A mermaid that was really a manatee

Do you like the nerdcore hip hop? Of course you do.

Would you like to see Florida's own MC Wreckshin and Fanatical perform in the rain in front of a Best Buy to a captive audience camping out in hopes of snagging the highly sought after PS3? Oh, I know you wanna see that shit!

Seriously, if you have 20 to spare you genuinely need to examine the footage posted over at Google Video. It is a wonder to behold. While Fanatical and Wreckshin are no strangers to guerilla performance, this project was a true stroke of artistic genius. It demonstrates not only the duo's spontaneous, unpredictable performance style, but also their dedication to the craft. It’s like viral marketing with a soul.

Wreckshin and Fanatical, I salute you both on a job well done. Now what do you have planned for Black Friday?

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 11: Broken Glasses, Broken Heart

Romance is hard. There’s more to love than flowers and candy and sex in public restrooms. There’s a lot of inherent listening. There’s a lot of compromise. There’s also an exorbitant amount of “putting up with [the other person’s] shit.” My wife can certainly attest to that last part.

And yet still, romance is grand. It’s an ideal to which we as social creatures aspire, and for much more than a mere primal urge to procreate. Romance inspires great art, but not as much, I’d wager, as the famed post-romance slump. Shitty times breed great music.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 11: Broken Glasses, Broken Heart Size: 39.5 MB Running Time: 43:11

Show Notes

Intro: Beefy - “Hello, friends” / “David’s Sister”
Beefy also did a Flash animated video of an abridged version of this track. You should watch it. You should also check out this leaked track from his upcoming album. It will change your life. Possibly.

Z’s first interlude: “She farts every time she laughs.”
For the record: I do not know a coffee shop girl with lax dental hygiene and intestinal distress. I just wanted to clear that up.

Track 1: Rowlf & Kermit - “I Hope that Something Better Comes Along”
I had to harvest this song from YouTube. That should explain the shitty quality.

Track 2: Jonathan Richman - “True Love is Not Nice”
Little X. played a Richman tune in the last podcast, as well. Jonathan is nerd rock royalty.

Track 3: Elliot & Carla – “Poison” / MC Frontalot - “Romantic Cheapskate”
“But not my songfight, she's ever vigilant / I stick my tongue in her butthole and wiggle it”

Track 4: Fanatical - “I Don’t Wanna Be Right”
Somehow hearing Fanatical talking about the Internet having an orifice is even more disturbing than hearing Beefy spout the line.

Track 5: The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets - “The Innsmouth Look”
I assume you’ve all read “The Shadow over Innsmouth” because, y’know, you’re nerds.

Z’s 2^nd interlude: “You can’t put a Band-aid on a broken heart.”
As I’m sure I’ve already mentioned Indicashadow is Benjamin Bear. Ben’s a nice fellow. If you see him this weekend, tell him I said hi.

Track 6: mc chris - “Cookie Breath” / Anonymous Listener – “Yummiest Meow-Meow” / IRN MNKY - “Scrubs Close to Me”
The best line from “Cookie Breath” is my eyes well up when your car pulls up. Hands down!

Track 7: Shael Riley - “Build Me up Buttercup”
Shael does magnificently odd covers. Should you see him this weekend, give him my regards as well.

Track 8: Ween – “Piss up a Rope”
I’m sure Darth-Apu has been waiting for me to drop some Ween into the mix. I begrudgingly admit that Ween is a perfect example of lo-fi dork rock. This song is their best. It talks about pee-pee.

Track 10: Hayseed Dixie - “Keepin’ Your Poop in a Jar (Live)”
I am not a fan of country music in a modern sense, but I have been known to occasionally get my drink on to the soothing sounds of classic Willie, David, Johnny, and Hank the 1^st. I will, however, go on record as saying that a bluegrass song about preserving feces garners instant hillbilly-nerd status.

Z’s final interlude: “Not, as they say, a handsome woman.”
Everyone has an opinion on Yoko. Some say she broke up the Beatles. Some say that her contribution to Lennon’s happiness and the ensuing inspiration more than makes up for it. But I think one matter on which we can all agree is that she’s no looker.

Track 11: Headphone Souls - “Oh Yoko’s Ugly”
I’m not overly fond of Bubba Sparxxx, but he was country enough to fit in well after the previous twofer, and “Oh Yoko” was just lovey-dovey enough to mesh well with the rest of the episode.

The named I had originally proposed for this show was “Busted Glasses, Broken Heart,” but I changed it at the last minute. Both iterations were inspired by the title of an excellent Murder City Devils album.

You don’t need to know that or anything… I’m just sayin’.

Thanks so much for listening. Thanks especially to Beefy and Mr. Anonymous Listener for their contributions. Your comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome.

Rampant fanboyism

I just returned form my local GameStop where I picked up my pre-ordered copy of Ubisoft’s Red Steel for the Wii. Is it wrong that I’m this excited about getting a game that I’ll have to wait until Sunday to actually procure a system on which to play? Probably so, but I am.

While I was there I also picked up my other pre-order (a copy of Final Fantasy III for the DS), so at least I’ll have something to amuse myself with until my Wii arrives.

Is it also wrong that I still giggle a little when I say the word Wii out loud? Yeah. I thought so.

A GB of gigs!

That title is utter bullshit. What follows is not a GB of gigs. It’s a few kB of gigs at best, but I digress.

Unbeknownst to most, nerdcore season is upon us, and I’ve got the skinny on a bumper crop of live events that you won’t want (Homophones rule!) to miss.

This weekend the East Coast explodes with nerdly music and also righteous indignation, but we do that last part every weekend so let’s just focus on the music. In New York, NY (The city so nice they named it twice. The second name is Manhattan.) Lower East Side Productions presents Shael Riley at Bar 169 on Friday November 17th at 10:00pm. You should totally go.

The following evening, Sacred Grounds in Tampa, Florida welcomes back the Emergency Pizza Party crew. MC Wreckshin, Sir-Up, JeffMK, Betty Rebel, Fanatical, and funky49 will all be there, and Benjamin Bear may even be around as well. That, kids, is one helluva lineup.

After recuperating from your turkey high, you West Coasters will want to make your way to 164 Washington St. in Pioneer Square on December 2^nd to a venue called FUEL and listen to Optimus Rhyme, The Goondocks, and Beefy bring the noise. Though not performing, I have it on good authority that a certain Mr. Karl Olson will be in attendance.

Though you already know that the man is currently touring, as they say, like a muthafucker, mc chris’s Hartford, CT gig on December 9^th at The Webster is of particular importance due to the inclusion of opener Big Tizzle. Search as you like, you’ll be unable to find a larger tizzle anywhere!

Lastly, due to a scheduling conflict, the MC Lars/MC Frontalot Bowery Ballroom show on December 18th NYC has been relocated to the Mercury Lounge. Unfortunately, this venue is of the 18 and up persuasion. If you are under 18 and have purchased tickets, you can return them from whence they came.