December 28, 2005

The History of Axel F

It had to be done really. I hope for my sake Im not the only person to subject myself to multiple versions of the same song.

1984: Axel F was orignially a composition by Giorgio Moroder's in-house studio programmer Harold Faltermeyer.

It was used for the motion picture "Beverly Hills Cop", and named after the lead character (Detective Axel Foley, intended to be Sylvester Stallone, but rescripted for Eddie Murphy). It was composed using three instruments: a Roland Jupiter 8, a Roland JX-3P and a Yamaha DX7. The soundtrack won a Grammy for 'Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special'.

Harold Faltermeyer - Axel F.ogg 1.4Mb


1995: Clock first covers the song, and garners a #7 placing in the UK chart.
I think its a pretty decent version...

Clock - Axel F.ogg 1.4Mb


1997: Daniel Malmedahl records vocals for a Crazy Frog for ringtone provider Jamba!. He was trying to imitate the sound of a two-stroke moped engine, and later had his house broken into and vandalised because of creating this sound. [article]

1998: Planet Bass cover Axel F, and only pips at #74 in the UK.

2001
: Spacecorn cover Axel F, to no chart success.

2003: Murphy Brown & Captain Hollywood cover Axel F, with no chart success.

2005: Bass Bumpers take Daniel Malmedahl's vocals, mix it with a sample from the 2003 remix of Axel F, and release it as Crazy Frog (based upon "The Annoying Thing"). It was endorsed by Jamba. Crazy Frog is now negotiating his own TV series.

Crazy Frog - Axel F.ogg 1.2Mb


*get em before Jan 5

30 Years of Dance Music

Look how far you've come, Mr Oonst!


1975: Donna Summer - Love To Love You Baby.ogg 1.6Mb

1985: Dan Hartman - We Are The Young.ogg 2.2Mb

1995: Kenny Dope - The Bomb.ogg 1.5Mb

2005: Deep Dish - Say Hello.ogg 1.5Mb


Take a slice of Donna, Dan, Dope or the Dish this New Years and celebrate!

*Get em before Jan 4.

December 22, 2005

2005 Q&A Capsule

Like last years Q&A, here is the 2005 edition:

What did you do in 2005 that you’d never done before?
Looked at a map, found somewhere I've never been to before, and drove there. I discovered Ponga. It's going to be a sought after suburb of Auckland within the next 10-15 years. Mark my words.

Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Sure did. Improved my game this year in regards to friends and socialising.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
No. Lets wait till next year. I'm certain two friends will become Mums by this time next year.

Did anyone close to you die?
One of my Uncles. Mike Francis.

What countries did you visit?
None sadly. Nearly went to Rarotonga.

What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
A partner to share some interesting journeys I plan to undertake in the next year.
Closer friends.

What dates from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Mostly deaths knock me back a bit, and as there's hardly any good news in the world, we'll start with the bottom at the top:
Jan 20: George Bushs inauguration. Why America why?
February 6: Channel Z closes down. A sad day in NZ radio history.
April 2: Pope John Paul II dies. A great loss. Even sadder news, Prince Charles marries Camilla. yuk.
April 8: Mike Francis died of spinal cancer.
June 13: Michael Jackson was aquitted of all charges. I knew he was innocent!
July 2: Live 8 begins. Go Geldof, you crazy hippy!
July 7: The London Bombings. Complete unneccesary mindlessness.
August 7: Peter Jennings dies. A great and honest man, and great loss. A week later, David Lange passes away. Where are all the good guys going?!?!?
August 29: Hurrican Katrinae wipes out New Orleans. Makes George Bush look like a racist. Oil prices rise dramatically.
October 1: The second Bali Bombings. Complete unneccesary mindlessness.
October 11: The Aardman Animation Studios had burnt to the ground, destroying three floors of plasticine including my dear childhood mate, Morph.
October 19: Saddam Hussein's trial begins. I say execute the bastard.
October 31: John Haynes dies in Melbourne. A technical mastermind that leaves a radio legacy behind.
November 13: Wrestler Eddie Guerrero dies unexpectedly.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Becoming a boss of 3 people, and being responsible for a key business department, and hearing recognition of my work at the end of the year by my awesome boss.

What was your biggest failure?

Missing some important dates in my sisters itinerary.
Not exercising enough (although deliberate to gain a bit of weight).

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just my sniffles in June.

What was the best thing you bought?
My new car (yes another one), clothes and comfy shoes.

Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Two best friends announcing their engagement!
Bob Geldof organising Live 8

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
All the terrorist activity is concerning.

Where did most of your money go?
Out of my account. Not into it.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Moving into my current home. I love it here. It's just right.

What song will always remind you of 2005?
I have my top 10 lists coming shortly.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? happier
ii. Thinner or fatter? same as last year
iii. Richer or poorer? richer (thank goodness)

What do you wish you’'d done more of?

Time management. Still haven't got that completely licked yet.
Try new activities, although I did a lot of road trips this year.
Delegating - although Im getting better at this.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
Doing all the work for everyone else.

How did you spend Christmas?
I spend christmas with my family, like every year.

Did you fall in love in 2005?
No. I only found one person I liked this year, but shes not right for me.

How many one-night stands?
A couple, dare I say.

What was your favorite TV program?
24 without a doubt. Enjoying Desperate Housewives, Eyes and Boston Legal as well.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Not hate, but dislike Brent Impey (CEO of Canwest NZ) for deciding to close Channel Z, replacing it with possibly New Zealands worst radio format.

What was the best book you read?
The Davinci Code and Survey 2/2005.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Soul Chocolate: Kanye West, Common, John Legend, Alicia Keys - the modern versions of Lionel Richie, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye. Modern r&b really hit home with me this year. On a lesser but significant enough scale, early 70s Genesis and Hall & Oates. Have they been inducted or honoured in any way?

What did you want and get?
A new car. A new home.

What did you want and not get?
I'm grateful for eveything I get, and keep trying for what I haven't got.

What was your favorite film of this year?
Still haven't seen King Kong, but Star Wars Ep III, War Of The Worlds, Batman Begins and of course Madagascar were all great fun.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 27 and spent it with my family, like every year. We have a summer BBQ and drink a few bottles of bubbly.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I had the opportunities to action the many ideas I have floating around in my head. They are doozies too.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Pasifikation of the Palagi. Funkier, a lot more street, but also a strong improvement in formal wear. I bought two suits and 5 or 6 pairs of formal pants and tops (& jackets). A lot of money went on clothes in 2005.

What kept you sane?
Keeping a clear vision of my future, and constant understanding that to move forward, one must overcome hurdles.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Leisha Ward-Knox

What political issue stirred you the most?

Taxes. I agreed with both Labour and National this year on the taxes issue. And fuck, dirty politics let the issue become a nation divider. Kinda glad that the Greens are one boat short of a fishing trip, and Winston scraped in on a dinghy.

Who did you miss?
On the rifle range? At the 17th? Where?

Who was the best new person you met?
Hayden Beetar of RCS (and proud Springbok). Next time loser!! haha.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
Obstacles are lifes path to learning.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

In regards to the world: "Everythings Ruined" (Faith No More)
In regards to my life: 'Looking back, I know I was walking around in disguise' "Lolas Theme" (Shapeshifters)

December 21, 2005

Top Ten's of 2005

Top Ten Posts
1. Farewell Channel Z
2. Roadcasting
3. Is Auckland Shot?
4. New Rock Radio: Passé?
5. Q96FM Ten Years On
6. Live8 Kicked Ass
7. Stranger With Chocolates
8. The 'Other' Don
9. Peas For My Pod
10. Thoughts on 2004

Top Ten Songs
1. Breaks Co-Op - the Other Side
2. The Black Seeds - So True
3. Michael Jackson - Can't Help it (Tangoterjie Remix)
4. INXS - Pretty Vegas
5. White Stripes - My Doorbell
6. My Chemical Romance - Helena
7. Snoop Dogg - Signs
8. Recloose - Dust
9. Fat Freddys Drop - Wandering Eye
10. Nickelback - Photograph

Top Ten Moments
1. Recalling 'Pinball Number Count' by the Pointer Sisters:
2. Endless nights playing Grand Theft Auto on the X-Box (which ended up frying itself with so many running cheats!)
3. Launching the website for my radio station: retrohitradio.co.nz
4. Buying my new car
5. The roadtrips, discovering new places.
6. Achieving milestones at work.
7. Getting hammered on bubbles. I don't usually drink alcohol.
8. The three moments just after I learnt about what happened in Bali, London and New Orleans this year.
9. Having time off. I could get used to that.
10. Seeing long time friends move away. An emotional moment.

Top Ten NZ'ers I admire
1. John Greet
2. Jane Yee
3. Shaun O'Neill
4. Amanda Billing
5. Phully
6. Satiu Simativa Perese
7. John Campbell
8. Nicola Legat
9. Eteuati Ete
10. Tofiga Fepulea’i

Top Ten Websites or Bloggers
1. wikipedia.org
2. hype.non-standard.net
3. mozdev.org
4. fm3red5.blogspot.com
5. digitaleargasm.blogspot.com
6. www.jefitoblog.com/blog
7. newyorkality.blogspot.com
8. radioscope.co.nz
9. opendir.blogspot.com
10. viprhealthcare.typepad.com

Top Ten Places To Be
1. Kouatuna
2. Orewa
3. Ponga
4. Tairua
5. Devonport
6. Karotahi Beach
7. Clarks Beach
8. Opou Point
9. Cornwall Park
10. Hunua

December 20, 2005

Surveys & Telemarketers

I enjoy giving my opinion, when it comes to customer surveys. Especially when I get something for it, be it a discount off my bill or a gift from that company.

Telemarketers are pond scum, scraping desperately to anyone with a pulse to buy into their product. Especially when you have no intention of buying, offer a pllite 'no' yet they still persist to try and convince you. All those hurdles are in front of them before they call, right down to the exact words to say when someone politely says 'no'.

If theres anything to be learnt by this, simply hanging up the phone may not be enough to deter telemarketers, unless they are very clever and mark you off the call list for 'gadgets' but keep you on for 'household products'. They're slimy bastards.

Here's one guaranteed way to kill off these guys. Turn their product against the call they are making. Make the product evil in the telemarketers eyes, and conscience will take over. Learn from a great comedian. Listen to this recording (in Ogg format) before Dec 27 to get an idea.

December 19, 2005

Killing Heidi

Hey. Whatever happened to groups like Killing Heidi?

Ella & Jesse Hooper, Warren Jenkin and Adam Pedretti are Killing Heidi and made an impact on NZ TV and Radio in 2000, with the singles 'Mascara' and the radio-saturated 'Live Without It'. Whatever happened to music like this?


The official website tells me they have built their profile, and for all I know are still hot at radio, getting sucked down Australias iTunes 100 times a day and are rilthy rich. They're still with Sony music, and NZ is lacking somewhat in the promotion of indie rock. Oh how people are still talking about the loss of Channel Z. If only someone were listening to them.

[Killing Heidi - Live Without It] ogg/1.5Mb (2000) buy
[Killing Heidi - Mascara (Acoustic Mix)] ogg/1.6Mb (1999) buy

Post 228

Well, I finally made it. Post 228.
Great to be here. The view here is very 228'y.

Anyhoo. I'm pleased to pass on the good news to all you Scrubs fans out there that they are half way through making the next series. TV2 in New Zealand have the contract I believe, so YAY!

Zach Braff's Garden State Blog has more info, watch the video post, or bookmark his new website (zachbraff.com) which is under construction by robots.

Here's the theme to Scrubs for your pleasure. Rub it against your leg or whatever, thats your business.

[Lazlo Bane - Superman (Theme to 'Scrubs')] ogg/1.5mb buy

December 14, 2005

Fresh Air

Having played around with those portable apps over the last week or so, I now find myself making the web all about "me". My way of surfing it, my way of customising it.

For example, a web browser like Firefox is so customisable. If you use Firefox, why not plug in the Real Groovy search engine I just built and uploaded to mozdev.org. Click the 'plugin' button at the bottom of this site to install it :)

You'll also find lots of other NZ made plugins there such as Trade Me, NZMusic, NZ Herald, PriceSpy and more.

Makes me feel good to know that 'free' doesn't mean crap.

Speaking of feeling good, 2005 showed strong growth in NZ roots music.

Acts such as Fat Freddys Drop and the Black Seeds really hit the mainstream big time this year, Katchafire continued their ride alongside Breaks Co-Op and Rhombus. Che Fu and The Feelstyle morphed hip hop with roots as well this year.

Meanwhile Salmonella Dub have been off the radar, but at least you can see them in raglan at Soundsplash this coming February, alongside up-and-comers Cornerstone Roots.

Listen to these and imagine you're on a back country NZ road in the middle of summer, eating Trumpet ice cream.

[Black Seeds - So True] ogg/990kb buy
[Fat Freddys Drop - Wandering Eye] ogg/1.3Mb buy
[Rhombus - Mile High] ogg/868kb buy
*get em before Dec 21, 2005. These NZ tracks are encoded in mono, keeping original NZ music netsafe.

December 12, 2005

Serious

Oh what a great night. Digging around a few more archives and I found a track called 'Serious' by Duran Duran. It was the second single from the album Liberty in 1990 and because it flopped, the label canned the next two singles from the album. Oh choice. Way to let a band down. Thanks EMI. (Ordinary World would be the next single around 3 years later)

Arjan then informs me that Ferry Corsten has just sampled that very track that flopped in 1990, into his new single 'Fire', and its blowing up Europe!. How does the world just somehow come together like this?

This is my life. Weird occurrences like this happens to me all the time. So I edited the Wiki for the original song. Look at my name in lights, man. Yo. Word.

I've added it as a 'Retro Reborn' track on my radio station, which now has a website. It's a bloody good remix.

[Ferry Corsten - Fire] ogg/1.6Mb 2005/Single
[Duran Duran - Serious] ogg/1.7Mb 1990/Liberty
*get em before Dec 20

Oh, and I got my U2 ticket, thank christ for that.

December 10, 2005

I want it MY way

Use Firefox at home, but forced to use Internet Explorer at work?
Use OpenOffice or AbiWord at home, but forced to use MS Office at work?

Those IT people have to wake up! You're gonna love this news.

"Portable Apps Suite is a collection of portable apps including Firefox, Thunderbird, NVU, OpenOffice, AbiWord, Sunbird, Gaim and Filezilla, all preconfigured to work portably and be easy to back up. Just drop it on your USB portable device and you're ready to go."


That's right - no computer administrators to deny you access to your favourite non-microsoft programs anymore! I'm so over the moon about this!

• Carry your web browser with all your favorite bookmarks
• Carry your calendar with all your appointments
• Carry your email client with all your contacts and settings
• Carry your instant messenger and your buddy list
• Carry your whole office suite along with your documents and presentations
• Carry your antivirus program and other computer utilities
• Carry all your important passwords and account information securely

Just download the .zip file of what you want, and extract the files to a folder on your USB drive. Everything else is done for you. No installers, nothing. All FREE, and available on any Operating System!

If you don't own a USB, NOW is the time to buy one. You'll get a really good USB drive for under NZ$200 and it will likely have a longer shelf life than your current computer. nb: I hear there is also a version out there for CD-RWs if USB drives ain't yo thang.

Soon there will be Audio & Video Editors, Games and Game Emulators, Image Editors & Viewers, password managers and the biggie - Antivirus.

Go seek yours >> portableapps.com

ps - Microsoft's Vista will either be very impressive or simply miss the boat. Methinks that net is simply too fast for them to keep up.

December 6, 2005

Dirty S.O.B's! - follow up

I had an email from a Florida reader, asking for a follow up to my run in with mice I had last year (click to read).

The unnerving truth to the matter revealed that we did indeed have more than one or two more mice. We had about a dozen on Flinstones factory rotation.

That was not welcome news. There was another factor to the problem I had not really given much thought. It was mid-Winter, and instead of using the fireplace, we used gas heaters to warm the house, which was a very attractive attribute to student mice, and their realtor cashed in.

The house warmed up rapidly, rather than gradually like a fireplace would do.

Mice are deathly afraid of fire, but not smoke. Essentially, we offered them a sauna. This partly explains why we'd never had the problem before - we previously used the fireplace to warm the house, but when we used gas heaters, they sometimes hid IN THE FIREPLACE! (it was cozy, and unused), and explains why we found one of their access holes in a cupboard next to the hot water cylinder.

I believe something like the shake away product would work on summer evenings better than the bite of winter. The mice 'came in' to the warm (where the traps were) and we managed to kill them off with a peanut butter laced minefield. We did okay there. You're right, they would become desensitized if traps hung around their cold corridors.

I would try sprinkling shake away throughout the basement or attic in the middle of summer, and have traps near vulnerable food sources. Keep it fresh though, as yes - they are smart little shits. I watched one (the last one of the litter it seemed) eat the peanut butter off the end without snapping the trap. Just keep refreshing it, coz the bugger is bound to slip up and cop it.

If you have no luck within 3-5 days, maybe another Jonothan could have tips (he's in Florida), or just infest your house with lizards. They love their protein!

[Dangermouse Opening wmv/700kb] 1981 (edit from 1986)
*get it before Dec 13

December 5, 2005

INXS Switch Over


Still, he says, with the "training wheels" from Rock Star removed and the album Switch unleashed upon the planet, the band now faces the challenge of convincing its audience Fortune is not a gimmick, but the man to make INXS a proper band again. It's not going to be easy, considering the huge shadow cast by a natural-born rock star like Hutchence. "What we do is what we do and we had no choice in the matter when Michael departed. We're in a band and we play music," says Jon.


Switch is INXS' first album of new material since 1997's Elegantly Wasted and first without Hutchence, hence the title. Some people out there want not to understand the band, some are playing safe with their opinions.
Although most of the material was written before he joined the band, Fortune co-wrote three of the 11 tracks on Switch, including first single "Pretty Vegas." The album is a mix of '80s-inspired dance rock and tender ballads dedicated to late singer Michael Hutchence and his daughter, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily. It's a combination of some really fun songs — 'cause we're about celebrating the good sides of life — with a couple of really very special songs lyrically, very poignant, Farriss said. I think we're gonna reclaim a lot of stuff that's ours, that combination of some wonderful rhythms, rock fills, a bit of Motown in there and just great melodies.

I own every other INXS album, why not this one? In the long term, you'll probably buy it anyway. As for those gags about JD being a former Elvis impersonator, remember that Hutchence contributed to the "Its Now Or Never" Elvis Tribute album in 1994. (He sang 'Baby Let's Play House'). Both had a love of Elvis (see 'cock rock').

Here are a couple of treats for you. I found a single that came under the radar back in 1993 from INXS, called 'Freedom Deep'. Wonder no more where Coldplay got their inspiration for 'Fix You'. Secondly, what would you do if the phone rang, someone down the line said to you "sing something.. go now". Then to find that a composition was made from your bumbling goofy tones? Thats what happened in 1997 with the track 'Sing Something'. Quite enjoyable :)

[INXS - Freedom Deep ogg/1.7Mb] 1993/Full Moon Dirty Hearts
[INXS - Sing Something ogg/1.8Mb] 1997/bonus track
*get em before Dec 12

December 4, 2005

Sunday Nuggets 1

As I pilfer through my archives this Sunday, I find a song that Milla Jovovich (Lelu from The Fifth Element), and an early Jamiroquai release from 1993.
Enjoy.

[Milla - the Gentleman Who Fell ogg/1.7Mb] 1994/The Divine Comedy

[Jamiroquai - Blow Your Mind (Radio Edit) ogg/1.6Mb] 1993/CDS
*get em before Dec 11

Sunday Nuggets 2

This track was on a 4-track EP called 'Spin One'. It came out just after 'Love In Motion', and before 'Satellite' in '94. This track I felt was a great show of irony by Icehouse, considering they beefed up a lot of their live shows in the 80s, with .. glam. Try a slice. You won't recognise them apart from a subtle vocal bit. Its a mix by 808 State.


[Icehouse - Dedicated To Glam ogg/2Mb] 1993/Spin One
*get it before Dec 12

December 1, 2005

The Sindecut

I found this on a Virgin records Radio Promo disc from July 1990.

After 7's 'Cant Stop', Bass-O-Matic's 'Fascinating Rhythm', Steve Winwood's 'One And Only Man', or McSkat Kat's "Skat Strut' could have taken first spot on the disc, yet english hip-hoppers The Sindecut made the grade.

Track one on a labels promo CD is considered the heatseeker back then by PDs. Nowadays, its the labels recommended 'safest hit'. So sad it never went anywhere in NZ at the time. Probably because 'Suicide Blonde' and 'U Cant Touch This' were dominating the Hot 9 at 9.

The Sindecut had just signed a six figure deal with Virgin in 1990 after three years of vigorous promotion, with two singles behind them on Baad Records. It helped that they had great response in the UK from a 'live to air' on Capitol Radio. MC Crazy Noddy, DJ Fingers, Louise Francis, Lyn E Lyn, Don't Ramp and Spikey Tee signed to Virgin and released their first album 'Changing The Scenery', with first single 'Live The Life'.[stream]

Crazy Noddy and Fingers are good friends with UK producer Insane MacBeth who is one of the UK's first generation old skoolers (influenced by pirate radio DJ Westwood and Deckmasters - the DJs behind Cookie Crew), and aided them between '86 until they were signed.

Enjoy.

[The Sindecut - Tell Me Why ogg/1.9Mb] 1990/Changing The Scenery
*get it before Dec 8

With You

Portability is so 20th century. Here we see the first portable computer...


Haha. Where would many of you be today without your trusty laptop, or your cellphone?

In school, me and my ex flatmate had these 'timers', and we'd set them for 60 minutes just before each class period started. At 30 seconds before the end of class, we would stop work, pack our stuff away to the surprise of our teachers and on 3.. 2... get out of our chair and begin to walk toward the door. That moment the teacher is about to ask "where are you two going", where mid breath, the bell would ring. "Class is over Miss. See you tomorrow". Go portable clocks!

Fast Foward to 2005 and the internet is a part of our daily lives, wether we just surf the thing for todays news, email or whatever. It's already portable (has been for ages) but you need your palm equivalent or cellphone to run the programs. Consider the decline in internet cafe usage in the next 3-5 years just on that. Problem is, these devices don't yet (or may ever) have the grunt to do involved work.

John Haller is giving you your computer without your computer. How would you like all your bookmarks to go with you? No I dont mean uploaded to a myspace type website, i'm talking "bring your stuff with you", bookmarks, settings... software.

It's beginning now with applications like AbiWord, FileZilla, Firefox, Gaim, NVU, OpenOffice, Sunbird and Thunderbird (so far).

All you do is download the .zip files, extract to your USB thumb drive, and go. No installation necessary, no registry writing. Plug your USB drive into any manchine - even the reception desk of the lawyers office across the road and run YOUR browser, YOUR email client, YOUR office suite. Nuts huh?

Take a look.