Drums and Music

Good morning, everyone! Here is a clip from the Late Late Show with James Corden. Bandleader Reggie Watts brings in a very special robot guest for a jam. This video will CHANGE YOUR LLLLLIIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFE! BB 8 + The Late Late Night Band

I just found this today- it's just fantastic. Mr. Mooney's hip hop class gets a special visit from Kendrick Lamar. I think the concept of people studying modern text in this way is refreshing. The way that Kendrick relates to the students, who obviously did a great job of analyzing his art, is wonderful. He has respect for them, and they clearly respect him. They went crazy when he promised to return. "These Walls", Live on Ellen This clip is of Kendrick performing his song "These Walls" on the Ellen show. It's just fantastic. The song and performance convey a very positive, creative message. As Kendrick is rapping, there are dancers, and a painter sharing the stage with him. I think that Ellen's comments are very complimentary. She was obviously very excited to talk to him about his career and being a positive entertainer.

Introducing The Xylopholks! These guys are amazing. The first performance is in the Union Square Subway, and the next is at a studio called the Soundcheck. They are fantastically skilled, and their music is a treat. Check it out. Union Square Gig Sound Check

http://www.buzzfeed.com/spotify/20-things-that-affirm-led-zeppelin-is-the-greatest-band-to-e#.vav3293m9 This article highlights some of the things that make Led Zeppelin one of the most influential and powerful rock bands in history. Some of the topics include them benching the single and instead releasing albums (and still scoring hits,) the secret weapon of John Paul Jones, and two members being crowned royalty. http://www.buzzfeed.com/przshly07/did-john-mayer-really-help-preserve-a-dying-art-fo-8ttl This explains the story of the John Mayer album cover Born and Raised. http://www.buzzfeed.com/kristinharris/best-john-mayer-lyrics#.gkqJvRJQR The folks over at Buzzfeed shared some insightful John Mayer lyrics, just in time for his 37th birthday. http://www.buzzfeed.com/alivelez/watch-a-bunch-of-kids-perform-an-amazing-led-zeppelin-cover#.qq89oYLEy Watch this one! I love this group. The kid playing kit is fantastic.

A few thoughts about musical heroes and influences: - everybody has them. Any artist you enjoy, they have heroes and influences that they look up to. -having them helps you grow. You will hear thought provoking, new ideas. -they can come from anywhere. -they can be any genre. -it doesn't have to be what you play. You can be inspired by anyone. -you will learn as you listen. -having heroes and influences will give you new ideas and sounds. -learning about musicians, their sounds and ideas, is enlightening.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been an influential, front and center band for over twenty years. They first formed in 1984. They fused hip hop, rock, funk and punk together in a unique, volatile blend that no one had tried before or could recreate since. Five of their albums are certified multiplatinum in the US (rockhall.com). The current lineup is of Michael Balzary AKA Flea, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith, and Josh Klinghoffer. I'm compounding a list of some of their best songs as an introductory playlist to those who have not discovered their particular music mojo. All the songs are by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and though the list spans quite a lot of time, it leans more towards more recent releases. I hope you enjoy it. 1) Yertle the Turtle 2) My Lovely Man 3) Funky Monks 4) The Zephyr Song 5) Road Trippin 6) Breaking the Girl 7) Charlie 8) Scar Tissue 9) By The Way 10) Californication 11) Dani California 12) Aeroplane 13) Soul to Squeeze 14) Can't Stop 15) Ot

Another one! I just thoroughly love, love, love this band Atoms for Peace. Their sound is just so unique. No one plays quite like them. Theirs is a balanced dynamic musically. You can always hear the bass and the drums, coupled with the ambient noise in the background, but that never overpowers the vocals or the overall clarity of their songs. This music video is a creative, sprawling, ominous art piece. I won't try to crack the code here, but just say that I enjoy it. I think it is unique lyrically, with singer Thom Yorke playing prophet as he points out that something is coming, and it'll be "before your very eyes." Spooky. We see colorful fluid flooding sky scrapers as they collapse, before the camera goes down a massive hole in the ground. Stalactites and stalagmites meet, and the ever present singing head is giving a body in free fall. Amazing.

"Keep you in the dark you know they all pretend- keep you in the dark and so it ends." Cryptic lyrics aside, if you pair the song with the music video, the band's intent becomes clearer. They want to send a message: question everything. Initially, it's just the Foo Fighters playing in a big, empty warehouse. But then, a confrontation becomes imminent as a lone SWAT police officer is joined by a huge line of supporters. The band continues to play, and their music "explodes" over the SWAT team and the Foos emerge unscathed, and victorious. Best music video of all time.