watch for the signs: tis good to be cash

A sudden serenade of awesomeness just made my whole night.  Working near Coors Field, there’s two things you can count on come game day;  lots of tipsy tramps stumbling around in their flip flops, and the “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” flute guy.  His roost is right outside our building, and his ad-nauseum repetition of that one song, for hours before each game, has been known to drive several of my co-workers to distraction.  And leaving early.

Tonight, rounding the building on a nicotine fueled break?

He spots me.

Probably half a block up.

He stops his usual song, midway through.  Smiles, says “Yeah!” and breaks into a gorgeous rendition of one of my all time jazz favorites;  Dave Brubeck’s seminal “Take Five”.

I stayed for the whole number.  This, dear friends and readers, is Cash Life at its most random, and best.

Thanks, ball park flute man.

Watch Now:  Dave Brubeck, Take Five, 1966

happy birthday, ms easy, happy birthday to you

This Saturday night, celebrate the birth of a living legend.  Ms Easy. Denver’s own agent provocateur , world famous go-go dancer, and all around ‘it girl’.  Just back from Paris, she’s sure to shock the house with an unbelievable performance.  MC Flipside is playing a special set, just for her, and Beta Nightclub ( the #1 club in America) becomes wonderland in honor of our favorite neon pink haired Alice.

Be there, or off with your heads!

the most beautiful sound in the world…

…used to sneak up on me all the time.  Back when I was a kid.  I’d hear it in the chilly basement of my parent’s tiny suburban house.  Back then, I found it soothing; almost hypnotic.  Nowadays I realize it was so much more.  Helpful.  Important.  Sublime.

What was it?  Read more

i heart “pink heart camp”

I’ve always viewed Burning Man with a mixture of fascination and terror.  It’s intriguing.  A flash bomb city of art, hope, and expression exploding into view on the desert floor.  A temporary nexus of pure, unbridled freedom.  An oasis of optimism and innovation.

A lot of naked dudes.

With dongs-a-danglin.

It’s also hell on earth, elementally speaking.  Triple digit temperatures.  Vicious sandstorms.  Freezing nights.

Here’s the thing.  I’m a bitch.  More or less.  As appealing as so many aspects of BRC are to me, I don’t know how I’d survive.

Unless? Read more

cash @ coachella: tips, tricks, and helpful glow sticks

The best idea my marvelous girlfriend’s ever had?  Coachella, 2010.  I was hesitant at first.  The expense alone (3 day tickets were $325 with fees) was daunting to say the least.  Thankfully, she refused to give up.  She was persistent.  Annoying.  Unstoppable.  Atta girl.  I have plenty of things to thank her for over the year we’ve been together.  Few can come close to the musical mind fuck of delight that was our adventure in Indio.

There were a lot of firsts involved.  It was our first festival together.  Our first out of state trip together.  Our first Coachella(s) period.  We did our best to prepare.  Coachella forums?  Read.  Online research?  Complete.  We also asked for advice from friends who’d been.  Their suggestions were helpful, but hardly complete.

The trip was educational to say the least.  We learned some lessons the hard way.

Hoping to help future (fellow) Coachella attendees, I give you;

CASH’S 13 TIPS FOR A KICK ASS COACHELLA

1)  DRIVING - DON’T DO IT

If you have more than 750 miles to travel?  Fly.  Reviewing options for our next Coachella adventure, I figured out a flight from Denver to Ontario (about 1.5 hours from Indio) would have been $200 round trip.  Renting a car there and driving to the campsite would have saved us a lot of time (28 hours!!) and even more sanity.  If you insist on a road trip; Read more

hipsters, start your orgasms

Daft Punk Vs. Gorillaz?  Oh.  My.  Freaking.  Gawd.  I originally planned this as a “mashup wtf?” piece (see here) but then realized… there’s no “WTF?” involved.  The brilliance behind bringing these two tracks together is simply..  beyond…  words.

Boyhollow, I’m looking at you.

If this hasn’t been featured @ Lipgloss or Scumbag Sundays already?  What the hell man?  Seriously. 

hugs,
cash

oh, you mean that “mc flipside”…

One of the most infuriating Cash Peeves ever?  A disappointing set from a dj I know and love.  (Benny Benassi, this means you.  To make it up to me? You best plan on bringin it @ Coachella).  On the other hand?  One of the most divine pleasures in all of Cash Life.  A dj set that DE-MUTHA-FUKKIN-STROYS from some guy I’ve never heard of.  Or was too dumb to realize I’d heard of at least.

Such was certainly the case on a Read more

the most important lyric in the history of the world

Some people baffle me.  Amongst them?  The song-lyric-non-consider..ers.  These are people who respond to music based purely on the ‘vibe’ of the song.  The overall sound.  The tone.  The mood.  The way the words and melody mesh.. but not the words themselves.  Me?  I’m a lyrics guy, pure and simple.  If the lyrics are intelligent, emotional, important in some way, to me?  I love the song.  Rarely is my appreciation of an artist, album, or individual track separate from my adoration of the wordsmithing inherent within.  I have many heroes in this regard; Read more

mashup wtf: kanye west vs radiohead

“Mashup wtf”, where Cash digs deep to find the strangest freaking combo platters of music you can imagine.

There are very few Kanye West songs I know.  There are even fewer Kanye West songs I like.  “Love Lockdown” is a rare exception.  Intelligent, sullen yet defiant lyrics about a tainted relationship gone bad.  A funky, soulful vibe that finds a strange halfway point between electro and rnb.  A touch of vocoder.  Oh, it’s good to begin with.

Some great remixes of the track only sweeten the deal. (LMAFO’s take is ridiculous).

The craziest thing I’ve ever heard done with it?

DJ Earworm’s “Reckoner Lockdown”; a pitch perfect mash-up of Kanye and Radiohead’s “Reckoner”.

It’s just..  weird. (ly) good.

Props to Kanye for this Cash Approved line too:

“You broke my heart
into a million pieces
I can’t love you
But I can fuck you
until you call me Jesus…”

Such a humble lad, that one.

this post is part of a series - read part 1 here

the wisdom of flatliners

In high school, I was the lead singer / songwriter for a synth pop band.  We performed original songs in the vein of early Depeche Mode, and even had one cover; Ministry’s “Stigmata” (with help from our friend Redbeard Dave on guitar).  We played three shows.  The biggest and best by far was Read more

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