Mika's "Grace Kelly"

Thanks to someone at Universal, whoever sent me Mika's 3 song EP because I love it! Here's the dude's story: I was born in lebanon and rasied in Paris and London, hopping from country to country like a footloose hippy with my four brothers and sisters.
Coming from different background to most I found no place at school and delved into music from an early age. I started writing songs as a kid, not because of grand ambitions but because it was an easy way to tell a story, a joke and often the truth. Tell the truth in a song and people are less pissed off than if you were to say it to their face.
I sent out my stories to anyone and everyone, not surprisingly I often got no reply. The further I got into music the more attention I was getting for my own song writing, I made a choice last year and decided to go for it.
'Life In Cartoon Motion' is my first record. It has a coming of age theme, and deals with my tranition from childhood to now. What's my sound? I guess it's in the writing. I apologuise in advance to the people whos stories and characters I have borrowed from. Remember, It's only a caricature.[Source]

Mika sounds like: "Think Beck via Queen and Elton John and a touch of Rufus W. Would love to blab about Harry Nillson but I fear no one will know what I'm talking about... but if you do, you'll know what I mean." Somehow they missed Madonna, Scissor Sisters, The Knife, Pet Shop Boys, and Soft Cell - most of all.

[mp3] Mika - Grace Kelly [/mp3]
This download is only good for the first 100 people.

But you could always watch it on YouTube if you miss out:


Mika performing "Grace Kelly" live with Jools Holland

From Arjanwrites.com: Interestingly, on "Grace Kelly" he touches upon the issue of his identity and what people either want or expect him to be. He sings, "I try to be like Grace Kelly. But all her looks were too sad. So I try a little Freddie. I've gone identity mad! (. . .) I could be anything you like." It seems like the last thing Mika want is to pigeonhole himself, whether it concerns his professional or private life.
Mika wrote "Grace Kelly" after he felt frustrated with record label executives that wanted him to change his sound to fit to the common pop mold. Mika refused and went his own way to write this song and a bunch of others. However, the label honchos came around and decided to sign Mika anyway after hearing the fabulous "Grace Kelly." How ironic. [Source]

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Originally uploaded by Celestronica

Does Jimmy Kimmel even like Plus 44?

Headless Historicals

John and I went to see Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette" yesterday at the Fairfax Cinema. Like any other cheap seats, we had to deal with some sort of annoyance - and for this one it was white noise like that of Ryoji Ikeda - whom we actually both listen to. Despite the white noise drowning out some of the 12 sentences actually uttered in the movie, we joked that we were attending the screening where Ikeda remixed the soundtrack.

Because I was going to send John an email of a portrait of Marie Antoinette, I googled the name - and found this site where they customize and handcraft dolls of historical figures in the horrid ways they died! From Mata Hari to Jayne Mansfield, Julius Caesar to Anne Boleyn. Fantastic! I can't wait to see whom else they manufacture!

Oh and about the actual film... I don't know what to say. I liked looking at it, but I'm not quite sure what it conveyed. If it's simply that Coppola wanted to show how ridiculous and frilly life as a Queen at 19 might be, then that came across well. But I don't feel the need to ever see the movie again.

CP: things I saw today inspire a mix tape

Janet Jackson's "Control"


Pavement's "Shady Lane"


The Rolling Stones' "Walking the Dog" (Rufus Thomas Cover)


Heart's "Magazine"


Poison's "Nothin' But A Good Time"
*I've always thought that Carl's Jr. Jr. is incredibly funny.


Groove Coverage's "Last Unicorn"


Joey Scarbury's "Believe It Or Not"
*Theme song from "The Greatest American Hero"


Def Leppard's "Photograph"


Aerosmith's "Permanent Vacation"


David Bowie's "Fashion"


Elastica's "Car Song" mashed up with War's "Lowrider"


Fiest's "Mushaboom"


McGarrigle Sister's "Goodnight Sweetheart"

Silver Bells, bitches!

Caroling at the 857 Holiday Party...

New Podcast Up

Episode 6 features music by Max Richter, Envy, Whitest Boy Alive, Gregg Kowalski and more...
To subscribe in iTunes:

http://homepage.mac.com/chapoy/soundonsound.xml

ahh, l'amour never looked so good.

Small Sins' "Stay"

I don't know why I keep taking pictures with my camera phone - the first one is Tasha getting in her car in the rain (I had to take a picture to show that it actually rains in L.A.) and the next one is one of the guys in Small Sins on stage wearing a pair of Onitsuka Tiger™ shoes (Mexico 66 in Hot Pink & White). This was at the Echo, which is notoriously dark - (hence the "I don't know why I take pics with my camera phone") during the last date of Small Sins' tour with Little Ones. {Why didn't they call this "The Tiny Tour?"} The show was darling, to say the least. I was particularly happy to see them because of this song:

[mp3] Small Sins - Stay [/mp3]
This song is my jam off the record. It hooked me during the line, "You can stay if you want to, but you can't sleep in my bed." He stole the world right out of my mouth.
Rewind: "Strumming my pain with his fingers, singing my life with his words. Killing me softly with his song, killing me softly, with his song..." [INSERT CANNED STUDIO LAUGHTER HERE]

Small Sins - official site
MySpace.com/SmallSins