The Days of Lore

ODB and Sir Paul: A Love Story

Monday, February 1st, 2010 | musiX | 3 Comments

I was never very keen on Danger Mouse’s The Grey Album. A couple of listens and I was done. I give credit to the process of creating it, and there were some interesting parts—but overall it sounded pretty ham-fisted, and ultimately received more attention (lots from Entertainment Weekly … ’nuff said) for the novelty than the actual art.

Six years later and the Fab Four are mingling with another New York crew—the Wu-Tang Clan. This time it’s not a DJ bringing these two institutions together, but a 28-year-old music teacher from Brighton, England. And rather than sticking with one specific album from each as the source material, Tom Caruana used the artists’ entire catalogs. And I must say what I’ve heard is much more interesting than Danger Mouse’s take. Add the fact that Wu-Tang is far more interesting to listen to than Jay-Z.

Caruana posted Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers on his Web site in early January as a free download. And with it, of course, comes his whirlwind 15 minutes of fame. Caruana recently told the New York Times that it’s been downloaded close to 30,000 times, and even got the proverbial Wu-Tang hand sign from Chef Raekwon.

My favorite of the bunch is Caruana’s reworking of ODB’s “Got Your Money,” with a little help from Sir Paul and “You Never Give Me Your Money.” Now I love the Beatles, but how about mashing up some Stones? Maybe with The Roots? How about Elton John and Eminem … wait. Have a better idea? Post it in the comments section. And download the entire album here free.

“Got Your Money” - Wu-Tang vs. The Beatles

Tags: Danger Mouse, Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers, the Beatles, The Grey Album, Tom Caruana, Wu-Tang Clan, Wu-Tang vs. The Beatles

The Beatles: Rock Band. Here comes the fun

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 | musiX | 1 Comment

I’ve never cared for video games … besides, they lead to violence, not to mention an insatiable desire to eat power pellets and chase ghosts around a grid. But I do like Rock Band (save for that lame Aerosmith edition), and I can knock out a near-flawless performance of “Blitzkrieg Bop” on the easy level … oh yeah, I’m good.

I haven’t played in over a year, basically because I have only one slacker friend with an XBox, and he lives 535 miles away. But I’d consider buying one of these game systems (well, at least ask for one for Christmas) so I could play the mutha of all games: The Beatles: Rock Band. I’ll host The Beatles: Rock Band parties and we’ll try to sing in three-part harmony to “Day Tripper” and “All You Need Is Love” while sipping cocktails and furiously clicking a toggle switch on small, plastic instruments shaped like the ones John, Paul, and George used to play. You with me? It’ll be the next big craze where grandparents, parents and kids come together. Ahem.

The game features the Fab Four in its various stages and there will be 45 songs to choose from. It looks great, although there’s something very bizarre about the whole thing. Now what are the chances of “Tomorrow Never Knows” being included? The Beatles: Rock Band is out Sept. 9, and I think the lines are already forming outside Best Buys across the country.

Tags: the Beatles, The Beatles: Rock Band

Futurama

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008 | musiX, pdX | No Comments

There’s a rotting jack-’o'-lantern sitting next to me.

I’m sitting in a coffee shop in Bend, Ore. “A Day In the Life” is playing in the background. Paul’s vocals are absent; I guess they don’t have stereophonic sound in Bend … I’ve heard about this phenomenon, but I never believed it. I knew things were changing for the worse when I saw McCain/Palin signs pocking the countryside. Did I mention there’s a rotting jack-o’-lantern next to me?

You might be wondering why I’m here. Quicky explanation: I rushed a dear friend down for a job interview at a marketing firm … we made it with four minutes to spare. I passed Oregon drivers with my California license plates, and felt the look of disgust as I flew by. I can usually pass them doing 60. As I finish my lovely drip coffee, my friend Wingy is winging his interview … actually he’s walking in and … he’s sitting next to the rotting jack-o’-lantern and …

“I’m not getting that job. I don’t think she liked me.”

Impossible. Everyone likes him, and I know good things await. This song inspired a spirited air drum/guitar session on the drive down to Bend. I love it. Here’s to our future (save for the rotting jack-o’-lantern).

“Here’s Your Future” - The Thermals

Tags: "A Day In the Life", Bend, Oregon, the Beatles, The Thermals