The Current Music Blog: September 6, 2006 Archive

Disco Inferno! Video Game, or Funeral Pyre?

Posted at 7:10 AM on September 6, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis (2 Comments)

So you wonder what you missed at this year's Burning Man festival. Well, there's no way to sugarcoat this: You missed actual burning men and women, thanks to the pyrotechnics of a group called Interpretive Arson. They developed a controversial new version of the video game Dance Dance Revolution--the silly dance-step game favored by over-caffeinated ravers everywhere. The new version is called Dance Dance Immolation, and when you miss that kick-ball-change, a flamethrower goes off--and it's aimed at your head. Anticipating the concerns of the Underwriters Laboratory, the DDI folks offer this salient point in their FAQs:

Q. Isn't it dangerous? A. Before you play, you'll put on a full aluminized proximity suit, like this girl, with a forced-air respirator, gloves, fireproof hood, the whole bit. These are the suits that are used for fighting fires at airports. So, as you can see, it's completely safe!

We were just thinking the other day about how overheating on the dance floor is such a serious social problem. We're not sure if this would be part of the solution, or the problem. But either way: Sweet looking duds to trot out on the parquet, doncha think?

Listener/lurker Erin A. turned us on to this wacky story. Send your tips here and join the Buffering Stream illuminati.

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Signs of The Apocalypse, No. 3

Posted at 9:42 AM on September 6, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis

Remember all those cute stories about Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp from the the past five years? Now, founder David Fishof has decided to take the act corporate. According to Pollstar magazine,

The corporate Rock ‘N' Roll Fantasy Camp, which can accommodate 25 to 250 people, will travel to the client's location and can be geared toward a specific company objective. Imagine learning "team building skills" from artists that match the caliber of past camp counselors - George Thorogood, Dr. John, Dickey Betts, Max Weinberg, Dee Snider, Jon Anderson, Levon Helm, Mark Farner and Joe Satriani, to name a few.

OK, let's pause here for a second and just consider this proposition: American corporations need to look to American rock and roll bands to learn about team-building. We had no idea the situation was so dire, and we are now quietly transferring our entire 401K to offshore accounts and heavy metals.

Roping the Elusive Mountain Goat

Posted at 3:10 PM on September 6, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis (30 Comments)

We know you're excited about the Mountain Goats' show here in the Twin Cities next week. And just to give you a little appetizer, John Darnielle says on his blog today that he'll be appearing on Fuel TV tomorrow night. That channel would be cable's equivalent of a hair-curling gut-busting energy drink. In other words "action sports television." It's not entirely clear why John is buzzing the half-pipe-and-kick-flip crowd, who presumably are not grinding to "Woke Up New" on the iPod. But, y'know, stranger things have happened.

If you've had one Red Bull too many, and you wonder how many times you'll have to tap your toes between now and then, you have another option: Through the magic of The Instant Gratification Web, you can see the video to "Woke Up New" here and now--and note that it evokes a certain obsession with the small screen, but not a single skateboard in sight.

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Like Digging For Potatoes, No. 1

Posted at 4:13 PM on September 6, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis (1 Comments)

YouTuber of the day: Go back in time ten years, and relive Courtney Love discussing the heinous movie "Feelin' Minnesota," whose title was inspired by the heinous Soundgarden song "Outshined." Courtney says,

"Now I'm in this dumb movie, Feelin' Minnesota. Did I say dumb? It's not dumb--did I say it was dumb? It's only dumb because the title comes from a Soundgarden song, and there's no 'g' on the end. I'm hoping it's a working title."

That missing "g" eventually turned up, of course, but it was certainly the least of the film's weaknesses, which also included a missing plot, a missing lead actor, and a missing overall point.

It was filmed here in Minnesota, though. Remember that part where Courtney was buried alive in Lilydale Park? Cool! She emerged ten years later, with a publishing contract and a magazine spread no one knew they wanted.

In the comments: Discuss the general improvement of the world since 1996.

Earlier: Chris Roberts on filmmaking in Minnesota

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