Riddims and Joy Denalane

Ok, so the globalization of music continues.

I just stumbled upon a singer who’s been around for a while in Europe: R&B singer Joy Denalane from Berlin, Germany. It looks as though a German production team/label by the name of Rootdown Records remixed and reggaefied her 2006 R & B single “Let Go” and turned it into a proper riddim track for some of the top Jamaican roots artists: It features tracks from the most underrated singjays, Jah Mason, plus awesome newcomer Ginjah, along with Junior Kelly, Anthony B and others.
I mentioned before that a ton of great new throwback reggae riddims seem to be coming not from Jamaica, but from Europe.

Check out Joy’s newest video featuring Lupe Fiasco, which features a (replica I guess?) of Philly’s LOVE statue:

You can download a mix of the riddim from Rootdown Record’s website:

MP3: Let Go riddim megamix

MP3: Jah Mason & Joy Denalane-Let Go (Teka One Drop Mix)

All of the individual tracks from the riddim are available at audimaxxx.com

Rootdown Records on myspace

Joy Denalene on myspace

Trexlertown bike swap- October 13, 2007

UPDATE: October 2009 Swapmeet here.

The ONLY place to buy used bicycle equipment is at the annual (32nd) Fall swapmeet at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome near Allentown. A couple years ago my buddy got rid of one bike and bought another, and didn’t even have a table. Many years ago I bought an almost brand new Cannondale tandem for $700. It fit me and my future wife so well that we didn’t even have to adjust the seats.

I don’t make it every year but only go when I need something. We usually make it an overnight excursion and camp nearby, although I still never manage to get there early enough for the best deals.

Saturday, October 14, 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM
Official site

More here

Ddog gets a new scooter

Ddog had a Honda Ruckus scooter for a year or so, and after getting stolen and recovered once, he decided to visit his buddy up in Crackton Mantua and leave his scooter unlocked.

You can probably figger out what happened next.

We’ve all heard about the “don’t snitch” policy in the hood, so you can also guess what kind of response he got when he asked everyone on their stoop if they saw the perps.

No more than a few hours passed when his buddy informed him that all the dealers were lining up nicely to take turns riding it up and down the block and spinning doughnuts in front of his house, you know, just to rub it in.

After MUCH research and another loan, Ddog decided on an ‘04 Vespa bought from Vespa Philadelphia. Where his old 50 cc Honda topped out at 35 (40 on the hills), his new 200 cc can hit 80 mph! Dddog took it down Interstate 95 this morning and easily hit 70. Imagine riding a scooter with measly 12″ wheels at 70 miles per hour!

He swears he’s learned his lesson and has promised to install a pavement anchor outside his house to lock it.

Listen Dave: It only takes a second. Lock the damn thing!
And stay off I95. I don’t want to inherit any more cats!

Reading Beer is back

This is a phenomenon that I’m happy to see more and more: Long dead beer brands getting a new life.

The first time I saw this was a few years ago at the Michigan Brewing Company. I stopped to pick up a six (yes, you can buy a six pack in other states- can you imagine?) and saw brands from the Sebawang Brewery, a brand from the thumb area of Michigan which went out of business in the 1950s. The labels were perfect replicas of the originals so it really excited this nostalgic beer geek.

Another example of brand resurrection was done by the (ironically) now out of business Frankenmuth Brewery, also in Michigan. They brought back the “doggone good” label featuring a cute dachshund.

A more successful label that’s been revived is Acme out of California. Instead of slapping the label on a mild American pilsner, they actually put it on a great tasting pale ale and IPA, which has proven so successful that it’s distributed coast to coast and the IPA has been on tap at The Bishop’s Collar in Fairmount for years.

So this summer I wasn’t surprised but was damn happy to see the Reading Premium brand brought back to life by the Legacy Brewing Company. The company has duplicated the original bullseye design perfectly. So far it’s sold only in bottles and draft, the bottles being contract brewed by the Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre. Let’s hope they put it in cans soon.

This actually isn’t the first time the Reading brand was reused: When the original brewery closed in ‘76, it’s brands were bought by Schmidt’s, which was then bought by G. Heilman when IT closed in the 80s. G. Heilman was notorious for buying every brand that closed in the 80s and 90s, putting the same beer in every one of them, then selling to loyal old timers, hoping they wouldn’t notice the difference. When the old timers finally kicked and the brand quit selling, they’d kill it. Reading was ONE of easily 100 of these brands- off the top of my head I’ll list just a few from the Midwest alone: Bosch, Pfeiffer, Altes, Carling, Frankenmuth, Old Style, Blatz, Cooks, Schmidt, Drewrys…. it goes on and on.

So how’s it taste? Like a typical American light beer, but at $17.99 a case, who’s complaining?

Thanks to Dale Van Wieren from the Mid-Atlantic Brewing News for info.

Jose’ Pistola’s: Tex mex and beer

The obituary for Copa Too! appeared in one of the weeklies back before work started on Jose Pistola’s.
I was sad for the Copa at first, then realized I hadn’t been in the place in years. Why? It was dirty. (Here’s a rule I try to stick by, although it’s pretty hard to do in Philly: If the bathroom looks and smells like it hasn’t been cleaned in weeks, then the kitchen is probably worse. After reading others’ opinions online I found that a lot of other people had the same opinion of the place).

Anyway, back to Jose Pistola’s. It opened around Labor Day and so far, the reviews are good. 100 bottles and 12 taps. There were 5 domestics on tap (including Yuengling) and only two were local. That’s fine, but I’m gonna say something now that I thought I’d never say:
PHILADELPHIA HAS ENOUGH BELGIUM BEER ON TAP. We’ve now reached the saturation point with the recent opening of Zot and The Belgian Cafe‘. Enough!

Coincidentally, Copa Too is the very place where, back in ‘95, the FIRST Belgian draft beer was poured in the United States. I remember that day like it was just a few years ago!
Jose’ DID have Brewer’s Art Resurrection Dubbel out of Baltimore, which I haven’t seen in these parts before.

I stopped by the place this past Friday night and it was a good time. The fish tacos were great, and they went along well with the Don De Dieu, a 9% Belgian style wheat from Unibroue out of Canada, a brew I’ve never tried, even though it’s been around since ‘98.

One of the things that sets the place apart from the other gastro-pubs is its owner/bartender, one Casey Parker: Casey has quite a history in the Philly bar/music scene. He was formerly the manager at Royal Tavern, a place I HIGHLY recommend for its food, and before that, bartender at Fergie’s Pub. He also fronted a few hair metal/cock-rock bands under the name “Casey Wayne”, which explains the never-ending metal ballads blaring over the jukebox. Casey also is quite a character behind the bar.

Jose Pistola’s, 263 South 15th Street, next door to McGlinchey’s.

Someone get this guy a bike

Posted a Craigslist today:

Need Bike, Have Sperm – $1

My boys swim.

I am 31, physically fit, attractive, and graduated with honors.

I need a bike. Nothing too expensive, around $500 or so.

Lets talk.

Reply to: sale-425398393@craigslist.org

What’s on our iPod?

MP3: Brazos-Feeding Frenzy

Yes ANOTHER great new band from Austin (see Peel). In the vein of Dr. Dog & Animal Collective.
Their first full-length album out in October. Can’t wait.

Brazos Band on myspace

Speaking of Animal Collective, this 7 minute gem sounds like its slowly building up to a frenzy, but never really gets there. Doesn’t matter; it’s still get’s my dander up every time I hear it.

MP3: Animal Collective-Fireworks. From Strawberry Jam LP, with one of the worst album covers ever.

Animal Collective, coming to the Starlight Ballroom on September 29.

MP3: Minus the Bear-Knights

From their new LP Planet of Ice, coming to Philly on the day of my birth, October 8 (@ The Filmore/TLA)

In the same vein of these guys:

MP3: Pinback-Fortress

From San Diego. Coming to the TLA 3 days prior, October 5

Pinback online

MP3: Lil Mama- Lip Gloss (Bomarr Remix)

PalmsOutSounds managed to dig up this bangin remix which perfectly adds bangra strings/vocal samples to the staid original. Awesome.

While you’re there, do yourself a favor and also download this Detroit techno gem:

MP3: Comanechi-Death of You (Gentlemen Drivers Remix)

And we can’t forget reggae. It ALL goes back to reggae, which still takes up 60% of my iPod:

MP3: Ranking Forest-Head of Government

One of the funniest lyrics in a while had to come from a Jamaican:
Ranking Forest rhymes “Mr. Texas president” with “speech impediment.”

On the Family riddim from a soundsystem/production team out of SPAIN of all places. Don’t laugh, some of the best retro reggae riddims are coming from Europe but still employing Jamaican vocalists on some tracks.

Lone Ark Productions on myspace

See also Bost & Bim outta the States and get their mashup riddim mix free download on their homepage.

Upcoming stuff

Fergie’s new baby at 21st & Green St, The Belgian Cafe, is due to open Wednesday Sept. 12.

The huge space on the 2100 block of Fairmount Ave. a few doors down from Jack’s Firehouse has a name (Urban Saloon) but no opening date set.

Center City Restaurant Week September 23-28 with $30 three-course dinners.

If you missed the black tie gala at the new Art Museum annex, the Perelman Building, you can still hit the openhouse this Friday and Saturday Sept. 6 & 7 from 8-10:00 AM.

Don’t forget to check our constantly updated & complete list of shows/concerts for the Fall.

The Late Night Cabaret, the best part of the Fringe Festival in our opinion, has moved from the Ortleibs Brewhouse to the Starlight Ballroom @ 460 N. 9th Street. No cover. Starts at 9:30.

First annual Commerce Bank Bike Philly family bike ride throught the heart of philly on car-free streets. Kinda like the Bike NYC. The cost is a whopping $50, so maybe we’ll just go in stealth mode.
Sunday September 9, 8:00 AM.

Honor this man, people

I’ve bragged mentioned many times that I commute between my home in the city to my job in the burbs. But I have to admit, I have a car, and when the weather is cold or I stay out too late the night before, it’s hard to climb on that bike at 7 in the morning and pedal for 50 minutes straight. Lately I’m only allowed 2 days to commute since I have to drop my kids off at school 3 days a week. School’s been closed the past few weeks so I’ve been riding every day. Been doing it for almost 8 years.

Since I do the reverse commute I pass a few cyclists on their way into the city. Last Thursday there was a record 5 guys coming from Delaware County, not counting the cyclists I pass in the city. I see some of the same guys once in a while, but there’s one dude I pass EVERY DAY. Rain or shine. Coming and going.
For the past 8 years, every time I ride, without a doubt, I pass this older gentleman and we give a pleasant nod.
I do a lot of thinking on that long ride, so I’m always wondering about this mysterious ironman. Where does he ride from? I wonder if he owns a car? Does he know he’s allowed to take his bike on the train if it’s pouring?

So one day last week I figured it was time to stop him and find out.

Turns out that Peter (I think I have his name right!) coincidentally lives in Swarthmore and works in Center City. He’s got college-age kids, so he’s gotta be older than me. He bikes 5 days a week, but admits that he takes a break in some of the winter months when it’s too dark and dangerous to ride after 5 PM.
He seemed just as interested in me, so we chatted a while then parted ways.

But one thing he said kinda provoked me.

He joked that his boss didn’t appreciate his arriving at work all sweaty.

So I did some math and came up with some ammo for Peter to use the next time someone questions his choice:

Peter’s round-trip total is 26 miles. At 5 days a week that’s 524 miles a month! Let’s say he only bikes 8 months out of the year. That’s still a whopping 4,192 miles a year.

If Peter instead drove a car those same days, his commute would be 36 miles a day (the highway route is longer) for a total of 5,760 miles a year.

Then let’s say he drives a midsize car and gets 20 miles per gallon and gas cost an average of $2.75/gallon. Those additional 288 gallons of gas would cost him $792 more a year.

What if he took SEPTA? A monthly pass now costs an outrageous $142.50 a month. For 8 months that equals $1,140 a year.

But why should his boss care that Peter saves enough money a year to put a down payment on a new boat? Because by riding instead of driving, Peter is NOT emitting between 3.3 and 4.3 TONS of CO2 into our atmosphere EACH YEAR.

And I haven’t even mentioned the healthcare-related savings for his company, Re: heart disease, obesity… unless he gets hit by a car, then, well, that’s another story.

Peter, your boss should be thanking you. I know me, my kids and my future grandkids do!