Friday, October 19, 2012

Join Together (With the Band)

When I first started writing about music here at Hipster, please! one of my main goals was to enable some cross-pollination between disparate communities. I wanted to see the geeky rock crews working with the nerdcore guys. I wanted the VGM acts breaking bread with the bootleggers.

Now obviously this happened, but I'm not foolish enough to think I deserve any of the credit. It's a natural phenomenon, one that simply precipitates as a result of familiarity, and there are a vast and growing number of sites, podcasts and events that exist with that same goal in mind.

Of course I still don't mind helping it along when I can.

This brings me to the newest project from electronic musician/composer/producer r_garcia. If the name sounds familiar that's because it should. Based in nearby Atlanta, Randy is the head of Nophi Recordings, as well as their annual Nophest Music Festival. Oh, and he's also the cat behind that phenomenal Beasties remix on my recent 90s throwback compilation.

Earlier this week he issued a "challenge," which–let's be honest–is really more of an invitation.
I am releasing an EP called No Holds Bard on November 15. The EP will consist of some new instrumental/chiptune tracks + a cover of a long-lost Nerd Parade song (how hipster is that?) + a remix of a song by a really great artist I know. In addition to that, I’d like to include 4 "b-sides" from My most recent album, Resurgens.
The thing is… I’d like to collaborate with some interesting and talented vocalists/instrumentalists on those b-sides. So, my informal challenge to you is: Download the song(s). Write, and record vocals or complimentary instrumentation, and submit them to me via Soundcloud, Email link, Facebook, Twitter, or what have you. 
The "winners" will be included on the EP, expanding it out to a full length! BTW, this EP will be released for FREE in creative commons. I will press a number of Limited edition CD’s as well, and You’ll be given some to sell, give away, contemplate, etc…
Check out his official site for four instrumentals that, in true r_garcia style, hit everything from surf punk to chiptunes, and for contact information. If anyone has got some half-cooked lyrical/melody concepts lying around begging to be fleshed out or is just looking to collaborate with another cool and talented artist, there's never been a better time.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Free Fallin'

Earlier this week I watched an Austrian fall to Earth. And it wasn't even part of another horrible Schwarzenegger vehicle!

I'm not sure what I expected from a feat of derring-do sponsored by a company that slings toxic sugar-water, but when I realized I had easy access to real-time coverage I sort of had to tune in. Okay, I'll admit that I initially though Colonel Joe Kittinger was the wacky uncle of daredevil Felix Baumgartner and I was actually watching a cleverly disguised parody of the real jump, but–damn, y'all–when he took that step out into nothingness? It was pretty epic.

Sure, it wasn't exactly "from the edge of space," but it was no less an impressive moment in applied science and soft drink capitalism. It even inspired my buddy John Anealio to pen a song commemorating this most stirring spectacle.