R.I.P Isaac Hayes

From the New York Times:

Isaac Hayes, the pioneering singer, songwriter and musician whose relentless ''Theme From Shaft'' won Academy and Grammy awards, has been found dead at home. He was 65.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office says a family member found Hayes unresponsive near a treadmill on Sunday. He was pronounced dead about an hour later at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis. The cause of death was not immediately known.

Read more here.

Isaac Hayes Wikipedia Page
Isaac Hayes Official Website

Watch "Chef's Chocolate Salty Balls", one of the best of Hayes' many classic contributions as Chef to "South Park", here

(Jonathan Graef)

George Carlin: 1937-2008

This is incredibly sad news. At the age of 71, legendary comedian George Carlin has passed away. He was absolutely someone who I admired and idolized. Read more about the legendary comedian here.

I've attached two videos that I feel are the most relevant rants to today's political landscape. Keep in mind that the video above is from Carlin's special "Jammin' in New York", which was from the early-90s. Frightening that it's so relevant today, no?



(Jonathan Graef)

Israel Lopez, Inventor of the Mambo, Dies at Age 89

(Bebo Valdes and Israel "Cachao" Lopez - "Lagrimas Negras")



Israel Lopez, the Cuban bassist and composer who, along with bandleader Damaso Perez Prado, is credited with inventing the style of music known as the "Mambo", has died at the age of 89. Lopez, who was known universally by his nickname "Cachao", passed away at Coral Gables Hospital as the result of complications from kidney failure. Arguably the most important figure in Cuban music, Lopez created the style of mambo by adding an open-ended improvisation to the traditional Cuban daizon and incorporating the horns from big band.

At the top of the post, you'll find two videos of Lopez performing with fellow mambo progenitor Bebo Valdes. As a bassist, I can honestly say that Lopez had some serious chops and will be deeply missed. The fact that he was still performing well into his eighties is incredibly impressive.

Read the LA Times Obituary here.
Read the Wikipedia entry on Mambo here.

And, since this is a indie music blog and everything, there is a video of David Byrne's track "Make Believe Mambo", from his solo album Rei Momo:



Also, finally, because it seems appropriate, here's the mambo from "West Side Story":




Israel Lopez MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

RIP Robert Goulet

(Bobby Darin and Robert Goulet on "The Andy Williams Show")



(Will Ferrell doing "Robert Goulet Raps" on "Saturday Night Live")


Details here. Goulet was 73 years old. Up top is a video of Bobby Darin and Robert Goulet live on the Andy Williams and below that is a classic satirization of Goulet by Will Ferrell.

(Jonathan Graef)

Factory Records Founder Succumbs To Cancer

Download: Joy Division - "Transmission"
Download: Joy Division - "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
Download: Happy Mondays - "24 Hour Party People"
Download: Happy Mondays - "Wrote For Luck"
Download: Happy Mondays - "Jelly Bean"
Download: New Order - "Sister Ray" (Live Velvet Underground Cover)
Download: New Order - "Temptation"
Download: New Order - "Blue Monday"

From the BBC:

Anthony Wilson, the music mogul behind some of Manchester's most successful bands, has died of cancer.

The Salford-born entrepreneur, who founded Factory records, the label behind New Order and the Happy Mondays, was diagnosed last year.

The 57-year-old, also famous for setting up the Hacienda nightclub, underwent emergency surgery in January to remove a kidney.

He passed away on Friday evening in hospital.

Let's not forget that Wilson was the memorable subject of 2002's masterful 24 Hour Party People and that Factory Records was also home to a little band called Joy Division. Wilson is arguably responsible for much of modern music. Without him, there is no rave culture or goth culture or anything like that. This is monumentally sad.

Read more about Wilson here.

(Jonathan Graef)