you can't get on my system cuz my system is the solar

10 Songs I'm Into At the Moment

1. "Undisco Kidd" by Funkadelic

I included on the playlist below the live version, because that's the one I prefer (the studio version, also good but more cluttered, is linked above). This is classic Funkadelic, with a demented story about a freaky little groupie with too much rump to bump over an extraterrestrial groove. The only thing I can't figure out is whether "undisco" is a compliment or insult.

2. "Phone Home" by Lil' Wayne
Speaking of extraterrestrial...one of my favourite things about Lil' Wayne is his claim of being an alien, and this entire song deepens that idea. I've fallen in love with Tha Carter III, despite how predictable my love for it is. What isn't predictable is Lil' Wayne's rhymes - I've noticed that he'll intentionally mispronounce a word to make it rhyme with the previous phrase and then correct himself to rhyme it with the next phrase (see the "asaneen, damn, I mean asinine" in "You Ain't Got Nothin'" - so retarded it becomes genius).

3. "I'm A Slave 4 U" by Britney Spears
I'm definitely not breaking any new ground with this, and I specifically recall hating this song when it came out, but recently I've been throwing this one on all the time. It's so weird how my love for Britney has grown and grown over the past year. Never would've seen that coming when I was 12.

4. "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See" by Busta Rhymes
First off, the video is beyond sick. His videos is what made me really start to appreciate Busta Rhymes. But, as his name would suggest, he can seriously bust a rhyme. Superbly.

5. "Tears Dry On Their Own" by Amy Winehouse
I'm a year or two behind on Amy Winehouse, but I'm falling hard in love. Her lyrics are just so sublime, unpretentious yet poetic and so real and relatable. Before I even actually would listen to this song, I had adopted the "my own best friend" lyrics as a personal motto.

6. "80's Joint" by Kelis
I guess you're beginning to notice that I've been listening to a lot of pop lately. I know it's not considered to be the coolest thing, but it's so emptily joyful and I can relate! The bass on this track is just killer.

7. "Country Girl" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
I used to dislike this song, but it has grown on me so much. When they finally reach the "Country girl, I think you're pretty", it feels like when you're deep in a swimming pool and swimming upwards and upwards til you finally break through the surface. Unfortunately, I can't find a clip to link you to, so seek it out yourself!

8. "Bathwater" by No Doubt
I recently discovered my old No Doubt CD's that I was obsessed with when I was 13 and have been enjoying the comforting nostalgia of them. I know No Doubt's touring this summer and I must say, sounds very tempting.

9. "Oh! You Pretty Things" by David Bowie
On a completely different page, this gorgeously simplistic number exudes Bowie at his "best" (quotations because, really, who can judge?).

10. "I'd Rather Be With You" by Bootsy Collins
I've been allll over solo Bootsy Collin's lately, and unlike most of his stuff, I find this song deeply touching. It almost makes me cry, but then again I'm just moody, especially around the full moon.

march 12/09

make me want you, make me miss you, make me wonder where you are, then forget you

You thought you'd heard every song they'd ever made a billion times...

Deep Tracks by Overexposed Artists:

"The Lady in My Life" by Michael Jackson

Okay, it's on Thriller, so it's probably the "deep track" most people have heard. Still, this is the song that proves my longtime belief that Michael Jackson is the best ad-libber of all time. (And here I'm using 'ad lib' to mean all the "ooh", "baby", "yeah", etc.) I usually start this song at the 2:30 point, as the last two and a half minutes are all gorgeous adlibbing. MJ 4 Eva y'all!

"Why Should I Be Sad" by Britney Spears
My favourite track off Blackout, this slow - but not, God forbid, a ballad - number is pop genius. Clearly intended as a kiss-off to K-Fed, I think it's beautiful. The one included on the playlist below is slightly slowed-down, but still fantastic.

"She Lives in My Lap" by OutKast
The B-side to the equally-genius "Prototype" (which I've raved about before), this dreamy song featuring voices and laughs from Rosario Dawson is quirky, sweet, creative and eccentric. I'm glad it wasn't played eight trillion times on the radio a la "Hey Ya" - it's much more meaningful this way.

"Wavin' Bye to the Train or Bus" by the Arctic Monkeys
This is another case, in my opinion, of a song that has kickass verses and a weak chorus. But the verses? Kickass indeed! Maybe one of my favourite Arctic Monkeys lines ever with the "Oh, baby, I'm wantin' to do you a swap/I'll give you anything, yeah, in return for them noises you've got"

"Distant Lover" by Marvin Gaye
I used to really dislike this track from Let's Get It On, in fact, it was the only song I didn't love off that album. However, suddenly one day, I listened to it and realized its genius and beauty in one flash. Especially the "please, please, baby" at 1:03.

deep tracks...

it's so beautiful, it's almost unfair...

10 Songs I'm Into at the Moment:

1. "Stronger Than Me" by Amy Winehouse
Really now, isn't it refreshing to see Amy Winehouse being mentioned for her music? Sure, she's got issues, but her voice and songwriting are amazing. This is my favourite Amy song.

2. "White Women" by Adam Green
I don't listen to a lot of Adam Green, though I think he's ridiculously cool, but this blues-y, Doors-esque number is a true find. The first line is "You know I wanna bone you" - sold!

3. "Let Me Be" by Parliament
This is different than how you'd image Parliament to be, if your main idea of them is along the lines of "Flashlight" and "Tear the Roof Off". It's hard to describe, but it starts off with some piano and then Eddie Hazel pleading for some privacy. It's worth listening to even if only to see how versatile Parliament is. Personally, I straight up love this song.

4. "Love Rollercoaster" by Ohio Players
Okay, I'm probably not introducing you to anything new here, as most people know this song. But for good reason! It's awesome. Oh and the so-called "death scream" (it's at 2:32 on the recording included below, if you're listening for it) is just a myth, I must reiterate. No models were stabbed to death in a dispute over stickiness and their final scream captured in the song.
I find it interesting that since there are so many background screams (though admittedly, none of the others were quite as...shrill) why did people still assume it was a death scream?
Oh, right, cuz that's way more fun.

5. "If U Seek Amy" by Britney Spears
This song is genius. For those of you who didn't immediately get it, I'll quickly explain: "If U Seek Amy" = "If U See Kay Me" = "FUCK Me". Cute punnery aside, this is a pop masterpiece. And now they're going to go and ruin it by making it superoverexposed on the radio.
Dammit, have we learned nothing from "Gimme More"??

6. "Mr. Carter" by Lil' Wayne feat. Jay-Z
I'm really confused as to why this wasn't a single - oh, wait, there's a video, so I guess it was. Didn't get played around here! Anyway, this song is flyer than beetlejuice, beetlejuice, beetlejuice..

7. "Coldblooded" by Rick James
Some superchill funk courtesy of Mr. Rick James.

8. "Frantic Moment" by Eddie Hazel
More amazing-ness from Eddie "Maggot Brain" Hazel. Some say he's a better guitarist than Hendrix - I don't know enough about guitar to judge that, but he sure can lay down a wicked song.

9. "Fairies Wear Boots" by Black Sabbath
My love for Black Sabbath grows with each listen and this song is my current favourite.

10. "Crime and Medicine" by Mos Def
I love Mos Def and I can't get enough of this track.

january 22

where did i go right? win without a fight

I had a fantastic holiday and I hope you all did as well.

In terms of presents (let's not kid ourselves, holiday spirit is lovely but presents are a large part of the holiday joy and anticipation), I had a phenomenal season.

I got two P-Funk bootlegs (Houston 1978 and Landover 1981), a few Parliament albums (Live: P-Funk Earth Tour and Chocolate City), an album of Funkadelic rareities (Toys), a Marvin Gaye album (Midnight Love), the new Britney Spears and Lil Wayne CDs. My parents and I both got each other the second season of 30 Rock on DVD. Nicola gave me the beautiful fox fur coat I mentioned a few posts earlier, and a vintage Rolling Stone from 1975 with Mick and Keith on the cover.
However, the most important gift I received...well, it's hard to explain. Since I became a P-Funk fan, I have hunted this one album - I've humiliated myself in my attempts to own it for myself. It's unspeakably rare and valuable, but a very incredible and generous friend bought it for me.
I can't put it into words, so I'll let this website speak for me:

Among P-Funk fanatics and guitar connoisseurs in general, Eddie Hazel is a legend. His psychedelic yet soulful style, best typified by 1971's "Maggot Brain," led many to believe he would carry on the legacy of Jimi Hendrix, who died shortly after Hazel rose to prominence with Funkadelic.

And while Hazel was a central figure with early Funkadelic, particularly on Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On, where he wrote every song, a number of problems that can be traced to drug addiction ultimately caused his role to diminish as the group became more popular throughout the Seventies. He continued to make infrequent appearances with the group until his death in 1992, but remained best known for his work from 1970 - 1975.

Which is where Game, Dames And Guitar Thangs comes in. Issued by Warner Brothers in 1977, it was the only album released under Hazel's name during his lifetime and considered one of the holy grails of funk due to its rarity. After nearly 30 years of having to rely on bootlegs, poor-quality tapes or wishful dreams, Hazel's solo album is finally available on disc for all to enjoy.

Game offers none of the thematic storylines or compelling characters of other P-Funk releases. Its intention is to simply spotlight Eddie's skills, making this perhaps the most purely "musical" album in the P-Funk canon. The record's centerpieces are two of the unlikeliest covers you will hear: "California Dreaming" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." With able assistance from a cast that includes Bootsy Collins, the Brides of Funkenstein, Jerome Brailey, and Bernie Worrell, Hazel just goes off and takes these numbers to another plane, especially on "I Want You," which is transformed into an apex of funk ecstasy.

In short, if you consider yourself a deep P-Funk fan, you have to own this album.

This record means the world to me. I feel validated as a P-Funk fan just for owning it and, oh yeah, it's a straight-up phenomenal record. I can't stop listening to it, and whenever I look at it and remember I own it, a feeling of warmth and joy washes over me. The only problem is that now I have nothing else in life to strive for - my main plan had been to get rich so I could afford this album. But now I have no need for money. New life plan: sit at home and listen to "Game Dames and Guitar Thangs" all day.
I hope everyone elses' Christmases were half as satisfying as mine!

brothers, don't be cool, women like it sometimes when you act a fool

You guys are too good to me...I ask for some questions to answer and I get dozens - thank you!
This is my 400th post, which feels goood, and frankly, I'm just going to dive right in. (There are so many questions, that I'll answer half in this post, and half in a second post later - and if you have any additional questions, go for it! This is mad fun)

Keith asked: "If you could sleep with any singer past or present who would that be?"

Sam asked: "What's your opinion of Wolfmother(the band)?"
I don't know a whole lot of Wolfmother, but everything I've heard has been ridiculously badass and awesome. I'm a Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath fan, so I can dig on any band who keeps that spirit alive today. I wish I knew more!

TEXTSTYLES asked: "why do you blog? what started it? and where do you want to take it?"
I started blogging because I felt like I had so many opinions bubbling up in myself and no one to tell them to. Though now I have people to share them with, blogging is way too much fun to stop. I blog because I enjoy it. And as for the future, well, it would be nice to parlay this into a career, but I'm not going to expect that. I definitely will continue blogging.

copperoranges asked: "are you in school? what are you studying? how many days worth of songs do you have on your itunes?"
I am in school...kind of. Technically I'm in grade 12, but I do my schooling by correspondance, which means, basically, I do it from home over the Internet. It's easier, fun-er and much more independent.
My iTunes isn't very impressive. I have an iPod nano and it's full with all the songs it can handle, which is about 300. But since my prefered method of music-listening is on vinyl, I haven't given iTunes much love and appreciation. I also don't download illegally (simply because it's unsatisfying) so everything on my iPod is essentially what I own on CD - which isn't much.

Mimi asked: "If you I asked you to make a play list of songs that would go perfect for my fashion blog [old, new, rock, blues... Whatever it may be] would you do it?"
Yes! I'd love to.

For starters, as you say you are "infatuated with Hendrix", I would throw on some "Little Miss Lover", a really fun and rad song. Another cool song to put on there would be Ready for the World's "Oh Sheila", which (I'm ashamed to admit) for months I thought was actually an unreleased Prince song. I'm not going to deny the dope-ness that is Britney Spears' new song "Circus" for a second longer. "I'd Love to Change the World" by Ten Years After would be a nice addition. And, finally, David Bowie's "Suffragette City" - I know it's one of his bigger songs and therefore slightly obvious, but it's one of those songs that when you hear it on the radio you get excited because you forgot how amazing it is. Let your blog give people that moment. I hope that helps!

Katelin asked: "if you met marvin gaye, what one thing would you ask him? what song do you detest the most? and what female musician do you idolize the most?"

If I had to pick one song to detest the most, it would probably be Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend". Its obnoxiousness rating is off the charts. It doesn't rhyme, which adds to the feeling of generally patheticness. You just want to smack her upside the head.

If I met Marvin Gaye, I don't think I'd ask him anything - I think I would weep, kiss his feet and thank him.
The female musician I admire the most is Grace Slick. In terms of, well, everything. I love her style, I love her music, I love her voice, I love her strength, I love her personality - she's just a good ol' free spirit, the best type of person.

Sunniva asked: "1) If you were to have a party and could invite 5 famous people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?2) Who do you love most, Alex or Alexa? ;p3) What is your dream job?4) Can I adopt you as my sister?"

That first question is brilliant, and haunting. It's a hard choice and I'll probably look back on this in a year (or tomorrow) and cringe as I'm missing big ones, but I'm going to go with George Clinton, Lester Bangs, Anita Pallenberg, Neal Cassady and Andre 3000, because you know they'd show up looking amazing and party their fucking asses off.
As for who I love more, I'd have to go Alex...as amazing as Alexa is, she hasn't really done anything besides be generally cool. Alex has written some freaking fantastic music. Definitely Alex.
I think my dream job - believe it or not - is actually homemaker. I'm lazy as hell and I don't want a "real" job, I'd be so happy to just stay at home and cook, clean and the whatnot. Trophy wife is a close second. (Jokessss...kinda)
Yes, I'm available for adoption. Please submit your application to my receptionist.

Thank you for your awesome questions, I've enjoyed answering them so much and I can't wait to answer more in my next post. I hope you've enjoyed the first 400 posts of Ashcan Rantings, and are as excited about another 400 as I am.

today's hit singles are tomorrow's really cheesy tabloid headlines

Hey, we all know the feeling. You're an aspiring pop star, or maybe you're the biggest act in the world, but the lyrics just aren't coming to you. So you dash something off, something insignificant. Jump to years later....you've been through a lot, maybe found yourself in a wee bit o' trouble, maybe with some tabloids and people are dragging up songs from the past. Well, my friend, you're not alone. Let's take a look at some stars and songs they might be regretting releasing.

Michael Jackson is probably the worst offender of this. He was first formally accused of child molestation in 1994, and prior to that released songs titled Smooth Criminal, Dangerous, Bad, In the Closet, PYT (Pretty Young Thing) and Give In To Me.Almost all of those are great songs, but I'm sure his publicist is going "What were you thinking??"And Michael's going "But, Ray, I didn't even write all of those, it was Bubbles, I tell you! Bubbles! Can we go to Toys'R'Us now?"And don't even think I'm making fun of Michael Jackson...I love the man to death.
P.S. Not to mention in the Thriller video, when he whimpers "I'm not like other guys"...

Britney Spears, in her, uh, saner days, released Crazy. Let's not even touch this one, she's way too overexposed.

Ciara, with rumours that she is a transvestite swirling, decided to release Like a Boy, in the video dressing up in drag and dancing in a masculine way. I'm not sure if she has an excellent sense of humour (unfortunately, my guess would be no) or was just very unaware.

Charles Manson's music career isn't what he's best known for, but it sure is telling. He wrote a song for the Beach Boys called Cease to Exist, which they wisely retitled Never Learn Not to Love before releasing (sidenote: if you listen to Never Learn Not to Love in the context that it was written by Charles Manson, it is extremely eerie). On his own album, he had Sick City, Don't Do Anything Illegal and, perhaps most accurately, People Say I'm No Good. Oh, really? No good, they say? For some reason, I'm finding it a little hard to have sympathy.
Or at least, not as much sympathy as for MJ, Britney and Ciara.
Next year headline prediction?
MILEY GETS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS: DRUGS AND ILLICIT SEX