just so you know. . . .

Let's go on a journey to the end of the night.

DO IT ANY WAY YOU WANNA PARTY!

MONDO RARO #1

Here's the first installment of rare, weirdo tracks coming from deep inside Calero's secret COMPOUND--- an unknown location that has yet to be penetrated by trainspotters.

Once a week I'll let loose a few tracks I find to be quite interesting-- non-genre specific gems that are hard to find but will be available for you here on the blog. Discussion of these tracks is encouraged!!!


CRAIG LEON - DONKEYS BEARING CUPS
According to discogs.com, Craig Leon is an American composer and producer, who was responsible for discovery and early development of such bands as SUICIDE, TALKING HEADS and the RAMONES. 'Donkeys Bearing Cups' is from the album 'Nommos' released in 1981. If you're unable to find a copy of that record you can also find this track on a recently released compilation put together by the legendary Beppe Loda. It's called 'Typhoon - Portrait of the Electronic Years' released on the Synthonic label.


AXXESS - OWLS
Very little is known about this mysterious AXXESS artist. All that we do know is there was an LP released in 1983, 'Novels For The Moons' on a Lamborghini Records. Good luck finding a copy of this, the cheapest copy I see is for 120 euros! Anyhow, this is a really peculiar little synth-experimental gem---probably would have fit in nicely during a DJ set at one of those COSMIC discotecas.

Now we're gonna move on to an even more obscure release...

SOLID SPACE - A DARKNESS IN MY SOUL
This minimalist synth-wave gem was released ONLY on a cassette tape in 1982 entitled 'Space Museum' on In Phaze records. This tape is the Holy Grail for minimal-wave collectors. How many of these were made? Nobody even knows. Will it be re-issued? MAYBE. But then again, the rumors of this being re-issued have been floating around for about 5 years now. After hearing this, perhaps you will re-evaluate your obsession with Joy Division??



FUTURISK - PUSH ME PULL YOU
Futurisk. An American synth-punk outfit from the South that only put out 2 records but cranked out some really heavy duty analog-synth terror before wimps started using computers and MIDI and all that to make their electronic music. From discogs.com:
"Reportedly, Futurisk may have been the 1st synth-punk band in the American South...or something, and 1981's track 'Push Me Pull You (pt. 2)' was an early pre-'Rockit' excursion into electro-funk. In 2003 LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy gave a complimentary wink to Futurisk by using the track on the delightful Colette # 5 DFA Comp CD."
Here are some videos of these maniacs:

Since we're on the topic of synth-punk, we'll wrap up this MONDO RARO #1 with DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS.

DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS - LET'S GO STEADY

This track is from the 1980 EP of the same name, and quite a rare record indeed. Both punk rock and electronic music record geeks have been after this record for years. If you can't afford it you can always seek out a copy of the BLOODSTAINS ACROSS THE MIDWEST LP compilation, as this one you won't have to trade your first-born child to acquire it.

The Juan Maclean - The Future Will Come

The highly anticipated sophomore LP from The Juan Maclean The Future Will Come was released this week on DFA Records. It's the follow up to Juan's first outing Less than Human released in 2005. (one of my favorites).
On the new album Mr. Maclean features Nancy Whang from LCD Soundsystem, !!! / Chik Chik Chik drummer Jerry Fuchs, the dudes from Holy Ghost! and a few more cameos that make this record move through the cosmic lands with ease.

Time out New York says it's “an acid-house set for your freak-out pleasure.”
I don't know what the fuck they are talking about, I don't hear much acid house, if any at all in the new album. But I do I think it's one of the best electronic/neo-disco/dance releases for Q1 2009.
Go buy it from my man Andy at Insound and listen for yourself.

The Juan Maclean will be hitting the road this spring and will be in Houston TX at Numbers on May 30th. More on that later.

The Juan MacLean - One Day James Curd Remix
The Juan Maclean - Human Disaster

The Juan Maclean - One Day Video

Diamanda Galás on a sunny day....

Diamanda Galás makes the type of music I want to hear while lying on hill at a park on a beautiful spring day. This is my musical therapy, my rest and relaxation. She scare's the shit out of some people though. Not me. Rock it DG!
www.diamandagalas.com

Diamanda Galas - Gloomy Sunday
Diamanda Galas - Si La Muerte
Diamanda Galas - Double Barrel Prayer
Diamanda Galas - Wild Women With Steak Knife
Janes Addiction x Diamanda Galas - Sex is vilolent

LISTEN UP! Friday 4.17.09

This Friday, we have a party going on. You and all of your friends have been invited to this party because we want you to have a good time listening to music that was arranged for dancing and all those other hedonistic tendencies you and your friends enjoy taking part in.
We mean this!


This is what the flyer looks like:


It has multi-colored tigers on it,that's pretty savage, eh? This alone should indicate to you how we want you to feel once you've put a few drinks in your body, started listening to the music and hanging out with your friends. Then, most likely you will 'tweet' to your friends, "Hey, this party is kinda nice, you should come out." Hopefully you will blow that twitter network up so much that the fail whale and those stupid birds show up.

It fails to inform you on the flyer, but there is NO COVER BEFORE 10:30 PM!!! Also, there will be drink specials all night. That part is kind of irrelevant though, because the Mink is pretty affordable when it comes to paying for adult beverages.

Another point of interest regarding this event is that DJ DIRTY TALK from Lost-Angeles will be playing some tracks with us out on the patio. Her real name is Ellen, but were going to call her DJ DIRTY TALK, because that is probably just how she rolls. My best guess is that DIRTY TALK is an homage to the early italo disco classic of the same name performed by KLEIN & MBO.
DJ DIRTY TALK is also the boss-lady of her own clothing line called MODERN LOVERS.

visit Modern Lovers on MySpace!

Trust in us.
This will be good!....

HYPE! w/ JOHN BOURKE (TRASH YOURSELF)

with short notice GRRRL PARTS! asked me to jump on this bill and lay down a set on the patio.

below is the tracklist that went down.....

this would have sounded MUCH better provided we didn't have the sound issues that came up after we had to move inside because of the rain!

loco dice - black truffles in the snow (mike huckaby's jazzed out synth remix) (desolat)
sascha dive - untitled (deep vibes recordings)
argy & the martinez brothers - debbie downer (objektivity)
stimming - tel aviv calling (diynamic music)
stimming - sleep on (diynamic music)
La Peña - free from love (la pena)
robert dietz - faber (running back)
seth troxler - aphrika (wolf + lamb music)
audio soul project - reality check (vincenzo remix) (dessous recordings)
anja schneider & lee van dowski - la roulette (mobilee)
chardronnet vs. afrilounge - just for a peek (gabriel ananda rmx) (sportclub)

PARTY moves indoors from the patio....this is where things start to FAIL. i say it's because we hooked everything up in super low lighting. not a good idea!

azoto - san salvador (vedette records)
michel cleis - la mezcla (cadenza)
raz - amour puerto riqueno (spanish club mix) (underground)
robert hood - who taught you math (shonky in the hood remix) (freak n' chic)
seth troxler & patrick russell - doctor of romance (circus company)
lil louis - french kiss (epic)
brothers vibe - el baile (acapella) (som underground)
sis - trompeta (sei es drum)
maw - la india con la voe (viva puerto rico) (maw records)
hollywood - funk me, jack me (play house records)

and so you have it!

Ratatat Rules!

Evan Mast and Mike Stroud are back on the road as Ratatat supporting there latest musical effort LP3 , released last July 2008 on XL recordings. They are playing tons of sold out shows across the USA and then off to the rest of the word to rock. LP3 consist of more low-key moods than their past productions but yet still remains to keep the head nodding and foot stomping intact. Less guitar driven tracks hold steady across the album which makes for much more of a mellower ride, give or take a psychedelic trip.
I feel this is their best outing yet.
Ratatat - Shempi
Ratatat - Shempi Zongamin Rmx
Ratatat Remixes Mixtape Vol. 2

They play live Houston Wednesday April 8th, 8pm @ the Meridian link
We are having a pop-up after party for the show at the same venue, be on the look out for us after the jam.

Where is the art scene headed in Houston,Tx?

Can we move the art scene in Houston TX? The answer is yes we can. Houston has yet to have a strong art movement/scene. Not to say we don't have amazing artist here, we do, from Angelbert Metoyer to Mel Chin to street artist like the Deathhead and Eyesore. We have such a large variety of artist and talent. Lets show the rest of the country-the world what we have to offer.
I urge you, no, I beg you, go out and paint a tree at Hermann Park and inspire a passerby to do the same, go to a local art show and support an artist whether they be a close friend or maybe you just enjoy their art, help out with an art show even if you don't put art in it, you can learn to install art, or just spend a day at the MFAH with a friend... etc. etc.

Support the art scene in anyway you can, WE NEED YOU !!!!!!

Thank you for paying attention to my verbal vomit.

J. Paul Jackson
Art Curator at RMM
"Inspire Inspiration"

p.s. If you would like to participate in one of Reprogram Music-Multimedia Art Socials contact me at jpauljackson@gmail.com.

Vivian Girls. Yeah.

We like em'. You don't have to. That's just the way it is.
They will be performing in Houston this week with Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti and Future Blondes (our bff). Info and tickets here

The Vivian Girls - ST
(yeah we upped the lp, so now go buy tics to there show, buy some merch, by the album, support these gals)


We like this even better:
The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinnian War Storm
link

Henry Darger

Jandek in Houston Funk Phenomenon

Hometown recluse Jandek played live for the first time in Houston at Rudyards on Sunday April 5th and I hear it got way funky. I missed this show due to having a huge record/wax sale at the casa. Not sure what I think about this but I sure do regret not witnessing it live. One for the history books.

Peep the you tube, what do you think?

Digital Drop #1

Welcome to our first installment of "Digital Drop", an ongoing delivery of digi-jams for the advancement in your musical education.We will have guest curated digi-drops as well as reader drops in the near future. Now doesn't that sound super sassy?

This drop features a few songs for your disco needs. Get up on this and google these artist, Listen,Learn and Clap your hands..

Bad Knives Digital Drop #1:
International Music System - Endgames.mp3
Sylvester - I Who Have Nothing (Gay Marvine's 12'' Re-Edit)
Mike Theodore Orchestra - Cosmic Wind
Final Offspring - Escape
Biddu Orchestra - Journey To The Sun

Oh yeah we relaunched the blog.

Didn't want to make a big deal about it, but what the hell. We took down the old blog and started fresh with a new one. Call it spring cleaning if you must. Stay tuned and true for tons of realness, radness, rock n roll and robots.. lol! We might even give away free stuff from now and then. Yeah!

For now.. Jam this mix from two great dj/collectors:
Dj Andy Smith + Keb Darge Lost in Found MIX

Rad New Website for the Houston Scene

A new entertainment site has launched in Space City and it's called 29-95 dot com.
Just to make sure you don't get lost with the name, 29-95 is somewhat the longitude and latitude of Houston TX.. Pretty cool eh? Me thinks so.
The site is going to cover the music,art, restaurant and lifestyle scenes of the inner city plus a few other bits and pieces of Houston. (comics,movies, sex etc.)

I'm actually working with the site so although this may be a shameless plug I truly feel this is something that Houston has needed for awhile. Big things to come with events and other fun stuff... Lemme know what you think.

Check it out!
http://www.29-95.com

Ride your Bike Houston!

Some of you may have seen or heard about the new bike trails from the Houston Heights through the First Ward to the Downtown Area.. If not, well, it's called the Houston Bikeway Program.. It's a train-rails to bike-trails project that's going to make getting around on the ole peddle pusher a lot easier.
Even cooler, the city is converting/restoring the old railway bridges into bike and pedestrian travel paths too. I already smell some party action in this..
Pretty stoked on the deal, cause I have a straight shoot to the sk8 park from my house via these new trails..

Bike and Grind! Go Houston!

here is a map pic. of the trails (click to enlarge)

Space City Art, Booze, Djs, Birthdays and more!

Once again it's time to Shack Up at Avant Garden. Friday April 3rd 2009..Party Party Party!

A Certain Ratio - Shack Up OG Version
A Certain Ratio - Shack Up (Bad Knives Edit)
Banbarra - Shack Up
Bis - Shack Up