Asian Dan

The Virgins just released their self-titled album at the beginning of the month and it is totally different than their ’07 EP. This is a polished pop album that Hall & Oates would be proud of. The album reminds me of a sunnier and poppier version of Cazals with lyrics about rich upper east side girls. They reworked and tweaked all the songs from their EP that appear on the LP, like “Rich Girls” which sounds so polished and pop and “Love is Colder Than Death” has completely new instrumentation with saxophone taking the main role. Rock and roll is on its way back.The Virgins Myspace

“Murder” is a funky 80s tune with vocals that sound so much like Elvis Costello especially during the hooky chorus. I love the wah-wah guitar. Everything is so perfect and pop!! I love it!
The Virgins – Murder (yousendit)The Virgins – Murder (zshare)

Here is a fantastic Oceania collaboration, Cut Copy remixing Ladyhawke. I am a big fan of Ladyhawke remixes especially the Fred Falke remix and this one is just as good. Thoughts??
Ladyhawke -Paris is Burning (Cut Copy Remix) (yousendit)
Ladyhawke – Paris is Burning (Cut Copy Remix) (zshare)

Modular Jam 2008 at Cyrusrex’s house aka Geekfest 2008Does anyone have a recording of this?! I need to hear this. John Frusciante rocking out on a 303!!!
Modular Jam 2008 – 6.10.2008 – Photos

Aaron Funk (Venetian Snares) – TR808 + Pedal FX
Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails + Modwheelmood)- Buchla Modular
Baseck – Moog Little Phatty + FX Pedals
cEvin Key (Skinny Puppy)- Tenori-On + Space Echo
cyrusrex – Moog Little Phatty + Frostwave + Various Pedals + Mackie 1604 + Pro Tools
Dre – Moogerfooger FX + Nintendo DS
John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers) – DevilFish TB303 + Innerclock Sync Shift
Otto Von Schirach – TR909 + FX + Cell Phone
Squigg – Eurorack Modular and Pedal FX + Mobius

Aaron Fun (Venetian Snares) x John Frusciante
Anthony Kiedis at the Lakers Game last night rocking a Justice shirt, I guess he is a big fan. Oh and the Celtics are going to own the Lakers tomorrow night, sorry Glenjamn. And I know my boy Zack at hollergram.net is pumped for the Celtics. Let’s go Beantown!!

Epic track.

Photos by Josh Weiner
LIONSHARE Myspacehollergram.net
Asian Dan Interviews: LIONSHARE
1. Who is LIONSHARE? How would describe your music?

J. Gatz: Pop rap.
Frontpage: Pop hop.
Hot Tub Jonny: Poppadopoulis. Ask Cam how to spell it.

2. Who makes all the beats? What is your creative process like?

J. Gatz: Frontpage wakes me up from deep R.E.M. sleep. I narrate my dream. We circle every third word in the transcript. We browse our record collection for songs including these words. Sampling is chance.
Frontpage: I melt the fillings of the dead. Add that to vinyl solution. Boil on high.
Hot Tub Jonny: Frontpage does the beats. He’s like that guy in the movie where he counts the quarters when he drops them. Or toothpicks. Raindance. The creative process involves, including but not limited too®: Côtes du Rhone, Hennessey, Triptofan, one way tickets to Feza, PBR, Louis XIII.

3. What are your biggest influences on your music?

J. Gatz: JLG, JLB, Cave Pearls, Pearl Harbor, Harbor Seals, Sealed Fates, Fate Albert, Albert Brooks, Bruichladdich, Zebra Cakes.
Frontpage: David Banner, David Banner. Lil Wayne, R.A.G.U., Snap hop, Alexander Scriabin, Tiny Tim, Wagner, Ian MacKaye, Stravinsky, Henry Rollins, Ex Models, Zebra Cakes.
Hot Tub Jonny: G. G. Allin, Nabokov, Caps Lock, Zebra Cakes.

4. What are your thoughts on the current state of hip-hop/rap?

J. Gatz: Last Christmas I prayed to Santa for a Busta Rhymes and Mystikal collaboalbum. No luck. Santa’s getting a dis track this year.
Frontpage: Sometimes the bass is too loud. One time I got sick from drinking old milk. I got a weak stomach! My stomach will continue to hurt until Mystikal gets out of jail and makes a full length with Busta Rhymes.
Hot Tub Jonny: New John Varvatos store in the Marcy Projects. Summer ’07!

5. Future plans for LIONSHARE? Any collabs or remixes?

J.Gatz: I’m moving to the desert. Play songs to the fireflies and rattlesnakes. Make some Indian friends. Both kinds of Indians. Remixes? I’ll remix myself a mojito. New York is kind of a mojito town.
Frontpage: Our first show is next Friday (the 13th of June @ Death By Audio in Brooklyn). We’re going to have a big record release party in late July. Painted hats! Faces obscured!
Hot Tub Jonny: Spinnas on your headphones. LIONSHARE headphones. They really spin!

6. Final thoughts or words for Asian Dan readers.

J.Gatz: See us live.
Frontpage: See us dead.
Hot Tub Jonny: Hear is dead.

Check out this track, it reminds me of something Madlib would produce. I love what LIONSHARE does to that classic sample especially during the chorus. If I was back in NYC I would definitely be at their debut show tomorrow night at Death By Audio in Brooklyn. So go represent Asian Dan and support LIONSHARE if you are in NYC and hit up this show!
LIONSHARE – Trip to Feza

I love Breakbot’s production style. It is so 70s sounding. His bass samples are so good and real sounding, they remind me of Fred Falke’s bass playing. Hall & Oates and Steely Dan would be proud of what Breakbot is doing.

This track could be the next D.A.N.C.E, with the little children singing and that funky piano part.PNAU – Baby (Breakbot Remix)
This sounds like a Prince track.Pacific! – Hold Me (Breakbot Remix)

Breakbot MyspaceCheckout his great remix of Late of the Pier’s “Bathroom Gurgle”.

Such a Rock n’ Roll photo \m/
Cut Copy – Hearts on Fire (NT89 Remix)
Cut Copy MyspaceNT89 Myspace

Also NT89’s new EP, You’re My Very Special One is out. Buy it here.

A-Trak’s statement about Running Man:
“I don’t really run. Yet when Nike asked me to do this track I was smitten. There was a musical challenge there, and I got excited. I’ve been producing mostly uptempo electro tracks as of late, but my background is hip-hop and I think you can hear it in my choice of sounds. I wanted this record to showcase my current style, but I also didn’t want to stray away from hip-hop completely. That’s why you find guest rap verses in the mix, plenty of chopped & screwed vocals, and a hefty dose of drums breaks that are surely more Bomb Squad than Ibiza.”

Out June 24 on iTunes. I guess Kanye’s connection with Nike got A-Trak this deal.

Thom & Jonny covering Portishead’s “The Rip” off Third.

Wu-Tang Clan – Stomp (The Bloody Beetroots Remix)
John Frusciante x Method Man x RZA