Nerdcore For Life: (Hopefully) Final Redux
Posted on September 7th, 2010
Filed under: General,Music News,Reviews — Karl Olson @ 11:08 pm
So, my belated trip to Seattle yielded many things (including a very expensive power supply I’d like to get off my hands as I have no use for it,) but perhaps most interestingly it yielded the final DVD version of Nerdcore For Life, the documentary I was in many years ago. Now, I’d seen the film before both at STIFF2008 and PAX2008, but this was my first time seeing the final version, and I have to say, it’s a lot snappier. It’s more of a genre primer and capsule of the scene rather than capsules of the various artists, and result seems much more brisk and lively, or at least it feels that way in the first few minutes.
Alas, I still get to be the first artist to drag the film to a halt with my artist spotlight section, where I look fatter, nerdier and younger than I do now. As always, I don’t belong on TV, though really, either the documentary got a lot of spit and polish on it, or I forgot a lot of little bits that even made my section of the film somewhat faster feeling (this is a very good thing.) The other artists sections also feel a lot faster paced as well. I think some of that is that there is footage shot even after the docs originally did the festival circuit now in the film, allowing for some faster cuts and more visual info to complement the narrative. The narrative also feels, well more complete. It feels like there is a lot more performance footage in it, especially for MC Frontalot, and even without an explicit interview of him in the film, it feels like he is, as is proper, fully depicted as the godfather of the genre now. Maybe the chance to go back and tweak the film after letting that era of nerdcore fall into the background was a good thing. Oddly enough, just as all of us in the film have honed our skills and flows, some how the film has become more sharp yet smooth as well. It’s a much, much better film than what was screened at STIFF and PAX, and I also have to say, I can’t help but smile whenever I see Nursehella and I on the screen at the same time in the documentary. I will show this film to our future children.
Still, watching this film for what I would like to be the last time for a very long while, I can’t help but feel as though I’m looking back on a past life. There was this bizarre time when I was a young otaku rapper/producer, and I had suddenly had many friends and acquaintances who were on a similar track. My recent trip to this year’s PAX reminded me that I clearly still have all those friends (well, at the very least, they don’t mind humoring me,) but yet, the era where I was really on the same path as them might as well be as distant as elementary school. while I’m sure the life I’m leading now (computer science student) will ultimately feel similarly distant to me once I graduate and work for a few years, Nerdcore For Life (and to a lesser extent Nerdcore Rising,) are the only external documentation of my life, and it only feels weirder to look back on the farther away I get from it. Don’t get me wrong, NC4L is a great documentary, and you should atleast NetFlix if you’re the kind of person who reads my blog and you’ve not seen it already. For everyone who still does it and love it, you should watch it and remember your roots. For everyone who wants to do it, you should watch it and know who built the bridge you now stand upon.
For people like me, who can’t even sell an mp3 when it’s half off, well, your time is better spent studying probably. Or producing for other people. I try to do both. Except for rewatching the right bits. 😉
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Hurry Up and Wait
Posted on August 25th, 2010
Filed under: General,Music News — Karl Olson @ 1:35 am
Bad news: Stuck in Vancouver thanks to school. I must make sure the grades are good enough to let me get to take the courses I’m registered for. I need to harass the profs if not as it’s actually their problem for the most part (or their TAs.) Apologies to friends who expected me down sooner; smoke me a kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast.
Good news: Have a rough (probably finished really) rap over a Childish Gambino track from me. Lyrics after the break.
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owning up to the worst music ever
Posted on July 10th, 2010
Filed under: Music News — Karl Olson @ 7:38 pm
EDIT – Living Link Again:cuo2duo – comp1337
1. Yes, that was me.
2. Yes, it is horrible, offensive and stupid, but it’s a satire of image board culture, so it can’t be anything but those things. Think of it more through a Mark Twain perspective if you put any thought it into it. I didn’t.
2a. The instrumentals are nice though. very different for me.
3. Yes, it does mean last year I put out 119 songs.
3a. If you count writing the backings for and producing rai’s album.
3b. More than 119 if you count the c2d instrumentals separate from the album.
4. Yes, that means about half of everything I put out last year was freely available, and the rest was easily piratable.
So, you can see why I can take some time off to finish university. Not many musicians in general have ever been that prolific in that time frame, and I did so with plenty of generosity in the process. Thing a week? Try 2+.
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podcasts, performances and other stuff
Posted on June 8th, 2010
Filed under: General,Music News — Karl Olson @ 2:56 am
So, like a manufacture with an early model android phone, I’ve been bad about updating in a timely fashion. Recently, I opened for Death Star at their CD release party at the Blue Moon Tavern. I had a fun time, Death Star put on a great show, and the Seattle Geekly noted that I “effortlessly kicked out a set that I imagine most performers would happily trade a major internal organ to be able to pull off.”
Speaking of the Geekly, they also did a podcast featuring an interview with myself amongst other awesome nerd musicians.
As to the other stuff? Well, I’m taking summer courses, so I’m staying quite busy. The secondary agenda to school will be helping Nursehella do vocals for her debut record. Considering how quickly Rai’s record went once it had a similar foreground priority, I think it’s gonna go well, and go fast.
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Built In A Day
Posted on May 6th, 2010
Filed under: Music News — Karl Olson @ 10:30 pm
A little 9 song mixtape that I made today:
mix cloud
datpiff flash player
megaupload
easy share
badongo
deposit files
dat piff
upload bro
Beats featured should be familiar to many HipHop fans. Subject matter? The usual: myself, anime girls, playa haters, semiotics, etc.
Expect Ultraklystron stuff like this when I’m on break unless I’m doing work with one of my collaborators. Also, I recorded it on my netbook with dollar store earbuds. Expect the roughest mix ever.
Also, have a music “video”.
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See what satisfied customers say…
Posted on February 26th, 2010
Filed under: Music News — Karl Olson @ 11:53 am
So, Z of Hipster Please! has reviewed both Romance Language 2 and Electric Sheep. All things considered, I imagine anyone who reads Hipster Please! probably already knows about the albums, and thus have bought/pirated those albums, but if you needed the word of a critic, there you go. Truthfully, I’m kind of surprised at which songs he did and didn’t like, but par for the course perhaps.
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Just in time next week’s show
Posted on December 27th, 2009
Filed under: Music News,Videos — Karl Olson @ 9:57 pm
Video of me live specifically a nice piece of my set earlier this month at the JewelBox. Check my cool vest and accidentally half-popped collar. Oh and rapping.
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Hardcopies On Sale* For Romance Language 2
Posted on December 18th, 2009
Filed under: Music News — Karl Olson @ 5:55 pm
*=however, since I’ll be back in school as of the start of the new year, I’m pulling all hardcopy sales as of 31st of December. Also the price of the album downloads on bandcamp will go up as well.
So, I’d get while the getting is good, or really can even be got in some cases.
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Romance Language 2 Now On Sale*
Posted on November 30th, 2009
Filed under: Music News — Karl Olson @ 3:59 am
*=since I won’t be able to mail hardcopies until the 12th of December (except for pre-orders which are already on their way,) it’s online exclusive for the next couple weeks, available right here: Romance Language 2 at Bandcamp. However, where as the hardcopy will now be $14 US online, the download is $5 (or if you’d like more than that.) Skip a starbucks, buy an album.
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Ultraklystron @ Home
Posted on November 25th, 2009
Filed under: Music News,Videos — Karl Olson @ 7:47 pm
A ton of footage of me was uploaded to youtube by AlienBobZ. This allows you to enjoy a whole Ultraklystron set with out even leaving your house.
Full Disclosure
Nerdcore Life
He’s an OG
Chocolat Cay-kee
Fashionable
It’s The Beat
Surprise Suprise