Nerd News in Brief

Vacations are like cocaine. They cost too much, they’re never as much fun as your friends tell you they’re gonna be, and, when it’s all over, you feel even shittier than you did to start with. Sadly, we just keep taking them. 

We are addicted to vacationing.

I think it’s sort of a cultural thing. All my European friends take these nice, loose, lengthy holidays in exotic locals and actually manage to, y’know, relax. Whereas we Americans try and squeeze a year’s worth of fucking around into one week, exhausting ourselves in the process.

It’s a bad scene, I tells ya. A bad scene.

• Revenge of the Nerd Girl: MC Router recently popped up on G4.com’s The Feed displaying her various and sundry geeky tattoos. There were some comments. They were pretty silly. It is, after all, G4 viewers we’re talking about.
• You Can’t Deny the Force: Thanks to Candi for pointing me toward this trailer for the 2 Skinnee J’s documentary Get in the Van. The film contains footage from the guys’ 2008 summer reunion tour, assorted nerdtastic bullshittery, and, for some reason, Andy Dick. More info can be found at the Fat Rock Productions site.
• Without Irony: On the subject of documentaries, MC Frontalot and Nerdcore Rising director Negin Farsad were featured earlier this month at MSNBC.com, where they talked about the film and nerdcore in general. There’s even a nice little video presentation offered as accompaniment that features Front, Negin, some fans, and hobbits. Always with the hobbits.
• Music + Television, Wizard + Rock: Church wants to let everyone know that MTV has finally got around to shining a proper light on the Wizard Rockumentary. Okay, so admittedly MTV’s piece is little more than a blurb, but it’s a nice blurb about a great project, so check it out.
  
• Dork the Vote: Recently mc chris popped up, if you can believe it, on the official Obama campaign blog! Watch this Warped Tour voter registration vid to see for yourself. He’s near the end.
  
• Dynamic Duos: mc has also announced the openers for his fall tour. Among them are my pal Beefy and Canadian hip-hop titan Jesse Dangerously. Keep an eye on mcchris.com as dates solidify.
  
• Flip Your Wig: My boy Anthony and the Game Music 4 All guys have announced an extra special event called West Coast Wig Out. This all-day concert will features California’s finest nerdy musicians, as well as a number of special guests from faraway locales. Clear your calendar come mid-November, ‘cause this is not a show to be missed.
  
• From the Horse’s Mouth: A few weeks back I had the pleasure of checking out MC Lars at my local dive bar. Lars put on a great show and was a joy to talk to, especially when he started dropping some knowledge re: his various projects. Lars let slip that his new release would boast samples from Therapy? and Fugazi, as well as a number of special guests. He also confirmed that he and D.G. YTCracker are hard at work on a unique musical endeavor of their own.
  
• A Primal Force: Also on the new project front is nerdcore all-star trio Heightened Titans featuring T.Y.T., Whore Moans, and The Ranger. Ranger has promised me an album within the coming month – an offer I plan on holding him to – but, in the meantime, hit up the Titans’ MySpace for a taste. 
  
• Meanwhile, in Robot City: Mega Ran has had a lot to celebrate in recent months, and that trend continues. He’s been heavily nominated as the “Artist to Watch” at this year’s Online Hip-Hop Awards – and you’re encouraged to nominate him too. He’s also recently launched his own fan board, which certainly warrants your attention. Yep, everything’s coming up Random.
  
• UltraK on USB: If you’re looking to get your Karl Oslon on, have I got a deal for you! You can score the entire Ultraklystron back catalog for a mere $25. Yes, Nearly 3 gigs of nerdy goodness on a super functional flash drive. Who could ask for anything more?
  
• Crunchy Newness: On the new music tip, there’s a trio of releases that demand your attention. The first is the dark and techy Anomalous Materials Laboratory by my pal Antisocial. The second is the sinister, seasonal Triple-Six Mixtape from Mad DPS and the Rhyme Torrents crew. And lastly is id obelus’s The Inevitable Crushing EP. The first two are free, while the third will set you back a mere 5 bucks.
• He is the Final Boss: And just because MC Frontalot’s album Final Boss won’t be released for another month doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy it now. How, you ask? By pre-ordering from Front’s site you will be granted immediate access to a high-quality digital version of the album to tide you over until your physical CD arrives. How delightful!
  
• A Primer: The lovely Lizz (of Wizrocklopedia fame) has just made available a Wizard Rock Starter Pack over at Archive.org. It’s an amazing collection of live and studio tracks from Harry and the Potters, Peeved, The Whomping Willows, The Parselmouths, The Remus Lupins, and many, many more. Also, it is free!
  
• The Opposite of Horrible: And taking us out today is a YouTube find from Matt. It’s Lauren and Nina of The Moaning Myrtles covering a certain song from a certain Sing-Along Blog. Enjoy.

Wii60 and the Ways of the World

It’s been a while since I just, y’know, riffed around here, so this seems like as good a time as any. Truthfully, I’ve got a number of wholly unrelated things to talk about, so administering to these items a properly measured injection of snark sounds like the best way to tie them all together.

First, I recently acquired an Xbox 360 to keep my poor, lonely Wii company in the den. Yes, the pride of tech-heads circa 2005 – and a machine so delightfully flawed as to have an almost certain chance of revealing its catastrophic defect – is now mine. Huzzah! As such, I have also created one of those newfangled GamerTags that the kids are so crazy for. It is hipsterplease. Because I am not very creative.

Over the weekend I also had a chance to listen to one of those exclusive PAX pre-release editions of MC Frontalot’s new album Final Boss, a CD that not only possesses wicked cool back cover art by my pal Dennis but that was also declared the fucking wickedest Frontalot album to date by one Mr. J. Dangerously. (I know you’re wondering how I got my hands on a PAX release of this album when I did not, in fact attend PAX. The answer: I have covert agents in a variety of international stages of operation!) As per Jesse’s description, the album really is phenomenal. In fact, you should totally score a copy when it becomes available to the general public in the near future.

And speaking of Jesse D., after an almost laughable number of technical difficulties – centering around a primary email account that, as Church and Matt can attest, genuinely loathes humans – my interview with this lyrical titan from the Great White North is almost complete. We talk nerdcore, politics, and Alpha Flight. There also may be a bit in there about kidnapping Weird Al. I’m not at liberty to say. You’ll be able to enjoy the interview in its entirety when it hits the blog in early October.

Why October? Because your Uncle Zed needs a break.

Yes folks, Z. is going on a bit of a (well-earned) vacation next week. Unfortunately, this means there will be no second part to September’s Drunken Podcasting Month festivities. Between my real work, my writing for Wired.com, and all the stuff I do around here, I’m afraid I’m spread a little thin. And rather than rush through a bunch of stuff for the simple sake of getting it done, I’ve elected to cut back production for the next couple of weeks while I prepare for and enjoy my family holiday.

But fear not, for when I return all refreshed and whatnot it will be time for my annual October shenanigans! Yes, two spookerrific Halloween-themed podcasts plus an interview with Jesse plus Christ-only-knows-what-else! I am excited! Do you not see the indicative punctuation?!

Nerd News in Brief

So it looks like the Large Hadron Collider didn’t destroy the Earth.

(Or, at least it hadn’t when last I checked.)

So we got that going for us. Which is nice.

Despite the trappings of my simple southern raising, I don’t fear science. Nor do I, as a rule, embrace superstition and hokum. Don’t get me wrong, I adore superstition and hokum – I find them ceaselessly amusing – I just don’t exactly, y’know, believe any of it.

I guess I’m the worst brand of skeptic: the kind who wants desperately to believe in the fantastic, but just can’t seem to find sufficient evidence.

In the end, science is the foot that kicks magic square in the nuts.

• Earth-shattering in its Own Right: This week I interviewed Toren Atkinson of The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for GeekDad. I’m a big Thickets fan and he’s been on my to-interview list for years. Thusly, it was a pretty fuckin’ awesome experience for me a as fan. Lemme know what you think.
• Beef up Your Musical Gamer Score: Attack Slug has just favored the nerdcore world with another release, and it features the additional talents of KABUTO, T.Y.T., and The Ranger. It is titled Achievement Unlocked, and you can pick it up the album and relevant a cappellas at his site.
• AKA Grover Kent: My pal Glenn Case has hipped me to a new project over at The 61. It’s a tribute of sorts to 61 scenester Supergrover, as well as to his favorite-band-that-no-one’s-heard-of For Squirrels. Thirteen years ago this week that promising group lost several of its members in an auto accident, and earlier this year ‘Grover was diagnosed with cancer. This one is for them and for anyone else who’s had a run of bad luck. Namely all of us. 
• To Beef or Not to Beef: Also helping out his fellow man is mc chris. mc has started a cystic fibrosis fund to gather money for research into the disease and its treatment. In celebration of chris’s birthday, YTCracker donated $33 to the cause. mc chris responded by saying that it was "the quickest possible way to squash beef with [him]. STC is the greatest. "
• Brooklyn Zoo: mc also shared a bit about his recent 60 Minutes interview. It has come to light that MC Frontalot was also involved in the piece, although Front has yet to say anything about the experience.
• Get Inoculated: What Front has provided is a little video preview of the track "Diseases of Yore" from his new album Final Boss. It features Jonathan Coulton. And is awesome.
• Formally Known Food Processor Magazine: You can see Frontalot, Random, and a rogues gallery of other featured artists from this year’s Nerdapalooza SE in this month’s edition of Blender. It has the Pussycat Dolls on the cover. That is counterintuitive.
• Game On: And on the subject of my friend Random, Church points out that Ran topped the charts in this recent Examiner list of the top 10 videogame sampling hip-hop tracks. Suffice it to say he finds himself in good company.
• BAHston: This week Uncle Monsterface returns to its old stomping ground. Sort of. On Thursday, September 11th several "Best of Monsterface Tee Vee" shorts will be featured as part of EXPERIMENTALLY ILL 2 : An Indie Showcase of Alternative Film at the Coolidge Corner Theater. And on Friday, September 12th you can catch UMF’s Marty playing a solo gig at Jamaica Plain's Midway Café. And don’t forget to pahk the cahr at Hahvahd yahd.
• Potter Ink: And thanks to Matt for providing ample information regarding this wicked cool Harry Potter Dewey Decimal tat belonging to librarian and WRock aficionado Becca. It turns out, unsurprisingly, that Becca is one of the Wizrockateers. What can I say? Matt has a marked interest in the naked flesh of Potter fangirls. You heard it here first!
• They Are the World: And lastly, HiTekElvis has just favored me with an amazing vid from this year’s PAX. Apparently, during the artist's panel Blak Lotus, suggested they all sing "We Are the World." And they did. So behold The Minibosses, Mustin from the OneUps, JoCo, Front, Blak Lotus, G Minor 7, The Categorical Imperative, Freezepop, The Darkness of the Hillside Thickets, and Anamanaguchi singing for the children. They are the ones who make a brighter day!
  

Nerd News in Brief

Earlier this week I was quoted by Wil Wheaton.

No shit; a veritable Geek God referenced me! How cool is that?

Now when I say "Geek God," I want you to know that I’m not speaking lightly. Wil is on a higher plain than us mere nerdlings.

Matt and Church asked if that made them a measly 2 degrees away from our dear Gordie Lachance, but I refused to hear it. We are all 1 degree from WFW. He is our benevolent deity of all things geek.

Thy Wil be done. Thy Wheaton come.

Wow. That sounded a bit grosser than intended.

• First Things First: I've made no secret of my sorrow over the break-up of Optimus Rhyme. I've also made no secret of the length's I'll go to in order to procure audio/video footage from their final gig. Thankfully, fellow fan CR_Gus was nice enough to post the entire set (sans encores) to Archive.org so that we all may enjoy it. And I didn't even have to do anything distasteful to see it!
• Return of the King: It is with great pleasure that I announce that my comrade in arms from the house of Nerdcore News has returned! It's so nice to see him again. Okay, not see, per se, as this edition of the vlog is audio-only, but you get the idea. Welcome back, Gabriel!
• Up and About: Also returning to the fold is MC Tanuki. After an automobile accident that put him out of commission for quite a while, Nook is back in the saddle again. Glad to hear you’re back among the lining, brother!
• Trekkies Wanted: Church asked me to put the word out on behalf of the Trek constituents that Floridian photographer Jon Fletcher is looking for Jacksonville area fans. I’m assuming he wants to take your picture. Although I suppose he may just want to use your skin to make a coat.
• When Nerds Collide: As announced at PAX, the soon-to-be released Rock Band downloadale content from MC Frontalot ("Livin’ At the Corner of Dude and Catastrophe") will be joined in a nerdy all-star song pack by tracks from Jonathan Coulton and The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Even better, the proceeds from the sales of the songs from launch to Holiday 2008 will be donated to the Child's Play charity. In a related story, I totally fuckin’ called it.
• Post-Punk Basic Cable Rap: At long last, MC Lars’s commercial from G4’s new "It’s a Nerd’s World" campaign has hit the airwaves. Very nice! All we’re missing now is Del’s spot.
• Murder in the 2nd: And while you’re kicking around at the G4 site, check out this little jewel. Church noticed that they have a piece about how Dr. Dooom has killed Dr. Octagon. Again. Y’know, ‘cause the first one didn’t take.
• In the Name of Gordon: My pal Antisocial has just completed work on his new album Anomalous Materials Laboratory. It will boast all of Soc’s Half Life-themed tracks, as well as a number of sci-fi-flavored instrumentals. It’s release date? "Sometime in October. Probably very early October."
• No Super-Ego, Just id: id obelus has a new project in the works. It's currently goes by the delightful title The Inevitable Crushing EP, and the touted release date is "soon." This one will feature id's trademark smart and occasionally snarky rhymes, as well as contributions from the likes of Nomar Slevik, Oblio, nYgel, Benjamin Bear, DJ Bizkid, Audio88, Noah23, and LogicOne. And I, for one, can't wait.
• Proper Pronunciation a Must: Also bringing some new hotness to the table is killsaly. Once again ks is putting his mark on an mc chris track, this time "Reese" from the mc chris is dead album. You are urged to take a listen.
• Still Your Medic: And Captain Spalding has added yet another track to his MySpace, “All Hands on Deck.” At long last, nerdcore gets nautical. Not really.
• Where’s Starbuck?: Thanks go out to Matt for turning me on to this delightful nugget of political precision. John McCain is a Cylon. Seriously.
• Meet Your Replacement: Word on the street is MC Loki will be filling the vacancy left in the wake of Shelshocker's departure from the Sinister Six. Now it's only a question of when. Yes, when will the long-awaited Sinister Six project come to completion? Until that time we wait. With baited breath.
• From the Heartland: Also from the mind of Mad Hatter and his Scrub Club compatriots comes the Midwest Nerd Fest. Slated for March 20-22 in Wichita, Kansas, this festival will feature music, games, trivia, and pretty much everything else you can think of. I had sort of been putting off talking about this project until the details had fully solidified, but, as Hatter just keeps adding more and more amazing shit to the mix, I figured it was well past time I mentioned it.
• The Cube, the Cake: Taking us home today is a fine selection from the PAX ’08 stage. It’s Jonathan Coulton and the lovely Penny… er, Felicia Day with "Still Alive." Enjoy.
  

Nerdcore Rising at PAX

In addition to Nerdcore For life, the MC Frontalot documentary Nerdcore Rising will also be screening at this year's Penny Arcade Expo. Sure, Front and Negin could've just announced this through mundane, terrestrial means, but instead they went big and filmed this earth-shattering promo. Enjoy.

Nerd News in Brief

This week’s NNIB is a bit later than usual. Because of the dreaded technical difficulties!

*DUM DUM DUUUUUUUUUUUUM*

It’s hard sometimes for me to grasp how wholly shackled I am to my PC, and, indeed, to all technological trappings. Of course, the universe elects to totally fuck my shit up from time to time so as to remind me.

Oh universe, you’re such a cad!

• Spell Chek: Obviously tired of hooking me up with new nerd ink to feature, Church instead sent me this list of fabulously misspelled tattoos. Remember, its only funny because it’s not you.
• Your Greatest Battle: MC Frontalot has announced the official release date for his next full-length, Final Boss, as November 1st. He’s also dropped news concerning a national tour with MC Lars to coincide with the release. Exciting, no?
• Too Much Nerdy: You can expect new albums from Beefy and uber producer nYgel slightly sooner. As in, within the next few weeks. Yes, Beefy’s Rolling Doubles and nYg’s Free To Good Home mixtape are both nearing release. I’ll have interviews with the artists and reviews of the albums as soon as I can get my metaphorical shit straight.
• Join the Alliance: In other event news, Anthony has just turned me on to the Chiptune Alliance Tour, a series of shows throughout the UK featuring the talents of Anamanaguchi, Random, Sabrepulse, Firebrand Boy, Syphus, Henry Homesweet, We Are The Future, Spheres of Chaos and Unicorn Kid. A couple of the scheduled event dates for late August are as yet unattached to venues, so hit up Sabrepulse if you can help in that regard.
• They Really Are: And don’t forget the 4th annual I Am 8-Bit music and art show currently going on in Hollywood. The event runs until September 7th, and is sponsored, in part, by our friends at Capcom.
• Do it for Ran: And speaking of, one of Random’s contacts from Capcom, a cat named Shawn, just created a Capcom Music site. His Royal Randomness cordially requests your joinage of said project. So do your man a solid and check it out.
• There Can Be Only… Two?: If you like your nerdy rhymes with a side of old school battle rap, you should make your way to Rhyme Torrents for the forthcoming 2-on-2 Rap Battle competition. Teams include everyone from international duo The Ranger & T.Y.T. to the pride of the UK Category & MisterB. Think of it as the Olympics. With more rap and less pesky nationalism.
• This week on COPS: A recent gig at B Natural in Ofallon, MO featuring our own Whore Moans boasted an amazing closer: the local police force. Yes, and if you look closely, you can see Johnny Law creeping into frame in this video of Moans’ “Mecha Mechanics.” Good times.
• The Last Boy Scout: On a personal note, I’ve recently found out that I qualify for a merit badge. Well, two, I guess.
• DJ Spock: And taking us home is another great find from Church. It’s a cleverly edited Star Trek vid provided by CBS itself. Live long and prosper.
  

Captain’s Log: Supplemental

The Google Alert is an amazing thing; you mention a feature at a particular Web site, one of the staffers from that site gets a message stating that you blogged about it, and they contact you with further information.

I have seen the future, and it is facilitated by an army of ceaseless Googlebots.

That being said, here is an embed of that Frontalot/Negin Farsad piece from OurStage.com that I mentioned yesterday. Watch it in good health.

Nerd News in Brief

Do you see this plate?

It is full.

I have a full plate.

I am currently working on 4 interview features and 5 album reviews, and damned if I haven’t just taken on one more of each. Sweet merciful shit!

I obviously don’t know when to quit.

But on the positive side, I did ship out all my sticker requests yesterday. So if you sent me your address, stickers should be forthcoming. I also tried to send everyone a nice little note. Whether they ended up in the correct envelopes remains to be seen.

I am, admittedly, spread a bit thin.

• A place called home: To celebrate the release of his new album Starblazer, FLA nerdcore dynamo funky49 has totally revamped his official web presence. It is now 49% funkier.* Take a look for yourself.
• Him against the world: Philly-born lyrical titan Random has a nice new interview up at Clap Cowards that you really need to check out. Therein Ran talks about his background, his musical motivation, Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos, and Gang Starr. (Why don’t more people namedrop Gang Starr?!) My only complaint: not enough talk about his forthcoming release The 8th Day. Reckon I’ll have to press that issue in my next interview with him.
• Open call: My friends from Game Music 4 All are gearing up for another compilation. Yes, another one. Already. This project is a tribute to the Sega Genesis (known to our foreign constituents as the Mega Drive). The deadline for submission is October 1st, and full details can be found in this post.
• All the way live: My pal Antisocial recently played his first live show. And since some of us couldn’t make it down to attend, Soc was kind enough to make the video of his full set available. Peep the full half hour, all 784 MB of its glory, here.
• Blame Soc for this: “Pipetting all those well-plates, baby, sends your thumbs into overdrive. And spending long nights in the lab makes it hard for your love to thrive.” When science tech meets 90’s boy pop, it’s called epMotion.
• T-shirts! Get your t-shirts!: Nerdcore For Life t-shirts are back in stock. Get them while they’re hot, and, more importantly, get them while they’re available. These suckers sell out fast, so grab one now.
• Burning down the South: Mega Man-centric rockers The Protomen have a trio of shows lined up this week in Kentucky and Tennessee: July 24th (tonight!) at Glassworks in Louisville, KY, Friday the 25th at Nashville’s 12th & Porter, and Saturday the 26th at JJ’s Bohemia in Chattanooga, TN. Show up and help ‘em give Wily what for!
• AKA Sweatshirt Assassin: killsaly, one of my favorite DJ/producers, has just put the finishing touches on a remix of a mc chris’s “Hoodie Ninja.” Yes, I know a number of you no longer listen to mc chris, but I still do. Moreover, you should all still listen to killsaly. So check it out.
• Delia all my life: Church recently sent me a link to this BBC post containing Doctor Who theme composer and early electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire’s experimental “dance” track. Delia invented techno. I’m just sayin’.
• Pre-PAX Nerdcore Nirvana: Amid rumors of a break-up – I say “rumors” because until Wheelie Cyberman himself tells me that the band is gone for good I refuse to accept it – Optimus Rhyme has announced a pre-PAX show at the High Dive in Seattle on August 28th. To sweeten the deal, MC Frontalot, The Goondocks, and Beefy are also on the bill. Be there!
• WRock around the clock: Virginia-based WRocker and dulcimer enthusiast (and friend of Hipster, please!) Snidget has announced info concerning her new EP To Dwell on Dreams, her up coming tour, and a button design contest. Check it out, and tell her I said hi.
• Back in the Alley: And thanks to Matt for pointing me toward this recent edition of the Alleycast recorded live at this month’s Portus festival. Will it match the foulmouthed drunken revelry of the Letters vs. Numbers ‘casts recorded at Nerdapalooza? Listen to both and find out for yourself.
• Their Stage: OurStage.com, which has, in recent months, featured nerdcore artists such as Beefy, Benjamin Bear, and Jaylyn, has a new video piece on nerdcore hip-hop. It boasts interviews with MC Frontalot and Nerdcore Rising director Negin Farsad, and it comes highly recommended. Give it a look and share your thoughts.
• “Sweet as a natural 20!”: And rapping things up for this week’s NNIB is another installment of ultra-geeky web show Dice Jockies. This one broaches the age-old question: Power Girl, Princess Leia, or Xeni Jardin?

*Your actual funkiness may vary.

Nerdapalooza Wrap-up 3: A Journey into Sound

I’ve spent an entire week trying to figure out the best way to approach the subject of the performances at Nerdapalooza. Talking about each and every participant is out because it is both time-consuming and a little insincere; I did, admittedly, miss a number of sets and a far greater number of half-sets. Likewise, talking about the headliners seems a bit of a disservice to the other 28 artists on the roster that put their blood, sweat, and tears into making this event the often overwhelming spectacle that it truly was.

As you can see, my options have already worn thin.

What I am left with is less a description of concrete events, catalogs of lengthy set lists, and stage mechanics, and more an account of intangibles. Of feelings. Of energy. Brief snippets of pure geeky genius.

I truly felt that energy during my first full set of day 1: Random. Ran took the stage early, and managed to deliver with both nerdcore and non-nerdcore content. A personal highlight was Ran’s rendition of “City Boy,” a favorite track of mine that is surely no nerdier than any other hip-hop meditation on one’s youth and old neighborhood. The lead-in for the track was particularly interesting, as Ran led an entire room of geeks (and obviously perplexed Taste staffers) in a rousing rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” It was a wonder to behold.

Shortly after Ran left the stage, Wizard Rocker The House of Black favored us with a wholly different flavor of musical content, her style mixing sharp electronica with classic acoustic folk. All of which was, of course, Potter-related and wholly beautiful. That gave way to acts as disparate as lo-fi rocker (with no “w”) marc with a c, who punctuated his set with a rap number of his own; MC Gigahertz, who showed us the true meaning of Absurdcore; and an oddly patriotic pre-recorded set from chiptune maestro in absentia Pixelh8.

An underlying theme of the event, which could assuredly be felt in the offerings of the aforementioned, was a genuine sense of fun. Whether the crowd was packed-in or sparse – which I can’t imagine affected Pixelh8 either way – these artists gave it the proverbial 110%. Their music, their energy, was transmuted into pure enjoyment.

Audience reception was particularly strong for ZeaLouS1, who seemed at home on the stage even during an early onset of the dreaded technical difficulties; Sudden Death, who proved that funny musicians are nothing if not serious performer; and funky49, whose blistering set featured Colon:P, Redvoid, Sir-Up and MC Wreckshin, party poppers, 3D glasses, and anyone/anything else that happened to stray near the stage.

funky49 served as a perfect example of the very unique dynamism inherent in all of the local Floridian artists featured. And while the turnout for heavy-hitters like Captain Dan & the Scurvy Crew and Killer Robots! was high – and rightfully so – it was the contributions of comparatively smaller acts that continued to wow me over both days of the event. Rocket Propelled Geeks functioned seamlessly, almost as a single rhyming entity. (I’m attempting not to make a reference to an old Japanese cartoon involving robot lions here, but you get the idea.) Krondor Krew managed to make what could well have been off-putting stage attire compelling by proving that their lyrical chops are just as striking as their ninja garb and giant swords. Magitek, who played to an early and obviously heavily hung-over 2nd day crowd, functioned just as cohesively as RPG, albeit with an underlying feeling of family togetherness that made their set as emotionally appealing as any I’ve seen. And the center of the Orlando nerdcore community, Emergency Pizza Party, made up for their glaring lack of a Betty Rebel with ample on-stage dynamism and by reuniting with former EPPers Benjamin Bear and Jaylyn.

Suffice it to say that headliners MC Frontalot, Uncle Monsterface, Math the Band, and Harry and the Potters were also easily as epic as one would expect. Front played to a small (albeit packed) room as if it were a record-breaking PAX crowd, and welcomed to the stage a trio of special guests from the festival’s nerdcore ranks. An eager throng of fans seemed wholly unfazed by the fact that Uncle Monsterface vocalist Marty Allen sang their entire set in his lower register, the side-effect of a particularly rousing gig played earlier that day. Moreover, The Potters brought to the table a stage presence and musicality that I found genuinely polished when contrasted with their famed modesty as musicians/performers. The 3rd group of the Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo, Math the Band, put on a show that was so rich with vigor as to be literally staggering; I had to catch my breath afterwards to even begin to process the amazing power that emanated from their meager 3-piece stage setup.

In retrospect, it’s hard to imagine that so much happened during those two blissful days. Watching old-acquaintances-turned-new-friends like Myf, DJ Snyder, int eighty, YTCracker (Who did his entire set in black fuckin’ toesocks!), Whore Moans, and mCRT rock a pair of tiny stages in a manner that would make any rapper proud was inspiring. Equally inspiring was seeing acts running the gamut from Halifax’s superlative Wordburglar to Boca Raton’s unfathomable Zombies! Organize!! charm a heavily uninitiated audience into their own unique schools of musical thought.

While “energy” may be this missive’s buzzword for Nerdapalooza, it could just as easily be “change” because that is what each of us in attendance experienced. Just as the music changed from rap to rock to WRock to poppy electronica and back again, so did each of us change with it. And while there were certainly a few among us who were there for one band and one band alone, the vast of majority of faces in that sea of warm bodies and cold beer were familiar by the end of the 2nd day. Old favorites were supported and new favorites discovered. Preconceived notions about certain genres and acts were challenged and, hopefully, shattered. And just as we ebbed and flowed from one stage to the next, never quite knowing what to expect, so did the spirit of Nerdapalooza wash over us. We were baptized, baptized by music and nerdy brotherhood, and we emerged changed.

And though each artist, audience member, and bewildered passerby surely has his own opinion about the single defining moment of the festival, many of the attendees I’ve queried agree that it rests squarely on the shoulders of one man. That man walked into the venue early Friday as an unassuming chap named Mark Schaffer, but by nightfall he had transformed into the sinister, sexual Schaffer the Darklord. His metamorphosis mirrored the change, whether subtle or extreme, that occurred in all of us, and while we each remember different aspects of the events of Nerdaplooza ’08, I’ll wager everyone in attendance remembers STD’s set. It was a geeky work of art. A perfect aspect of nerdy beauty from a weekend that will not soon be forgotten in the annals of our tribe’s history.

Nerd News in Brief

In a world where Jesse Helms has hurried up and died and Jesse Jackson has threatened to emasculate Barack Obama, I must resist the urge to get all political on that collective ass in this edition of NNIB.

By the same token, I must resist the urge to make it all about Nerdapalooza. The first few items are steadfastly rooted in the festival and its participants, but there’s some other stuff too. I’ve got two weeks of news to deal with, so I hope you're sitting comfortably.

• Pictures to prove it: For those of you looking for a visual representation of what you missed in Orlando last weekend, there are many options. My friend Denika took a lot of great shots (which are only now beginning to surface), as did Sudden Death, funky49, Dual Core, and scores of others. What pictures are your favorite?
  
• The sound of things to come: Also from Nerdapalooza comes news of new albums from, y’know, everyone. Wordburglar announced his follow-up album Thirdburglar; MC Frontalot and crew dropped some (secret) knowledge about guests on their new Final Boss; Krondor Krew and Captain Dan & the Scurvy Crew announced their Pirates vs. Ninjas project, and Random, Schaffer the Darklord, and Pixelh8 all spoke of new material. More news as it becomes available.
• Contractually obligated: Sangriaa made me promise to include her in my next Nerd news In Brief. Consider yourself included. :)
• Sponsorship has its privileges: I also need to give a shout-out to Steffo, Stephen, and funky49 for donating to my Nerdapalooza travel fund. I scored just enough from these cats to cover that last emergency fuel stop I had to make crossing back into SC. This is good, because the money I had originally spent on that gas was earmarked to buy the D&D 4th edition Player’s Handbook. Henceforth I roll in their honor.
• Gotta be he: Props to Aussie hip-hopper The Ranger for his new song “Gonna Be.” It’s a smoking track in the hard-living spirit “Rap Bukowski.” Peep it. Bump it. Love it.
• Grammar Club get up get coffee: The Grammar Club has just offered up a superlative cover of Coulton classic “Code Monkey.” Jonathan said so himself. His fans? Not all feeling it. Bump the track and then go weigh in on this great debate.
  
• Until you make it: Brad Sucks also has a new single. It’s called “Fake It,” and he’s looking to pair it with the most cliché music video ever. If you think you can help, give Brad a shout.
  
• He’s a supermodel?: Ultraklystron has a new track as well, and it is lyrically fierce! Take a listen to “On Game,” and then give Karl back his lunch money. He will cut you, man!
• Welcome to his level: Our lovable Mega Ran has broken into the blogging mainstream as a new contributor at That Videogame Blog. Big up to Ran and, by extension, me; Random still has my Nerdapalooza VIP badge, so it’s kinda like I’m doing it too. Right?
• I mentioned this yesterday, but it bears repeating: G Minor 7 has a number of really cool musicals under his belt. Two of note are 29 and Reality: The Musical. One’s about growing up and how it may or may not relate to growing old, while the other’s about the bane of the modern man: reality television. Peep both at MySpace and be sure to friend ‘em. Nerdy music is more than just songs about Transformers!
  
• Dress to impress: This Sunday (July 13th) Dante’s in Seattle is hosting the first annual Summer Semi-Formal featuring the chiptastic Leeni and local rap nerds/hip-hop superheroes Southside. The show starts at 9:00 PM, and since I’m a whole nation away I’m hoping a kind native will go check it out and report back to me. Anyone planning to attend?
• Southern Comfort: Speaking of cool stuff to check out, be sure to listen to the latest episode of the Gamewave podcast. Not only will you get to hear great VGM and chiptunes (as well as some delightful British accents), you’ll also hear nice mentions of GM4A, Rocket Propelled Radio, and even little ol’ me. Oh, what charmers!
• Pure nerd: And while I’m plugging the songs, gigs, and ‘casts of my friends, let me remind everyone that RhymeTorrents.ORG (note the extension) has a really cool exclusive interview with Frontalot that dropped earlier this month. Check it out and leave nice comments.
  
• Nerd Ink, Undead edition: Church hit me up with a link to this piece on the zombie tattoo guy. I’m sure he has a perfectly serviceable name that his mom gave him, but he’s pretty much become the zombie tattoo guy at this point. Dennis, I’d like your comments on this dude's dedication to the ghoulish cause.
• Hippie WRock: My buddy Matt shared his thoughts regarding both the Monsters of WRock tour, which he recently attended, and the forthcoming Portus festival, for which he’ll be leaving shortly. Check it out and bask in how seamlessly he shifts from Wizard Rock to jambands and back. It’s almost frightening. Oh, and if you’re gonna be in Dallas for the event, give Matty some love on my behalf.
  
• Her enthusiasm, it is unlimited: And speaking or WRock show reviews, be sure to check out Snidget’s take on the Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo. And don’t worry, Snidge, I gave Uncle Monsterface an extra helping of love when I saw them last weekend!
  
• Attention hosers: My pal Snake Eyes is looking for nerd musicians – nerdcore, geek rock, WRock, VGM, chiptune, what have you – in the Toronto area for a special project he’s trying to put together. If you’re a southern Ontario nerd who makes with the sweet sounds, give Snake a holler.
• More Uke: Rather than end on a ‘Palooza vid, I thought It'd be fun to let you know what Optimus Rhyme have been getting into. Here’s a video for their newest track. Now if only we could convince them to tour with the Accio Bodyguard gals!

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 48: The Early Bird

Confession time: there is no NNIB this week.

With all the preparation inherent in readying myself for Nerdapalooza, I just don’t have the time to do everything I’d like. Sadly, Nerd News In Brief was one of the things I had to cut out.

I know, you are crushed. That’s understandable.

If it's any consolation, I promise to really wow you with next week’s edition. I will bring the pain. Hardcore from the brain.

In the meantime, here’s something to help take the edge off. It’s a super-early episode of the Radio Free Hipster podcast.

Who loves ya, baby?

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 48: The Early Bird [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 47.2 MB Running Time: 51:34

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)”
The catchiest song ever? I think so!

Track 1: Married With Children dialog / EzLee – “Vain Mistake”
You can’t go wrong by mixing The Clash and MC Lyte.

Z’s 1st interlude: “Songs or parts of songs that are just so damn catchy they get stuck in your head.”
Like you guys don’t know what an earworm is or somethin’!

Track 2: Andrew WK – “McLaughlin Groove”
Thanks to Church for turning me on to this one.

Track 3: Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Sugar Quills – “Dumbledore Is Gay (And That’s OK)”
“He’s still the greatest freaking wizard of his day.”

Track 4: Gred and Forge – “A Little Less Incantation”
I sure hope y’all like this one, ‘cause I think it’s gonna be on the next episode of HipTrax as well!

Track 5: Jesse Dangerously – “So! Much! Fun! (Unh!)”
Expect both a review of Verba Volant and an interview with Jesse D himself sometime after I return from Orlando.

Track 6: YTCracker – “DugDig”
You may have heard this classic in G4’s latest commercials for X-Play.

Track 7: Married With Children dialog / Bill O’Reilly – “Bill O’Reilly Flips Out (Dance Remix)”
Who would’ve thought that a hate filled asshole could be susceptible to such profanity-laden outbursts?

Track 8: Harry and the Potters – “The Blood of a Prince”
The Brothers DeGeorge do hardcore, and do it well, I might add.

Track 9: Wordburglar – “Sayin’ Raps”
I am really excited about seeing Burg perform this weekend. The word “squee” comes to mind.

Track 10: Super Barrio Brothers – “System”
This was one of the tracks that was available for free from the SBB’s MySpace last month.

Z’s 2nd interlude: “The cousin of nerdcore producer and hip-hop aficionado DJ Snyder.”
Andrew WK is nerdy by association.

Track 11: Optimus Rhyme – “Reboot”
This podcast needs more Optimus. Its cowbell, however, is at an acceptable level.

Track 12: MC Frontalot – “Good Old Clyde”
That’s some old school Front right there!

Track 13: Alex Desert / Yo Gabba Gabba! – “Pick It Up”
We sing this one a lot in the Z. household.

Track 14: Sugar Fix – “Rule 34”
Download this song and share it with the one you love.

Track 15: No Kill I – “Wearin’ Red”
Poor redshirt never saw it coming.

Track 16: Metaforce – “In the Rain”
Rain City Blooze won’t be the newest Metaforce album for long. Their third full-length should be released shortly.

Track 17: Married With Children dialog / Lenlow – “Last Night”
I always wondered how I could get some Traveling Wilburys worked into this podcast!

Z’s final interlude: “A big pile of tracks I care nothing about.”
A good mash-up includes some bits from your favorite songs. A great mash-up is made entirely out of tracks you hate, but still manages to move you.

Track 18: DJ Earworm – “United State of Pop”
Bringing new meaning to the phrase “polish a turd.”

This episode felt like cheating.

You see, when Church suggested I do an ep. centered on earworms, I was instantly taken with the concept. It sounded like a solid enough idea, as it was something fairly relatable to all of us; I mean, who hasn’t gotten a song stuck in his head at one time or another? But the truth is, to me damn near every song in every edition of RFH is an earworm.

That’s sort of my selection criteria. If something stays with me, if I find myself repeating the lyrics or humming the melody, it goes in the show.

Sure, occasionally I’ll play a request or something that I’m not super familiar with, but those songs are a minority. But don’t let that stop you. I’d love to hear your song suggestions and show ideas. So please share 'em!

Old Nerdy Bastard

“Life,” a slutty Sally Field once told a mongoloid Tom Hanks, “is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

The same can be said for remix compilations.

You spend months pinning down just the right vocal tracks from just the right artists only to turn them over to motley group of producers - what amounts to a rabid band of mad scientists looking for a wild weekend at a convention somewhere far away, like, say, Tahoe - and you just don’t know what you’re to receive in return.

Sometimes you get a reimagining so perfect as to seem almost unbelievable, something that is both true to the original and yet a wholly different beast altogether.

Sometimes you get… nothing.

I got my fair share of both as I assembled my second foray into the wonderful world of compilation albums, now presented to you as Old Nerd Bastard: Geeky Music Remixed.

This project, as the regular reader of Hipster, please! will no doubt know, was slated to be released back in February, on Leap Day, to be precise, but the Fates conspired against me in that regard. And so we find ourselves here, nearly three months later. But such is life, and, truth be told, I think the comp is all the better for the extra time.

Sadly, a number of the contributors originally touted were unable to participate, but, again (and with the utmost respect to those who bowed out), the resulting injection of new blood served to uniquely strengthen and diversify the project. Or at least that’s my little opinion.

The ensuing round of musical mayhem is a collection of remixes, mash-ups, and re-orchestrations of geeky tracks from across the spectrum. There’s nerdcore, of course, and Wizard Rock, geek rock (or, grock, as it’s come to be called in some circles) and even a dash of foreign language goodness on the menu, reworked by a delightfully eclectic collection of DJs, producers, and musicians. I owe each of these participants an equal measure of thanks, as this is really their album.

I also have to give it up for another quintet of individuals without whom I would have never gotten this sucker off the ground. Specifically, my longtime supporters and good friends Matt and Church; Lizz from Wizrocklopedia, a woman who knows the ins-and-outs of WRock far better than a hundred Zs; Anthony from Game Music 4 All who is, I must add, almost pathologically encouraging; and my one-woman design team Denika, who managed to prank me in such a blatantly obvious way with her cover illustration that I couldn’t help but be amused.

I’ve got more praise to heap, but that’s what liner notes are for. So, without further ado, here’s the skinny.

-- Right-click, Save As, Enjoy! --

The whole shebang in a tidy RAR

1. Baddd Spellah – “99 Balloon Flights (The Grammar Club vs. Nena)”

2. The Weasel King – “Red Hair (2DefMice Nerdy Gospel Mix)”

3. Snake Eyes – "Transformer (Sara Connor's Wild Ride Mix)(Maja vs. Lou Reed vs. Traci Chapman vs. Brad Fiedel)”

4. Random – “Robot City (feat. YTCracker and JonBap) (Larry Legend Remix)”

5. Ginny and the Heartbreakers – “Halloween at Hogwarts (D-Form Bass Mix)”

6. nYgel – “6 MCs (and 1 DJ) Who Like Schoolly D (Commodore 64 vs. Beastie Boys vs. Bloodhound Gang)”

7. Optimus Rhyme – “Just Forget It (Cheeks Remix)”

8. YTCracker – “In My Time (Dumbledork Remix)”

9. Brad Sucks – “Sick as a Dog (Antisoc Remix)”

10. Harry and the Potters – “Felix Felicis (Dumbledore's DS Mix by Paradise Dan of Monsterface Industries)”

11. MC Frontalot – “Braggadocio (killsaly's Super Saiyan Remix)”

12. MC Hawking – “Why Won’t Jesse Helms Just Hurry Up and Die (Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em Remix)”

13. Trier Music – “Hyphy Sunglasses (MC Lars vs. ZZ Top vs. John Bonham vs. Phish vs. Vanilla Ice)”

14. The Whomping Willows – “This Arboreal Coil (TrierMusic deathstepWTFLOL mix)”

15. Hidari – “Clambon (Glenn Case Campfire Singalong Mix)”

16. Dual Core – “Orbit (Remix)”

17. Schaffer the Darklord – “Nerd Lust (Peeved Remix)”

18. The Evolution Control Committee – “Pwn Monkey (Jonathan Coulton vs. ... well, everyone)”

A handsome playlist, suitable for framing

A delightfully necessary piece of cover art

Exhaustive liner notes