Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Bringing People & Music Together Since 2006


En route to Tim, somewhere over Surrey, 14 April 2007


Dearest Friends, this week Contrast Podcast asks its contributors to reflect upon all that it has introduced you to. To songs, to artists, and, yes, to people. You see, the theme was spurred by the chance meeting of a sewing machine and an umbrella on a dissecting table. Or, if you will, the unlikely encounter of FiL and Young Tim in deepest, darkest reaches of Surrey, England.

As we supped a pint and marvelled at how events had conspired to bring us together, Tim suggested we might ask folks to share which artists and/or songs Contrast Podcast had serendipitously introduced them to. So that's what we've done, and the result --which you can download here or via RSS link (http://feeds.feedburner.com/ContrastPodcast)-- is as follows:


(00:00) Linfinity - Chu chu train to Venice
Tim from The face of today
(03:50) Teddybears - Punkrocker (feat. Iggy Pop)
Marcy from Lost in your inbox
(08:34) The Twilight Singers - Underneath the waves
Natalie from Mini-Obs
(13:30) Ndidi Onukwulu - Seen you before
ZB from So the wind won’t blow it all away
(16:42) Boat - The bar is too low to fail
Colin from and before the first kiss
(20:40) The Amateurs - Cool by me
Crash from Pretending life is like a song
(24:54) Pony Up - The truth about cats and dogs (is that they die)
Elizabeth from The roaring machine
(29:15) Tim Young - Gotta Go (originally by Victor Scott)
FiL from Pogoagogo
(34:13) Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Spasticus Autisticus
Ross from Just gimme indie rock
(41:12) The Thermals - A pillar of salt
Bethanne from hello, autumn
(44:49) David Bowie - Because you’re young
Lyle from Mentok the mind-taker
(50:56) William Shatner - Lucy in the sky with diamonds
Cindy from Adzuki bean stash
(55:05) Talking Heads - Drugs
Mark from Cinema du Lyon
(01:00:17) Fountains of Wayne - Valley winter song
Tom from Other people’s toys

Yes, Contrast Podcast introduced me to Tim. Soon after joining in this podcasty lark I was exposed (ooer missus!) to the track I selected, his cover of Victor Scott's groovy "Gotta Go." I quickly grew to realise that Young Tim is a man of much musical talent. Indeed, have a listen to him solo over here and see him in action here. Then check out his band, Cut, over here. Oh, and he's got another one over here, called Harold's Leap. And on top of it all, he's a fine remixah produsah; his fantastic version of "Titties" by the band Trucks won their remix competition! Yay!

Until very recently, Dearest Tim only existed behind a pixellated cyberveil woven out of mp3s, e-mails, blogposts, and Skype messages. But when the opportunity arose to engineer a meeting with him during my recent stopover in London, I seized it. So there I was, about ten days ago, standing in front of Heathrow Terminal 1, and up drove Tim, in the flesh, as real as you and me.

Tubeway Army - Are 'Friends" Electric? (buy here or e-here)

We had a grand old time; Tim drove me in his pimped up Escalade round the sights of Egham, the highlights of which were the building where Contrast Podcast is crafted and the garden shed in which much of Tim's musical alchemy is wrought. He even introduced me to his wonderfully charming fiance - rest assured, Dear Readers, he has ended up in fine hands! And, of course, we visited a couple of pubs and drank a spot of ale in the sunny garden of each.

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (buy here)

Over our beers, we chatted about music, real life, and, of course, the good ship Contrast Podcast and all the fantastic people who sail on her. It is indeed quite a wondefully motley crew who have chosen to board her, and I for one feel so much the richer for having signed on. It has introduced me to vast oceans of glorious music (see here for some of the treasures), and to some lovely folks as well (Dearest ZB, Dearest Nats, and Dearest Cindy, to name but three). So thank you, Dearest Contrast Podcast Friends, and thank you, Dearest Tim, for Contrast Podcast.

The Go! Team - Get It Together (buy here)

P.S. Next week's CP theme is "Best of 2007 So Far" - so get picking your tracks and submit them! You ask "How?" Well, look here.