2 with ten – the letter b
ok, on to the letter B. b is a tough letter cos there are a ton of b bands i would like to play. i know i said i would try to play songs that also started with that letter but i’ve decided to bag that idea – too difficult and besides, i really want to play the songs that initially hooked me to these bands. some of the songs i post may indeed be the band’s most popular one and in that case i guess u can say i have agreed with the masses….shoot me.
Blonde Redhead. i first heard this band via an ex gf – hmmm i see a pattern developing, maybe that’s the role girls have come to play in my life…bearers of music rather than children. blonde redhead formed in ny in 93 and have since become a 3 piece with no bass player. the italian brothers in this band are also twins. i have an italian twin brother as well. it would have been nice to have been in a band with my italian twin…but probably just a trio like br cos 3 is a visually great # for compositions. my favorite br song is equus but magic mountain is a real close second. equus is such a great name for a song. i have grown to love this band – talk about an original and distinctive sound. the love or hate it aspect to this band is kazu makino’s voice. it’s fucked up, give it a chance.
Boards of Canada. if you arent into electronic music then u might not understand how great this pair of scottish dudes are. i first heard about boc from a guy who moved into the apt across the hall from me when i lived near the troubadour. he gave me all their cds and it quickly became bedtime background music. the song i posted is called roygbiv. u guys know what that is right – short for the colors of the spectrum – red orange yellow green blue indigo violet. like equus was a cool title this is as well. i love the low tone moog melody line – that’s what hooked me about this song. the album this is off, music has the right to children, came out in 98 and it’s a great record. 98 was an amazing year for music come to think of it.
B is for fucking bonus song!
Band of Horses. ok ok i know it’s called 2 with ten but for damn sake i couldnt get out of my b’s without talking about this band- more so because of this song. once again, i first got into band of horses via an ex gf’s laptop. there are lots of things i like about this band, particularly ben bridwell’s voice and phrasings. in a strange way he reminds me of mercury rev at times. i also liked the first photos i saw of them…one was in front of an old blue truck and another with a boxer in it…sort of like we did at one point. anyway, we’ve played a couple festivals with these guys but unfortunately both times our set times overlapped and i missed them. the first lyric of the song that never get tired of listening to is “it’s looking like a limb torn off” – very nice.
b was tough..i’m really gonna go for lessor known bands when i hit c. i regret not mentioning bo diddley for this – please give bo a try.
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Francis Ten
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ahhhhhhh *slaps self*.. Bauhaus… classic…I’m dead.. I’m dead… haha
Short and sweet-Black Star “Definition”= classic hip hop hope your into it!
Is Bauhaus too obvious?
Brittany Spears …Baby One More Time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bsniYwSaWg *hides*
cant believe you didnt write about your hometown hero, bob seger…B is for Black Star…call me
Monsieur Ten, I was anxiously awaiting the ability to post my B suggestions. But first, I dig Boards of Canada…once a year I go on my electronic/ambient buying kick and this is added into the wish list now, so thanks for that. As is Black Moth Super Rainbow, thanks John.
Sooooo my Bs Needs are…though neither are actively recording/touring. Beta does have offshoots luckily.
Big Milk (http://www.myspace.com/bigmilkband) and also on CDBaby to try. Headed by late great singer, songwriter, and guitarist Luciano Lenchantin…as well as his good friends Steve and Mike. Luciano comes from a very musical family. His last name might tell you. A very humble and gracious individual with many influences that you can hear in his music. I miss drives up to LA just to see them. Another deserted-island CD, though my deserted-island is spacious. Listen to the song “Harlem”.
The Beta Band (http://www.myspace.com/thebetaband)
Though I want to say I heard about them from High Fidelity the movie when he said “I will now sell five copies of “The Three EPs” by The Beta Band.” but sadly I think it was after I was in San Diego and stumbled upon them. If I owned a record shop I’d be making the same cocky claims. Picking one song is tough because this is one of my deserted-island/save-from-a-house-fire CDs but listen to “Dr. Baker” sounds like it could have came out of a The Mighty Boosh episode. Certainly good for a Nevada desert trip to Vegas too.
My “B” contribution is Blue Cheer in memory of Dickie Peterson, who passed away several weeks ago. Dickie was BC’s bass player, singer, founding member, and guiding light. Fran, I can hear Dickie’s approach to rock bass guitar in your playing: clean, melodic, driving, and creative without showing off. Check out Doctor Please from the band’s 1999 live Japanese CD “Hello Tokyo, Bye Bye Osaka” (the UK edition has the boring title “Live in Japan”). Doctor Please is the perfect example of BC in “controlled chaos” mode (which is what “Vincebus Eruptum,” the title of their first album, roughly means), 18 mindwarp minutes of extreme guitar distortion, powerful drumming (though low in the mix), and Dickie’s solid bass playing anchoring it all (and you do have to listen to the whole performance to fully appreciate it). The two extended instrumental passages in this song are brilliant. Literary cred: Blue Cheer is mentioned in two Thomas Pynchon novels, “Vineland” and “Inherent Vice.” They are that cool! (Stealthily sneaking in another “B” artist, gotta mention that I hear a lot of BC’s controlled chaos in Babes in Toyland, especially on their incredible album “Fontanelle.”) – Nick
I don’t have a massively stuffed ipod. This is all I have for B that I love and think is special enough to share and it’s nothing new I’m turning you on to, but maybe still nice to hear — Billie Holliday. I have loved her since I was a kid. Loved-loved-loved her for that long. I don’t know why. She just moves me to the bone. I listen and a million voices call out to me. And this performance is so raw…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs
Battles- Atlas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGp-22t0lU
The Big Pink is an awesome new band from the UK. Check out Velvet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA3twi3iSNQ Too Young to Love and Dominos are also recommended. I hope they count since they have The in their title.