Adding yet another item to the list of reasons I wish I lived in the UK, Blur announced a few days ago that they will be reuniting for London’s Hyde Park gig next July. While I realize that many here in the States will probably greet that news with a response along the lines of, “What, that ‘Woo-hoo’ band is getting back together – who cares?”, there was actually quite a bit more to Blur than their US hit, “Song 2.”

The band, who haven’t played a show as a four-piece since 2000, was at the forefront of the mid-90s Britpop scene. The combination of Graham Coxon’s guitar work and Damon Albarn’s uncanny ability to nail the mundanity of suburban culture in his lyrics was magic at times and definitely one of the key influences in my life-long affair with Britpop.

So, in honor of Blur’s reunion let’s take a look back one of my favorite videos, 1994’s “Parklife.” Featuring a guest appearance by Quadrophenia’s Phil Daniels, this was the esscence of Blur at the time – funny, clever, and catchy as all hell. (Plus, in 6th grade I had a huge crush on Damon and I think this video had a lot to do with it…)

Franz Ferdinand chose a pretty unique way to introduce the first single from their upcoming release, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand. Instead of simply releasing “Ulysses,” the band opted to put it out first in individual pieces to be downloaded by those entering a remix contest hosted by Beatportal. By not allowing anyone to hear the original track first, the band hoped to get some truly unique mixes. The winner will have their track released by Domino Records.

Sifting through the numerous entries posted at Beatportal will reveal some pretty interesting stuff, as well as quite a few remixes that sound like every “club mix” you’ve ever heard in your life. At Blendetta, we’re particularly partial to one by newcomer The Perry, whose haunting take on the song is one of the most unique on the site. Check it out here – and if you dig it, be sure to click “spin this” to vote (You have to log in first, but it only takes a few seconds to register for free).

When a film writer bases a script on a novel, it often sits somewhere between his own ideas and those of the original author. Take, for instance, a movie like “10 Things I Hate About You,” which recreated Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew as a modern teen romantic comedy. Hardly Shakespeare’s original intention, but it can’t be completely credited to the new writers either.

The same concept can be applied to certain songs. We’ll call them “reinterpretations” – songs that aren’t exactly originals, but are something more than covers. Let’s take a look at 10 artists who used older songs to create something new from their own unique perspectives. (more…)

“Girl! I wanna take you to a gay bar.”

With that immortal opening line, Electric Six both garnered their biggest hit and assured their future failure. You see, there is nothing worse for the longevity of a band than starting a career with a novelty hit — it’s almost a guaranteed ticket to one hit wonderland. Think about it: Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy,” Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back,” Nada Surf’s “Popular” — all songs that were major hits, but were too quirky, funny, or generally off the wall to let the bands break free from their goofball shackles.

And the truth is, most bands that begin with a novelty hit will take a few more stabs at another success and then fade into obscurity. However, in the five years following debut album Fire, Electric Six pulled out four more records — most of which were actually pretty effin awesome. While their first album was mostly dancefloor fun, later work became more genre spanning, and, as a lyricist, singer/principal songwriter Dick Valentine proved he had something of a knack for cultural satire. (more…)

Most musical artists change somewhat throughout their careers. (Unless, of course, you’re AC/DC.) Names like Madonna and David Bowie usually come to mind when thinking of the music industry’s chameleons, but there are many others who’ve made significant changes, both in look and sound. Read on for a list of 10 current artists who’ve completely transformed themselves for both the better…and the worse. (more…)