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Starship Edelweiss: Trekkies Considered Yourselves Warned

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starship
I am serious about that warning for hardcore Star Trek fans out there. I saw this video YouTube, and the word starship caught my eye. Of course, I just had to watch the video. Then again, I should have heeded the red flags that were going up all over the place because of the “electronica” tag associated with it.

Now I don’t know if it’s just me, but there is something not right about the whole concept. Mr. Spock must be turning in his grave right now! Just take a look at the video and tell me if I am overreacting or what.

So what do you think of Edelweiss’s spin on starships, space, and science fiction in general?

Anyhow, the song has been around for a while – since the early 90s. The band Edelweiss is from Austria and it seems that they are not together anymore today. (I wonder if Trekkies had anything to do with that?)

To be fair to the musicians, the line about beaming up to the stars is on repeat in my head. Maybe there is something wrong with me!

Gorillaz’s The Fall Recorded Entirely on the iPad

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gorillazI don’t know about you, but the way I see it, the iPad is mainly to be used for playing that awesome game called Flight Control HD. (Try it once, and I’ll bet my bottom dollar that you will not want to stop landing those planes!) It also is a great e-book reader, and of course, one can’t forget the angry birds and the irritating green pigs.

If you were the band Gorillaz, though, you’d find something a little more productive to do on the iPad – such as record an entire album! The British group has never been on any of my playlists, but I am inclined to try out their new album simply because of this fact. Dubbed “The Fall”, the album was created simply by utilizing some iPad applications – a plethora of which is available. Some of these applications are Speak It!, SoundyThingie, Mugician, and Solo Synth.

Before you write this one off, watch the video of the first track in the album. You just might become a Gorillaz convert if you do!

Here’s another cool thing – the entire album can be downloaded for free at the Gorillaz’s web site. As long as you sign up for the newsletter, you can get your hands on this one of a kind production. Next year, the CD will go on sale, but why wait for that?

Meet the Human Drum Machine

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What happens when you have a talented guy with a lot of time on his hands? A lot of things can happen, actually; and if you are Daito Manabe, you just might come up with a first – a human drum machine.

Manabe has been making waves with his work as a DJ cum artist cum programmer. Music + technology + art = some pretty weird/awesome stuff?

Here’s a short video of how his unfortunate friend got to be the subject of an experiment involving a drum machine and myoelectric sensors. How does the setup work? Manabe wires both of them up and starts tapping on his friend’s face and body – wherever. These actions trigger sensors, which in turn sends electrical signals to – well, you guessed it – the “friend’s” face. The result is quite hilarious as you can see his face twitching all over the place. Don’t worry, though – it is not supposed to be painful at all. (READ: No humans have been harmed in the making of this video.)

Don’t you just love how they maintained straight faces for as long as they could?

The Johnny Cash Project

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Here’s something for those who appreciate good music. While not everyone is into Johnny Cash – I can actually count the people I know personally who listen to him with one hand – you can’t really deny his genius. This man has been called the one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, and rightly so! He’s probably known by most as a country singer, but his fans know very well that his music spans a whole lot of other genres.

So what is The Johnny Cash Project all about? Does the name Chris Milk ring a bell? He’s the music video director behind some of the greatest videos of our time. He has worked with artists such as U2, Kanye West, Green Day, and Audioslave, among others.

This year, he embarked on this project, which one can very well call “music video crowdsourcing.” What he did was to take the last song that the “Man in Black” recorded in the studio: Ain’t No Grave. Anyone who has heard this song will probably agree with me in saying that it is one of most haunting songs you’ll ever hear. The song, by the way, is part of the posthumous album, American VI: Ain’t No Grave, which was released in February 23 of this year.

More than merely creating a music video, though, Chris Milk decided to call upon the resources of the countless Johnny Cash fans out there. He created the web site and encouraged (encourages) people to share their own rendition of a Johnny Cash portrait. These portraits are then put together to create the video. As the project is a continuous one, you can imagine that the video is an ever changing work of art.

I have to tell you – this is one moving piece of work! I won’t even dare to describe it – you can watch it for yourself below. Trust me, it is the perfect video to watch on All Saints’/All Souls’ Day.

As I finished watching that video, I couldn’t help but remember some lines from the movie The Book of Eli:

Eli: It doesn’t have to make sense. It’s faith, it’s faith. It’s the flower of light in the field of darkness that’s giving me the strength to carry on. You understand?
Solara: Is that from your book?
Eli: No, it’s, uh, Johnny Cash, Live at Folsom Prison.

Yeah, Johnny Cash can inspire you like that, and Chris Milk did a pretty good job with this project as well!

For more information on the project, or if you want to join in, visit the official web site of The Johnny Cash Project.

The Best Apps To Track Your Favorite Band

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band apps
Do you have the music in you? You can have the music in the palm of your hand as well with smartphone apps that help you stay in the know about the activities of your favorite bands and help you discover new artists that are playing in your area. The following are some of the helpful band apps. [Read more…] about The Best Apps To Track Your Favorite Band

How the Stones Roll: Digital Postcards for Fans of The Rolling Stones

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The Rolling Stones Postcards
How the Stones Roll

The Rolling Stones is one of the most iconic bands in the world of rock and roll, with even the youngsters of today knowing about them, or at least knowing what they stand for. Formed in London in 1962 – when many of us were still particles of energy floating around the universe – the band is also known as the “World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band”, though some may put up an argument. In any case, with more than 200 million album sales worldwide, and with the band celebrating their 50th year last year, the Stones have certainly set the bar high for all other rock bands.

[Read more…] about How the Stones Roll: Digital Postcards for Fans of The Rolling Stones