Music » Spin Off Stuff | Spins & Needles Blog

Launch of a Label

Mar 132013

If you read this post earlier this year, you’ll know that we had some exciting stuff up our sleeves for 2013.

So… we can’t keep it a secret any longer…we’re super excited to announce that we are launching an online independent record label as of this month!

We’ve been talking about this dream project for a while. And then working hard over the last 3-4 months to actually implement it. For each compilation, we’ll be selecting some of the freshest and funkiest tracks from our favourite DJs and producers. Each compilation will also feature an album cover designed by us.

> You can download the first compilation on our Bandcamp page. For blog readers and Spins & Needles fans, downloads are available for free until March 20.

Why start an online independent label? We wanted to express our interest and passion for music, design, DIY and indie labels in a different way, in addition to our local events. Something that could be easily shared by our friends and fans in different cities. Making culture accessible, while still being true to quality of underground roots and independent spirit.

We also wanted to create opportunities for new and upcoming producers, who could contribute and showcase their work as part of a collection of tracks, get some distribution and hopefully some plays from other DJs.

And with Jason being a DJ, track selector and record collector since his teen years, an online label just made sense.

> We’ll be down in Miami from March 21-25 for the Winter Music Conference. Let us know if you’ll be down there as well! Jason will be playing tracks from the first compilation at two parties that week.

Posted by spins & needles on March 13, 2013 Music, spins & needles No Responses »

Collect/Select: Vinyl 1.0

Feb 282013

We’re excited to be starting a new series here on the blog called Collect/Select, highlighting LPs from Jason’s huge and eclectic vinyl collection. Every couple of weeks or so, he’ll search his record shelves to share some of his favourite choice cuts. The criteria? Amazing music, great album cover design, analog style. Here’s the first in the series.

Group: Cabaret Voltaire
Album Title: Voice of America

Based in Sheffield, UK, Cabaret Voltaire took their name from the famous Zurich nightclub of the same name that was the center of the Dadaist art movement in the early 20th Century. The Cabs sound is a mix of post-punk, industrial and electronic dance music. This early work – Voice of America still has some of their punky edge (guitars, political samples and raw vocals) that became more refined in later releases when they signed to majors like Virgin records in the 1908s.

>> Listen In: Jason recently played tracks from this LP on two radio shows, focused on experimental music and mixes: Guest Mix on Modular_Systems radio show with DJ Cyan > Radio Mix – CKUT “Machine Malfunction” edition of Lady Mary and her Friends radio show > Radio Selections – CKCU

Posted by spins & needles on February 28, 2013 Music No Responses »

Neon Vinyl

Feb 122013

Here’s a sneak peak at a new series we’re launching on the blog next week! Design + music + vinyl = yes.

Posted by spins & needles on February 12, 2013 Design, Graphic Design, Music No Responses »

End of Year Playlist for Your Listening Enjoyment

Jan 252011

Slinky Mix (Aka Seb's B Day Mix 2010) by Jasonskilz on Mixcloud

And we’re back! Spins & Needles has been on a wee hiatus for the last few weeks, away on holidays (more on that later) and hunkering down from the cold (it’s -30 – that’s right minus – degrees here in eastern Canada!) In the meantime for your listening and making enjoyment, here’s a mix from resident Spins & Needles DJ Jason Pelletier: a birthday mix created for our crazy friend Seb a few weeks ago!

Tracklisting:

1. Steed Lord – Dirty Mutha (Crookers Mix)
2. Beware + Motorpitch – El Toro (Hennessy Mix)
3. The Martin Brothers – Duck Face
4. Round Table Knights – Short Cut to the Top (Payme vs. Made to Play mix)
5. Riva Starr – I Was Drunk
6. Jesse Rose – Non Stop (Riva Starr + Olivier $ rmx)
7. Duck Sauce – Barbara Streisand
8. The Revenge – Forever in their Debt
9. Highbloo – My Orkestar
10. Andy Cato – Bassline Track
11. TEED – Garden (Jesse Rose Remix)
12. Tiga – Shoes (Green Velvet Remix)
13. Crookers – Embrace the Martian feat. Kid Cudi (Seiji Booty Remix)

Posted by spins & needles on January 25, 2011 Music No Responses »

Top 10 Music Picks for August 2010

Aug 162010

Hey all! Spin Off Stuff will now be featuring music picks from Spins and Needles resident DJ Jason Pelletier each month. Check out his new blog and MySpace page for upcoming events, info and to download funky/jackin’ house mixes.

Enjoy!

–

Here’s this month’s funky/jackin’ house music picks:

Top 10 – Aug. 2010

1. Sonny Fodera & Inland Knights – Typewriter (Inland Knights Remix) / Drop Music
2. Freaky Behaviour – World Famous / Ficus Tree
3. Funk Mediterraneo – Mr. Pull / Mighty Perverts
4. Isaac Fresco – Foxtrot / Guesthouse
5. Dave Allison – Trade Off / Kinjo
6. Ugur Project – Locked Grooves / Smoke City
7. Erik Bo – New Jacker / Funk Mansion
8. The House Inspectors – A-Town Jazz / Guesthouse
9. The Jackeens – Plastic Bert / Flatpack Traxx
10. Giom – In Love (Pete Dafeet) / Lost My Dog

Posted by jason on August 16, 2010 Music, spins & needles No Responses »

Rainy Rocking Weekend In Montreal: Part 1 – Mutek

Jun 092010

The boy and I headed over to Montreal last Friday for an inspiring weekend of music, dancing, design and craft. We checked out two festivals happening at the same time : the 11th annual Mutek (an international festival of digital creativity and electronic music) and Spring Pop (specifically the Puces Pop sale – more on that in another post).

Montreal, city of festivals, how I missed thee – despite the horrible rain on Sunday and therefore ruining a pair of my fave shoes.

Here’s some photos from Saturday at Mutek:

Piknik Electronique @ Parc Jean-Drapeau

Between Sets @ SAT

Senor Coconut and His Orchestra, Free Concert @ Place des Festivals

Move D @ Metropolis

Konque @ Metropolis

Henrik Schwarz @ Metropolis

One of my favourite acts was the Senor Coconut and His Orchestra show – Senor Coconut (aka legendary German producer Uwe Schmidt) is known for mixing Kraftwerk singles with Latin styles such as the Cha-Cha-Cha, Merengue, and Cumbia, or eletrolatin music. Here’s a video clip from that night from Youtube:

Posted by spins & needles on June 9, 2010 Exploring The World, Music, Out of Town Happenings No Responses »

Halifax: Long Live the Queen Festival and Other To-Dos

May 312010

What’s the best way to spend Victoria Day long weekend? Go to an art, DIY and music festival that celebrates the Queen.

We spent the last leg of our Maritime adventures in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We arrived from Moncton via train, spent the evening at a club where the boy DJed and did some vintage shopping.

By checking out Halifax’s local weekly paper The Coast, (a great resource for local happenings and food tips) during late morning coffee, we found an ad for the Long Live the Queen Festival.

In Canada the weekend closest to May 24th is celebrates the birthday of Queen Victoria and the current sitting queen. The grassroots festival is in its first year, curated by musicians from Halifax and centered in the north end neighbourhoood of the city. It was on from May 21st-23rd.

Since it was such a bright, sunny day perfect for roaming the city, and because it was close to our hotel on Quinpool Road, we decided to check it out. The main venue was just off Robie St.., in a small light blue-green-coloured structure, the North Street Church.

The bands were on break in the main hall so we checked out the handful of sellers at the Artists’ Market in the next room including the table of Halifax singer-songwriter Rebekah Higgs, which was decked out with lovely applique earrings and some great looking vintage eyeglasses.

I also scored an awesome silkscreened festival t-shirt and matching bag.

Unfortunately we were leaving that evening so didn’t get to check out the rest of the festival. But judging from the stellar lineup and the enthusiasm of the sellers in the Artists’ Market, this could grow even bigger and be Halifax’s version of Pop Montreal.

Here’s some other local Halifax places to check out linked to DIY, craft art and music:

- Roberts Street Social Centre (5684 Roberts Street) – a social space and a collection of projects dedicated to providing free or affordable access to independent and alternative media, art, and education
- Eyelevel Gallery (2063 Gottingen St) – artist-run centre/space for contemporary art
- Khyber Institute for Contemporary Art (1588 Barrington Street) – contemporary art space
- Economy Shoe Shop - (1663 Argyle Street
) resto/space
- Invisible Publishing - indie publishing house based in Halifax
- Halifax Crafters - group of craft artists who put on craft shows

Posted by spins & needles on May 31, 2010 Connecting Creatively, Craft Show Highlights, DIY City Guides, Exploring The World, Music, Out of Town Happenings No Responses »

Local Happening: First Annual Ottawa Community Record Show

Sep 242009

ottawa_community_record_show

For all you music lovers out there, check out the First Annual Ottawa Community Record Show this Saturday, September 26th at the Sandy Hill Community Centre (250 Somerset St. E.). It’s presented by CKCU 93.1 FM, CHUO 89.1 FM, and Birdman Sound. There’ll be LPs and CDs up for sale and sounds like there’ll be tons of variety.

Doors open at 2:00 p.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $2.00

Posted by spins & needles on September 24, 2009 Local Ottawa Happenings, Music No Responses »

Summer summer summertime

Aug 122009

While writing up the August Spins & Needles newsletter, I got a little nostalgic about those carefree hazy, lazy days of summer and thought some lyrical goodness from DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince was in order. Definitely one of the best summer songs ever.

Plus here are some new summertime mixes from resident Spins & Needles DJ Jason Pelletier for your listening enjoyment (the first which includes a remix of Summertime):

Posted by spins & needles on August 12, 2009 Music No Responses »