Johnny Cash Project: A Crowd Sourced Evolving Art Music Video

I just had a chance to check out The Johnny Cash Project – an amazing crowd sourced interactive music video dedicated to the late Johnny Cash.

The video is created by site visitors using an online drawing tool where all are invited to artistically create a single frame.  The frames are combined in an ever-changing visual experience – you will never see the same sequence of frames twice.  As of right now, it is estimated over 250,000 people have contributed frames worldwide.

I took some time to contribute my own frame: The Man in Black standing behind a cross grave stone – there’s a very cool feature that allows you to playback your own frame creation in an animation.

The creative idea came about through collaboration of music producer Rick Rubin and director Chris Milk.  Milk was also behind the technically-acclaimed HTML5 interactive online music video project, The Wilderness Downtown, for the band Arcade Fire – which I wrote about a few months ago.

The creators intentionally limited the interactive drawing tool’s available styles resulting in imagery that beautifully complements the haunting melody of Cash’s final studio recording “Ain’t No Grave”.  According to Mashable, the interactive music video is the first of its kind to garner a Grammy Nomination.

Below is an overview video of the project featuring some of the artist contributors.  Be sure to also check out the main project website: The Johnny Cash Project.

Check out New Twitter with a little help from will.i.am and Nicki Minaj!

Those in the Twittersphere have been all abuzz about New Twitter since it was announced last month. There have been tons of #newTwitter tweets – most ranging from “When will I get it?” from the “have-nots” to “I Love/Hate the New Twitter!” from the “haves”. But, it’s been rolling out more widespread in the past few weeks. I, myself, joined the New Twitter Club last week. Even if you don’t have a care for Twitter whatsoever, you might still appreciate this clever animation that shows off some of the features of #NewTwitter, with a little help from a beat by will.i.am and Nicki Minaj!

I have to say, “Check It Out” is growing on me! will.i.am and Nicki Minaj first performed it at the Pre-Show for the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards a few weeks ago and on the David Letterman Show just the other night.

You can listen to the full “Check it Out” track at http://dipmusic.dipdive.com/media/146683

Download “Check it Out” on iTunes at http://bit.ly/CheckItOutiTunes

You can read more about “Check It Out” and see a bunch of exclusive videos from the music video set at Dipdive: Nicki Minaj and will.i.am Exclusives on the Futuristic “Check It Out” Video Set

Sesame Street – not just for pre-schoolers!

Sesame Street has always involved pop culture personalities, had musical guests, spoofed TV shows, book characters and movies. The latest batch of cross-overs have been pretty hot.

Perhaps the easiest one first – the controversy around Katy Perry’s recent video with Elmo where she parodies her hit Hot N Cold as a playtime invite to Elmo decked out in “dress up” clothes that some parents found too racy – so much so that the episode now won’t be broadcast on TV:

While I’m sure that pre-schoolers won’t have any issues with the cute performance by Perry and Elmo (including Perry’s outfit), I think some Dads may especially enjoy the video.

Perhaps another recent musical cross-over will fair better with parents and kids alike. What I Am is a great song with the simple message of “being the best me I can be” by will.i.am and the Sesame Street crew. My kids are now too old for Sesame Street, but they are Black Eyed Peas fans. The Peas have been hot all year and we all love their latest hits (at least the radio edit versions) and are digging “What I Am” right now:

Next up, the Sesame Street parody titled True Mud may or may not connect with the youngsters. The skit spoofs the HBO vampire series hit, True Blood, where “outed” vampires drink a bottled blood substitute called “True Blood”; this time a suspected “grouch” really wants a mud fix:

Aside from the subtle rhyming lesson, I’m torn if this will appeal to the pre-school crowd. Perhaps the simple juxtaposition of some “weird guy” who insists on ordering mud at the restaurant will be enough to illicit some giggles. If not, then perhaps the stranger’s mudbath at the conclusion of the story will be funny enough?

Arcade Fire’s Experimental Internet Music Video

Indie band Arcade Fire, who has been catching a lot of buzz lately, released a very impressive “music video” on the Internet today. However, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill music video, probably given away by the fact that it was announced on the Official Google Blog. The video is billed as as “music experience” and, I have to say, it is pretty cool.

The project was created by Writer/Director Chris Milk with Arcade Fire and Google. The experience, called The Wilderness Downtown, uses some of the latest emerging Internet web standards including HTML5, Google Maps, and some neat drawing tools. Given that it is a Google project and somewhat experimental, it is best experienced using the Google Chrome web browser.

I’m not so sure about the whole storyline that integrates Google Maps view of your “childhood home” (after you are prompted to enter an address), but the integrated multi browser windows, beautifully synchronized videos/animations and great track are cool enough on their own.

Interestingly enough, when checking the project out earlier today with a colleague, I remarked “Hey, that [scene] kind of reminds me of [the movie] Brazil.” It turns out that Terry Gilliam, Writer/Director of Brazil, directed a live stream project for Arcade Fire earlier this month; so guess that wasn’t coincidence.

It’s definitely worth your time to experience The Wilderness Downtown.

Read more about this project and other very successful ways that Arcade Fire has been tapping into social media at Mashable.

Prince declares “The Internet’s Over”

Prince shared his thoughts on the Internet in a rare interview with The Daily Mirror.  Prince has famously had past issues with the Internet and “new forms of digital distribution”.  However, just last year, it was announced that he would release 3 albums digitally in one day.

Prince is set to release his new album 20Ten this month and plans to distribute it in the UK as a free cover CD with the Daily Mirror. His own official website has also been closed, apparently.

Here’s an excerpt of what Prince had to say:

“The internet’s completely over. I don’t see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won’t pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can’t get it. The internet’s like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated. Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can’t be good for you.”

Read more on the story at Mashable and CrunchGear.

Image by Nicolas Genin.

DJ Earworm – United State of Pop 2009 (Blame It on the Pop)

This year in the charts, so many of the pop songs this year seem to tell the same story: Yeah, we’ve been through a lot, but right now we’re gonna celebrate with music and dance, and it’s gonna be ok. With that spirit in mind, I invite you to…BLAME IT ON THE POP

• The Black Eyed Peas – BOOM BOOM POW
• Lady Gaga – POKER FACE
• Lady Gaga Featuring Colby O’Donis – JUST DANCE
• The Black Eyed Peas – I GOTTA FEELING
• Taylor Swift – LOVE STORY
• Flo Rida – RIGHT ROUND
• Jason Mraz – I’M YOURS
• Beyonce – SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING ON IT)
• Kanye West – HEARTLESS
• The All-American Rejects – GIVES YOU HELL
• Taylor Swift – YOU BELONG WITH ME
• T.I. Featuring Justin Timberlake – DEAD AND GONE
• The Fray – YOU FOUND ME
• Kings Of Leon – USE SOMEBODY
• Keri Hilson Featuring Kanye West & Ne-Yo – KNOCK YOU DOWN
• Jamie Foxx Featuring T-Pain – BLAME IT
• Pitbull – I KNOW YOU WANT ME (CALLE OCHO)
• T.I. Featuring Rihanna – LIVE YOUR LIFE
• Soulja Boy Tell ‘em Featuring Sammie – KISS ME THRU THE PHONE
• Jay Sean Featuring Lil Wayne – DOWN
• Miley Cyrus – THE CLIMB
• Drake – BEST I EVER HAD
• Kelly Clarkson – MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU
• Beyonce – HALO
• Katy Perry – HOT N COLD

Download the MP3 from djearworm.com

Beatles Fan? Get Re-mastered Albums on an Apple-shaped USB Drive!

Wow, are you a Beatles fan? If so, you should definitely check out this limited edition apple-shaped USB drive loaded with digitally remastered albums in high quality MP3 format.  It is scheduled to be available 12.07/12.08 worldwide.   It is being released by Apple Corps Ltd., the “keeper” of the Beatles music catalogue.  It will contain artwork, liner notes and some mini-documentary videos, as well.

Check out this link for more details.