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“Joe Hill” by Billy Bragg which clocks in at 8:24

Busy busy busy! It’s mid-March, I’m in Austin, TX, and South by Southwest is in full swing. Today, for example, there are at least twenty two different bands/shows I’d like to see. Tops on that list is Billy Bragg who just happens to be playing twice today. He’s long been a favorite of mine ever since I first happened upon Back to Basics in a friend’s car. Then I went and purchased The Internationale on cassette and I was sold right away, been a huge fan ever since. I’ve already seen him three times in the past, which is to say, I know he’s a fantastic entertainer and dishes out plenty of fun/educational banter. Nice songs too. Anyway, I’ve got a very full schedule today, tomorrow, and the rest of the week. Expect to read all about it in the coming days (R.E.M. and Dead Confederate last night, holy crap! check back tomorrow for coverage of it). As a result of this packed schedule we’re going to simply explore some background about this Joe Hill, who is the subject of the song that’s posted here, and try and get a bit more adventurous with next week’s 8+. EF music education? Let’s go. Read more…

Hit-or-miss: “I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes” by The Boy Least Likely To

Listen:
“I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes” by The Boy Least Likely To from The Best Party Ever

View:
Image search results for I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes - above image is from the first page of results (and was originally from HERE).
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In the recent past these songs were featured in Hit-or-miss posts:
“Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t've)?” by Buzzcocks
“I Would Work If I Could” by Brian Michael Roff And The Deer
“My Last Kiss” by The Durutti Column
“Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone” by The Walkmen
“Cosmic Dancer” by T. Rex
“I Just Called to Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder
“Stay On Your Toes” by Del Tha Funkee Homosapien
“The Queen Of Outer Space” by The Wedding Present

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM’s Hit-or-miss (and to find out just what this Hit-or-miss is) click HERE.

8+ “Year to the Day” by Van Halen

“Year to the Day” by Van Halen which clocks in at 8:35

One year ago, to the day, I took to the road with the band Goes Cube. 5 weeks, 14 state capitol buildings, 24 states visited, 22 shows played, over 8,000 plus miles. Their mission: to rock the planet, one US state at a time. My mission: to document said rocking with a bunch of cameras and steady hands. It was four guys in a Honda Odyssey versus the world. I barely knew David, Kenny, and Matt before we left for the trip, by the time we returned they were like family to me. We’d been to California (and by California I mean Bakersfield, and by Bakersfield I mean hell) and back, and we triumphed like kings.

One year later here we are again. The three kings of Cube departed just yesterday on another massive road trip. They’re off to South by Southwest in Austin, planning to bloody ears all over the US on their way to and fro. This time they’ll be doing it without me; however, I’m on a similar quest myself. An EAR FARM quest, and the entire EAR FARM staff is coming with me. Except, we won’t be rocking socks off like Goes Cube, we’ll be the ones on the receiving end of the aural hammering as we travel the southern part of the US seeing beaucoups live music and eating the best regional BBQ we can find. Hot shit innit? Read more…

Hit-or-miss: “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t've)?” by Buzzcocks

Listen:
“Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t've)?” by Buzzcocks from Buzzcocks Finest - Ever Fallen In Love?

View:
Image search results for Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t've)? - above image is from the second page of results (and was originally from HERE).
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In the recent past these songs were featured in Hit-or-miss posts:
“I Would Work If I Could” by Brian Michael Roff And The Deer
“My Last Kiss” by The Durutti Column
“Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone” by The Walkmen
“Cosmic Dancer” by T. Rex
“I Just Called to Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder
“Stay On Your Toes” by Del Tha Funkee Homosapien
“The Queen Of Outer Space” by The Wedding Present
“Powder Blue” by Ween

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM’s Hit-or-miss (and to find out just what this Hit-or-miss is) click HERE.

8+ “The Telephone Call” by Kraftwerk

“The Telephone Call” by Kraftwerk which clocks in at 8:03

From Wikipedia: “Chinese whispers or Telephone is a game in which each successive participant secretly whispers to the next a phrase or sentence whispered to them by the preceding participant. Cumulative errors from mishearing often result in the sentence heard by the last player differing greatly and amusingly from the one uttered by the first. It is most often played by children as a party game or in the playground.” Read more…

Hit-or-miss: “I Would Work If I Could” by Brian Michael Roff And The Deer

Listen:
“I Would Work If I Could” by Brian Michael Roff And The Deer from Inventory

View:
Image search results for I Would Work If I Could - above image is from the eleventh page of results (and was originally from HERE).
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In the recent past these songs were featured in Hit-or-miss posts:
“My Last Kiss” by The Durutti Column
“Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone” by The Walkmen
“Cosmic Dancer” by T. Rex
“I Just Called to Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder
“Stay On Your Toes” by Del Tha Funkee Homosapien
“The Queen Of Outer Space” by The Wedding Present
“Powder Blue” by Ween
“Good Morning, Captain” by Slint

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM’s Hit-or-miss (and to find out just what this Hit-or-miss is) click HERE.

Earfcyclopedia (Oscars Edition): Musicians as Actors

Is there any argument that music and film are perhaps the two most celebrated, recognized and lucrative forms of artistic expression in our popular culture?

Is there any argument that they also generate more arguments than all other popular artistic mediums combined?

So why then, despite our obsessive dissecting, debating, analyzing and chronicling of the two, doesn’t there exist a comprehensive list detailing the intersection of music and film? Somewhat related, are you sick of us asking rhetorical questions? Fair enough, we get it.

Less questions, more solutions! In this, our first installment of the Earfcyclopedia - just in time for the Oscars - this glaring omission within the annals of pop culture will stand no longer. We present you with a comprehensive as hell list of musicians who have crossed the line and tried their hands at acting. Sure, other reputable sources such as MTV and Rolling Stone have lamely attempted to chronicle this merging of artistic mediums, but frankly most of those lists suck.

Where’s the love for the Kristoffersons, Kowalczyks, and Kiedises of the world (and that’s just the K’s)?

After the jump, peruse our list of 110+ alphabetized names of musician actors and please feel free to add any we might’ve overlooked. As well, before the jump you’ll find lists of each of our own personal top 5 favorite musician actors. But first, some rules… Read more…

8+ “Oh Comely” by Neutral Milk Hotel

“Oh Comely” by Neutral Milk Hotel which clocks in at 8:18

Or, The Assassination of Jeff Mangum by the Coward Colin Meloy.

No, I do not think Colin Meloy is a coward; I actually like him as well as the Decemberists. The above is simply a strained haymaker aimed at timeliness, a one-two punch if you will. Punch one, right in the gut: Neutral Milk Hotel’s seminal album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea turned ten this month, what ideal fodder for this week’s 8+….except that last week was it’s actual anniversary, so perhaps then would have proven more ideal. Alas. Read more…

Hit-or-miss: “My Last Kiss” by The Durutti Column