Video Friday

The press release for announcing the video for NYC cyber punk band Pop.1280's song "Bodies in the Dunes" caught my attention, the press release read that the video was partially inspired by the case of  The Long Island Serial Killer.  Just a little background on the Long Island Serial Killer case, police found bodies dumped in various areas of Gilgo and Oak Beaches in Suffolk County out on Long Island between December of 2010 to April of 2011. Many of  the bodies found that were identified were that of women who worked in the sex trade who had gone missing. After almost two years the case remains unsolved.

The reason being why the press release for the video caught my eye and why I've been following the Long Island Serial Killer case is because I grew up very near Gilgo and Oak Beaches in a town called Babylon Village, which is across the Great South Bay from the areas where the bodies were found. I spent every summer at Gilgo Beach as a kid and I had schoolmates who lived at Oak Beach.  Nothing much happens in the Babylon Village/Gilgo and Oak Beach areas, despite these places being located a few miles outside of the busiest city in the world, it's very small town USA and so the discovery of all of these bodies was and still is huge news.

The very provocative video for "Bodies in the Dunes" was directed by Jacqueline Castel. To watch the video click here. Just a warning this video isn't for the faint of heart.

And I'm curious what do you think of music and music videos that are based on real life tragedies?



Moving on to a more cheerful video and that is Vandaveer's "The Nature of Our Kind". Vandaveer is just so good!

Lastly start your weekend right with some live Clouder, the name of the tune is "The Collapse". And don't forget Clouder plays the May Whatever blog party on May 31st at the Cameo Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and The Whatever blog Northside Festival showcase on June 16th at the Gutter also in Williamsburg. To RSVP for the May Whatever blog party click here 

and to get your badges for the goodness that the Northside Festival brings click here.

RIP Donna Summer

Today legendary 70's disco queen Donna Summer passed away after a battle with cancer, she was 63 years old.

Say what you will about Donna Summer's music but I will tell you her music in my mind was far better then the pop/disco crap that came after in the 80's, 90's and beyond, many will argue with me and say that it is because of Donna Summer that songs such as "I'm Too Sexy" (remember that gem from the early 90's?) and artists such as Stacey Q (remember her?) became popular and that's Donna Summer's influence on popular music.

To those people I say take another deeper listen to Donna Summer's music, the production was very intricate, really check out her Giorgio Moroder produced stuff and she could sing! Production and that voice to me is the reason why her music still stands the test of time.

 In 30 years time "Brokenhearted" by Karmin or any current dance pop music won't hold up in the way that "Bad Girls", "On The Radio" or "I Feel Love" has.

Posted below is Donna Summer's song "I Feel Love" which supposedly got the David Bowie/Brian Eno/Debbie Harry seal of approval. RIP Disco Queen!

Northside and RIP Donald Duck Dunn

The L Magazine the folks behind the Northside festival have asked the Whatever blog to curate not one but two Northside showcases this year. We've mentioned in previous blog posts about the first Whatever blog showcase at Gutter in Williamsburg on June 16th, playing that show will be Clouder, Wojcik, Starlight Girls, The Bootblacks and Freshkills. Playing the Whatever blog/Northside showcase part duex will be; Alyson Greenfield, Crazy Pills, The Planes, Goldstreets and LUFF, part duex will happen on June 15th at Legion which is located at 790 Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn.

The Northside Festival starts on June 14th and goes till June 21st and not only includes music, but also film, art and talks on entrepreneurship. To see the music and film line up and to buy your badges for Northside click here. The Northside festival is a serious good time.

Moving on...I was sad to read that legendary bass player Donald "Duck" Dunn passed away over the weekend. Donald "Duck" Dunn was part of the legendary soul band Booker T. & The M.G.'s who had a huge hit with the song "Green Onions" and "Duck" Dunn was part of the Stax house band. He played bass for everyone from Otis Redding to Eric Clapton to Stevie Nicks, he also appeared in the 1980 film "The Blues Brothers" as  The Blues Brothers bass player. Donald "Duck" Dunn was a true talent and will be missed..RIP!