Tuesday, November 9, 2010

House. . .

Now that I have entirely oversaturated the rock genre, how about a complete change of musical pace with house, or dance, music.

The song, "Days Go By," was made a smash hit on the radio waves when released, ironically, in advertising for Mitsubishi a few years ago.  This song, as performed by Dirty Vegas, has a distinct night club beat and sound - normally a style I personally shy away from.  House, or dance, music is loud, intense, and in my opinion without originality - no lyrics, just beat.  However, as of late, I find surprise interest in myself.

During an iTunes search for the song, "Shakedown," as performed in Beverly Hills Cop II (Tribute to Bob Seger album), I came across an incredible number of song and album titles named Shakedown.  Overwhelmed, I reviewed all - I was not sure who or what to look for to begin with.  I played every Shakedown title (including Steve Laury's "Shakedown" - see And All That Jazz post) and eventually found the "Shakedown" song and artist I was thinking of.  Along the way, however, I found the song "Nothing But a Heartache" on the album Shakedown.  Still in search mode, I listened to the 30-second window.

"Nothing But a Heartache," as performed by The Freemasons, is a dance-labeled song.  Shockingly, I liked what I heard so much that I purchased it...Oh my God, I like house music!  So what makes this song special and worth buying?  It is fun and fast.  It has a melodic beat.  It features more than just scratching on a turntable, including a brass section.  It is not oppressively intense.  "Nothing But a Heartache" is a song with attraction, house-style with substance.

My love for Duran Duran recently zeroed in on individual side projects created by various members.  Roger Taylor is a professional d.j. when not performing or recording.  His style is dance, house.  I love the drums and I adore Roger Taylor, so I took a chance and listened to his work online, through his official Facebook page.  The first link under his Facebook Info tab provides a biography and background of Roger's work as a d.j.  The second link provides an audio sample of his work, called "Ready For This."  When I first visited this site, I myself thought, "No!  I'm not ready for this!"  I truly felt like I had just stepped into a loud, busy nightclub.  Yet with repeated visits and more due chances, I found myself in a house groove.  The words are repetitive, but the beat is powerful...Holy something I cannot say, I love house music!  And there are times when I can't get the beat out of my mind!  Roger Taylor has a way of bringing together random sounds into one coherent tone.  The man in unbelievable in his awe-inspiring talent as a drummer and as a career disc jockey.

I dedicate this blog entry to Roger Taylor.  Thank you for opening my eyes to a new world in music.  A once-dreaded notion of house has now become an intriguing fun house.  (Apologies for the pun.)  Play it Rog!

1 comment:

  1. For those interetsed in Roger Taylor, the link to his official Facebook page can be found under Lauren's Top Links. His d.j. bio websites can be found on his Facebook page under Info. Please note that his page is official, not personal. He rarely responds to fan comments and all fan comments are in their own tab. Do enjoy, though!

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