Music rules my world

Because I have too many writing and editing projects going on, I have failed to maintain my Vox blog. Oh, shame!

I want to correct that failure. I'm going to try to write regularly about what I'm listening to, writing and editing, reading, watching, consuming, and wishing for. 

Listening
1. I have been listening to so much good music lately! My favorite discovery of late is Holy Fuck, an experimental band from Toronto. Their songs are completely instrumental (i.e., no vocals). Unbelievably good stuff! I will see them perform at the Coachella Music Festival in April.

2. I've been listening to a lot of abstract hip-hop, funk, and soul. I created what I believe to be the most awesome playlist this past week.

Watch That Sound - DJ Vadim (from Sound Catcher)   
Dead Ones - Lifesavas (from Gutterfly Soundtrack)   
That Kind of Man - The Heavy (from their self-titled 3-Track EP)       
Here I Come - The Roots (from Game Theory)   
No Reason for You - Kutiman (from Kutiman)   
I Ate Your Soul - Grieves (from Irreversible)   
Morning Child - 4hero (from Play with the Changes)   
Beaten Metal - Antibalas (from Security)   
Sloop Jay D - Bullion (from Pet Sounds: In The Key Of Dee)
Poison Dart - The Bug  (single)
My 2600 - Captain Funkaho (from Peanut Butter Wolf's Jukebox 45s)
Loveless - 4hero (from Two Pages)   
Model Citizen - Ohmega Watts (from Watts Happening)
Colleen - The Heavy (from Great Vengeance & Furious Fire)   
Come on Now - The Sweet Vandals (from The Sweet Vandals)   
Good Communication - Y Society (from Travel at Your Own Pace)   
Sirius B - The Heliocentrics (from Out There)   
12 Apostles- Flevans (from Cold Hands)   
Music Is Ruling My World - Kutiman (from Kutiman)   
Blood from a Stone - Spanky Wilson & The Quantic Soul Orchestra (from I'm Thankful)
The Dark Side of the Sun - Modeselektor (from Happy Birthday!)
Nike Boots - Wale (single)

   

Writing/Editing
1. I recently completed editing a book titled History and Tradition of Jazz. I really enjoyed this editing project because I learned a lot about jazz music, which I was somewhat ignorant of. For weeks, I've been listening to nothing but jazz music, which was good but also made my ears want to bleed after a while. After studying all the artists (from Count Basie to Ornette Coleman to Miles Davis to Kenny G [!!] to Wynton Marsalis to Medeski, Martin & Wood), I chose Charles Mingus as my favorite jazz artist. I dig avant-garde jazz!

I asked the publisher to think of me for future music titles. The last book I edited for the publisher was an educational title dealing with teaching problem children. I struggled getting through it because it was so damn boring. With the jazz book, I edited at lightening speed because I enjoyed the topic.

2. This week I wrote and published a book review for Ari Marcopoulous' photo book Ad Rock at Mic to Mic, my Beastie Boys blog. Mic to Mic -- which I originally created for just my good friends to read -- has become very popular with the Beastie Boys fan community. I was shocked when I started reviewing the site's numbers. Beastie Boys are a very difficult band to write about, so they have very few fan sites. My blog is the only site that publishes updates regularly. When I was following the Beastie Boys tour last year, I met so many nice people who told me that they enjoyed reading the blog. I was going to give up on the blog at the end of the tour (because I need to focus on other things), but after all the compliments, I decided to keep it going.

3. For a long time, I have hated -- it seems unfairly -- on Myspace. I always viewed at it as something for young people, not adults. However, recently, I've learned it is a good source for discovering and keeping updated with new music and artists whom I admire. I created a new Myspace page (I have another one that I never look at or update) for the sole purpose of connecting with artists.

Reading

This past week, I picked up a hardcover copy of U2 by U2 at Border's for 7 bucks! When the book was published last year, I asked HarperCollins to send me a review copy, which they failed to do. "Fine, whatever," I thought and forgot about the pricey book (it originally sold at $40). The other day I paged through the book and decided there's not much in it that I don't already know or have already seen. I'm not sure if that's pathetically sad or impressive.

Maybe it's just me, but the book seems a little Adam-lite.

Watching
I canceled my cable television over a year ago because I never watched television. I can't say I miss it. I just watch dvds now.

I haven't been to the cinema in ages. I lost interest in film because, for a while, nobody was making any good films. The last film I saw in the cinema was "Super Bad." Funny flick. Somebody recommend a good film?

Consuming
This week I purchased a 3-day pass for the Coachella Music Festival, which takes place in Indio, California, at the end of April for $287.70. It's sooo worth it! I went to the festival last year with my friends Jenny and Paul and had a fantabulous time. We're teaming up again for this year's festival. Read my Last.fm journal to find out about who's playing at the festival and whom I'm excited about seeing.

Wishing
I wish winter was over. This has been the worst winter in 30 years. I have shoveled more snow this winter than any person should shovel in their lifetime! I'm ready for green grass and sunny skies.