Rarely do you see the designer today without their iPod (or, if you're one of those people, your Zune) plugged in, filling the gaps in their creativity with their music. While we spend the first few minutes being a little Radiohead-centric, Steve, Donovan and I eventually discuss the parallels of creation great design to creating great music, what music is great for design and what music can kill a creative mood, and why the Halo 3 soundtrack is actually awesome and Donovan needs to shut up about defunct 80's rock. Enjoy The Reflex Blue Show Episode 9 with a cold one and your favorite playlist.
--nv--
Download The Reflex Blue Show with Nate Voss and Donovan Beery, Episode 9 (22meg) or click here to subscribe directly from the iTunes Music Store.
As promised, here's my (Podcast- and Radiohead-free) Graphic Design Playlist:
• Halo 3 Soundtrack
• Augustana; All the Stars and Boulevards
• Coldplay; X&Y
• The Killers; Sam's Town
• Flight of the Conchords; anything.
Rock it. Also anything by Strong Bad. I'm not cool.
My list is:
Also, like Nate, I'm not cool.
Top 5 Albums (at the moment) to design to.
1. The Books - Lost & Safe
2. the Microphones - the Signing of Mount Eerie
3. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
4. Why? - Alopecia
5. Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement of the Decline
i wouldn't call them my top 5 albums
but they get the heaviest rotation during design time
•wax tailor - hope & sorrow
•aesop rock - labor days
•gordon lightfoot- songbook
•simon & garfunkel - parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
and omaha nebraska native
•pigeon john - Pigeon John and the Summertime Pool Party
if you are looking for old school NES tunes check out 8-Bit Bandit and Dumbfoundead as The Super Barrio Brothers
http://www.myspace.com/superbarriobrothers
-Sigur Ros-Takk
-U2-Achtung Baby
-The Hold Steady-Boys and Girls in America
-Gnarles Barkley-The Odd Couple
-Bruce Springsteen-Magic
I have to say, the ONLY thing that is on my playlist is the reflex blue show, and Design Matters. Oh, and Pandora Internet Radio when there are no new PodCasts.
www.pandora.com
It is hard to explain, but it is great for finding new music.
Radiohead - Every Album
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
Fugazi - Repeater and 13 Songs (yeah, both records)
Webster Hall Tranzworld - All of them...
A Perfect Circle or Tool... any records
Also, I'm with y'all on the Ninetendo tunes. Try listening to The Advantage. Original Nintendo in game songs played on real instruments. Suh-weet shite.
Here's their site with many free downloads:
http://theadvantageband.com/
okay here's what I have in serious rotation giving flavor to my creative stew;
1. "I'll Sleep When You're Dead" - El P
2. "Sabotage Gigante" - Rob Sonic
3. "Brookland/Oaklyn" - Alias & Tarsier
4. "3" - Portishead
5. "Grand'dad's Nerve Tonic" - Junk Science
Put it in your ears & say "yum!"
Albums that always light up my brain:
John Coltrane - Crescent
Josh Rouse - Under Cold Blue Stars
Beatles - White Album
Jamiroquai - Return of the Space Cowboy
Gil Scott-Heron - Glory
Although I confess that 85% of the time I'm listening to talk shows and podcasts. It's only when I'm copy editing or working with words that I turn on music. And of course when I really need the bloody inspiration.
No specific albums, just bands...
Do Make Say Think
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
The Black Keys
Mogwai
The Six Parts Seven
El Ten Eleven
Two Gallants
Headlights
Hard Normal Daddy by Squarepusher
Kala by M.I.A.
Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
Supermodified by Amon Tobin
or if I want to slow things down
the Lost in Translation soundtrack.
When it comes to music, I always go back to something my buddy Bob Sacamato once told me: "Vince Neil is the Stevan Seagal of singers. And no, I don't know what it means either."
Before I run upstairs and slam my door shut and then cry all over my Defunct 1980s Rock scrapbook that I now must destroy purely because Mr Vossome told me its lame (single tear), I will share the top five Defunct 1980s Rock albums, if they were on my iPod. They're totally not, but if they were, and I'm not saying they are but if they were, this might be what that list would look like. Your list may differ, as this is purely hypothetical and entirely stupid.
Europe > The Final Countdown
Def Leppard > Hysteria
Guns n Roses > Appetite For Destruction
Journey > Frontiers
Skid Row > Skid Row
That is all. Good day, sirs.
1. Dangerdoom—The Mouse and The Mask
2. Whites Stripes—Icky Thump
3. Lupe Fiasco—Food and Liquor
4. Blu & Exile—Below the Heavens
5. The Black Keys—Rubber Factory
Man, that's a lot of music I need to add to my playlist. 'Cept for all that Defunct 80's noise, Tom.
My Top 5:
The Helvetica "Soundtrack" (El Ten Eleven, Motohiro Nakashima, Battles). All of it.
Holden & Thompson: Various Albums
Kavinsky: 1986
Mega Man Soundtracks (Forget the haters Nate! Megaman rocks my socks!): Woodman Theme, Flashman Theme, Zero's Theme [MMX1, MMX2, MMX3, MMX4, MMX5], I Cannot Beat Airman.
Minus The Bear: Various Albums
A top 5 for creative stimulation, eh? A'ight:
1. Park-Like Setting's School Day 2, Garbage Day 4
2. Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's Now I Got Worry
3. Art Blakey's A Night at Birdland Vol. 1
4. Greenhouse Effect's Columbus or Bust
5. Rocket From the Crypt's Scream, Dracula, Scream!
And yes, there's a number of "those fools screenprinting posters" still doing what they do, not caring about design annuals at all. It was kinda funny when a number of designers got their knickers in proverbial knots over the appearance of gigposters.
Al, (AKA E.N.M.)
When I say "fools screenprinting posters," just know that it's a term of endearment. I say that because on the next show (recorded last night), we talk about posters quite a bit, and some of the same vernacular may appear. There's no hate implied, even though this is Teh Internets, so there's probably nothing I can do about it.
nv
I can dig that. No malice intended in my reply either.
You win, Nate. Here's my Totally Not Defunct Not 80's Playlist Of Albums Totally Not Released In The 80's But Rather Released Quite Recently, Thank You.
LCD Soundsystem > Sound of Silver
The Black Keys > Magic Potion
Spoon > Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Editors > An End Has A Start
Arctic Monkeys > Favourite Worst Nightmare
M.I.A. > Kala
Interpol > The Heinrich Maneuver
The Kooks > Inside In/Inside Out
Muse > Black Holes and Revelations
[scoff] I was listening to the Halo 3 soundtrack while Halo 1 wasn't even out yet [/scoff]
I suppose one could rate songs based upon the type of inspiration it gives them, like I do for moods: http://snipr.com/278vn
- I know how you love Ryan Adams, Nate ;) his album, "Gold", while depressing to some, gives me perfect focus and calm for things like coding.
- The greatest "zone" moment I ever had came in college while I was listening to The Crystal Method's "Vegas"
- I also used to listen to "Hard to Explain" by The Strokes on repeat for as long as 8 hours. Yes, just one song.
- I also binge on Jimmy Eat World's "Believe in What You Want" for many hours on repeat. Yes, just one song.
- And of course, anything by Spoon
I'm flighty, so no top 5 list would be current after a few days or weeks.
Here's the latest thing I put together though:
noire.muxtape.com
great topic for a show! should've been longer...
even inspired me to leave a post after years of following BADCAST and now 36...
podcast or some talk radio can sometimes be really nice especially when you're producing stuff without too much complicated thoughts.
Some of the more rockin stuff i listen to alot off work (punk or rock 'n roll type stuff, whatever) can often take to much attention from me, can't focus cause i just keep thinking oh yeah this part, oh this one, etc.)
For me at the moment:
- The Solution - both albums (Communicate! & Will Not Be Televised)
- The Flaming Sideburns - Sky Pilots (awesomly produced imo)
- Black Diamond Heavies (you'll dig this if you like the Black Keys, rawer)
- Wu-Tang - 36 Chambers
- The Doors - L.A. Woman
- Old Blues
- Old Jazz
bee hives and feel good lost.. broken social scene (for inspiration)
&yet &yet.. do make say think (intense)
night ripper.. girl talk (gets me moooovin)
the creek drank the cradle.. iron and wine
funeral.. arcade fire
My muxtape mix is at wellsty.muxtape.com
wow, i can't believe no one has mentioned UNDERWORLD yet! they create fabulous music and fabulous design (as Tomato).
my current favorites would be latest from:
Portishead (Third);
Nick Cave + the Bad Seeds (DIG LAZARUS DIG!!!);
Ladytron (Velocifero - which like Steve, I feel special for having already-- it doesn't get released stateside 'til june 3rd.)
otherwise, just look at my last.fm charts. *disclaimer* i am a child of the 80's -- new wave, synthpop, britpop, electro, some industrial...it's all good.
and what about Chip Kidd's band?? :)
Chip Kidd's band is god awful.