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I recently started following actor/director Michael Rappaport on Twitter.  As some of you know, he has just launched a documentary called Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest.  A doc he shot about the bands origin, break up and eventual reunion.  Can't wait to see it.  On Twitter, he asked "when did you first hear ATCQ?".  For me, it was 1991.  The Low End Theory had just come out and I heard the cut "Check the Rhime".  I immediately went out and bought the album.  Been a fan since, in fact - just bought a Low End Theory t-shirt last week.  Can't wait for the film.

In 2005 I played a show at Chicago's Abbey Pub.  Opening was a comedic hip-hop ensemble called The Cankles (who all wore Cosby sweaters to the gig).  Fast foward to 2008 and lead emcee Kid Static had teamed up with beatmaker Yea Big and the duo was making a name for themselves.  Here's a video for their 2009 cut, "Stomp the Pedal".  Animation by Ronald Grandpey.  Dig it.

Back in December of 2001, my band (Lorenzo Goetz) played a show at the Midwest Music Showcase here in Urbana.  One of the other acts on the bill was a college band from Charleston, IL called The Last Resorts.  I hit it off with their front man - a kind, humorous chap by the name of Ryan Groff.  We immediately began to trade shows and LG stayed steady while Ryan alternated between his solo career and various bands (The Last Resorts, Green Jenkins and finally, Elsinore).  When Elsinore was established, I booked them as the Friday house band at a campus bar called The White Horse Inn, where I was the talent buyer.  Less than a year into that residency they all decided to move to Champaign-Urbana.  Since then they have released 2 full length LPs, one EP and have toured the nation relentlessly.  They recently landed a few solid deals through liscensing scoring spots on So You Think You Can Dance and a national campaign for Kohl's department stores.  Some folks may call that selling out - I call it surviving.  Unless you're talking about contributing to Michelle Bachmann's presidential run - I say get your tunes out there and let the money come in.  Real Talk?  Raise your kids, pay for your house.  Go.  Create.

For those not in the know, Beck Hansen has been curating a project called Record Club - which calls on a hodge-podge of musicians to sit down and re-record an album in one day.  Some projects include The Velvet Underground's Nico, The songs of Leonard Cohen and Kick by INXS.  Here's St. Vincent grooving through "Need You Tonight" - quite possibly my favorite INXS song.  Feels good, right?

I didn't get to play this cut last night, although I had planned to.  Most folks remember 3rd Bass but forgot that both MC Serch and Prime Minister Pete Nice released solo efforts post break-up.  This is such a great posse cut featuring verses from Red Hot Lover Tone, Chubb Rock and some kid who called himself Nasty Nas.  This was 1992.