A Rose By Any Other Name...

Sorry I haven't posted in nearly a month, folks. Been trying to scramble and make up for lost time. I've missed deadlines for MTV, Def Jux and even this upcoming Drake collaboration so I had to put the blog on pause for a second.

I think I'll stick my neck out today and post a record from the litigation-happy DeWolfe, who have released an excellent selection of film and television music in the late 60s through early 80s, and even today. This piece from 1976 features composers Staker, Natal and Thomas and can be classified as what I call "mood music". Atmospheric selections such as "Green Dew" (which I sampled for "Moondust" late last year) and "Troubled Water" really make this an LP to add to the collection. If you can find the occasional eBay posting for this record then you'll find that it won't cost you anymore than $10 to $15 USD. Notice I said "occasional": good music, evidently, is hard to come by. (download)

In The Nick Of Time

Today's offering is 1976's Distinctive Themes/Race To Achievement, helmed by the legendary Nick Ingman. Some soft music, some pulsating themes, but overall a solid LP from the KPM library. This record also happens to be the source LP for Jay-Z's "Stick 2 The Script" as well as my own instrumental for "Pineapple Gumdrop" off of the upcoming "Dream, Extinguished" LP. I won't tell you which songs, though. You'll have to find out for yourself! (download)

It's A Small, Small World

Today's entry is from the beloved Bruton Music label. Released in 1985, this LP is typical fare for mid- to late-80's library music (cheesy, disco-esque and moog moog moog). It has a few flaws, but stand-out tracks like "Corporation Of Stature" and "The Nation's Pride" more than make up for it. Brian Bennett and Ray Russell share composing duties.

It's fairly difficult to track this record down. But that's what I'm here for. On a side note, this place used to be bustlin'! The profile page says 13,000 views for cryin' out loud. I know I've been MIA for a while (I was in love, jack) but unfortunately the disclaimer still stands: downloads are available for three weeks only. However, I'm a softie; if the traffic picks up, I'll start taking repost requests again. (download)

Space for Basse...?

Yes, yes, YES.

Holy crap, this LP has the illest music on it. Raymond Guiot helms this library record from Telemusic that focuses on the bass cello. I just made a sick beat from it that you will hear from later on in the year, probably the next few weeks (shhhhhh...).

You could cop it from eBay for $100 but whoops! You took too long, jack; someone already copped it. Whatever shall you do? (download)

Time 4 Sum Action

I almost forgot how many of these records I had. And by far, one of my favorite ones in the bunch. 1967's Impact & Action, y'all. (download)

Dramatic

I've been working for the past two weeks, and them jokers have been mailing my check to the wrong address the whole time. Drama.

Speaking of Drama, enjoy # 1168 from the KPM Library while I go raise a ruckus about my mon-ay. (download)

'Bye, Polar(is)

It's almost funny, somedays I could give a shit about the lack of responses and other days I'm frustrated. Thus, today's selection -- 1967's Polaris from the De Wolfe library -- has been brought to you by my quasi-bipolar-esque tendencies. (download)

Happy Happy, Joy Joy

Are y'all still out there?

It's been quiet 'round these parts lately...hmm...I'll just assume you all are still hung over from New Year's. I'll save the mini-paragraph for another time, when people are actually visiting this place again. Without further ado, here's 1970's Happy Novelties. Shout-out to Paul and his new blog! (download)

Fantasy Land

Usuaully when one hears the word "Fantasia", they either think of the 1940 Disney film re-released in the early 70's to profit from the psychadelia-lovin', LSD-trippin' college crowd, or the 2004 American Idol winner who made some song about wanting a "hood boy". Yikes! Good luck with that, 'Tasia.

Very seldom do people discuss the greatness that is this 1979 record from the Bruton music library. The track "Discovery" alone -- previously released as "Solstice" on Bennett's Voyage LP and sampled by Nas -- makes this album worth the purchase. It isn't a difficult record to come by; I believe you can still catch it on CD&LP for 69 euros.

By the way, what the hell is a "hood boy" anyway? (download)

I Got The (Blues)

Word on the street is that this 1982 selection from the KPM 1000 series, one of the few to not feature the legendary "green sleeve", is quite rare and fetches upward $60 on eBay.

Merry Christmas! (download)

Water Under The Bridge

Thank you.

I truly appreciate everyone who, over the course of the last few days, offered not only appreciation of my blog, but kind words in the wake of me losing my job. A little encouragement goes a loooooooooooooong way, you have no idea. Thanks to everyone, seriously. I have been making strides to find employment but you know what? Maybe I need the time off anyway to work on my music. Maybe I'm going to win the lottery tomorrow. Maybe they'll finally cancel Mind Of Mencia, my grandmother won't buy me socks again for Christmas, or Hilary Duff will return my stalker-esque voicemail messages. My point is anything can happen, so it's best to stay positive and keep moving forward without being too hard on myself.

Shout-out to Reza, AMP, Cosmo, OtO, Sir Funklicious, Soulman & Lafayette; please visit their respective blogs for more out-of-this-world music. Without further ado, here's 1977's Water Show from the Montparnasse music library. (download)

Live Life To The Fullest

This post is dedicated to Pimp C, Ike Turner, Donda West and everyone else who left this world in 2007. Live your life as if today were your last day folks, and enjoy everything, because you never know when it's your time to go.

Today's post is, fittingly, 1972's Life Is For Living, another gem from the KPM Music Library. On a side note, I didn't realize I had like 114 KPM records in the stash yo. So many beats, so little time...I guess I better get started. (download)

Come On, Come On Do The Locomotion With Me

I could give an insightful dissertation about where I found this record, what sample I used to make a beat from this a year or so back, and more background information about talented composer Hervé Roy, but in the words of Andre 3000:

"Y'all don't hear me / You just wanna dance..." - "Hey Ya" (download)

Fresh Prints Of Bel Air

Don't really feel like typing much today, maybe some other time. Enjoy the music nonetheless: 1982's Bel Air from the de Wolfe library by the magnificent Alan Parker. (download)

Patch Things Up

My next selection comes from the french music library label Patchwork. Composers Claude Perraudin and Teddy Lasry both had previous entries in the Patchwork catalogue (Perraudin's Voices with the Monday Singers and Lasry's Tutti Fluti, volumes 14 and 22 respectively) prior to 1976's Vol. 24: Racing. The primarily synthy record gives off that late 70's moog/electronic sound that was emerging at the time; "Monte Carlo Rallye" is trippy and groovy while tracks like "Chamonix" are pretty laid-back. While you're enjoying this, I'll see if I can't dig up some other Patchwork gems I have in the stash like the aforementioned Voices or 1977's Flutissimo. Holla at PopSike if you're trying to track Racing down. (download)

Prime Time

Italian bass guitarist Toni Campo released this gem on Impress Records in 1976. Born Antonio Campo, he also contributed to a number of other library records for Bosworth and Amphonic in the 70's as a session player. Ranging from the jazzy "Two-Way Street" to the melancholic "Here & Now", there are plenty of good tunes on this record to keep you guys interested. I -- uhh, my friend (heh heh) picked this up a while back and sampled "Vice-Versa" for a song for a local R&B singer damn near three years ago (Has it really been that long? Yikes), but it sounds so primitive compared to my -- err, his later work that I don't think anyone would care to hear it. Maybe I'll post a snippet some day...? Very well. Here's a sneak peek of the "All Night Long" instrumental, all the way from 2004...I wonder if she ever did anything with that beat...?

Ever since I snagged this record I've been trying to locate Campo's "Slowly" LP that he released on Munich-based Sonoton Records, in addition to the contributions he made on various library records for the German label. In the meantime, see if you can't find this bad boy on eBay somewhere...good luck. Oh, and shout-out to Soulbrotha and Lafayette over at 4BB, Cosmo at APS and OtO over at SdzOf! These guys have been holdin' me down for a while...thanks to all of y'all. Be sure to check out their respective sites for some dope music! (download)

Scoop It Up

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! If you celebrate it, that is. If not, I hope everyone had a happy...Thursday. Meh.

I've got almost six dozen TeleMusic LP's in the stash, maybe I'll post them all one day. Maybe you can send me naked photos of yourself. Today I'm feelin' a little generous though (blame it on the cranberry sauce). Friday's entry is 1976's Mondial Scoop, helmed by the great Michel Gonet. A lot of the LP's content is easy listening, but tracks such as "Red Sunset" are just plain gorgeous. So gorgeous, in fact, that I -- err, my friend sampled a tune for the instrumental "Home...?". Mondial Scoop is the second in a series of three successive LP's that Gonet produced for TeleMusic (TV News and Phasing News, Volume 1 being the other two). As for Scoop, well, GrooveCollector is selling a copy for a few euros but I'm sure you'll be able to find it someplace else. LOLZ! (download)

Intriguing

Guess who's bizz-ack...sorry about the hiatus folks, just got caught up with final exams. Final exams suck.

Anyway, my next entry comes from the famed KPM 1000 series of library music. KPM 1084, Mediterranean Intrigue & Martenot, was released in 1971 and composers Neil Ardley and John Leach pretty much do their thing. Not as exciting as the some of the many other KPM 1000 records (like 1980's Technology and Movement or 1974's Jingles, both of which I may post someday), but its jazzy flutes and pianos make for an enjoyable listen; you'll find a few electronic-esque tracks on here as well, such as Leach's "Allegro for Martenot". Neil Ardley also collaborated with composers Don Rendell and Ian Carr for Greek Variations & Other Aegean Exercises (Columbia, 1969), another flute/piano-driven jazz sandwich. Haven't turned one up on eBay, but HipWax may still have a copy for a decent price. (download)

Summer Dreamin'

This is my first blog post. It took me forever to start one, seeing how I hate the word "blog". Blog. It makes my head hurt. I hate the word "blog" almost as much as I hate "Mind Of Mencia", potato salad, and MySpace rappers. I mean, I like blogs and everything...just not the word "blog". Still with me? Good.

Anyway, you like music? Me too. The LP shown above, Summer Dreams, was released by Italian composer Carlo Savina in 1979. If you're lucky, you may be able to track down a copy...I found one in mint condition on eBay with a starting bid of $50. Quick! Bid on it HERE before it's too late...or not. (download)