James Brown is Dead: Long Live the Godfather of Soul!

RIP James Brown 1933-2006

"The pope told me that I should never come to church, because I can do more out there (on the street)… Music is the soul of the people. That’s why I’m the Godfather of Soul. I wouldn’t want to be anything else — wouldn’t want to be a king, or an emperor. I just want to be with the people." - James Brown

James Brown was a musical genius and his influence is found in all genres of modern music; without him there wouldn't be any music worth listening to.

A consummate performer and prolific artist, his music will live on through soul, funk, and hiphop, all which owe their success to this wonderful artist!

I'm so, so glad I went and saw him earlier this year in Melbourne, and although I've only got a few blurry photos, his stage presence, even at 73, will live with me forever.

Blogger Update

So, I've gone ahead and updated this blog to the new blogger software, and editied previous posts and removed the tags and used the blogger software itself to tag my posts.

So far I like it.

The "labels" should be called "tags", but for now I'll let that pass.

I'll have some kind of "tag list" or "tag cloud" up and running as soon as I figure out how to do it.

I'm also looking at getting the RSS feeds from MySpace and IGN into this blog too.

Christmas Gift Idea #25

Want to buy me a Christmas Present and don't have any idea of what to get me?

I really want a new radio, and this one is great for Boob lovers! (and really, who isn't a lover of boobs!)

This battery operated radio is AM/FM and uses the rubber feel nipples for tuning & volume control.

It is a a definite "Turn On"!!!!

I'm TIME's Person of the Year!

Time Magazine's Person of the Year is You!



Yes, You. And me, and everyone who has published online.

I think it's a fantastic idea, although the idea of putting a mirror on the cover is strangely reminiscent of the Dude from the Great Lebowski film.



However, in Crikey, Christian Kerr, a media journalist, hits out at them.

He claims that TIME is running scared of 'new media', which crikey counts themselves as, and this is a way to get people to buy the magazine.

He says the idea of having a mirror on the cover was stolen from some 1970s band's record cover - and fair enough, it's not a new idea, but come on, can he be a little more 'new media' and use a popular culture reference most of us will know, like for instance, the Big Labowski?

Anyway, I sent them a letter, and it got published. Here it is:

Re. "Old media needs to take a look in the mirror" (yesterday, item 17).

OK, I know it was a Monday, but why is Christian 'need to change my first name to Wayne' Kerr so cranky about the Time article?

Sure, the "traditional" media is under threat, but they also do have a point, although technically they're 3-5 years too late.

As someone who has been involved with the Net since its fairly early days in the early 90s, I have noticed that the utopia of a free media and information promised in early scholarly articles hasn't come from wanker academics or journalists like Kerr, but from ordinary slobs like myself.

I was the one responsible for leaking the Ratbag sellout of Midway* to the major news sources via my blog. I was the one who got the Hilltop Hoods recognised by Melanie Safka (my review is on her website).

Sure, it may not be uncovering Howard's illicit liaison with Bob Hawke's wife or anything mindblowing like that, but it DID get international attention, something impossible ten years ago.

And that's Time magazine's point.

If Kerr is too up himself to accept this, maybe he should write his own blog in his own time and with his own money like the rest of us, instead of riding the coat-tails of an organisation that has to beg for subscriptions to a newsletter full of pompous asses and half truths!

* sellout as in buying us out then closing us down

New Mix Online!

New Mix Online!

Here's the MP3 of a mix I did the other weekend.

It's called "How I Rock", which isn't me blowing my own horn (Ok, well maybe a little ) but actually came about after I mixed 'The Smiths Tune' (which samples 'How Soon is Now') with 'When I Rock'.

It's a little less hard than I normally like to play, but I've been playing a lot of early night sets recently so have adjusted my style to suit the crowds. And this sound is tending to go off in Adelaide at the moment.

The recording is a bit dodge. It's not too bad in quality - so I thought I'd upload it and give you'll a listen - but it could be a lot better.

As to my mixing, well, I would be lying if I said I couldn't be happier, because I can always be happier with a mix, but to date it's one of my best and cleanest mixes. It's pretty damn good if I do say so myself!

Here's the Track Listing:

Slyde - That's It
Stanton Warriors - Dip & Get Low
30hz & Baobinga - Know Ya
Plump DJs - Soul Vibrates
General Midi - Good To Go
Cut & Run - The Smiths Tune
Split Loop - When I Rock
Stanton Warriors - Hope Time (Rogue Element remix)
Jay Cunning & Smithmonger - Never Stop (Split Loop remix)
Drumattic Twins - Pumped Up Funk
Azzido Da Bass - Dooms Night (Stanton Warriors remix)

Download "How I Rock" now!


And now I've finally hooked up my old PC to my dex, providing I can count on the audio card (it's a bit dodge but think it's a driver / software issue) I should be able to record more of my mixing and post it online.

So Bolt doesn't Like Borat

So, Andrew Bolt and some wanky socialist don't like Borat?

Here's my response:

I confess I haven't seen the movie, but I have seen enough of Cohen's Shows to realise what this movie will be.

If people are too ignorant to get the joke, to know about Cohen and Borat because they can't be bothered thinking about anything outside their own little window, sucks to be them.

His act simply wouldn't work on people who weren't ignorant. But there's so many people in the world who are so shallow and close minded that his act will continue to work for many, many years.

Maybe if we had a better education system, better global outlook, and a better society overall, Cohen's humour would be what you claim it is - cruel and manipulative.

But the fact so many don't question him, don't challenge him when he's being racist, sexist and homophobic - enough people to get a successful series and movie made - is the really sad part of his act.

If you have trouble recoginsing the predudices of people in the film, maybe it's because it's your own predudices coming into play.

You claim it is 'courteous people' being made fools - no it isn't.

These people go along with him - for whatever reason - and never once do they say "hey, you're out of line" or "stop doing that" or "I don't give a fudge where you come from, stop insulting those people". Never once do they challenge him, and many go along with him. That's worse than fooling people in the first place. Who is more fool?

The Nazi's killed millions because people refused to speak up against what they knew was wrong, and Cohen is pointing out even many years later people are just as ignorant, even with our internet and globalization.

Hopefully Borat will make people more aware of what they do and how they act. Then Cohen has done what he wants to achieve, and that's a damn better outcome than feeling warm and fuzzy because of portaloos.

Oh, and those "Frat Boys" aren't the innocent fools you make them out to be...

"While Cohen and his production team certainly have a knack for finding and taking advantage of the, shall we say, socially questionable citizens of the "U.S. and A," it's hard to imagine that this suit has much merit. First off, a quick look at Seay's Myspace pictures suggest that "gettin' drunk and havin' a good time," are pastimes he regularly engages in -- not behaviors that the producers likely duped him into. Second, he, along with everyone else in the film, signed an agreement relinquishing any rights to take action. Third, the scene in question is so despicable (even though Seay appears less awful than his two frat brothers) that it's hard to imagine any judge or jury feeling sympathetic to his cause." (link)