or physically beautiful music? Or perhaps musically physical beauty? Either way, this is awesomely cool. Cooly awesome. thanks to Dave for sharing the link!
"When the rock band OK Go, famous for their viral videos including the spectacular and award winning "treadmills video", wanted to feature a 4-minute long Rube Goldberg Machine in an upcoming video, they tapped Syyn Labs to build it. The requirements were that it had to be interesting, not "overbuilt" or too technology-heavy, and easy to follow. The machine also had to be built on a shoestring budget, synchronize with beats and lyrics in the music and end on time over a 3.5 minute song, play a part of the song, and be filmed in one shot. To make things more challenging still, the space chosen was divided into two floors and the machine would use both.
"We had our work cut out for us; every facet of Syyn Labs' expertise was required to meet this tremendous challenge. See the results of this remarkable effort in the video embedded above."
The very first music video I ever saw was "Billie Jean". It changed a lot for me. From a visual perspective, I just loved the squares that lit up under his foot with each step. I liked the song, the rhythm, the music. The story that the combination of images and words told. The concept of a music video. I liked the way he danced. I became a fan.
Prior to seeing that video, music was really only background noise for me. I didn't have a musical "taste" until then. I listened to whatever my parents were listening to (Willie Nelson, Nana Miskouri, Abba, Boney M, and of course, the military pipes and drums), or I listened to my sister's "Smurf" albums, which she seemed to want to hear all the time. After Billie Jean, I discovered music for myself. Music that was different than the music my parents listened to.
I was mildly disappointed to learn that Michael Jackson had an existence, even celebrity, before I had learned of him. My parents informed me that in fact, they knew who he was. He started as part of the Jackson Five. But I decided I would still think he was cool.
In 1982, I was 11 years old. I was in 6th grade. I remember no sooner had I been awakened to the phenomenon that was Michael Jackson, than my classmates were already deciding he was "yesterday". Not cool anymore. But I still liked him.
I had a poster of him up on my bedroom wall, above my desk in my bedroom in London, Ontario. He was wearing a white jacket. I developed a major crush on him.
The first album I remember wanting was "Thriller". I entered a call-in radio contest to try and win one. I won the contest, but they were all out of "Thriller" so I had to settle for Hall and Oates. My aunt listened to Hall and Oates. They were not cool. I eventually got "Thriller" on cassette tape. I listened to it all the time.
By the end of 6th grade my infatuation with MJ was over. But I still liked his music. And I was starting to listen to other music too. I had developed a taste. I had opinions about music. But I was still pretty self conscious about it for some reason. I think because I remember my classmates thinking his music and image was not cool anymore, and that they had moved on to some dude named Rick Springfield, whom I hadn't heard of. So when it came time for us to write and present a paper on a "well known musician" in my 6th or 7th grade music class, I opted for Andre Gagnon, the Canadian pianist, at the suggestion of my aunt. My classmates snickered behind their hands when it was my turn to present. I hated them.
I had however heard of, and seen, Michael Damian - "Danny Romalotti" from "Young and Restless". My friend Shannon and I went to a concert of his in 7th or 8th grade, I think. At the UWO campus. He was dreamy. It wasn't so much about his music as it was about his total dreaminess. That totally made up for my lack of interest or knowledge of Rick Springfield.
In 9th grade I met my friend Jen. We bonded. She introduced me to David Bowie via "The Labyrinth" when I slept over at her house one time. I still have a crush on him and love his music to this day. How can you not have a crush on David Bowie.
U2, Aha, INXS, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Bryan Adams, Corey Hart, and all the big 80's pop stars were what I listened to in high school. I listened to Kasey Cesum and the American Top 40 in 10th grade every week. I watched a LOT of Much Music whenever I could (we only ever had basic cable, so most of my watching was done at friends' houses :-)) And then came Gowan. He was cool. I had a big time crush on him. Me and my friend Lisa. We went to a Gowan concert together I think the summer following 10th grade. It was at Landsdown Park in Ottawa, where I was living at the time. I think Glass Tiger opened for him. That was the second concert I had ever been to, if in fact you can count Michael Damian as a legitimate "concert" :-). I have yet to meet a single person in the United States who knows who Gowan is.
In University, I remember listening to a lot of Depeche Mode at Pam and Eileen's place. There was one particular song that I would actually play to fall asleep to.
In the summers in Montreal I would walk out my apartment door and immediately find myself in the middle of the international jazz festival. I would walk the entire festival at night, and sleep with my apartment window open. Not just to hear the music, but to hear the sounds of people enjoying the music.
Towards the end of University I was listening to a lot of angry female bands and singers. It was a short lived phase that went with the state of mind I was in at the time.
A little while after moving to Seattle I was introduced to Bumbershoot. I added Pink Martini and Paris Combo to my list of all time favourites. Then one year, for Debra's birthday, we all went to the St. Michelle Winery to see some Celtic rock band, I can't remember which. Opening for them was "Great Big Sea", who I had recently discovered on my own on a trip back home. I was one of the very few people in the audience who had heard of them, let alone knew all of the words to all of their songs. That didn't last long, as they became an instant hit in the Pacific Northwest after that concert, and I have seen them in concert on almost every return they've made to the area in the years since.
When I started dating Tim, I bought us tickets to the EMP grand opening concerts. We sat in prime seats for No Doubt, Matchbox Twenty, Alanis Morissette, Eurythmics. We saw James Brown. All amazing performances and amazing experiences.
Tim has since re-acquainted me with Metallica and a host of other bands from his own musical past and present. And he also taught me how GOOD music can really sound :-) My ears are very spoiled now.
My musical tastes continue to evolve and grow as the years pass. Now there isn't really any music that I don't like. Except the stuff that literally sounds like static. But at least once a day I turn the XM radio dial to the "80s on 8" station or the "Hair Nation" station, and immerse myself in the Pop and hard rock music of the 80s. I am not self conscious about the music I like anymore. And I blare the 80s pop and sing and bop in the car, regardless of who sees and hears me. I am who I am and I like what I like.
But it all started with Michael Jackson and "Billie Jean". And for that I will always have fond memories of the Michael Jackson of 1982. The one who lit up the sidewalk squares with his footsteps.
We have XM Satellite radio in the car so we've been listening a lot to their "Kids Place Live" station. And I'll have to admit that when in the car alone I've tuned the radio to "Kids Place Live" 'cause the music is kinda fun. Here are my favourites. Oh, Bobbin likes these too, but it's not always about her (What? Huh? Who said that?) ;-)
What Kind of Dog Are You? by Billy Jonas (Same as the last one but about dogs and a little more kid oriented :-))
I Won't by Lucas Miller (couldn't find this one anywhere)
It's funny; for the "I Like to Move It" song, Bobbin insists that the lyrics are "I Like The Moment, Moment". If I sing the actual words, she interrupts and corrects me with "NO! Mommy, it's 'I like the MOMENT'. Sing THOSE words, Mommy". It works.
Anyway, give 'em a listen. They'll make you smile. Even if you don't have kids :-)
Tim's mom collects Hummels. I'm going to have to check them out more closely next time we visit and "borrow" a few.
I'm picturing an electric lazy susan divided into 4 dioramas positioned on her night stand and rotating slowly as the music from her Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Metallica CD plays softly in the background; a soft purple glow emanating from the center of the arrangement.
I know a lot of our friends listen to KEXP and I just wanted to remind everyone that it's pledge time. I just finished renewing our membership online at http://www.kexp.org. Baby Girl loves our dinner time dances in the kitchen with KEXP streaming live on the computer while Tim is cooking and it would be a shame if that went away. And as she grows up and explores and develops her own taste in music, I want to make sure KEXP is around for her to listen to. Whatever your reason, and whatever your method, if you listen to KEXP and haven't done so already, pledge your support today!
