The World’s Smallest Movie

Well, here’s something that’ll please both my love for naïve library music as well as interest in quantum physics: IBM Research‘s minute-long animation A Boy and His Atom: The World’s Smallest Movie - made by moving actual atoms frame by frame! Yes, in order to generate interest for their research they used the technology already at hand in order to create an animation using single atoms – with pretty decent results. It’s nowhere near say Ralph Bakshi‘s 1978 The Lord of the Rings, but nice nonetheless.

For more info about how this was conceived make sure to check out the video Moving Atoms: Making the World’s Smallest Movie on YouTube here, and there’s an article available at ABC News to read up on as well.

While on the subject: If you liked the music used in the animation as much as I did, how about giving Vic Mars a spin? I was hepped to this UK musician via Project Moonbase and after a couple of listens at his Bandcamp I’m hooked on his future-retro vibe. Visit him on Facebook here.

And let’s hope the kid doesn’t try to split it…

Jeff Hanneman Dead at 49

copyright Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Well, here’s certainly a bit of unexpected news as I go online after waking up: Founding member and guitarist Jeff Hanneman of Slayer passed away yesterday afternoon of liver failure at the age of 49. He contracted necrotizing fasciitis in his arm after what doctors (and rumors) believe was a spider bite and even though he almost lost his arm, and was briefly placed in a medically-induced coma, from my understanding he was getting physically better and had been working on his rehabilitation – including playing guitar.

The door had been left open for his return to Slayer upon recovery – with Gary Holt of Exodus (temporarily?) filling in guitar duties in his absence. The band released a statement on their official Facebook roughly five hours ago:

Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed.

Our Brother Jeff Hanneman, May He Rest In Peace (1964 – 2013)

Read more at Billboard.com and Rolling Stone.

 

Mr. Someone

copyright Jamie Coghill 2013!

Check it out: Aussie musician Jamie Coghill aka The Jimmy C just released the first of this year’s coming two EPs! Titled Mr. Someone it features the single version of the title track with seven bonus songs – all in the more or less the same vein as his recently-released Orbital Debris album.

Like I already wrote, the vibe of his new album differs from the great Glamour & Fame album and delivers some tunage that reminds me of The Kinks‘ circa Face to Face period. This release offers some nice jangly pop with darker edges plus the occasional quirky track. Check it out and visit him on Facebook too!

Breakfast for Champions!

copyright Project Moonbase 2013!

Tune in – or stream – tonight as Project Moonbase offers up Full Moonbase Breakfast, a show that “is a sizzling selection of tunes designed to set you up nicely for the day, being as it is themed around the most important of meals, namely: breakfast.” If you’ve ever been to the UK you know that “hearty” and “lots o’ carbs” is key words when it comes to the most important meal of the day – or maybe it was me insisting on “going Continental” at the hotels.

Anyway, this sounds awesome, and as always when it comes to these guys you’re in for some truly unique sounds! Check it out here, visit them on Facebook here, and did I ever mention I’ve got a killer recipe for scrambled eggs? Yeah well, I actually stole it took inspiration from Gordon Ramsay, so just follow these easy steps in the clip below. I guarantee you’ll like it!

Dropkick Murphys Raise Money for Boston Bombing Victims

A great band just became even greater as Boston punk unit The Dropkick Murphys announced via their official Twitter that they’ve so far raised $65,000 for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings  selling a freshly designed t-shirt for the cause on their website. The front is the Boston skyline below “For Boston” and the back reads ”Thank you, to all who purchased this shirt. All proceeds go to the victims and families of the Boston Marathon bombings. Love, Dropkick Murphys.”

Pre-orders are accepted and they ship not only within the US, but also to Europe and Australia. All proceeds are going to the families – the band isn’t keeping one cent. Order yours here.

UPDATE: The band announced via their official page on Facebook that they/their fans in fact have raised more than $100,000 within the first 24 hours. It was also quite moving reading that the Richard Family from Dorchester actually have ties to the band.

Respect!

Nirvana Bacharach Mashup

Wow! Straight out of the proverbial left field comes Christopher Armes‘ Nirvana vs. Burt Bacharach – a jazzy mashup of Nirvana‘s In Bloom and a – for me – unknown Burt Bacharach track (really?). This is definitely unique if nothing else, and strangely enough Kurt‘s voice and delivery actually fit this, ahem, laid back performance. Check it out on SoundCloud here.

Nerdgasmus Maximus

‘Scuse Grampa while he’s having a ten-minute nerdgasm, kids, but I found this YouTube video via my pal Troy Church at The Bigfoot Diaries‘ official page on Facebook and this is just audiophile heaven! I was oblivious to Quality Record Pressings, but according to information gathered they’re at the top of their game when it comes to mastering and pressing vinyl records.

This is just a total nerd dream as owner and all employees truly mastered their art – and yes, honing a craft is an art – and I can watch this clip over and over. Passion is so rare these days and watching a highly skilled worker perform is just as fascinating and inspiring as say the The Scientist at work in the studio clips I posted last year. So give it a spin and make sure you check out their official website here.

Out Soon!

copyright The Jimmy C 2013!

Check it out: Australian musician The Jimmy C just announced the new batch of coming releases on his official Facebook page. First out of the gate is the Mr. Someone single with six bonus tracks and the The Man Who Never Dies EP that features the three remixes I did for him plus four bonus tracks. Tons of goodies! Stay tuned for more info, and in the mean time check out the kick-ass advert he did:

copyright The Jimmy C 2013!

Tortelvis!

Well, as I completed yet one more lap around the block this past Friday and found myself receiving tons of pleasantries and well wishes from all corners of the world – except the usual Antarctica and North Pole, if you live there hit me up! – I was especially positively surprised when my pal Troy that runs The Bigfoot Diaries congratulated me and informed me that I share birthday with none other than Tortelvis from Dread Zeppelin! Now that, sir, is what we call awesome.

If you somehow should be unaware of this band – really? – I can inform you that they are probably the most unique damn outfit there ever was. In short they do reggae cover versions of Led Zeppelin. With an Elvis impersonator handling the vocal duties. Yeah, everybody goes “WTF!?” when I explain that. Still, if you’re gonna do something like covers – something I usually loathe – you should do what these guys are doing; A completely unique and original take on the material.

Growing as a phenomenon and cult band since the 1990s they have Robert Plant himself among their fans – check it out here for yourself if you don’t wanna take my word for it - I recommend you at least checking out some of their videos on YouTube, and speaking of Troy you can read his interview with Tortle here.

Official Ramones Day!

Tag along!

So, today’s April 4th – 4/4 – and I’m declaring it The Official Ramones Day! The “bruddahs” from Queens were truly masters of said beat, and a Google search confirmed that they actually didn’t have one. How disappointing is that? Jeez, are you even aware how many kids had their lives changed by that band? There’s a whole damn generation of musicians that owe their “careers” to what these guys pioneered as early as 1974, with myself being one.

Anyway, why bitch when you can be “proactive”? I’m going to spam post vids on my personal Facebook all day and maybe find the time to write a lil’ something about them here on this blog. Feel free to do the same. I mean, c’mon, we’ve got a pie day fer chrissakes! And as far as I know April 4th isn’t taken. Join the freak parade, honey!