Aquarionics

Singing Lawyers

This evening I tripped over some singing lawyers.

That is, while waiting for the updates for my brand new WinXP install I was wandering around the internet and discovered MoFonics the band of the copyright specialising legal group MoFo.

And then it hit me, the voice inside my head:
“Where are you going to? Why’d you get up out of bed?
Was there a purpose for all those years at school?
To make the world a better place,
While doing something cool?”
All I wanna do is sue, sue somebody;
It might well be you, so do you have some money?

And, much to my suprise, it not only doesn’t suck, but the song is actually quite good. Scary.

You can listen to it (Real Audio or MP3) at this web site

Lord of the Rhymes

The Lords of the Rhymes first single, also called Lords of the Rhymes

The website has a video.

Watch. Listen. Learn. Fear.

More Christmas Music

To make up for yesterday’s lack:

• Barenaked Ladies Carol Medley
• Dar Williams, The Christian’s Verses the Pagans – Live (Thanks to AdrianO for pointing me at this)

Sounds Delightful

Upon the new bronze statue of Mick Jagger there is a plaque that reads: ‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone’.

And, in more seasonal entertainment this Christmas Eve’s Eve:

• Bob Rivers – Be Claus I Got High

And, in less festive, but still great, music:

• Funkapella – The Klingon Song (Via Ruthi)

Eve

Louis Armstrong reads ‘The Night Before Christmas’

The stockings were hung on the mantle with care

So here it is, Merry Christmas. I’ve returned to the Fictional Town of Paddock Wood to do the Christmas Thing, so arguing with parents, brothers and pets about where all the glasses are, who drank the last of the pineapple juice (Nobody, yet. I saw it and hid it before they had a chance) and such stuff. Presents have been bought and wrapped and placed in their traditional place under the tree.

And the stockings are on the bedroom doors.

I’m trying to work out how long I’ve had my Christmas stocking. At least as long as we’ve been in this house, I think, which means since I was about six. It’s unfashionably small – as I noted as I walked around the shops this year, newer christmas stockings are about four times mine – it has Snoopy on it, it’s red (My older-younger brother’s was blue, but it’s been lost. Actually, since only me and Ben have them and Matt – my younger-younger brother – doesn’t , that probably puts them since before he was born, which means I’ve had it at least 18 of my 22 years), and it’s probably the thing that tells me most of all that it’s actually Christmas.

Mostly because of the age, and because of the place. If, when we move to Letchworth at the end of January, we stop moving house every nine months – as I have done for the past four years – I would be 40 before I’d lived there as long as I’ve lived here, which is frankly pretty scary.

I’d take a photo of the stocking, BTW, but I lost my camera a couple of weeks ago at an AFP Green Man meet. Ah well.

I’ve no intention of being near a computer for very long tomorrow, so I’m putting the last Christmas MP3 up now:

• I’ve lost track of who this is sung by, but it’s really good. Acapella – Carol of the Bells

And finally, non-christmassy, but I’ve been pimping it at people for years and this way I get a great swathe of people at once. This is the Michigan Amazin’ Blue acapella group doing a wonderful version of Englishman in New York. Imagine it as the theme tune to Aquarionics, if you like.

Merry Christmas one and all, That’s me out until the new year, which – incidentally – will be Aquarionics’ fourth birthday. Be here then for tea and cakes.

iTunes hates me

iTunes hates me.

There are worse things to get stuck in your head than the last sixty seconds of the prologue from Godspell (Which consists, for those who don’t know, of eight people singing completely seperate words and tunes at the same time in a way that sounds cool), but currently I can’t think of one.

Currently, in fact, I can’t think of anything apart from the last sixty seconds or so of the prologue from Godspell. All eight parts. Which would be the problem.

This was a problem yesterday, and I ejected it with the copy of the Theme from Invader Zim, Soulchild 19-2000, Hakuna Matata, Magic Roundabout and Pigeon Street themes that are in my playlist for that very reason.

And I was Happy. and all was Good.

Now iTunes is playing it, just after The Frog Song.

iTunes hates me.

Random MP3 Playlist

Okay, It’s a meme, for which I apologise. The instructions are as follows:

Put all mp3s you own on a playlist.
Randomise
Display the first thirty.

Since MusicDB generates 128mb of random MP3s for me (for my MP3 player. Must. Get. iPod.) every morning, I’ll just print this morning’s playlist at you:

1. Various – Georgia on my Mind – Billie Holiday (3:18)
2. Voices Only: A Cappella Originals – Throat Culture: Easter Island Head (2:48)
3. Various Artists – If You Still Hate Me (2:54)
4. Various – The City Of New York # Homer Simpson (Medley) (2:02)
5. The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The – Pussy Want His Fish?
6. The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The – An Invisible Dot On An Invisib (1:55)
7. The Goons – The Seagoon Memoirs (29:46)
8. Kenneth Horne – Round the Horne Vol5 Side2 (26:19)
9. Aggie Band – When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again (1:36)
10. Air Supply – Total Eclipse of the Heart (5:28)
11. askthefamily (0:19)
12. 12(by P G Wodehouse) – All About Jeeves (8:36)
13. beefburg (0:23)
14. bigjohn (0:16)
15. Bill Withers – Hello Like Before (5:28)
16. bruno (0:02)
17. chi9205 (0:43)
18. Copy of MegaBabe
19. Don McLean – American Pie (Complete Original Version) (8:34)
20. Simon May – EastEnders Ill-Fated Hotel Lobby Version (start) (0:27)
21. Elvis Presley – Fever (2:47)
22. Eva Cassidy – The Letter (1) (4:10)
23. Urusei Yatsura – Hello Tiger (3:18)
24. John Lennon – Imagine (acoustic version) (2:57)
25. REM - This Friendly World (3:04)
26. MegaBabe
27. The Beautiful South – How Long’s A Tear Take To Dry? (4:37)
28. Squeeze – Goodbye Girl (3:05)
29. Mixed Company – Come On Eileen (4:26)
30. synthesized – popcorn
31. The Beatles – Love Me Do
32. Tom Lehrer – The Irish Ballad (3:01)
33. This Is A Low
34. trumpton (0:56)
35. Unknown – 01 – National Express Disk 1 – The Divine Comedy – Going Downhill Fast (3:08)
36. Weezer – Buddy Holly (2:39)
37. whydontyou (0:51)
38. The Simpsons – The Simpons Main Title Theme ( (1:39)
39. Various – Pink Floyd / Wish You Were Here (5:24)
40. Blues Brothers – Shake a tail feather (2:50)
41. 01-White Flag
42. The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The – Not A Pleasant Sight, Even For (1:47)
43. Splashdown – Pandora (3:49)
44. The Wonder Stuff – Don’t Let Me Down, Gently (3:01)
45. The Pogues – Fiesta (4:12)
46. They Might Be Giants – I Can Hear You (1:56)
47. Lemon Jelly – Page One (9:12)
48. XTC - The Rhythm (2:55)

LUG Radio

Aq & company have produced the second edition of LUG Radio, you can get it in ogg and MP3 format here

Barenaked Ladies Blog

Interestingly, the Barenaked Ladies are blogging the tour for their newish album

MOTW - Dueling Tubas

Martin Mull, Dualing Tubas

Because it’s my mission in life to cause you pain. (Thanks to St Lemur for the file)

Broken Song

So, I’m not really a Green Day fan.

I have an Oasis album somewhere, too.

I’ve got MP3s of two Travis albums, but that’s only because my mum bought them.

This, however, is fantastic.. Get it, before they stop it happening. (Via Technoari’s top MP3s and the fact that it appeared magically on my MP3 player this morning via the wonders of BashPodder, musicDB v1.2svn and a whole set of tricks that’ll get an article when I get around to writing it.

Musical Confusion

I present, Without comment, The Faerie’s Aire and Death Waltz

Part The First
Part The Second

First person to find an MP3 gets a tasty biscuit.

Code in C

(sung to The Beatles "Let it Be")

(I've never found out who wrote this one, or this varient. I've modified it slightly from the text I found)

When I find my code in tons of trouble,
Friends and colleagues come to me,
Speaking words of wisdom:
"Code in C."

As the deadline fast approaches,
And bugs are all that I can see,
Somewhere, someone whispers
"Code in C."

Code in C, Code in C,
Code in C, Code in C.
LISP is dead and buried,
Code in C.

I used to write a lot of FORTRAN,
for science it worked flawlessly.
Try using it for graphics!
Code in C.

If you've just spent 30 hours
Debugging some assembly,
Soon you will be glad to
Code in C.

Code in C, Code in C,
Code in C, yeah, Code in C.
Only wimps use Python.
Code in C.

Code in C, Code in C,
Code in C, oh, Code in C.
Pascal won't quite cut it.
Code in C.

{ Guitar Solo }

Code in C, Code in C,
Code in C, yeah, Code in C.
Don't even mention COBOL.
Code in C.

And when the screen is fuzzy,
And the edior is bugging me.
I'm sick of ones and zeroes.
Code in C.

A thousand people people swear that T.P.
Seven is the one for me.
I hate the word PROCEDURE,
Code in C.

Code in C, Code in C,
Code in C, yeah, Code in C.
PL1 is 80's,
Code in C.

Code in C, Code in C,
Code in C, yeah, Code in C.
The government loves ADA,
Code in C.

End of the week

Things went up slightly. I went out for drinks with folks from work, which was fun (Cherry beer is very much like… well, alcoholic cherryade) and then for a curry, and then they put me up for the night to stop me having to take the bus back at 21:30. Which was nice.

Next morning I got dropped off at the station, found out I had a half hour to wait, and accidentally walked into a music shop then a comics shop and accidentally bought music, DVDs and comics. Then I caught my bus and went home.

On the other hand, the unusually painful blister that I thought I had on my toes turns out to be usually painful frostbite instead. Bloody delayed buses.

Ow.

Technologic

Buy it, use it, break it, fix it, trash it, change it, melt – upgrade it,
charge it, pawn it, zoom it, press it, snap it, work it, quick – erase it, write it, get it, paste it, save it, load it, check it, quick – rewrite it, plug it, play it, burn it, rip it, drag and drop it, zip – unzip it, lock it, fill it, curl it, find it, view it, curl it, jam – unlock it, surf it, scroll it, pose it, click it, cross it, crack it, twitch – update it, name it, read it, tune it, print it, scan it, send it, fax – rename it, touch it, bring it, obey it, watch it, turn it, leave it, stop – format it.

Buy it, Use it, Break it, Fix it, Crash it, Change it, Melt, Upgrade it, Charge it, Pawn it, Zoom it, Press it, Snap it, Work it, Quick, Erase it,
Write it, Get it, Paste it, Save it, Load it, Check it, Quick, Rewrite it,
Plug it, Play it, Burn it, Rip it, Drag and Drop it, Zip, Unzip it, Lock it, Fill it, Curl it, Find it, View it, Curl and Jam Lock it, Surf and Scroll it, Those that click it, Gross and Crack and Twitch update it, Name it, Read it, Tune it, Print it, Scan it, Send it, Fax, Rename it, Touch it, Bring it babe, Watch it turn and leave, its time for matic.

Technologic

Get better elections, part two

In every place where it matters to me, nothing changed.

No matter

A band you've never heard of.

1968, and a band called The Dirty Mac do a TV performance.

The Dirty Mac consist of John Lennon, God (TAAKA Eric Clapton), Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell.

I’d watch the video, if I were you.

Songs

Via Meg, sort of:

The JCB Song

(From the animator of the Radiohead Creep video )

Hustle

Because if it’s going to be spinning around my head, I might as well make it spin around other people’s heads:

• Simon Rogers: The Theme From BBC’s ‘Hustle’

Audions

So, with my new, black, shiny personal backup device I have been listening to Podcasts.

These are some I’m enjoying:

• The official TMBG podcast – Tracks that wouldn’t make an album, and the occasional long sketch I’m thankful I could skip. [iTunes Link]
• Ask a ninja (Video) A ninja asks all your questions [iTunes Link]
• G4 TV Game reviews and such. Making fun of larpers from the unasilable position of being addicted to WoW. [iTunes Link]
• iMadeitup Music by Adam Rabin, previously lauded here as the music group Mailbox. [iTunes Link] [RSS Link]
• del.icio.us Mashups [RSS Link]
• LUGradio The occasional good bit buried within screeds of high handed bigotry against other people’s choice of operating systems. [iTunes] [RSS]

Lyrics Quiz

Crossposted to LJ. Brackets are the person who got it first. You will *not* get all of these.

1. I'm filthy, I'm hungry, I'm fed up to the teeth. I'm very revolutionary - I haven't washed in weeks.
2. Hens love roosters Everyone Loves Ned Flanders, The Simpsons (Rory)
3. You walk the thinnest of the ice, so easy to hurt
4. I found my locker and I found my classes.
5. There's no song for the singer, No words for the tune
6. If you had one chance, one opportunity Lose yourself - Eminemememememe. (Stephen)
7. Well it's one AM, and I'm out of gas. Last chance pump 'for home already passed.
8. She pushes though the bushes, she's the apple of my eye Lorraine a' Malena & Neil Gaiman- Just Me and Eve (Ruthikins)
9. All the ducks are swimming in the water. Lemon Jelly - Nice Weather for Ducks (Little Miss Corinne) (And lots of other people)
10. A man walks down the street, he says why am I soft in the middle now? Call Me Al, Paul Simon (Little Miss Random)
11. It is a far, far better thing that I do now than I have ever done, before. Divine Comedy, Charge. (Little Miss Random)
12. He was an accident waiting to happen. Most accidents happen at home. Warren Zevon, Porcilin Monkey. (Adrian O)
13. If you want to open your hole
14. My disco girl likes the disco sound. My disco girl likes the disco sound. Space - Disco Dolly (atreic)
15. If you've got a problem with your pet, take it along.
16. Oh, I remember you said can I fight and breathe, So now I always, always hold my breath you see
17. I was looking though the cemetrary late last night when I saw a ghost who was out of sight

Lyrics Quiz Answers

• I’m filthy, I’m hungry, I’m fed up to the teeth. I’m very revolutionary – I haven’t washed in weeks. (Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band, Busted)
• Hens love roosters (Simpsons – Everybody loves Ned Flanders)
• You walk the thinnest of the ice, so easy to hurt (New Model Army, Space)
• I found my locker and I found my classes. (Barenaked Ladies – This is me in Grade 9)
• There’s no song for the singer, No words for the tune (Neil Innes – Lie down and be counted)
• If you had one chance, one opportunity (Eminem)
• Well it’s one AM, and I’m out of gas. Last chance pump ‘for home already passed. (Eddie from Ohio – Rolling Pin. I uploaded the mp3 weeks ago!
• She pushes though the bushes, she’s the apple of my eye (Lorraine a’ Malena – Just Me and Eve)
• All the ducks are swimming in the water. (Lemon Jelly, Nice weather for ducks)
• A man walks down the street, he says why am I soft in the middle now?
• It is a far, far better thing that I do now than I have ever done, before. (Divine Comedy – Charge)
• He was an accident waiting to happen. Most accidents happen at home. (Warren Zevon – Porcilin Monkey)
• If you want to open your hole (Faith no more, Evidence)
• My disco girl likes the disco sound. My disco girl likes the disco sound. (Space, Disco Dolly)
• If you’ve got a problem with your pet, take it along. (Macadoo)
• Oh, I remember you said can I fight and breathe, So now I always, always hold my breath you see (Texas, When we are together)
• I was looking though the cemetrary late last night when I saw a ghost who was out of sight (DAAS, Dead Elvis)

360

Podcast of the week? Something like that.

360 Records’s Podcast [iTunes Link] has been the soundtrack to my commute for a little while now, it’s a mix of this small record label’s latest and best releases. It’s encoded with Apple’s advanced podcast stuff, so it effectivly has tracks within the file, meaning you can skip a song you’re not feeling the love of.

The Now Show [ RSS | iTunes ]

The BBC’s top weekly news satire (Kind of a british Daily Show, really. Except weekly. and without the hit-and-mostly-miss mockumentery bits)

What links Britney Spears and Bob Dylan

... is that I much prefer songs they originated when they are covered by other people.

Almost any other people, in fact.

Music Quiz Part Two

There are twenty seven introductions in This MP3. You get a point for the track, a point for the artist, and a point for the original where useful

1. Guitar Thing – Is indeed Sgt Pepper, Originally Beatles, played here by Hendrix
2. Swoopy guitar thing Killer Robots From Venus, The Arrogant Worms
3. Twangy Thing Is Cats in the Cradle, but isn’t Ugly Kid Joe er, yes it is. My MP3 is labeled “Eagles” for no apparently good reason. It was still originally by Harry Chapin, though
4. People noisy and piano thing.
5. Dull thumpy thing
6. Three chords thing Mitch Benn, Crap Shag
7. Stringy whistly thing Milla, Gentlemen Who Fell
8. Twiddly guitar thing Franz Ferdinand indeed, not Take Me Out, though, Barry got it, it’s Tell Her Tonight
9. Tarzan grunty thing.
10. Baa baa black sheep thing Is indeed Divine Comedy
11. Built up thing Isn’t Pink Floyd at all. Is, in fact, My Culture by One Giant Leap
12. Synthy droppy thing.
13. Pretend trumptety thing that I forgot I owned and so played too much of
14. Crashy guitar thing Stockholme Syndrome, Muse
15. Ahhh-ahh-ah thing.
16. Really obvious short guitar thing Californication RHCP
17. Closing fuzz and drumy guitar thing Billy Joel, Sleeping With The Television On.
18. Guitar thing that I need a better description for Rotterdam, by The Beautiful South
19. Almost backwards guitar thing
20. Twangy country guitar thing
21. Build up pop song thing Charmless Man, Blur
22. Folk song rock song thing The Folksmen, Start Me Up
23. It might be a violin solo Kiss Me, Son Of God, by They Might Be Giants
24. Live electric guitar thing.
25. Bastard drum machine thing
26. Twangy pop song that is almost cheating thing Alternative Girlfriend, Barenaked Ladies
27. Foolish Bonus Thing Lovefool

Music Quiz - Part Two - Answers

First, K9 to get his own series and it’s not being done by the BBC, which is interesting.

Second, the answers to last time’s quiz:

1. ‘Guitar Thing’ was ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’, as played by Jimi Hendrix and originally by the Beatles.
2. ‘Swoopy guitar thing’ was ‘Killer Robots From Venus’, The Arrogant Worms
3. ‘Twangy Thing’ was ‘Cats in the Cradle’, Ugly Kid Joe
4. ‘People noisy and piano thing’ was ‘Remake, Re-Model’ by Roxy Music
5. ‘Dull thumpy thing’ was ‘Beethoven (I Love to Listen to)’ by Eurythmics
6. ‘Three chords thing’ was really four chords, and was ‘Crap Shag’ by Mitch Benn
7. ‘Stringy whistly thing’ was ‘Gentlemen Who Fell’ by Milla Jovovich
8. ‘Twiddly guitar thing’ was ‘Tell Her Tonight’ by Franz Ferdinand
9. ‘Tarzan grunty thing’ was ‘Alley Oop’ by the Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band
10. ‘Baa baa black sheep thing’ was ‘Bernice Bobs Her Hair’, by The Divine Comedy
11. ‘Built up thing’ was ‘My Culture’ by One Giant Leap
12. ‘Synthy droppy thing’ was “Singin’ in the Rain”, originally by Nacio Herb Brown, sung here by Jamie Cullum
13. ‘Pretend trumptety thing’ was “You are the light” by Jens Lekman
14. ‘Crashy guitar thing’ was “Stockholme Syndrome” by Muse
15. ‘Ahhh-ahh-ah thing’ was “Leavin’ on a Jet Plane” Sung here by Chantal Kreviazuk
16. ‘Really obvious short guitar thing’ was ‘Californication’ by the Red Hot Chilli-peppers
17. ‘Closing fuzz and drumy guitar thing’ was Billy Joel, Sleeping With The Television On
18. ‘Guitar thing that I need a better description for’ was Rotterdam, by The Beautiful South
19. ‘Almost backwards guitar thing’ was ‘Victoria Falls’, again by the Divine Comedy
20. ‘Twangy country guitar thing’ was ‘Rough & Ready’ by Trace Atkins
21. “Build up pop song thing” was Charmless Man, Blur
22. ‘Folk song rock song thing’ was The Folksmen, Start Me Up, covering Rolling Stones
23. ‘It might be a violin solo’ was Kiss Me, Son Of God, by They Might Be Giants
24. ‘Live electric guitar thing’ was “Sister Golden Hair” by America
25. ‘Bastard drum machine thing’ was “For What Its Worth” by Battlestar America. It’s a rewriting, rather than a direct cover, of Buffalo Springfield
26. ‘Twangy pop song that is almost cheating thing’ was Alternative Girlfriend, Barenaked Ladies.
27. ‘Foolish Bonus Thing’ was Lovefool, covered by Michael Gum (More of his music here )

Top 100 Most Listened To

1. Glue (Live) – Andras Jones – What Happened
2. When I Fall – Barenaked Ladies – Born On A Pirate Ship
3. Earthquakes – Moxy Fruvous – Thornhill
4. Upside Down – Barenaked Ladies – Everything to Everyone
5. Man, It’s So Loud in Here – They Might Be Giants – Mink Car
6. I’ve Got Some Falling to Do – Lemon Demon – Hip to the Javabean
7. Lemon tree – Fools Garden
8. New Car Smell – The Arrogant Worms – Toast!
9. Remains of the Day – Danny Elfman – Corpse Bride (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
10. Slaves of Freedom (Trippy Piano) – Neil Innes – CD Title
11. Morcheeba / World Looking In – Open Space – Open Space – The Classic Chillout Album
12. Kokomo – Adam Green – Jessica / Kokomo – EP
13. Splatter Splatter – Moxy Fruvous – Thornhill
14. Schadenfreude – Original Broadway Cast – Avenue Q
15. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – The Proclaimers – The Best of the Proclaimers
16. The Lovecats – The Cure – The Cure: Greatest Hits
17. Adios, Lorena – Eddie From Ohio – This is Me
18. The Inspector Clouseau Theme –