Hotel Sunset

I’m putting this Blog on notice

Hello, you have arrived! I do not post here as frequently as I used to but feel free to browse the archives from when this used to be a music website before general miscellanea posts became the norm.

While I will continue to update this site sporadically from time to time, regular posting is suspended for now.

Thank you for your continued patronage.

Handgun Quadcopter

Just a drone shooting a gun, no big deal.

Police Tactics

Making ‘The Cold Vein’ (Video Documentary)

Apparently this has been on YouTube for a year and has an unusually low number of views; a three-part documentary on creating the debut Cannibal Ox album The Cold Vein. It only runs just over a half-hour but is a wonderful glimpse into not just the singular album but an intimate look into the prime-era of Definitive Jux as a homegrown NYC rap label.

 

Exploring the Origins of Scientist

Hopeton Brown aka Scientist does not need much introduction; sitting perfectly in the middle of the dub reggae canon between the foundational sounds of King Tubby and Mad Professor bringing the style in to the modern studio era.

Recently on YouTube I came across a handful of videos shared courtesy of Juweeltjes, a handful of which juxtapose the original tracks dubbed by Scientist for his Wins The World Cup and Rids The World of The Evil Curse of the Vampires album – the latter of which was popularized by many for appearing as the KJAH radio station in Grand Theft Auto 3

Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – Bad Blood

Oh like anybody is surprised I’m posting this. Interesting remix, even more interesting video; I’m not sure there is an actual story-line as much as it was a Miami Vice style everybody gets a cameo mentality. So many character introductions that at times I forget there’s even a song happening.

Either way, the results are that it works and I’m just some rando writing about it on the internet. Mission accomplished.

Slew Dem + Roll Deep + More – 2007 Freestyles

Not a whole lot of information to add here other than the basics. Here’s a 2007 radio show featuring the likes of Killa P, Flowdan, Tempa T, and Jammer who graces the decks and the mic a few times during the broadcast, stream using the YouTube above or download a copy for safe-keeping via the MediaFire link below:

Download Jammer – Sidewinder VIP (w/ Flow Dan, Killa P, Tempa T, etc.)

Telefon Tel Aviv – Re:Generation 2007 (Live Set)

July 2007, a reasonably small music festival in Horse Shoe, outside Asheville, NC at the Deerfields Retreat – among the many performers that weekend was Telefon Tel Aviv who performed this brief but memorable set in the middle of the afternoon.

Far more people pictured above than were on-hand for the afternoon’s performance which made for an even more intimate setting in the hills of North Carolina. Please note this is an audience recording, not taken from soundboard. The entire set is available as a single track in FLAC or 320 MP3 below. I haven’t had time to sort out the setlist yet.

Download Telefon Tel Aviv – July 7, 2007 [MP3] (right-click to save)

Download Telefon Tel Aviv – July 7, 2007 [FLAC] (right-click to save)

Source Info:
AKG 481 (cardioid) > Edirol UA5 > Sony TCD-D8

Spiritualized @ Terminal West

I was fortunate enough to catch Spiritualized, one of my favorite bands for about as long as I can remember, play a late-night set at Atlanta’s Terminal West on May 9, 2015 as a part of their two appearances in town for the Shaky Knees Festival. A much more intimate, and better sounding venue than my two previous experiences at The Variety Playhouse, or conversely the festival grounds.

Included are a handful of photos and a short stitching together of some video clips I grabbed during the course of the evening; being as close as I was I was more focused on enjoying the show than holding up a camera for 5-to-6 minute stretches. It’s rare I get to see Spiritualized was definitely wanted to savor the moment. Thanks to YouTube user ChromeDream for supplying a few full-length songs.

Spiritualized – Terminal West (5)

Spiritualized – Terminal West (3)

Spiritualized – Terminal West (4)

Spiritualized – Terminal West (6)

Spiritualized – Terminal West (2)

Spiritualized – Terminal West (1)

Spiritualized – Terminal West (8)

Below find the setlist with links to videos where available:

Setlist:
Here It Comes (The Road, Let’s Go)
Lord Let It Rain on Me
Electricity
Shine a Light
Electric Mainline
She Kissed Me (It Felt Like a Hit)
Soul on Fire
Oh Baby
Rated X
Walkin’ with Jesus
Come Together
Take Your Time

Learning To Fly

Flight Videos Deconstructed by Eleanor Lutz at TabletopWhale

A non-animated version of the above available as a print/poster breaking the animations down frame-by-frame, show your support for the researcher if you feel so inclined.

KalioCommerce: Ask Me Anything

I  respect eCommerce and email marketing are not the two topics bringing people to this site but wanted to share a Q&A panel discussion I was recently a part of. KalioCommerce recently asked myself and Joy Ugi, the marketing coördinator at WhatCounts to take part as a part of their Ask Me Anything webinar series.

KalioCommerce has shared the highlights of the Q&A as well as a video recap of the webinar on their blog, feel free to click below if interested; Joy and I provided some insights into using customer purchase and behavioral data to drive smarter and more targeted communications to customers and prospects, and how the WhatCounts email platform can integrate into this solution

Don’t worry, this website is not going to slowly turn into a marketing and eCommerce best-practices guide but felt like sharing this specific event I participated in.

eCommerce Marketing Insights: Our “Ask Me Anything” Q&A Highlights

JME – Man Don’t Care (Video)

JME setting the mic on fire with this new track, seriously – he uses a university degree to set a microphone on fire… also, Iron Man cameo.

Kai Alce – Day/Light

Another fun rooftop event from Atlanta’s Wiggle Factor, this time bringing the local sounds of Kai Alce, a handful of photos and a short video I captured using the new hand-held camera. Hopefully more posts like this in the future now that I have it available.

Tad Allagash Day/Light

Kai Alce – Day/Light

Kai Alce – Day/Light

Kai Alce – Day/Light

Kai Alce w/ Sunset – Day/Light

Hefty Records Flossed Out Mix

Coming out of Chicago, John Hughes‘ Hefty Records served as a home for for artists like Elliot Lipp, and Telefon Tel Aviv, and at least one Prefuse 73 side project, as well as providing a home for some overlooked artists of the time such as Some Water and Sun and Retina.it

A number of the artists featured here including the DJ have moved on to understandably different aesthetics in the 8 years since this has been released but, like any good mix it is not only technically interesting but serves as a snapshot of the time which is was made.

edIT, now of Glitch Mob fame, shares remixes of mid-aught era rap on top of a handful of beats from the Hefty Records collection. Years later and I still have a soft-spot for this one.

Download edIT’s Hefty Records Flossed Out Mix