September 20, 2007
My Top Ten Bands
I've been tagged by Ana (anapinkf) so here it goes...
Here are the easy rules.
1) Pick your 10 favorite musical artists.
2) Tag the journal "top 10 bands" so we can have a full tag page of all our lists!
3) Pick 8 more people to do this! Make sure to link them to your original post
Here's my list, and it's not in any real order of preference, as I could have listed at lest 87 groups here if I had the time. These are just some of my favorites that I've been listening to lately, an extremely eclectic list as you'll see... so on with the show:
#11. Tom Waits...
It’s been over 30 years since Tom Waits made his recording debut. He may be the coolest man on the planet, a lyrical genius, bizarre & wonderful, and still going strong after all these years. For me, to get on this list you have to put on one helluva show, and Waits has to be on the top of my must-see-in-concert list. He may not be in his prime, but he's still doing his thing pretty damn well & there isn't really anybody out there that can do the same.
His newest album (set) is Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards, a wide-ranging 3-disc collection of 54 songs, including 30 new recordings, equaling over three hours of rare and never-before heard music.
Videos:
MP3 Audio Files:
#10. Andrea Bocelli...
Andrea Bocelli was born in 1958 in rural Tuscany. The traditions of the region, and the strong influence of his parents who taught their son never to simply accept defeat, rather to draw strength from it, have left indelible impressions on the man. He's been blind since the age of twelve as a result of a football accident and an eye condition known as glaucoma. Yet despite these handicap, he never lost his love for music. And more amazingly, Andrea attended the university in Pisa, and went on to take a degree in Law.
In 1992, the Italian rock star Zucchero first auditioned Bocelli while scouting for tenors to duet with him in the song "Miserere." After hearing this recording, tenor Luciano Pavarotti urged Zucchero to use Bocelli instead of himself and said, "he is better than me, I can't do any better." The song was later recorded with Pavarotti, but Bocelli accompanied Zucchero on his European concert tour. In 1995, Bocelli's song "Con te partiro" placed fourth at the Sanremo Festival. It was included in his 1995 album Bocelli. This song is also know as "Time to Say Goodbye" in English.
Andrea's lifetime's passion has been to share his love of opera with a wider audience, especially those for whom opera would be an exciting new experience. He's an amazing man of passions, with an unquenchable lust for life and a thirst for all manner of insight and experience.
Videos:
#9. 7 Seconds of Love...
7 Seconds of Love is an English ska band fronted by musician and animator Joel Veitch that writes and plays songs with often random, silly lyrics. Veitch animates many videos of the band's songs, such as "Ninja" and "First Drink of the Day". Some songs have had videos directed by guitarist Pat Schulenburg, such as their most recent production "Twister". The band regularly tours the United Kingdom. The animations are available on Veitch's website and the band's site. The band's first official single was  "Twister" as an iTunes exclusive, but they have recently released "Love Me Like You Used To" and "Ninja". They've actually made a video bio (explicit lyrics) that's about as off-the-wall as they are. And yes, I've been a fan of Joel Veitch for years now... remember the Spongmomkeys and We Like the Moon?
Videos:
#8. AMPOP...
AMPOP is a three-piece group from Reykjavik, Iceland, and has been making music together for a few years now. Their first two albums were more electronic-ambient-based (the band name was put together from Ambient and Pop which reflected the style of their music at that time). The second of those albums called Made For Market was acclaimed Best Icelandic Album of 2003 by many critics. In 2005, they emerged again with new songs in their pocket and released their third album My Delusions, which again got rave reviews and was picked up by lots of radio DJs for their shows. A fourth album, Sail To The Moon, followed in 2006.
Must also note that it was Hulda who introduced me to their superb and unique sound. Simply put, they're just too good to be missed!
#7. Mose Allison...
In addition to cultivating a 57-year career in music, producing countless albums, having his songs recorded by Van Morrison, the Clash and Pete Townshend and generally being regarded as a walking jazz legend, Mose Allison is still going strong. This Grammy-nominated musician was born in the Mississippi Delta on his grandfather’s farm, and at five he discovered he could play the piano by ear and began picking out blues and boogie tunes he heard on the local jukebox. His musical career has spanned not only years, but continents, and he's presently on tour in the US, the UK and Europe. He's an amazingly prolific composer, and I must admit to having a fondness for his Parchman Farm and Your Mind is on Vacation (also see below).
His music has often been used in movies, and he can be seen performing in the film, The Score, starring Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton and Marlon Brando.
Video:
#6. Miles Davis...
Miles Davis is one of those artists whose very name means jazz,  but he couldn't stand being permanently linked with jazz if it meant his becoming second-class in the world of music. He had made numerous forays outside of jazz, most particulary in his album Sketches of Spain, which was a beautiful interpretation of the Concierto de Aranjuez by the late Spanish classical composer Joaquin Rodrigo. He wanted the music industry to take him even more seriously than before, and delved into rock 'n' roll simply by being himself and resisting decline.
Miles died in 1991, and was essentially unsentimental about jazz, yet he respected many of its forms. With rock he could be more instinctive, brusque, shocking, mystifying, wasteful. With "In a Silent Way," from 1969, he did want his music to sound "like rock." He said as much in his 1989 memoir, though at the time he was fantastically dismissive about the issue.
Video:
Audio:
- Summertime (from Gershwin's Porgy & Bess) 3,19 MB - 3:19 min
#5. Andreas Vollenweider...
Andreas Vollenweider is a Swiss Grammy Award winner whose music has been categorized as World Music, Jazz, New Age or even Classical. Two of his albums were number 1 on the Billboard charts simultaneously in the categories Classical, Jazz, Pop and Crossover for more than 11 weeks. His primary instrument is an electrically modified harp of his own design, but he also plays a wide variety of instruments from around the world. His very dynamic and colorful albums feature many musicians performing his compositions with him, ranging from simple solos to suites for orchestra and soloists.
His past collaborators include Bobby McFerrin, Carly Simon, Djivan Gasparyan, Luciano Pavarotti, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Carlos Nunez, Ray Anderson, Zucchero, Hans Zimmer, Angelo Branduardi and Milton Nascimento. Personally he's a follower of the principles of non-violent conflict management of Mahatma Gandhi. His website features quotes from Gandhi, among others.
Videos:
#4. bond...
Is this really a string quartet? Yes, this is bond, and these four beautiful women rip apart the longstanding tradition of women adorned in long black dresses hidden behind a music stand playing without emotion. They derive their melodies from classical material but have crossed over into the world of contemporary music with their own unique arrangements, not only with upbeat percussion and rich orchestration that accompanies the virtuosos, but with pop styling and on-stage choreography. They are an Australian/British string quartet that has made people look at classical music in a completely different fashion, and they've become the best selling string quartet of all time, selling over four million records with their style of music.
Their debut album Born was removed from the UK classical charts, apparently owing to it "sounding too much like pop music" yet it rose to the #1 position in 21 different charts around the world.
Videos:
- Explosive (said to have been shot in Cuba)
- Victory (live at London's Royal Albert Hall)
#3. Kate Bush...
It's difficult to define Kate Bush and the the musical genre of her work because there are few other artists like her. She is often compared to female singer/songwriters such as Bjork and Joni Mitchell, but this comparison is derived from those artists' uniqueness rather than the similarity of their music. Her music has also been eclectic, utilizing various styles of music even within the same album. Her songs have spanned across genres as diverse as rock, pop, jazz, alternative, ska, folk, samba and even New Wave. Even in her earliest works where the piano was a primary instrument, Bush wove together many diverse influences, melding classical music, rock, and a wide range of ethnic and folk sources, and this has continued throughout her career.
Videos:
#2. Gogol Bordello...
OK, what exactly is Gypsy punk music? Look no further than Eugene Hutz and his band of Gypsies called Gogol Bordello. They are a band from the Lower East Side of New York City that formed in 1999, and are becoming known for their theatrical stage shows. Much of the band's sound is inspired by Gypsy music, as some of its members are immigrants from Eastern Europe. The band incorporates minor-key accordion and fiddle (and on some albums, saxophone) mixed with cabaret, punk, and dub as well as multiple languages. One witty critic described the band as "a bit like The Clash having a fight with The Pogues in Eastern Europe," while Kenneth Partridge of The Hartford Courant described lead singer Eugene Hutz's voice as "somewhere between that of Borat and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog."
The recording of "Start Wearing Purple" on their 1st album is the song that made them known, a very entertaining nnmber thanks to Hutz’ deep Ukrainian accent and goofy lyrics. They're a group that has fun with their music. Are you ready for them?
Videos:
#1. Regina Spektor...
There's not much that I can say about Regina Spektor that I haven't said before (see Who needs real love?). She's is a Russian-born American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered on New York City's East Village, and rely on a mixture of styles and techniques. She is said to have created over 700 songs, yet she never aspired to write songs herself, but rather are based on scenarios and characters drawn from her imagination. Regina possesses a unique vocal style and a broad vocal range and uses the full extent of it. If asked, I would say that all of her albums are great, but her 2006 release of Begin to Hope was truly superb.
Can one fall in love with a voice? Yes, I have.
Videos:
Runner-Up List: Iggy Pop & the Teddybears, Amy Winehouse, Josh Groban, Lily Allen, Nick Cave, Bruce Springsteen, Neko Case, Chris Botti, A Girl Called Eddy, Refugee All Stars, Gunther & the Sunshine Girls . etc.
Please don't tell me that I ran over, because I know that already.
By the way, I listed MCR and Fall Out Boy earlier as a joke, that's all. Sorry, they're really not on my list.
And in no particular order, I've tagged:
artsytypegirl, knurl, catiag, denaliluna, taciturrn, bluesbro, corinneeatsghosts, gloomytears, alissaj, anachronism, copgirl, and that's it for now.
Tags: ampop, andrea bocelli, bond, gogol bordello, jargontalk, kate bush, lexidiem, miles davis, mose allison, regina spektor, tom waits, top 10 bands, vollenweider
Posted on 09/20/2007 4:05 PM Comments (35)
September 18, 2007
UF Student Tasered
And John Kerry just keeps talking...
A University of Florida student was tasered and arrested during a forum for John Kerry on Monday, September 17th.
The student who was tasered by campus police is Andrew Meyer, a 21-year-old telecommunication senior and former columnist for the Independent Florida Alligator. He's been charged with a third-degree felony for resisting arrest with violence, according to a University Police Department report, which could mean up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
At about 1 PM, Kerry was at the end of a forum at University Auditorium, and audience members were allowed to ask questions at a microphone, but they had one minute and only one question was allowed, out of deference to the others present. The person in front of Meyer was told he would be the last person to speak. Meyer spoke out and said he was upset with that, so Kerry gave him the OK.
When he took the mike, Meyer asked Kerry several questions, including why Kerry had conceded in the 2004 presidential election, why not impeach President George W. Bush now, asking “President Clinton was impeached because of a blowjob, why not Bush?”. He went on to ask whether Kerry was a member of the Skull and Bones secret society at Yale University. At certain points he seemed to be addressing his fellow students more than Sen. Kerry, as can be seen in this NBC news video. When reminded that he was only supposed to ask one question, not three, Meyer responded, "He's talked for two hours. I think I can have two minutes."
Let's not even get into the comment about Clinton, but being rude, talking beyond his allocated time and not accepting the one question rule was his first mistake.
At that point members of ACCENT, the student group sponsoring the event, asked campus police to escort Meyer out, and at first, students could be heard cheering as he is asked to leave. but Meyer refused, and when officers tried escorting him, he resisted. That was his second mistake.
Officers only partially got handcuffs on him. At least four police officers at a time tried to remove Meyer from the forum, and he yelled for help and asked "What did I do? What have I done? What I have I done? Get away from me. Get off of me! What did I do? ... Help me! Help! " The campus police repeatedly threatened to user a Taser on Meyer if he did not comply, but he continued to resist being handcuffed. He was then tased, which prompted him to scream "Don't tase me, bro!" and writhe in pain on the floor of the auditorium.
 Resisting the officers after they were trying to handcuff him was his third mistake.
He now faces two charges: resisting an officer with violence and disrupting a school assembly, and is scheduled to appear in court at 9 AM Tuesday. Within hours of the arrest, articles about it and video of the entire incident were posted by friends on Meyer's Website, www.theandrewmeyer.com.
As officers escorted Meyer from the auditorium into the lobby, Sen. Kerry went on to explain that he did not think there was sufficient evidence of voter suppression to justify contesting the 2004 election. Kerry looked on, but did not offer to intervene, just urging the audience to "cool down." And before you make any judgment calls, watch this video posted by the Gainesville Sun.
Please also note that the University of Florida campus police were well aware that numerous people were videotaping and shooting photos of the incident, yet not once tried to interfere. A number of photos of Sen. Kerry's visit and the incident can be seen here on the slideshow posted by the Florida Independent Alligator. along with their coverage of the story.
Sockmonkey.
University police have stated that they are going to investigate the incident to make sure the use of the Taser gun was legitimate. "The police department does have a standard procedure for when they use force, including when they use a Taser. That is what the internal investigation would address -- whether the proper procedures were followed, whether the officers acted appropriately." said university spokesman Steve Orlando.
Opinion:
Don't even like to imagine the thought of a Taser firing 50,000 Volts up anywhere near my body, and can truly empathize with Andrew Meyer for having been on the receiving end of such a jolt.
But... had Mr. Meyer truly wanted answers, he might have chosen the best of his three questions and asked them of Sen. Kerry instead of choosing to embarrass himself (and the University) by mocking the Senator with a profane and childish diatribe that was completely self serving.
When it became clear to the organizers of the event that this individual had no intention of asking a question in a civil, respectful manner, and only intended on making an insulting, rambling speech, they did what they had to. ACCENT, the people responsible for bringing Kerry to the University of Florida, turned off his microphone. stating they cut it off because he used profanity, most likely the blowjob comment.
This isn't censorship, nor is it an infringement on ones rights. Freedom of speech certainly protects this guy from making a fool of himself by making degrading insulting remarks in front of a well known politician, but ACCENT and The University of Florida also have the right to remove the individual from their forum for being such a jackass in front of their guest, especially when the event was at an end. Every fall, fans at UF football games are removed from the stadium for being vulgar and unruly. This is exactly the same thing.
People make it seem like the police just went up to him and zapped him with the Taser for asking a legit question. Watch the videos carefully, as I have done. The guy was being a complete buffoon, and when the event sponsors decided he had embarrassed himself and the University enough in front of their guest, they asked him to leave. The police were simply doing their job when ACCENT made the decision to stop his ranting. He refused, shoved an officer who was escorting him out of the building (which is assault) then further resisted arrest. He was repeatedly asked to calm down and comply, and was warned of the consequences if he refused. He acted like a utter, belligerent fool, and was treated with appropriately. None of this would have happened had he asked his question like a mature adult. None of this would have happened if he would have sat down when the officers approached him, or quietly walked out of the venue. Freedom of Speech does not give him the right to act like a complete lunatic
I can truly feel for Andrew Meyer for having been on the receiving end of such a jolt from that Taser, but if he has followed the examples of those who had preceded him to the microphone, it wouldn't have happened in the first place.
And shame on John Kerry for not stopping this. Just a word and he could have helped avoid all of this.
It is a shame that so many people in this country refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.
Update:
 Police announced this morning they will release Andrew Meyer. Judge Mary Day Coker had ordered the student released on his own recognizance because he has no prior history and because he is a student. Meyer has promised to appear for all his court dates. His parents and other supporters were in the courtroom during the arraignment, but didn't talk. Students are protesting the treatment of Meyer by police and had scheduled a noon rally on campus.
Police are recommending charges of resisting arrest with violence, a felony, and disturbing the peace and interfering with school administrative functions, a misdemeanor, but prosecutors will make the call. Meantime, the University has said that it will review whether the officers used excessive force.
John Kerry issued a statement on Tuesday in which he stated that he regretted that a healthy discussion was interrupted and that he had never had a discourse end that way in 37 years of public appearances. He also said he hoped neither the student nor police officers was injured.
"I believe I could have handled the situation without interruption, but again I do not know what warnings or other exchanges transpired between the young man and the police prior to his barging to the front of the line and their intervention," the statement said.
Technorati tags: Andrew Meyer, Don't tase me, bro, Skull & Bones, blowjob, John Kerry, U of F, Taser, JargonTalk, Florida, journalism, forum, speech, WTF
Posted on 09/18/2007 8:52 AM Comments (23)
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Resisting the officers after they were trying to handcuff him was his third mistake.
