Thinking out loud on and off since 1995

For the second volume in my little personal Back to Mine collection, I dug into my buddy Steve’s ipod and put together a “Back to My Mom’s” mix circa 1990.  This mix is a testimony to a time in my life when I didn’t know much about myself or my place in the world — but I knew that I loved beats and that its more fun to dance while partying than to sit just around.

The mix starts out with some of my favorite hip-hop tracks from that era and then moves quickly into a bunch of “Mayfield tracks” (aka stuff that we would have rocked in Tony Pegas’ basement back in the day).  Killer EBM and industrial dance stuff with some legendary electronic tracks thrown in.  The set ends with a couple of alternative classics that, although not necessarily dance tracks, seemed to always find their way on to the proverbial decks.  It’s a little slice of P.T. Flagg’s.

Enjoy!

Download Back to Mine Mark Maloney Vol 2: Back to My Mom’s Circa 1990

Tracklisting

1. Cypress Hill - Ain’t Goin Out Like That
2. Black Sheep - The Choice is Yours
3. N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
4. Depeche Mode - Behind the Wheel (Remix)
5. Depeche Mode - Behind the Wheel (L.P. Mix)
6. Microchip League - New York (Dance Floor Cut)
7. Front 242 - Headhunter, Vol 1
8. Nitzer Ebb - Join in the Chant
9. Meat Beat Manifesto - God O.D.
10. Ministry - Everyday is Halloween (Album Version)
11. New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle
12. Bollock Brothers - Harley David Son of a Bitch
13. Public Image Limited - The Body
14. The Cure - Just Like Heaven

I’ve been a big fan of the “Back to Mine” series since its inception.  Essentially, it asks famous DJs or electronic music producers to put together a mixed compilation of tracks that you’d hear at their house after a night out rather than during the night out itself.

So, I decided to put one together myself.  Just for fun.  And to express myself a little.  These are some of my favorite tunes hopefully put together in a way that makes a little sense.  Enjoy!

Download Back to Mine: Mark Maloney Volume 1 (80MB)

Tracklisting

1. Rusted Root - Send Me On My Way
2. Dave Pike - Sandunga
3. Miguel Migs - Days of Color
4. Armand Van Helden featuring Roland Clark - Flowerz
5. Follow Me (Club Mix) - Aly-Us
6. Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads
7. Warehouse - Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds
8. Neon - John Mayer
9. The Sulphur Man - Doves
10. Shaolin Satellite - Thievery Corporation
11. Seek Up - Dave Matthews Band
12. Personal Jesus (Acoustic) - Depeche Mode

Dear Friends,

After 10 years as a founding partner of no|inc, I’ve decided to leave the firm to become the new Executive Creative Director at Grassroots Enterprise in D.C. (http://www.grassroots.com). With Grassroots’ deep public policy experience, I’ll be using my creative talents “for the powers of good”.  At this point in my life, the opportunity to “do good” means a lot to me.

The decision is bittersweet, however, as I will not be involved day-to-day with my family at no|inc.  Over the past decade, we’ve done some amazing work with some amazing clients.  But most importantly, I will miss the amazing people with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working side-by-side over these years.

My last day will be Friday, May 15.  It may seem sudden…but the timing actually works out from a work flow perspective.

For those clients with whom I have open jobs, I’ll be in touch individually to explain the transition plan.

And, just in case you were wondering, no|inc is going nowhere.  The company is as strong and as creative as ever.  This move is about a new direction for me.  Plain and simple.

Cheers…and I will be in touch.

http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=46667

There seems to be an uproar regarding the Obama administration’s request that the “IHS” symbol be covered over because it was prominantly displayed in the camera shot of President Obama where he is to give a policy address.  It makes sense that this overtly religious symbol be blocked…and none of these reasons has anything to do with being anti-religious.

1. We ARE NOT a Christian nation.  We are a nation of religious freedom.  Showing preferential treatment of one religion over another is kinda the reason why this country was founded in the first place, right?
2. We’re trying to downplay this “we’re on a crusade against Muslims” thing that Bush started.  By having an overtly Christian symbol behind the president doesn’t do much to help that cause.
3. Isn’t there such a thing as separation of church and state?  Obama is the president of the United States of America and represents all Americans of all religious backgrounds.  What would the uproar be like if the symbol wasn’t Christian…but of another faith?

What’s the big deal?  Our spiritual relationships with God or whatever you decide to call it should be personal.  We can’t legislate religion or morality.  Sorry right-wingers.  That’s called theocracy.

Really good video on the nature of (and misperceptions about) openmindedness.

I’m not an atheist. In fact, I believe that there is an ultimate reality and that I am subservient to/a part of this reality. You can call it what you will. I call it God…but realistically, I don’t know what it is. So, I guess I’m agnostic.

Either way, I am openminded. Even after watching this video.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LK939777.htm

According to Reuters, a rabbit told Israeli field troops

…”we are the Jewish people, we came to this land by a miracle, God brought us back to this land and now we need to fight to expel the gentiles who are interfering with our conquest of this holy land,”

Frreal?  Seriously?  C’mon now.  Frreal?

For fuck’s sake…how about we starting loving and helping each other.  Didn’t God say that?

Of course not.  Because that would upset the deeply engrained religious power structure.

Shit like this really burns me up.  Its as radical as “those crazy Muslims” but we can’t say that because they are “our friends”.  Whack jobs are fuckin’ whack jobs…Jewish, Muslim, Christian…whatever.  But to have whack jobs dictating public policy and military decisions is asinine.

If so, then why are self-reported religious people disproportionately using life-supporting technologies when they have no chance of recovery?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/18/cancer.God.religion/index.html

Sounds like nothing but plain old fear to me. Guess these people aren’t as sure as they claim to be.

http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13226725

Sounds like reality isn’t just a figure of our imaginations.  Which, I suppose, it a good thing.  But quantum mechanics is buckwild.  I mean, really buckwild.  Smashes all preconceived notions…alters our sense of reality.

And, for all intents and purposes, seems like the most viable model of reality.

Craziness.

Economists see deeper recession, upturn starting this year - Feb. 23, 2009.

Good to hear that at least someone is predicting a bottom to this damned thing.  I’ll take that as a positive sign.

This was originally posted as a note my Facebook…inspired by a meme brought to my attention by Al Yukna.  It was alot of fun…and thought that it deserved archiving here as well.

I’m putting them in order of “when I first discovered them” because “life context” is important.

01) Michael Jackson - Thriller
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(album)
The coolest thing that a third grader had ever heard. It was ubiquitous.

02) Prince - Purple Rain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_rain
Manuel Sampedro’s sister took him and I to see it at the Strand Theater in Dundalk…and we were only eleven (that shit was rated R). I was physically moved (pun intended) by Apollonia…and Prince’s music. Later, I discovered how truly remarkable a musician he is.

03) Licensed to Ill - Beastie Boys
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licensed_To_Ill
Eighth grade - the combination of beats, the three different voices, and the sexual innuendo were enough to keep that tape in my knock-off Walkman at all times.

04) Follow the Leader - Eric B. and Rakim
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Follow_the_Leader_(Eric_B._and_Rakim_album)
Freshman year. Ryan Heidel. Learning to wrestle. Black Russell hoodie. Sup. THIS is hip-hop.

05) The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss_Me_Kiss_Me_Kiss_Me
Summer before Sophomore Year. PT Flaggs. Tony Pegas. Black and white-clad lunacy ensures.

06) Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_For_The_Masses
The “Thriller” of its genre. They sold out the frickin’ Rose Bowl and put out a live double album.

07) Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wish_You_Were_Here_(album)
Got to Calvert Hall. Toned down the black cladness…but still brought the two-step. They didn’t have Pink Floyd in my house growing up. Learned to play guitar in order to play “Wish You Were Here”. Thank fucking God for that song. I still play my guitar virtually every day.

08) Dave Matthews Band - Remember Two Things
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remember_Two_Things
This would be number one. Without it, I wouldn’t have given a fuck about the internet. Could you imagine me if I would have stayed in graduate school? Oh no. I owe this album everything. I named my frickin’ first born after it. That shit is devotion, man.

09) Sasha + John Digweed - Northern Exposure Vol 2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Exposure_2
This album was an escape when I was miserable in graduate school. I would come home, go up in the spare room in Canton, crank this, and dance in my chair while designing and building websites on the side. This album literally made my engagement happen. And we even saw Digweed in Ibiza. Insane.

10) Thievery Corporation - Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sounds_from_the_Thievery_Hi-Fi
Mike B spinning “The Blue One” and “The Red One” provided the soundtrack to my life in the years after college. Adam, Leon, Chip. Music was a part of everything that we did. And it was pretty cool when I walked into Gr8 for the “I’m still in grad school…but I’m looking to get out” interview, this album was playing. It was either fate…or I was seduced by the devil.

11) Cafe Del Mar - Volumen Cinco
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cafe_del_mar#Volume_5_.28cinco.29
Bought it at a record shop in Ibiza on the recommendation of the dood in the shop. Perfect record for what it is and represents. Madonna named it her favorite album of ‘98. Nik and I share the love for this album. It’s “ours” if you will.

12) Nuyorican Soul - Nuyorican Soul
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuyorican_Soul
The world’s best house producers collaborate with the world’s best jazz and latin musicians to create the magnus opus of house music. I am still a firm believer in latin and deep house. That shit is spiritual. Body and Soul in Central Park. That actually happened.

13) John Mayer - Inside Wants Out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Wants_Out
Acoustic guitar has been a constant in my life since “Wish You Were Here”. This dood breathes new life into the instrument. Dave Matthews’ playing gave me a similar reaction…”what the fuck is he playing? i gotta learn that!”

14) Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_in_the_Key_of_Life
Didn’t discover the whole album until I really understood music. It may be one of the best pieces ever written (and performed). Truly a work of musical genius.

15) Doves - The Last Broadcast
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Broadcast_(album)
Hadn’t gotten excited about a new band in a long, long time when I heard this. It blew me away. Three doods did this? Sulfur Man, literally, could be my favorite song of all times. That is not a lie.

Hope the descriptions weren’t too self-indulgent…but I really enjoyed doing this.