A Pound for Pound Hiatus

Have you missed me, dear reader? Has it been awful without me? Have you been lost with your nights out and unable to shake your ass to filthy music? I hope so, as I've been lost without you. The unheralded backbone of Pound for Pound, my Macintosh G4, has shut down. Literally. The power adaptor socket is not working and the computer cannot charge. In other words, she's in the shop for repairs. Even moreso, I need a little break to get my shit together. I just moved, I need to refocus my writing game and I need to stop being so damn melancholy. I recently saw this woman who worked at the Burger King on Delancey Street and nearly began to cry; that was soon topped by a moment with a cat up for adoption in Park Slope who reached out and gently touched my finger twice when i put it near the cage.

Annnnyyyyyway, this means that we will have to take a break from the music posts for a few days. For long-time readers, this will hearken back to the dark period of November 2005, when my computer was stolen and the site came to a halt because of some LES jagoff criminal. Ahh, memories. Sweet, traumatic, terrifying memories.

Anyway, let's meet back here on Monday. I can't guarantee music then, but I will resume the party news and have a few posts on mixes that I love and you should buy and maybe some other fun link-y goodness. I'm really sorry for this, but trust me this break is only going to mean better things down the road. Will you miss me? Say you will, please. You will miss me? Yea!

-First off, happy belated birthday to my LA girl z. I hope that she had a great party with lots of chocalate, Daft Punk and well-endowed men. She's one of the best people on earth, she has forgotten more about music than I'll know and she needs to move to the East ASAP. Check out her blog, (Hey You) What's That Sound?, and tell her to post more!

-Black People Love Us! Read the letters section, hilarious to read the ones where the letter writer has no clue if it's a joke or not, so gives props and hate in the same letter.

-Fellas, David Wygant has 10 tips for approaching women. I'm pretty confident that these will work, as what's easier than having 10 concepts running through your head while you're trying to talk to someone. "I hope you saved some turkey for me." Indeed.

Special High Voltage, new Long Beach party, Broadzilla & Client and more

Okay, okay, I jock this party too much. Blah blah blah, I'm lame, I'm gay, bleep blorp. Listen, this is one of my favorite parties, High Voltage, by one of my favorite dudes, Dimitry, and tonight he's joined by two more favorites in the form of Men, Women and Children's Nick Hook and the Philadelphyinz's Skinny Friedman. That's called the perfect storm and you don't need Marky fucking Mark to tell you that this is the place to be. Oh wait, did I mention the special surprise guest, playing a live set? Oh, I didn't, my mistake. Yeah, on top of all of this goodness, Yo Majesty will play a set to show that they aren't just some blog hype mirage. You know the deal, Sutra (1st Ave btwn 1st and 2nd Sts), free, open vodka bar from 11-it's gone, hosted by Jason Hates You, lots of cute girls, some cute dudes, a great Wednesday downtown.

-You can also make a stop downtown at this month's edition of Hopchank, the last Wednesday monthly at Happy Ending (302 Broome St.). Residents DJ Reverend McFly and Morsy are joined by Sweatshop Labor's DJ Johnsville [sic on the flier] for a night of limitless possibilites - dance, baile, indie, you name it, they'll drop it and make your night better. Oh, free PBR from 10-11, get there early, alky!



-Across the country, there's a new monthly starting in downtown Long Beach and it's called Redd. This is an exciting one, as it's been in the works for quite some time, it's at a new venue and it's the continued move-making of some up-and-coming LA dudes. DJs S!n, Luv Tek and Paparazzi are the residents for this one, you should recognize those names from here as we've been talking about them a lot recently. It all happens at Sevilla Nightclub (140 Pine Ave.), 18+, this is your new Wednesday weekly.



-Of course, there's also old reliable in the form of Club Moscow at Boardners (1652 N. Cherokee) right on the Hollywood Strip. DJs Paul and Raulie along with host Keith Wilson have put together an essential weekly for LA, especially great flier this week.



-I don't much about this midweek party, but I've got a good feeling about it. Future Days happens tonight at Upstairs at Sal's (12th & Walnut) and it sounds like its a chance to let your freak flag fly. DJs John and Liam promise "indie.drugrock.psychgaze.electricfreakout" music and while that's not our standard fare here, I can get into this. Good to see Sal's pushing the envelope still, request "Dark Star" when you go.



-Finally, Sal's superstars Broadzilla, the Thursday night DJ crew and party par excellance, are going to be spinning with electroclash vixens Client. It goes down at The North Star (2639 Poplar St.) for a measly 10 bucks. I'll have to put up some Client, but this is for fans of the electrorock stuff today, cold, detached music that we'll remind you why you're dead to the world. Buy tickets here, good show.

Booka Shade - Essential Mix 07.02.06

Booka Shade, Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1 July 2, 2006 (tracklisting)

Ugh, crazy weekend. I've lost access to wireless at home, so look for massive bursts here and there for the next day or three. I'm working now in a cafe with . I'll have a later post filled with neuroses and unrequited love, but for now, I want to put up our weekly long mix from one of the big names of dance music.

This time, it's a name that we haven't mentioned here before, although I have repeatedly stated my intention to cover them, their label and their scene. Booka Shade have actually been around for a long time, unbeknownst to me. They started out in the early 90s as a synth pop act, moved onto trance in the mid 90s, before setting up their label, Get Physical, with M.A.N.D.Y. and DJ T at the end of the decade. A few years later, they would drop some of the biggest tunes of the year in the form of "Mandarine Girl" and "Body Language," creating some of the most beautiful house music ever. They haven't let up much since then, with a few more huge tunes, remixes, their live show.

This is their Essential Mix for BBC's Radio 1 from July 2, 2006, it's a unique one in that you get a live band set for the first hour, recorded in some BBC studio. The second hour is a DJ mix, as the boys take you through soulful house or whatever you want to call it. I really like it, both parts. Whenever I think of 'dance music,' this is the sound I imagine. It's not necessarily what I want to hear or what I consider the best, it's just got that beautiful, melodic house sound that I associate with dance music. It reminds me of disco stripped of the instruments with a more incessant beat, very nice. I'm gonna try to do a better job talking about this scene, as there's some great stuff going on that doesn't involve talking about blow jobs and asses. Hard to believe, but it's true. Hope you like the mix, more to come.

Latest styles....

I`m studying in Don Bosco College and we share the premises with the Don Bosco all boys school. That's why I have lots of time to observe the behaviour of the male animal. They are a mighty weird species when they are young. At times they do grow up to be human, but most grow up with some issue or the other.

Anyway, yesterday I saw a group of boys with their hair oiled till I felt I could see it dripping down.(oh and they try to pass it off as gel). Just add a little heat to their heads and you could very easily be able to fry omelets. Then there is the limp they all seemed to have. (again they try to pass it off as style). I find it hard to believe that all their left legs are shorter than their right (I`m sure that it wasn`t a requirement when they were admitted!)I have this irresistible urge to add a little height to the sole of one of their shoes just to see them topple when they can`t balance.

So you get why I call them animals they can`t walk, dress or even talk properly(these weird noises they use for the english language). Some of them pass this stage if they have any good influence in their life (Now if only they had me) and the others just lead a very sad, pathetic and disillusioned life.

Era Disco, DJ Funk and more

This one was a pretty easy call tonight. DJ Funk is spinning at the special Memorial Day weekend edition of Era Disco. This one's appropriately called Bounce Dat Ass and there's no other place LA people should be. I mean, it's DJ fucking Funk, you have off tomorrow, you're just going to go some lame barbecue anyway, so you can be hungover. Head out to 3252 Mission Inn in Riverside, I'm not totally sure if the name of the club is [club] ERA or if the night is ERA, but who gives a shit? It's DJ Funk! Oh, and you also get LA's own Paparazzi, who I mention here like 20 times a week and the residents DJ S!n and Luv Tek, who are going to be a real force to reckon with in LA. $5 before 11, get there early.

-Also make sure to hit up Le Disko LA-ers, as Daniel, Keith 2.0 and special guests Royal Rumble give it to you raw, indie raw. This is one of the best weeklies anywhere, still going strong at their venue, The Spider Club (1735 Vine St.) It's free with a flier before 12, $5 after, atsa deal!




-Damn, LA is just killing it. Here's a late addition, thanks to my girl z. for this one and thanks for her super adorable new flick, it's a party called Part Time Punks, a weekly jawn at The Echo (1822 Sunset Blvd) dedicated to "obscure and classic music coming out of America, the UK and Europe from 1977 to the present: Punk, Post-punk, Punk-funk, New Wave, No Wave, Indie-Pop, Twee, Grunge, Electro, Minimal-Synth, Shoegaze, Baggy, etc.." A look at past fliers suggest that they have a special place for the no-wave, Factory Records, late 70s, early 80s period that is so dear to this blog. Tonight, Tussle and Yacht play live, doors at 10, rsvp bennyshambles@sbcglobal.net, 18+, we'll have more to say on this party fa sho.


-Same state, different city. The Ladytron DJ tour rolls on, as the duo hits up San Francisco, where they're joined by Sleazemore of Lights Down Low. I caught them at Hiro in NYC Thursday night and was pleasantly surprised, particularly considering my low opinion of non-DJ DJs. Head to the Rickshaw Stop (155 Fell St.), Blasthaus has the tickets and info.



-Finally, there's a party tonight at Key West (207 S. Juniper St.). You know how much I love that place and its amazing dancefloor and sleazy vibe, you know how much I love JHN RDN and Thom from Broadzilla, so you know I must love this Sunday night one-off. Diamond Girl from Hands & Knees and Kyle from Bleached Black are also spinning, it's free, you'll love it.

Philadelphyinz - The Bar Mitzvah Mixtape

Apt One and Skinny Friedman Present Philadelphyinz: The Bar Mitzvah

They had me at Bar Mitzvah. I actually referenced this mix and party last Saturday, a premature listing that was solely a result of my excitement to get the news about this one and the gradual deterioration of my mental capacities from self-loathing and years of listening to much bass music. For real, I've been floored at the quality of mixes coming my way from the DJs that I love. The Philadelphyinz don't disappoint here with The Bar Mitzvah mixtape, as I've been listening to this one all week.

First off, the Philadelphyinz are DJs Apt One and Skinny Friedman, who throw two monthlies in Philly at the Khyber and Medusa. I've always wondered where the name came and I've finally learned that "yinz" is a Pittsburgh term for "y'all." Apt One used it to connect to his roots when he set up his party in Philly in 2005, Skinny would soon join in and the rest is history.

The first and most brilliant concept is that they've done it in four tracks, alternating between the 2 DJs, in the format of an actual party, i.e. 10pm, 11pm... The mix is superb, I'm amazed at how seamless and put-together it is. I'm not normally much of a nerd about shit like that, but there's so many genre-switches and shorter interludes that you can't but help but notice. It covers all sorts of ground from rap to dance to indie (the Regina Spektor tune, marvelous). What really makes this one special for me is that they cover a lot of older, Pound for Pound-y stuff, like Gigolo Tony, Giorgio Moroder and Egyptian Lover. While I love the newest of the new (and that's on here too), there's something nice about seeing music as more than just this moment.

For those in Philly, you have a chance to celebrate the release of the mix, Apt One's birthday and Memorial Day weekend tonight at the Khyber (56 S. 2nd St.). This is the OG Philadelphyinz, upstairs, free, cheap drinks, dark, dirty dancefloor, the whole nine yards. They're joined tonight by the suddenly and thankfully resurgent Mike T of Paradise at Key West, so you can expect lots of filthy bass tonight. You also get a free CD just by attending. There's really nowhere else you should be tonight.



I cannot recommend the Philadelphyinz more, another of the great DJs that deserve a much greater audience. Get at them on myspace, email them at philadelphyinz@gmail.com, book them for your next party or bar mitzvah, say hi, thank them for the mix. I'll definitely keep you up-to-date on their future moves. I'mma try to talk the boys into doing a Purim mix, cross your fingers.

New Check Yo Ponytail

One of our favorite parties anywhere is back tonight on a new night in a new venue. Check Yo' Ponytail is taking over Saturday nights in LA, doing their thing at the Echoplex (1154 Glendale Blvd) and they're kicking it off with a bang. Crystal Castles is the special guests, along with Purple Crush, joining the resident DJs Franki Chan and Paparazzi. This is another Iheartcomix jawn, as they're joined by Urb, Viva La Rock and The Echo in trying to make the kids dance. Also, awesome flier, nice to see another breast-obsessed person making moves out there. Take a bow if you made this.

-Or, you can welcome on of NYC's finest, as Nick Catchdubs is the special guest at Certified at The Mountain Bar (473 Gin Ling Way). Don't know much about this party, whether it's a regular thing or a one-night only, but I do know that Nick will kill and this is a chance to finally mention the Evans and Eagles bols, who are also spinning tonight. RSVP at Certified.LA@gmail.com, no cover, lovely.



-It's a serious LA night, so Los Angelenos, make sure to stop by Safari Sam's (5214 Sunset Blvd) for Club Moscow vs Hang the DJs. Since I'm assuming that's a Smiths reference, I'm pulling for the Hang the DJs crew. The battle line has been drawn.



-San Jose

-Moving to the center of this misguided country, my bol Soviet Panda continues to try to put us on the right track with his Too Much Love party. Minneapolis, get behind this, it's an amazing party. Tonight, Panda's joined by Blk:Mrkt and Nyteowl for a night of raviness, going down as always at First Avenue (710 First Avenue North).



-Chicago, have you almost let the month May pass by without celebrating Masterbation Awareness Month? Well, lucky for you Mother Hubbard and Miss Gab are doing their Pussy Galore Summer Camp in honor of it tonight. Get to the SubT Lounge (2011 W. North Ave.) for free lube, great tunes and g-d knows what else. No cover.



-Hot Fucking Pink seems to singlehandedly be trying to save Boston. They continue tonight with their Saturday night party at Axis (13 Landsdowne St). This one's extra dope, as Todd Fink and Jacob Thiel of The Faint are stopping by after their show Avalon to spin a DJ set. I mean, really Boston, where else could you possibly wanna be tonight? Residents Michael Savant and Knowlton Walsh are reason enough to his this one up. RSVP to michaelsavant@yahoo.com for $5 admission, free with a ticket to The Faint show.



-New York City, a new monthly is going down at Rififi starring the Flagrant Fowl people - Cousin Cole and Pocketknife. Not only is tonight the kickoff, it's also Cole's birthday. To celebrate, they've brought in Krames of Richmond's Cobra Kai for guest set, along with Dainjah from Sweden. Oh, and you can't forget Miss MK of the Hot Hens, who opens the night.



-Last but certainly not least, A Fly Is On The Wall presents the 1st Anniversary Ipod Battle at the Cabaret Just For Laughs (2111 St. Laurent) in Montreal. Best of all, Brooklyn's finest A Finger On The Pulse are battling it out with a ton of other crews like Jokers Of The Scene, Lessies On X, Nu Ravers On The Block and many more, this is gonna be a crazy night, I feel. Peep the flier too, as it's simply amazing.

Claude VonStroke - Deep Throat

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The Last Paradise at Key West

This is a sad listing, as the final Paradise at Key West ever in Philadelphia. This party has been going for more than a year, with DJs Mike T, Ron Morelli and guests like Tim Sweeney, Optimo, Jeffrey Ssfire and many others bringing back the spirit of the disco days. It was kind of a dream night for me, a chance to hear amazing DJs play italo, disco, acid, Miami bass in an amazing club. Key West (207 S. Juniper St.) is a gay bar on a side street, almost alley, with an upstairs that has a mirrored, sunken dancefloor, elevated DJ booth, disco ball, in other words, the greatest venue still around in the world.

Anyway, this last one will hopefully send things out on a filthy note. Ron Morelli will be back, Mike T is celebrating a birthday, there will be special guests, tears will be shed, Arthur Baker songs will be played, all will be good. We'll definitely let you know what these guys have in store next. The rest of y'all will need to step your games up and fill in that the giant 808 hole that's being left after tonight.

Kampfire Killaz, Kudu live!, Ladyton

Co-events of the night, one I'll be at, one I wish I could be at. Let's give some more love to the Chicago people first, as this Debonair party tonight seems like a who's who of the scene. Kampfire Killaz, Bald Eagle, DJ Major Taylor (from Philly, m'f'ers), Jordan Z and a special guest are holding it down in the basement, while the Dark Wave Disco-ers - Mark Gertz and Trancid - join DJ Cat upstairs. All to celebrate Misa's birthday. I do not know her, but clearly she's an amazing person if all of these people are putting together her b-day party. There's no cover, some drink specials, I'd be there if I lived in Chicago. For those that do, just head to the Debonair Social Club (1575 N. Milwaukee Ave) and bring a gift for the birfday girl!

-So...my favorite band is the world is playing tonight in New York City. Kudu is opening the Cheeky Bastard Thursday night party and I cannot recommend more highly getting to the club early and catching them play. After that, you get a special DJ set by the Ladytron-ers, along with Alex English and Peter Makebish. It's brought to you by everyone who's someone in NYC - GBH, East Village Radio, Girlie Action, Filter. Best of all, they have Sparks! I'll be there tonight, say hi as I'll probably be solo and desperately looking for company.



-Okay, I'm really psyched for this one, as the Dirty Bird residency officially begins tonight at APT (419 W. 13th St.). Claude VonStroke and crew will be coming to the club every final Thursday, tonight VonStroke is joined by Christian Martin and [sic]. I cannot tell you how much I need a night of dirty techno in my life right now. 10 bucks, it goes late, see ya there!



-All the way downtown, Project Matt joins the Sweatshop Labor's Lucas Walters and Rev McFly for their weekly Home Sweet Home (131 Chrystie St.) Thursday night party, Common Folk. You know this'll be good, no weekend crowd!



-Philly's own dirty birds, Broadzilla, continue to take over the city one Thursday at a time. Hit this one up at Upstairs at Sal's before you slide over to the final Paradise. They're like 2 blocks apart, so no excuses.



-On the opposite coast, a new weekly in LA has sprung up and it's called Swerve. It's got my bol Daniel from Le Disko as resident DJ, so I know that this is a safe bet. It goes down at Scorpion (6679 Hollywood Blvd), no clue on cost.



-

Khia - My Neck, My Back

Khia, "My Neck, My Back (original)" (YSI link) 320 DJs

Khia, "My Neck, My Back (Tom Neville X-Rated mix)" (YSI link)

Khia, "My Neck, My Back (Tobi Neumann remix)"

Khia, "My Neck, My Back (Kardinal Beats remix)" (YSI link)

Dimitry's mix reminded me that I've been meaning to do a post on one of the classic songs of all-time, Khia's "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)." I mean, for real, this is just perfect. The original starts off with these sick, minimalist drum snares and Ms. Khia talking about popping your pussy and it's on. An equally minimalist bass comes in, some percussion and keys and you have one of the dirtiest song ever done by a female artist. I love it, love the fact that she's talking about sex and getting a guy to take care of her and being dirty and filthy. It's the perfect addition to the whole booty genre, a nice challege to the boys' only vibe of that shit.

Make sure to check out the two house, dance remixes by Tom Neville and Tobi Neumann. While I still love the more minimalist, hip-hop take of the original, these ones keep growing on me. In particular, the Tom Neville one is just a rager, gets a head of steam and just goes. The Kardinal Beats one is a reggae rework, doesn't work for me. Make sure to buy her LP, Thugs and Misses, and I'll let you know when the next album drops. Supposedly this summer, but I'll believe it when I see it.

DJ Dimitry - Takes Flight Mix

DJ Dimitry, Takes Flight mix

Oh mang, all of my favorites are starting to drop mixes for our eternal joy and happiness. I've been talking about my bol Dimitry almost since I started discussing parties. It's not a coincidence, as my man is involved in more dope shit in New York City than I can remember. Let's see, his Wednesday night High Voltage party at Sutra, hosting Thursdays at Hiro, DJing Saturdays at Beauty Bar, his band Theo and the Skyscrapers, guest DJing at Trash and other NYC parties, he's a one man wrecking crew. All of that hard work has really paid off, as his DJ sets are better and better each time I hear them.

This Takes Flight mix is the ultimate proof, as it's a good sense of what direction he's been heading in lately with the indie dance remix tracks. You get some obscure jawns, some new "classics", but most of all you just get a great 30 minute mix. What I especially like about this one, and Dimitry's style in general, is his openness to the pop side of things (cf Gwen Stefani's "Sweet Escape"); in other words, it isn't all about dropping the newest or most obscure B side remix, it's more about keeping the dancefloor involved and happy. Mang, this one really gets better with each listen, like really.

For those in NYC, you have a chance to hear all of this live, as Dimitry spins tonight at his weekly High Voltage party. I've been hyping this Day 1, I ain't about to stop now. Tonight's another good one, as FUN resident Eamon Harkin and Peter of Bloodshot Revival are the special guest DJs, which means another great night in the East Village (and how often can you say that?). As usual, vodka open bar starting 11, lots of young, better-looking people, people dancing, you know, a fun time! Oh, really great flier here by Sam Bell.



I hope that this becomes a regular stop for all my NYCers. For the rest of you party promoters and DJs, I cannot recommend Dimitry more highly as a guest star and all-around good dude. Get at him on myspace, book him, thank him for the mix, become BFF. I'm sure that this is not the last mention here at P4P.

Claude VonStroke! Fluid 10th Anniversary! Man Man in Chinatown NYC!

Well, that subject pretty much sums it up for tonight. For real, it's a light night in terms of quantity, but holy $#\% the quality is straight, uncut, 100%. First up, it's a special night in Philly, as South Street club Fluid celebrates its 10th Anniversary with an a-may-zing night of dance music. Claude VonStroke makes his first Philly appearance, which is cause for celebration on its own. We've posted about him here at Pound for Pound, dude is absolutely killing it with his filthy, booty techno or whatever you want to call it. His live sets are just as highly regarded. Combine that with Dave P and Diamond Girl of Hands and Knees and you have blast-off. RSVP for reduced $5 admission, this is a night to remember, Philadelphia. Don't believe me, believe this dude who wrote a preview of Fluid's 10th Anniversary week for the Philadelphia Weekly.

-Before you hit up High Voltage, head down to Chinatown for special concert by Man Man. For anyone who knows the Philly band, it should come as no surprise that this show takes place at a dim sum palace after a 12 course dinner. Unfortunately, the dinner reservations are all taken, but you can still hit up the show afterwards for $10, starting at 9pm. I caught them at the Bowery in the winter and it was one of the best shows I've seen, in spite of having to hide in the back of the hall out of fear that my ex-gf was in attendance. This is what I'm talking about NYC!

-It looks like that's about it, but rest assured that this weekend looks like the weekend that will never die. So much happening, music coming up later tonight.

Happy Birthday Moz

Morrissey, Live at Dublin National Stadium Dublin, Ireland 04.27.91

That's right, it's May 22, a world holiday at Pound for Pound, the day that Stephen Morrissey was born. I've been imploring the UN to recognize this day and give everyone the day off from work, but so far no luck. If we don't honor the greatest singer of all-time from the greatest band of all-time, i'm not really sure what we're doing, but I assume that the terrorists are winning.

I want to thank Moz on this special day for all of the amazing music he's given us over the years. He's made my horrible break-ups manageable, he's validated my bleak worldview, he's provided a soundtrack for my life, writing some of the greatest songs I know. I don't think that one meager post can ever express the love and gratitude I have for the man (and yes, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce).

As an expression of my love and gratitude to you my dear reader, above is a complete live show from Morrissey. It comes from the classic early period, a few years after the demise of The Smiths.

Outdanced 1 Year Anniversary, Crystal Castles and more

Sorry for the slow party announcements, I've been swamped with work and exhaustion from a long, crazy, fun weekend. But, those are excuses and there are no excuses when it comes to a hedonistic party life. Back out to Chicago for the pick of the night and it's another Windy City birthday. Outdanced celebrates its first anniversary and they're doing it in style with a special set by Crystal Castles. I'm a huge fan of this duo, but that's not the only treat. There's also a live set by Heart Shaped Hate, a set by DJ Autobot of Flosstradamus and Ian Hixxx. Most importantly, there's an open bar from 10-11, which means that you can't be fashionably late. So put on your skinny jeans and get to The Funky Buddha (728 W. Grand Ave.), rsvp to outdanced@yahoo.com for reduced admission. Yeah.

-Check Yo' Ponytail is back in Los Angeles, new and improved. It took a month or so off, returning tonight in a new spot but with the same amazing DJs and special guests. This one features the Spank Rock DJs, Devlin and Darko, which means a night of Baltimore bangers. You also get Pretty Titty, Franki Chan, DJ Pubes, photos by shadowscene, and a chance to be at one of the best parties in the country. It's at The Echo (1822 W. Sunset Blvd), more to come on this party for sure.


-Up the coast, Hold Yr Horses goes down at Aunt Charlie's (133 Turk & Taylor) or its bi-monthly slot. Tonight, you get a special set by Sleazemore, who join bigstereo.net's Rchrd Oh?! $3 for a night of fun.



-Tuesday's the night for freaks to come out in Philly. First up, Steven Bloodbath does his weekly Love Buzz at Bar Noir (112 S. 18th St.) with all of the rock and metal you can handle.



-Finally, my bols rekLes and seanmotherfuckinroberts, a.k.a. the lewd bols, continue to do the damn thing. They've got The Bravery on their minds this week and next. Tonight's the album release party. Even cooler, if you go and rsvp at their going entry, you'll be entered to win 2 free tickets to The Bravery show next Tuesday at Irving Plaza. Free tickets! Just click this link and rsvp, then show up to The Annex (152 Orchard St.) and wait for the winning name to be drawn. While waiting, drink and listen to great music and get your pic taken by Brad Walsh. Then, when you win, celebrate like the craziest fuck on the Price Is Right and know that this is your summer of George.

Mark Ronson - Stop Me

Mark Ronson feat. Daniel Merriweather, "Stop Me" (YSI link)

Mark Ronson, "Stop Me (Chicken Lips remix)" (YSI link)

Mark Ronson, "Stop Me (Dirty South remix)" (YSI link)

The Smiths, "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" (YSI link)

Coldplay, "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before[live]" (YSI link)

It's all Mark Ronson all the time at Pound for Pound. Well, I wasn't really planning to say a whole lot more about the man and his music, but he clearly didn't want that to happen. His soon-to-be released album, Version, which features club interpretations of cover songs. What caught my eye, and clearly proves that Ronson is a reader here, is his inclusion of an interpretation of The Smiths' "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before." I mean, dude knew that this is the only guaranteed way to get coverage here. Well-played, Mark, well-played.

Seriously, the album sounds really interesting, can't wait to hear what he's been able to cook up with P4P favorites like Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse. However, I can't say that I'm a huge fan of this "Stop Me." What really ruins it for me is the ending, where suddenly we get a version of the Motown classic, The Supreme's "You Just Keep Me Hanging On." It's a seamless transition, but it just seems a little too cute for my taste. Do those two songs really need to be stitch together? I do love the string sounds on this one, turning the song into a soulful affair, letting guest Daniel Merriweather sing it out. I don't know, maybe I'm being a baby about this one. Let me know what you think, as it probably works a lot better than I'm writing here. Go here and grab an import version of the new album or put in an advance order for the domestic release mid-summer for a cheaper price.

The remixes are stellar, both really making these dancefloor friendly. The Chicken Lips remix is my favorite, an amazing transformation that sounds so beautiful and lush. Those strings with the house beats works perfectly, almost wish they'd take the vocals out. The Dirty South remix is more suited to our normal fare, featuring a creaking-door bass that is siiiiiiccccckkkk. This is the one for the club imo, do it up right.

I couldn't help but take this chance to add a few treats from The Smiths side of the song. There's the original, which is easiest to find on Strangeways, Here We Come, the band's final album. While that album was hastily put together, it's still better than most shit. "Stop Me" is one of the most interesting songs, brilliant lyrics about love, lies and pain, a nice upbeat pace, wonderful sound. Buy it immediately if you don't own it already. Finally, there's a Coldplay live cover, which I believe comes from Oct. 29, 2002 at OxFam Fairplay gig. With this one song choice, Chris Martin makes up for marrying that fake-Brit, pretentious Gwyneth Paltrow. All is forgiven. Enjoy, people, this post foreshadows the next one today in a wonderful way.

Mark Ronson - Essential Mix 01.01.07

Mark Ronson, Essential Mix for BBC Radio One 01.01.07

It seemed like people are into the long mixes that I've been posting on Sundays, so we're gonna keep going with this. But, this time we're gonna flip onto the hip-hop side of things with an Essential Mix from New York City DJ and producer Mark Ronson.

I actually first came to Ronson through his phenomenal remix of Air's "Alpha Beta Gaga." As my readers know, I cannot stand indie hip-hop, backpacker stuff, whatever. I've always wondered if it was more a philosophical dislike as opposed to an aesthetic one and Ronson is the one person who has made that a possibility. Unlike the average Okayplayer fan, Ronson seems open to any type of music, despite his connections with the hip-hop scene. He's producing songs for Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, remixing Air, breaking out of the obnoxious, self-contained indie hip-hip world that seems only able to attack the mainstream and popular musics.

The mix is good, covering every genre every invented. Lots of surprises like Billy Bragg, The Strokes and Regina Spektor (!!!) will jump out at you. What really comes across to me is how uplifting and energetic Ronson's sound and mix are. In particular, he seems to stay away from the preachy hip-hop and stick more to the stuff that hearkens back to the old-school, catchy verses, fun refrain, non-political topics. The lack of an edge probably means that there won't be many repeat listens or a deep connection, but there's something to be said for a reminder that music doesn't have to be all sad ballads, booty trax and whatnot. Give it a listen, will probably turner to a darker mix next week.

Johnny Depp at Pirates Premier

Depp says that the birth of his daughter Lily-Rose, now seven, "was not only the greatest thing that's ever happened - it's the only thing that's ever happened to me.

"I helped give our daughter life and I feel she gave me life.

"Suddenly, you meet your reason to live, meet the future. It was like my birth in a way. I was born that day."

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Eva Herzigova's Yummy Tummy at Cannes

Eva Herzigova shows off her baby bump at a promotional event in Cannes for her new film Stiletto in Cannes. I love this dress!

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Gwyneth Paltrow Hides her Roots - and Apple

Gwneth Paltrow is unusually coy when picking up Apple, 3, from daycare.

Sir Paul and Heather Mills Lunch!

Paul McCartney and Heather Mills appear to be on speaking terms. Just last October Beatrice's nannies were forced to exchange the child so that Paul and Heather could avoid each other. After months of bitter feuding, Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills have called a truce in their acrimonious divorce battle for their daughter's sake.

They buried the hatchet amid fears over the effect their constant rows are having on three-year-old Beatrice. Sir Paul, 64, was spotted on Friday having a 'friendly' ten-minute summit with Miss Mills at a North London restaurant, talking amicably while their daughter played.

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Latest Photos of Suri Cruise on Set of Mad Money

Check out this video from Extra TV about the visit on set.

Philadelphyinz, Blow Up LA and more

This one was a pretty easy call for party of the night. I mean, the Philadelphyinz - Skinny Friedman & Apt One - are pretty safe bet always, but this one is the mixtape release party and the mixtape is called The Bar Mitzvah. Game over. To make it even more bananas, they've invited Mike T from Paradise at Key West to drop some italo/acid loveliness. It's free, it's at the Khyber, you'll get a CD.

-Let's call it a co-event of the night, as the Blow Up LA is pretty sick too. Anne Lee, Dirty Dave and Jefrodisiac have brought together all sorts of great DJs together - Acid Girls, Philly's own JHN RDN, Paparazzi, Dirty Lo, Ryan Esca. It's at a new spot this time called The Alley (516 Lindley Place), it's $6 before 11, Shadowscene will take your picture, you'll meet your future girlfriend.



-LA's Johnny Love from Guns 'n' Bombs is in Charlotte, NC tonight, yes Charlotte baby! He's joining Fit For Use, Christian Ryan and honestly, i have no idea what that name says. Much apologies to Blngx but I just know what reads. I'm an idiot and you would be to if you don't ghet to Eden (1400 Elizabeth Ave.) P.S. That's real good writing above.



-More Chicago. Before or after you hit up LDW at The Hideout, head over to the Dark Wave Disco at Sonotheque (1444 W. Chicago Ave). It's gonna be a pretty crazy night with DJs Are Not Rockstars spinning a special set. That's along with DJ Cat, Trancid and Mark Gertz. While you're there, you may get your photo snapped by Last Night's Party, guaranteeing you a solid myspace photo option for eternity.



-Big night in the Midwest, my bol Zoviet Panda does his Too Much Love party with guests The Glamour. This is an amazing party, one of the best indie dance nights in the country. So, Minneapolis, show some love to your bol, get to the First Avenue Mainroom (701 First Ave. North), pay your 3 bucks and dance like there is no tomorrow.



-Finally, the Midwest's finest Tactic are spinning with Ooah of the Glitch Mob. I've never seen a flier featuring a dude like that, so dude must be pretty amazing. It's at The Jackpot Saloon (943 Mass. St), $7 for a night of devastating bass.