Background:
James Murphy is one of my musical heroes. He co-founded and co-owns, DFA Records, the best electronic music label in North America with his production partner, Tim Goldsworthy (another musical genius). Pioneering the electronic-infused dance-rock movement, the two of them have produced records for The Rapture, The Juan MacLean and Hot Chip (all on their label DFA) - everything they touch turns to gold. Murphy was also behind the brilliant remix of M.I.A's "Paper Planes" used in Slumdog Millionaire LINK. If it only stopped there. James IS LCD Soundsystem the best artist on the whole damn label and my favorite electronic artist making music today.
Trivia:
Coming out of college as an English major, Murphy almost quit his musical pursuits for a career as a television writer when he was offered a job as the first staff writer on a new sitcom. What a disaster that would have been. Well not a total disaster as that "new sitcom" was THE sitcom, Seinfeld. I think it worked out alright for everyone involved.
"Losing My Edge":
This is the single that started it all for LCD Soundsystem in 2002. Before James Murphy released this, he was DJing parties him and Tim were throwing in the Lower East Side - spinning tunes by electronic and rock pioneers like Can and Liquid Liquid. Soon he became the "in" DJ and soon found others were starting to cop from his style. Murphy started becoming something he thought he hated, saying things like "I was playing that record years ago" and feeling like he owned that music in someway. Well fortunately for us James took that as motivation and turned it into the absolutely brilliant "Losing My Edge". It is a nearly eight minute long masterpiece combining genuine vulnerability of feeling like he could lose his newfound coolness at any moment while also masterfully satirizing the whole silliness of the hipster scene. Murphy says the song was born out of both feelings of "inadequacy and love".
Favorite line (among many brilliant ones): "I heard you have a compilation of every good song ever done by anybody. " Check it out: LINK
News:
James Murphy is currently in the studio working on a follow-up to Sound of Silver due early next year. He also just finished production on the debut album by Free Energy, 70s classic rock sound that would have fit perfectly on the Dazed and Confused soundtrack. And what do you know, but the first two tracks released are pure sonic bliss - James Murphy can do no wrong. Oh and he loves cow bell.
Check out Free Energy's "Free Energy": LINK
Album / Song Highlights:
LCD Soundsystem (2005) - "Daft Punk is Playing at My House", "Losing My Edge", really just every single track
Sound of Silver (2007) - "All My Friends" (best song of 2007...just a brilliant and uplifting song about friendship) and all others on this one too. LINK
Enjoy,
MD
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