Music Blog Link

Got a little write up here - cool beans

http://digitaleargasm.blogspot.com/2005/10/material-girl.html

Cool Blog site as well.

So we survived the weekend of mixed messages, unexpected issues, overpriced hotel rooms, rain, raw pizza, and the wonderful town of Essignton, PA


In any case - Pure was great. I did a lot of jumping and had a ton of fun. We managed to polish off a bottle of vodka between 3 of us. I also had a beer with dinner, a drink before the club and then another drink or 2 after the vodka was gone. Now for me thats is A LOT of alcohol, but i amazingly felt really good today. Oh and I did all that jumping before I was carrying out my bag and missed a step at which point i thought my ankle was broken. its just a bit sprained.

So the madonna song went over well, as did a lot of the other fun things i was doing. heard some cunty, this is acid, this time baby, and lots of new stuff- like mariah carey and shit like that. In any case it was a lot of fun - despite lots of things that kinda sucked. Like how long our breakfast at Denny's took. um - yes - um Denny's. I got the Sausage Sampler - and that was after a night at Pure.

so been getting e-mails here and there about hearing the madonna song on Sirius, so it's prety damn cool still.

However - uncool - is that I have the emergency phone for work for the next 2 weeks I think.

Frank

If Madonna Calls Hang Up

So it's been a crazy week and I'm now 26 and have a load of money to spend at express and more chocolate to last me - well for me probably only till Sunday. I also have spent some time over the past few days shaking. No not cuz my Dad has yet to turn the heat on when it hits 50 over night. But Because I've dipped into that 15 minutes of fame everyone gets. So here's minute 2:30 of fame I guess.

Madonna has a new single called "Hung Up" and I think it pretty much sucks, however the love of my life was listening to the Derek and Romaine radio show on the OutQ station of Sirius and they're talking about how the new single reminds him of "If Madonna Calls." A song from like 10 years ago thats was a bitchy house track, something I tend to enjoy.

So on my day off on Tuesday (October Jewish Holiday # 4 1/2) and decided to put those two together and do a remix / mashup kinda thing. I sent it to Derek and to tell him what I did and figured he may get a kick out of it. In the back on my mind hoping they would play it and I'd be touring the country by November.

So Wednesday morning, Derek emails me this: "Frank - You are a fucking genius! When I heard "Hung Up" my first thought was "If Madonna Calls" is the perfect companion song. So we played the two of them back to back and I think it sounded great. However, I love your merged version. It's perfect. The crowd is gonna shit when they hear it in Philadelphia. Great job! - Derek."

Followed by a phone call that Sirius's dance channel wants to put it into rotation on Area 33. So needless to say I was pretty fucking excited. My friend James says he'll put it on his mixshow which also airs on Sirius - um and on KTU but thats one with guido 80s music. So I spent the day hoping it would come on, but never heard it.

After a long long day at work - I'm late to come home for my birthday dinner and I put on the Derek and Romanine show. They're talking about how some pregnant chick was so happy that Romaine gave her these items (er, um toys?) that would help strengthen musicles in her - um - area. So they go to break, promote their website and say "sign up for our newsletter and you'll recieve a link to our favorite song a Sirius exclusive "If Madonna Calls, Hang Up" by DJ Frank Manzo." At which point I had to pull over and change my depends. I mean yelled holy shit. So after a few minutes I called in and was tld to call back in 5 minutes cuz they wanted to spend some time with me.

I come home, set a tape, take a piss and get on the phone. a 5 minute interview with them, several website plugs, a plug for Saturday in Philly and then they played it. Now this is what I call a birthday gift from God or something. So if you want to hear the interview or the song go to my website www.djfrankmanzo.com and check'em out. I've some e-mails regarding the song as well and have put some people on my list for Saturday.

Oddly enough, this is kinda stange as some people that I'm close with and are huge house fans & even DJs - don't like the mix. I mean it's not the best thing I've ever done, as I said before I think the Madonna song sucks - but its the idea behind it. It's kinda like when I did Nelly Furtado's Forca. It's more about getting noticed because of it. With Forca I was contacting people at Dreamworks I never thought I would have, and even got a copy of it into her own hands; and have a signed copy to boot for myself. That mix is a great one to listen to, but not a good one for the dancefloor. This mix was not for the dancefloor at all, but I had to make it work. I was talking to another DJ friend of mine a few months ago, and he said that evertime he felt like he should stop something would happen. So within 3 days I went from "I don't have another DJ gig lined up" to "DJ Frank Manzo is on the fucking radio!" Welcome to this week.

So aside from - after Midnight struck - I'm pissed as shit cuz we're staying at a hotel about 20 mins from the club and no one (including myself) is happy about it. But we'll make the best of it and go from there. Hopefully the best will include a bottle of vodka - and um "If Madonna Calls, Hang Up" of course.

So I'm 26 - had my first radio interview as a DJ - and had a mix of mine played on the radio. Tomorrow I have chocolate chilli, a chocolate calzone, chocolate cupcakes and chocolate cake to look forward to. As I said - enough chocolate till Sunday.

(Cue Sia - Breathe Me)
This week also had some sad moments involoving the grandmother (great aunt really) of my best friend. Not to bring up back story, but I knew Grandma very well years ago. And she will be missed, but never ever forgotten. She's touched my friend's life more than anyone else has and will continue to do so until we all meet again. It makes you think, remember what's important.


Thanks -

Frank

As usual - this is long overdue.

Work's been crazy - and great. Yesterday - our new worker Jill D started. Now thats not to mix her up with the other Jill B I work with. and to make it more conmfusing - Jill B reccomended Jill D for the job, so they know each other.
Why would anyone care? you really wouldn't. Although it's the only other person i've met that is also 3/4 Italian and 1/4 Polish. And most importantly she seems cool - and makes my work load a bit lighter.

i spent most of the day configuring digital cable in my house - that was after i had a 1/2 day at work (thanks to the jews) and had a cavity filled (thanks to hershey's). They don't all work yet - hopefully by tomorrow.

I'm getting all geared up for next Saturday in philly - where I'm hoping to have the most people come and see me down there. This will rival the 1st saturday I played in April of 2004 in terms of how many friends I will have there. Getting some good tunes together to have a fun night again.

As a follow up tyo my last racial filled blog - Fuji and I showed off our German pride this past friday with Matt. and between us all - we um aren't even a bit German. However Mike said that the Germans invaded Poland so it's kinda like we're German. I must say Zum Schneider is a good place to eat, drink and get stupid with some strangers from San Francisco.

The big discussion of the night was about um - um - statistics. Now before you start thinking we're talking about anything that is remotely educational - realize who I'm talking about. This is a statistic that Goldman discovered that only 50% of people have sex on their wedding night. Well ok - 1/2 of the couples - cuz if only the bride had sex - I think thats a shitty way to start a marriage. But what do I know? Nothing, but i have just under a year to figure it out. The theme to that night became "don't be a statistic!!"

So tomorrow I will enjoy my 3 1/2 jewish holiday off this month - and look forward to 2 more. And my birthday next Thursday. but more importantly is that Sarah doesn't need to go to Greenville, SC for work that day. On friday we get to see my cousin's boyfriend perform at the St.George Theatre on Staten Island with the Alvin Ailey Dance Co. He's the white guy in the show.

I'm sure I'll let everyone know how Pure goes. If it's 1/2 as good as the last time I'll be very happy.

Frank

Everyone's a little bit racist

First off - let's start with a long overdue event - frank joining myspace.com

so you can go to www.myspace.com/frankmanzo and check me out over there. I'm mainly using it for dj-ing. At least that's my plan.

second - is my rant for the week - now - on Sunday night I was in the city - went down to the Puerto Rican parade between Houston and canal. I'm sorry - I mean the San Gennaro Feast. However, the last time I checked reggaeton, tacos and everyone loves a Puerto Rican girl shirts were not Italian. Also not Italian - people speaking Spanish. I'd also say that also not Italian are black people - but we all know that its pretty close. So I'll let that go.

Now don't get me wrong - last year Sarah and I found ourselves at a Brazilian festival and just hung out. And I'm spent time at Newark Portuguese festival as well. However, I did not see zepolles, canollis, pizza and sausage and peppers there. AND WOULD NOT EXPECT TO!!!!

I think the "Bella Taco" stand was the worst - which I guess would be ital-ish - or span-ilian - the equivalent of spanglish for Italians and Spanish. Although Bella is the same in both languages. Now the translation means "beautiful taco" and I'm all for a nice pretty taco. But I don't buy mine on the street - some of you may. Some may call them up on the phone. Now I'm talking about "Bella Rosa Taco." Go ahead translate.

In any case I finally made my way down to get surrounded by yentas talking about how it's so crowded. and now what were some of these other people eating? Pizza? nah - sausage and peppers? nope eggplant parm? Still wrong - how about GYROS!!!!!! Cuz nothing saying I'm supporting my Italian heritage like FETA CHEESE and pita.

There was also an annoying guidette yelling in a high pitched voice about how she wanted to come earlier and now its too crowded. I watched "Brooklyn Own Joe Causi" host a canolli eating contest. (A better contests would've been guess Joe's weight.) Finally got away from the reggaeton to hear the music of my people. Not Polka (that's the polish part), no no not Sinatra, or Dean Martin. But the (sorry James) teeth itching beats - that makes every guido do the 80s fist pump. FREESTYLE!

So after I had some really good friend calamari and a chocolate canolli - I made my way out. Now I don't know why I go every year. It's the same thing. Except this year with less Italians. They can't even fill the end block anymore. I'm sure in due time little Italy will be less than the 1 block it still is. but I'll go back in hopes to see people that look more like john gotti, my late uncle pete and the cast of the sopranos. As much as I dislike that whole scene - it is the stereotype of what NYC Italians are - and stereotypes are based on truth (See ave q).

so all in all I had a great weekend. Friday night had an absolute blast going out the whole night. I haven't walked out of a club in daylight in a long time. Nothing like hearing Danny Tenaglia again as well. Saturday and Sunday were good also - getting to spend some desperately needed time with Sarah in the comforts of the W in Union Square. With $8 bottles of water in an amazing comfy bed.

so I'll wait for the hate mail.

Frank

What in the world is our country doing?

As every other blogger in the US - here's my Katrina post. Enjoy the awfulness and somewhat hilarity that is our country and media.

(what the fuck is man even talking about???? So poor and so black - chalk one up for whitey!)
http://newsbusters.org/media/2005-09-01-CNNTSRBlitzer.wmv

(Just watch the first 3 mins or so)
Video Link

(Ranting with Mr. Cooper! Ripping the senator a new asshole! - the smartest line "The president WILL be here tomorrow! - we think")
http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Anderson-Cooper-Landrieu-Katrina1.wmv

(humor - cuz we have to laugh at some point about this - you might have to scroll down for this)
http://movies.crooksandliars.com/The-Daily-Show-Katrina-Disaster.wmv

(one for the ipod - kinda)
http://www.moceanworker.com/mowo/nolaaintrighttonight.mp3

(I knew it i'm surrounded by assholes - oh i'll just e-mail a pic from my digital camera to have a place to stay - i'll do that ONCE WE GET FUCKING POWER IN LOUISIANA!)
http://www.gawker.com/news/weather/manhattanites-come-to-the-aid-of-katrina-refugees-124157.php

I promise to wite about the other things I previously said I'd talk about soon. Not that people need to be reminded - but give to the red cross and vote for people that you feel can actually get the job done. I'm oddly enough kicking myself for not going to the red cross a month ago the way i wanted to - in order to sign up for any type of emergency services I can lend. I'd say too little to late - but another crisis WILL happen! We just have to be prepared the best we can.

Are we - we are. Are we - we are the waiting

I've been meaning to blog for a few days now - notably to bring back some past events and items that need some mentioning really just for amusement purposes. and I guess that's where we'll start today. First off - upcoming posts will include "fucking clitoris" and "razmatazz." Some of you will get both of those - some of you will wait very impatiently to know what that means - or not. (Wacky radio voice) So let's take a trip down memory lane - Summer 1994.

Now summer of 1994 is a very memorable one for me. I got my first girlfriend - watched Woodstock '94 on TV which introduced me to my favorite Nine Inch Nails - and we'd play hockey just about daily in 90 degree heat. In a time where Scott Matika and the rest of us were still mourning the suicide of Kurt Cobain, we were huge music buffs. However, when I think back to Summer 1994, I cannot forget about those sweet words - "when masturbation's lost it's fun, you're fucking lazy." Green Day's Dookie is an absolute classic. And we must've listened to that album in my backyard a thousand times. Most people own that album, and many of you even have the case that had a brown colored spine. I also remember getting a Green Day shirt and wearing it to school first day of sophomore year and then meeting Donna Rubin - cuz she was wearing an MTV Unplugged T-shirt. Remember when the most important thing in school was establishing your coolness the first day? No? Me neither - I was never really cool.

So anyways - why do I bring this all up? Cuz I just got back from Green Day at Giants Stadium. Which was great! I was pleasantly surprised - kinda forgot how many great songs they have and they played some great covers including Shout and We are the champions. However if I never hear "YEAH - NEW JERSEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYY" again - it'll be too soon. Now that's all with the concert review - if you were one of the 50,000 or so - you know what it was like. If you didn't go - I'm sure it'll be in the Star Ledger today. Now Green Day has come a long was from 1994 and has put out an absolutely amazing album known as "American Idiot" just under a year ago (which in hindsight - should've been on my top 15 of 2004) - and now they're popular with the kids. The 14 year olds that are going into high school - like my sister. The first concert I've gone to with my sister and her first rock concert (the only other "real" concert she's seen was Alicia Keys - the rest were um c-rap). She seemed to have a lot of fun and her friend used to "like" them and after the show "loves" them. So I found it really cool - and oh so ironic (and yes uncomfortable when Billie Joe starting playing with himself and they had it on all the big screens) that 11 years after an album that helped shape my adolescence - I was enjoying with my 14 year old sister who is currently experiencing her own adolescence - probably stressing out about what shirt to wear to her first day of school on Tuesday.

The quote of the evening goes to this random encounter with a girl that looked so damn familiar but I couldn't place it -
Me - Excuse me - I know this is wired - but you look familiar - are you from Staten Island?
Girl (Who's name I swear is Deanna - no idea why) - Um Yeah
Me - you go to Tottenville?
girl - no
Me - I dunno - what is is then - I know you from somewhere
girl - maybe I hooked up with you when I was drunk one night
Me - no that's it - ok...

Matt - you know people everywhere
Me - I know
Matt - that was a bizarre response from her
Me - yeap

So I want comments on what my answer should've been - a fill in the blank - the best one will win a copy of my new demo CD - whenever I get it done. Hopefully this weekend so I can send James to AC with one - He's spinning at Club Tru down there.


Girl: Maybe I hooked up with you when I was drunk one night
Me:___________________



ok - along with "fucking clitoris" and "razmatazz," I will also discuss the wired and at times inappropriate / disgusting car ride to Long Island from earlier today. Off to bed - to nap for a few hours before work.

how many assholes we got on this ship?

YO!

Well I'm going to tell you about the asshole that works with catering at Eisenhower Hall in West Point.

Mike Musco and I are changing to go home out of our ugly penguin costumes. This guy walks into the bathroom all bloddied up. Talking to his other friend about how he got fucked up. Now I'm not sure who this guy is - so I'm don't know if he was at the wedding and got into a fight or fell down the stairs drunk or whatever. I look at the guy who now has about 7 bandaids on his face in all different places. So now I ask...

Me - "Bro, what happened?"
Guy - "I was in the back"
Me - "you work here?"
guy - "yeah - so one of the ladies goes what are we gonna do with the wedding cake?"
me - "uh huh"
Guy - "the lady says, 'just throw it out' - so I'm all - you're not gonna throw it out."
Me - "Um - Ok"
Guy - "the lady goes what are ya gonna do with it? I say 'this' "
Mike - "oh man - there's like shelves and posts in there"
Guy - "yeah well I know that now - I won't be doing that again - If I would've known that there was stuff in it - I wouldn't have slammed my face in it as hard as I did - it was full force"
Me - "wow that really sucks - well hope you feel better man"
Friend - "Man you are really fucked up"
Guy - "yeah - we could tell a story about getting in a fight"


So my wise words to you - don't slam your face into a wedding cake - you will fuck up your face. Which is good to know as my family and friends have always had a knack for getting violent with cake.

six feet under - forever

wow - tonight's series finale of six feet under was amazing. I can't even begin to explain what the last 10 minutes of this show felt like, but i'm gonna try. First they used a song called Breathe Me by Sia. Which I heard her perform live with Zero 7 last year. Just amazingly beautiful. And so is the Mylo remix.

Since 2001 - I've watch the show just about every week. In college I had friends tape it for me, and had to tape it at home, or catch the re-run on Monday night. I'm very sad to have to let this go, because somehow the Fisher's have become part of my weekly life.

I'm able to see part of me in every character and it still amazes me how they could recreate life so vividly.

I'm definitely said to see it go, I was worried about the ending not living up to its potential and agreed that this show may have actually never hit its prime. However the last 10 minutes of this show made 5 years of watching it all worth it. There's only a few pieces of entertainment - song, movie, tv or book (not that i do that much) that made me feel what I felt tonight. And I praise them for that.

Ben Folds Five - Evaportaed
Ghost (at the end - yes, I know)
Love Actually (other circumstances involved)

Those are 3 things I can rememeber that actually made me cry and can still do that. I welled up at a Ben Folds concert when I heard the opening chords, and when Ghost is on - I turn it off. Love Actually I've been able to watch again, so I think that has passed.

Why do I bring this up? The show ended, I called Sarah and needed to talk to her. Told her I loved her, and told her I was sad about the show. She asked what happened and I wept. Probably the hardest I've cried since giving a eulogy in the rain at my Uncle's funeral back in December.

I think I threw her off, cuz I was fine after about 3 minutes. But as she well knows, sometimes you cry to feel better. and I do. Well maybe until tomorrow when I watch it again. I'm not sure if the final episode is something you can watch if you've never seen the show before. But if you have an extra 75 minutes and hbo (or bittorent) I would watch it. It puts things in perspective, that life is about being happy and being sad and losing your mind and working hard and making decisions that sometimes suck and other times are great. Unfortunately it also puts into perspective that we can be taken off this planet at anytime.

Once you lose someone, you only have what you've let them leave behind in your heart and soul. and that may never be enough.

and in case you didn't hear me through my tears before - I'm so happy I'm doing this with you.

Frank

- tomorrow hopefully we'll be back to the normal stuff about why you should never slam your face into a wedding cake. i'll explain...

don't stop believin'

well - i'm not sure where to start - but as usual we'll recap -

i'm sore today from moving lots of equiptment yesterday for this person's son's wedding. It was a great wedding - they really wanted wedding material -like cheesy dances and such - but watching the General do the electric slide with a 5 year old in hand was cute as hell!!

Than there was the little wacky chick with HUGE boobs and her robot dancing boyfriend. It was so strange. this song was a highlight.

Aside from that word has been crazy the past week. my co-worker is leaving and so are my 2 supervisors. which leaves us all in a pretty wierd place. i was told that if i had been there longer i'd be up for the supervisor position which was a great compliment (from both supervisors, seperately and unprovoked)

and now on to last week in philly...

nothing realy to report except that it was the best night i've ever dj-ed ever. Despite one issue that have been discussed with appropriate parties - it was just amazing. People showed up really early thanks to the promoter so we rocked it from about 12:45 to close at 3:20. So many people said it was great, including staff. I was visited in the dj booth by Guido Osorio. In the 90s he teamed up with a person by the name of Razor, and but out a song called "do it again." This is probably the definition of progressive house. Everything I play to an extent. That man comes up to me and tells me I'm doing good, which was absolutely amazing.

So I'm going back for my birthday party on Saturday October 22. I am definitely looking forward to going back.

I was talking to my friend John Rizzo about 2 weeks ago and he said "Everytime I really have thought of stopping doing music, something changes and I get a kick in the ass." Its funny how he said that to me the same week I get complimented at my day job and have my best dj night ever.

and now its a sad night as six feet under will be no more... How's it gonna end?

shut up bitch

i thought this was funny

going to Philly to spin @ pure, have a mini vacation with the woman - and oddly enough - see like 7 of my friends. I got lots of good new music! Should be a blast - until next time listen to Darth!