The New Division: Electronic Production Crew

The New Division are not only a Southern California band with their own twist on the Depeche Mode/New Order redux that is going on right now, they are a group of talented guys with an interest in all forms of electronic music. Solo productions, remixes both by the band and its individual members, and DJ gigs add to the electronic movement TND is building. Until their double single "True Lies/Saturday Night" drops on the 30th, content yourselves with these goodies:

The New Division Remix of Keep Shelly in Athens' "Hauntin' Me":

(or their takes on Keilan's "Dying for a Change", Phoenix's "Armistice", or Houses "Endless Spring", as well as original trance production [as GALA] "San Diego")

John Glenn (aka frontman John Kunkel) has done a couple of original prog house tracks:

(as well as remixing Phoenix's "Countdown" and Keep Shelly in Athens' "Hauntin' Me", among others)

Vaab (aka programmer Janzie) just picked up a Top 40/House club residency with this audition minimix:

(in addition to remixing John Glenn's "Naia", Short Circuit's "Late Night Drive", The New Division's "Art Kraft", and producing a few original tracks)

For the original tracks, check out:
Phoenix
Keep Shelly in Athens
Short Circuit
Keilan
Houses photo courtesy of Aerial Noise

John Glenn Remixes

John Glenn (aka John Kunkel, frontman of The New Division) has been doing some great remix work that fits nicely with his band's material more generally. The late-night "intelligent dance music" vibes I praised on The Rookie EP here get applied to hits by other electronic bands, specifically Phoenix and Toro y Moi. Enjoy! Catch the latter back in Philly at 1st Unitarian on April 12th courtesty of R5.

My Remixes

Those of you who have heard me DJ may have been lucky enough to hear one or two of my exclusive edits of various tracks. I just got a Soundcloud, so here are my first and most recent remixing efforts for your listening/downloading enjoyment:
Lollipop [Foxy Remix] by thefoxandthehound Like A G6 [Foxy Remix] by thefoxandthehound

Blink-182 Reunion: Part One - Travis Barker

In the light of the recent announcement of a Blink-182 reunion at the Grammy's, I thought it would be interesting to explore what the members have been doing with their time since the band went on hiatus in 2005. Since there are 3 band members, this will be a 3 part series.
Since he has been arguably the most visible member of the band, I decided to start with Travis Barker. Originally the drummer for The Aquabats, Travis joined Blink-182 in 1998 between their first commercially successful album Dude Ranch and their most successful album Enema of the State.

While a member of Blink-182, he participated in "Dischord emo/post-hardcore" influenced side project with Tom DeLonge called Box Car Racer and the hip-hop and dub influenced Transplants with Tim Armstrong of Rancid.

After Blink-182 broke up, he and Mark Hoppus formed +44, an alternative-influenced pop punk band with electronic elements that had been absent from Blink-182. +44 still theoretically has another album in pre-production since May or July of '08. He also founded LaSalle Records and expanded his Famous Stars & Straps clothing line. Outside of music, he had an MTV reality show called Meet the Barkers with his then-wife and former Miss USA and Playmate Shanna Moakler.

Barker has done a lot of hip-hop material since the Blink-182 breakup, including the Expen$ive Ta$te group/mixtape with rapper Paul Wall (who also did a chopped'n'screwed version of the Transplants album) and Skinhead Rob (also of the Transplants), his amazing free mixtape and tour with DJ AM as TRVS DJAM(which included backing all the artists at the VMAs and the much-publicized plane crash sometimes credited as a catalyst for the Blink reunion), remixes of Bubba Sparxxx, Pharrell (of N.E.R.D. and the Neptunes), Rich Boy, the Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, Soulja Boy, the Federation, Flo Rida, Busta Rhymes, The Game, Bun B (of UGK, RIP Pimp C), Wale and most recently Jay-Z, as well as production work for T.I.

On a more pop level, he has also played drums for Pink and Avril Lavigne. I'm just wondering how much of these influences will be incorporated into any new Blink-182 material. Obviously I don't think Blink should become a rap-rock band, but the hip-hop aesthetic might creep in, and I don't think that would be a bad thing. Travis's connections in the hip-hop world could also make for interesting guest spots and remix possibilities (a chopped'n'screwed Blink album?). Just throwing that out there...

Here's some links to give you a taste of what that might sound like:
Expen$ive Ta$te mixtape
DJ AM mixtape (amazing! tracks from Johnny Cash, Public Enemy, M.I.A., Led Zeppelin)
Travis Barker remixes

Watch this video of the Soulja Boy remix: