Blue Shirt Beats

Claiming his prize

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:51:00 +0000

Best Buy, Blueshirt, Paul Brian Santiago Fernando works on the Merchandise team at the Montclair store and is one of the grand prize winners from the Your Life Is A Mixtape contest. Tomorrow he is heading to Interscope Records to check it out and kick it at Dr. Dre's studio. As our guest blogger / tweeter for the next couple of days, we thought you'd like to get to know him a little bit better...

BSB: Ok so Paul Brian Santiago Fernando, you won this contest...that's one hell of name by the way. Do you have any nicknames?

Paul: My nickname is Borsche. My mom gave me that name when I was a kid.
The weird part is that she doesn't know what it means. I looked it up online, and its some sort of Russian soup

BSB: Haha Awesome! Speaking of mom's...did your mom or parents have any influence over your love of music?

Paul: Absolutely. My dad pretty much handed down all of his vinyl to me. Though it wasn't much, it was a big foundation of what I listen to today.

BSB: Like what??

Paul: Beatles, Michael jackson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Madonna, Earth Wind and Fire .. so on and so forth

BSB: So on and so AMAZING! So where did you grow up?

Paul: I was born in Los Angeles, but primarily grew up in Ontario and Chino, California. I have always been a SoCal kid, I can't picture myself living out of there besides New York.

BSB: Totally. Born and raised. Love it. What are three words that describe your style / personality?

Paul: detailed, eclectic, underestimated

BSB: Interesting...say it's Saturday night at 8 pm - what is Mr. Borsche doing?

Paul: If i'm not catching the Lakers play, I might be at the theaters with friends.

BSB: Ok so big sports / LA guy. One crazy this happened this year..where were you when you heard about MJ?

Paul: I was actually going to a Best Buy commercial shoot in Long Beach.
When I heard the news, it was really something that you couldn't really put together. My friends were just playing his music in their car on the way there. We didn't talk much, but just listened.

BSB: What's your pick, Michael Jackson Bad album or Off the Wall?

Paul: I would have to say Off the Wall. My favorite song off the album is I Can't Help It. Plus I love the way De La Soul sampled that song in Breakadawn.

BSB: Nice moves. Do you have a guilty pleasure artist or album that you are a little bit embarrassed to tell people that you listen to?

Paul: I would have to say Disney music.
It gets pretty awkward when you have your ipod playing at full blast in your car on random. It will be playing some Wu-Tang Clan, then it will randomly go to Under the Sea, then you roll your windows all the way up.

BSB: Haha...Yeah I bet you do. That is an awesome answer. So eclectic tastes...when was the last time you made a mixtape for yourself or someone and what was on it?

Paul: Not too long ago, probably 2 weeks ago. Some jay-z, alicia keys, little dragon, k-salaam & beatnick, loefah, tc, yeah yeah yeahs, sia, mozella.

BSB: Nice mix. Do you remember the first CD you bought?

Paul: Yes. It was the Above the Rim soundtrack.

BSB: Vinyl or mp3?

Paul: Vinyl, I love the crackle noise.

BSB: So you are old enough to have owned tapes, correct? Still have any?

Paul: Yep. I have casette singles of Da Brat - Funkedified and Coolio - Fantastic Voyage.

BSB: Quickfire...would you rather be rich or famous?

Paul: I'd want to be happy.

BSB: If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Paul: Maybe some Hawaiian bbq, with Coke from Disneyland. I swear they add something extra in it.

BSB: So you're going to Interscope this week...what do you really want to ask them?

Paul: I think I just want to get their perspective on where they think the music industry is headed.

BSB: What's in store for you in 2010? Break it down real quick...

Paul: I am looking forward to the next Talib Kweli album, whether or not its a Blackstar album, I will still pick that up when or if it does come out. and I will look forward to see how Kanye West bounces back this year.

BSB: Yeah that will be interesting for sure. And if Taylor Swift will just go away. Haha..just kidding (kind of).

Paul: haha

BSB: Looking forward to your tweets and seeing what you see inside Interscope. Thanks and have fun!

Paul: I will!

Video: Remix as Cultural Art

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:38:00 +0000

"Art is not about just the creator." Mike Masnick

We stumbled upon this great post & video yesterday disecting and discussing the cultural implecations of "remixing." In 2010, the ideas of copyright and ownership aren't as black & white as they used to be, and this video brings up some interesting points about how today's "remixing" goes far beyond stealing and into the realm of society & communication. Really interesting watch if you have 7 minutes.

Found at Hypebot and more at TechDirt.

Patrick Stump gets funky!

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:30:00 +0000

Fall Out Boy announced this week that they are quitting each-other/taking a break/doing other things. Well the good news to come out of that is that lead singer Patrick Stump is working on some solo material. He spoke to SPIN Magazine about it today, and put up a cool video on his new site of him writing, recording, singing, and producing the whole thing.

Can't wait to hear it.

CHROMEO! LIVE FROM THE LAB

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0000

We mentioned this yesterday on our Twitter, but we are so so excited about Chromeo's new blog and the announcement of a new album (tentatively coming in August). To celebrate, we compiled 5 of our favorite Chromeo songs to share with you!

Via Fool's Gold

BEHIND BARS

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:53:00 +0000

It was a sad sad day yesterday when the world found out that multi-platinum rapper and the hottest MC of the last 3 years is going to jail. Lil Wayne folks, behind bars. Yes he has had his fair share of legal trouble, and we aren't denying that it probably should have been a long time ago, but its always depressing to see so much talent get caged in.

The official story will come from Wayne in the new issue of Rolling Stone, but reports yesterday suggest his sentence has been delayed until he gets his toothache fixed. Either way, it didn't take long for a #lettertoweezy hashtag to trend on Twitter, with some pretty serious words for the rapper about to enter the pen.

COMING TO AMERICA

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:18:00 +0000

Just finished watching the first episode of HBO's new series How To Make It In America, and was actually pretty impressed. If you got some time to burn, check it out. It stars one of our favorite current obsessions Kid Cudi. Can't Get Enough.

Watch the whole first episode on YouTube

GO OK!

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:25:00 +0000

Internet video sensations OK GO have a new album, and a brand new video that rocks our socks... Well, maybe not our socks, but atleast is a fun way to spend a few minutes on a Friday.

Kitsune Noir had a choice description of the whole thing, thanks for making our day!

Justin + Ali

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Hometown Minneapolis favorite Brother Ali had a special guest at a recent show in Wyoming. None other than pop-star sensation, and our favorite member of N'Sync, Justin Timberlake showed up and actually beatboxed for Ali while he spit some freestyles. We always thought JT had good taste in music.

Big ups to PrefixMag for the story.

Aziz Please

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:00:00 +0000

A couple hilarious clips from one of our new favorite comedians Aziz Ansari. We saw these a while back, but its still funny the second and third time you watch them.

Aziz had a new comedy CD & DVD come out this week called Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening, check it out his blog for some ongoing funnies.

Thanks herfection & Mad Decent

Coachella 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:08:00 +0000

Yesterday, the big news was the announcement of the 2010 Coachella line-up. Its always exciting to see what they pull off, and definitely a reflection of the hottest bands of the year.

The lineup looks incredible, and every day looks like it could be amazing. Jay-Z, LCD Soundsystem, Vampire Weekend, Passion Pit, La Roux, and The Whitest Boy Alive on Friday. MGMT, David Guetta, Hot Chip, Gossip, Major Lazer, and the XX on Saturday. And Gorillaz, Phoenix, De La Soul, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Matt & Kim, and Miike Snow closing out Sunday.

Sounds like a fantastic weekend.

Fresh for your Ears

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:03:00 +0000

We've been spinning some new music for 2010, and just updated our Current Rotation section in the right column. We had a couple old favorites from 2009 finally getting the play they deserve, and few new records creep in. Here is what's striking our fancy:

Definitely feeling the new Vampire Weekend and Hot Chip records, both are short (10 songs) but have plenty songs that instantly standout. On an dance front, we've been reliving David Guetta's One Love from last summer, with new hits like 'One Love' and 'Memories (ft. Kid Cudi)' taking the place of old favorites like 'When Love Takes Over' and 'Sexy Bitch.' And the Basement Jaxx last record Scars has grown on us the same way.

On a more surprising note, both the Gucci Mane and Rihanna records have impressed us with their longevity. Gucci has some of the best production of last year, our favorite being 'Lemonade.' Rihanna's record on the other hand seemed odd at first, but most songs have become fantastic without all the drama and over-exposure of 2009. Check out 'Rude Boy' and 'Hard.'

Lastly, its always a good sign when critical and popular favorites like Lady GaGa and Kid Cudi still have playability 6 months later, because it means we we're right about how awesome these records were from the first listen. If you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and pick them both up. Total classics.

The Beat

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:33:00 +0000

Exciting news out of CES this year from Monster & Beats by Dre. They have released some pretty cool new products, including a collabortion with Project RED in support of eliminating AIDS in Africa.

The new (PRODUCT)RED™ Special Edition Beats Solo Headphone is an updated version of their original Solo Headphone, with even greater High Definition sound quality. You can reserve a pair on their site.

Beats by Dre also added two new headphones to their line-up. The Beats Spin aimed at professional DJs features a rotating ear cup and supreme sound isolation. The other new release is the Diddy Beats, the rumored collaboration with Diddy. These in-ear headphones, similar to the Heartbeats and Tour, are designed to reflect Diddy's signature urban luxury coolness.

Dirty Thirty

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:11:00 +0000

The best gift that I could have received for my recent birthday was my own personal soundtrack to the night. My BFF (and the other author of this blog) hand selected 30 albums, and 30 songs, all that (in our minds) fit perfectly together and sum me up to a T. With these jams, yeah I pretty much took the night. My mixtape is music to my ears. What would yours be?

Dirty Dancing Soundtrack - (I've Had) The Time Of My Life

Captain & Tennille's - Love will keep us together

The Beach Boys - Made in the USA - Help Me, Rhonda

David Bowie - Let's Dance - Let's Dance

Phil Collins - No Jacket Required - Sussudio

Heart - Little Queen - Little Queen

Prince - I Wanna Be Your Lover

Dr. Dre - The Chronic - Fuck Wit Dre Day

A tribe called Quest - Midnight Marauders - Electric Relaxation

Madonna - True Blue - La Isla Bonita

Chicago - Street Player

Madonna - like a virgin - Dress You Up

Aaliyah - Age Ain't Nothing But A Number - Age Ain't Nothing But A Number

Whitney - How Will I Know - How Will I Know

Erykah Badu - Baduism - Next Lifetime

Kelis - Get Along With You - Get Along With You

Common - Resurrection - Comunism

Kool Keith - Sex Style - Sex Style

NERD - Maybe - Maybe

Fleetwood Mac - Landslide

Monica - miss thang - don't take it personal (just one of dem days)

Joe Jackson - Night and Day - Steppin' Out

Outkast - Speakerboxxx / The Love Below - Prototype

Brandy - Never S-A-Y Never - Top of the World

Janet Jackson - Control - What have you done for me lately

Whitney - I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)

Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down - All Night Long

mix widit! - Luchini (RMX)

Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine - Let it Loose - Rythm is Gonna Get You

The Time - Ice Cream Castle - Jungle Love

Act Right

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:00:00 +0000

If you are a DJ and don't already read DJ Tech Tools regularly, this is just another reminder of the great content they produce. A great article this week on DJ etiquette, something that usually is learned the hard way, but here is a crash course to get you on the right page. Check it out.

In Case You Missed It

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Here are some of our favorite things we saw around the web this week: music, art, life, or whatever.

Vampire Weekend announce a big Spring tour, in support of their new album Contra. (via Pitchfork)

The internet gets a new star in Boise State Cowbell Girl and laughs, only to find out later that she is disabled. The internet can be cruel, sorry.

RZA reimagines a famous George Washington painting in honor of his new album. (via Pitchfork)

Snoop Dogg appears on the CBS show 'I Get That A Lot' and we get a hilarious clip. (via Prefix Mag)

Clipse perform 'Popular Demand' on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and it was amazing. 'Grindin' bonus. (via herfection)

David Guetta & Kid Cudi shoot a video for 'Memories,' can't wait to see it. (via herfection)

XXXChange gets a studio visit, and talks about producing. (via Fool's Gold)

DJ Shadow has a few words about the value of music as art. Preach. (via DJ Shadow)

Michael Michael Motorcycle

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:11:00 +0000

Michael Cera plays the perfect awkward-oddball youth like no one else can, in fact its hard to tell if he's acting at all, or if he is just being himself. Whatever he is doing, we like it, and this week we got to see lots of him.

First, he set the internet a-buzz when pictures surfaced of him getting a Jersey Shore blowout from Vinny, looking all too comfortable and content. Whether satire or general appreciation we don't mind, it looks like he knows how to have a good time.

Then, he appeared in a web-exclusive music video for the band Islands, where he trips out in a weirdly surreal video.

And if that wasn't enough, tomorrow his new movie Youth in Revolt opens and it looks hilarious. He plays his usual non-ladies man self, and in a twist gets to play a second (imaginary) version of himself that's a suave rebel womanizer. The trailer explains it all, check it out, we already know it will be good.

Big in 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Well, even though 2009 had great music, rather than relive the past, isn't it fun to get excited about what the future holds. And 2010 has some incredible things in store. Here are some of the albums we are most looking forward to in 2010:

Vampire Weekend - Contra
The followup to their amazing debut album, the first single from Contra, 'Cousins' promises more of the same prep-rock rhythms we've come to love. Great video as well.

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Not a ton is known about the new Gorillaz record, but its been almost 5 years since Demon Days (really?) and that makes us excited to hear what's next. This "band" is always pushing the boundaries of genre and collaboration. Very fitting that they help bring us into a new decade of music.

Hot Chip - One Life Stand
And maybe a more selfish selection, any new Hot Chip music is good music. This band always makes a complex, fun, and danceable record that can be played at any occassion. Can't wait!

Honorable Mentions
We have also heard or hope to be hearing new music from OutKast, Missy Elliott, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Justin Timberlake, The-Dream, Dr. Dre, Kelis, Keri Hilson, and Justice. Go 2010!

Somebody Bring Me Back Some

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:26:00 +0000

Jay-Z celebrated the New Year by releasing the video for his next North American single "On To the Next One" right at Midnight December 31st.

The song didn't stand out to me on The Blueprint 3, other than the Justice sample, but now that I have a video to go with it, I must say... impressive. Stunning use of black and white photography, with subtle motion, metaphors, and abstraction. I am not the first to notice that this looks nothing like your normal "hip-hop" video. Nice work J, keep it up!

This Is It

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Spike Lee, legendary film-maker, directed a really thoughtful new video for Michael Jackson's final song "This Is It." We think it was really well done, and wanted to share it. Watch it on VIMEO

The Gig is Up

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:35:00 +0000

DJ Tech Tools (our favorite DJ blog) posted a great article about DJ gig essentials. They cover some of the obvious (business cards, cables, ear plugs) and less obvious (foam padding?). A great post if you are a beginner or semi-professional that might just need some reminders.

Read the whole article on DJTechTools.com

They also have a great video series in the works that checks in with touring professional DJs and asks "What's in your DJ Bag?". The first on features MSTRKRFT, and we can't wait to see more in the future.

A Decade of Wonder

noreply@blogger.com (punchy) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:58:00 +0000

Billboard.com has released its list of Top 40 'One Hit Wonders' from the 2000s. We personally love a catchy pop song, cheesy ballad, or omni-present party song. And even though they overstay their welcome, once they leave, they are gone for good.

Some of our favorites from the list:

4. MIMS - This is Why I'm Hot

5. D4L - Laffy Taffy

12. Cassie - Me & U

27. Rich Boy - Throw Some D's

29. Tweet - Oops

30. Hurricane Chris - Ay Bay Bay

This definitely was the decade that Hip Hop went Pop!

Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (punchy) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:28:00 +0000

Phoenix - 1901 - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

If you don't know about La Blogotheque or Take Away Shows, then this is an amazing introduction. There are 2 other great songs by Pheonix if you follow the links, and check out their archive of hundreds of performances. All live, acoustic, and breath-taking.

Club Classics 001: Bizarre Inc- I'm Gonna Get You

noreply@blogger.com (punchy) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:00 +0000

There are some songs that DJs know will always win the crowd over. We wanna call out some of those songs, that you may not be known by name, but certainly will by ear.

Our first pick for Club Classics is the 1992 House-crossover hit, 'I'm Gonna Get You' from Bizarre Inc. From the first synth riffs and snaps, partyers know exactly what they are in for. While the beats keeps the people moving, the vocals by Angie Brown are really what makes this track so eternally catchy. Listen here.

Make sure this Club Classic is in your Library or Playlist.

DJ AM Sneaker Auction (eBay)

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:00 +0000

DJ AM was a sneakerhead. Long before he was a celebrity-DJ, he was busy buying up, obtaining, or getting hooked up with some of the most exclusive sneakers made. His passion was well documented, and also landed him with a little part on one of the best episodes of Entourage, where he snatches the last pair of exclusive sneakers out from under Turtle.

In honor of his passion and in celebration of his life, UNDFTD, DECKSTAR, and eBay have partnered to auction off his 900+ pair collection in support of the DJ AM Memorial Fund.

The auction runs through Sunday, November 22nd. Check it out here.

The Future is Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Blue) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:27:00 +0000

For those of you familiar with Ableton Live, you'll know how the innovative software has managed to bridge the gap between in-studio and live performance software. Everyone from songwriters, to remixers, to producers and DJs have used the tool to push the boundries of what it means to be an electronic musician.

Part of the reason Ableton allows for so much innovation, is the way it can be dynamically and creatively controlled on the fly using any number of MIDI devices. Leading gear producers have noticed this trend, and are now starting to develop the first devices with Ableton Live in mind. Below are launch videos for two such products, one from Novation and one from Akai. Check them out for yourself. You can also see a a number of demos and tutorials by searching "Ableton Launchpad" or "Ableton APC40" on YouTube.

Ableton Live is about making music; for composition, songwriting, recording, production, remixing and live performance. Live's nonlinear, intuitive flow, alongside powerful real-time editing and flexible performance options, make it a unique studio tool and a favorite with live performers. If you'd rather be "making music" than just "using music software," Ableton Live is for you. Live 8, the latest version, includes a wealth of new techniques and improvements with a new groove engine, revamped warping, live looping, new effects, crossfades in the Arrangement View and a reworked MIDI editor.
from Ableton