#0080 – Flower Power

Those guys were awesome, and while there’s hardly a tune on this mix that was played there, every ounce of aggression is put out to the universe with love for my coworkers past and present, and Flower Power

"Death Blooms"

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This mix is in long dedication to the best coffeeshop in Amsterdam, Flower Power.  The bartender/owner named Bas (Sebastian — “bas”) developed a strong rapport with Suzy and me by being a dive bar/coffeeshop that poured a good beer and cranked metal and hip hop, and didn’t mind that we were Americans who didn’t know shit about shit.  We frequented it almost everyday as it was right around the corner of of the flat we rented, and they’d seek us out to come in for a pint even when Suzy wanted us to go to a museum.  Even though they were usually closed on Sundays, they opened up especially for us on our last day in the ‘Dam.

The first time I heard 50 Cent was at Flower Power.  The bar patrons and I would also sing in chorus the entire Black Sunday album by Cypress Hill (this dude from Germany shouting out “pretty insane; got no brain” will stick in my head for all time).  We’d headbang to Aenima by Tool.  This came at the nadir of the first wave of my lessons in brutality, as I was schooled on the glory of metal and aggression from my co-workers, peers and friends Dan, Justin and Dustin.

Those guys were awesome, and while there’s hardly a tune on this mix that was played there, every ounce of aggression is put out to the universe with love for my coworkers past and present, and Flower Power.  Respect, brothers and sisters.

And hey, if you happen to be a patron past or current near Rozengracht, please give a shout back.  Those guys, as well as Kjetil, our host and landlord, made those two weeks the most awesome vacation ever.

And now… for all the hate you can muster, and a little extra to punch a Yak.

  • Static-X – Wisconsin Death Trip
  • Lacuna Coil – Our Truth
  • Soundgarden – Outshined
  • Mudvayne – Death Blooms
  • Disturbed – Stupify
  • Mastodon – Colony of Birchmen
  • Tool – Aenima
  • The Dillenger Escape Plan (with Mike Patton) – Pig Latin
  • American Head Charge – Just So You Know
  • Coal Chamber – Big Truck
  • Corrosion of Conformity – Clean My Wounds
  • System of a Down – Know
  • Rob Zombie – Superbeast
  • Snake River Conspiracy – How Soon Is Now?
  • Pantera – Cowboys From Hell
  • Machine Head – Message in a Bottle
  • Godsmack – Whatever
  • Fear Factory – Back the Fuck Up

#0056 – IRON DJ – Herbalism

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Iron Deejay

…in which I take you on a trip… through the mind, inner space and time itself.  In the past few weeks, I’ve had the good fortune of recovering some first blog entries going back to 2003 where Suzy and I took a long-delayed honeymoon to Amsterdam for two glorious weeks.  I could regale you with my writings forever, but instead, let us take the quest to enlightenment, self-discovery as we travel through giddiness, joy, peace, love, bemusement, reflection, questioning, anxiety, paranoia, panic, anger, badassery and ultimately resolution — the kind that generally leads to three grand slam breakfast skillets at Denny’s around 2am and about 13 boxes of Nerds.

This extra-special mix includes:

  1. Electric Light Orchestra – I’m Alive
  2. Elmore James – Hawaiian Boogie
  3. Poi Dog Pondering – Living With the Dreaming Body
  4. VHS or Beta – Heaven
  5. Duran Duran – New Moon on Monday
  6. The Verve – Sonnet
  7. The High Llamas – Painters Paint
  8. The Clash – Lost in the Supermarket
  9. Gordon Lightfoot – If You Could Read My Mind
  10. Lou Reed – How Do You Think It Feels
  11. The Police – Does Everyone Stare?
  12. Soul Coughing – True Dreams of Witchita
  13. Super Furry Animals – Run! Christian, Run!
  14. Grandaddy – A.M. 180
  15. Godspeed You Black Emperor! – Kicking Horse on Broken Hill
  16. Shriekback – The Reptiles and I
  17. System of a Down – X
  18. Cypress Hill – Cock the Hammer
  19. Danger Mouse – What More Can I Say? (Jay Z / Beatles Mashup)
  20. The White Stripes – Your Southern Can Is Mine
  21. Queen – All Dead, All Dead

#0048 – File under: Milko

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Aaron Oh, Milko… this is your mix. You up and quit your job without any thought to the consequences. That is such a boss move and, as Pantera might put it, a Vulgar Display O’ Power. I will take the opportunity here to make fun of you, but realize these two things: it is done out of true love and respect for you are my friend, and you are Angelo’s favorite cousin, which makes you protected in my book; and, in all seriousness, I envy the stones you got. You laid down the gauntlet. I tip my hat to you.

  1. Pearl Jam – Life Wasted
  2. Neil Diamond – Forever In Blue Jeans
  3. Liam Finn – Wise Men
  4. Gnarls Barkley – Run
  5. Kanye West – Spaceship
  6. Rob Thomas – Lonely No More
  7. Phil Collins – I Don’t Care Anymore
  8. Billy Joel – Baby Grand
  9. Lupe Fiasco – Gotta Eat
  10. Cake – Opera Singer
  11. Shakespear’s Sister – I Don’t Care
  12. RJD2 – Ghostwriter
  13. Zeke – Downpayment Blues
  14. System of a Down – F**k the System

#0016 – File under: Rage

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This week’s mix is loud, explicit and angry. If that doesn’t sound like you, do yourself a favor and listen back to Episodes #12 and #13 for some lighter fare. If however, you are a bitter person with unrelenting anger in your heart… well, then listen on brothers and sisters. This weeks mix includes Pantera, Coal Chamber, Cypress Hill, Dope, Notorious B.I.G., Anthrax, Disturbed, System of a Down (and the Wu-Tang Clan), One Minute Silence, Trailer Hitch, Mushroomhead, Machine Head, Nothingface, Mudvayne, Drowning Pool, Slayer, Rage Agasint the Machine, Sevendust and 50 Cent.

This mix is dedicated to Matt Cafasso and Justin Watkins. Rage… we’re all sorry for the hurt you hide inside your wounded soul… and Justin, Happy Birthday, brother. Maybe this year, you’ll be able to finally grow that mustache.

*Note: Most of my love for metal was nurtured by Watkins and O’Connell and further encouraged by a Mr. Foss.

#0010 – File under: Chicago, Party

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Part deux of a two-part theme music set, this asskicking mix will get you ready for some straight-up g’n. We’re including harder but fun-as-shit tracks by the Gza, Ghostface Killah, Method Man and Redman, Corrosion of Conformity, DJ Danger Mouse and Jay-Z, Eric B. and Rakim, Run DMC, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Chevelle, Tool, System of a Down, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Röyksopp and the Beastie Boys. Tell your crew to be easy, peoples.