Hugh Jackman Gets The Smackdown For Lipton

Ok, so this one isn't all about the music . . . but it's funny.  Some old time music beds are book-ended with classic orchestral swells to accent an already funny commercial featuring Hugh Jackman getting smacked around.  Great concept and execution on this one.  Good one Team Lipton!   

Simply Rad: M83

Happy Nigel Tufnel Day!!!!

E. Tyler Harp - Raised on the Music of the Tube

Like most toddlers, my best friends were the characters on Sesame Street.  Bert, Ernie, Grover and my favorite Oscar the Grouch (even though my mother  thought he was a bad influence)  When I really look back on it, what I really enjoyed most from the educational and often sacrine-y sweet Children's Television Workshop production was the musical guests.  Be it on a rooftop all Beatles farewell style or just down in front of Hooper's store, I can remember boppin' in my Huggies before our giant, wooden, floor console TV (with the cigarette burn on the top.  Busted Pop!)  There was always an abundance of kids dancing frenetically (the way only little kids can) and also the occasional duet with a monster or two.  The list of performers is surprisingly long when you really think about it.  So in this first blog article focusing on time spent with my 3rd parent, television, I'd like to share with you (through the magic of Youtube) some of my most favorite Sesame Street musical guests:

(You gotta love the front-of-the-brownstone performance and the little girl ad-libing)  

Billy Joel, Marlee Matlin and Oscar The Grouch - Just the Way You Are

(Classic Oscar, givin' Billy the business)

Stevie Wonder - Superstition

(Stevie at his best, plus some weird kid havin' a fit up on a fire escape)

Last but certainly not least...

James Taylor and Oscar the Grouch - You're Grouchy Face

(Up-on-the-roof duet.  James changes the lyrics to match Oscar's generally rotten disposition) 

This blog post is brought to you by the letter's L, S, D and MP!

Tune in next time when we talk about the music of Looney Tunes and how I didn't really care who Carl Stahling was when I was 5.

20 Questions With Eric Hillebrecht, Music Supervisor

Name:    Eric Hillebrecht 
Title:     Creative Director, Senior Music Supervisor, President 
Companies: The Music Playground  (www.themusicplayground.com)
The Lodge (www.thelodgemusic.com)

1. Song I Wish I Synched:  Ou Est La Femme - Louis Vertigo Remix (Hear it below).  Also, Incredible Eyes by Ben Hartley from Special Blend Records. This is one of the most synch friendly tracks I have ever heard.

2. Favorite Music Placement:  Not something I placed, but rather wrote for a short film called Carrot Vs Ninja (See it below).

Carrot vs Ninja from Cedric Nicolas-Troyan on Vimeo.

3. Most Requested Creative Direction: "I'll know it when I hear it

4. New/Emerging Artist/Bands I Am Listening To: Pretty Lights. These guys are well known through a cult following and I just can't get enough of their sound. Their music just makes me feel cool walking down the street.  Watch it here.

5. Last Concert I Attended: Dapuntobeat a funk, disco, dance band out of Mexico City. Tonight I am seeing Wishes and Thieves and next week Jviewz.

6. My Favorite Online Music Web Site: I like Tumblr cause its just for the people by the people and exposes me to more then just music. It's like a content friendly twitter feed.

7. My Favorite Mobile Music App: I use my ipod to conserve battery life.

8. Number of Music Tracks I List To Everyday: Roughly 200.

9. My Favorite Music Synch Curveballs:  Mah Na Mah Na (The Muppets).

10. Favorite Cliche Movie Trailer Music Track:  Not sure what this means.

11. Favorite Cliche Action Sports Music Track:  Not sure what this means either.

12. Music Track Least Likely To Be Used Mom/Daughter Movie of The Week:  I Touch Myself - The Divinyls

13. Music Track Most Likely To Be Used in a Pharma Commercial: "I've Want A New Drug" - Huey Lewis and The News

14. Instruments I Play: Guitar, bass, drums and some piano and trumpet.

15. Radio Station I Listen To Most:   I don't in this market cause it smells like payola. If I hear Adele one more time I will cry. Radio is misused.

16. Favorite 80's Song: "We Dont Have to Take Our Clothes Off" Jermaine Stewart is up there:

17.  Most Un-Licensable Track Ever:   I Touch Myself - The Divinyls.

18.  Biggest Licensing WTF Ever By A Major Artist:  Not sure.

19. Desert Island iPod Mix: Ratatat and Trentemøller.  Cinematic non-lyrical stuff cause the same lyrics would probably drive me insane. The break at 2:12 is sick.
 

20. Desert Island Film Soundtrack:  Punch Drunk Love, and I Heart Huckabees cause Jon Brion is the best.

The Thunderous Rebirth of Bjork

What can only be described as Bjork emerging from a giant orangutan's wahoo . . . we bring you the mind bending performance art of her stage show musically directed by two friends of our family - Matt Robertson and Damian Taylor. 

Check out some of their experimental electronic genuis on these tracks:

Pluto's Song

Floating in Space

Xenon 

Cyan Transcients 

At A Loss