New
Toro Y Moi
Music video on Urban Outfitter's blog:
Plus you can stream the new album and read a shorty interview with Chadwick.
[Rad-wick.]
I hope this is okay. I really don't want to get in trouble, but I had to have a photo to accompany this blog post. Right?
Go check out their bog to see a ton of great photos, hear songs, and watch videos <3)
I actually met Toro Y Moi for a brief minute last summer. Let me explain...
I've been shopping for clothes, art books, and misc. accessories at Urban Outfitters since the [re-made vintage, sometimes snobbish hipster] store first came into existence, when I was living in southern California in high school. (Sorry to sort of ever so qslightly be slandering UO if you like it or work there and sorry to bring it up at all if you don't care for it -- I know that people can be very opinionated about this store. I've gotten quite a bit of attitude from some of their employees at times, but some of their employees are way cool, and you have to admit, they carry some rad shit. I spend my money there anyways. And on the flip side, they have 5-10 free song downloads every Monday with some AMAZING musicians. So don't think too hard about it.) I started shopping online with them for their decent girly clothing sales and realized that they started coming out with free downloadable soundtracks once in a while, with some songs that they play in the stores. There were often a few pretty great songs and new artists that I hadn't heard of on their soundtracks. I discovered a lot of great bands this way and continue to spend many hours dancing alone in my room to these tunes.
"Blessa" by Toro Y Moi came on one of the spring/summer soundtracks and I immediately fell in love. My friend gave me an extra ticket to see the band Caribou with her in San Francisco, during the summer of 2010. I had already seen Caribou before and loved their music, so I was way down to see them again. The day before the show was actually the day I was first exposed to Toro Y Moi and it turns out they were opening for Caribou. I was stoked to say the least.
After seeing both bands, totally blissing out on the radical tunes and dancing my feet to the beats, I stuck around the venue to say hello and thank you to the bands while they were taking their equipment off the stage. I handed out some doreykronick.com stickers and smiled uncontrollably while speaking with the musicians. I love musicians...
Turns out Chadwick is also a Graphic Designer and only 24 years old (errr 23 at the time). The rest of his band is all about the same age. Heyyooo, that's my age too. Sweet. After being inspired and stoked to meet everyone, I went home and bought the album online and blasted it really loudly in my room and on my ipod for months while making art, biking to the beach, riding the Muni, etc. I'm excited that they're gaining some momentum in the industry and really drawing in a solid crowd. Gosh they're so cute... sparks flying all over the place. Too bad they probably get plenty of female attention as it is. I'll just have to enjoy them from a distance.
On a side note, the band of boys that I presently live with in San Francisco is still wonderful, inspirational, and magical:
BATTLEHOOCH
(From left to right: Grant, Tom, Pat, Ben, Ryan, and AJ. Mmmmhhhmmm, I simultaneously have crushes on all of them.)
They've been compiling and editing all of their favorite footage from their adventures on their epic U.S. desolation tour, blogging, making new music videos, and sharing their written documented experiences all over the web. I've been very excited to see and hear about their travels, the people they met, the crowds they attracted, the places they saw, the things they did, and the overtly whacky, personalized stories that go along with all of their journeys around the states.
My favorite music video from the tour is from their visit in Florida:
Watch "Honest" by Battlehooch
(((Also, on BATTLEHOOCH.com you can see all the other rad Desolation Videos under "What's New with Battlehooch" --- Desolation Show link --- which several of our close friends helped make, produce, edit, and put together. Thanks friends! Man, we're lucky to have such a talented and genius group of giving friends that support us all and our crazy endeavors. You can also see their other fun hangout videos and read about their tour @ the BATTLEHOOCH blog.)))
Speaking of Battlehooch -- I am so fucking lucky to know these guys. They're some of the best friends I have ever had. The group of eclectically-musically-talented and ridiculously-creative-thinking boys are not only some of the most quirky, entertaining people I know, that constantly make me laugh, smile, and remember the reason for my own existence -- but they're also some of the sweetest, most caring, genuine, thoughtful, humane, kind, and handsome dudes in San Francisco -- hands down. I don't know that I've ever lived in a household as loving and miraculous as this one. Not a single day goes by that I don't think about how incredible it is to have such amazing and true friends. Love seriously exudes out of my pores for these homies. I'm not psychic, but I foresee a very bright and fulfilling future for these guys as a band, and as human beings, as a whole.
Thank you for being true friends and sources of inspirations to myself, all of our friends, and 20-something year old kids all over the Bay Area (and now the rest of the U.S., and soon, hopefully, Europe) Battlehooch. I mean that from the bottom of my paint-filled heart.
I'll be a fan until the day I die.
Piecechow for life.
See Battlehooch on Feb. 25th, 2011 @ Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco for Noise Pop.
Heeeyyyoooo, they were even featured on the Upper Playground blog/site, see the photos taken at our house and at the beach, down the street from our house here.
(Ben blowing Grant's gorgeous hair in our living room with my dirty Vornado fan, while
Ryan sniffs a candle on the couch behind them, and Tombo checks his phone. The artwork behind is by me [left, middle], Ryan [right, top], and then me + Dave Teichner [bottom, right -- appearing next to Grant's head.)
In terms of my own career in art and graphic design, I'll be designing a line of holiday cards for Tiny Prints designs (to see their site, click here). I'll be doing Mother's and Father's Day cards. What would you want to tell your mom on Mother's Day? Or show her in a picture/graphic? Ideas are welcome to help the inspiration process! I'd love to hear your thoughts.
My friends and I need to start our own Bay Area creative collective.... We all know way too many talented creative people with fabulous skills and knowledge to offer. How can we make this happen? Someone help! I have a plethora of sparkling ideas and I don't know how to get them all out into the physical world by myself.
And finally, a great quote for today, "Music is what feelings sound like," -- Unknown.
