Take What You Get, Like What You Got

My Parents Favorite Music began as a joke, and now, some eight years later, founding members Steffen Messinger and Matt Steller are still laughing. With Steffo handling the bulk of the vocal duties and Matt seeing to production, the duo have taken their unique brand of dorky hip hop from their small Michigan suburb to a place where nerd music can truly flourish: the Internet.

Like most independent bands, MPFM found a new home at MySpace that supplemented their success in the local scene with a broader audience eager to hear their eclectic mix of hyper hip hop flow, classic rock hooks, videogame samples, and irreverent sarcasm. Along the way, Matt and Steffo discovered that they weren’t the only nerds making music, and this breakthrough afforded them a vital connection to the newly thriving nerdcore scene.

My Parent Favorite Music took some time away from working on their new album (and their fervent responses to friend requests) to talk about where they come from and where they’re going. Read on to pick the brains of Michigan’s nerdcore torchbearers, and read further for a delightful auditory surprise from a pair who are, in their own words, “relentless in their pursuit to give video game inspired punk rap to the masses, or even just the small town arcades.”

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I guess my first question is fairly obvious; where did the name My Parents Favorite Music come from?

A lot of people ask us this, and I think it was conceived by some epiphany I had while in my grandma's attic looking at old Lovin' Spoonful and Carly Simon records. But we were sitting around my [Steffo’s] dinner table one night eating spaghetti, and my mom asks us what we were going to call our band for the "High School Battle of the Bands" that we signed up for as a joke. (Yeah MPFM started as a casual joke. Still is, but it's okay.) Anyway, the first idea we had was "This Band Sucks". Then I got one of those 'looks' that a mom gives you when you're being retarded. So I said how about "My Parent's Favorite Music?," and she chuckled. So it stuck.

How would you describe the sound/style of MPFM?

You know when you hear a sound that is similar to your alarm clock and you have that sense of "OH FUDGE, WAKE UP, IDIOT!" even though you're awake and you freak out for a split second? It's definitely NOT like that. It's a mixture of nerds being driven to the edge of the ball crawl at Chuck E. Cheese’s, and whatever music sounds good to us at the time. Our style is sloppy and horrid.

I’d say your style was varied and imaginative, but fair enough. Did MPFM begin as a hip hop outfit, or did the rap sound develop over time?

We started out as a band that did Bloodhound Gang cover songs, then our band ditched us and we said screw it. The main reason we made these songs is because we wanted something to listen to in our car and drive around town and have somebody say "What the hell is that awful stuff?" and we say "That's us, we're MPFM! And we're crazy." and have a story to tell our adopted grandchildren. I honestly have almost no clue what the difference between rap and hip hop is. I just know that it's fun to make the words rhyme and have a good song to do it to.

Is Michigan a hotbed of nerd rap? Was there anything else similar to MPFM going on up there when you first started the project? How about now?

No. Oh, God no. LOL. No. Maybe in other areas. I can only hope there's more now. We were in the Flint area which is known for either the heaviest rap, heaviest metal, or most off-the-hinges emo-punk you've ever heard. And crime.

I think you forgot Michael Moore! ;)

And we were less than an hour away from Detroit, so we got a lot of retarded Eminem comparisons as well. We mostly had people calling us 'Nintendo Rap', 'unique', or 'different'.

What is the genesis of an MPFM track? Does a typical song start out as a beat or a collection of rhymes on a cocktail napkin?

Napkins? What is this the Regency Hotel??? We write on our shirts. LOL. We basically get ideas from the samples we get, then start working on which song idea is best or worst suited (sometimes the worst one works the best), and put a beat to it and work from there. By the end we say "this is BS!" or "this is wow-o!" and make up words to use for another day's song.

With Matt still firmly in Michigan and Steffo now in Tennessee, how has that creative process changed?

It's actually changed drastically, but we don't let it get us down. We talk on the emails and phone and send songs back and forth with email to compare vocals. Occasionally we'll take a trip to each other's place and record at that person's apartment. This is our biggest problem since we used to go to a studio back home, but neither of us have been able to make it back there since we both moved away from our hometown.

When did you first become aware of the nerdcore hip hop community?

The second we made a MySpace. We get on the Internet as much as any nerd and we're pissed off at ourselves that we somehow missed it. We are grateful that there's not just a little community, but a whole other world of people that we can be a part of when it comes to Nerdcore.

Was their any trepidation about associating yourselves with the fledgling scene, given the fact that MPFM already had such a lengthy musical history?

Not a drop. If anything, we have been doing this since '99 and didn't feel we were reaching all of the people that we could've because we weren't techno enough for the electronic music scene, and we weren't serious or heavy enough for the rap or heavy metal scene. Stuck between a rock and a McDonald's PlayPlace. We played at the metal, rap, and indie venues. Even a few coffee shops, which, ironically, didn't really dig the coffee song. They said it was "too much." To each his own. I don't care; we rocked that place. So when we found MySpace and realized that we were part of a group of people that were doing the same thing, we didn't feel at all like jumpers of a wagon with a band. We don't even have a band.

You've previously released two independent albums (2000's ©®@~Z Mystery and 2004's Wheel O' Ex-Girlfriends). Are either still available for download or purchase?

YES! And no... and kinda sorta. We used to burn the CDs back in the day when we didn't have money, then we made so many hard copies and they all sold out, then we tried getting decent jobs while still selling WOEG to save up for Testing the Waters. We’re in the midst of finding a good place to print the CDs. We assure you, though, by the time TTW is out in June, both of the CDs will be available to purchase along with other merchandise. And as for downloading, we will put songs on our MySpace periodically to keep the songlist fresh until the new CD comes out.

So Testing the Waters is due out in June of 2007? How is this album coming along?

Oh ASS-KICK-TASTIC would be the correct terminology for that one. We were about 48% done with the album, but now we wanna put a couple of the songs on the backburner to make way for new songs with all of our new Nerdcore family. So get a-hold of us now to make history! You can be Abe Lincoln! But don't get blood on our pillow...

Is there a specific story behind the title Testing the Waters? To what does it refer?

It was an idea I had to make all of the upcoming CDs part of some mystical, far-away videogame/cartoony/land-world fictional geographical location map... thingy. And the first CD would be just like starting any cool video game: usually a ship hits a dock or a shore from a far off coast, and you don't know too much about the land. So 'Testing the Waters' is just that. It is where you start your quest into nonsensical rhymes and we are here to give you the map. But just a piece at a time. You could consider it testing the waters of Nerdcore too since we're rookies in this new world as well!

Aside from a new album, what else can fans expect from MPFM in ’07?

We should have the website up by spring, and we'll have shirts and things as well. 2007 is gonna be the best year we've ever seen. We will be trying to book as many shows as we can afford to fly out to as well. After 2004, we hadn't picked up a pen to write in a while, but near the middle of 2006 we figured it was about time to get back into action. And since it's been a while I think the sound will be a little different, but not too much. A little evolved, but just in the parts where it matters. Like talent.

You already have songs about coffee and Kool-Aid. What are the chances of an entire MPFM EP devoted to tasty beverages?

Easter of 2099. It was a fluke that they came together on the same CD, but a lot of people that haven't heard us say "do a song about Crystal Light next" or "insert favorite alcoholic beveragatto here" but it's okay, more people will get a better understanding of what we're about with the new CD. And if not, we'll slash tires and retinas.

Musically, MPFM has a lot going on: the rhymes are fierce and sardonic, the flow fast and deliberate, and, while the beats themselves generally follow traditional precepts, the breaks that are often incorporated are endlessly eclectic. How broad are your influences?

We could go on all day about influences. I grew up with older brothers that listened to Run-DMC and heavy metal, while my parents listened to The Beatles religiously. We get inspiration from anything with passion - something that somebody wrote for a damn good reason, and that you can hear in their voice when they sing it. But the trick to that is to have fun WHILE having a vision or an idea. Rule number UNO: never take it seriously. If you do, then jump off of an old X-box controller. The climb alone will finish you. People know passion/fun when they hear/see it.

How did you Minibosses collaboration come about?

Technically it hasn't YET, but maybe one day. The Minibosses were the first Nerdcore I had ever heard, but I didn't know that. I just wanted to rap to [the theme from] Castlevania, and they had that song. I downloaded the song off of their website, cut that portion out of their medley and hipped a hop to it. I don't know if they've heard it or not. I've emailed them a few times, but no response. So if you guys are reading this, let us know if you like or hate it or want to sue us, okay please?

I notice that you use the term “nerdcore” (a word that is, for better or worse, used almost exclusively to refer specifically to nerdy rap) to describe The Minibosses. Do you see more rock-centered nerd acts as an entirely separate entity from those in the hip hop sphere like MPFM, Beefy, or Frontalot, or is that simply splitting hairs? To put it another way, are sub-genres like geeky hip hop, rock, and electronica intrinsically linked? Do you feel that we should compartmentalize these individual sub-genres, or is it more advantageous (to artists and fans) to enjoy all these flavors of nerd music together?

I think it's absolutely an advantage to have everybody come together on the terms of Nerdcore. I, for one, think it would be great to have everybody get together, whether you make electronic music, hip hop, rock, whatever the case may be. I mean if it's NerdCORE, then the CORE of the nerd shouldn't be singled out to any one sub-genre. It's for people that make nerdy music! What's there to segregate? There's not a lot of us; we need to stick together. I have noticed though, with sub-genres or not, nerds tend to be good to their own kind without regard to the type of music they make. As long as it's geeky people have something to be a part of. Same with us: we just wanted something to be a part of.

Are there any other artists with whom you'd like to collaborate?

Any nerdcore artists that would have a good time with us and that would make for a good mix-up. We've been talking to Shael Riley, Beefy, and we're in the middle of a project with Fanatical for the new CD. We'd like to do a song with MC Router, maybe something about beating the crap out of people for random reasons. We'd love to do a song with Karl Olson too, we dig anime and his music is just perfect for what it is. If Front is the King of Nerdcore and Router is the Queen, we want to be the gaurdnerds watching over the Gates of William, keeping all the riff-raff out.

If you had to distill your entire catalogue of music down to a single song – one solitary track that would most clearly demonstrate to listeners what MPFM is about – which song would it be and why?

A song called "Valuable Tension". It's a song that you guys haven't heard yet. I've got it for the new CD. It sums us up in deep levels, but still keeps the nonsense alive. This song feels like you do with your friends when you all squeeze into your car and play slugbug and enjoy the moment. Pointless with a point. LOL.

What kind of nerds are My Parents Favorite Music?

We're not THAT deep or intelligent. Hell, we're probably the stupidest nerds you will ever meet. We love video games, anime, comics, Magic, MMORPGs, and Pauly Shore movies. We don't really feel overwhelmed by the "everyday man", but sometimes by the pressure to be something. We're just lazy, crazy, and that's good enough for our horribly, HORRIBLY low standards.

And lastly, what, in your opinion, is the nature of nerd?

In our opinion, nerds are the ones that have the biggest set of d20s in the world. You have to think: this is the stuff that people cringe at. The stuff people want to have nothing to do with. But in their hearts, their souls, they know that this is their life. This is what they want. And fuck a mongoose, they actually DO IT. With nothing to stop them in terms of other people's thoughts or reactions. The nature of nerd is 'take what you get, like what you got' and then have fun and live life your way. And no I did not get that from Dr. Phil. He is not a nerd.

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My Parent Favorite Music represents an interesting phenomenon within the landscape of nerdcore; the duo is, at once, new to the scene itself, but already well-established in their own brand of nerdy hip hop. It’s an occurrence that is becoming more and more common thanks to the efforts of high profile projects like Nerdcore For Life, and, in part, to the very elastic nature of the Internet. Social networking sites like MySpace and video sharing sites like YouTube not only allow current scenesters to promote themselves and interested newcomers to see, hear, and interact with there precursors, but also help to build bridges between the established community and related artists still working in relative (cultural) obscurity, still unaware that countless other nerds are making similar music.

Furthermore, MPFM represent a welcome change from the purist ethic that sometimes blights contemporary nerdcore. While some in the scene would surely prefer that related genres and artists keep their chocolate out of nerdcore’s peanut butter, Matt and Steffo seem far more interested in fostering appreciation and crosspollination with other categories of modern nerd music.

But perhaps most importantly, MPFM stand out as a group who understands that music, nerdcore or otherwise, should be, at its core, fun. With all the recent press and exciting new projects in the works surrounding our little corner of the musical spectrum, it’s sometimes easy to forget that. Finding the proper mixture of silly excitement and serious passion is a tricky balancing act for anyone who creates, but, somehow, My Parents Favorite Music make it look easy.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the following track, a WWW exclusive from their currently out-of-print Wheel O' Ex-Girlfriends that I am - to understate the fuck out of it - proud to present. So set down your controller, pop a cold one, and crank up the volume; MPFM are here to shake your ass and satisfy your soul.

Download My Parent Favorite Music - Sticks and Stones

The (Nerd) Entertainment Capital of the World

Last night my nerdcore brothers and sisters from across the very breadth of the US (and Canada!) ripped shit up at The Beauty Bar in the City o’ Sin. Tonight they bring all their superfluous funk to the Consumer Electronics Show thanks to the fine folks from DivX, who are also behind this evening’s sneak preview of the Nerdcore For Life documentary

Yes, I’m well aware that everyone already knows this, but I just wanted to give a shout out to the crew and to tell them to break many-a leg. Furthermore, I wanted to wish Dan and his cohorts the best with regards to the screening.

I may not be there in body, but I am with you in spirit. Ben Kenobi-style.

Radio Free Hipster EP. 14: Greed (or E.F.F. the R.I.A.A.)

It’s easy to see the Electronic Frontiers Foundation and the Recording Industry Association of America as diametrically opposed forces in the war of fair use vs. intellectual property, but there’s more to both organizations. However, at the end of the day, I can’t help but see one side as the folks that helped Steve Jackson Games (a company whose tabletop offerings I have various fond memories of) find justice in the aftermath of an illegal raid and the other as a group that sues the pre-pubescent and the elderly. Is that a “fair and balanced” assertion? Probably not, but those are the kinds of things that stick out in my mind. I reckon I’m just funny that way.

I understand the need for a corporate structure at the heart of the music biz, but the current age has seen more heartless scheming and sanctimonious grandstanding from the RIAA than most of us care to recollect. Things like file sharing undermine record sales to a degree, but so do the relative quality and price of the albums in question. Furthermore, it’s hard for me to buy the “don’t hurt the artists you love” bit from a group who seeks to pay their songwriters less. For me it’s simply too tough a pill to swallow. And don’t get me started on the industry’s vilification of mash-ups and other “unauthorized remixes.”

Modern music has become so pre-packaged, so commercialized, that it’s no wonder that many of us look for our fix outside of MTV and Top 40 radio. Whether it’s a club DJ cutting a Destiny’s Child a cappella with an Iron Maiden break, an unknown MC spitting rhymes on his bedroom Mac, or the enduring image of a bunch of kids in the garage trying to find four good chords, there’s no shortage of fresh, new, talented musicians out there with real heart. And if the parties in questions are a little on the nerdy side? Well, shit; that’s what I’m here for.

Download Radio Free Hipster EP. 14: Greed (or E.F.F. the R.I.A.A.) Size: 40.9 MB Running Time: 44.45

Show Notes

Intro: Futuristic Sex Robotz – “Law & Order” / “Fuck the MPAA”
I’ve been listening to the track for months, but I still find the “Law & Order” bit really funny! Listen.

Z’s 1^st interlude: “Lars Ulrich is a dick.”
You heard it here first, kids.

Track 1: Weird Al Yankovic - “Don’t Download This Song”
I think you can still snag this track at Al’s MySpace.

Track 2: MC Frontalot - “Charity Case”
Frontalot played this track last year when I saw him in concert, and then proceeded to give me a free t-shirt. I am a contributor to the Front’s destitution. :(

Track 3: Go Home Productions - “Pretty Rudy”
I’m not blaming record industry red tape for all of TLC’s financial woes - Christ knows catching an ex-boyfriend’s house on fire is costly – but the girls should stand out as an example of how artists’ hard work make their handlers rich.

Track 4: funky49 vs. Beastie Boys – “Pass the Mic”
Read the whole sordid tale here.

Track 5: Beefy - “Buy This CD”
Rent ain’t free. That’s why Beefy lives at home. ;)

Track 6: Camp Chaos - “Sue All the World”
"I can't go on knwoing everyday / That my songs aren't generating any pay."

Z’s 2^nd interlude: “Anthropomorphic dog-men.”
K.K. Slider’s contributions to modern music are far more artistically valid than, say, either of the Simpson sisters. I’m just sayin’.

Track 7: Depeche Mode - “Everything Counts” / Antisocial - “Double Standard”
I really hated that most of the songs in this podcast had to be so heavily edited, but such are the travails of podcasting within time constraints.

Track 8: Jay-Z vs. The Verve – “Bittersweet Dirt Off Your Shoulders”
Can anyone find me the name of the cat who mashed this? I couldn’t seem to find a definitive answer.

Track 9: Willie Nelson & Kris Kristofferson - “Write Your Own Songs”
Lyrics like "You call us heathens with zero respect for the law / But we're only songwriters, just writing our songs, that's all" just become more and more relevant.

Track 10: MC Lars - “Download This Song”
Check out this excellent video (that uses the alternate version of the Lars classic) by ChurchHatesTucker.

Z’s final interlude: “Screechy McMallPunk”
The frontman for Bowling for Soup is actually named Jaret Reddick. Apparently Screechy McMallPunk sings for Good Charlotte. I apologize for the mistake.

Track 11: Beatallica – “Sgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub Band”
Metallica also supported Cheap Cologne’s Double Black Album. A change of heart from the boys or damage control from the post-Napster anti-Metallica sentiment? Who knows?!

So… um… yeah. I… uh… got kinda preachy there towards the end, didn’t I? I’m quite sorry.

I hope, aside from my brief sermonizing, that you enjoyed my little podcasting effort. Moreover, I hope you find your way back here to listen again sometime. I’ll try to reel in my righteous indignation if you do. :D Questions, comments, or suggestions? I’d love to hear ‘em. Complaints? Well, yeah, you can send those too.

You gotsta see dis…

The Church once said that on Monday morning “the cracks become quite clear,” and, while that may be true, Monday morning is also sometimes full of surprises. Pleasant surprises, like the ones I’m about to share with you.

First, let me pass on a little piece from my boy ChurchHatesTucker. In response to my post about the DivX nerdcore hip hop CES show, Church mentioned that said genre was referenced in a recent comic by the guys at Rooster Teeth. It’s not overly obvious, but peep panel two.

Likewise, I just received word that a new trailer for Vaguely Qualified Productions MC Frontalot tour documentary Nerdcore Rising is up on ye olde YouTube. This trailer features footage of Front and his crew (obviously), and also of high profile nerds Brian Posehn, Weird Al Yankovic, and, my personal favorite, Baddd Spellah. It also boasts some face time from Jello Biafra. Or, as I called him during my initial viewing, holy-fucking-shit-it’s-goddamn-Jello-Biafra.

DivX presents CES Nerdcore Extravaganza

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
A press release, that’s... not even remotely in iambic pentameter:

DivX Presents Stage6 Live at CES 2007: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance: Press Release Source: DivX, Inc.

DivX Presents Stage6 Live at CES 2007
Thursday January 4, 8:00 am ET
Video Bloggers, Nerd Core Rappers, and Other Geeks to Perform for Live Audience at DivX Booth at CES

LAS VEGAS & SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DivX, Inc. (NASDAQ:DIVX - News) today announced DivX Stage6 Live at CES 2007, a series of live presentations from a select group of video content creators who are members of the DivX Stage6 community. DivX Stage6 Live will take place at the DivX booth (#35301) in South Hall 4 at CES, the annual consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas, from January 8 to January 11, 2007.

Demonstrating the quality and variety of material available on the DivX video community site, Stage6 Live will feature everything from video blog coverage of the hottest gadgets at CES to a live concert by the leading artists of the nascent Nerdcore rap movement. DivX Stage6 is a digital video community that allows content creators to easily upload video content and create custom channels to build and grow communities around their own unique brands. Anyone can distribute their DivX video content through the service, and all DivX content service is interoperable with over 50 million DivX Certified consumer electronics devices, such as DVD players and portable media players, that have been shipped worldwide.

Popular technology journalists from GeekEntertainmentTV, Labrats, Neo-Fight, and InDigital will film their special CES segments from the Stage6 Live stage covering all the announcements, personalities, and gadgets on display at the leading CE trade show in North America. Video bloggers as diverse as Geekdrome, TikibarTV, PurePwnage, and the JetSetShow will also capture the madness that such an event creates by bringing the electronics world together and letting it loose on Las Vegas. And, finally, the Stage6 Live stage will host the first ever summit of Nerdcore, with a concert featuring rappers whose music explores the vicissitudes of the Geeksta' lifestyle.

"We could not be prouder to show the world that despite the unsurpassed technology behind DivX Stage6, what really makes it a compelling viewer experience are the amazingly talented people who actually create the content," said Darrius Thompson, CXO, Community and Internet, at DivX, Inc. "Community building and audience interaction with content creators are at the heart of Stage6 and Stage6 Live at CES will demonstrate that in a uniquely entertaining way."

For a preview of Stage6 Live please visit the following DivX Stage6 channels:

• GeekEntertainmentTV (http://stage6.divx.com/Geek_Entertainment_TV)
• TikibarTV (http://stage6.divx.com/Tiki_Bar_TV)
• Labrats (http://stage6.divx.com/Lab_Rats_TV)
• PurePwnage (http://stage6.divx.com/Pure_Pwnage)
• Neo-fight (http://stage6.divx.com/Neo-Fight)
• JetSetShow (http://stage6.divx.com/Jet_Set_Show)
• Nerdcore (http://stage6.divx.com/Nerdcore_Hip-Hop)

A complete and up to date schedule of performances will be posted on DivX Stage6 prior to the start of CES on January 8.

About DivX, Inc.

DivX creates products and services designed to improve the experience of media. Our first product offering was a video compression-decompression software library, or codec, which has been actively sought out and downloaded over 200 million times in the last four years, including over 60 million times during the last twelve months. We have since built on the success of our codec with other consumer software, including the DivX Player application, which is distributed from our website, http://DivX.com. We also license our technologies to consumer hardware device manufacturers and certify their products to ensure the interoperable support of DivX-encoded content. In addition to technology licensing to consumer hardware device manufacturers, we currently generate revenue from software licensing, advertising and content distribution.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature constitute "forward-looking statements." Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding DivX's visibility within the investment community. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause DivX's actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the risk that customer use of DivX technology may not grow as anticipated, the risk that anticipated market opportunities may not materialize at expected levels, or at all, the risk that the Company's activities may not result in the growth of profitable revenue, risks and uncertainties related to the maintenance and strength of the DivX brand; DivX's ability to penetrate existing and new markets; the effects of competition; DivX's dependence on its licensees and partners; the effect of intellectual property rights claims; and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of DivX's quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 13, 2006. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. DivX is providing this information as of the date of this release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

DivX, Inc.
Bruce Lidl, 858-882-0815
blidl@divxcorp.com

New Year, New Songs

We’re currently less than a week in, and already 2007 has seen some excellent new nerdcore tracks. Aside from the Router/funky49 track I mentioned previously, I’d also like to shine the light on a handful of others.

The long-awaited Ultraklystron/Nursehella collaboration has finally seen the light of day. Check out “Shoujo n’ Shonen,” the first single off Karl's forthcoming Romance Language. It’s important to note that this side trip to the nerdiest of dancehalls also comes compliments of the Baddd Spellah. Just when you think things can’t get any cooler!

You’ll also want to check out the new offering from Metamystiks, which features Bits of my favorite zombie combo Brainthirst. Not only does it remind you that Metamystiks Inc. is one of the strongest of the (far too few) links between nerdcore and alt-rap, but it also confronts a social issue head-on with the fierce blend of incomparable beats and elastic vocabulary that you've come to expect from the supergroup. Proceed to bob your head to “Jack Was Right,” an ode to Jack Thompson. That is not a typo.

Metamysiks fire-breather extraordinaire Super Dragon X also spits on recent Song Fight! winner “Shelton With Sunspots.” While the beat is provided by the enigmatically named TK (rather than DJ Snyder), the flow is classic SDX; albeit a side of the Dragon you may be unfamiliar with.

The above examples have me both elated and alarmed. If the output of such top-shelf tracks continues at this rate for the rest of the year, I’ll be reduced to a puddle of unsubstantiated goo by mid-March… a tuneful and satisfied puddle of unsubstantiated goo.

New Year’s Nerd News in Brief

I’m surely not the first one to say it, but doesn’t this year look suspiciously similar to last year? You know: same people, same problems, same, y’know, everything. I reckon the only thing you can truly do is change yourself. That’s where the New Year’s Resolution comes in.

Mine?

Oh, I resolve to continue disseminating the nerd love to the utmost of my abilities. Admittedly, it ain’t much, but I do what I can.

With that in mind, let me shine the light on a few recent geeky developments of which you should be aware.

• The best thing about blogging nerd music happenings is the community itself. It’s a solid group of guys and gals who are, more often than not, the most interesting, courteous, and all-around groovy bunch you’d care to meet. The artists themselves are notoriously approachable, and those of us on the periphery always seem to find ways to express our appreciation and admiration for these creative souls in a similar manner, but without stepping on each other’s toes. Another blogger that’s ably spreading the good word of musical nerdiness is Glenn over at Nerd-Music.com. Do yourself a favor and be sure to check it out!
• Another chronicler of the nerdy goodness (who also happens to be a talented musician to boot), the Doctor of Popularity himself, has recently launched his own podcast. And it is, in a word, fan-fuckin’-tastic. Check out the first episode of Doc’s Drown Pirate Radio podcast, and then immediately flood his inbox with threats of bodily harm should he cease to produce such masterful works.
• Benjamin Bear has recently brought it to the attention of the community that DivX has launched an exclusive channel for nerdcore video content. Bookmark that shit.
• In other nerdcore news, funky49 and MC Router have just dropped the Star Trek track I alluded to last month. funk is hyping "Trekkie Pride" as the first nerdcore track of the year. Consequently, I am hyping it as the most shit-hot Trek hit of ’07. Feel free to try and dethrone the reigning monarchs. I’m sure they welcome the challenge.
• Not sure if it is, in fact, your thang, but I’d like to suggest that all my fellow comic book nerds check out Maintenance, a Massey/Rodriguez book from Oni Press that follows the travails of two janitors that work at “the world’s biggest and best evil science think tank.” Hilarity ensues.
• Lastly, lets talk gigs. We got a double dose of nerdcore goodness at this month's CES in Vegas, and March sees a Portland gig compliments of The Mediocre Show that’ll feature some more of your favorites. Not quite floor-to-ceiling, nationwide coverage, but it’s a damn fine start for 2007.
  

Before I go...

The “top ten list” is the bread and butter of the blogosphere. This visible shorthand both heralds the passing of another year and proclaims that the writer in question has completely fucking run out of ideas. But here at Hipster, please! I like to do things a little different.

I make no secret of the things that I dig. Furthermore, I make no effort to hide the fact that these opinions are my own and your tastes may well differ. That’s a given. So, rather than recap my favorite songs or albums or what-have-you in this, my final post of 2006, I’d instead like to take a moment to thank everyone who’s helped me keep this blog afloat over the past year. Admittedly, I’m not moving mountains here, but the following friends and contributors make it difficult for even my staggering level of personal dedication to sloth and procrastination to reign unchecked.

Most gracious thanks go out to the nerd girl panel (Nikki, Paige, Amy, and Regann), Karl Olson, Rai Kamishiro, djpretzel of OCR, and Baddd Spellah for taking the time to talk to me for the sake of my meager monthly features. An extra special thank you goes out to the one and only MC Frontalot for giving me my first interview, and for being such a good sport about my giddy fanboyism.

Furthermore, I’d like to especially thank Beefy for not only agreeing to an interview but for supplying me with storage and bandwidth for RFH as well as the tons of support and kind words I’ve received from the JALP crew (the members of which have been previously mentioned save for the legendary Jones McFly).

Likewise, I can’t possibly thank High-C (of Rhyme Torrents) enough for the constant flow of traffic he has sent my way. He’s got the heart of an artist and the guile of a promoter, and that, friends, is a killer combination.

I’d like to thank ChurchHatesTucker, Doc Pop, Antisocial, and Ben Bear for both taking the time to post their comments and for going out of their way to share their new projects with me.

I gotta give it up to the likes of funky49, Super Dragon X, and DJ Snyder for always being willing to shoot the shit with me via email, and for answering my nigh constant stream of (annoying) questions about their work.

I’d like to thank MC Router, Oddioblender, and everyone else who’s given me voice snippets and background music for the podcast. Those are always the hardest parts of each episode to pin down, so thanks for your time.

Thanks to artists like Former Fat Boys, STOVOKOR, Wordburlgar, Game Over, Totally Radd!, and My Parent Favorite Music for reminding me that there are a ton of established acts out there with a nerdy swagger that I somehow managed to miss.

And let me not forget my boys Jon, Brüx, and Darth_Apu: lingering high school chums who continually lower themselves to reading my rambling on a regular basis.

But mostly, let me thank you. Whether you’re a regular reader or just some cat who stumbled here via a link from some generous stranger, I appreciate your time.

May good fortune, good times, and fair drink prices follow you into this New Year.

Nerdcore version 2.0

For better or worse, I came of age during the grunge era. It was a period of great cultural upheaval, a time when popular music in America was undergoing a transformation of sorts, and an era generally devoid of both fashion sense and self-awareness.

When I was 16, I watched Dave Markey’s seminal 1991: The Year Punk Broke at a house party. It was cool, getting to see all that tour footage of Sonic Youth and Nirvana, but the title bothered me. Even with the inclusion of old school punkers The Ramones, the film was hardly about punk rock, a movement that was birthed in earnest at approximately the same time as me.

It wasn’t until years later that something finally clicked, that the title finally made sense. The film wasn’t about punk rock as an art form or even as a movement, it was about punk rock as a paradigm. Moreover, it was about (and put on your buzzword panties here, kids) a shift in said paradigm. The punk rock model – that anti-establishment crotch punch built on the backs of The Stooges, The MC5, The New York Dolls, and their ilk – didn’t so much evaporate as evolve. And that evolution was firmly rooted within a flaw in the system.

Punk rock was hard to market in the 1970s. Sure, McLaren and Westwood made a fair penny off of it, but it lacked universal appeal because of its nigh instantaneous media vilification. There was plenty of fame to go around, mind you, and certainly even a bit of fortune, but (until the genre itself found a new name) it mostly afforded notoriety.

But in the 1990s? By the ‘90s you had an entire generational buffer – kids who had grown up with the concept of a Sex Pistols or, more importantly, a Clash. To them us it wasn’t scary, it wasn’t menacing, it wasn’t threatening; it was merely a grand part of Rock ‘n’ Roll history. We would buy these long-defunct bands’ t-shirts and scrounge for their records in thrift stores. We would play out of time and out of tune covers of their classics in our shitty garage bands. We would, in short, drink the Kool-Aid. We were the missing component of the punk rock marketing blitz come 20 years too late. And as angsty and unwashed as a Kurt Cobain or a *shudder* Eddie Vedder was, they spoke to us because they bought those albums too.

So, when Markey told us that punk “broke” in 1991, he probably meant that it broke through, that the old school model of “play what you know and know what you play” had finally become valid. But, on another level entirely, you could also say that it merely broke. It went under. The wheels of musical rebellion fell off and Universal Music Group was there to slap a new, timelier set of radials on that fucker and ride it out. All the way to the bank.

So when I say that 2006 was the year nerdcore broke, I want you to understand the context in which I speak, for it is resplendent with context.

It would be an understatement to say that 2006 has been a big year for nerdcore. It was an enormous year for nerdcore, for a lot of reasons and with thanks due to a lot of hard working men and women. Much of this work was concrete, palpable. Optimus Rhyme’s excellent Endino-produced sophomore album School the Indie Rockers is a prime example, as is MC Frontalot (the de facto founder of nerdcore) launching his first ever a national tour to promote his masterwork Nerdcore Rising. Still, other work was a bit more subtle.

While High-C’s Rhyme Torrent compilation albums were panned by some who questioned his inclusion criteria, it is important to note that it was this work that truly began to break down the barriers between nerdcore artists. No longer were they operating within a vacuum: tiny islands existing outside of the collective nerd music consciousness. Rhyme Torrents alerted these artists to the existence of other likeminded spirits and set the stage for exchange, collaboration, feuds, and even beef. But it is impossible to overestimate the importance that this assembly (and the man who orchestrated it) had on the nerdcore landscape.

More than anything, 2006 can be seen as the year when nerdcore as a genre (sub-genre?) finally began to coalesce. Despite the eventual barrage of diss tracks and in-fighting, there were far more artists who eagerly accepted the nerdcore moniker (YTCracker and the SpamTec Crew, My Parents Favorite Music, Former Fat Boys, and Futuristic Sex Robotz to name a few) than refused to be associated with the term (à la mc chris or Paul Barman). In the face of nerdcore “camps” and overall cliquishness, I think that this important (if mostly symbolic) victory is too often overlooked.

Despite misfires and false starts, nerdcore got press from the likes of G4, Wired magazine, EGM, Boing-Boing, Slashdot, and a myriad of foreign Web sites and publications. It is also of note that 2006 saw the birth of two separate nerdcore hip hop documentary projects: the MC Frontalot tour doc Nerdcore Rising and the Crapbots production Nerdcore For Life.

And, of course, nerdcore was still alive and well in all its old haunts: most specifically the Penny Arcade Expo. However, this year, in addition to the annual on-site Frontalot performance, PAX was followed up with a supplementary all-nerdcore gig at the nearby Shark Club. This served both as a showcase for nerdcore’s current talent pool and an opportunity for some brilliant live footage to be recorded for the Nerdcore For Life film.

In essence, 2006 was the year that didn’t so much change nerdcore as redefine how nerdcore music, artists, and fans operate. The music itself is still essentially the same, and, though there are those who disagree with what this sameness entails, nerdcore is musically, socially, and (dare I say) commercially stronger than it has ever been.

And while it would be foolhardy to say that 2006 was the year that nerdcore hip hop completely broke through, I think we can all agree that this was the year when nerdcore, at the very least, poked its hooked and goony beak out of its shell of isolation and made a great geeky squawk. And, while not everyone heard it, a great number of people did take note.

Of course, with that admission every haughty, self-righteous bone in my tiny body cries out for satisfaction. Every single cheesy, faux-journalistic fiber of my being demands that I overstep my bounds as a casual chronicler of nerd culture and crown some winner, some Nerd of the Year™ to commemorate this auspicious occasion.

And why not? There’s certainly no dearth of worthy candidates.

The aforementioned MC Frontalot, Optimus Rhyme, and YTCracker continued to strengthen and refine the musical style that they birthed, while successors like Beefy and Ultraklystron pushed their own flavors of nerdcore in new and exciting directions. Amazing producers and DJ’s like Baddd Spellah, funky49, and DJ Snyder plied their craft in unique, imaginative ways that helped to tie this renegade style to the proud roots of hip hop’s past. New artists like MCeeP and Grandmaster Pink burst into the scene with fresh ideas, electric personalities, and more than enough fire and skill to prove their mettle in the face of criticism. And, just as importantly, the diligent work and unbridled creativity of nerdcore’s nonmusical element (as exemplified by Dan Lamoureux and Gabe and Syn of Nerdcore News) helped to remind us all that nerdcore as a community is not limited solely to the realms of beats, bass, and rhymes.

It is the boundless dedication of these souls and, indeed, all that count themselves among nerdcore’s numbers that made 2006 a perfect storm of geek rap revolution. The recent success of nerdcore is undoubtedly due to all who poured their hearts and souls into writing, rapping, and repping from this tiny corner of the hip hop spectrum, and, as such, each of us should wear the crown.

If there’s a king (or queen) of the scene, a “winner” here that must be crowned: then why not all of us?

The ground gained by nerd music, specifically that ever-growing list of nerdcore’s achievements, is due in part to each and every one of us. We all made a difference, and thus we are all the ultimate winner.

When I look back on 2006, I don’t simply remember a specific artist or song or album that defined the year; rather, I recall the entirity of the year itself as a golden moment when hipsterism and nerd culture collided. When black was white and right was left. When nerdcore broke and we all helped to fix it.

You’re it, my friend; you are the Nerd of the Year™. You and me and everyone who played. We did this together, and we can do more.

So, as we look forward to 2007, we should celebrate our victories and learn from our blunders. Things got to this point via our blood, sweat, and tears, and where it goes from here depends solely upon the same. Well, there’s also luck, but luck is a thankless whore and we’d do better not to rely too heavily upon her.

Surely we stand at the cusp of something great, but let’s not spend so much time looking to the future that we ignore the present. This is the golden age, and whether we rise or fall, we have this moment. Today we are all stars.

And if these stars fizzle out?

Fuck it. We had our time, and, so long as we made the most of it, it was not wasted.

Whatever lies ahead, we have each other and we have today, and I am immeasurably thankful for both.

If, after the countdown to ‘07, all the nerds who were, in a very real sense, kings and queens for a day fade into the Internet ether from which we emerged – if our blogs no longer get the hits and our albums no longer get the press and our friend requests all but dry up – does that make us any less important? Does that make our contributions less worthy? Does that make us less than what we are?

No.

Being a nerd, more than anything else, is about being who you are despite the consequences and in spite of the hardships. Certainly, 2006 was a good time, but, whether things go up or down from here, we’ll continue doing geeky things because that’s what we do. Hopefully, some will continue to have their exemplary work praised by persons outside of our circle. But whether that happens or not, as long as we keep doling out the nerd love to our own we’ll get by.

Pariahs or Messiahs, as long as we are strong in what we are we will always have or culture, whether it’s at the local coffee shop or on the 10 o’clock news.

So in summation: feel free to call 2006 the year nerdcore broke. Furthermore, feel free to quantify that statement in any way you’d like. Just be sure that, at the end of the day, you realize that you are more a part than a passive observer, and wherever we go from here depends just as much on us as it does those outsiders who are only now beginning to understand what we’re all about.

And, while I adoringly celebrate the breaking down of the walls between nerd culture and the mainstream, I’m much more jubilant about the narrowing gulfs between us as nerds.

Welcome to nerdcore 2.0.

The Breakfast of Champions

I can’t imagine why anyone would be reading Hipster, please! this morning, but, to anyone who may have stumbled here accidentally, the entire Z. clan would like to wish you the best. For those who celebrate: the Merriest of Christmases to you. To those who don’t: enjoy your Monday off.

We still have presents to unwrap and various merriments to make, so I shall be off. Expect more from me (including my year-end wrap-up) later this week. Thanks so much for your time, and have a wonderful day.

And now, to breakfast.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 13: The Best Chrismukkah Pageant Ever

Chrismukkah means different things to different people. For more traditional Jewish families turned off by what can be viewed as an over-commercialization of the season, it’s a knock at a modern Hanukkah that ignores the true roots of the celebration. To families with both Jewish and Christian backgrounds it’s a happy medium between two major, competing holidays. And for me and my decidedly secular group of friends (with our myriad of cultural backgrounds) it’s merely a reason to get drunk on eggnog and eat chocolate coins for as many nights as humanly possible.

This final episode of 2006 comes to you as a cockeyed look at the holidays, as well as a celebration of people who are more concerned with enjoying some time off from work and the company of the ones we love than in taking some stand concerning what to call the titular holiday season. In truth, I don’t care what you celebrate, or even if you celebrate; I just want you to have a nice time.

I would’ve loved to have integrated some Kwanzaa songs into this podcast as well, but even those I know who celebrate Kwanzaa couldn’t direct me to any nerdy/funny songs about the festival. And winter solstice? Are there any solstice songs at all? If so, please feel free to enlighten me.

Call me politically correct if you like. Call me apathetic; it don’t bother me. Feel free to tell me “Happy Hanukkah” or “Happy Kwanzaa” or “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas.” Hell, feel free to substitute the Greek “X” and call it X-mas. It’s cool with me. Getting offended about such things is highly overrated in my opinion.

In what is, in each of these opposing cultural realms, considered to be the time of year when we reach out to our fellow man in the spirit of giving, it appears as though we’ve gotten a little too concerned with making sure our team is represented in the proceedings or (even worse) that other teams aren’t. That’s kinda shitty, doncha you think?

In summation: if you expect this podcast to carefully respect the precepts of ancient religious celebrations or to examine their complex and often opposing relationships, prepare to be disappointed. If, however, you’d like to hear some funny, funky songs about the holidays, the download link is below.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 13: The Best Chrismukkah Pageant Ever Size: 40.1 MB Running Time: 43.51

Show Notes

Intro: AM Radio Medley / mash-ups.co.uk - “Rudolph Loves to Boogie”

I’ve been sitting on this track for ages, just waiting to play it. This seemed like as good an opportunity as ever!

Z’s 1^st interlude: “Sad and self-referential”

What can I say? I am just cheesy enough to reference my own material.

Track 1: Clark Griswold rant / Spinal Tap - “Christmas with the Devil”

Radio Free Hipster needs more Spinal Tap. Do I smell a New Year’s resolution?

Track 2: Eric Cartman - “Oh Holy Night”

“Jesus was born and so I get presents.”

Track 3: Go Home Productions - “Carpenters Christmas”

From the very excellent Santastic II: Clausome compilation.

Track 4: Another Clark Griswold rant / dj BC - “Hanukkah Song (Goyimix)” / Smooth E - “Hanukkah Hey Ya!”

I put a moratorium on “The Hanukkah Song” a number of years ago, but this version was too good to pass up.

Track 5: DJ John – “The Christmas Massacre of Charlie Brown”

Check out John's non-holiday mash-ups for more good shit. But beware; he does nasty things to Daft Punk.

Track 6: Former Fat Boys – “Where Are You Christmas”

Check out the video for FFB’s other holiday single “I Want It (Gimme Gimme)((Toys)).”

Z’s 2^nd interlude: “Dreidl-Bells”

Both Santastic: Holiday Boots for Your Stocking and Santastic II: Clausome are filled with bootleg-y goodness.

Track 7: Meter vs. Yard - “How George Bush Stole Christmas”

High-C heard my complaint about the lack of holiday-themed nerdcore and hit me up with this. You really need to hear the whole thing to get the full effect.

Track 8: The Kinks – “Father Christmas” / OK Go – “Father Christmas”

The Kinks aren’t really nerdy, so their inclusion was a gift to myself. OK Go, on the other hand, seem to have some legitimate nerd chops.

Track 9: Voicedude – “Santa Benz”

My mother pointed out that a sped-up Janis Joplin sounds a lot like Rod Stewart. Creepy, eh?

Track 10: Sarah Silverman - “Give the Jew Girl Toys”

This song has much less punch when I sing it. I don’t know why.

Track 11: Bob & Doug McKenzie - “12 Days of Christmas”

I only included the intro to this track due both to time constraints and an overwhelming urge not to lose my two Canadian listeners.

Track 12: Divide and Kreate - “Jingle Jane”

I think the reason I felt comfortable making subtle nods to previous episodes is that I find it hard to believe that some people have actually listened to all my previous podcasts.

Z’s final interlude: “Good will toward men”
I also have trouble believing I’m still milking that “nerd news and interviews and …” thing.

Track 13: The Pogues – “Fairytale of New York”
Shane MacGowan is truly one of the ugliest creatures I have ever seen. Thankfully, this doesn’t preclude him from being one of the most brilliantly lyrical beasts the rock ‘n’ roll world has ever birthed.

And there you have it, folks. Consider it a little card from your old pal Z. in the form of an uneven musical montage. I hope it finds you safe and in the best of spirits. Feel free to pump these jams at your next seasonal shindig, and let me know the jewels I managed to miss. Happy Holidays!

For the nerd who has everything

I have just been alerted that mc chris has reduced the price of much of his merchandise for the holiday season.

From the mouth o’ the horse:

"holy crap did i cut prices! before i hand over my merch to new folks i'm gonna pass the buck to YOU! the consumer! because i can. muahahah! SO CHECK OUT THESE BANGING NEW PRICES!!!

TSHIRTS ARE HOLY CRAP!!! FIVE DOLLARS!!! (scandal!)

HOODIES ARE WHAT THE CRUD!!! FIFTEEN DOLLARS!!! (that's impossible)

BAGS YEAH MAHFAH WE GOT BAGS!!! ARE THREE FRIGGIN CLAMS!!! (unheard of)

STICKERS ARE ONLY A BUCK!!! NOW THAT'S SOME CRAZY SHIT RIGHT THERE!!! (no one does that)

the proceeds from this sale will go towards heat and marvel ultimate alliance. peace. mc

GO TO MCCHRIS.COM TO PIMP YOUR BODY RIDE.

STORE: http://www.indiemerchstore.com/mcchris"

Why not pick up something for your friends, enemies, acquaintances, and that chick at the record store you’re always eying.

But what if they don’t like mc chris?

Fuck it; give it to ‘em anyway. mc swag is a whole lot better then the shit I got when I was a kid.

An honor just to be nominated

By now I’ve no doubt you’ve heard that I am the TIME Magazine Person of the Year.

Okay, not just me… all of us really. I mean, TIME, that bastion of the old school ink and paper aesthetic, has elected to acknowledge the ground-breaking work that’s being done by those of us on the ground floor. Rather than confer this auspicious title upon some ultimately corrupt and self-serving political figure or some mindless corporate Svengali, TIME has instead bestowed the honor upon all who generate user content on this, the cusp of the digital age.

You can call it Web 2.0 or you can call it the computer/cultural revolution, but at the end of the day it’s just a bunch of people doing what they’ve always done. True, I may not’ve always written about nerd music and culture in a public forum such as this, but I’ve always written and it’s always been nerdy. Whether a song about the Super Friends or the back-story for a D&D campaign, I’ve been a nerd writer since I became a nerd who could write. I imagine the same goes for the rest of you. All you other bloggers and podcasters, all you YouTubers and MySpacers, all y’all who rhyme about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, bend circuits, or bust chiptunes: just like me, you’re just being yourself and doing your thing.

So does that mean that a major media outlet is acknowledging the hard (and generally thankless) work that we content monkeys crank out due to our own insatiable need to produce and our nigh-limitless free time? Probably not. More than likely it’s just a ploy to sell magazines, because that’s what TIME magazines does. It’s what they’ve always done.

So we’re back to square one; God is in his heaven and all is right with the world. We’re all doing what we’ve always done, and that, for me, is enough. Sure the world on its ear as pandemonium beats down the door, but that too is a constant. Same as it ever was.

There’s simply something within the human condition that causes people to create, whether it be for the global audience or simply for their own satisfaction. The WWW changes the rules, certainly, but the game is still the same. We can only hope that the Web itself will finally help to level the playing field and assure that those who are the most creative, the most noble, the most diligent, the most deserving, will finally get the gold rather than simply those who are the most connected.

Could such a thing really happen?

Hey, strange and wonderful things happen all the time.

For example, you are currently reading the words of a tiny man in a remote location via a technological marvel that our grandparents could scarcely have imagined.

The world’s funny that way.

At the end of the day, what TIME has said is at once both no big deal and an amazing revelation. Hopefully it reflects a shift in modern thinking that makes it more congruent with our modern age. Possibly it marks a turning point where we as a people can wrest power from the conglomerations that control what we see and hear and think and put that power in the hands of those with a more altruistic slant, those with a more in-depth understanding of the ramifications of this exceedingly technical world.

Of course I’m talking about the nerds.

But let's talk baby steps; with any luck, this time next year people like MC Frontalot and Dan Lamoureux will reap the rewards of a world where the D.I.Y. ethic has finally gained some clout.

Sure, it’s a pipe dream, but it’s my dream and you can share it if you like.

If, however, the new year brings with it the same foibles as the old year, I don’t reckon we’ll be too surprised.

And I suppose we’ll keep doing what we’re doing.

After all, it’s what we’ve always done.

In a box

I know it's still almost a week until Christmas and Hanukkah is just barely underway, but I got you guys something. I’m gonna go ahead and give it to you ‘cause we’re cool like that. I hope you like it. I wrapped it myself:

The final frontier

I checked my mail this morning – which is, consequently, the right thing to do – to find two separate Trek-related tidbits.

The first concerns a nerdcore track about Trekkie pride, but, as I was only afforded a preview of the forthcoming goodness, I will stop short of sharing the details. Suffice it to say that this track is as fine as (blood) wine.

The second is another piece of YouTubey goodness by friend of Hipster, please! and all-around alpha nerd ChurchHatesTucker: a tribute of sorts to the continuing Star Trek fan project known as Starship Exeter. Check out Church’s veritable love letter to Mego, the crew of the USS Exeter, and the Trek universe itself. And if you think the voiceover sounds a bit familiar, you earn +1 to your observation skill.

And another thing...

Two more items of note before I begin my weekend:

As reported by the fellows at NerdcoreHipHop.org, a recent edition of the Associated Press podcast is devoted to nerdcore. Cool, eh?

Likewise, Slashdot has a piece up about the Nerdcore For Life and Nerdcore Rising documentaries. It paints them like schoolyard rivals, which is patently untrue and extraordinarily silly, but I reckon that’s just the angle they chose to go for.

You can’t escape the nerdcore!

Nerdcore rears its knobby head yet again: this time in community weblog MetaFilter. User dmd drops some knowledge concerning CS Gangsta Monzy and nerd love follows. (Thanks to my brovah Brüx for hipping me to the link!)

Speaking of nerd love, Dan (the soon-to-be famous director of Nerdcore For Life) has posted some more raw performance footage of your favorite nerdcore MCs doing their collective thang on YouTube. Watch it!

Nerd life the career

You love YTCracker and I love YTCracker and now it appears as though G4 loves YTCracker! In what can only be called the smartest move made by the network in… well… an incredibly long time, G4 gave props to the ODG himself on a recent edition of Attack of the Show. What’s more, the blog dedicated to The Feed, the segment for which YTC made a new theme song, posted the track in its entirety along with lyrics, some more nerd love, and the promise of a forthcoming Webcam interview.

STC is the greatest!

More Nerd News in Brief

Here’s some nerd news you may have missed.

Now-now, don’t feel bad for missing it. You were busy with finals and Christmas shopping and your Laser Tag league. And anyway, that’s what I’m here for: to help you keep on top of shit like that.

Who’s your buddy?

• Nerdcore is huge in Germany acknowledged by the German press! The European gaming magazine GEE recently did a little piece concerning the “most important nerdcore acts.” Fellow member of the Faithful Seven harrybenson was nice enough to scan the following image of a very sickly looking Frontalot and the accompanying write-ups of 5 nerdcore (or nerdcore-related) artists. Ich bin ein nerdcorer.
• Did you enjoy the recent Beefy/Goondocks/Optimus Rhyme show at Seattle's Fuel? Would you like to see more nerdy goodness at that venue? Regional mc Tanuki was recently hipped to the fact that Fuel is considering scheduling regular (read: monthly) nerdcore shows. More info on this one as it becomes available.
• Some songs are inherently violent. In fact, some of them actually fight amongst themselves. Two such tracks include MC Frontalot’s “Livin' at the Corner of Dude and Catastrophe” and Emergency Pizza Party’s “Glutton,” both recent Song Fight! winners. All hail the conquering heroes.
• And speaking of violence, rather than simply attack the violence of video games, some conservative Christians recently decided to make their own. Based off of the eschatological lit of LaHaye and Jenkins, Left Behind: Eternal Forces puts you in command of God’s own shock troops, killing and converting as you see fit. Ned Flanders would be so proud!
• In other Godly gaming news, Manifesto Games has recently released The Shiva, a murder-mystery game centered around protagonist Rabbi Stone. Of course, Wal-Mart won’t be selling that one!
• And lastly, I would like to publicly mourn the loss of beloved American character actor Peter Boyle. While Boyle himself may not’ve been geeky, Young Frankenstein is doubtlessly dripping with nerd appeal. We miss you, big guy.
  

Three things that should excite you

It’s Monday. That is, as my people* say, le blah. Ere go, I have elected to bring you the following three items guaranteed to make it all better.

Okay, so maybe not all better, but I’m sure it’ll help.

1. Beefy’s new album Tube Technology is now available for download. I’ve already shared my thoughts, and now you can listen for yourself and determine whether or not I’m completely full of shit! Doesn’t that sound lovely?
2. The recently released trailer for Nerdcore For Life (the most important documentary since… since that other one… y’know… the… the important one… about whales and… bombs and stuff) has been boing-boinged. Hopefully this will drive some much needed support toward the pet pr0ject of Dan and company.
3. And lastly, I feel obligated to tell you this because we’re friends: you’ve really outdone yourself this Christmas. I can see (all surreptitious-like through your PC monitor) into your apartment, and I notice you’ve got a lot of nice shit underneath your tree. So, as your pal, I feel it’s only fair that you pick up a little something for yourself. You don’t have a lot of cash, you say? Well, then why not pick up a copy of Final Fantasy III for the Nintendo DS for a scant twenty bones? This deal is only good tomorrow (Tuesday, December 12th), but all you need to do to take advantage of it is sign up for the Toys ‘R’ Us mailing list. The printable coupon will be emailed to you tomorrow AM and then you can take advantage of this ridiculous deal. Leave it to the CAG community to find all the wicked-fresh game deals!

You feel better now, right? I thought so.


*The phrase “my people” refers exclusively to white-trash Franco-Americans with little to no understanding of the heritage and language of their ancestors.

Nerdcore For Life trailer

The Nerdcore For Life trailer has finally hit the Web. I’d love to tell you all about, but the piece speaks for itself. So, I’m’a let it talk.

Nerd News in Brief

When you want your nerd news expediently delivered in easily digestible chunks, you need Nerd News in Brief. Am I right? Of course I’m right!

I’m like a momma bird, chewing up the nerd news and then vomiting it into your tiny, eager beaks. Only less gross.

• Fans of Beefy’s Just Another Lazy Podcast should be aware that JALP now has a Web site of its very own. Makes you feel all tingly, doesn’t it?
  
• Nerdcore artist I||GI|| will be playing a gig with Nintendo punk superstars 14 Year Old Girls in LA next Monday (December 11^th) at il corral. West Coast nerds are instructed to head over there and get their geek on. Extra credit to anyone who can convince the ‘Girls to do an interview with Hipster, please!
• Canadian MC Wordburglar has been nominated for a Bucky Award for Best Song Lyric (presented by CBC Radio 3), and it’s up to you to vote a brother in! Canada’s got democracy to spare. (Also be sure to vote for the excellent, but decidedly un-nerdy, Tegan & Sarah in the categories of Best Haircut and Band That Most Resembles Itself.)
• In other hoser-related news, nerdcore rhymestriss, Baddd Spellah co-conspirator, and Ultraklystron’s numbah-one homie Nursehella was recently featured on a nerd music-centered radio broadcast. A leakage of her recent collab with Mr. Olson also occurred.
• And lastly: people are stupid. I just don’t know how else to say it. Why else would there be widespread reports of people breaking shit with their Wii-motes? Sure, I’m certain that a percentage of the damage occurs because of faulty wrist straps, but I’m more than willing to bet that the bulk of them are due to over exuberance at best and just plain ol’ dumb-assitude at worst. This, I imagine, is the reason that Nintendo sent me the following friendly reminder concerning proper operation of my controller… As if the nag screen before every game and the extensive documentation provided with the console wasn’t enough. I weep for the world.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 12: In Before the Buzzer

I am riddled with guilt. In any given month, I create two separate podcasts: each usually of 45 minutes in length, give or take. When you consider that sometimes as much as 15 minutes of each of those segments is taken up by me talking shit, this leaves me merely a single scant hour in which to pack an entire month’s worth of kick-ass tunage. This is compounding by the fact that OCD dictates that the bulk of these episodes be devoted to some manner of “theme.” All-in-all, this puts me in quite a pickle. There are many songs that I adore, many tracks I that feel that you genuinely need to hear, but some – no matter their level of individual merit – fall through the cracks. As a result, certain songs and artists are woefully underrepresented.

This episode is dedicated to the tracks that I truly feel you should check out before the year is through. Some of them you may’ve heard before, but good things bear repeating. Others may be totally new to you. Either way, I hope you hear some geeky goodness that you exuberantly agree is worthwhile.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 12: In Before the Buzzer Size: 38.7 MB Running Time: 42.20

Show Notes

Intro: MC Hawking – “Big-Bizang”
Only the Hawkman could make a Kid Rock take-off work. Bow before his majesty.

Z’s 1^st interlude: “Less than legal channels”
As a man who routinely plays illicit remixes on his podcast, this revelation may or may not surprise you.

Track 1: The Worthless Peons – “Underdog”
AKA Ted’s Band. AKA The Blanks. You can see this clip (and a bit where they perform the Speed Racer theme) here.

Track 2: Beefy – “Ego Monster”
I don’t think this can be considered a leak, as this song’s been featured on JALP as well as on Beef’s MySpace. Still, I figured it’d be easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

Track 3: Tenacious D – “Break-in City (Storm the Gate)”
With lyrics like “The mission is clear / I'm going over there / I'm going to do the mission,” is it any wonder that Jack Black is the voice of our generation?

Track 4: 14 Year Old Girls – “Dynamite Car Plane”
I can only assume this track is about the freeware game of the same name.

Track 5: Totally Radd! – “Shark Attack Day Camp”
This is another band that I am almost ashamed to admit I only recently heard about. You can find more info and clips at their label’s Web site.

Track 6: Party Ben – “Genius of London”
The beauty of the mash-up lies in its ability to polish a turd, making the un-listenable fun and catchy.

Z’s 2^nd interlude: “Proven to cause cancer in laboratory animals.”
In a just world, Salman Rushdie would write unmolested and the Black Eyed Peas would have to flee to the underground for fear of their lives. Hey, can a southern white guy call for a fatwa? No? Damn…

Track 7: Oddioblender – “Pip to the Pop Don’t Stop”
Odd was nice enough to send me a copy of Gustuf Young is Dead. Expect to hear more from that album on future podcasts, for it is made of win.

Track 8: Castlevania 20^th Anniversary Collection – “A Requiem”
I’m really happy with my Portrait of Ruin pre-order bonus, but some folks are fuckin’ nuts.

Track 9: The Advantage – “Castlevania-Stage 3”
The Advantage’s self-titled first album is excellent. You should buy it.

Track 10: Go Home Productions – “Uptight Maggie”
I like Rod Stewart tracks a lot more when Stevie sings over the melodies.

Track 11: My Parents Favorite Music – “Coffee”
My defense for not hearing MPFM sooner? I don’t have a MySpace. Seriously. I don’t believe in it. I disavow the existence of MySpace.

Track 12: Homer intro / Cheap Trick – “Surrender”
There is an all-female Cheap Trick cover band. See? Everyone likes Cheap Trick but you. I admonish you. I admonish the hell out of you!

Z’s final interlude: “A gift, of sorts.”
I gotta give it up to funky49 again for sending me the following track. Y’all feel free to turn me on to stuff you think I need to hear.

Track 13: Next Fashion – “In Space”
This is such a fun track. It simply begged to be included!

Background Music: DJ Snyder – “Contraptions”
I’m fairly certain this song has something to do with the Reptilian Conspiracy. (Apologies to everyone save Snyder concerning the preceding in-joke).

So that takes care of some of the songs I wanted to play for you before 2006 is no more. Still, there were countless others that still got passed over due to time constraints. The lack of Jesse Dangerously and Spamtec Crew in this year’s crop of heavily rotated artists fills me with regret. Well shit; there’s always next year.

I hope you enjoyed yourselves, and look for the RFH Holiday Special in two weeks or so.

Post-gig wrap-up from NcN

Check out the clip below to see a worn-out Gabe and drunken a Syn (both of Nerdcore News fame) give you the skinny on last weekend’s Beefy/Goondocks /Optimus Rhyme show in Seattle. It’s got everything a nerdboy/girl could possibly want: your favorite nerdcore MCs doing their collective thang, silly dancing, talk of vomiting… It’s all in there, folks.

You may notice some clipping in the audio during the performance segments. That’s not because of the volume; it’s what happens to contemporary electronics when they are exposed to such a high level of pure fuggin’ awesome.

Consider yourself warned.