Nicky P Archive
Stand By Me, Around the World
This song has echoed across attics, bounced through boulevards, and danced around dining rooms for more than 50 years now. Maybe it’s because I’m reading Dante’s Divine Comedy for the umpteenth time back at UCLA (and actually starting to enjoy it now!) that I am no longer surprised by old works bringing forth very real, contemporary emotions. As “they”–whoever they are–say, some things never change.
But what’s really interesting about this video is the manner in which it was edited together. A camera crew recorded street performers and traditional artists from all over the Earth doing their individual renditions of the song “Stand By Me.” They were instructed to play the song in a certain key so that once combined, all the different parts would shine together. It’s truly a work of art…moving quickly from shot to shot to these intimate scenes in these completely separated places almost makes you feel like you’ve been teleported there.
If you have any heart at all the symbolism of all these different cultures coming together to make music is touching. It’s the same feeling I get when I play music with my band mates. Enjoy!
“Stand by Me” performed by musicians around the world from SKAT on Vimeo.
Some Massively Inspirational Words
I know you’re probably expecting them to come from me. Sometimes they do! But this time I’m going to defer to Elizabeth Gilbert.
This is an incredible, 18-minute dissection of creativity and how our society abuses the creative soul. It’s funny, it’s got history, and If you have a heart, or if you’ve ever attempted to make something your own in your life, this speech will get to you.
It honestly makes me wish that I lived in ancient Greece (for reasons which will become apparent once you check out the video). Although they didn’t have electricity, which as we all know is critical for guitar amplifiers. Or Trader Joes. That would certainly be a tragedy…but hey, they were into those back then. *cue comedic sting*
More Music From the Expanding Horizons Series by Nicky P
No, this isn’t a PBS special. Just some insane music I’m sure you’ve never heard!
I thought John McLaughlin was just that awesome virtuosic flamenco player from Friday Night in San Francisco (which is also very much worthy of a listen by the way…craziest acoustic playing of all time featuring Al Di Miola and Paco de Lucia as well), but I stand corrected.
I’d heard of the Mahavishnu Orchestra before but I was not prepared for its weirdness and oddly alluring, while simultaneously upsetting, music. I never really realized that progressive bands such as Dream Theater and even Rush have a lot to owe to these early (only slightly earlier in Rush’s case) progenitors.
Check it out for yourself, it’s a real trip.
Sections of note:
- Guitar solo starting at ~1:35, really gets cooking around 2:30
- Crazy fiddle solo at around 3:05
- Weird funky keyboard/bass breakdown at ~5:10
- Sonic the Hedgehog style synth solo at 7:15 (keep in mind this was new and awesome at the time…not at all cliche)
- Hilarious sitcom style introductions near 8:10
- Gnarly drum solo at 8:40…Billy Cobham is ridiculous
Barack Obama Cursing–Real Audio!
Muahaha! I bet you came into this blog post just expecting to see a couple of audio clips…
Incorrect!
Not only do you get to hear our president say humorous curse words, but you also get a new dance tune to jam to. Throw it on your playlist for your next party and watch the hilarity ensue.
So here it is, a remix by your very own Nicky P, featuring Stevie Wonder, some random news anchor, and the president of the united states! Just click the link below and when the next window pops up, click “obama-breakdown” again.
[audio:obama-breakdown.mp3]
>>–nicky p–<<
Finlandia Vodka Review
So I was at ye olde Ralph’s yesterday going on what you laymen might call a “Beer Run.” We picked up three grande bottles of Foxhorn wine (delectable by the way…but that is for a different review) and a thirty pack of Tecate, but still had one slot left in our adult beverage roster.
Obviously we had to bring some heavy hitter to the party. With beer and wine you can relax and kick back, but we were looking to really get bacchanalian this night. After some deliberation we realized that, of all the hard liquors, vodka was offensive to the fewest people. Ahh but there was the matter of the budget! We had only 13 dollars left to spend, and a serious choice to be made.
Popov or “Prestige” (I use that term very lightly) vodka is the cheapest of the bunch. The king of the bottom shelf, it is infamous for its almost sulfuric-acid-like burn and aftertaste similar to what fear and despair must taste like if they could be distilled through a strainer of nuclear waste and general sewage.
Needless to say, we weren’t that desperate.
Searching for a middling brand–we’re no Grey Goose afficionados here–we came upon Skyy (is it two y’s? I dunno who cares, really) and Asbolut. They both slightly exceeded our price range, sadly.
The decision continued to be delayed until my hunting eyes fell upon a foreign bottle that I’d never seen before. Upon the label the word “Finlandia” was emblazoned in elegant script. Using my keen intuition and analytical skills, I determined that this vodka was from Finland.
I know, right?
Because I’d never tried it before, I figured its purchase would have to come with a blog review. So here we are!
After getting back to the apartment and icing it for a bit in the freezer, we were ready for the moment of truth. The first shot went down my gullet, and my initial impression was…”JESUS this tastes like ass!” However, don’t let that discourage you, curious shopper; you must realize that most hard alcohol, except for the top shelf stuff, makes me think that very same thought. This was an expected turn of events.
Happily enough, what was missing from the experience was both the feeling of acidic flames in my esophagus and the aftertaste from hell. That’s two advantages over Popov already! This may have been because we were chasing it with organic Mango juice from Trader Joes, though…
Anyway there it is. If you’re in the mood to get your potato on for a bargain, go for the Finlandia. I believe it was only 8.99 at Ralph’s.
Drink on my friends!
–nicky p–
Thoughts on Budget Cuts
Ah, September. Time of dying trees, mysteriously persistent heat, and uhh….there was something else I forgot…
Oh, yeah. School.
So I’m back at the good old University of California Los Angeles and there’s lots of fun to be had all around. Unless you’re a teacher, or an administrator. I dunno if you’ve heard, but our state is run by The Governator. And he doesn’t believe in giving money to support education.
You know, the last thread that keeps our society from ripping itself apart. No big deal.
Anyhow, in my first class, English 4W, we were discussing this same issue. The professor passed around a copy of an e-mail that I will reproduce for you here. All the identifying information was removed.
“I am aware that some of you have received notice about a walkout planned for Thursday, September 24, the first day of classes. I am sympathetic with the feelings of frustration that many faculty members have with respect to the furlough program [in which teachers are forced to take days off without pay]. Nevertheless, I must remind everyone that the beginning of the quarter is an important day for our students, many of whom are concerned about their enrollment status in their classes. Accordingly, it is my responsibility to inform you that we expect all Thursday classes and sections to meet as scheduled.”
We discussed this e-mail in depth…the speaker’s choice of words, his/her formality and apparent dismissive attitude. To me it was a futile sort of vibe. But it’s only their “responsibility” to inform us…they “must remind us.” So I guess you can’t fully blame them. In the last 5 minutes our professor asked us to write a poem about what we felt about the e-mail…it was one of those strange moments where thoughts pour out as if from a dam exploded.
It’s not much, but I thought I’d share it:
Futility is easy
when you’re straddled at the top
between mute responsibility
and something you must stop.
But when the bullshit hits the fan
who’s to say what’s right or wrong?
Who’s to see through ambiguities
and actually get things done?
The answer’s lying suffocated,
tied in thick red tape–
the victim just a student
who never wanted to escape.
–nicky p–
Broaden Your Horizons
by checking out this video…
look, I know we’re a rock band, but I’m telling you, jazz is pretty chill sometimes. Especially when you’re a bamf like David Brubeck.
Just check the epicness of this piece, entitled Blue Rondo a la Turk.
If you’re not feeling intrepid enough to sit through its entirety (7 minutes omg what will we do!) at least skip toward the ending.
Enjoy!
Fastest Guitar Playing Ever
This video is why I stopped sitting down with a metronome trying to play as fast as possible. First of all, there are grotesque and strange people out there who will sit in a basement day in and day out psychotically practicing, and they will be faster than you.
Plus, this shit is ridiculous. It isn’t even music anymore. Any computer could generate these noises… you see, my friends, I discovered that the key to music is humanity, and beauty, not a speed contest that you are doomed to lose to some lifeless processor.
That being said, this guy is absolutely nuts!!
World Record Guitar Speed 2008 Tiago Della Vega – Free videos are just a click away
