Things I have not done in a long time...

1) Worked out with 225 pounds (ouch)

2) Written on this blog

3) Bought an actual CD

Mainly thanks to #3 I have something worthwhile to share for #2.


Today I stumbled across an interesting CD which for some unknown reason has flown under my radar for nearly half a year.


I discovered said CD while searching for remixes on youtube and saw that Pete Rock did a Johnny Cash remix and true to the mecca soul brother's standards it was pretty swank. Even more impressive was the remix of Belshazzar by machine drum (see video below).





If you listen closely, you can here hints of a track I nearly forgot about until I stumbled across my case of mixtapes in my parents attic, God Lives Underwater's "From your mouth."


A quick listen and you can't help but think the same producer must be behind both of these tracks. I wonder if they would mash-up well together. Perhaps I will give that a shot this weekend.


Anyhow back to the Johnny Cash Remix album. I bought it at Best Buy before realizing it was also available on I-tunes. That's fine, I actually like having the CD and liner notes to get details on the producers of the album and individual contributors.


The reviews on Itunes are dismal. Nearly 300 ratings, and the average is 1.5 stars. Yikes!

Interestingly, the driving force behind the album was none other than Snoop Dogg (who has a track on the CD) and Johnny Cash's son, John Carter Cash. And while many commenters think the remixes are borderline blasphemy, John Carter Cash has this to say...


"My father made his stead by defying the expected & accepted way of things. He set the standard at the same time. He would have loved this remix record. While it stays true to the original recordings, the cd touches on undiscovered ground. This is what my father was about, staying true to tradition, while creating groundbreaking new music."


Knowing what I know about the man in black and the character I believe he was, I am inclined to agree with this.


I certainly love and respect the original work, but also love that other artists from all different walks of life continue to embrace his work and pay tribute in the form of their own remixes.


The album is no where near without having fault or some questionnable versions, but that is all good and fine. Like most things in life, and the man in black himself, the postive aspects do far more too offset the associated transgressions and the net result is the rare album I am not only proud to own, but actually made the trek to the store to buy.