Kate Harper's blog

The Daily Dig: Bedouin Soundclash's "St. Andrews"

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Kate Harper July 19, 2010 2:47 pm

Bedouin Soundclash may have been around for a while now, but I didn't get seriously into them until recently.

Sure, I'd heard their Root Fire debut album and Sounding A Mosaic disc in university and thought they were pretty decent, but I never really give them much second thought and was of the opinion that they weren't really my thing.

Bedouin Soundclash may have been around for a while now, but I didn't get seriously into them until recently. Sure, I'd heard their Root Fire debut album and Sounding A Mosaic disc in university and thought they were pretty decent, but I never really give them much second thought and was of the opinion that they weren't really my
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The Daily Dig: Bob Marley & The Wailers' "Three Little Birds"

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Kate Harper July 14, 2010 4:51 pm

Yesterday, I mentioned I was on a reggae kick. So here's another tune I've rediscovered as part of that.

Bob Marley was a big part of my university years, especially when I went on a trip to Rwanda and Uganda in 2007. I was there as part of the Rwanda Initiative, working at what was then Rwanda's only daily newspaper, The New Times.

Yesterday, I mentioned I was on a reggae kick. So here's another tune I've rediscovered as part of that. Bob Marley was a big part of my university years, especially when I went on a trip to Rwanda and Uganda in 2007. I was there as part of the Rwanda Initiative, working at what was then Rwanda's only daily newspaper, The New Times.
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The Daily Dig: Michael Franti & Spearhead's "Time To Go Home"

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Kate Harper July 13, 2010 3:39 pm

Today, I'm launching a new segment in which I'll be featuring a track I'm enjoying every day. It'll be different from Ed Skira's Don't Look Back (In Anger) in that it will highlight songs both past and present that I'm enjoying that day, but which haven't necessarily influenced my life at all.

Today, I'm launching a new segment in which I'll be featuring a track I'm enjoying every day. It'll be different from Ed Skira's Don't Look Back (In Anger) in that it will highlight songs both past and present that I'm enjoying that day, but which haven't necessarily influenced my life at all. The first track is
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Old Woman Spoofs Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" Video

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Kate Harper June 24, 2010 2:21 pm

This might be the best Lady Gaga parody I've seen to date. It's got Hairspray and The Addams Family's Jackie Hoffman in the role of Gaga and was directed by Jake Wilson.

This might be the best Lady Gaga parody I've seen to date. It's got Hairspray and The Addams Family's Jackie Hoffman in the role of Gaga and was directed by Jake Wilson. I'm slightly (OK, really, not slightly) disturbed by this, but it's still pretty incredible nonetheless. Don't swallow that rosary!
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Auto-Tuned Barack Obama Explains How He's Going To "Kick Ass" Over BP Oil Spill

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Kate Harper June 10, 2010 4:51 pm
The folks behind Auto-Tune The News have created a video for a new single called "Ass Kick," in which Barack Obama explains how he's dealing with BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The folks behind Auto-Tune The News have created a video for a new single called "Ass Kick," in which Barack Obama explains how he's dealing with BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The solution's pretty simple: Experts. Something tells me Tinky Winky and Mr. T would do a better job solving this crisis than anyone at any major think tank
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Paul McCartney, Jack White, Dave Grohl, Barack Obama Sing "Hey Jude" At White House

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Kate Harper June 4, 2010 3:54 pm

Here's further evidence that our friends south of the border now have a way cooler leader than us.

Here's further evidence that our friends south of the border now have a way cooler leader than us. Sure, we used to mock Dubya all the time and most Canadians weren't really onside with 99.9 per cent of the things his administration did, but those days are over. These days, Barack Obama's in power south of the border, and he's holding
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Indie Band Look At The Fields Turn Insane Clown Posse's "Miracles" Into Twee Pop

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Kate Harper May 28, 2010 12:43 pm
Insane Clown Posse are more known for talking about fuckin' up your sister with a machete after throwing Faygo all over her than they are for talking about anything warm and fuzzy.
Insane Clown Posse are more known for talking about fuckin' up your sister with a machete after throwing Faygo all over her than they are for talking about anything warm and fuzzy. "Miracles," their latest single (which is totally not a joke), changed that a wee bit, but it was still hip-hop, and they were still, y'know, ICP, with scary
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Hey, This Is Awesome: Ozzy Osbourne Pretends He's A Wax Figure, Scares People

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Kate Harper May 27, 2010 4:04 pm
The wax figures at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum look incredibly lifelike. Either that or Ozzy Osbourne apparently looks like he's made of wax.
The wax figures at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum look incredibly lifelike. Either that or Ozzy Osbourne apparently looks like he's made of wax. Ozzy visited Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in New York to pretend he's a wax figure and scare the crap out of his fans. Ozzy's new album, Scream, is out June 22.  
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Hey, This Is Awesome: Kid Asks Death Metal Bands Where Babies Come From

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Kate Harper May 20, 2010 1:12 pm
Have you ever been put on the spot by a small child, who innocently asked you where babies come from?
Have you ever been put on the spot by a small child, who innocently asked you where babies come from? Chances are you found yourself desperately and awkwardly trying to avoid the question by coming up with some kind of response like, "the storks in the night" or "you should ask mommy and daddy that." Well, a bunch of death
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Hey, This Is Awesome: Flailing Christians Mashed Up With Slayer

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Kate Harper May 17, 2010 1:57 pm

How many of you have seen Jesus Camp, or any of those documentaries on those born-again churches in the U.S.

How many of you have seen Jesus Camp, or any of those documentaries on those born-again churches in the U.S. where people dance and whirl around and "speak in tongues" in an effort to get closer to Jesus or God or whatever?  Well, someone's taken videos of Christians dancing, jumping, whirling and flinging themselves around and mashed
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Today In Music History: The Beatles' Let It Be Opens In Theatres On May 13, 1970

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Kate Harper May 13, 2010 12:03 pm
The Beatles' Let It Be documentary, which featured John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr recording the 1970 album of the same name, premiered on this day 40 years
The Beatles' Let It Be documentary, which featured John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr recording the 1970 album of the same name, premiered on this day 40 years ago.   The Michael Lindsay-Hogg-directed documentary was shot in January 1969. It doesn't contain any narration or interviews, and simply shows the band
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Hey, This Is Awesome: Gwyneth Paltrow Raps With Jimmy Fallon

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Kate Harper May 3, 2010 12:25 pm
Wanna see Gwyneth Paltrow rap, '80s style?
Wanna see Gwyneth Paltrow rap, '80s style? She appeared on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon recently, and she and Jimmy schooled the audience about being members of rap duo Shazzazz. This is pretty much just special in every way, and I won't say much more about why, so just watch it:
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Today In Music History: Keith Moon Pays Cab Drivers To Block Street, Destroys Hotel Room On April 30, 1976

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Kate Harper April 30, 2010 3:07 pm

Late Who drummer Keith Moon was known for his recklessn

Late Who drummer Keith Moon was known for his recklessness and for destroying hotels, but on this day in 1976 he committed what's now one of his most infamous hotel trashings. Moon paid nine cab drivers $100 U.S. each to block off the street outside his New York City hotel room. After ensuring the blockade was in place, he went upstairs, opened
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Today In Music History: Andrew Loog Oldham Becomes Rolling Stones' Manager On April 29, 1963

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Kate Harper April 29, 2010 12:36 pm

Publicist Andrew Loog Oldham and his business partner Eric Easton signed a management contract with The Rolling Stones on this day in 1963.

Publicist Andrew Loog Oldham and his business partner Eric Easton signed a management contract with The Rolling Stones on this day in 1963. Oldham had previously worked for Brian Epstein in promoting The Beatles, but had received a tip from a journalist who suggested he check out the Stones in April 1963.  Oldham and Easton bought the rights
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Today In Music History: Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon Hits #1 On U.S. Chart

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Kate Harper April 28, 2010 1:02 pm

Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon took the top spot on the U.S. sales chart on this day in 1972, a little over a month after it was released.  The album, which went on to become one of the best-selling discs of all time, was kicked out of the #1 spot the next week, but remained on the Billboard chart for a total of 741 weeks. The Dark
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Today In Music History: Johnny Thunders Dies On April 23, 1991

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Kate Harper April 23, 2010 2:20 pm

Former New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders passed away under suspicous circumstances on this day in 1991.

Former New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders passed away under suspicous circumstances on this day in 1991. Thunders (real name John Anthony Genzale) had a heroin problem throughout his career and was playing as a solo artist at the time of his death, but hadn't been using smack for some time. He'd been on methadone in an effort to kick skag
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Today In Music History: The Beatles Finish Recording Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

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Kate Harper April 21, 2010 1:23 pm

The Beatles recorded random noise for the end of "A Day In The Life" on this day in 1967, finishing the sessions for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

The Beatles recorded random noise for the end of "A Day In The Life" on this day in 1967, finishing the sessions for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Engineer Geoff Emerick took noises the Fab Four put down at Abbey Road, which included a whistle that could only be heard by dogs, cut them up, rearranged them and recorded some of
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Watch CHARTattack Scribe Phil Villeneuve Dance To Robyn In The Eaton Centre

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Kate Harper April 19, 2010 3:02 pm

CHARTattack contributor Phil Villeneuve recently decided to dance through Toronto's Eaton Centre to Robyn's new single, "Fembot," and here's an amazing video of his moves.

CHARTattack contributor Phil Villeneuve recently decided to dance through Toronto's Eaton Centre to Robyn's new single, "Fembot," and here's an amazing video of his moves. The entire thing is perfectly synchronized, and I don't know which part is better: the cartwheel by the Marche, when he's running behind someone who doesn't realize
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Thom Yorke's Atoms For Peace Cover Joy Division In California

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Kate Harper April 16, 2010 2:48 pm
Most people wouldn't call Joy Division one of Radiohead's biggest influences, seeing as Thom Yorke's sometimes falsetto voice sounds absolutely nothing like Ian Curtis and Radiohead's music is
Most people wouldn't call Joy Division one of Radiohead's biggest influences, seeing as Thom Yorke's sometimes falsetto voice sounds absolutely nothing like Ian Curtis and Radiohead's music is far from minimalistic. But they do have similar demeanors. But that didn't stop Yorke's Atoms For Peace project — which includes Red Hot Chili Peppers
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