Nerd News in Brief

I sometimes worry that my role as a father has cut into what I like to term my “creative time.” That is, of course, that variable window of time in which I blog and work on podcasts and special projects.

Lately, though, I’ve begun to find this fear unfounded. Mostly, it just cuts into my “thinking about weird shit time,” which isn’t really a loss for any of us. And, thankfully, other people seem to be tackling the weighty issues too which I find myself too preoccupied to attend.

You know, stuff like Pac-feces and corporate drug branding.

• Hobbits and bunnies: Today’s episode of Nerd Ink is brought to you by Church Hates Tucker and lit geeks everywhere. It also makes me wonder why I haven’t gotten a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy tat yet.
• Nerdcore Idol: High-C recently released some information about the quality control methods in place for Rhyme Torrents Volume 7. Among the new submission processes touted was a three-man judging panel consisting of Chozo Ninpo, MC Inadequate, and High-C himself. He then admitted that he was just fuckin’ with folks and encouraged everyone to submit tracks as per usual.
• Totally not kidding: High-C also dropped some knowledge concerning a tie-in contest for Nerdaplooza. Artists are invited to craft their finest nerdcore tracks about event sponsor Troma Films, and the winning submission will be featured on Troma’s own site. Plus, the winner will get to perform his track live on-stage at Nerdapalooza with none other than the Toxic Avenger. For entry info, check RT.
• Just playa-hating: Ever wonder what a video representation of MC Hawking’s interview segments from A Brief History of Rhyme would look like? Wonder no more.
• What, no lemonade?: funky49 and five of Florida’s loveliest young ladies recently began shooting the video for funk’s track “Milk & Doo Doo.” How he managed to convince these gals to not only put on matching funky49 jerseys and Kool-Aid socks, but to actually appear in a video for a song with doo doo in the title is a mystery upon which I invite you each to ponder. Production stills are available for your perusal. You sweaty-palmed, filthy-minded perusal.
• Old No. 7: Whore Moans will be taking the stage at Nashville’s Café Coco this Friday night with Black Atticus and Call It Anything. This 18-and-up event is $5 at the door. It kicks off at 8:00 PM, so show up early, get real drunk, and sing along.
• The Great Chase: Congrats to current King of the Crate Diggers and all around nice cat D-Form and his crew The Chubby Chasers. The Chasers made it into this month’s Blender Magazine, which is kind of a huge deal. Look for the issue with Alicia Keys on the cover.
• Full Frontal: The full seven minute version of Random’s interview with MC Frontalot – the abridged version of which was recently presented on the RandomBeagle podcast – is now available for download. Check it out to get a full serving of Front’s on unique brand of goofiness.
• As opposed to duct tape: In album news, Random’s Patches and Glue is now available for purchase. You can score the disc for a mere $7 right here, and you can read a bit about the project at the Music Industry News Network. Ran’s been on a creative hot streak for a while now, and I’m gonna go ahead and predict that this album will be hailed by fans and critics to the same degree as his previous efforts The Call and Mega Ran.
• You’ve gotta shoot straight: Likewise, killsaly has dropped an EP of songs based around some of his favorite movies, video games, and television shows. The source files for these tracks were lost due to hard drive failure, but killsaly is a trooper. As such, the existing versions were remastered and uploaded. The first track is about Blade Runner. That should be all you need to know. Download Now Playing... uh... now.
• NPR on VGM: In his constant search for things with which to amuse me, Church also found this piece on game music from NPR. It’s more focused on Uematsu and Tallarico than, say, The Megas, but it’s still a good read.
• Sadly, I am not an unlockable character: My pal Anthony from Game Music 4 All has finally announced a solid release date for the site’s next compilation album Here Comes a new Challenger. As if the prospect of 30 artists collaborating on over 20 songs wasn’t enough to get you excited, Ant also got this wicked Flash trailer put together by the one and only Doctor Octoroc. Hit “Play” an watch the madness unfold.

My dear wife has lost her mind

Crazy it may be, but it's an accurate summation.
--Z.

Dual Core is never gonna give you up

There are older and more resilient memes, but surely there is no more elegant a meme than the Rickroll. My own favorite variation on this harmless prank/Web phenomenon is the live Rickroll, a gag that strikes a perfect balance between practical joke and performance art.

At this year’s Notacon, Dual Core’s int eighty Rickrolled an entire room full of coders, hackers, and nerdcore fans. It was a risky move, but he’s no stranger to love.

More crunchy goodness

In all my excitement about the latest Nerdapalooza news, I totally forgot to mention that a new edition of GeekDad’s HipTrax is now available for your listening pleasure.

Episode 3 includes songs from the lovely and talented sisters of RiddleTM, Video Game Music juggernaut The OneUps, and the amazingly indescribable Elfonso. It also contains tips of the (virtual) hat to my pal Anthony and the OverClocked ReMix community. Take a listen and fully realize what a poor orator your old pal Z. really is.

Tonight, the Nerds Will (W)Rock!

I have long been a cheerleader of Nerdapalooza. While geeks have always been known to have lofty ambitions but questionable follow-through, I felt the dream of Nerdapalooza to be one worth supporting. Sure, I had my doubts as to whether such a huge event could be pulled off just like everyone else, and yet in the end the festival did come to fruition, if on a smaller scale than originally hoped.

Now the dawn of new Nerdapalooza is fast approaching – a Second Age of Geek, if you will – and it rests on the shoulders of two uniquely competent dorks: Hex Warrior, the brains behind the original concept, and mCRT, who all but single-handedly brought together last year’s Nerdapalooza SE.

I’ve touted the roster for this iteration of the festival before. It is, to put it bluntly, a beast. A many-headed beast to which the faces of two more of nerdcore’s finest was recently affixed.

But it gets better.

My only knock against Nerdapalooza ’08 was its lack of geeky rock, or more specifically Wizard Rock. But this too was recently remedied in a fashion most grand.

Last night it was announced that geeky synth-poppers Math, the Band would be joining the lineup. Phenomenal!

It was further stated that the sock puppet rock of Uncle Monsterface, featuring my new pal Dan Brennan, would likewise be rocking the joint. Fantastic!

And lastly, it was revealed that Saturday night’s mystery headliner would be none other than Harry and the Potters. Fuck yeah!

That, my friends, is what we call the hat trick.

Nerd News in Brief

Last week Wired was kind enough to foot the bill for some Moo minicards for GeekDad contributors. Through what can only be described as gross negligence on the part of the official Wired.com bean counter, I made the cut.

I was gonna scan them in so you could see them in all their tiny, brightly colored glory, but contributor Kathy Ceceri’s son beat me to the punch.

As you can well see, I now have business cards depicting Boba Fett, slot cars, and Bionicles. The world is truly my oyster.

• A gentle reminder: First, let me thank everyone who contributed, bid in, and spread the word regarding the Kingdom of Loathing community’s Andrew Bailey Memorial Fundraiser. The silent auction is currently in full swing, so be sure to head over and familiarize yourself with the various great KoL and non-KoL items up for grabs.
• Like Sesame Street, only not: Anthony of GM4A and MisterB of that United Kingdom place have joined forces to create a podcast “about video game inspired music and nerd music.” You can subscribe to the Letters VS Numbers podcast via Feedburner, make friends with the show via MySpace, and send feedback and song suggestions to the lads at lettersvsnumberspodcast AT gmail DOT com. How simple was that?
• Nerdcore meets Hip-Hop: This week’s edition of the RandomBeagle show – featuring the Blue Bomber himself, Mega Ran – steps into disturbingly nerdy territory. While Ran and DN3 generally focus their podcast on hip-hop gems both classic and modern, this time around they dedicated the entire episode to nerdcore. In addition to featuring and exclusive interview with MC Frontalot, the show also features some great nerdcore tracks, several of which were suggested by yours truly. Give the show a listen, and be sure to thank Ran for continuing his effort to bridge the gap between rap nerds and traditional heads.
• Rocket! Yeah! Satellite of Love!: mCRT has recently announced that Nerdapalooza’s all-important Saturday night headliner has been confirmed. Unfortunately, Rob is being tightlipped about the specifics other than saying: “It isn't a hip-hop group, but it's still definitely nerd music, and it's an extremely influential group. You have almost certainly heard of them.” Tune into the official Nerdapalooza radio show on Rocket Propelled Radio on April 15th for the unveiling. Holy shit! That’s tonight!
• Pay it forward: Uncle Monsterface needs your help giving their friends Fishboy… some… help. Anyway, Fishboy is touring from Denton, TX, and will be playing with UM in NYC on May 2nd. Fishboy’s May 4th show in Boston, however, fell through, so the band needs what we call around these parts “the hook-up.” While Monsterface can’t play that evening due to a scheduling conflict, they’re simply asking if “somebody (can) please find a cool show or venue for Fishboy on the night of Sunday, May 4?” Help your favorite band’s favorite band find a place to play, Bostonians!
• Comic books and drug humor: The venerable mc chris will be performing on Sunday, April 20th at NYC Comicon. He’ll be playing between 2:30 and 3:00 PM on the Variant stage, and he plans to unveil a new track form hhis forthcoming album mc chris is dead the preceding Saturday at midnight.
• The Sideburn State: In other giggy goodness, Sudden Death has been contacted by a New Jersey venue that’s looking to put together a geeky hip-hop show. Savannah's on Route 23 in Stockholm is hoping to pull it off some time in July, and Devo Spice is looking for other interested rappers in the area. Holler at him over at RT if you are a Jersey-area rapper with the inclination to participate.
• Their Atari: Sudden Death would also like to grace your eyeballs and earholes with a new video for their track “My Atari.” You can check the vid out over at YouTube. Don’t forget to comment!
• u r likly 2 b eated: In his continuing search for the perfect LOL, Church has uncovered a beast from geek culture’s past. Behold the LOLGrue. It r verry dark. Kthanxby.
• Same as it ever was: And Matt comes back with more Star Wars gangsta rap. Perhaps I spoke too soon. Maybe all nerdy music is about Star Wars.
• Because you demanded it: Delightful lady-type Wrockers The Moaning Myrtles have set themselves up on gig request service Eventful. What this means is that you can go to their site profile and suggest your city as a projected tour stop. Just don’t, like, suggest they play at your apartment or anything. That’s just creepy.
• Where the Streets Have No Name (except Diagon Alley): And to wrap things up, today we’ll end on another find compliments of my pal Matt: a new video from one of my favorite Wrockers The Weasel King. Check out “They Can’t Catch Us All,” and, when you’re finished, go check out TWK’s site for more musical goodness.
  
  

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 42: The Fightin’ 501st

For a long time I told people I wasn’t a Star Wars fan, or, more specifically, that I wasn’t a Star Wars fan anymore. That’s not to say I was ever a card-carrying Star Wars hater, of which there are more than a few, but I was fairly vocal about my stance on the new direction the franchise began to take around the time of the Special Editions: it just wasn’t for me.

Years later, I’ve made my peace with Lucas. (Yeah, I’m sure he’s relieved!) I’ve learned to treat the saga like I treat any other epic geek property that has seen its share of less-then-stellar plot twists, iterations, or re-imaginings.

This episode of Radio Free Hipster is, in part, about me comings to grips with the harsh reality of the Star Wars of my youth versus the Star Wars that my kids will grow up with. Sure, I like mine better, but that’s just human nature. Midi-chlorians or no, The Force is strong within us all.

But more specifically, this ep. is a celebration of what I consider to be some of the coolest things about Star Wars and Star Wars fandom; it’s about the creativity that fans have shown through music.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 42: The Fightin’ 501st [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 47.8 MB Running Time: 52:15

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)
Spellah’s midi-chlorian level is off the scale, and I believe Beefy to be the Chosen One.

Track 1: Party Ben – “Galvanize the Empire”
This is one of those songs I found, loved, listened to for weeks, all but forgot about, and then was reintroduced to by a friend. Thanks to Denika for reminding me about this one!

Z’s 1st interlude: “You can’t help but amass a staggering collection of tracks about Star Wars.”
Nerdy music isn’t all about Star Wars. A lot of it is about Star Wars. Shit, most of it is about Star Wars. But not all.

Track 2: Dual Core – “A New Hope”
Three words: Sand People Choir.

Track 3: Down Underdogs – “Nerf Herders (Empire Mix)”
The Down Underdogs are what I consider to be an often overlooked jewel of nerdcore hip-hop. The Ranger and Co. remind me of the lesson I learned from Pinky and Diabolik: there’s some fierce hip-hop coming out of Australia.

Track 4: Rebel Force Band – “A Respirator for Darth Vader”
Blame this one on Church. Totally his idea.

Track 5: “Blue Harvest” clip / MC Frontalot – “ Yellow Lasers”
There’s a lot of talk about excretions in this part of the show. I’m probably not nearly as ashamed of that fact as I should be.

Track 6: unknown - “Star Wars Mix”
Again, some folks say this is Aphex Twin - and it may well be - but I am unconvinced.

Track 7: Star Wars: The Musical - “Let’s Blow This Thing”
This is the kind of track that folks will either love or hate. Its polarizing nature made it a great candidate for inclusion.

Z’s 2nd interlude: “The epitome of fandom.”
I don’t personally know anyone involved the 501st, in my local Garrison or otherwise, but I really like what they do. That is why I titled this episode in their honor.

Track 8: Anarchy Steering Committee – “I Wanna Be a Stormtrooper”
The ASC is no more, but tracks like this endure. comedy + geekery = teh genius

Track 9: Gluecifer – “Obi Damned Kenobi”
A lot of my friends are into the whole Scandinavian hard rock revival thing, a movement with acts like Gluecifer and The Hellacopters at the forefront. Me? Not so much, although I do appreciate the opportunity to inject a little non-nerdy music into the mix.

Track 10: Weird Al – “Yoda”
This episode only had room for “Yoda” or “The Saga Begins.” I believe I made the right choice.

Track 11: Caravan Ray - “Natalie Portman”
In a set dedicated to classic characters, I elected to include a song about an actress from the new trilogy. Consider it a gesture. Check out Ray at thesixtyone.com. He'll make ya smile.

Track 12: “Blue Harvest” clip / Superbus – “Han Solo”
While trolling for songs for this ep., I came across several mentions to this track. I assumed it was by the other Superbus, but a quick listen let me know that I was sorely mistaken.

Z’s final interlude: “Noticeably absent thus far.”
Tell the truth: you were all waiting on “Fett’s Vette!”

Track 13: mc chris – “Fett’s Vette (Glenn Case Imperial Remix)” / “Star Wars According to a 3 Year Old Girl” clip
While Baddd Spellah’s is undoubtedly the definitive mix of this song, I have a soft spot for Glenn’s interpretation.

In a modern world, one devoid of myth and supernatural whimsy, epic tales of good versus evil and the weight of personal choice play an important role. In fact, I think that’s part of the appeal of things like the Star Wars saga.

Luke is our Hercules. Han is our Beowulf. Yoda is our John Henry.

But most importantly, C-3PO is the shiny guy. And the shiny guy always worries.

Me Geek Pretty TODAY!

At long last, Doctor Popular has favored the waiting masses with his latest masterpiece Me Geek Pretty One Day.

In Doc’s own words:

Me Geek Pretty One Day is Drown Radio's debut solo album. 18 songs, 6 ringtones, album art and wallpapers, plus four bonus tracks. The album boasts a diverse mix of nerdy rapsongs, circuit bent melodies, funny skits, mouth harps, electropop, chiptune, and even a sexy r&b track. MGPOD is a 42 minute album, not including the 12 minutes of extras such as the 8bit bEtty remix of lolCats and a Twistin' Cherry Stems remix by Anticon's Bomarr.

And while I’ve previously expressed my adoration for the disc, let me elucidate:

Me Geek Pretty One Day isn’t your average nerdcore album. Nor is it your typical bitpop, electroclash, or micromusic release; it is a whole new animal as varied and complex as the man who crafted it. But rather than redefine what you think about Drown Radio, it skillfully chooses to refine it. To a razor point.

A masterful blend of re-imagined versions of older Drown Radio cuts such as “Happy Valium Meal” and “A Brave New Essay” (an updated take on Doc’s seminal “Essay on the Wheels of Steel”); contemporary classics like “Gygax” and “lolCats”; top shelf collaborations with nerdcore giants T-Byte, MC Router, and Baddd Spellah; and Doc’s own indubitable musical machinations – “Mouth Party” and “NerdSong” are just a couple of my favorites – Me Geek Pretty One Day is easy to recommend at any price. The fact that you can scoop it for a mere $8, though, makes it a must-buy of the highest order.

Resplendent with head-bobbing hip-hop, off-kilter R&B, and an almost indescribable marriage of indie pop and 8-bit, it combines all your favorite Drown Radio ingredients into a delicious new recipe. Then it offers up cell phone ringtones and wallpapers as an uber-geeky after dinner drink.

You no doubt know Doc Pop as a yo-yo genius without peer. You may likewise know him to be a crafter and visual artist who knows no creative bounds. If you take a listen to Me Geek Pretty One Day – and, again, I can’t recommend that you do so highly enough – you’ll also discover that he is a consummate musician with an undeniable ear for melody, a lyricist with a veritable armada of witticisms at the ready, and a nerdy songwriter with a sound that is varied but never haphazard.

Take that eight bucks your were gonna blow on two gallons of gas and pick up Me Geek Pretty One Day instead. It’s a much better value, and I guarantee that it will take you on a far more satisfying journey.

More Random-ness

The fabulous Johnie Tidwell (of Cartoon Mogul fame) recently sent me a link to the promo for Random’s forthcoming release Patches and Glue. The full-length video for the album’s first single “Fly,” directed by the same Johnie Tidwell, is set to make an appearance soon, with the disc itself due out April 15th. Peep the hotness.

Big Bad World One

Despite the fact that our numbers pale in comparison to those of, say, Penny Arcade, I consider our intimate little group to be a community. Moreover, I consider the Hipster, please! populace to be uniquely eclectic. Sure, this blog has strong and undeniable roots in nerdcore hip-hop, but along the way we’ve managed to bring together various fans of VGM and WRock, electroclash and mash-ups, and a cast of freaks, geeks, lamers, and gamers the likes of which I can’t help but be proud of.

What I’m getting at is that we are, for better or worse, a meta-community. Much in the same way that any suitably downtrodden pariah can easily find a seat at the nerds’ table in your local high school’s cafeteria, we’ve somehow managed to attract folks from a number of disparate stratum to these meager digs. Because of this, I feel oddly indebted to those other, larger communities that have lent us their best and brightest or, failing that, their geekiest. And when the shit goes down, I like to think that HP readers will lend a hand to their fellow dorks.

I have very recently made the acquaintance of one ADeadHeart. In addition to being a parent, she is also a DJ at the “official unofficial” Kingdom of Loathing SHOUTcast station. Suffice it to say we tend to talk shop on both fronts.

Recently, the KoL community felt a great loss. A mother lost a child, in, perhaps, the grimmest way conceivable, and KoLers – and I can’t imagine that’s a crumulent word – have stepped in to help. While they certainly can’t mend all the emotional pain, they can help on a financial level, and that is exactly what they have set to do.

The Andrew Bailey Memorial Fundraiser is, in part, a silent auction to benefit Merrily Melson, known in KoL as Aces44. Items up for auction include, of course, various in-game and physical items from the warped world of Kingdom of Loathing, as well as such sundries as gamer art, jewelry, and signed CDs from Radio Free Hipster staples MC Frontalot and Schaffer the Darklord. Should you feel so led, check out the auction FAQ and get yourself up to speed on the bidding process. There’s some really great stuff available, and the money goes to an incredibly noble cause.

As the vast majority of you are crafters and musicians in your own rights, you also might consider donating some of your own wares. Sure, there is already a wealth of items available for bidding, but I know you guys; you always manage to bring something new and worthwhile to the table.

Lastly, if neither of the above is your thing, feel free to simply spread the word. Toss a link up in your favorite BBS, write a little post about the charity for your blog, or slap up a bulletin on MySpace. As Bob Geldof has already told us, sometimes it’s just as important to raise awareness as it is to raise money. Okay, maybe not as important, but it's important nonetheless.

At any rate, thanks for your time and attention. I appreciate it, ADH appreciates it, and you can be damned sure Aces44 appreciates it.

It’s a big bad world out there, and sometimes we all need a little support.

Nerd News in Brief

There is not a word for how exhausted I am; there is only a sound. That sound is an odd cross between a soft whimper and supernaturally thunderous snoring. Frightening, no?

I’ve been a little confused of late regarding the apparent failing of my memory. Why, for example, didn’t I recall all the sleepless nights I spent with Li’l X. back when he was, y’know, little before Miss Twiggy made her appearance known? Perhaps it was because just enough time had passed as to shadow those recollections in the darker corners of my mind. Perhaps, in retrospect, that age of exhaustion simply seemed inconsequential when compared to all the fun we’ve had in the years since. Perhaps we humans have a genetic failsafe in place to purposefully make us forget such inconveniences so that we will continue to procreate for the good of the species.

Honestly, I think I was just so goddamned tired that the events themselves failed to register.

• America’s Finest News Source: Nerdcore For Life has hit the big time. And by “big time” I mean the documentary has been mentioned in the only non-gaming periodical that I read regularly, The Onion. The only downside? Non commentary by Smoove B.
  
• Vindication!: Not too very long ago, I shared my thoughts on the NC4L doc on this very blog. Interestingly enough, one of the film’s stars – the undeniable YTCracker – also posted a mini review a few days back, and it looks like the original DG and I agree on a number of points. Great minds, and all that.
  
• He fronts the most: Church was nice enough to alert me to the fact that a recent episode of the Geek Cred podcast (ep. 20, for those of you keeping score at home) features an interview with our own MC Frontalot. And, if that doesn’t slake your geek culture podcast thirst, Matt suggests the This Week in Geek podcast. No Frontalot, I’m afraid, but there’s plenty of comic book talk to make up for it.
• 15 miles to the Dork Shack: Also from Church comes a link to this uniquely nerdy piece from the Athens Exchange. It outlines the best places to geek out in Athens, which, given, the high hipster count, can be challenging. While I gotta gives props for including a nod to the UGA Quidditch League, I fail to see what’s so nerdy about the Athens Beard and Mustache Club. Although maybe I’m just jealous.
• Let’s get it on: In his continued effort to touch on my favorite aspects of musical culture, Random is poised to release a Marvin Gaye tribute album. The first single “Hand Me Downs” is freely available, but only for a week. What are your still reading for?!
• Coming back for seconds: The follow-up to nYgel’s Nature’s Outcasts is “coming together a lot faster than expected.” As a huge fan of his previous effort, I can’t help but be excited. A quick look at the project’s rough track listing (and its staggering list of contributors) will ensure that you, too, will be equally jazzed about the prospect.
• To know him is to love him: While Beefy’s forthcoming album Rolling Doubles is, admittedly, taking longer than expected, the big guy has left us neither high nor dry. In the spirit of Wordburglar’s “Cream of Wheat,” Beefy has just released “Get to Know Me,” a “way chilled out random ass song.” Take a listen at his MySpace or bump the track at thesixtyone. (On second thought, just bump it at thesixtyone. I’ve got a lot of points riding on it.)
• And speaking of: Congrats to Wordburglar for his triumphant appearance in LA music mag URB’s “Next 100.” Check out this post in Rhyme Torrents for the full scoop, and then go buy his 2006 release Burglaritis. I’m serious. Go buy it.
• Wrock it: Congrats, also, to Wrockers The Weasel King and Split Seven Ways, this April’s Bands of the Month at Wizrocklopedia. SSS is a crazy prolific songwriter from the UK who, I can only assume, has released another album and 2 EPs in the time it’s taken you to read this, and The Weasel King is an American Wrocker who was kind enough to offer up a track to be (remixed and) included in the next Hipster, please! compilation.
• Accio wiki: And speaking of the ‘Pedia, behold the glory of the new Wrock Wiki! Lizz and her band of marry muggles are, as always, hard at work to make your quest for Wizard Rock knowledge a little easier, and this is yet another example. Thanks, as always, to Matt for keeping me up to snuff on all things Wizard Rock.
• With special guest stars: With the new Star Trek movie delayed, Church has proposed not one but two vids to tie you over in the interim. The first is a Federation take-off on an old TV classic, and the second… well, the second features Megos. ‘Nuff said.
  

Calling All Producers

Nearly six weeks after its initial release date, the new Hipster, please! compilation album Old Nerdy Bastard is still incomplete. Why? Simply put, the project is cursed! At some point in the past, I must have pissed off some gypsy, and the resulting hex has made it impossible for me to round up the final 1/3 of this project’s submissions. Those who have tried have fallen victim to hard drive crashes, scheduling woes, and boils. Okay, maybe not boils, but you get the picture.

With that in mind, I’m going to do the unthinkable; I am going to ask for open submissions. The reason I didn’t do this to being with is because, quite honestly, I hate telling people no. I don’t want anyone to get all worked up about contributing only to be told that the roster is already full, but this has proven a necessary evil. Not unlike the gypsy in the previous paragraph. It's a first-come, first-served affair. Hit me up and, if I've still got a slot open, we'll talk.

So, if you think you might be interested in taking a stab a remixing or mashing up one of the acappellas I have collected for the project – yes, I already have the source tracks picked out; if you don’t mind working under some fairly tight scheduling constraints; and if you don’t fear the supernatural, give me a yell. I can’t guarantee that this album is gonna be some huge hit and that everyone involved will be showered with accolades and tons of favorable press, but I can say that you’ll be taking part in a really cool project with some amazing contributors from across the nerdy music spectrum. I hope that’s enough.

While I’m adamant about including remixes of as many of the artists who were so kind as to share their vocal tracks with me as possible, I feel terrible about making those dozen DJs, producers, and remixers who worked their asses off to get me their submissions in a timely manner wait much longer before I share their phenomenal work. We need to light this candle and we need to light it soon.

So if you think you wanna dance, my card is open. Thanks for your time.

Her code is so clever

“My GF is…,” the debut single from Dual Core’s forthcoming album Lost Reality, has just been leaked on the newest edition of GeekDad’s HipTrax. How do I know? ‘Cause I’ve the fellow what leaked it!

In all seriousness, I’ve got to give mad nerd love to int eighty and c64 for letting me share the track via this geeky new avenue. As I said previously, HipTrax is all about trying to spread the good word of nerdy music to those not necessarily “in the know” about things like nerdcore, Wrock, and VGM.

This brand new Dual Core joint joins tracks from Peeved and The Four Eyes to complete what I truly think is a really fun episode, despite the fact that a lack of sleep made my accent even more nasally and pronounced. The ‘cast is super-short, so take a listen and let me know what you think.

Nerd News in Brief

It’s April 1st, which means I should, by rights, be pranking the hell out of you right now. But, honestly, I’m just too tired. Crafting an elegant and reasonably believable lie is hard work, and I’m a man who’s not exactly getting enough sleep at present.

As consolation, take a gander at this April Fool’s Day on the Web site that Church turned me on to. Just pick your favorite gag from there and pretend that I made it up. Things are always more fun when you factor in self-delusion.

• Oddly specific: To get me back in the swing of (hopefully) posting regularly again, here’s some nerd ink. Knuckle Tattoos features some tatts you know and some you may not.
• Looks who’s one!: Congrats to my pal Jason of the ever-so scholarly blog Geek Studies. That site just celebrated its one year blogiversary, and, as an avid reader, I honestly can’t imagine an Interwebs without it.
• Back and forth: Jason and fellow geeky blogger Matt are doing a little back and forth re: the nature of broader nerd culture. What’s more, it’s starting to pop up elsewhere. Suffice it to say there are ample opportunities for you to add your two cents.
• Rise from your grave: Last week, mc chris leaked the cover for his new album mc chris is dead. It’s a subtle and humorous piece by comic artist David Mack of Kabuki fame, and you really should check it out.
• Hawkeye + Ronin = Roneye: In other mc chris/comic book news, the rapper received a little fan service in New Avengers #39. Therein the hero formally known as Hawkeye can be seen wearing an mc chris t-shirt. How cool is that?
• All aboard the Airbus: Recently, Optimus Rhyme drummer grimROCK was nice enough to point out that Lyricswiki is now housing OR lyrics. While he couldn’t attest to the accuracy of said entries, it’s better than nothing for those of us who desperately want to know what motor-mouth Wheelie Cyberman is saying! (EDIT: Lyricswiki is Rickrolling today, so beware.)
• I’ve simply run out of puns: Whore Moans has released a new track over at his MySpace. Peep “Big Bad Moans,” produced by Apeman, and be amazed.
• The Fu is Epic: Random just hipped the RT community to another great SXSW interview with interview with Negin and MC Frontalot. The segment starts around 3:40, and, while it’s pretty short, Front is nice enough to namedrop folks like Jesse Dangerously, YTCracker, MC Lars, and Ran himself.
• Get me Barack: While neither musical nor overtly nerdy, my pal Church just posted a new vid that does lend veracity to Hillary’s latest claim. Feel the funny.

Nerd News in Brief

Now that we’ve had the baby the really difficult part begins in earnest. No, not raising her. I’m talking about picking a nickname. Hey, it’s tougher than it sounds!

At first I had pegged her as Spooky, because she’s got this really unsettling gaze that she unleashes from time to time. Usually right before a slightly tardy feeding or diaper change. The problem, of course, is that “Unsettling” ain’t much of a nickname and “Spooky” isn’t wholly accurate.

Then I settled on Pinky cause, y’know, she is. But that doesn’t fly ‘cause there’s already a Pinky that I blog about often.

Currently I’m going back and forth between Tootie and Twiggy. Both seem like pretty good nick’s, but I’m gonna wait a bit before I commit. Like I said, this shit is serious.

In the meantime, here’s a very brief Nerd News in Brief.

• Spun: Thanks to my old friend Darth Apu for letting me know that MC Frontalot, or rather the documentary about the man, garnered a mention in this month’s SPIN magazine. He says to look for “the tiniest mention” in the NOISE section on pages 33 and 34. It’s only a sentence, but at least it’s something.
• Getting elevated: Speaking of Nerdcore Rising, the lovely Nagin Farsad and the equally lovely Frontalot were recently interviewed for a really great piece over at Quirkee.com. It’s a helluva read that even touches on the eternal and ever-so sticky question of an inherently racist slant in nerdy rap. Thanks to Church for hipping me to this one.
• They really are: For a more personal piece on a recently released nerdy music movie, check out Lizz’s take on We Are Wizards. While the doc’s already garnered some really complimentary press, this will give you the opinions of a seriously informed Wrock aficionado. Check it out.
• Accio tour help!: Wizard Rock sirens Lena and Lauren are coming to your town. Hopefully. The trick is you gotta help them get hooked with a venue. Apparently many of the libraries they’ve contacted thus far haven’t been too quick with the callbacks, so if you’ve got an in at any of the cities in question why not help the ladies out? Oh, and don’t forget to friend the tour mates on MySpace. Make like Matt and Church and give the Wrockers some love!
• Taking a leak: Late last week I became the first person to receive a copy of Dual Core’s forthcoming release Lost Reality. I’m not at liberty to say anything about at present; I mostly just wanted to gloat. Fuck-to-the-yeah! What I can tell you is that the album will be officially released on April 4th (at Notacon 5 in Cleveland), and that you should expect a review from me shortly thereafter. Not to spoil anything, but, uh, it’s good. Real good. And the guest artists will shock and amaze!
• Something blue?: In other album news, Ultraklystron just dropped a collection of some old and new covers called Imitate. The EP features Karl’s amazing cover of Lupe Fiasco’s “Daydreamin’” that appeared on the Hipster, please! compilation Nerdcore Undercover as well as his amazing and hilarious cover of Beefy’s “Nerdcore For Life.”
• The saga continues: Rhyme Torrents mastermind and imbiber of all controlled substances High-C just put out the official call for last Rhyme Torrents disc. High-C explicitly mentioned that he wants to make sure this one top shelf, featuring “high-bitrate, well-mastered, expertly-crafted, funky-yet-nerdy-yet-not-contrived, pieces de' resistance.” The album release will coincide with this year’s Nerdapalooza in Orlando, and thus will no doubt attract some serious attention. Interested parties are directed, as always, to the RT boards.
• 2 Legit: Big up to the one and only Random, whose Mega Ran album has now been officially licensed by Capcom! While Ran admits “knowing you are not gonna get sued has to be the best feeling in the world,” a little heartfelt congratulations form the scene couldn’t help but make things all the sweeter. Head over to Random’s MySpace to give him a virtual pat on the back.
• Wherein being a sellout is a good thing: Previously, Dan announced that Nerdcore For Life would be making its world premiere Saturday, April 5th at the Wisconsin Film Fest. New news from the NC4L camp has just come to light concerning the tickets for this event; after being on sale for less than two weeks, all 199 tickets to the screening have sold out! Head over the doc’s MySpace and give them a hearty “well done” as well!
• Me too: On a more personal note, the first episode of my new Wired project, GeekDad’s HipTrax, has garnered a significant number of downloads and some really great feedback. Thanks to everyone who checked it out and double-thanks to everyone who helped me spread the word. Keep your eye on your aggregators next week when ep. 2 drops. I really think you’ll dig it.
• What’s pink and sucks?: The other Z – you know, the one who hasn’t been shirking her duties over the past week – has a new edition of her enchanting classic game review series Little Miss Gamer. Check out Z’s thoughts on Kirby’s Adventure and be summarily charmed.
  

We have achieved babytude!

I think I'll call her Pinky.
--Z.

Before I depart…

Tomorrow is Baby Day.

Okay, I’m not sure if that is a wholly crumulent holiday, but it is when I expect the arrival of the latest edition to the Family Z. But before I begin boiling water and gathering clean towels, let me take care of a few last minute announcements.

First and foremost: Nerdapalooza ’08! Hot off the (virtual and/or totally imaginary) press is info from my pal Hex. According to the press release I have in-hand, last night on the live Nerdapalooza podcast, “it was announced that both LogicOne and MC Frontalot are confirmed for the July show of Nerdapalooza Southeast 2008; that the other tentative large-scale nerdcore show (INFO2k8 ) will be merged with Nerdapalooza; and that tickets [are now on sale and have been set for] $25 for the entire weekend.” Be forewarned that there are only 300 tickets available for purchase and that ticket prices will certainly rise as the event’s date draws nigh. Check out the Nerdapalooza blog for further details.

Next, let us take a moment to mourn the loss of another geek icon. Visionary sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke passed away yesterday evening. At 90, he had lived a full and exciting life, and, as the writer of such nerdy touchstones as 2001: A Space Odyssey, he no doubt trashed better fiction than most of us will ever even conceive, much less commit to paper. Clark was a futurist who wrote about our tech-heavy era years before even the faintest glimmer of this digital world took shape in the public eye. Moreover, he always endeavored to keep the science in science fiction. Not that's nerdcore.

And lastly, on what I at least hope is a happier note, the latter half of this week should see not one, but two births within my little family. No, Em isn’t having twins. (And damn you for even thinking that!) In addition to a new baby, we will also be welcoming to the world a brand new podcast. With the help – and, indeed, at the urging – of Ken Denmead, my friend and editor from Wired, GeekDad and Hipster, please! have activated their Wonder Twins powers to bring you another geeky music podcast. GeekDad’s HipTrax is a bi-weekly mini-cast that features a small, family friendly selection of songs from the realms of nerdcore, geek rock, chiptunes, VGM, and Wizard Rock, as well as a little dialog about the artists and their respective scenes. I like to think of it as a more accessible alternative to my long-running Radio Free Hipster: the Nintendo Wii to RFH’s Sega Dreamcast, if you will. Episode 1 should premiere later this week with a kick-ass new theme song from Canadian Beat Ninja Snake Eyes. Keep an eye on the Geekdad blog in rapt anticipation.

Wherein I beg for assistance

Dear Internet,

Please don’t revoke my geek card or anything, but I need your help. You see, the new firmware update for the EZFlashV, my DS slot 1 solution of choice, is now available and it includes auto DLDI patching for homebrew games. I love me some homebrew games and I’m really, really jazzed about the option of not having to patch the damn things manually.

Unfortunately, I’m currently using version 1.66, and the 1.7 kernel (AKA: the new hotness) includes the bootstrap loader updater that requires I follow some very specific instructions so as not to brick my card.

Said instructions are, sadly, less than clear. Observe:

Bootstrap loader upgrade instruction

Don't extract the EZ5SYS.BIN in the 1.68 package to your MicroSD root folder unless you already meet the condition 1 and 2

1. Your EZ5 cart must already updated to boot from EZ5SYS.bin. if you used the EZ5SYS.bin rename to EZ5UPLDR.bin update before. please update the smaller EZ5UPLDR.bin in the 1.68 package. the bootstrap loader update will not start unless the cart use the EZ5SYS.bin boot method.

2. Charge your DS power to full, connected with a charger will be better.

3. After you meet the above two conditions, extract the EZ5SYS.bin to your MicroSD root folder, put MicroSD into EZ5, EZ5 into DS, power up EZ5 as usual, the upgrade process will automatic start check the bootstrap loader version and upgrade. the process cost 3-5 seconds, Don't power off warning will displayed on the screen. power off DS while upgrade in the processing will cause your EZ5 cart bricked permanently. EZ5 will boot in desktop after upgrade. you can safe power off your DS now.

4. to verify the bootstrap loader version. just check the EZ5 boot menu by boot up EZ5 while R key pressed.
Black BG and big white font means older version, deepblue BG and small white font means new version.

5. Upgrade prcess only show one time, once you upgraded sucessful, it never show up again. please use 1.68 kernel as usual. even rename it and flash it to chip will be ok.

Since I don’t speak English as a second language as a second language, that all seems a little opaque to me. Anyone care to explain ‘em to poor little clueless me?

Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.

Nerd News in Brief

Two words, folks: baby imminent.

Yep, apparently that little gal is coming out this week whether she wants to or not. Whether by her own volition or through the medical wonders of induction, the family Z. should have a new member by week’s end.

And I am terrified.

Li’l X. is 3, which means I’ve had just enough time to totally forget all the shit you need to know when you have an infant around. Plus, she’s a girl! There’s a whole new bunch of stuff I’ve gotta learn right there! It’s a logistical nightmare! Like that whole front-to-back thing. Who knew?! I certainly didn’t.

But I digress.

Just let me explicitly state that you folks probably won’t be hearing a lot from me this week. I’ll do my best to keep you in the baby loop, but I can’t promise too much more.

I’m sure you understand.

• CongressMonkey?: Leave it to Church to send me a link to a post from this CNet blog about Democratic Representative Bill Foster of the 14th Congressional District of Illinois. Not only is Foster “a physicist with a Ph.D. from Harvard,” but apparently dude’s got teh mad coding skillz. (Note the z.)
• No sleep ‘til: Brooklyn’s The Depreciation Guild will be performing on Thursday, March 20th at Galapagos (70 N6th St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY) at the first of this week’s Crashin’ In parties. The party runs from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM with a meager $8 admission. The Guild takes the stage at 9:30. See the Crashin’ In site for more details and a full band list.
• Feed the tree: In less sunny gig news, Matt, otherwise known as Wrocker The Whomping Willows, is looking for a little fan assistance re: his Easter weekend gig in Columbus, Ohio. Whompy says, “I booked next week's show at Skully's literally three months ago. I assumed everything was cool, and I've been really excited about it because Skully's is a great place to play. However, they apparently just realized that next Sunday is Easter and that might affect attendance. So, the booker sent me an email stating that we, the bands, have to pay the club's production costs upfront if we want to play the show, otherwise they will cancel.” As anyone who’s ever gigged independently can attest, pay-to-play is shit, so Matt is hoping that Columbus area fans that are planning to attend will contact Skully’s at 614.291.8856 to let them know that Wrock does have a following in Ohio and that he won’t be playing to an empty house. Help a brother out.
• The Prodigal Son: Those of you hoping to catch the high-toned honky known as mc chris live and in concert are in for a treat. Not only will mc be playing this year’s Warped Tour, he’ll also be touring before and after the festival. Perhaps most surprisingly, mc chris will be returning to the PAX stage this year! Crazy, no?! Personally, I’m positively dizzy with questions, the most obvious of which is, of course, will Optimus Rhyme also be on the bill? Keep a keen eye on the PAX site for more news.
• So indie that his shirt don’t fit: Are you wondering where Drown Radio’s Me Geek Pretty One Day album is? You ain’t alone! Doc recently posted an update about the project and it’s delayed release at his site. Check it out and reap the rewards of another free single. That oughta curb your bellyachin’! ;)
• Your dreams were your ticket out: Don Vito has dropped a new demo at his profile over at thesixtyone that you definitely need to hear. It features The Ranger, T.Y.T. and MC Gigahertz and it is called “Welcome Back to the Web.” Take a listen and then feel free to let me know what clever Welcome Back, Kotter headline you would’ve attached to this piece.
• Why I love The Moaning Myrtles – Reason # 467: Today’s vid come compliments of Matt, my direct link to the wonderful world of Wizard Rock. It features The Moaning Myrtles, a group whose praises I have sung in the past, getting their groove on at the Hallows & Horcruxes Ball. Pay close attention around the 4 minute mark, when Wrapping commences.
  
  

Nerd News in Brief

There are lots of different types of nerds, and many of them are what you might call handy. You know the type: crafters, engineers, tinkerers and the like. Guys and gals who are good with their hands and can build or fix or mod damn-near anything swell within our ranks. This is a nerdy trait, to be sure.

Unfortunately, I seemed to have been shorted in this particular area.

Last night, in preparation for that ever-approaching due date, I decided it might be a good idea to put the new infant car seats in our automobiles. I was able to get both properly installed, but only after hours of arduous work and a string of profanities that blanketed the neighborhood like a wicked fog.

Truthfully, I felt a little bad about that – the problem with the safety seats, not the swearing – but then I remembered that each of us has a different dorky skillset. Mine, it just so happens, doesn’t generally lend itself to physical labor. Unfortunately, writing a well researched 5 paragraph essay about car seats just doesn’t seem to get the damn things installed.

• Nerdy politics update: Thanks to my always helpful associate Church for hipping me to another in what’s becoming a veritable avalanche of geeky political stories during this election year. Apparently, Obama is a Star Trek fan. Suddenly, all the nerdy musician endorsements make since!
• Anarchy in the UK: Dan (of NC4L) is looking for UK nerdcore artists. Not to be in the film, mind you, which is pretty much already done, but to talk to an English reporter doing an article on the genre. If you fit the bill and would like to have Dan pass on your contact info to this gent – who writes, coincidentally, for a “big paper” – contact Dan via RT or email him at Nerdcoreforlife-at-gmail-dot-com.
• Twilight to Midnight: UK game rockers Spheres of Chaos have just released an excellent new EP through their Netlabel Pterodactyl Squad. Check out Stratospheria – particularly shit-hot track “Megafauna” – as well as the label’s other free VGM and chiptune albums. Where so much of game-related music is heavily bent toward well-worn classics, Pterodactyl offers something truly unique: original compositions and non-traditional (read: independent or non-existent) game soundtracks. Definitely take a listen!
• Sweet home Tacoma: MC Gigahertz is playing a gig next week in his native Tacoma, WA at Bob's Java Jive (2102 S Tacoma Way). Fellow MCs 508 Disturbance are also on the bill. The show starts at 9:00 PM on Friday, March 21st, and it’s 3 bones at the door. This is a 21+ affair, so be legal or at least look that way.
• Too much (Donky Business): Much nerd love to my pal Hex for hipping me to borderline ridiculous but no less awesome mash-up album Donkey Business by Norwegian Recycling, an album that he was introduced to via my home-skillet Ant from GM4A. The crux of the album is that the producer took songs from the Donkey Kong Country franchise and mashed them with acappellas from Eminem, Skee-Lo, Jurassic 5, and the like. Even better: it’s free!
• All nerd, all the time: The Spork of Rocket Propelled Geeks just announced that Rocket Propelled Radio – the net’s first 24-hour all nerd music station – now has its own site. Check it out. Request some songs. Waste company time and company bandwidth while simultaneously getting your geek on. Oh, what a world we live in!
• geek.film: This year’s SXSW saw its fair share of nerdy music represented, particularly with regard to the film portion of the event. The Wrock tinged We Are Wizards, the chippy Blip Festival: Reformat the Planet, The Front-a-licious Nerdcore Rising, and the MMORPG centered Second Skin (which totally counts in this context as it includes a track by my man Random), are all coming out of the festival with positive reviews and healthy buzz. Congrats to the stars, crews, and filmmakers all around. Now please show these docs somewhere within driving distance of my locality!
• Spokane for (C’mon, that punny!): And to take us into the weekend, here’s another little piece of documentary news. Thanks go out to my bro Matt for reminding me of the recent announcement concerning the Wizard Rockumentary. The film will be premiering in nerd Mecca Spokane, WA at 11:59 PM on April 11th, 2008 at the Garland Theatre. Check out the trailer below and find your appetite for geeky music docs once again whetted.

Nerd News in Brief

My lovely wife is currently what can only be termed crazy pregnant. A lady should not be required to be as pregnant as she is right now. It just seems inhumane. Unnatural. Patently uncomfortable.

How a woman can carry an ever-growing child for nine months, and then, when it reaches its largest point, pass it in front of a room full of strangers, and not totally hate the frail, wailing creature that results is sort of amazing to me. And let us not forget that my wife’s already done this once before. She totally knows what she’s getting into.

Suffice it to say, in her current state, Em isn’t exactly in the mood for my unique brand of bullshitery. As such, I spend even more time than usual tending to Li’ X. or, failing that, entertaining myself.

To that end, I just purchased Super Smash Brothers Brawl. Should you care to take a hand at beating the ever-loving hell out of me via online multiplayer, my code is 1246-8385-6262. But don’t get pissed if I have to cut out of a match in a hurry. At this point childbirth is imminent.

• Roll 1d20 for all the friends that I made: No sooner had I completed RFH 41 than I discovered that Doctor Popular had made his own tribute to Gary Gygax. Fuck! That totally should’ve been in the show! Check it out at thesixtyone or at the Drown Radio site to find out why.
• Preliminary pimpage: On a related note, Doc also graced me with a sneak preview of his new album Me Geek Pretty One Day, and it’s pretty damn phenomenal. He manages to cover hip-hop, glitchy instrumentals, slightly skewed R&B, and even indie pop ably! Plus, there are a ton of extras, and, though they’re optimized for his fellow iPhone users, the MP3 ringtones and wallpaper work fine on other phones as well. But I’ve said too much! More on this as the release date draws nigh.
• Easter gig = obligatory Peeps joke: funky49, Redvoid, Krondor Krew, and Emergency Pizza Party will be playing at The Uptown Bar in St. Petersburg on Saturday, March 26th. The flyer boasts music, alcohol, foosball, and bunnies. For three bucks a head, that’s a pretty sweet setup.
• Why Can't I Shoot The Dog?: Comedy rap act Sudden Death has, at long last, released its new album Fatal Error. Priced at $9.99 for 16 tracks, 2 bonus songs, a video interview, and a video game, it’s a pretty easy sell. Sudden Death will also be playing some gigs that may (or may not) be in your area: 3/28-3/30 - Memphis, TN @ MidSouthCon, 4/4-4/6 - Stony Brook, NY @ I-CON, 4/25-4/27 - Richmond, VA @ RavenCon, and 7/4 - Orlando, FL @ Nerdapalooza II.
• So rad the extra d is canonical: Geeky rockers Totally Radd! also have some shows lined up in the near future, starting tonight in Las Vegas at Revolution Lounge in the Mirage. The rest of the itinerary breaks down as such: 3/12/08 - Santa Fe, NM @ High Mayhem, 3/15/08 - Austin, TX @ NYLON Magazine Party, 3/16/08 - Austin, TX @ Emo’s, and 3/18/08 - Phoenix, AZ @ Ruby Room with The Minibosses!
• Behind my whiskers: The collective bane of Dr. Wily’s existence, The Protomen, are also playing a number of gigs, specifically in Illinois. Here it go: 3/27/08 - Chicago @ Empty Bottle, 3/28/08 – Chicago @ Ronny's, 3/29/08 - Springfield, IL @ Black Sheep. They also have a new song up for free download. It’s about beards. I’m totally not making this shit up.
• A winner is he: Last month, mc chris was interviewed by a program called The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, of which he is an alum. You can check out all three parts of the interview at mc’s site, and you can view a young Chris Ward's award winning piece at nerdcore.info.
  
• Help a sister out: On the Wrock side of the fence, Matt reminded me to mention that Lena of The Butterbeer Experience is lobbying to be included, on some level, in the process of scoring Warner Brother’s take on the final chapter in the Harry Potter series. It’s a long shot and petitions like this don’t have the best track record, but dreams, my friends, are made of sturdy stuff! Peep Wizrocklopedia for the full story, and offer your signature to the cause if the spirit moves you.
  
• New hotness: nYgel, no doubt sensing that I needed something to listen to, recently posted a new remix. Check out his MySpace for the “Hardly Tell Remix” featuring YTCracker, Elijah Lucian, Conyeezy, and what appears to be the guitar hook from the chorus of Weezer’s “Say it Ain’t So.” Also on nYg’s MySpace player are around 1/3 of the tracks off his forthcoming release Free to a Good Home. You’ll wanna check these out.
• ALL CAPS: Rhyme Torrents moderator Attack Slug also just dropped a new track. It features KABUTO and is called “Insanity.” He’s also made an acappella available in case other producers want to take a stab at remixing it.
• Not to be confused with Scott: Via my pal Ant from GM4A, La Rock Inc. Records has a new compilation album coming out on April 8th featuring the likes of Dual Core and Square Wail. Moreover, each week La Rock will be posting tracks from the album on their MySpace player for your enjoyment. Check it out and spread the word.
• Incontrovertibly pimp: And to wrap things up, here a little vid that Church hipped me to from nerdcore icon Monzy. It’s called “So Fucking Pimp.” And it is indeed.
  

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 41: The There be (Dungeons &) Dragons Mixtape

Interestingly enough, this episode got its start as an actual mixtape. A group of my friends from high school do a regular CD swap a few times a year, and this was to be one of my submissions. Unfortunately, it sort of ran out of steam and set unfinished for months, silently mocking me from its seemingly insignificant folder on my desktop.

Given that my free time is further dwindling due to the eminent birth of our new arrival, I struck upon the idea to turn it into a podcast, to build on what I already had and make a second RFH mixtape. The WFWFTW mix was, by leaps and bounds, my most popular episode to date and folks regularly ask me for another. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to give the people what they want.

And then, right in the middle of my fevered editing, Gary died, making this edition a little more relevant.

The final product is, in part, a memorial to Gygax. However, in a broader sense, it’s more a love letter to the tabletop gamer.

Some of these tracks are explicitly about or specifically mention Dungeons & Dragons. Some are about other, related games. Some of them simply contain the sort of fantastic storytelling and toothless aggression that we dice-slingers know and love. And some ably mock our pastime and our attitudes. But let us remember, that in order to properly scorn the geek lifestyle, one must have an intimate knowledge of our culture and rituals. To adequately crack wise at our expense generally outs you as one of us. We’re bulletproof in that regard.

This episode feels a bit less cohesive than its predecessor. In fact, it sounds to me more like a collection of loose musical vignettes bound together by the dialogue from that classic Dead Alewives bit. A series of modules, if you will, which I imagine most of you may find fitting.

As I know you might not be intimately familiar with all of the included tracks, here are the customary show notes to let you know those responsible for the musical portion of this mix. Some of them might seem almost profanely ungeeky, but trust me; they each play a role.

Questions and comments regarding this edition (or damn near anything else you may find of interest) are encouraged, and your time and consideration are, as always, appreciated.

And for the record, you won’t be punished with an experience penalty for listening to this across multiple sittings. I am nothing if not a fair DM.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 41: The There be (Dungeons &) Dragons Mixtape [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 68.3 MB Running Time: 1:14:40

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)” / funky49 – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (Cover – Redux)

I decided to include the “theme song gets fucked up because it’s a mixtape and not a regular edition” motif again. My pal funky49 was nice enough to do his own cover version of the track, and this seemed like good time to use it. If anyone else is interested in putting their own spin on the theme, I may decide to make using alternate themes a habit for special mixtape eps.

Background Music :
The background music used behind Crystal’s introduction is from the classic D&D arcade/Saturn title Shadow Over Mystara. It seemed only fitting.

Track 1: A Tribe Called Quest – “Scenario”
Busta Rhymes spouting “Raaaahr raaaahr like a dungeon dragon” is universally agreed on as one of hip-hop’s nerdiest moments.

Track 2: The Misfits – “London Dungeon”
I decided early on that, in addition to songs about/referencing gaming, I also wanted some songs about dragons. It seemed only fitting, then, that I also had some about dungeons.

Track 3: Frontalittle Squad – “Saving Throw”
Yes; that really is Tycho rapping the last verse. He is multitalented.

Track 4: Shael Riley – “Down with Bane”
Not only does this one cover D&D, it also references a number of classic White Wolf franchises. Shael has tabletop acumen to spare.

Track 5: Jay-Zeezer – “Allure in the Garage” / Weezer – “In the Garage” / FLomid – “In the Garage”
This is what I like to call my “In the Garage” medley. Sure, many of us actually gamed in the kitchen or den, but I felt it worked in context.

Track 6: ZeaLouS1 – “Double Dragon (feat. Super Dragon X)”
From Z1’s Collaboc1de; this one features SDX of Metamystiks. It is fierce.

Track 7: Swollen Members – “Red Dragon Whoa”
Swollen are another act that ain’t exactly “nerd music,” but I love the band, the song, and the way that it rolls out of the “Double Dragon.” Plus, I’ve always thought that MMI and Swollen Members have a certain level of lyrical aggression in common.

Track 8: Brad Neely – “Be Aggressive Brad”
A last minute addition, I’m almost shamed to say. In retrospect, I don’t know why it wasn’t on the original playlist.

Track 9: Queen – “Dragon Attack (1991 Bonus Remix by R.A.K. and Jack Benson)”
What can I say? What nerd doesn’t love Queen?

Track 10: Grandmaster Pink & Diabolik – “Rollin 20’s”
This is the song that singlehandedly started the whole project. One of Pink and D’s best.

Track 11: Mazedude – “Kid Icarus Funky Dungeon OC ReMix”
More dungeon-y goodness courtesy of OverClocked ReMix. I love the music from Kid Icarus, and this really drives home how enchanting those melodies truly are.

Track 12: DragonForce – “Storming the Burning Fields”
Nerd metal at its finest, or, at least, its most accessible. I think a lot of people probably never even realized this group existed until Guitar Hero 3. While their style is borderline obnoxious, you really have to respect their talent.

Track 13: Taika – “Shining in the Darkness: Down in the Dungeon Just Creatures and Me OC ReMix”
Once again, when you want quality songs about dungeons, look no further than OCR!

Track 14: Dorothée – “Sourire du Dragon”
The theme song from the French language version of the old cartoon.

Track 15: Krondor Krew – “I Play D&D”
I could not, in good conscience, make a Dungeons & Dragons podcast without including this one. Krondor Krew love them some RPGs. Shinobi’s bit at the end is one of my favorite moments of this podcast.

Track 16: Mastodon – “Crystal Skull”
Though obviously not a nerd metal outfit, Mastodon boasts some of the most dork-friendly sci-fi/fantasy concept albums of the modern age. They also appeared in the ATHF movie, which gives them nerd points whether they want ‘em or not.

Track 17: Lords of the Rhymes – “Orc Interlude”
Technically, this song should’ve probably been about Ogres, but I think that a LOTR track was long overdue by this point.

Track 18: Beefy – “Tabletop”
From Beef’s forthcoming album Rolling Doubles. He was nice enough to leak the track to me for inclusion. Okay, so maybe leak isn’t wholly correct.

Track 19: Stephen Lynch – “D and D”
I’m not a real big fan of Lynch, but the song was fitting. Plus, he’s funnier than Dane Cook. But then again, so are most things.

Background Music:
Crystal’s second bit is backed up by music from Tower of Doom, SoM’s sequel.

Track 20: Uncle Monsterface – “(thank you) Gary Gygax”
Uncle Monsterface conceded to let me use their new tribute track as an outro. It seemed like a fitting place to end. Much thanks to the band for favoring me with the song.

The Zen of JoCo

A couple of weeks back I had the good fortune to interview nerd troubadour Jonathan Coulton for GeekDad. I’m not sure if it’ll go down in the annals of dork history as a defining moment of music blogging or anything, but Jonathan was great and I think the piece really came together. It was posted this morning, so head on over and take a look. If you feel so inclined, feel free to Digg or Stumble or… um… Reddit… Redd… Redditit… Okay, I have no idea what the proper verb tense of "Reddit" is in this situation.

At any rate, links to relevant social bookmarking sites are at the end of the post. Lemme know what you think.