Ramba Ho from the Bollywood movie Armaan (1981)
At this point, if you are still a reader of this blog, you have to know that my music tastes are sometimes not enviable. I put up any darn thing I like, I’ve always tried not to follow genres or rules. My hope is that there is at least one other person in the world that likes these songs and hopefully, that person would like to be my friend. And then me and that friend can have a dance party and jump around singing “Ramba Ho!”
Hindi+Secret Disco=Song of the Day!
Category: fav video of the week
Favorite Video of the Week: Kizil Gulum
قىزىل گۈلۈم Kizil Gulum
Uyghurs from ancient Lop nur region. I’ve always wanted to have a party on a thousand beautiful rugs.
Uyghur folk song from Lopnur (Kroran)
Just a warning, there are mummies in this video and even dead, the people of Central Asia are beautiful.
Favorite Video(s) of the Day: Ahmed & Mehmet
Reyhan – Ahmed
So the second part of my Chalga series was gonna be on Reyhan, beautiful, beautiful Reyhan…The chola looking Gypsy/Roma singer from Bulgaria who sings in Turkish, the language of Muslim Roma in that country. Sadly, she died in 2005, in the prime of her super-stardom, the victim of a tragic auto accident. Men still weep for her on Youtube.
It’s taken me forever to write my post on Reyhan because I felt it deserved something extra special, it might be done one day…
Reyhan in her younger days
Selda – Mehmet Emmi
We all love Selda, the queen of Anatolian Rock!
Favorite Video of the Week: Bedsitter
Soft Cell-Bedsitter
The perfect song for a hazy Sunday. I had no idea this video existed until today. I’m ecstatic!
Marc Almond is one of my favorite vocalists, I was mad for his music through much of my teenage years even though my hardcore phase.
I think Marc Almond’s fan club was called Lonely Hearts.
Favorite Song of 2009: If I Had a Heart
Fever Ray – If I Had a Heart (familjen remix)
If I Had A Heart
This will never end
Cause I want more
More, give me more, give me more
This will never end
Cause I want more
More, give me more, give me more
If I had a heart I could love you
If I had a voice I would sing
After the night when I wake up
I’ll see what tomorrow brings
If I had a voice I would sing
Dangling feet from window frame
Will I ever ever reach the floor?
Crushed and filled with all I found underneath and inside
Just to come around
The original video and song in all it’s chilling and nightmarish glory.
Fever Ray’s website.
Favorite Video of the Week: Song of the Siren
This Mortal Coil-Song of the Siren
“On the floating shipless oceans, I did all my best to smile…” Some days this lyric echoes in my head.
Favorite Video of the Week: Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman-Times Square
In the early 90s, mainly due to the influence of my cooler hipper friends and because of the bands we were listening to at the time, I became a semi-follower of the free jazz genre. I can’t say I really enjoyed listening to most of the records I collected but there was something about the music that kept me interested. I think it was the moment when the dissonant chaos turned into discordant melody – it was those little hooks that always pulled me in.
Ornette Coleman was one of my favorite free jazz artists, I tried my best to get into the stylings of musicians like the Brötzmanns but I admit, it’s the fellas from this side of the world I found more palatable. Eric Dolphy and improv master Pharoah Sanders are also favorites.
I love this clip and how the song starts off funky and we’re all thinking it’s time to shake your booty but then quickly turns into Coleman’s notorious all over the place crazy sax. If Los Angeles is to be represented by a type of jazz, I say Ornette Coleman would be the sound of the city with a little Poncho Sanchez thrown in for good measure.
By the way, as I was writing this post and listening to Ornette Coleman, a friend walked by and asked “What happened? Did your computer freeze?” referring to the song. Har har.
Dog Faced Hermans-Timebomb
Bonus! A song by Dog Faced Hermans who were one of the bands I mentioned earlier that were very influenced by Ornette Coleman and who through their music, led me to the world of free jazz. Seeing Dog Faced Hermans play live was an unforgettable experience.
Favorite Video of the Week: About
About-Think Miles Drink
Not sure if the band About is still around but they made some pretty awesome music while they were in existence. The glitchy mash-up of styles works in this song. There’s a pop-ey cleverness to their music – it sounds fun, lively and inspired.
By the way, I’ve had three of the jobs featured in this video: record store clerk, barista and book seller.
After writing to the band to see if they were still around, I got this response:
Thank you!
No, we’re not playing at the moment… spending 24/7 in the studio in Berlin to finish the new record. Shows will start again in January!
All the best!
Rutger – About
Yay! Looking forward to seeing them play live one day.
Favorite Video of the Week: Jerkin
Not too long ago the LA Weekly did a cover piece on the phenomenon of Jerkin, a locally created hip-hop influenced music and dance style. Jerkin has influenced young folks all over Los Angeles and is spreading across the country. It’s also started a skinny pants trend among young urban youth who are NOT Emo.
I’ve included two awesome clips of the number one Jerkin dance crew, The Go-Go Power Ranger$. Besides the incredible moves, I was struck by the way the dancers have incorporated their environment into their dance performances. It’s a really organic way of re-purposing the neighborhood around them into a mobile interactive theater. From their high school’s front steps, to the basketball court asphalt and to street intersections, these everyday places become their stage and influence their choreography. Note the faux car driving moves and the way they claim a street for dancing, at times not allowing traffic to pass. It’s a fascinating way of pushing the boundaries of city space and engaging with the geography of their neighborhood. Social space for communal dance!
Favorite Song of the Day: Air War
Air War by Crystal Castles
Yeah, I’m late to the Crystal Castles bandwagon. I saw them mentioned so much on other blogs, I never paid attention to them. Usually when a band is all hyped up, I’ll take a listen and then I’m inevitably disappointed. However in this case, some of their songs live up to the hype. The Russian dancing is extraordinary in itself!