Hey all you loyal theLocustRadio fans — i’m in the process of moving the radio streamer to the MP3 box, so I can do more adventurous things with the radio station. The radio widget on the right will be broken for the time being — but in the meantime, you can still listen by clicking HERE or opening “https://thelocust.org:8000″ in your favorite MP3 player!

More soon!

So do real, competent D.J.’s ever do weddings as I side gig? I wasn’t sure. Would it be an affront to their musical sensibilities? Are they willing to slum for a gig that pays the occasional fat bag of cash money?

I guess it’s analogous to the question — do web developers/designers ever do the occasional porn site? Do they ever throw up something for the local barber? Where do taste/morals/ethics collide?

Below is a short conversation on that very subject — a promising local DJ, skilled in the arts of the ambient, the trance, the “weird” — offered the job of DJ’ing a wedding. An affront? A sack of cash? Where is the line drawn?!
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BenCorvus: hey there!

weird*@%!: howdy

BenCorvus: i’m going to ask you a question which may undermine your entrie indie credibility

weird*@%!: heheh

weird*@%!: go

BenCorvus: you ever do weddings?

BenCorvus: hehe

weird*@%!: like dj at weddings?

BenCorvus: yah

weird*@%!: i have before

weird*@%!: it’s not the most glorious gig

BenCorvus: no, it’s not — but it’s good for the cash

weird*@%!: exactly

BenCorvus: well, Kelly and I are going to be married next spring

weird*@%!: and you need a dj…

BenCorvus: and i thought “who is the first dj who pops to mind?”

weird*@%!: superstar dj jason clark

BenCorvus: and then i thought “oh my, no! he’s TOO COOL”

weird*@%!: heheh… ya got that right, mister

weird*@%!: ;-)

BenCorvus: “it would undermine his indie cred, and he would scoff”

BenCorvus: hehe

weird*@%!: sheeeeesh

BenCorvus: hehe

weird*@%!: hmmm….

BenCorvus: well, give it some thought — i don’t even know how much money would be appropriate

weird*@%!: yeah… i’ll think about it… just don’t make me play the electric slide

BenCorvus: all i know is that NORMALLY, and by NORMALLY, i mean all the goddamned time

BenCorvus: OH NO!

BenCorvus: it’s funny you mention that

BenCorvus: kelly’s mother LOVES the electric slide

BenCorvus: i hate it

weird*@%!: kill me now

weird*@%!: ;-)

BenCorvus: i said “any self-respecting DJ would shoot themselves, or at least make a feeble attempt to wash away the dirty feeling”

weird*@%!: ha ha!!

weird*@%!: let me mull it over

BenCorvus: well, like i said, I didn’t know if you even did this, and if you did, if you still would.

BenCorvus: aight

BenCorvus: well, the opportunity is there — and thanks for the backup on the Electric Slide

BenCorvus: no duck dance, though! i managed to squeeze that one in.

weird*@%!: sometimes things like that are a blast, but then again sometimes they are _scary_

BenCorvus: true

BenCorvus: i’m attempting to avoid the “scary”

weird*@%!: gimme a couple days to think about it… is the date set?

BenCorvus: April 26th 2002

BenCorvus: yah, mull it over

BenCorvus: like Martin Mull

weird*@%!: alright… congrats either way!

BenCorvus: why thanks!

BenCorvus: you can go by a codename

BenCorvus: Dr. Octagon

BenCorvus: we’ll keep it on the hush-hust

BenCorvus: the QT

weird*@%!: yeah right

weird*@%!: ;-)

you may or may not have noticed that the “theLocust radio widget” seems curiously different. It is currently up and running, and i’ll try to keep it that way. The mp3 streamer i’m using keeps getting better. I’m considering a web interface soon. Just like i’m considering a billion other things to soak up my time like a wet sponge. Yay!

Listen — rock.

I thought about doing some long, drawn out review of Rufus Wainright‘s music, but I’m not gonna.

Imagine, if you will, a velvelty Thom Yorke voice blended with a little of the Wallflower’s groove and a dash of Beck absurdity.

It’s rather beautiful. I suggest a couple of tracks — “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk” (from his new album, Poses). “Instant Pleasure” from the Big Daddy Soundtrack (i know), and “Hallelujah” from the Shrek soundtrack.

This is a sad day for music fans. Joey Ramone died of cancer yesterday in New York City. Go to the Ramones’ official site for the tribute page. Just the other night Ben and I were talking about the state of rock and roll; things are a little more bleak now.

Here at work, most of us listen to Spinner, a streaming radio service, that has a wangload of channels.

Some of them are chosen playlist from some artists. I really enjoyed the Red Hot Chili Pepper Radio, and Everclear, too… So when I saw Fatboy Slim, I was elated. Well, it turns out this is a “listening party” for his new cd, “Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars”. So, if you would like to take a listen (unfortunately you can’t choose the songs) head on over to Spinner. There is a client to download, but it’s tiny. And what with Napster becoming a subscription-only deal, this might be the only way to hear new music w/o buying it.

It is due out November 7th.

Oh, by the by… check the “Indie” channel if you want to hear some really good music you’ve never heard.

First the Smashing Pumpkins, then Rage Against the Machine… and now this. According to this article Ben Folds Five have called it quits. Fear not, they’re all moving on to other projects. Darren Jessee and Robert Sledge are forming new bands, and Ben Folds himself will probably continue making sweet sweet music with William Shatner over at Priceline.

The Onion, America’s Finest News Source, has an interview with MC Paul Barman, my favorite Brown-education Jewish rapper. Go there now! To give you a little taste of his rhyme, “No one left for the restrooms when I got onstage / I can rock the mic to ‘Silence’ by John Cage”. Now do you see Eminem dropping rhymes about pretentious art-foo performance pieces? No.

Holy Shnikeys! The B-Boy’s are makin’ with the DVD Freak-freak! Criterion is going to release a Beastie Video anthology edited by MC Adam Yauch this fall! 2 discs, over 100 different angle changes. I’m on the list to be notified when it is released. I’m ALL OVER this. You can be too, by reading the article @ BeastieBoys.com.

Holy mushed melons, Batman! The Smashing Pumpkins are calling it quits! According to this article @ YahooNews. Corgan dropped the bombshell during an interview in LA. There might be a farewell tour in the works, though, and Corgan says there is nothing wrong inside the band, but says it’s getting “hard to fight the good fight against the Britneys”.

Damn does this make me feel old. I was alive when they started up, and I’m alive when they burn out. I guess it’s for the best, anyway.