knowing the background is necessary to piece everything together. J Dilla knew that this was going to be his last album and he hints at it throughout the record with samples that blurt out things like "You're gonna need me some day." Track titles like "Last Donut of The Night" and "Bye" show that he was sure that his days were numbered.

Anyway, if you know this album, nothing I'm saying is new. If you haven't given this one a chance yet believe the hype, its THAT good.

If you're interested in reading more about the album, this blog has been running a series of brief yet insightful essays about each track on Donuts in celebration of the third year anniversary of its release.

TIME IS ON YR SIDE

2009-02-24T05:26:00.000-08:00

Rod Stewart - Young Turks

I listened to this song at least twice a day every day this past summer. It reminds me of my pet turtle. r.i.p. vigo.

WONT U COME

2009-02-22T20:07:00.000-08:00

Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun

Worst music video ever.

THE TRUTH AINT NOTHIN BUT THE TRUTH

2009-02-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

Wartime - The Whole Truth

I'm just going to listen to My War and pretend I never heard this.

NEVER A FROWN WITH GOLDEN BROWN

2009-02-12T15:49:00.000-08:00

The Stranglers - Golden Brown

There's just something about the melodies in this song that make me get all like happy and stuff. weird, right? The friend who showed me this said it reminded him of the song of the storms from Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, maybe that's why it makes me feel feel so content.

I love the painting on the bass drum, too.

SENSATION'S FIX FUTURE SOUNDS

2009-02-07T10:41:00.001-08:00

Sensation's Fix - ???

I got this one from Matt from Ducktails. I don't really know anything about this band other than they're an old Italian prog group, but its a killer song and a cool video. Its interesting to see what kinds of music informs Ducktails' aesthetic, he really does seem to let his influences float to the top of his murky tape jams.

IT WRIGGLED AROUND LIKE MARMALADE JELLY

2009-02-06T17:38:00.000-08:00

DC Talk - Jesus Freak

I'm ending nu metal week with one of my favorites. Toby Mac's verses in this song are a work of genius with a capital J.

ALL I WANNA DU IS STAMP U OUT

2009-02-05T21:36:00.000-08:00

Slipknot - Spit It Out (Live)

Classic Slipknot, back when they used to rap and metal at the same time. Ah to be 12 years old again.

THE START OF IT ALL

2009-02-04T07:54:00.001-08:00

Faith No More - Epic

If I ever get a time machine, I'm skipping over Hitler and assassinating Mike Patton before he started making music.

I KNOW U ALL B LUVIN DIS SHIT RITE HERE

2009-02-03T17:23:00.000-08:00

Limp Bizkit - Rollin'

I'm only posting this for the Ben Stiller cameo. As far as Limp Bizkit Videos go, its not my favorite, but considering the AMAZING collection of videos these guys have, I think most people will find this suitable.

NUMB

2009-02-02T08:37:00.001-08:00

Linkin Park - Numb

No single nu metal band has even come close to achieving the recognition that Linkin Park has. Their safe, white-boy image, clean lyrics, false angst, and catchy hooks propelled them to superstar status in just a few years. Something about their image seems to attract adolescent males like flies to honey. Personally, I see Linkin Park as one part of the trifecta of high school nerdiness, along with the Halo video games and Mountain Dew. They just go together so well.

WATCH ME CRUMBLE

2009-02-01T07:54:00.001-08:00

Adema - Giving In (Live on Craig Kilborn 2001)

That singer sounds like the dude from Korn you say? That's because Mark Chavez is Jon Davis of Korn's younger half brother! I'm sure that didn't have anything to do with Adema getting rocketed from obscurity into the late night tv circuit.

I'll bet you 100 bucks these guys didn't even write this song, it sounds nothing like the rest of the record. "Giving In" actually displays a shred of musical sense, the rest of the album reeks of half-assed Korn and Linkin Park worship.

WELCOME TO NU METAL WEEK!

2009-01-31T20:14:00.000-08:00

SO HERE'S THE DEAL:

Every day this week, I am going to post a different nu metal music video. If you've been following my blog at all, you'll have noticed that I have posted videos by bands like Limp Bizkit, Korn and Crazy Town in the past. Well, I guess there's no use in hiding the truth, I LOVE RAP METAL! So without further ado, here's is the first video of my tribute the style of music most frequently used in Pro Wrestling introductions...

P.O.D. - Alive

Christian or not, these guys know how to throw down with the nu-metaliest of them all. Rumor has it that these guys are actually more Rastafarian than Christian, which if true, is pretty subversive. These guys used their stance as a Christian band to their advantage, projecting the image of a "safe" metal act. Christian, Rasta or secular, this is one catchy tune.

RIDE THE TIGER

2009-01-30T05:37:00.000-08:00

DIO - Holy Diver

A perfect combination of over-the-top, classic metal with low-budget, 80s music video technology. This shit will be stuck in your head for weeks.

VAMOS A LA PLAYA

2009-01-28T09:24:00.000-08:00

Righeira - Vamos A La Playa

Italians trying to speak Spanish. K CHEVERE!

GIRL U AN ME IS LIKE SID AN NANCY

2009-01-25T22:41:00.000-08:00

Crazy Town - Butterfly (Fan video)

This is why youtube is the greatest thing to happen to the human race.

FREAK ON A LEASH

2009-01-25T07:15:00.000-08:00

Korn - Freak on a Leash

Guy 1: "hey who, whasup!?"
Guy 2: "nuthin' b, just watchin' korn music videos on youtube, havin' a bud. whassup wit u?"

CRYSTALS

2009-01-23T05:31:00.000-08:00

Gang Gang Dance - Crystals Live

Probably the most euphoric, blissful music this band has ever made, absolutely stunning performance.

WITHOUT YOU

2009-01-21T17:13:00.001-08:00

Mark Gormley - Without You

I don't even know how to describe this one. Just watch it, please. For your own sake.

YR DRUG IS A HEARTBRAKER

2009-01-20T20:24:00.000-08:00

Weezer - Say It Ain't So

OK, let me explain. I'm not really a Weezer fan at all. I admit, though, that I haven't ever listened to any of their records all of the way through, they just don't interest me at all. This video, however is, in my humble opinion, pretty exceptional. The focus on the band's performance, coupled with really excellent lighting and mood allows the song to really stand on its own and "Say It Ain't So" is really fucking catchy.

NI FU NI FA

2009-01-19T01:26:00.000-08:00

Tego Calderon - Ni Fu Ni Fa

I've gotten really into Reggaeton and Latin American electronic dance music, recently. I guess the Anthropologist in my loves looking at all of the different music influences from completely different cultures in the genre and breaking down the songs. The fact that the music is almost entirely in Spanish, is another reason I'm hooked. My Spanish has improved exponentially since I started spending more time listening to Reggaeton than doing my Spanish homework.

This track may be the most interesting reggaeton song I've ever encountered. I've never heard a track that uses so many elements of Afro-Cuban music so perfectly, and combines the traditional with the modern in such an appealing way. The beat being completely composed from bata drums, and the sampled lucumi vocals allude to afro-cuban orisha worship, which is another aspect of the Spanish Caribbean that I find to be endlessly fascinating.

ANYWAY, I don't really expect anyone to enjoy this shit nearly as much as I do, simply because I'm a massive nerd for stuff like this, but I think there is enough appeal to this song that people who aren't total geeks when it comes to this kind of music will find something to enjoy.

WHO'S THAT DRIVIN'? PATRICK SWAYZE!

2009-01-18T09:33:00.000-08:00

Mistah Fab - Ghost Ride It

I'm a huge fan of the Ghostbusters movies, hyphy, and references to bad Patrick Swayze movies, so needless to say, this video is one of my favorites.

[EXPLETIVE DELETED]

2009-01-04T08:42:00.000-08:00

Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz - Roll Call

This video never fails to get me pumped up. I love seeing Ice Cube return to his roots as a real G. Then I remember that this song came out in 2005 and that "Are We Done Yet" has been released since then. Bummer.

E-A-T that B-E-A-T

2008-12-26T13:14:00.001-08:00

Playdoe - Pop Like This

South African electro-dance rap, super old school style, definitely worth checking out.

BANNED FROM YOUTUBE!

2008-12-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

Flying Lotus - Dance Floor Dale

Directed by Eric Wareheim of Tim and Eric fame, this has to be one of the weirdest, most disgusting music videos I've ever seen. I can't get enough of it!

BUFFALO SOULJA

2008-12-14T16:00:00.000-08:00

Nenah Cherry - Buffalo Stance

So I've been sick and stuck in bed for almost a week now (worst timing ever, I know) and have had a lot of time on my hands and not quite enough brain capacity to study, so my attention turned to youtube. Luckily, I found this lil gem.

What do they say? Every Rose has its Thorn? Every cloud has a silver lining? A penny saved is a penny earned? I can't remember, I'm still delirious.

HOUSE SHOW

2008-12-08T19:32:00.000-08:00

This dude played at my house the other night, and here is a video of it that I filmed on my camera phone. DISFRUTALO

ITS IN MY FACE

2008-12-05T17:46:00.000-08:00

OMC - How Bizarre

Probably the only Maori fronted band in the history of popular music.

THE LUVS OF MY LYFE

2008-12-01T15:26:00.001-08:00

Kill and Eat - I've Seen Glory (Ypsilanti, MI)

Kill and Eat - I've Seen Glory (Brooklyn, NY)

http://www.killandeat.com/

SARA KRAZY CHYLD

2008-11-30T15:55:00.001-08:00

Tyrannosaurus Rex - Sara Crazy Child (1967)

IM HIGH AS A MOTHERFUCKER RIGHT NOW, MANG

2008-11-27T06:47:00.000-08:00

Yellow Magic Orchestra - Tong Poo (Live 1979)

This song sounds sooooo much better slowed down.

COMPUTER GAME

2008-11-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

Yellow Magic Orchestra - Computer Game "Theme from The Circus"

POSE POSE POSE

2008-11-16T14:47:00.000-08:00

Daddy Yankee - Pose

Daddy Yankee may be one of the biggest musicians in the world right now, and deservedly so. When I was in Capulalpam, a town in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico this past summer, I met a Zapotec boy who was wearing a Daddy Yankee T-shirt. Everywhere I went in Oaxaca city, I heard Impacto. This track is the single from the recently released soundtrack from "Talento De Barrio," a movie that Daddy Yankee stars in. Unfortunately the film isn't showing anywhere in Indiana, so I'll have to wait until its out on DVD to catch it, but it looks pretty intense.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/talentodebarrio/

FADE TO GREY

2008-11-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

Visage - Fade to Grey

So much of this whole 80's revival fashion bullshit is just wrong. I've always been attracted to the aesthetic of early 80s synth rock. The creepy, emotionless vocals, the atmospheric, airy synth lines... it all just gives me one massive musical hard-on. Fuck my favorite song when I was a kid was "Dance Hall Days" by Wang Chung. To see the 80s dragged through the hipster mud like what's going on now just makes me shed a single glittery, mauve tear.

DAMNATION

2008-11-09T12:30:00.001-08:00

Bird Names - Damnation (Live at South Union Arts, Chicago)

I had the pleasure to play a show with these guys the other night and they did some things with their guitars and keyboard and drums that tickled my insides just the right way. I picked up a few of their albums and they may be even better than the live performance was. If you love mutated, lo-fi pop rock, check out their newest album Open Relationship, it'll BLOW YA MYND!

WE HOOD WE VOTIN AND THROWIN IT UP

2008-11-07T12:44:00.000-08:00

TI$A - Imma Vote Obama Way

The only foreseeable downside to Barack Obama winning the election is that there won't be any more awesome campaign music videos like this.

This video is pretty fun as well. Por los hispanohablantes:

FAC 321

2008-11-02T07:44:00.001-08:00

New Order - Perfect Kiss

In a time where music videos were becoming more and more elaborate and ridiculous, New Order decide to skip all of the bullshit and release the best performance video I think I've ever seen.

VOLLMAR

2008-10-31T04:21:00.000-07:00

Vollmar - Live at the Cinemat (8/11/08)

I'm a big fan of the local music scene in Bloomington, where I live. I catch as many performances as I can, in the past week I managed to make it to five shows! Justin Vollmar is definitely one of my favorite musicians in town. I think the darkness and focusing problems in this video really add a sort of ethereal quality to this performance that just fits so well with this video. The speculation is that this song is on Justin's new album (I haven't heard it yet,) which is supposedly amazing.

YOU CAN BE MY LONG LOST PAL

2008-10-26T19:12:00.001-07:00

Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al

There was a week or two when I was a senior in high school where I thought Graceland was the most amazing recording ever made.

THE ULTIMATE DISCOVERY

2008-10-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

Orchestral Manoeuvres in The Dark - Electricity

piss

THE LITTLE SPARROW

2008-10-19T16:43:00.000-07:00

Edith Piaf - La Vie En Rose

Listening to Edith Piaf makes me want to stop studying Spanish and move to France.

SATURDAY ITS SATURDAY

2008-10-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

De La Soul - Roller Skating Jam (feat. Q-Tip)

Some videos just catch the mood of the song perfectly. This video really manages to represent the fun, care-free nature of "Roller Skating Jam".

Its an interesting foil to the classic hip hop party video. Take "Gin and Juice" for example. Replace the lowriders with roller skates and you've got this De La Soul video.

ARTHUR BROWN - THE GODFATHER OF BLACK METAL

2008-10-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

Arthur Brown - Fire (1968)

Without Arthur Brown there would have been no Alice Cooper and therefore no KISS, no Misfits, no Slipknot, and most importantly, no Black Metal. Funny how little corpse paint has changed in 40 years.

Anyway, Arthur Brown was extremely cool. Unfortunately the music doesn't really reflect his bizarre stage persona too much.

Arthur Brown - Nightmare (1968)

What a cool dude.

I CRAWLED UP YR BUTT SOMEHOW

2008-10-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

Limp Bizkit - Boiler

This is the most out of control, big budget, mess of a music video I've ever seen. There are explosions, girls that throw up grenades, animated sequences, hamburgers made of worms, hot alien babes, random car accidents, and painted dudes crawling on the walls. Fred Durst directed all of Limp Bizkit's music videos. I have to wonder if when he handed in this idea, the guy who was going to pay for this laughed in his face or not. Is this Mr. Durst's attempt at being "artistic"? If so, I believe he certainly achieved his goal.

Highlights: Fred Durst jumping through a glass door, animated Fred Durst giving the finger to a bunch of midgets, Wes Borland's head falling off for no reason, Fred Durst.

YOU'RE JUST STONED

2008-10-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

Geneva Jacuzzi - Love Caboose

I'm in love with Geneva Jacuzzi.

Here's another reason why:

Bubonic Plague - Blood

ARAB ON RADAR

2008-10-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

Arab On Radar - Live In Louisville (2002)

I remember when I heard Arab On Radar for the first time, when I was in High School. I had never heard anything like it. At the time I was probably fifteen years old and first becoming interested in "weird" music. I was sifting through the threeoneg records back catalog and heard these guys. Compared to the Locust and the Blood Brothers and other "crazy" bands I was in to at the time, these guys were on a whole different level of weird. It took me a while to "get" these guys, but the payoff was worth it.

This band has stuck with me for a few years now and I keep coming back and listening to "Soak The Saddle" and getting my brain melted. I have to say they, more than any of the other bands I listened to in high school, really showed me that it was possible to take something like punk rock and twist it and shape it until it was something almost entirely different. They showed me what it's like to truly innovate within a genre of music. I never got to see them unfortunately, I was a little to young and a little too late. They broke up some time in 2002, a year before I was introduced to them. Threeoneg records thankfully has just release a dvd about the band "Sunshine for Shady People" I'll probably try to pick up a copy soon.

I DREAM OF PEDRINI

2008-10-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

Clay Pedrini - New Dream

This guy is fuckin' elusive, I haven't really been able to track any of his recordings down. If you like italo disco, mustaches and awkward dance moves, this video is for you.

If you have any information regarding Clay Pedrini or his whereabouts, please contact us. Our telephone lines are open 24 hours a day.

I AM THE KING

2008-09-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Party - Junkyard Live on Gotterdamerung (1982)

...and you thought Marvin Gaye made sexy musics, DAMN

MY LOVELY ELIZABETH

2008-09-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

S.E. Rogie - My Lovely Elizabeth

SO, I decided to stay focused on African music for another post.

S.E. Rogie, was a Palm Wine guitarist from Sierra Leone in West Africa. Palm Wine music, native to Western Africa is heavily influenced by Calypso. It is named after the fermented palm oil drink that the guitarists would drink when they would play together.

This is a pretty heavy performance. The guitar playing is absolutely beautiful. The vocal performance is equally stunning, Rogie's voice is very expressive and his delivery really helps to tell the story behind this song. It seems like while playing this song, he experiences the events he recounts in the introduction all over again. Rogie wrote and sang in four languages. I can't tell what language he is singing in for this performance, but that section of the song impresses me the most. I really love S.E. Rogie, Its a shame recordings of his music are so hard to come by.

BEST MUSIC EVER

2008-09-23T19:37:00.000-07:00

I know nothing about these videos. I don't know who the performer is, I don't know what style of music this is. I don't speak Arabic, so I can't really search for any more information. All I know is that the performance in these videos completely blows my mind.

The keyboard player is a very engaging performer. At times he plays the keyboard more like a drum than a key instrument. The melodies are repetitive and almost trance-like. Occasionally there is a little bouncy keyboard part that jumps in at times and its absolutely perfect. I'm not sure if the vocals are run through effects or if it is just the echo from the PA, but the singing in the first video is spacey and delayed. It almost sounds like a transmission from another planet.

The whole crowd dynamic is also really fascinating. There really is no barrier between audience and performer. In the second video, you can hear people in the audience singing along with the keyboardist. They effectively become part of the band. This type of relationship to the audience is something we in the United States aren't very accustomed to. Call and response vocals are typical to many types of African music performances. It isn't unusual to hear performers and the audience trade off lines all the time.

This sharply dressed keyboardist plays like a coked out, Sudanese Stevie Wonder. Incredible.

I wish the shows I went to here in the US were half this energetic.

DADDY KEWL

2008-09-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

Boney M - Daddy Cool.

Man, I can't decide where to start with this one. Boney M are a German disco group that became pretty popular in the early 70s. I'm going to guess it had something to do with their album art.
The dancing in this video is absolutely manic. I've never seen anything like it. Also, I've heard women fake orgasms in songs before but I've never seen it done live. The effect is quite... unsettling. The song is quite catchy. The lyrics are simple weird, but definitely infectious as far as E.S.L. lyrics go. Its a fun song. I wish more musicians made music like this today. Not necessarily disco pop songs, but songs that are meant to be fun. GOOD songs that, although vapid, are a little weird, well written, fun and make you wanna shake your culo.

Uh, they have a myspace, too?
http://www.myspace.com/boneyboney

TO PARTER

2008-09-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

I love the Butthole Surfers.

Butthole Surfers were notorious for two things; their energetic, chaotic live show and the copious amounts of psychedelic drugs they ingested. This 1984 performance on a New York city public access station successfully showcases the band's acid drenched, manic performance style. The music is surprisingly coherent, despite Gibby and Paul both clearly being completely out of it. Paul's facial expressions are the highlight of this performance for me. His mannerisms remind me of a rabid animal lurching around or a hobo trying to dance at the peak of a six month long binge.

Butthole Surfers - Live on the Scott and Gary Show

After this performance, the band is interviewed by Scott (of the Scott and Gary Show,) but its hardly an interview at all. Paul repeatedly gets up, goes to his guitar, plays a note, sets it down and then returns to his seat next to Scott, putting his arm around him affectionately while the whole time, Gibby is slowly but surely disrobing. This "interview" really sums up the Butthole Surfers' unparalleled depravity. These guys (and girl) were making truly unique music in a truly unique manner in the early and mid 80s. Unfortunately, like all train wrecks, the rubble is eventually cleared away and the spectacle dissapates. Everyone knows the 1996 hit single "Pepper," it doesn't hold a candle to the unbridled creative insanity that the band exhibited in the early-mid 1980s.

Addendum: Eyeball Studies does not support or condone drug use.

BATMAN KISSES A SEAL

2008-09-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

Kiss From a Rose by Seal

I don't know who the guy was that decided that Batman Forever needed a heartfelt ballad for a theme song, but dear lord, I hope he got a promotion. I guess during the 90s it was a trend for big blockbuster movies to have a hit song associated with them. If we look back there are a few glaring examples, Will Smith's dance video for Men in Black, Aerosmith and Armageddon, Puff Daddy butchering Led Zeppelin in Godzilla, Celine Dion's vomit inducing song for Titanic, you get the picture.

Now, I was pretty young when Batman Forever was released, but I distinctly remember listening to this song on the radio with my parents and telling them that it was my favorite song. What was it about this song that made me adore it so much as a child? Probably the same things that keep me coming back to this video today! Could the appeal lie in Seal in all his ebony, mysterious glory singing in front of the bat signal? Maybe its the juxtaposition of Seal's austere, emotive delivery and clips from Joel Schumacher's giant shit-stain on the Batman franchise. Maybe I'm just attracted to Seal, who knows.

OBEY YAHWEH

2008-09-15T15:42:00.001-07:00

This is one of the most bizarre and most mysterious video clips I have ever come across. It also happens to be my favorite. The only information known about this woman is her name: Reverend Alicia. This has been blogged about plenty of times before, its a pretty popular video but I just want to step back and take a look at this one more time from a different perspective. Let's try to figure out what exactly is going on here.

Clearly this video has some sort of religious motivation, but who is the audience? What is the purpose of this quirky, psychedelic song and dance (if you can even call it a dance) number. Is Reverend Alicia trying to proselytize on a public access TV channel? Is this some type of televised church service? Where did this video even come from initially? It appears to be ripped from a slightly warped VHS tape, but who was the first person to upload this video to the internet? Is there anyone out there who can reveal the TRUTH behind this song and Reverend Alicia? The video seems to get more confusing and frustrating the more you think about it. Maybe this clip is one of those things that we are just not meant to understand at all. Maybe we should just OBEY and TRUST Yahweh and not ask so many questions.

BLOGPOST

2008-09-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

I decided to start a blog today. While I was on my way to work this morning, I started thinking about youtube and all of the strange, bizarre, unexplained and out-of-context videos that people have uploaded over the past few years. I've recently found myself wasting far too much time sifting through these weird videos and enjoying myself far too much. I decided that it may make my weird video obsession less of a waste of time if I shared these videos with other people.

SO HERE'S THE CONCEPT:

For each post, I'm going to embed ONE music video from youtube and then post a paragraph or so about why I find it to be so intriguing. The videos may be WEIRD, they may be AWESOME or they may just be so terrible they're irrestible, the only criteria is that they be fascinating in some way or another. If you come across something that you think I may enjoy, send it my way. Hopefully this blog will work two ways. PEACE.