Before and after project of updating an old Sears stereo turntable console. Bookshelf and subwoofer speakers from Dayton Audio, used Ariston turntable, and a mini Dayton Audio bluetooth amplifier that kicks ass. Most of these old consoles are much larger- this was so small that most modern turntables wouldn’t fit. The Ariston was much smaller but I still had to cut out the back of the unit, and also move the amplifier location to the right by 2 inches to make it fit. I added a bit of foam around the speakers and cork under the turntable to isolate everything and avoid feedback to the turntable. Super fun project!
If your closets are like mine and they’re infected with these horrid white vinyl covered wire shelves then I feel for you brother.
I finally tore them out of our pantry because I couldn’t stand the mac n cheese boxes toppling over like dominoes one more time.
I replaced them with maple veneer 3/4″ plywood from Home Depot, then faced them with 1 1/2″ maple trim. Unfortunately HD only carries pine and oak in that dimension so I had my Dad make it for me in his woodshed.
I don’t have a wood shop of my own so I have to work out in the snow and rain.
Next is the master bedroom closet. My wife likes to buy clothes so it is going to be a considerably harder job.
Sadly there are too many musical acts that have zero video clips available (at least on youtube). Ike and Tina Turner are one of the few soul acts that have a decent amount of videos available, and they’re almost all top notch.
Chances are, you’ve seen them perform Proud Mary countless times, but I’m betting you haven’t seen this footage. It’s got everything: Bright pink mini skirts on the Ikettes. Tina’s perfectly choreographed dance moves. Full horn section. Best of all? It’s LIVE on television. God I’d pay anything to have been in that audience.
Without exageration, this is absolutely my number ONE desert island track. No. Not number 8, nor number 3, not even 2. The Stones are not higher. Neither is Aretha, or Neil Young. It is this, and I will listen again and again and again… Earth Wind & Fire is the backing band and it was produced by Maurice White btw.
I’ve always been fascinated by the plight of the passenger pigeon ever since my mom told me about them when I was a kid. So when I heard that Joel Greenberg, a Chicago author and natural history researcher was speaking at the Wagner Free Science Institute of Science five minutes from my house I had to go.
Above is a stuffed passenger pigeon from the lecture, on loan from the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.
John James Audubon rode the 55 miles from Henderson, Kentucky, to Louisville one day in autumn 1813, and through the whole long day, he rode under a sky darkened from horizon to horizon by a cloud of passenger pigeons. He estimated that more than a billion birds had passed over him. In 1866, a cloud of birds passed into southern Ontario. It was a mile wide, 300 miles long, and took 14 hours to pass a single point.
A single nesting area could cover 50 square miles, with nests covering every branch of every tree.
Mind blown.
You’re in luck since you missed the talk. You can listen to yesterday’s interview with Greenberg on WHYY’s Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane.
I know all the model names of GM cars but not Chrysler or Ford so I have no idea what year or model this is but it’s a beat.
When the Schmidt’s brewery closed in the 80s they basically left everything in the buildings for scroungers, looters and scrappers, so there’s a ton of Schmidt’s stuff on eBay. This is my latest purchase. Looks like I won’t need any bar napkins for some time.
Gotdamn it’s been a while since I’ve posted. No worries– here’s some old gems and some new nuggets for 2014. Git busy!
Angel Olsen (no not one of the twins) new LP next month (2/14).
Been meaning to post Nashville’s DeRobert & The Half-Truths for a month now. Finally a comtemporary soul act worth its salt that’s NOT from Europe:
New album I’m Tryin’ on the GEDSoul label, also outta Nashville.
Also been meaning to give these youngsters a proper post of their own but will have to toss ’em in here for the sake of time.
They’re Lancaster PA natives (not Pennsylvania Dutch as far as I know), and they all moved to Philly. They’ve already supported White Denim and are now touring with Dr. Dog. Wow.
Here’s a rarity; A Jamaican DJ giving a ‘big up’ to a policeman. This 80’s King Jammy-produced dancehall is fantastic in all levels, but the lyrics are just perfect. Major Worries copped this from Echo Minott but kills it. download here.
I am Constable Brown they call me Boy Blue.
I have here a warrant to arrest you.
cuz you beat up de girl till she black and blue
and ask what the hell the police can do?
I come to show what police can do
I’m gonna show what police can do
I have a baton… like a rock stone
I’m gwan introduce it to your jawbone…
Ironically, Major Worries died violently in the late 80s.
Speaking of violence, this next track is from Philly’s own Steady B, whose career was cut short for taking part in the murder of a Philadelphia police officer.
Lutan Fyah from the 2012 Shank I Tun Up Riddim
Dang Bo Diddley did some nice work in the early 70s.
There are a lot of great versions of this track that first appeared in 1955. The first one here is arguably the best.
Dawn Penn first recorded You Don’t Love Me for Studio One in 1967, but then re-recorded the rocksteady original with a bouncy dancehall hit with Steely and Clevie in 1994.
Eve‘s cover with Stephen and Damian Marley is a close second. 2001.
Willie Cobbs‘ 1960 version is the version most of the covers copy. It is based loosely on Bo Diddley‘s 1955 version. This is a bluesy scorcher.
Ike & Tina
Sonny & Cher‘s version surprisingly isn’t too bad.
If there is one record label that has quietly slid into place under the radar of indie labels out there over the past five years, it is Colemine Records out of Ohio. Founded by teacher and musician/ producer Terry Cole, Colemine has been releasing some really great 45s from bands you never heard of. Don’t worry, you will hear from them, this label is on the move. People are starting to take notice, and a recent gig by Cut Chemist highlighted a 45 Afro Beat release from Jungle Fire, a member of the Colemine stable. No small feat to get into that guy’s record box. This Midwest little giant has been championed by a multitude of DJs who have been playing theirs 45s since the beginning (including this author and DJ). Colemine Records has gathered quite a following in the world of Modern Funk & Soul 45s, and has been…
I’m gonna get my top ‘o the year list done early since I never get around to it most years. Some on the list are full LPs, some are EPs, and most are just singles. …and there’s no “top 10” or “top 50”– it’s gonna be my “top 13”. Basically all willy nilly, OK? Here goes:
R&B seems to have careened into either kiddy krap or adult jazz-lite. This LP is a breath of soul/R&B. Zo!- Manmade LP
Seems the majority of my faves this year fit the electronic/dance/house variety. This deep house track from Brooklyn DJ Chris Malinchak was released just before 2013 but it blew up this year.
The original mix of this track by Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel (with Andre Espeut on vocals) isn’t too shabby, but this remix by Pete Herbert takes it up three notches:
Suffdaddy is a beatmaker from Berlin by way of Australia… or is it Australia by way of Berlin?
There’s this dude Sharam Jey from Cologne and a label called Bunny Tiger from Berlin and they put out so much solid high quality house this year I almost can’t decide which track to choose. Most of his collabs with Night Talk are great, but this track with Phonique tops ’em all:
Pure pop ala Calif. & Idaho from Honey Bones and their solid self-titled debut EP:
I’m not even listening to much indie rock anymore but if I had to name a favorite indie act White Denim would be my pick of the decade. They released Corsica Lemonade this year and again, hard to pick a favorite from such a great album. Check out this in-studio version of a track:
OK so I spoke too soon. Deerhunter is my tops for the decade just above White Fence. This years’ Monomania isn’t as great as their five previous LPs but this track is a standout:
Can’t have a ton ten without a proper hip hop selection. I chose the album It’s Nice To Meet You from Fatnice even before I remembered that these are local Philly guys. I can’t embed Bandcamp tracks in WordPress so click here to check out the top track Lets Get it feat Soultastic.
That’s all I’ve got time for, but it you have more time check out these honorable mentions:
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