It seems to me that FastLife becomes steady a sanctuary for animals and other shaggy critters. Yesterday for example a tiger named Terry contacted me via Myspace and told me about his concentrated passion to sing and his band Team Monster.

A few years back he used to stand up in his enclosure at Munich Central Zoo and perform the wildest songs from Michael Jackson to Prince and Lenny for the public. He was unique and a performer beyond all comparison! But he was very sad cause his only friends were his extensive record collection and the recorded footage from good old MTV, back in the days when they actually played music instead of reality and dating shows pierced with disagreeable ringtone ads.

But one day there was the ray of hope. Academic and porn professional Sex Skeletto bought a ticket to the zoo and he knew at the first blush - this little carnivore was different!
With his Siegfried and Roy certificate for tiger husbandry Sex Skeletto toke Terry togheter with whose baby friend and outstanding guitar virtuoso Pistol Panda out to the world of sex, drugs, rock’n'roll and fresh meat. Additionally they engaged the mexican Mysterio Macho Wrestler and formed Team Monster!

Winnie even is totally rock’n'roll right now and catching my worn socks while thinking she is a big cat. “NO, YOU DON’T GET A TIGER TATTOO!”

zShare: Team Monster - Boys Will Be Boys
zShare: Team Monster - Stop The Music
zShare: Team Monster - Want My Love

image: David Fischer

Sometimes when I get sick of these four walls, my head feels like gaga and my eyes appear to be triangled because of staring too long on this box full of pixels and bright little glow inside, I swoop for my car keys and go on a cruise. Last Saturday was such a day. So I was driving around and listened simply to the “Deutschlandfunk” (DLF) over my car radio which just broadcasted about several new record releases. One of these bands they spoke about, the Berlin based project Bodi Bill, caught me immediately - and that’s something I would call really uncommon.

To write about music is sometimes comparable to dance to modern architecture - kind of absurdity. And Bodi Bill doesn’t make it much easier for me to find words that measures up to ‘em. They’ve got such an huge repertoire of versatility and individualism, you shouldn’t try to pigeonhole ‘em unless you’ve got a very large “music-cabinet” with thousands of drawers inside.

Brute techno elements, bubbly beats, unobtrusive samples, varied selection of floating melodies, breaks of breathless suspense, virtuoso programming and innumerable inconspicuous gadgets are gathering around vocals that slide from spirit full of heaviness to impulsive and thrilling announcements of straightforwardness. These boys got the formula to combine truthful and sometimes very melancholic lyrics with also dance able beats that work. And so it could happen, that you leave one of their concerts with tearful eyes and totally all in a sweat at once.

One year after their considered debut album “No More Wars” Bodi Bill releasing its legal successor “Next Time” on Sinnbus Records. With a lingo even more concise and a pinpoint execution of their pleas and appeals, Bodi Bill up the ante with a delicate and charming, yet demanding masterpiece, contributing their share to the debate of our times.

Play ‘em on random loop - you will continuously find more and more delicacies inside of their tunes.

zShare: Bodi Bill - I Like Holden Caulfield
zShare: Bodi Bill - Kirsten I Miss Them

Aren’t you ever wanted to be able to fly, too? Leaving the place where you’re at by simply spreading your arms? Soar into the air only by the power of your mind? Fly as high as you want and as far as you can every time? Wouldn’t that be delightful? Watch the teensy people on the ground bustling around like ants and you, high up in the sky, are free from all that noise they make! Awesome…

Of course we only can fly as high as we can jump, but sometimes it’s like someone freezes this moment of being weightless for you so that it feels like taking ages. In this moment of “time is nothing” you should listen to Vega Revolution from NY, because their music seems to be created only for this! Their airy tunes and vocals must have its origin in this single moment when you jump up, reach the highes point, think you can fly, think you can touch the sky, feel free and time stands still. Nothing else matters.

Mediafire: Vega Revision - Where Do We Go From Nowhere
Mediafire: Vega Revision - Face Away From Me

If you’ll ever find yourself in the unfavorable situation of running around in a foreign desert of killing mutant zombies, because your pink cadillac ran out of gas, there are a couple of things you should have taken with you while leaving your home sweet home:

A packet of filterless cigarettes, the biggest sunglasses you could find, your hot ass seventies leather jacket … and finally the latest tracks of Kid Chocolat!

Kid Chocolat is the name of a guy from Geneve that creates a completely own style of music by mixing samples out of the past 70 years. What seems to be totally contradicting at the first sight, ends up in a surprisingly stunning sound. Me personally is really looking forward to the upcoming album “Super 8″ which is based on a colaboration with Pascal Greco. Until then we ship over some of Kid Chocolats prior tracks to you.

P.S. uhhhhm…. if you don’t like killing mutant zombies or prefer filter cigarettes, don’t mind. But you’ll definitely never find an excuse for forgetting your sunglasses and leather jacket at home when your pink cadillac runs out of gas.

Mediafire: Kid Chocolat - La Femme Invisible
Mediafire: Kid Chocolat - Secret Of The Zombies

The famous phonograph by Thomas Alva Edison was the first device for recording and replaying sounds. What nobody really knows - Edison attempted to install his phonograph technology into human bodys to create his personal audio slaves. But his endeavors failed because of the bulkiness of his entire device! In 2004 a secret society of Edison devotees, who are close to the Illuminatis, came across the blue prints of the human-phonograph and used the best available technology of today to finish Edisons brainchild.

They put all the required equipment into two good-natured Italian boys, give ‘em a guitar and synthesizer upgrade in combination with a new singing-voice-module and let ‘em interact like rockstars. A band called The Phonograph was born and better as Edison ever could imagine. They come with their new web single “Erasmus Is Not Your Life” in high qualiti sound and without any Italian-usual manufacturing defects. Nice work.

Mediafire: The Phonograph - Erasmus
Mediafire: The Phonograph - Erasmus (Broke One Rmx)
Mediafire: The Phonograph - Work Hard And Party Hard

If you wanna get down with a real “80’s week special” you’ve got to savor one group necessarily. In a career over a period of more than 35 years, these German electro pioneers have been an endless source of inspiration for generations of groundbreaking musician. Whole music-styles emerged or were influenced because of ‘em and possibly they’re the most sampled band on the planet.
We slobber over Kraftwerk.

In 1970 Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider-Esleben, who had met studying classical music at the Dusseldorf Conservatory, founded the Kling-Klang Studio. Their first recorded appearance together is 1970’s Tone Float by a psychedelic rock quintet called Organisation. After leaving that group, Hütter and Schneider took the name Kraftwerk (”power plant”) and began experimenting with integrating mechanized sounds from everyday life into music.

1981 - Pseudoe makes his mommy happy and Kraftwerk came with their 8th record called Computer World which is presumed to be a forerunner of modern electro and techno music and a reflection on the new global dominance of technology. By now pop music was dominated by synthesizers and drum machines, and the group’s uniqueness and extravagance-status became almost ordinary. But just almost.

It seems to be an attribute of 80’s musican to be ahead of the times. And Kraftwerk seems to come directly from a future society who pre-dated their electronic music to bring it right into the time my/our generation has grown up.

“After the war, German entertainment was destroyed. The German people were robbed of their culture, putting an American head on it. I think we are the first generation born after the war to shake this off, and know where to feel American music and where to feel ourselves. We cannot deny we are from Germany.” (Ralf Hütter: interview with Lester Bangs, 1975)

Mediafire: Kraftwerk - Home Computer Live

It seems as if somebody wrote a song just for us FastLife boyz! We’re a bit flattered but macho enough to resist giggling like little japanese schoolgirls.

“Live Fast! Die Old!” is the first single of the upcoming Munk album “Cloudbuster” which will be released this may on his own label Gomma. We go on believing this remix by cologne scene stars Maral Salmassi and Zero Cash is another shot to surprise specially us here at TFL. They added some banging drums and squeaking disco synths to the classic house piano and vocals by Asia Argento, both taken from the original. The single will be for sale in your favourite record store, on Beatport and Junodownload.

zShare: Munk feat. Asia Argento - Live Fast Die Old (Maral Salmassi & Zero Cash Remix)

This just popped into our mailbox this week, and even we don’t have a clue about what shoegaze exactly supposed to be, we like what we hear - and that’s everything we need to know about.

Oh! Custer, a two man social project from Sweden, comes with spherical, partly melancholic appearing guitar-pop that makes you snuggle against everybody you will met during listen to their songs. But in the next moment you can’t stop scampering around like Tigger, cause the music floods you with feelings of happiness and spiritedness.
We’re on easygoing now and roll around on daisied grassland.

zShare: Oh! Custer - States
zShare: Oh! Custer - Post
zShare: Oh! Custer - Your Name

Producing and words juggling girl Goldie Locks got finished her very first single, a double A side called ‘Wasteman’ / ‘Neek Chic’ dating the street on the 7th of April, available on Download and Vinyl.

At the beginning Goldie just used to sing a bit and punched the drums. But she wanted to make beats - she only wasn’t really sure how. Fortunately she found this little college type place called CM (Community Music) who offered production and performance course. And if you ask her about it, Goldie would say, that she wouldn’t be where she is today without CM. They taught her pretty much everything she knows, and hooked her up in numerous different ways.

This busy and high-flying girl avails herself of electro, grime, garage, a bit of pop and hip hop elemtents, puts all into a mixer and gives a good shaking to. And hey, it sounds very unique and typical British at the same time. We hardly dig her beating and spitting: so got on car-park, lean against your flivver and let Goldies tracks (here some more) be your best friends today.

Goldie Locks - Neek Chic

Goldie Locks - Wasteman

Something I neglected a bit latterly, are songs with lyrics in my native language German. But I first became aware of this fact, as I stumbled across the myspace page of Rupert Falsch. This is what I was missing a little - the intelligent, reflective, impulsive, elaborate, winding and may a little twirled usage of the German language.

This guy comes quiet with seemingly sophisticated lyrics over dry synthesizer beats and melancholic indie guitars. Rupert doesn’t know what really counts in life yet, but it seems singing his songs makes this incertitude a bit tolerable at least. One thing he definitely realized for his own - you can’t have the cake and eat it, too.
However, enough of pieces of wisdom. Start listen to his great easygoing melodies and lyrics.

Box.net: Rupert Falsch - In Ordnung wenn du mich rufst
Box.net: Rupert Falsch - Links auf der Fahrbahn, ein totes Tier
Box.net: Rupert Falsch - Erklärs mir bitte noch einmal

Yesterday we took our well known TFL Jet & Teen had to show his debonnaire flight-skills by bringing us safe like a goose-mother across the Atlantic directly to Washington DC. After a smalltalk with the president and hitting him with the hottest & freshest tracks, we grabbed in our suit-case, went to the real reasons of our tour - Chris Price who’s coming up with his deput album “Post Pop Parade”.

You might think: “Hum, Pop? Why do these incredible sexy guys travel around the world for run-of-the-mill pop music?” Well, not so overhasty - Chris wants “pop” to be understood as “post-pop” or “anti-pop”! As a homage not to today’s generally vacuous notions of commercial radio pop, but more to the fun, catchy, primarily independent genres that spawned most of our favourite records from the 80s and 90s. And “Post Pop Parade” is an upbeat, lighthearted joyride from beginning to end.

So, if you like his synth-pop, new wave, freestyle, and electro cominations as well as we do - visit his shop and order your copy of “Post Pop Parade” for a fair price and free shipping. Furthermore we had the chance to ask Chris some questions, he kindly answered us.

TFL: On your website you write about, that your album “Post Pop Parade” is created as an homage to all your beloved music - just to the music or do you associate some specific memories or possibly a certain time with it?
Chris: It’s probably misleading to say that I actually created the album as an homage. Certainly the end product pays its respects in many ways, but I never went into the studio with any preconceived notion of what was going to come out. I have been influenced by a huge amount of music in my lifetime, and I think it all makes an appearance on Post Pop Parade in one form or another, but the styles I love the most inevitably tend to take center stage.
The second part of the question is interesting. It’s no secret that I love electro, synthpop, post-punk, certain bits of 80’s-90’s pop, etc. But, aside from the energy and emotion of the music itself, I also believe that it reminds me of a time when things were, or at least appeared to be, less serious and, quite simply, more fun. Maybe that’s just because I was younger back then, but I honestly think when people hear things that are done correctly and reminiscent in a non-cheesy way of this period it makes them feel good. It does for me, at least.

TFL: Are there several tracks or is the complete-works standing for a special declaration of love?
Chris: You know, as a whole, it’s all really about just having a good time. Certainly love/ sex/ promiscuity is a recurring theme, but those generally make people feel good anyway so it helps.

TFL: We, here at TheFastLife-HQ are totally addicted to “Heat Up” and “And She Was”! Which are your favourite tracks?
Chris: If I had to choose, I’d probably say “Dim the Lights, “Evangeline” or “Taken”. I like them all, really.

TFL: Backround music for the weather chanel, soundtrack for a series of Christian direct to video releases and in a complete contrast to this musicproductions for adults movies - illustrious career. But where do you see yourself in the future? What do you aspire to - personally as well as musically!?
Chris: The best times have always been when I was in complete creative control. Back in the early days, that’s what it was all about. I’d have a track mixed and shipped to the [movie] studio with no interference at all from studio execs. They’d put it in the scene, and that would be it.
Nowadays, with my label (Future Forward) and all the new music I’m working on, it’s like that again. Today’s thriving independent musical landscape, along with the popularity of digital file sharing has contributed a lot to letting me get back to a position in which I feel excited about making music again. My aspirations are to stay here, in the driver’s seat.

TFL: The European and the Aussies are going to “paint the town red” in electronic music since a while - are you down with this? If so - whats your personal favourite - or do you perhaps have a special tip?!
Chris: I love what’s going on with electronic music that’s coming out of Europe and Australia. I’m a big fan of Modular, and I’m glad to see the strides they’ve made in the past couple of years. Their artist roster is very impressive. As far as Europe is concerned, I’ve been trying to keep up with them for years. It’s crazy. I grab up all the imports I can, but at some point I really just have to get over there and hit some record stores.

TFL: Where would you preferably like to bring the house to boil? City, country, building, continent?
Chris: Berlin!

TFL: Your personal stance on blogs like us?
Chris: I think they’re great. I always love to hear from folks who have found my music on blog sites.

TFL: In the end - you’re more the fast- or slowlife guy?
Chris: The idea of being slow life is a nice idea, but I tend to stay too busy for that.

Well, thanks a lot Chris - we always will be glad hearing from you again.

MediaFire: Chris Price - Dim the Lights, Evangeline
MediaFire: Chris Price - Heat Up (remix)
MediaFire: Chris Price - And She Was