We’re not ones to bitch and moan here, but we did read a feature published a few days back (we’re not going to say where) about the bands who have allegedly defined the musical landscape in the years after Nirvana. It was a silly concept to begin with -– Nirvana were important, sure, but it’s hard to see why they constituted some sort of cultural year zero –- and made worse by the fact that the list included such luminaries as, um, Coldplay, Muse, and Dave Matthews Band. And, it has to be said, not one band whose chief creative force is a black person or a woman. Anyway, the whole sorry business did get us thinking about artists who have been truly influential over the last decade or so. So here’s our riposte to that publication that shall remain nameless: ten artists who’ve shaped some of the most important and interesting musical trends that have emerged in recent years.
Last week, we were saddened to read that Brian Rust, the father of the modern discography, had died. Well, not initially — first, we had to find out who Brian Rust was. It’s typical: the stars get the headlines, but the technical pioneers that change things for real tend to stay in the back room. Here are ten such folks — some living, some not — who’ve helped make the world a more musical, and better, place.
Music marketing guru and impresario Leeor Brown founded the Friends of Friends record label in March of 2009. It has already provided a window into the future of the record label industry, releasing digital-only content coupled with 100 percent organic T-shirts custom-designed by well-known artists. Friends of Friends Volume 1 features music by Daedelus and Jogger, and a t-shirt designed by husband and wife art-powerhouse, Kozyndan. FoF’s Friends of Friends Volume 2 features tunes by Larytta and Bauchamp, and a shirt by Tatiana Rihs. Flavorpill sat down with Leeor Brown for a Q&A about the Little Label That Could, and the past, present, and future of the music industry. Read More »
Justin Carter is a New York-based DJ, part-time scribe, and connoisseur of funky jams. Along with his co-conspirator Eamon Harkin, he produces New Release — a selection of handpicked event recommendations — and throws an eclectic weekly party called Mister Saturday Night. We tracked him down approximately 17 feet away from us in Flavorpill HQ, where Justin has taken up residence as he pulls together a stellar evening at the MoMA on March 4.
Says Justin, “It’s the opening night of the Armory show, which is a huge international art fair. The MoMA is throwing a party after the preview, with cocktails, a DJ set by Justin Miller from DFA, and a live performance by Gang Gang Dance. It’s gonna be nice.”
After the jump, Justin professes his love for New York City, shares his recipe for an epic throwdown, and introduces us to the real (fake) Mister Saturday Night.
We here at Flavorpill don’t have time to fix all the lonely hearts out there, but we can point you in the right direction. It turns out the events we list each week are fertile ground for finding someone, and if that doesn’t work, reading a smartypants book or hanging out in a stuffy museum should do the trick. Go figure. In an effort to spread the love during the holiday season, after the jump we’ve rounded up our favorite cultural Missed Connections from the past few days in the hopes that you can find — or avoid — the guy who stalked you in the beer line. Bonne chance!
