Happy 2012! As we all embark on this exciting (and perhaps historic) new year, we would like to take a moment to share our intentions for the Do LaB community and Lightning in a Bottle festival. Whether prophesied, or simply the true state of affairs, our community, our nation, and our planet face great change at this particular moment in time. We invite you all to embrace this change and continue celebrating life and our incredible human spirit during these tumultuous times. Though our problems seem many, and solutions difficult, we must remember to approach them with grace, love and celebration for in this attitude lies our best way forward.

LIB has always been about discovering and enacting a different way of living. A way that is more in touch with the earth, with each other, and with ourselves. As the pace of change continues to accelerate all around us, and old ways of thinking begin to reach their logical and useful ends, LIB continues to expand its spiritual and educational aspects so that we, as a community, may boldly embrace and lead the way into this new world. The Temple of Consciousness will be bigger than ever this year and will include inspiring new structures for the yoga and meditation area, as well as the beautiful area for speakers and workshops in the heart of the Temple. At the same time, we have a music and performance lineup brewing (scheduled to be released in March) that could be our best yet and is sure to awaken the celebration of dance that we hold so dear.

We are so happy and proud of the way LIB has been able to continue to grow and mature, while continuing to preserve that indescribable vibe we have all come to love so much. We thank everyone that participates in this event, from the volunteers and the musicians, to the painters, builders, artists and crew, and especially to you for contributing to that feeling that makes everyone feel so welcome and happy to join us in capturing lightning in a bottle, year after year.

It is to all of you that understand and reinforce the intention of the festival that we offer our early bird discount tickets for 24 hours starting on Monday, January 16th at 7am. We can’t be absolutely sure, but all indications point to the festival becoming sold out earlier than ever before this year. We don’t want you, our valuable core of festival goers, to miss out on tickets this year. We want to see you smiling again, bringing your incredible energy and understanding to help us make Lightning in a Bottle 2012 our greatest year ever.

Video created by Manifest Media.

Thanks for reading and be sure to Rush n Get em!

LIB 2012 info page: Click Here

Rush n Get em pre-sale event: Share and RSVP Here

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Split Enz’s promo-video for the hit single ‘I See Red’ (December, 1978), taken from the 1979 album ‘Frenzy’.

Via Blowing or Blowing Up.

Afterburner (feat. Renegade) by Futurecop!

Let’s get it chopping.

Faces by machinedrum

Heard this yesterday on Leisure System Radio via hivemind.fm. Big tune for sure.

Christian Aids: “Stay +:”

And, as an added bonus: here are the last ten minutes of Machinedrum’s set (more or less) from the Leisure System Radio show. This clip includes a new Sepalcure jam. Yeah buddy!

(Los Angeles, CA) World renown artist and author Justin BUA is proud to announce his directorial debut of “Walk this Way,” the untold story of one of music’s greatest legends Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels. As one of three founding members of the iconic group–RUN DMC–DMC brought rap to the mainstream of American culture, only to be left behind as hip-hop exploded and became one of the most significant cultural movements of our generation. Featuring Ice-T, Eminem, MC Lyte, Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz, Mix Master Mike, Z-Trip and many more, BUA paints a picture and chronicles DMC’s battle–and ultimate triumph–over his addiction to alcohol, the loss of his voice, and ultimately, the reclaiming of his life.

“DMC: Walk this Way” premieres Sunday July 10, 10 pm PT/ET on Ovation TV. To find Ovation in your area, go to ovationtv.com. For more information on “Walk this Way”: justinbua.com

So here’s an exclusive feature with New Look. They’re a great musical duo bringing a different kind of sound to the table.

Also, holler at their podcast here. It’s pretty luscious.

ParkNasty is here.

Baller. This week’s song is from the original soundtrack of the 1985 classic Real Genius. Win for finding the CED cover for it. CEDs were conceived in 1964 by RCA, but their production was stalled for 17 years until 1981. This led to the CED being beaten out by the DiscoVision (LaserDisc) and emerging Betamax and VHS videocassette formats. Retro technology is everything in 2011.

At any rate, here’s the track.

The Comsat Angels: “I’m Falling:”

Also, here’s a bonus gem from the movie for your listening enjoyment.
Chaz Jankel: “Number One:”

Old but good.

The Get Up Kids – “Close to Me:”

“Van Vogue:”

“YNY:”

Lazer Sword – “Shot In The Nite:”

soundcloud.com/lazersword
Buy it now.

Futurecop! “N.A.S.A.”

myspace.com/thefuturecop

When it comes to music, people like to pretend our world fits neatly into black and white, hip-hop and r&b, rock and rap. But is it possible that one artist can bring the rock, the soul and the pop music lover together in one blissful Technicolor orgy? If anyone can, it’s Bay Area musician Chris Marsol. On his bold debut album, “Butterflies, Lipstick and Handgrenades” (Clear Label/Hiero Imperium), Marsol fuses together rock, soul, pop and electro, resulting in a record where no two tracks sound the same. Arranged and produced by Marsol, “Butterflies, Lipstick and Handgrenades,” drops March 30, 2010.

Marsol and his band made this record the old-fashioned way: they got together at FM studios in Berkeley, CA.

“It was a 24 hour recording session split up into two days,” explains Marsol. “Before the session, we rehearsed over a period of months to solidify the arrangements. Then we all tracked our parts simultaneously, in one huge recording room so the music had an organic sound. We recorded it exactly the way we play it live at shows.”

How did this rock artist end up on one of the Bay’s most esteemed hip-hop labels? “In 2007 my business partner gave Hiero’s owner Tajai (of Souls of Mischief) some of my music. Unknown to us, Tajai had been listening to it while on tour. When he got back, a meeting was set up and we decided to work together.”

“I want my label to represent quality music in general, not just underground rap,” explains Tajai of why he signed Marsol. “Chris has talent and energy that the world needs to see.”

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, home of Haight-Ashbury, Marsol is the product of the hippie movement, Psychedelic Rock, the Black Panthers. Admittedly, he wasn’t around during the revolution, but the spirit of art, freedom, and progressive thinking still illuminates the Bay Area — and Marsol’s music.

“As a child, I didn’t discriminate between genres of music,” notes Marsol, who includes Pink Floyd, Cream, Stevie Wonder, Nirvana, Genesis, Stone Temple Pilots, D’Angelo, Radiohead, and Hall and Oates among his favorite artists. “I only distinguished between what I liked and what I didn’t like.”

At 6, Chris was singing in his church choir and stealing the spotlight, dancing at his family reunions. By 11, he was locking himself in the bathroom, writing and recording his first songs with a Radio Shack tape recorder. At age 17 he taught himself how to play the piano and eventually taught himself the guitar.

When asked about the meaning of the album title, Marsol shrugs, “There’s no meaning until you create one.”

Johnny Hates Jazz – “Shattered Dreams:”

In keeping with BBE’s tradition of high quality disco comps, The Boogie Back features an exclusive remix of the NYC cult jam Jan Leslie Holmes’ “I’m Your Superman,” tasty edits from Spinna, a ready made party mix for house parties and unmixed selections on CD2 for collectors. These classic tracks are hard to find anywhere!

DJ Spinna
The Boogie Back – Post Disco Club Jams
Label: BBE
Release Date: November 24, 2009

myspace.com/djspinnafrombrooklyn
For Fans Of: Kurtis Blow, Michael Jackson, Mtume, Parliament, War

Boogie Music is the dance music genre that was wedged between 70’s disco music and the electronica explosion of the 90’s. Some call it Post Disco, some call it Electro Funk, but the characteristics that define Boogie Music (funk, soul and R&B) would form the building blocks of proper house music. This is the kind of music that was coming out of the inner city clubs of the time and there’s a whole lot of culture and emotion built into these songs. Hell, Michael Jackson’s classic Off The Wall is a boogie record!

A child of the 80′s DJ Spinna (aka Vincent Williams) lived through the boogie heydays. With a global resurgence in vintage club music, Italo disco, alt dance and dance rock, Spinna felt it was his duty to pay homage to the original artists who inspired so many of today’s hottest DJs and musical acts. The jams on this compilation rocked the airwaves in Brooklyn back in the day and now it’s ripe from a brand new crop of music lovers across the world.

This package really satisfies all tastes and moods. Disc One is DJ Spinna’s ready made block party DJ Mix for getting it all going right. These crispy, funky tracks are lined up side-by-side for a vibe that takes you straight to the streets, circa 1982. A second disc is prime meat for all you crate diggers and features 12 unmixed classics; many of which are unavailable on CD, Vinyl or even digitally!

One again DJ Spinna delivers a product that’s not just 4/4 beats or empty tracks. Rather, through all his many releases over the years he’s proven to be the authority on providing real music for real people. DJ Spinna is one of a few active DJs today whose versatility and all round knowledge covers so much ground. From Rock to Jazz, Reggae to Hip-Hop, soundtracks to House, Soul, Funk, Disco or Techno this man has the knowledge and can rock parties as good as any leading lights in any of the aforementioned scenes.

BBE releases DJ Spinna Presents The Boogie Back – Post Disco Club Jams on November 24, 2009

CD 01 – Mixed by DJ Spinna

01 South Bronx – The Bottom Line
02 Foxy – Tena’s Song
03 T.J Swan – And You Know That (Dub)
04 Chemise – She Can’t Love You (Original 12” Mix)
05 Mtume – o You Wanna Be A Star
06 Final Edition – Betcha Can’t Love Just One (Can’t keep Running Away)
07 Masurrati and Huey Harris – Super Duper Lovin, Don’t Stop
08 Community People -Education Wrap (Dj Spinna Edit)
09 War – The World Is A Ghetto (Special US Disco Mix)
10 Ronnie Dyson – All Over Your Face (Special J&M Mix)
11 Stargaze – You Can’t Have It
12 Jan Leslie Holmes – I’m Your Superman – (Dj Spinna ReFREAK)
13 Slyck – Love It (Or Beat The Bush)
14 Modern Romance -Salsa Rhapsody
15 Melody Stewart – Get Down, Get Down
16 Captain Rapp – Bad Times (I Can’t Stand It) (Part 2)

CD 2 – Unmixed, Compiled by DJ Spinna

01 South Bronx – The Bottom Line
02 Foxy – Tena’s Song
03 T.J Swan – And You Know That (Dub)
04 Chemise – She Can’t Love You (Original 12” Mix)
05 Mtume – So You Wanna Be A Star
06 Final Edition – Betcha Can’t Love Just One (Can’t Keep Running Away)
07 War -The World Is A Ghetto (Special US Disco Mix)
08 Ronnie Dyson – All Over Your Face
09 Stargaze – You Can’t Have It
10 Jan Leslie Holmes – I’m Your Superman
11 Modern Romance -Salsa Rhapsody
12 Melody Stewart – Get Down, Get Down

Debut album out now on CD, Cassette Tape, Digital, and of course, Vinyl!

“I am FEELING the album man! It’s fresh and original and sounds like nothing else out there which is always a plus in my book!”
-Cozmo D – Newcleus

“THE RECORD IS HOT” – GrandWizzard Theodore

Vinyl Life’s self-titled debut reflects New York City’s heyday of breakdancing music, Latin freestyle, and up-tempo breakbeats, celebrating a time when rappers danced and electro was something you heard emanating from boom boxes and public transit, not from public radio.

Read Dennis Romero’s fantastic article on Vinyl Life in this week’s Village Voice

Vinyl Life’s Butcha, Phaze Future and Richie Roxx grew up in New York City and religiously read the Village Voice on a weekly basis to learn about the best concerts and most interesting new music. So, to actually be featured in The Voice – the country’s longest running weekly alternative paper – for their work is truly something special. Dennis Romero nails it by telling a story of three real guys who met under a mutual admiration for electro, hip-hop, house and techno – but crafted only with vintage analog gear. The authentic 80’s influence comes through the music and you can feel what NYC was back in the day through Vinyl Life.

Not content with limiting their release to CD and digital, Vinyl Life also printed up Vinyl copies and commissioned limited edition hand-painted cassettes. This all adds to the authenticity of the music and adds some extra value to the fans without much expense falling on Vinyl Life’s shoulders.

We all grew up listening to cassette mixtapes bought off the streets,” Butcha says. “It was a no-brainer to create vinyl and cassettes because these mediums were crucial to the overall experience of the time. Plus, kids today only know about music from MP3’s and CDs. We can’t have that.

Vinyl Life’s live show is also like nothing currently on the market. A recent show at NYC’s Santos Party House featured improvisational versions of the album tracks and even a cover of Joey Beltram’s classic “Energy Flash” (Check out Deneka Peniston’s awesome photos here). Whether it’s as a full live act or a DJ set (or both), Vinyl Life is fully capable of providing the music for an entire evening. No two shows are alike.

As both a treat for the fans and a way to help spread the music, Vinyl Life is offering its debut album as a pay-what-you-want download ($1 minimum) from their Bandcamp page. All donations are greatly appreciated in order to keep moving this art forward!

VINYL LIFE
Vinyl Life

Tape Theory Records
Vinyl LP / Cassette / CD / Digital: out now
vinyllife.com/
myspace.com/vinyllife
myspace.com/tapetheorymusic

Get your Cassette online today.

LP is now available from Insound, Downtown 304, Other Music, Juno UK, and the Tape Theory store. Coming soon – HHV in Berlin & more!
If you’d like to download the album, it is available from:
Tape Theory (donate what you want)

Beatport
& Juno Download.

Vinyl Life vs Kraftwerk – “Good Life (It’s More Fun To Compute)”

Download.

Vinyl Life 60 Min “Jack The Hype” DJ Mix featuring tracks from Fast Eddie, Joey Beltram, Josh Wink, Zombie Nation, Armando, Fake Blood, Giorgio Moroder and More! (Complete tracklisting below)