BudTrapology

Loving: Taking 'One Less Tangle' To The Streets

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:51:00 +0000

Last week some of the BudTrap staff helped organize the Darlinghurst Madmen (aka Team BudTrap) to hit the streets of Darlinghurst as part of Clean Up Australia Day. Through an advanced process we have affectionately dubbed 'macro detangling' we scrubbed 5 blocks spotless over a 2 hour window, followed by a trip to the local to rest our weary knees.

These pics prove that tangles are indeed everywhere (what is rubbish/mess if not a tangle waiting to be straightened out?) and that adopting the mantra 'One Less Tangle' can make a small difference in everyone's life :-)

Listening: Placebo @ Enmore Theatre 24/02/10

noreply@blogger.com (Klink) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:50:00 +0000

I had to think long and hard on how to blog about my Placebo experience. Its often hard to express a live show to someone who wasn’t part of the audience, so I had an idea, why not express this experience in the form of something that people may be relate to, via the inception, development and the ultimate end of a relationship, complete with the inherent volatility of emotions?

The Search Begins:
The genesis of any relationship begins with the search, not knowing what to expect but prepared to accept the possibilities that what lie ahead; almost like the support act of the main event - The Vasco Era. It’s always great to see local support for international acts and that’s the way it should be. These guys played a great, tight set and entertained the increasing crowd as they continued to pour in from the multiple entrances at The Enmore. They sounded great and certainly produced some great sound for a 3 piece and bassist ted O’Neil seemed to be rocking in his own world, all in all a solid performance and they certainly fulfilled their duties in building the anticipation of seeing the main act.

The First Date:
The first date is where all initial expectations are either fully realised or fall disappointingly short, it’s the time where you take full advantage of showcasing any new belongings that will electrify and impress with underlying charismatic prowess and create an aura of heightened awareness.

This is exactly how Placebo opened their set, the anticipation was instigated via a huge video screen that acted as their backdrop (which not only complemented the Placebo sound but added a visual body to their music, almost acting as a form of catharsis for the melodic sound) and as they entered the darkened stage the audience erupted, the first date has begun. Brian Molko dressed in his usual black attire, very smooth and dressed for the moment, Stefan Olsdal impressive in his silver, almost metallic, shining suit and Steve Forrest took the more casual route and was clad in tattoos.

Placebo opened with their new material, “For What Its Worth”, ‘Ashtray Heart” and “Battle For The Sun” which sounded as every bit as good as the album versions, in fact Brian’s vocals seemed to have more depth in a live setting. The crowd was certainly in a state of frenzy by now and judging by their vibrant reaction, all expectations were well and truly exceeded. Next came that candle lit moment, a little breathing room after all the initial attempts at impressing were completed, a time where the pace slowed down, Placebo delivered “Soulmates”, “Speak In Tongues” and “Follow The Cops Back Home” in an emotionally wrenching form that captivated the ever so attentive audience, with that huge video screen visually expressing all the feelings that were evident.

Consummation:
With the dating rituals and formalities well and truly completed, the relationship transcends into a more intimate form coupled with a progressive build up of unbridled passion waiting to be released. When Placebo played the first opening chords of “Every You Every Me” the crowd absolutely erupted, you could sense the built up expectations waiting for this song to eventually be played in the well-crafted set list; this was the moment of release. Just when I thought we were done, Placebo pulled out another classic “Special Needs” which simply continued the furore being expelled and then “Breathe Underwater”, from their current CD, followed, sounding even better than in its recorded form. Approaching the half way point, it was slowly becoming evident that Steve Forrest added that extra spark, that additional level to Placebo’s rhythm section. Don’t get me wrong former drummer Steve Hewitt was great but held a totally different beat to Steve Forrest and its quite evident upon listening to past and current songs.

After the storm of activity comes the relative lull, some breathing space required after expelling all of that stored up energy. Placebo played a series songs that gave us all some time to reflect on what we had just experienced; “Julien”, “The Never Ending Why”, ”Come Undone”, “Devil In The Detail”, “Meds” were thoroughly enjoyable and gave us an extended period to reconnect with the band before being subjected to their next well planned and delightful stratagem.

Commitment:
The mutual stage when the stars are aligned, the perfect moment; despite any prior minor disagreements or misconceptions, when you find that missing piece and are finally content. This moment came when Placebo opened with “Special K”, those first notes produced a sea of adoration in the form of hands and fingers all raised and swaying in unison, a shadow like backdrop to the bright lights emanating from the giant video screen and upon its completion, Stefan motioned to the crowd to quieten, then as the noise dropped for an ever so brief moment, Stefan opened with the riff to “Bitter End” (yes, he alternated between bass and electric guitar all night ) the crowd were showing their commitment in the form of another flurry of hands, fingers and one huge mass of gyrating bodies all perfectly swaying in time to this all time classic.

This is the end:
All relationships ultimately end in one way or another; the reflective period begins. Placebo’s encore gave us a gamut of emotions in their own way of saying goodbye, “Bright Lights” and “Trigger Happy” transpired into a uplifting farewell, a mutual understanding that all things come to and end, it was loud and it was eruptive, it left us all wanting more. “Infra-Red’; the ultimate end evolves due to a period of growing apart and a feeling of disconnect. “Taste In Men”; the demise as a result of infidelity the ultimate relationship killer; a sense that all was slowly coming to an end was felt as the encore drew to a close. One song that was played during the end of the main set, but I have placed it at the end of my blog (sometimes poetic license is a necessary option) as this should have been the last song played; “Song To Say Goodbye” – a emotive song that captured the feeling of the unavoidable end, the anticipation, the personal encounter, the exhilaration and the bittersweet farewell; “we'll both end up, with just your song to say goodbye”

About this column:

BudTrap was born out of our love of music - and the frustration of having to deal with headphones that kept getting tangled up. Nothing's changed. We still listen to an awful lot of music - and go to a stack of gigs - it's our passion. So each week we like to share a little about what we've been listening to - good or bad - and spread that passion. Yeah we get a bit opinionated and worked up, that's what it's all about. We encourage you to bite back, join the discussion and let us know what's been rocking your world.

Loving: 2,500 hours to build houses, don lycra or do the moonwalk!

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:55:00 +0000

You may have noticed the small counter at the bottom of each page on budtrap.com. It tallies the total amount of time saved through the use of BudTrap - time that would otherwise have been spent untangling headphone cables (you can find out more about how we calculate this figure at the end of the article). Recently, we hit another milestone - 2,500 hours saved!

This got us thinking, what could be done with this time our customers have back in their day?

1. Building houses.
The world record for 'speed building' a house was set in 2003 by the fabulous Habitat For Humanity. They built a house for Bonnie Lilly in just under 3.5 hours (granted, it was pre-fabricated). Amazing. Check it out:

If we assume 100 people worked on the house (which looks about right), and put in the full amount of time each, then we could have built more than 7 of these homes (for people who really need it) with the 2,500 hours up our tangle-free sleeves.

2. Andar en bicicleta (on your bike)
Alberto Contador finished last year's (2009) Tour de France in just under 86 hours. Cycling mad BudTrappers could have completed the entire race 29 times if they could keep up with the flying Spaniard!

3. Fly me to the moon...

It took the astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission (the first to land on the moon) 3 days and 4 hours to get there. If we assume equal time to get there and back (and I'm no rocket scientist), we get around 6.5 days. I'm not sure how zero gravity affects the tangling of headphone cables (we do believe there to be a universal constant of annoyance), however we could have journeyed to the moon 16 times with our 2,500 hours and still have had some change left over.

Can you think of some more?
Let us know your thoughts on how you would use the 2,500 hours saved through BudTrap. Would you throw it into work or study, your favourite hobby or cause, or would you just use it to spend more time with your friends and loved ones? Either way, it really is extraordinary how much can be done when you save a little time from your day by eliminating an annoying time-waster like tangles. For the record, 2,500 hours is approximately 104 consecutive days - so you have quite a bit of time to work with!

How we calculate the total
Every time someone orders a BudTrap, we add that person to our ongoing tally of saved time. Each day from the day that order was placed, we add a very small amount of time for each BudTrap ordered to the total, representative of the amount of time, on average, a person spends untangling their headphone cables. We calculate the amount conservatively and have spent a mind-boggling amount of time studying tangles and testing BudTraps - so, we figure if anyone knows, it's us! It's all part of the science of BudTrapology. Beep.

Listening: Sia, Homebake and a couple of Irishmen

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:16:00 +0000

Sia - Some People Have Real Problems

Welcome to 2010 at BudTrapology! We have been working pretty hard these last 2 months to bring some exciting new stuff to the table (more on that in future posts). As usual, we couldn't have done aforementioned work without listening to some great new music, which we can't wait to share with you in the coming weeks.

In the meantime though, I wanted to briefly rant on about my muse of the summer - Sia (and, specifically, her 3rd solo effort, Some People Have Real Problems). Yes, I know its been out since 2008 - I am, after all, hopelessly late on most trends (though, in truth, I have been getting into her since the mid-2000s). But this summer - the summer of classical music, French gypsy jazz, and Pimms - she cut through like a knife that sings sweetly in your ear.

If you haven't listened to her peculiarly crafted pop ditties, then you are one of the 'some people' she reckons have real problems. It truly is thoroughly recommended listening. Having said that, I think what got the summer beach ball rolling was seeing her live at Homebake.

I had meant to buy tickets, can't remember why I didn't - and I felt like the kid who failed the 'you have to be this tall' test for the roller coaster at the theme park. I had visions of storming the gate or jumping the fence - something very rock'n'roll - when I spotted a couple of guys standing on a small rock wall outside the gates and made my way over. You could just see Sia's head and a couple of her band. A brief introduction (they were Irish backpackers) and offering of beer (which I gratefully accepted) and we settled into quiet appreciation of singer's blonde bob as it floated over the sponsor's banner clad security fencing.

Here is that exact moment, captured from within:

We acknowledged each song with muted nods. I think we may have swayed a little. At least mentally we were holding hands. Music can do that to you. Draw strangers to a park, bring them together for a moment and leave them altered ever so slightly for the experience. In my case, it shaped the summer.

So, as we gear up for a big year at budtrap.com, bring your best music and moments into 2010. And, of course, your BudTrap!

About this column:

BudTrap was born out of our love of music - and the frustration of having to deal with headphones that kept getting tangled up. Nothing's changed. We still listen to an awful lot of music - and go to a stack of gigs; it's our passion. So each week we like to share a little about what we've been listening to - good or bad - and spread that passion. Yeah we get a bit opinionated and worked up, that's what it's all about. We encourage you to bite back, join the discussion and let us know what's been rocking your world.

Loving: Humorous tangle anecdotes

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:46:00 +0000

A snappy little article by the 'Modern Guru' Danny Katz in last weekend's 'Good Weekend' (page 11, The Age, Melbourne) - something we can all relate to. Someone get the guy a BudTrap!

"I keep getting my wires crossed and it's left me all mixed up
Is there a foolproof way to stop earbuds tangling?
M.G., Geelong, Vic

Enough worrying about the 2012 Mayan apocalypse, we've still got two years to prepare for that - there's a much greater global calamity facing us next Friday. In households around the world, normal people will be opening Christmas presents containing digital music devices and will initially be thrilled with their gift because it's something they've been wanting since their old digital music device became obsolete, which happens about every 45 minutes. Bt upon using this digital music device, they will be immediately stricken with a crisis of tsunamic proportions: earbud tangling or, worse, earphone-snaring or, most diabolical of all, headset grannyknotting. What mysterious forces are behind this dire wire-intertwining enigma? Some claim it's an ancient Mayan prophecy pertaining to the earphone equinox. Other believe it's technology getting smarter than us and trying to destroy us with rudimentary cord strangulation. Still others say it's just that we're yanking too much when we should be tugging gently, just generally in life. Whatever the reason, our immediate concern is urgent unilateral disentanglement, so here's some emergency solutions: you can try winding up your earbud cords neatly when you're done, coiling them around your finger like a roadie after a very small U2 concert... ...Or just be patient and wait until earbuds become wireless, which will most likely happen the day after Christmas."

All content (above) remains the copyright of its respective owners.

Listening: Interpol - Angst in Suits

noreply@blogger.com (Klink) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:48:00 +0000

Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights

It was always going to be hard choosing between two CD’s of equal relevance and quality. I refer to Interpol’s debut and sophomore releases “Turn On The Bright Lights’ and ‘Antics’, respectively. In the end, I chose “Turn On The Bright Lights”, arguably one of the finest, defining and musically poignant debut releases of the post punk era. Interpol are often referred to as the “best dressed” band in the business, (hailing from of New York I guess it's understandable) but it’s their music that sets them apart.

Interpol’s music is dark, broody and full of angst (as are most of their lyrics) yet paradoxically melodic. Carlos Dengler’s deep driving bass, harmonized by the intonation of Daniel Kessler’s rhythmic guitar layered with the lead vocals of Paul Banks, whose low deep voice has often been compared to the late Ian Curtis of Joy Division (then again which singer hasn’t?) rounded out by Samuel Fogarino’s ubiquitous snare drum beat, characterise and define Interpol’s, critically acclaimed, sound and style.

TOTBL, effectively and articulately introduces the distinctive sound of these Indie rockers, with the opening title track, aptly named “Untitled” challenging us to absorb and process the music, without the requirement for an actual track name (effortlessly aided by the extended guitar and drum intro). “Obstacle1” follows next; a favourite track played live, openly expressing an emotive quality to Paul Bank’s low vocal range. “Say Hello To The Angels” (a perfect opener to any mixed tape compilation) instantly delves into a flurry of grinding guitar riffs, which not only lay the song’s foundation but also immerse you into its melodious appeal.

“NYC”, an ode to their city of residence, an introspective reflection on life in the big apple, sometimes bittersweet and fastidious but always becoming and nurturing.” Roland” an accelerating and explosive piece, with obvious lineage to the punk genre, powers through and doesn’t disappoint those who like their music fast and loud. Then there is the somewhat ambiguously titled “Stella Was A Diver And She Was Always Down” – take time and ponder its meaning. My favourite track, “PDA”, is an appealing song that captivated me very late one night and incited my appreciation of Interpol; containing a fantastic instrumental bridge that serenades the subconscious.

The Australian release contained a bonus track “Specialist” which lyrically, is every bit as moody as Interpol can conjure musically. So as PDA claims, there are “200 couches”, so, pick one, lock and load TOTBL, assume the horizontal and assimilate in this highly enjoyable musical moment.

About this column:

Listening: Bridezilla & those Casablanca moments

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:03:00 +0000

Bridezilla - The First Dance

Finally, something new to talk about. Two reasons; one, because, by my own admission, I have been lost in nostalgia-dom - helplessly indulging with the ghost of albums past, and two, nothing new has really grabbed my attention.

That's not to say I haven't been trying. I listen to a lot of music (one of the perks of working at BudTrap) - my headphones get a solid 8 hour workout. Mostly it flows in and out of consciousness, a backing track to the thought process - and then, every so often - kerpow! - something hits you in the 'wow - who's that?' lobe/cortex. It's a "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" moment.

I had one of those moments this week, listening to Bridezilla's aptly titled debut The First Dance. I'd briefly listened to the Sydney quintet's 5-track EP a year or so ago and, while impressed, had promptly reformatted the brain-space for something else. Not so this time - packing an impressive reputation for formidable live performances and coming off All Tomorrow's Parties appearances in both Aus and the US, The First Dance caught me pleasantly by surprise. Kerpow.

The Bridezilla sound is part ethereal, part classical, part eclectic rock. It is entirely beautiful; the seamless interplay of violin and saxophone (compliments of the annoyingly talented and classically trained Daisy Tulley and Millie Hall respectively) yielding an unusual yet strangely seductive aesthetic - an experimental eclecticism not unlike the instrumental excursions of Arcade Fire. Its music to have a moment to; turn the lights down and the stereo up and let the rich, textured melodies wash over you.

The First Dance is both expansive in vision and daring in execution, creating a unique fusion of classical musicality and modern pop sensibility. It reminds a little of Mercury Rev, softer Goldfrapp and Dirty Three - lofty company indeed. Yet the album flows with such understated effortlessness that you suspect this was no fluke - Bridezilla have staked their claim as enchanting and supremely talented craftsmen. Keep an eye on them.

About this column:

BudTrap was born out of our love of music - and the frustration of having to deal with headphones that kept getting tangled up. Nothing's changed. We still listen to an awful lot of music - and go to a stack of gigs; it's our passion. So each week we like to share a little about what we've been listening to - good or bad - and spread that passion. Yeah we get a bit opinionated and worked up, that's what it's all about. We encourage you to bite back, join the discussion and let us know what's been rocking your world.

What we've been listening to this week

noreply@blogger.com (Klink) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:41:00 +0000

Whitley - Go Forth Find Mammoth

The feeling of unbridled anticipation is one of the simple pleasures that the enjoyment of music brings. It marks the beginning of a beautiful journey and a moment in time, discovering and sharing an artist’s personal reflections and thoughts through their lyrics and melodic sound. Having heard Whitley’s amazing and infectious first single “Head, First, Down” from his, then upcoming, sophomore CD “Go Forth Find Mammoth” (a month out from its official release) that anticipation was well and truly set and growing.

I first heard Whitley about 12 months earlier, performing a stripped back acoustic version of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” and what impressed me, besides his original arrangement, was his voice; a low, husky, whispering tone that put a totally different slant on that timeless pop gem. Yes, I know, ABBA that guilty pleasure much akin to the “M” word, an activity everybody participates in but no one admits to, anyway I digress. That was the last I heard of Whitley (real name Lawrence Greenwood) the 22-year-old musician who hails from Melbourne Australia, for a considerable while but it would not be the last.

“Go Forth, Find Mammoth “(released 31 October, 2009) is a beautifully crafted and addictive musical collection of folk infused pop, that takes you down a path of life’s experiences, setbacks, joys and unexpected mysteries. From the CD’s opening instrumental song “1945”, you seem instantly swept away by gorgeous ambient sounds, subliminally substituted for any lyrical content, effortlessly morphing into the second track “Poison In Our Pocket”. From here the combination of acoustic guitar (fingers plucking away up and down the fretboard) and those unmistakable Whitley vocals, take us on a hypnotic journey allowing us to reflect on times that may have once past us by. The same could be said of “Winter Warmer Sky” and “Killer” where the former acts as the perfect precursor that guides us dreamily into the latter, suddenly opening with the successive progression of catchy chords. However, in my opinion, it’s the lush vocals of Hazel Brown that completely mesmerise the listener, perfectly complementing Whitley on this track.

The sound of a rainstorm introduces (and subsequently completes) the reflective and emotionally stirring track “The Piece You Took From Me”, the interesting fact is that the sound isn’t a synthetic reproduction but an actual recording taken during a storm: - only organic additives allowed on this CD and absolutely nothing wasted. The journey ends, pretty much in the same way that it started, with the coupling of interrelated and intertwining tracks, this time “Facades I” and “Facades II”, provide a fitting closure, a moment that musically marks the end of the road and a time to appreciate.

You can’t help but listen to the stories that unfold musically before you, the entire CD is honestly “all killer with no filler”, no sub standard tracks have been inserted in a bid to flesh out its content. This being said, it’s a CD that really needs to be listened to in chronological order, otherwise you lose the sense of the intended magical and mystical journey that Whitely cleverly paves in the form of the carefully arranged track listing.

As with Silverchair, MGMT and more recently Muse, Whitley has the ability to captivate and attract alternate and mainstream listeners alike, without compromising his musical credibility. So give your ears, mind and soul an early Christmas present, “go forth” and discover this hidden gem of 2009 from a truly gifted and talented artist.

About this column:

What we've been listening to this week

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:26:00 +0000

Ida Maria

How do you solve a problem like Ida Maria?

All week I've been trying to work out why I like Ida so damn much, with 'Fortress Round My Heart' (her debut) dominating office airplay. (apologies for digging up yet another oldie to rant about - will cover some brand new stuff next week, promise :)

The obvious springs to mind - she's chaotic, a little unhinged and bangs out smart, sexy, kick-ass rock 'n roll. Throw in that she's from a tiny Nordic village (less than 2000 people), has synesthesia (a neurological phenomenon that results in Ida envisioning colors when she hears music) and her repeated hedonistic confessionals - and this is one interesting lady.

Digging deeper, the album sounds like its about to burst with energy - like the four-piece are all hopped up on caffeine and playing for their lives. Its raw and chaotic and seems to deliberately lack the polish of other pop rock albums. This makes the album sound slightly unstructured, like an intimate, volume-cranked-to-eleven gig with devil-may-care Ida & co in full swing.

The songs are instantly catchy; a mix of fist-pumping anthems ("Oh my God" reminds me of why I used to love moshing as a young 'un), witty pop ditties and heartfelt ballads. It's damn fine work, and well worth a good listen.

About this column:

BudTrap was born out of our love of music - and the frustration of having to deal with headphones that kept getting tangled up. Nothing's changed. We still listen to an awful lot of music - and go to a stack of gigs; it's our passion. So each week we like to share a little about what we've been listening to - good or bad - and spread that passion. Yeah we get a bit opinionated and worked up, that's what it's all about. We encourage you to bite back, join the discussion and let us know what's been rocking your world.

Your brand strikes back

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:32:00 +0000

Our second vid has been released! 100% handmade by BudTrap crew, our latest effort highlights how BudTrap offers a high visibility, low cost branding platform to companies looking to get their brand in their customer's hand. Check it out.

Behind the scenes this was our biggest production yet. Over 120 sprites and 850 frames were used - however coaxing me, against my better judgement, to do the voiceover was the biggest challenge :)

Dr. Estebesteban also makes his long awaited return to budtrap.com. After a brief hiatus (and a little too much fun in Rio) the good Dr. shows off his golfing skills.

What we've been listening to this week

noreply@blogger.com (Klink) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:33:00 +0000

Magic Dirt @ Annandale Hotel

“HELL Yeah” both articulately and succinctly describes the Magic Dirt experience, in particular the night of November 6th at Sydney’s Annandale Hotel.

The Annandale Hotel is the Geelong garage/grunge/rock band's home away from home and tonight’s concert was always going to be something special and spiritual. The band came together to pay special tribute to their fallen band mate and co founder, Dean Turner, who passed away from a rare form of cancer a few months earlier and the night was completely sold out. This however did not for one moment mean that this special occasion was going to be a sombre affair; the band rocked, charged, blazed and owned the stage from the opening song. That’s what Dean would have wanted and the only way he knew to deliver a Magic Dirt performance.

Front woman Adalita Srsen, as I have always maintained, is the most energetic, entertaining, enigmatic and charismatic female lead singer in Australia (and among the very best within the international music industry). If there is a better woman then she must be so indie, alternate, independent and underground that she’s playing a nomadic cave somewhere in the vast Australian wilderness. Adalita rocked the stage, traversed the Annandale bar and, in a noble gesture to her hard core fans, jumped off stage into the mosh pit floor for a “meet and greet” and for a period of 5 minutes played lying on her back flanked by her adoring fans. To her credit, she never missed a chord!

Drummer Adam Robertson was totally in his own zone, watching him pound those skins with complete abandon at times he looked like he was channelling late great “skinsmen” Keith Moon and John Bonham. Sweat pouring out of him, almost in synch with the beat, his handy pack of Becks ensured a source of quick liquid replenishment. Guitarist Raul was amped for a huge night, from the warm up he was ready to give all and he did; enjoyment personified, rock jamming guitar licks a-plenty and he didn’t wane for a second throughout the hour and a half set. Matt Sonic, who replaced Dean, did so with much grace and conviction - a long time friend of Dean’s there was no one more fitting and capable to fill that role, he was solid and did Dean proud.

The set-list, handpicked by the band, primarily consisted of songs that were special to Dean, which meant that they pretty much spanned Magic Dirt’s entire back catalogue and also resulted in the band playing songs like “Snow White”, which by their own admission, had not been played in a long while. For die hard fans this was a definite bonus and they lapped it up with complete insatiable gusto, which drove Adalita into a further rock inspired frenzy. Other Dean favourites that were cranked to the max were ”Dirty Jeans”, “Vulcanella”, “White Boy” and “All My Crushes”, to name just a few.

There was a brief pause about a third of the way into the night where the band stopped to honour Dean. In a hearted felt speech by Adalita, which had the crowd applauding for several minutes before she could continue (she was openly moved by this gesture), she then continuing in an emotional epilogue honouring her cofounder and dear friend. A beautiful moment complemented by an ambience and an audience that was engaged in the moment.

As Adalita eluded to earlier on, the night belonged to Dean and the incredible legacy he left behind, through Magic Dirt, his music will live for a considerably long time. An amazing band, an unforgettable night and a heartfelt goodbye… Dirty Jeans forever.

About this column:

New Packaging

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:12:00 +0000

Check out our new kit - getting out of tangles in style!

Sneak peek at our new video

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:08:00 +0000

We've launched our new vid! 'How To Use BudTrap' was completely handmade by the BudTrap team (in our office), and shows how to use your BudTrap - the fastest and easiest way to keep your headphones tangle-free! Be one of the first to check it out (below).

Behind the scenes - notice the classy tripod arrangement (camera taped to a steel ruler, taped to a lamp). Old school.

Some of the cast chilling between takes (below). Sticking to the timeline and script wasn't easy - in fact, whenever you see Dr Estebestaban (our BudTrap mascot) wander onto the screen, you know we needed to buy a bit more time for the voiceover :)

Happy Halloween!

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:01:00 +0000

With all those spider webs, wigs, skeletons, old sheets and broomsticks flying around tonight - there's a good chance of a tangle or two for you twisted trick or treaters. Never fear, we've got your (hunch)back!

Drop by our store this weekend and get a free Green Slime Budtrap! (limited to the first 200 purchases). Then you'll have the most frighteningly easy way to manage your headphone tangles in, well, the most frighteningly cool color. There's only a few hours left - so get your ghoul on. Happy Halloween guys!

What we've been listening to this week

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:15:00 +0000

Deltron 3030

"It's the year thirty-thirty and here at The Corporate Institutional Bank of Time, we find ourselves reflecting... finding out, that in fact we came back... we were always coming back..."

This week I find myself going back and rediscovering Deltron 3030 - hands down my all-time favourite hip hop album. It's getting on in years (released Oct, 2000), but that hasn't taken the shine off what is an incredible body of work. Damon Albarn's eerie intro sounds a warning - this isn't like anything you've heard before. Appropriately, it has been best described, in my opinion, as hip hopera.

Set against a bold and expansive, futuristic sound-scape come to life, the three Deltron conspirators, Deltron Zero (Del the funky homosapien), The Cantankerous Captain Aptos (Dan The Automator) & Skiznod the Boy Wonder (Kid Koala), along with a host of guest artists, set off in 3030 on a journey to reclaim Earth's Music. This album-long concept narrative makes this long play a must-listen from start to finish - a refreshing change from the '3 singles and some noise' formula (where have all the good concept albums gone?) - and cementing Deltron as an underground classic.

Deltron is part sci-fi, part dark humour, part social commentary, part Orwellian, part rap battle. It's the melting pot that forged the Gorillaz sound. It's War of the Worlds meets Canadian beer commercials. It's both left-field and glorious.

Some good reads on Deltron:

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1451

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/2272-deltron-3030/

About this column:
BudTrap was born out of our love of music - and the frustration of having to deal with headphones that kept getting tangled up. Nothing's changed. We still listen to an awful lot of music - and go to a stack of gigs - it's our passion. So each week we like to share a little about what we've been listening to - good or bad - and spread that passion. Yeah we get a bit opinionated and worked up, that's what it's all about. We encourage you to bite back, join the discussion and let us know what's been rocking your world.

Happy Birthday Dave!

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:08:00 +0000

The founder, designer-in-chief and all-around nice guy of BudTrap, Dave Cross, celebrates his birthday today. As de-tangled people all around the world rejoice, we'd like to say a very special Happy Birthday!

Customer BudTraps

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:06:00 +0000

From lightbring3r. A BudTrap in Bongo Orange looking pretty damn sexy on an iPod Touch. Thanks for the shout-out.

But where does the drink bottle go?

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Sat, 30 May 2009 04:03:00 +0000

As the world's foremost experts in tangles, we appreciate a good tangle when we see one. And this is a very, very good-looking tangle. I think I am smitten.

Celebrity Tangle #1

nick.bonich@budtrap.com (Nick) — Sat, 23 May 2009 02:34:00 +0000

Proving that celebrities really are only human, Halle Berry gets all tangled up. Gentlemen, here's your chance to win your way into the beautiful Halle's heart (ignore the ring and the book on DID). For the girl who has everything, swoop Halle off her feet with a BudTrap and experience One Less Tangle together.