I am kinda redoing my Friday posts. Instead of something new every Friday, the Friday Fix is just an assortment of cool shit i have come across in the past week. It may be new, it may just be interesting. Enjoy!
1. The White Mandingos
This hybrid project, the brainchild of rapper MURS, Sacha Jenkins, and Bad Brains bassist Darryl Jenifer, is just awesome. Sometimes a little more rap, sometimes a little more punk, oftentimes right in the middle, this is one hell of a good time. The whole album is up over on Soundcloud, but check out one of my favorites from the album, “Warn A Brotha” below. TWM was going to be playing at U St Music Hall in DC this Saturday, 6/15, but the show has been postponed. (Which works PERFECTLY for me, cause Stanley Cup hockey on on Saturday night. WIN!)
2. Black Sabbath
The first studio album with Ozzy since 1978’s Never Say Die, and the godfathers of heavy metal have really done well. I wanted to hate this, honestly. I’m still a little bitter about Bill Ward getting a raw deal and not being a part of this. That being said, this is a pretty damn solid album. Some of the songs sound like they could have been written for Dio, and the songs are fairly long (6 of the 12 songs are over 7 minutes). The lead single, “God Is Dead?” has been played to death already. I am loving the opening track, “End of the Beginning.” Well done, lads. See you in August.
3. Death
I can’t talk enough about this band. I just did a whole post about them today, so I will just link another song here.
4. Carol Kaye
I read a fascinating article this week, one that blew my mind. Carol Kaye was a popular studio musician back in the ’60s and ’70s. I had never heard her name until this week, and when I did, I was shocked to see some of the songs and albums on her resume:
Richie Valens – “La Bamba” (on guitar)
Simon and Garfunkel – “Scarborough Fair”
Lalo Shifrin – Themes to Mission: Impossible and Mannix
The Monkees – “I’m A Believer”
Tennessee Ernie Ford – “Sixteen Tons”
Nancy Sinatra – “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’”
The Righteous Brothers – “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”
The Beach Boys – “California Girls,” “Sloop John B,” “Help Me, Rhonda,” and “Heroes and Villains.”
HOLY SHIT! This woman was a beast. Paul McCartney was praising the Beach Boys’ bass sound on Pet Sounds in an interview, and unbeknownst to him, was complimenting the bass playing of Kaye. This woman is a legend, and not many outside the industry know who she is. Incredible.
Read the whole article here.
