007 Minus One of the 0's. Zero 7...

Zero 7

British producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker studied sound engineering and basically worked their way from the ground up in the music industry working alongside artists such as The Pet Shop Boys and Robert Plant, and gradually they began releasing their own stuff. Their good buddy Nigel Godrich (him again), helped them get their foot in the door. Their first EP was released in 1999 and it was called, get this, EP1. Yeah. Those witty Brits. EP1 featured remixes of songs by Sneaker Pimps, Lenny Kravitz, Lambchop, and Radiohead. Few copies were made, but they were snatched up almost as quickly as they were released. They subsequently released a second EP entitled ... are you ready for this .... EP2.

In 2001 the released their first album called Simple Things on which they collaborated with Sia Furler and Sophia Baker. Critics were ga-ga for the release, and it was nominated for multiple awards including the Mercury Music Prize. Their sophomore effort, When It Falls, was released in 2004 and saw the duo collaborating with the same vocalists as on Simple Things with the addition of Danish singer Tina Dico. 

For their third album, Binns and Hardaker told all their previous collaborators to hit the road so they could get back to basics as a duo. So on The Garden, they only worked with Furler, and brought on some new guy named Jose Gonzalez (who's he?).  Then in 2007 they released Yeah Ghost with a similar sound to The Garden but with a decidedly more upbeat sound.

Their stuff has been featured on television shows like House, CSI, and Sex and the City, as well as movies such as Garden State, and Blue Crush.

I think they are pretty amazing. Their sound says "I want to get my groove on" but "I don't want to get off the couch to do so." It's a mellow laid back blend of acid-jazz and trip-hop that creates a unique soundscape that also could easily be classified in the "shoegazer" aisle. Binns and Hardaker rarely provide vocals as they rely on other artists for this mundane task, and they also have several instrumental tracks in case vocals aren't your thing. Oh and by the way, they got the name from some bar in Honduras. 

So the next time your list of things to do includes chilling out and listening to soothing music, or you are in need of some nice background soundscape music, spin some zero 7.

Here's a clip from Garden State that features the song "In The Waiting Line" (This song will seep into your pores). Please don't watch if drugs and make-out scenes get your panties in a wad...

Here's a G-rated version of the entire  song..




And this song is called "Give IT Away" and will mellow yo tense-ass out





What do you listen to to chill?

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My Basement is Flooded....

... with awesome music B-Yotch!

Nigel Godrich is my new hero. I mean this guy pisses awesomeness. Not only has he produced some bands like R.E.M., the Sundays, Paul McCartney, AIR, and some other band whose name I can't seem to recall immediately, he's also recently started playing in Atoms For Peace, and to top it all off he's created a podcast/tv program featuring bands and artists that don't suck playing in an intimate environment sans host or audience. It's called From the Basement and it's like you're there at a practice session with cool people like Beck, My Morning Jacket, Jose Gonzalez, Cold War Kids, Radiohead, The White Stripes, The Shins, Sonic Youth, Fleet Foxes, Queens of the Stoneage, Gnarls Barkley, and Jarvis Cocker. Sweet Jesus that's some amazing stuff!!

The format is very laid back and really shows a different side to music performance. It's not some huge arena staged production, quite the contrary. These bands just set up in a small studio and do they thang. It also captures some banter between band mates that mere mortals are seldom privy to. It's just a great program.

The initial idea was to release the episodes as podcasts on itunes. That failed to produce enough revenue to support the show. Now the shows can bee seen on random networks here in good 'ole Amurica and also overseas. A video compilation of several of the performances is available here, but if you're wetting yourself with excitement and can't wait, I've provided a few samples here for you to enjoy. After you view them you WILL be cooler...

Did Ya see that?! That. Just. Happened.

Dude is like buttah...









Did that rock? Yeah it did...

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Oh Joy! Thom Yorke's New Band Has A Name And A Tour!

Aaaah Yeeeah! Thom Yorke has come up with a name for his new band. Is it The Erasers?....... Noooooo. Is. It. The Yorkies? ..... Noooo. It Is.............

Atoms For Peace.

Ok. Fine. Cool. Whatever. What is even cooler is that they are going on tour. Mind you it's a very small tour, but a tour none the less.

So who is in the band? Well Thom plays geetar, piano, and sing. Radiohead's longtime pal and producer Nigel Godrich does something but I don't really know what. Then there's Mauro Refosco who is the percussionist. Joey Waronker is the drummer and he has played with R.E.M., Beck, Smashing Pumpkins, and Walt Mink (whoever that is). Oh yeah, and there's some bass player named Tick. Wait, no Flea. Yeah Flea, Flea that's right.

The tour dates can be found here. I doubt I will see any of this live. Shit. Damn. Rats. But, here's a little sample of the one show that his band has done so far. Quality sucks, but you get the idea

What bands would you like to see live?

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... Down the Rabbit Hole

My daughter is having a birthday party next week to go see this movie. I'm invited. This is good because this movie looks cool. Visually it looks a bit disturbed and goth in typical Tim Burton fashion. I've always wondered though, how in the hell did an LSD inspired story become a children's classic. Srrrsly. I mean there's some fucked up shit in this story. Just like in Alice, didn't Jefferson Airplane sing some song about one pill or drink or something making you small and the other making you tall? Didn't they? Yeah they did, and we all know they did enough acid to keep the rest of us trippin' for a year or so. Thus is the content of Alice.

And what the hell was that caterpillar smoking. That funky worm was sitting on a (mu)shroom smoking on a hookah. No wonder his ass flew off. I mean, what's a great children's story without copious drug references? Hmmm.

I digress. In the spirit of Pan's Labyrinth, this appears to be a visually stunning adult oriented fairy tale. I'm looking forward to it.

What films have you seen that visually don't suck?

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Let Me Tell Ya 'Bout The Bird and the Bee...

I’m always looking for new stuff to listen to. I have to. I live in Nashville, and my ears are under constant assault by some country music “artiste” who wants me to shake my honky tonk ba-donk-a-donk, informs me that they are “coming to your ci-tay”, or is espousing the benefits of a “red-neck wo-man” lifestyle. It’s tough, but somehow I get by.

... and it’s finds like these that make life in country music ground zero tolerable. Aaah the Bird and the Bee. Not Bees. Bee. This little duo from, ahem, L.A., is the cure for what ails ya. The bird is this combo is Inara George, daughter of the late Lowell George founder of Little Feat, and the bee is Greg Kurstin.

Kurstin is a producer and keyboardist who has worked with the likes of The Flaming Lips (Sweet), Beck (Double Sweet), Kylie Minogue (Eh), and The Red Hot Chili Peppers (I like their socks). The collaboration began when George and Kurstin were working on George’s solo album.

I would describe their music as techno-jazz-synth-pop. It delicately strokes your eardrum like fizzy soda pop and makes your brain feel like you just stood up too fast. George’s voice is like a narrator from a dream. It is light and airy, and tends to put you in a bit of a trance from which you are bitch-slapped back into reality by the lyrics. What did she just say? Will you be my fucking boyfriend? uh, maybe.. And then she politely begs of us to "get up and dance" to the "crazy kick-ass beat". She’s only looking out for our best interests.

Their tunes have been cool enough to be featured on TV shows like Bones (I have no idea what that is) and Grey’s Anatomy (unfortunately I do know what that is), and they have performed live on The Tonight Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

Would you please, would you please, would you please clap your hands.

The Bird and the Bee - Polite Dance Song

Eric | MySpace Video

This song is my fav, but the video is a bit odd. Retro, but odd

and here is a low quality cover of a Hall and Oates song. Can you dig it?

What's new to you these days?

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Your Star Wars got in my Snatch! Your Snatch got in my Star Wars!!!

I truly LOVE both of these films. From Bricktop's fucking foul mouth, and the uber-cool soundtrack of Snatch, to the sticky bun hairdo of Princess Lea and epic struggle of good vs evil and brother and sister making out of Star Wars, these films are cinematic gold.

So some blessed soul with too much free time took the initiative to combine these two cinematic gems into comic genius. Please take a moment to savor this You Tube nugget you "fucking pratt!!'

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