Category Archives: Electronica

Best Of Bandcamp Via The Hype Machine

Anthony Volodkin of the Hype Machine is a clever interesting guy who played a big role in music culture in the early 2000s when he revolutionized the promotion of music on the internet after he coded up an aggregator called the Hype Machine in 2005 that found a way to stream tracks form the myriad of internet blogs then posting music to an avid readership numbering in the millions. I can tell ya personally about the popularity of this wild wooly indie scene because I had a music blog at the time drawing thousands, if not tens of thousands of hits a day, much of that traffic derived from Anthony’s Hype Machine website.

Today with Alphabet’s YouTube, Zuckerberg’s social media & ezos’ e-commerce empires hogging most of the web traffic, my website now pulls around a fraction of that, maybe a hundred unique visitors a day, a far cry from when there were fewer internet users but there was more equal footing amongst all the sites on the web. I myself had kind of forgotten about the Hype Machine over the past decade, as the democratization of the web has largely disappeared into corporate content mazes, but was recently amazed to stumble in and see the Hype Machine was still functioning. In fact, it had even been crowdfunded, and now plays a central part in a quasi historical new book by Lina Abascal on the so-called ‘bloghouse’ movement, an account called Never Be Alone Again of which some excerpts from her writing are aggregated ala the ype Machine below.

“Music was beginning to move at the speed of the internet and new songs could be uploaded, reviewed, distributed, redownloaded, DJed out, remixed, (and repeat) faster than ever before.

Abascal BookMusic blogs in the second half of the ’00s were completely autonomous, uploading a constant stream of new tracks for not much more than the love of the game. (And maybe for the glitter of Z-list celebrity status from a regular position on the Hype Machine charts.)

The mode of discovery shifted away from finding your new favorite song on the radio, at the record store, or even hearing it at a club; now you knew everything about an artist before you even got to the party. The party where a promoter had booked an artist based on hype from blogs written by kids in dorm rooms. The bloggers weren’t totally sure if what they were doing was legal, but it never seemed to matter all that much anyway. Publicists representing the artists being blogged about were known to encourage the practice by sending free download links in their press releases to bloggers.

Compared to now, the scope of the internet felt drastically smaller; a loose network of niche communities that had yet to be flattened by corporate interests.

The true democracy of the sound’s wild wild west was Hype Machine. An aggregator with no human face or editorial input, Hype Machine (sometimes known as Hypem) was founded in 2005 by Anthony Volodkin, a Brooklynite by way of Russia.

“It was a chaotic time for music on the internet. I would spend hours listening and finding new blogs to listen from. Then I started thinking of how I could make something so I could listen to this more easily,” explained Volodkin. Marrying curation with convenience, the software engineer began building a tool to aggregate all of the scene’s music blogs’ daily postings to one website. “It felt like a radio station was being assembled in front of me,” he said of the earliest version of the site.

With its green and white layout, Hype Machine simply listed songs in a numerical ranking by online popularity. Other blogs could decide what to post based on what the rest of the blogosphere was posting, and listeners could head there to streamline the process of trolling the blogs themselves. In its prime, Hype Machine remained a fair, non- gameable website where the good stuff rose to the top. There were no paid posts, no partnerships, no commentary. The technology did the work and the culture did the rest.   (read more at Abascal’s new book Never Be Alone Again )

One of the cool things Volodkin’s HypeM team encoded recently was perhaps a penance for their illicit mp3 spreading past, this being the Merch-Table an application that can cross reference song titles from Spotify Playlists and link out to their monetizable counterpart links on Bandcamp where revenues from purchases are far more likely to actually make it to bands and labels that are keeping music alive. Here are some tracks below that I pulled from Spotify playlists I’ve made that can be found on Bandcamp where you can check out the albums and artists’ official sites to support them.

You can read about the rise and eventual decline in popularity of the Hype Machine here at Noisey

Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins

Chuck Prophet Buy on Bandcamp →

 

Cenário

FloFilz Buy on Bandcamp →

Bird of Spring

Metropolitan Jazz Affair Buy on Bandcamp →

Always Back to Lorraine

Chrome Pony Buy on Bandcamp →

Sad and Beautiful World

Jesse Malin Buy on Bandcamp →

Lunar Gardens

Possum Buy on Bandcamp →

Jacker

Heavy Times Buy on Bandcamp →

A Psych Tribute to the Doors featuring Raveonettes

Various Artists Buy on Bandcamp →

World Music

Goat Buy on Bandcamp →

Lets Do It Again

Giuda Buy on Bandcamp →

Brenn Siste Brevet

Erlend Ropstad Buy on Bandcamp →

New Leaf

Bantum Buy on Bandcamp →

Back Together

Jean & Trevor Buy on Bandcamp →

Untitled (Black Is)

SAULT Buy on Bandcamp →

Gold Brick

Jon Langford Buy on Bandcamp →

Racey Roller

Giuda Buy on Bandcamp →

I’m Just Like You: Sly’s Stone Flower 1969-1970

Buy on Bandcamp →

Days To Come

Bonobo Buy on Bandcamp →

The Instrumental Session

Various Artists Buy on Bandcamp →

 

Live From Axis Mundi

Gogol Bordello Buy on Bandcamp →

Carved By Glaciers

Lymbyc Systym Buy on Bandcamp →

The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer

Red Sparowes Buy on Bandcamp →

Tokyo EP

Nyteowl Buy on Bandcamp →

Afrika Bambaataa 1983 Club DJ Set At The Roxy NYC

This is a 6+ hr DJ Afrika Bambaataa set list from tunes he would put down at the Roxy ( a roller disco) in NYC circa summer ’83 where the flyer proclaimed:  No Skating! Just Dance Your pants Off Every Friday Night! – B There! 

NYC 80's Hip-Hop Club Flyer

Hosted by Fab Five Freddy, with live Graf art provided by Futura 2000, while the Double Dutch Girls & Crazy Legs from the Rocksteady Crew would be Breakdancin’ down on the floor Jazzy Jay & Bambaataa would man the wheels of steel and a DJ battle featuring Grand Wizard Theodore vs Grandmaster D.S.T. ( made famous via Herbie Hancock’s Rockit) would soon be scratchin’ up a storm. To get a sense of the vibe, this clip posted below from the 1984 film “Beat Street” has a scene shot there featuring Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force performing their electro funk rap song “Same” with cameos from the Rock Steady Crew.

 

This 6 hr+ mega mix I have made available as a playlist on either Spotify or Amazon Music recreates the crate diggin’ sequences of contemporary music one might experience in a hot early 80’s club that kept beats pumpin’ until the sun came up.  This old school tracklist featuring soul , electro funk, rock, new wave & early Hip-Hop faves of the day was compiled from archival playlist info provided by Bambaataa himself. The original posted mix included 80+ Songs, but rights holders have begun pulling catalog songs from shady silicon sucka streaming platforms, so results may vary on your music apps.

I listed all the O.G. 80’s club mix tracks below, whether currently available, for completists to seek out and so you can find out what you’re missing from artists as varied as Newcleus, Marley Marl, Strafe, Egyptian Lover, Reggie Griffin, Re-Flex, KRS One, The Fantastic Aleems ft Leroy Burgess and even Foreigner whose recordings may no longer can be found on Spotify.

 
2009 pic of the Roxy in the old Meat Packing district on edge of Chelsea before it was demolished to make way for a modern residential highrise
Photo By Aloughman – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7161708
Bambaataa Playlist on Spotify
 
 
 
 
Tracklist  :
 
Billy Squier – The Big Beat
 
 
 
The Treacherous Three – Yes We Can-Can
 
 
 
Afrika Bambaataa – Jazzy Sensation – 12″ Remix
 
 
 
Shango – Zulu Groove (Edited Version)
 
 
 
Trouble Funk – Trouble Funk Express
 
 
 
Hashim – Al-Naafyish – Radio Edit
 
 
 
Strafe – Set it Off …
 
 
 
Afrika Bambaataa & Family – Bambaataa’s Theme (Assault On Precinct)
 
 
 
Malcolm McLaren – Buffalo Gals
 
 
 
Foghat – Slow Ride
 
 
 
Ram Jam – Black Betty
 
 
 
Queen – We Will Rock You – Remix Ruined By Rick Rubin
 
 
 
Rush – Tom Sawyer – Z-Trip Remix
 
 
 
Gary Numan – Cars – Live
 
 
 
Liquid Liquid – Cavern
 
 
 
Jimmy Spicer – The Bubble Bunch – Original Jellybean 12″ Mix
 
 
 
Cheikh Lô – Shakara/ Lady (Part One)
 
 
 
Love Childs Afro-Cuban Blue Band – Life and Death in G and A
 
 
 
Shirley Ellis – The Clapping Song
 
 
 
Larry Graham – Now Do-U-Wanta Dance
 
 
 
KRS-One – M.a.r.l.e.y. (skit)
 
 
 
Afrika Bambaataa Nation Soul Sonic Force – Zulu Nation Throwdown (Soul Sonic Force)
 
 
 
Malcolm McLaren – Double Dutch
 
 
 
ESG – Moody
 
 
 
The Flying Lizards – Money – Edit
 
 
 
Herman Kelly – Dance to the Drummer’s Beat
 
 
 
Defunkt – Razor’s Edge 12″ Version
 
 
 
The B-52’s – Mesopotamia
 
 
 
Culture Club – Time (Clock Of The Heart) – 2003 Mix
 
 
 
Sequence – Funk You Up – Long Version
 
 
 
Re-Flex – The Politics Of Dancing
 
 
 
Man Parrish – Hip Hop Be Bop (Original Version)
 
 
 
West Street Mob – Break Dance – Electric Boogie
 
 
 
Yazoo – Situation – Us 12″ Mix
 
 
 
The Pointer Sisters – Automatic (Album Version)
 
 
 
Michael Jackson – P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
 
 
 
New Edition – Candy Girl
 
 
 
Kool & The Gang – Jungle Boogie
 
 
 
The O’Jays – For the Love of Money
 
 
 
Prince – Controversy
 
 
 
Rick James – Super Freak
 
 
 
Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime – 2003 Remaster
 
 
 
Run–D.M.C. – It’s Like That
 
 
 
George Clinton – Loopzilla – Broadcast Version; 2000 Digital Remaster
 
 
 
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Mickey’s Monkey
 
 
 
Afrika Bambaataa – Renegades Of Funk
 
 
 
Blondie – Rapture
 
 
 
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock
 
 
 
Afrika Bambaataa – Funk Jam Party
 
 
 
Cameo – Flirt
 
 
 
Lyn Collins – Think (About It)
 
 
 
Grace Jones – My Jamaican Guy
 
 
 
Yellowman – Zungguzungguguzungguzung
 
 
 
Sister Nancy – Bam Bam
 
 
 
Michigan & Smiley – Diseases
 
 
 
Nicodemus – Boneman Connection
 
 
 
The Bus Boys – Did You See Me
 
 
 
The Rolling Stones – Start Me Up – Remastered
 
 
 
Steppenwolf – Magic Carpet Ride
 
 
 
Grand Funk Railroad – Inside Looking Out – Remastered
 
 
 
Billy Squier – Everybody Wants You – Live
 
 
 
Foreigner – Urgent – Radio mix
 
 
 
Madonna – Everybody
 
 
 
James Brown – Papa Don’t Take No Mess
 
 
 
The Fantastic Aleems – Release Yourself
 
 
 
Newcleus – Jam on Revenge (The Wikki-Wikki Song)
 
 
 
Kraftwerk – Numbers – 2009 Remaster
 
 
 
Reggie Griffin – Mirda Rock
 
 
 
Ronnie Hudson – West Coast Poplock
 
 
 
The Egyptian Lover – Egypt, Egypt
 
 
 
Shriekback – My Spine Is The Bassline
 
 
 
Tom Tom Club – Genius Of Love
 
 
 
James Brown – Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved – Pt. 1 & 2 / Mono
 
 
 
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
 
 
 
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam – Head to Toe
 
 
 
Daryl Hall & John Oates – I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)
 
 
 
Re-Flex – The Politics Of Dancing – Extended Version
 
 
 
Donna Summer – I Feel Love – Edit
 
 
 
Bobby Byrd – I Know You Got Soul
 
 
 
Freeez – I.O.U. (12″ Version)
 
 
 
The Sequence – Funk You U

Mike Patton, Laurie Anderson and Rubin Kodheli vs Qi Jiguang at SF Jazz

Got the unique opportunity to attend a performance by SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director Laurie Anderson featuring mischief maker Mike Patton and cellist Rubin Kodheli at SF Jazz last night.

Laurie Anderson & Mike Patton at SF Jazz
creative collaborators from L – R are Rubin Kodheli on Cello, Mike Patton on vocals, percussion and electronic treatments, Laurie Anderson on vocals, violin & electronic loops

Focused around the text from “Quanjing Jieyao Pian,” Mike Patton and Laurie Anderson combined creative sonic forces to interpret the final chapter of Jixiao Xinshu – the famous military manual written in the 16th century by Ming dynasty general and Chinese national hero Qi Jiguang. Translating to “The Fist Canon and the Essentials of Nimbleness,” the text delves into ideas about unarmed combat exercises as physical training, and is the first known written document of martial arts instruction. Laurie told the audience that her late husband Lou Reed was an avid practitioner of Tai Chi and had been working on a book about these concepts shortly before he died. Having inherited Lou’s martial arts writings (as well as weapons) caused Anderson to delve deeper into the text, which she found oddly poetic despite its more pragmatic nature. The performance also featured cellist Rubin Kodheli who helped build the musical pieces into dramatic and foreboding crescendos that captivated a sold out crowd at SF Jazz Center on Fell St in San Francisco.

Mike Patton on the mic while Laurie Anderson plays violin at SF Jazz under the drawing of Lou Reed and his exploding heart

Here’s an excerpt of the performance I recorded like a dirty creepy bootlegger from a mic hidden inside a coat in the audience (just like ReRun did on that episode of What’s Happening when he went to see the Doobies with Roger). This audio is the tail end of the set feat. Laurie Anderson with Mike Patton and Rubin Kodheli 1 25 2020 at SF Jazz

Laurie Anderson & Mike Patton – QUANJING JIEYAO PIAN at SFJazz (excerpt) by lilmikesf

Some of the introductory text from the performance seen below…

Laurie Anderson's notes from the show
Mike Patton's "Rig" of electronic vocal effects and apparent gamelan
Laurie Anderson's stage set up including keyboards, tablet controllers and Apple laptop
Laurie Anderson describes her experience studying VIPASSANA meditation at a Thai Buddhist meditation monastery in Western Massachusetts in the 1970's, when she was trying to learn to focus her thoughts like a beam.

Laurie spoke of her experiences on a VipASSana meditation retreat where she hoped to learn to focus her mind like a beam, but instead really learned about pain. Surreptitious clip by ROBLEYE

pic by Robley Evans

IAN SVENONIUS AS ESCAPE-ISM live at Make-Out Room in San Francisco

Long before Ian Svenonius became known for his artistic sonic role playing in projects like Chain & the GangThe Make-UpWeird WarCupid Car Club, and Nation of Ulysses, even before he was crowned The Sassiest Boy in America, he was just a kid I used to hang out with on the church steps.

We weren’t particularly pious, unless you call catching screaming sermons from guys like John Stabb and Ian MacKaye akin to a religion. It was the early 80’s and we were just staright-edge DC punk teens waiting out the set changes between bands before we’d go back into the sweaty hot church basement for another slam pit.

It had been years since i’d seen Ian, but he was much the same, albeit older, still wacky, but also wisened. He is like a psychedelic sage, without the drugs…a seer, but not quite a believer…now he sells Esacpe-ism…or at least rents it out.

Maus Haus – Night Shift (Live)

Maus Haus – Night Shift (Live video at SF Eagle)

  1. Lysergic Electro Sensations Maus Haus Captured Live In Vaporous Action At The SF Eagle Performing Their Hit Track “Night Shift” from their album Light Noise. Look for their latest EP release on Danger Mouse’s 30th CenturyRecords label


    #SFEagle #MausHaus #NightShift #LavishHabits #LightNoise #30thCentury #LiveInConcert #SanFranciscoMusic #ElectroBoysNoise

EMA performs “Satellites” from her album “The Future’s Void”

Shot at the Rickshaw Stop, EMA aka  Erika M. Anderson performs “Satellites” from her City Slang/Matador album “The Future’s Void” on the #PowerConvergence tour in October 2017 in San Francisco.

A Mlti Camera video of EMA as she Opens The Satellites on her fall #powerconvergence tour 2017 in San Francisco at the Rickshaw Stop. More about EMA here :

http://IWannaDestroy.com

https://twitter.com/the_EMA_

https://www.facebook.com/cameouttanow…

@LilMikeSF Media Maker Myriorama