Theremin Lust

I am in love with the sound of this instrument, especially when there is just a little vibrato added.  I really want to try and learn how to play one of these!  To play, there are two antennas, the vertical controls the pitch, and the horizontal changes the volume.  You don't touch the instrument at all.  It is the same principle as getting better TV reception when you stand close to the antenna.  This is Clara Rockmore, she was one of the first to use the theremin for music, and not just eerie sound effects.  She's got plenty of videos posted on Youtube if you want to further check her out!

And now, just to show you the versatility of this instrument, a song that's a little more familiar.  This guy uses a theremin along with Ableton Live, a drum kit, and a piano:

weeo weeeeeeoooooooooo

Ron English "Abrahama" Interview

Has anyone seen the large mural with Abraham Lincoln's head with Barack Obama's face on it, over behind the dog park near Boren & Pine?  Here is a short interview with the artist who created it:

Perez Hiltion has "The Clap"

This is borderline ridiculous, but I LOLed a couple of times! This video is from Another Gay Movie: Gays Gone Wild! I'm going to have to check it out, looks hillarious! Who can forget the original, Another Gay Movie from 2006!?

Shepard Fairey on His Iconic Obama Illustration

You might know Shepard Fairey through his OBEY campaign, and aside from being an incredible graphic designer & artist, he is a DJ too. And no doubt by now you have definitely seen his iconic Obama illustration (above). I just love how a very influential designer helped spread Obama's campaign across the world to a very specific audience. Fairey's illustration of Obama will be hanging in the U.S. National Portrait Gallery tomorrow as Obama gets sworn in tomorrow.

In this clip, the LA Times interviews Shepard Fairey, and he discusses this project, and his role as an artist in this election.


thanks: Wooster

Ritz "Open For Fun"

Ritz crackers just recently received a face-lift, and I think it's too pretty to pass up! I love it when an advertisement catches my eye, I mean, we are subjected to advertisements all day, so it feels nice to enjoy them every once in a while! This campaign, called "Open For Fun," stresses fun over function. A cracker being especially fun is kind of a long-shot if you ask me (although my inner fat girl, Jimica begs to differ), I still love the Ritz cracker shape as a graphic element, and the isometric box. Here is my favorite tv ad out of the campaign so far:



I made a playlist of the other spots on youtube. There are also some clever ads all over the net; from the ads I've seen, they are stylish, funny, and simple. Since this campaign is brand new, Jan. 1st 2009, there is going to be a lot more from the campaign over the next year or so! If you still want to know more, I found this New York Times article. I tried finding the campaign on Euro RSCG, the designer's, portfolio but no luck.

stuck in my head: Rods and Cones

Blue Man Group - Rods and Cones

It's funny that Pandora played this for me the other day, because I remember how much I loved it back in 1999 when Blue Man Group released their first album, Audio.  I had nearly forgotten (nearly, but I really liked 'I Feel Love' in 2004) about BMG, but thanks to Pandora, this song has been stuck in my head.  I know I have their CD stashed away somewhere back home, I'll have to pull it out and dust it off.

This clip is from a live show, so the song is a little different than what is on the album, but you still get the picture (and some knowledge of how the eye works!) plus, it shows you how cool their live shows are!