Author: Steve Diguer

#FastSong 20: One Way Ticket by The Breakaways. Score!!

http://youtu.be/9k9OV125w6Q

It feels good to be alive on this glorious Monday. I am new to the Breakaways… but if this track is any indication I love them already. Because on any given day, life is generally not about being original or reinventing the wheel… it’s about showing what the f*** you can do, and that you can compete with the best of them. One Way Ticket is great the first time you hear it. The fiftieth time? Meh… who knows if you’ll live that long. Just be good, be tight, be solid, and outbid, out play, and out shoot everybody around you. Do something fierce today! And share it with us below. Peace, friends.

#FastSong 19: Drunk Girls by LCD Soundsystem. Yeah it sounds like White Light White Heat but so what?

 

First I need to get a heartfelt apology and deep expression of personal shame and disappointment out of the way: After a week of build-up I missed the f***ing Fidlar show last night.  Sadness.  I’m doing a tune for an on-line commercial that just vampired my day.  And I didn’t realize it started at 6.  6!!

With that said, is there any image that conjures up more excitement in your head than drunk girls and drunk boys on a Friday?  It’s the one thing that unites us all.  And it doesn’t matter where you are in America or the world.  It’s just hot and full of possibilities… jumping, screaming, laughing, flirting, groping, and sex sex sex.  I’m more into the search for drunk boys, but anyone in my camp with a brain knows that drunk girls are the world’s best enablers, and insanely fun, so they’re always welcome in my game.

God I love the lyrics to this song.  They take you everywhere and never stop surprising.  Not to mention that they sound like the booze infused wisdom of a horny dude at a bar.  What is the smartest, wisest or most disturbing advice or observation you ever got from a drunk person?  Share your drunk experiences with me.

#FastSong 18: Sweet Helicopter by Thee Oh Sees. Shutup and play loud!

God there is a lot to love about San Francisco’s Thee Oh Sees. This and some of their other tracks – Poison Finger and Maria Stacks in particular- have that psychedelic garage sound that just demands to be played loud. Phew! I am a little hung over, and I need to save myself for the Fidlar show tonight, so I am gonna bow out and hope for some comments below.

#FastSong 17: Nova Heart by The Spoons. The 80s we like to remember.

I know this challenges the definition of what I normally call a fast song, but this little gem from the past just got me feeling way too good to pass up.

This is the 80s I like to remember. Clean lines, clean sounds, uncluttered ideas, honest intentions and pure emotions… All beautifully captured in this break out hit by Canada’s The Spoons. Music like this felt so good and cleansing at the beginning of the decade after the ten year moaning, mustache and herpes fest that was the 70s.

I believe this was one of Daniel Lanois’ first projects as a producer, and you can clearly hear him developing the style that would win the hearts of U2 and Eno later on.

It’s Wednesday and it’s a good day to switch things up. So tell me, what’s in your Nova Heart?

#FastSong 16 1/2: The Wait by the Pretenders LIVE, from the Concerts for Kampuchea.

 

What a find!  Not only does this version BURY the studio mix, but you get the awesome visual experience of watching the old Technics starting up.   Hugs to rjciccone for posting.  I own this record, but I swear this is the only song worth listening to.  I love that Chrissie and pals showed up for just 3 minutes to just embarrass the s*** out of the other performers.

Anybody else remember this record?  Am I wrong in thinking every other track on it sucked?

#FastSong 16: The Wait by the Pretenders. Is the world a better place now that you can search song lyrics?

 

Right now I’m thinking this is the most kickass song in the universe. Like I feel like setting fire to something. There has never been a record like the Pretenders debut album, and this song is one of the best cuts on the record. I’m not gonna play d-bag rock critic. If you don’t own this record buy it.

And I dare you to pick this song as your karaoke selection. I mean thank-you internet! I spent thirty years not understanding a single word from this track.

So I dare you… give it a listen and tell me how many words you actually recognize?  (no cheating by googling the lyrics)

#FastSong 15: King of the Beach by Wavves. Monday is sizzling with beach music, beach weather and bacon.

 

Hello and happy Monday!  Did all your weekend wishes come true?  Fun week planned here at FastSongs… I’ll be checking out Fidlar on Thursday and I’ll finish work on a song for Farmer John’s Bacon: An 80s style metal ballad, like a love song to bacon.  Okay, not the height of art, but “Be My Bacon Baby” was a lot of fun to record.  Shout out to my buddy Gabe Deutsch from Battery Amp for providing the power vocals.

But enough about me!  Tell me what you’re doing?  I am ever so lonely, and would love some feedback.  But failing that, my wish for you is to be King of the Motherf***ing Beach, Office, State Park, Nail Salon, Desalination Plant, or homeless shelter you happen to be in.  And make this super, groovy, aggressive gem of a song by Wavves your soundtrack!

Boy they grow up FAST! A happy turn of events for the star wars kid.

 

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Great whatever-happened-to article that totally warrants revisiting, especially with all of the new found, year long overdue interest in bullying. In one of the first ever videos to go viral – originally posted on kazaa, which should take you back – Ghyslain Raza suffered embarrassment and mockery on a never before seen scale. Now 25 and a McGill law graduate, he speaks of the ordeal and how for many years it ruined his life. Looking at him as a grown man is an inspiration. It’s just feels great to see him happy and successful after the crap he had thrown at him. So whatever pain, shame, or humiliation you’ve suffered, get over it FAST. That’s the key. And share it with your friends below. That’s why we’re here. And happy Mother’s Day!

http://mashable.com/2013/05/10/star-wars-kid-interview-cyberbullying/

Lightening slow! Captured for the first time ever at 11,000 fps.

 

As a TV and tech addict, I couldn’t resist.  Frankly, I almost exploded at the words 11,000 frames per second (Most of you probably know that film and TV typically play at 24 to 30 fps).  So take in the miracle of lightening in never before witnessed detail.  This is also about how long it should take to get you up and jumping to Monday’s fast song!  See you then…

#FastSong 14: List Of Demands by Saul Williams.

Just a quick, lyrically loaded track to get you going on a Friday.  From his 2004 self titled album, List Of Demands (Reparations) is the only song on the record that fits our format, though the record has lots of great rock and roll / hip hop crossover songs that I’m sure you’ll dig.  Like a lot of sophisticated hip hop, this record can be really engaging… and aurally exhausting, so if you’re like me, you’ll want to take it in small doses.  But hell… after getting his film featured at Sundance, and collaborating with Trent Reznor and a pack of other awesome folk, Saul has nothing to apologize for.  Best lyric: “God’s just a baby and her diaper is wet.”

#FastSong 12: Forget It by Blood Orange. Proving this blog is about more than testosterone fueled anger.

 

Loving the fast yet sweet, gentle mood of this magnificent Blood Orange track, and that killer hook “I am not your savior.” “I’m Sorry We Lied” is a similarly fine upbeat offering from the same artist. The entire record is solid, with a sexy 80s feel… like good 80s, not real 80s which is mostly awful. Who does he remind me of from that era? A little bit of early The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen… I dunno, throw me a bone. Show off your knowledge of obscure 80s bands in the convenient box below.