Bliss N Eso - Down By The River

Ah, camping and the great outdoors.

I grew up in the country and have lived my adult life in the city. I'd say that these days I love the big city life, the fast paced environment, huge buildings, bars and restaurants.

But I do also love getting away from it all, dropping out of mobile phone coverage for a few days and just sitting around a camp fire and chilling out with a full esky of beer.

That's exactly what I did this Easter weekend, a big crew of friends raced away from the city and headed up into the hills to get primal.

We climbed mountains, saw plenty of snakes, kangaroos, cows and even a platypus. All while chilling on the side of an amazing river.

Down By The River, was a very good weekend indeed.

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The Presidents Of The United States Of America - Peaches

Every morning for the past week or so I've had this song stuck in my head.

I've been waking up singing the lyrics and I have no idea why. Haven't heard it in year!

It's a classic old tune, so hope you enjoy it as much as I love peaches.

Just remember, that peaches come from a can and they were put there by a man, in a factory down town.

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Gogol Bordello - Through The Roof 'N' Underground

Yesterday I hadn't heard of Gogol Bordello, a gypsy punk band from New York.

But that changed when I watched the movie, Wristcutters: A Lovestory. It's a pretty funny black comedy and the band's music features heavily throughout the film.

Then this morning, I flick on the live Cochella channel on Youtube and yep, Gogol Bordello are busting out some sweaty pikey tunes with the crowd going nuts.

I think the universe is trying to tell me something - either I should quit my job, sell my things and start travelling the land like a roaming gypsy, or I should check out more of their tunes and write this blog post about them.

I don't like to rush into things, so lets start off with a blog post, and some of their tunes. The travelling caravan may be a little way off just yet.

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Eric Prydz - Call On Me

Swedish DJ, Eric Prydz released this song back in 2004, and it was a pretty big  hit, partly because of the beats, but mostly for the film clip that accompanied it.

The video caused a bit of controversy in the day and there was calls for it to be banned due to it's sexual nature. Now I'm not sure about you, but is there anything that sexually suggestive going on in this clip?

 

All I know is that for some reason I can't really stop watching, and have a strange desire to hit the gym and join an aerobics class.

Little trivia for you - apparently when Robbie Williams saw this clip for the first time he got his people to get in contact with her booking agency and asked her out.  

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WIM - See You Hurry

I was forwarded this cool clip by a mate this afternoon.

I'd never actually heard of WIM before, but really like the slow cruisy tune.

The film clip is a really simple idea but visually looks amazing and is done really well.

They hail from Sydney and have an album coming out around the end of May so be sure to keep an ear out for them in the near future.

Plus they're currently touring around Australia supporting Grace Woodroofe and the Gypsy And The Cat, so get along and check them out.


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Riff - White Men Can't Jump

White Man Can't Jump is one of my all-time favourite movies.

I remember going to the cinema with my bro and some friends of the family to check it out.

I loved the sweet ball scenes and Sidney Deane and Billy Hoyle trash talking it up and kicking some serious ass in the process.

Who could forget Raymond, The Stookie Brothers, Gloria, and foods that start with the letter Q!

It also had a sweet title track from the sound track that features the three stars.

Makes me wanna go play ball just listening to it.

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Red Right Hand

He's simply amazing, Nick Cave is one of the all time greats, and today's song is brought to you by they lovely Celina...

OK! This song was my first Nick Cave experience... back in, let me see 1991, when I was but a wee 13-year-old, I went away on a seaside holiday with best friend's family up the Yorke Peninsula.

We stayed in a caravan park.

As you do at 13, we went on a night walk adventure and over by the shore we could hear music, oh! And the closer we went I was intrigued by the dark, deep sound being produced by the ghetto blasta (or in this case beach blasta!)

These boys (older of course) were a playin' THIS...! Nick Cave - Red Right Hand.

Too scared and freaked out by the sound, we hid in the bushes and stalked them all night and listened to the whole album.

I'll never forget how this music made an impact on my ears and mind.

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Mos Def - History ft. Talib Kweli

Damn, so last night was big.

The fourth night out on the gas and my god it's been a hell of a lot of fun.

The only thing getting me through this extremely hazy Sunday morning is the fact I'm about to go do a big greasy fry up for breakfast, and I'm spinning some very smooth Mos Def.

Retracing the last few hours of my night via the photos on my phone, it's fair to say 'shit got weird'.

Goon of Fortune will really mess with ya mindset.

Thankfully Mos Def and Talib Kweli are helping me put it back together.

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The Walkmen - The Rat

I saw The Walkmen live at one of the Laneway Festivals a few years back now, and this song went off.

It's definitely the most played and well known tune from The Walkmen.

I really do like their underated 2010 album, Lisbon, but for me I just can't go past their 2004 release, Bows & Arrows, which features this tune.

The tempo is so jagged and addictive, but it's the lyrics and chorus that really do it for me.

You've got a nerve to be asking a favor
You've got a nerve to be calling my number
Can't you hear me, I'm bleeding on the wall?
Can't you see me, I'm pounding on your door?

Can't you hear me when I'm calling out your name?

When I used to go out, I would know everyone that I saw
Now I go out alone if I go out at all

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Jimmy Eat World - Sweetness

This song is brought to you by a reflective Disco Stu, dreaming of the olden days...

Way back in 2001 no road trip or house party was complete without playing the entire Jimmy Eat World album, Bleed America.

The other night Jimmy Eat World played their first ever headlining gig in Adelaide.

They certainly took their time, but the packed crowd at The Gov were certainly appreciative. 

They closed the set with the still-fresh-a-decade-on tune that is Sweetness.

SING IT BACK, WHOA OH OH OH OH OH.

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Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

It's pretty simple - I don't think there's been any other band in the last 25 years that's affected so many people the way Nirvana did.

It's been 17 years since Kurt did what he did, and left us for good.

Seems crazy to think that it was that long ago.

I still remember the morning it happened, sitting in the back seat of the family car while my parents drove me to a family BBQ, as the news of Kurt's death came over the radio air waves.

I remember Helen Razor the Triple J morning show host, breaking down and crying on the radio, and reading a poem she had written about Kurt. She as very emotional and so damn pissed off at Kurt for what he had done.

Music as I knew it changed forever that morning.  I was experiencing the first death of one of my idols. Like Razor I was shocked, upset, emotional and angry, I pretty much felt exactly like Nirvana's music.

They were so raw, so powerful and yet clearly so messed up. That's probably what made them so great, the fact that you never knew what you were going to get.

God I wish I had of seen them live.


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The Pretenders - Hymn To Her

Today's song (and story) is brought to you by a child of the earth, the travelling enigma, the happy go lucky cool dood, the ping pong winning, mate's stolen sock selling, legend that is - Finn.

I was riding a 125cc bike through Vietnam, from Hanoi to Aapa, on a mission to see the highest mountain in VN, Mt Fan Si Pan.

I was stopped in a small town, off the beaten track and taken in by the staff of a petrol station.

A friend of theirs was a teacher at the local area school. Without warning I was whisked to the school where they were having a party.

After having met the graduating class, it was announced that the principal wanted to meet me in his office.

I went as the guest of honour, and after a few minutes the principal requested that I sing a song.

I thought about it for a second and then said OK.

So there I was, standing in the principal's office, in a Vietnamese area school - I sung this song to the principal (a man).

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Tame Impala - Solitude Is Bliss

I've been cranking a fair bit of Tame Impala lately.

Getting my psychedelic rock on, and by God I've been loving it.

The greatest thing about Tame Impala is that although they have a very vintage sound, they also have a sound all of their own which gives them a bit more street cred than some other bands getting about these days.

This is a killer tune and I really like the clip. Certainly gets you craving a bit of solitude and open space.

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At The Drive In - One Armed Scissor

This is one of my all time favourite songs to chuck on when I want to get pumped up for something.

It never fails to get me super-amped and jumping about the place.

Some would call this blasphemy, but I really wish that At The Drive In never split up and became Mars Volta and Sparta.

Don't get me wrong, I love Mars Volta and Sparta, but this song and album by At The Drive in never fails to blow me away.

So crank up the sound, hit play, and get psyched!

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