I was on a cassette tape trip today…Don’t know why exactly, but for some reason I’ve decided to dig through the archives again. To my surprise, I found some stuff I made when I was a Freshman in High School that doesn’t suck! As a matter of fact, I was pretty impressed. It’s very sloppy, sure, but it definitely shows a direction that I was taking in music at the time.

The following is the sound of a 14-year-old pre-Moot Booxle (I hadn’t been given the moniker yet) in the spring of 1998. The only instruments used are a Yamaha PSR-530 keyboard, and a Squier Stratocaster. I’m not sure if it was plugged in directly, or was going through a miked amp…I do remember that the effects were a Boss CE-2 analog Chorus and a Boss OD-2 Turbo Overdrive.

Recorded direct to a Pioneer cassette deck.

Peter Panpot

(that was the title on the cassette card!)

STANGA

The words don’t seem to mean much on the surface…but beneath that surface lies a different story. The song: “Stanga”. The author: Sly Stone. Sly fans know this song as recorded by his little sister Vet’s group, Little Sister, on a 45 released under his fledgling company/label Stone Flower.

The musical backing was all provided by Sly himself, on Maestro Rhythm King drum machine, Fender Bass, Fender Telecaster, and (I believe) Farfisa combo organ through his signature wah-wah pedal. If you think it sounds like There’s A Riot Goin’ On you’d be right…it was recorded during that same heady, electrified, Funkafied period….

But what if he had saved it for his own group to record? What if he had sat on it for a couple of years and brought it out during the Fresh sessions?

The idea struck me all at once while driving down the road one day. I will make that happen. I will record my version of what it might have sounded like. This thing has been on the back burner for almost a year, getting little tweaks here and there to the arrangement, adding parts sporadically. FINALLY, at long last, I’m finished.

I think this is the funkiest recording I have ever made. All instruments and voices were played live by me – no MIDI or any other shortcuts. It’s real and it’s raw. And it might be the first time you’ve ever heard me play Sax or Trumpet.

Prepare to be FUNKATIZED.

Dig it:

(The track is downloadable too – just click the little down arrow on the right side of the player.)

INSTRUMENTATION:

Yamaha bass, MPC-2500 (Rhythm King samples), Acoustic drums (hi-hats were two 16″ Zildjian crashes!), Rhodes Suitcase 73, Nord Lead 2x through wah (Organ sound), DeArmond electric guitar through wah into Epiphone Valve Junior, King saxophone, Bundy trumpet, tambourine, vocals (recorded with Studio Projects C1 mic).

Hit me and let me know what you think! Hope you dig!

MooT

It’s here! The new album from Moot Booxlé, Talkin’ About Christmas!

Produced, Arranged, Performed, Mixed, Mastered, and whatever else by Moot Booxlé.

Many of you had asked for a whole album of funky talkbox Christmas music after seeing my Talkbox Christmas videos on YouTube. Well, the wait is over, my friends.

I got a late start working on this music, after having spent the past month or so working on a Christmas musical. That is my good excuse for delivering this to your ears so late into the season.

Anyway, put a glide in yo stride, a dip in yo hip, and come on and download this here thing!

TRACKLIST:

1. Little Drummer Boy

2. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

3. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town

4. Jingle Bells Etc.

5. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (remix)

6. This Christmas

7. Greensleeves (What Child Is This)

NOW AVAILABLE FROM BANDCAMP.COM – in just about any format you could want – including Apple Lossless and FLAC!

CLICK HERE!

For now…Enjoy the music, and have a Merry Christmas!

On the ONE,

MooT