Archive for the ‘Nerds’ Category
History: Veronica Vasicka (2010)
Founder of NY-based revivalist label Minimal Wave talks about her work.
Herself a diamond in the rough, Veronica’s pirate radio station-turned-label has fittingly refocused attention on some spectacular, mostly unknown or forgotten artists. Beyond reissues, Veronica’s bringing to light new talent with a penchant for stripped down, analog sounds, like Medio Mutante.
SCHEMATIC: An interview with Ford Models and a link to the Minimal Wave Facebook group… Read the rest of this entry »
Robot Rock du Jour: Disk Drive + Printer Singing
These folks take nerd music to a totally new level.
SCHEMATIC: More tonal nonsense from highly unlikely heroes and heroines… Read the rest of this entry »
Robot Rock du Jour: Daft Punk – Derezzed (2010) (TRON: Legacy)
TRON: Legacy + Daft Punk. Full coverage of the original film and remake soon.
End of line…
Snort: Sesame Street – Yip Yip Martian Radio
Robot Rock du Jour: Marcello Giombini – I Adore Commodore (198?)
Italian film composer and experimental synth maestro Giombini put up this track sometime in the early 1980s as a promo for the Commodore 64. I wonder if this video somehow inspired the seminal film, Weird Science?
SCHEMATIC: Cuts from Giombini’s landmark 1981 LP Astromusic Synthesizer…
Robot Rock du Jour: Futurisk – Player Piano LP (2010)
Hot off the press!!!
Aptly-named revival label Minimal Wave has compiled Futurisk‘s entire catalog and pressed it on collector-quality 180g vinyl, including this alternate take of their signature track, Meteoright. Destined to be a collectible. At $22, you’d be crazy not to pick one (or two) up.
SCHEMATIC: Need more Futurisk videos??? Get your fix HERE!!!
Dans La Rue: Bay Area Maker Faire 2010
The Maker Faire is like an engineer’s craft show on acid. There’s dudes riding around in go-carts that look like cupcakes, sixty-year-olds playing Jules Verne in the Steam Punk pavilion and lots of fire. This first video features Mark Galt’s intoxicating “Quadruped” kinetic sculpture at the Bay Area Maker Faire in May 2010.
SCHEMATIC: More videos and photos from Maker Faire 2010…
Robot Rock du Jour: Thomas Dolby – Windpower (1982)
The future was indeed 1982. Nerd of nerds Thomas Dolby laid out “Windpower” on his seminal LP The Golden Age of Wireless, which featured the über hit She Blinded Me With Science. This song is an intellectual call to arms; a utopian nerd manifesto. If anyone wants to build a new city (or take over a cool one like Denver) I’m IN!
SCHEMATIC: Two more versions and inspiring lyrics…
Robot Rock du Jour: Kraftwerk – Ruckzuck (1970)
Are you kidding me???!!! This song is ridiculous. It is shocking to me how many people who LOVE Kraftwerk have never even heard this song. Just in case there was ANY doubt in your mind as to the genius of these boys from Düsseldorf, this lead song off their 1970 eponymous debut album should clear it up.
I spent two hours combing youtube for every worthwhile version of this song including two additional live performances. One is from Germany in 1975 and the other is a pre-Kraftwerk (Organisation) performance complete with…congas!!! Each offers a unique glimpse into the inner nerd.
SCHEMATIC: V-I-D-E-O-S…
Documentary: Robert Moog (2004)
“I think it would be egotistical of me to say, ‘I thought of it.’ What happened is, I opened my mind up and the idea came through…and into my head.”
- Robert Moog (which, btw, is pronounced “Mohg”)
This documentary is available for puchase on 
for $9.99.