The Very Good Agency

K-OS – Yes! remix competition

Woah!!!!!!!

I have seen a few interesting remix competitions over the years and I am usually not too surprised or interested when I hear about them nowadays, but I think this one has the potential to be truly awesome. There are not many artists on the scene today who grab me like K-OS (a.k.a. Knowledge of Self) I like the way he sings, I like the way he raps, I like the way he innovates instead of reproducing other peoples ideas, and now I like the way he has decided to get his community involved in his upcoming album ‘Yes!’ by releasing a bonus cd with 11 remixes from fans who decide to download the audio from his website and arrange them to their own liking.

The 11 remixes will be judged by K-os and two label representatives from ‘Universal’ and ‘Indaba music’ and released as a bonus album to ‘YES!’ which is due in the Canadian Spring of 2009. This competition is sure to bring some fresh talents out of the woodwork which I am really looking forward to hearing, if you want to get involved and submit a remix of your own, ten of the eleven tracks are ready to download at this address

So get into it, and have some fun!

and if you haven’t yet heard K-os check out the following track for a taste of his genius…

K-os – The Love Song

and you can check out more of K-os at:

www.myspace.com/kos

…bs

Tags: Blues, Funk, hip hop, Soul

Reggie Watts – God Bless Youtube

If you like like chilling out on youtube looking for interesting loop based performers, crossover artists, or just creative randomness, then your going to like Reggie Watts. spending a little time playing on youtube with some of the artists that we work with exposes me to some amazing talents, whether they be in their bedroom or onstage, and youtube even helps for the transition of some of these artists from their bedroom to the stages. Video’s can be altered to change reality, but there’s no trickery behind Reggie Watts, it’s seems to be the product of many nights alone in the bedroom potentially for long periods of time… and man I think it’s worth it:

Reggie Watts – Out of control

So you look a little further and find that Watts not only makes improvisational music, but also comedy. Winner of the ‘Annual Andy Kaufman award’, now awarded by Andy’s father and long time manager George Shapiro, following much recognition from the ‘Edinburgh Fringe Festival’, he now plays regular club and festival gigs around his hometown Brooklyn and America rolling his talents into a completely random and soulful comedic musical set.

If your short for time while your reading this, skip to 5min 24 seconds in this video for a taste of the funniest and tightest rap I have seen in comedy… Damn!

You can check out more of Reggie Watts at:

www.reggiewatts.com

www.myspace.com/reggiewatts

…bs

Tags: Comedy, Funk, gigs, Gospel, hip hop, Soul

How The West was won

Hey everybody, just a quick note to let everyone in Melbourne know that there are two great gig’s on this weekend. This Saturday 29th November at Bar Open is a benefit music extravaganza for the Kokatha Mula Nation in the far West of South Australia, who are fighting the onslaught of the mining and exploration boom in the largest stretch of malle woodland in the world. Playing will be:

NFA (No Fixed Abode) of 1200 techniques
Pataphysics
Elf Tranzporter
Lady Lash & DJ Mz Rizk
Plus special guests

Musicians and media exhibits will raise awareness of the contentious nature of development in this ecologically unique region in the far West of South Australia and the impacts upon regional communities and will suitably be a donation on entry.. Bar Open is 317 Brunswick St.

Friday the 28th November will see the awesome Sydney funk, hip hop, rock group King Farooq playing at the Night Cat just off Brunswick st, if you haven’t seen these guys before you should, and what better way to see them then at a free concert in one of Melbourne’s funkiest night spots with a centre stage, and couches all around. I’ll see you all there huh.

King Farook – Zabbadouai

Peace

…bs

Tags: Australian Artists, Funk, gigs, hip hop

The Roots to retire from touring

One of the hardest working live acts around is finally looking at settling down. That’s right; word on the street is that the world’s top hip hop band, the legendary Roots crew, will soon be taking up a residency on The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon. Having re-written the books on how to make hip hop, and, more importantly, put on a show, The Roots have developed a cult following amongst not just hip hop fans, but music fans in general.

It’s an unfortunate reality that lot of hip hop shows these days suffer from poor sound engineering; distorted vocals, and basslines that drown out everything else. The Roots, however, have mastered the art of performing live. Appearing on stage with Black Thought on the mic, undoubtedly one of the best emcees in hip hop history, a guitarist, keyboardist, beat boxer, backup singers , and the almighty afro-ed one, ?uestlove on the drums, The Roots put on shows that send chills down your spine.

America’s cult television talk-show, The Late Show , will be taken over by Saturday Night Live Star, Jimmy Fallon, in 2009. Fallon will replace Conan O’Brien, who is moving into Jay Leno’s spot on The Tonight Show. In a recent interview (posted on youtube but quickly pulled) ?uestlove said that The Roots would be retiring from large scale touring and become the house band from March 2009. Its a big move for the band, but he realises it’s the right time to do it; “I see the possible chance of this being a ‘bigger’ move … but on the real? I don’t know if I want to be 40, on the road and single no more. And with the kids my group has now getting older … it’s harder for the guys to leave more than it was when the kids were 2 and 3. And I can’t even start to go on that path till a woman takes me seriously. And ain’t no one taking a man serious who is in his own home for only three months out the year. I been in my crib since 2006 and I still ain’t unpacked everything yet.”

I personally, have never seen The Roots live, and therefore jumped at the chance when they were announced as one of the headliners for the 2009 Good Vibrations festival; they have been at the top of my list of ‘acts I gotta see’ for years. After hearing this news I’m now counting my blessings, as it seems this may be the last chance to see them for quite some time, if ever again, down this end of the world. So get your tickets now for your chance to witness the legendary Roots crew live on stage, the Sydney festival has already sold out and the others won’t be far away!

You can check out  more from The Roots at:

www.theroots.com

www.myspace.com/theroots

and get your tickets at www.googvibrationsfestival.com.au

…cracked

Tags: Funk, gigs, hip hop, Jazz, Old School, Soul

No-one Ever Really Dies on Tour

When he isn’t pimping out his other beats to the likes of Jay-Z, JT or Gwen; or ‘droppin’ it like it’s hot’ for Snoop, you might be lucky enough to find Pharrell making his own crazy genre-mashing N*E*R*D magic with his boys. That is if he isn’t being voted best dressed by Esquire magazine, designing skateboards, running his own clothing label or shoe company. This man who seems to know how to make money and do business in the modern era, where promoting yourself is an art form in itself, still knows how find time to have some fun by playing around with beats and mixing up musical styles as they take his fancy.

N*E*R*D was formed in 2001 as an almost bastard child of The Neptunes as a way to explore their less mainstream, more challenging sounds. The group consists of Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shae Haley, a trio who explore into some odd and intriguing realms of music to produce sounds that skate between the lines of familiar catchiness and experimental awkwardness, to make something in the middle. Juxtapositions that may in time outline and define popular production techniques of the future.

The music is can be described as funk-rock, with various other influences, including hip hop, R&B, soul, alternative rock, and blues. Pharrell is quoted as explaining the meaning of the band name as follows: “N*E*R*D stands for No-one Ever Really Dies. The Neptunes are who we are and N*E*R*D is what we do. It’s our life. N*E*R*D is just a basic belief, man. People’s energies are made of their souls. When you die, that energy may disperse but it isn’t destroyed.”

This revolutionary and innovative crew are coming down under for their first major concert tour of Australia & New Zealand, following the release of their third album Seeing Sounds, which came out in June of this year. So if their sneaky tunes rub you up the right way and tickle your musical fancy, then check them out on the upcoming tour.

According to the concert promo site “”N.E.R.D is the offspring of the Neptune’s, a fly-or-die, thrash-around, do-as-you-will, set-your-soul-on-fire alter ego that subscribes to no rules, adheres to no agenda. N.E.R.D are back in a big way and coming to a city near you. Don’t miss your chance to see this explosive live act up close and personal”

Tour Dates & Venues:

Thu 26th Feb – Vector Arena, Auckland
On sale Mon 10th Nov Tickets

Wed 04th March – Hordern Pavillion, Sydney
On sale Mon 10th Nov Tickets

Thurs 05th March – Hisense Arena, Melbourne
On sale Fri 14th Nov Tickets

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N*E*R*D – Everybody Nose

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New Album ‘Seeing Sounds’ Out Now includes single ‘Everyone Nose’.

As usual, you can search for more info on the net by viewing:

Official NERD Site

Myspace for NERD

“I’m right here, and I ain’t goin’ nowhere
You can turn tables and you can throw chairs
I’m right here, and I ain’t goin’ nowhere
You can knock doors and tear up, ya’have to air so…”
(Spaz – N.E.R.D)

It’s almost over now…Yossarian

Tags: Funk, gigs