President Obama in Los Angeles

By Erin Ferucci

Celebrity Lifestyle Designer

The other day I had the great pleasure of being on the tarmac when President Obama landed in Los Angeles. I thought it would be like being back stage with a really big rock star. Oh my! Did I underestimate the experience!

I had to be vetted the day before in order to get security clearance and security the day of was TIGHT! And rightly so! It was like watching a well organized ballet performed by security guards and secret service.These guys and gals are serious! You can't even imagine the amount of planning that must go in to planning a day with the President.

The President himself, Wow, there really are no words. Come on, it's no secret that I have worked closely with Hollywood royalty, both literally and figuratively, so I am not really easily blown away simply by "star power". But I have to say that President Obama is the real deal. There was something really measurable that seemed to radiate from him. It was exciting. It was inspirational. It was heady.

thrones - alraune

Thrones

Alraune

1996

Communion

[sludge metal, doom metal, experimental]

MF (81 MB)

Thrones is Joe Preston's (Melvins, High On Fire, Earth, Sunn, Harvey Milk, The Whip, [insert basically any American sludge/doom band]) solo sludge project. It's some pretty fucked up doom with a drum machine and some weird electronic shit thrown in here and there. Some songs are absurd and essentially unlistenable, some sound like Melvins and are awesome (MANMNT from White Rabbit for example). You probably shouldn't have time for this stuff, but here it is anyway.

thrones - white rabbit ep

Thrones

White Rabbit EP

1999

Kill Rock Stars

[sludge metal, doom metal, experimental]

MF (32 MB)

thrones - sperm whale ep

Thrones

Sperm Whale EP

2000

Kill Rock Stars

[sludge metal, doom metal, experimental]

MF (22 MB)

thrones - the suckling/young savage 7"

Thrones

The Suckling/Young Savage 7"

1995

Kill Rock Stars

[sludge metal, doom metal, experimental]

MF (11 MB)

thrones - senex/silvery colorado 7"

Thrones

Senex/Silvery Colorado 7"

1999

Soda Girl

[sludge metal, doom metal, experimental]

MF (19 MB)

thrones - algol/reddleman 7"

Thrones

Algol/ Reddleman 7"

1999

PNMV

[sludge metal, doom metal, experimental]

MF (17 MB)

john fahey - hard time empty bottle blues (1-4) ep

John Fahey

Hard Time Empty Bottle Blues (1-4) EP

2003

Table Of The Elements

[american primitivism, blues]

MF (11 MB)

john fahey - the mill pond 7"

John Fahey

The Mill Pond 7"

1997

Little Brother

[experimental]

MF (27 MB)

isis/pig destroyer - isis/pig destroyer 7"

Isis/Pig Destroyer

Isis/Pig Destroyer 7"

2000

Relapse

[sludge metal, grindcore]

MF (16 MB)

A great band (Pig Destroyer) covering three songs by another great band (Carcass), and a decent band (Isis) covering Godflesh's (a third great band) Streetcleaner title track. Should be a recipe for greatness! End result isn't bad, by any means, but not great either. Thus, this probably qualifies as a disappointment, even if it's better than anything most bands will ever be able to put out. I'm going to put on Reek Of Putrefaction now.

mulatu astatke/fekade amde maskal - ethio jazz

Mulatu Astatke/Fekade Amde Maskal

Ethio Jazz

1974

Amha/L'Arôme

[African jazz]

MF (96 MB)

skullflower/white medal - great hunter/on't borough 7"

Skullflower/White Medal

Great Hunter/On't Borough 7"

2010

Turgid Animal

[drone, noise, black metal, experimental]

MF (22 MB)

magic lantern - platoon

Magic Lantern

Platoon

2010

Not Not Fun

[psychedelic rock, experimental rock]

MF (74 MB, rip: UAX)

Fucking great this, one of the best I've heard from 2010 so far. Epic psych jamz ála Hendrix, but still managing to sound "contemporary" rather than merely nostalgic. It looks like Not Not Fun still have some LPs left, so get your copy here while you still can. Wah wah galore.

silver bullets - free radical

Silver Bullets

Free Radical

2009

Stunned

[psychedelic rock, experimental rock, krautrock]

MF (87 MB)

magic lantern - at the mountains of madness

Magic Lantern

At The Mountains Of Madness

2007

Not Not Fun

[psychedelic rock, drone, noise]

MF (55 MB)

lussuria - silk and honey

Lussuria

Silk And Honey

2010

Hospital Productions

[drone, ambient]

MF (44 MB)

This is perhaps my favourite tape from 2010. Short but sweet.

sean mccann - lower decks

Sean McCann

Lower Decks

2010

Ekhein

[drone, noise, ambient]

MF (58 MB, rip: UAX)

ossining/afterlife - ossining/afterlife

Ossining/Afterlife

Ossining/Afterlife

2009

Stunned

[drone, experimental]

MF (118 MB)

hair police - on dark and bloody ground

Hair Police

On Dark And Bloody Ground

2010

Hospital Productions

[noise]

MF (40 MB)

black eagle child - two days

Black Eagle Child

Two Days

2009

self-released

[ambient, free folk, drone]

MF (53 MB)

topping bottoms - towers of spines

Topping Bottoms

Towers Of Spines

2010

Not Not Fun

[psychedelic rock, experimental rock]

MF (83 MB)

sean mccann - continent

Sean McCann

Continent

2010

Catholic

[ambient, drone]

MF (59 MB, rip: UAX)

aderlating - dying of the light ep

Aderlating

Dying Of The Light EP

2010

self-released

[black metal, dark ambient, industrial, drone, noise]

MF (41 MB)

Never really been a big fan of Gnaw Their Tongues (at least not the little I've heard), but this sounds more interesting to me. It's the same dude, but less black metal and more industrial noise-y.

long fin killie - buttergut ep

Long Fin Killie

Buttergut EP

1995

Too Pure

[experimental rock, indie rock, noise rock]

MF (26 MB)

Eating Light and Luscious

By Erin Ferucci
Celebrity Lifestyle Designer

There’s nothing better than treating yourself to a light and luscious meal. I make this for lunch for myself; it’s healthy, delicious and makes me feel like I am at a spa.

Ingredients:
Asparagus

Vegenaise

Red wine vinegar

Steam, roast or braise some beautiful asparagus spears. Arrange them on a plate and drizzle ¼ cup vegenaise mixed with 2 tbs. of red wine vinegar over the top. Viola! Gourmet eating for one!

Note: If you have never tried Vegenaise, you should. It is a heart healthy alternative to mayonnaise. And it tastes great!

machinefabriek - allengskens ep

Machinefabriek

Allengskens EP

2006

self-released

[ambient, drone]

MF (32 MB)

machinefabriek - zucht ep

Machinefabriek

Zucht EP

2006

self-released

[ambient, drone]

MF (30 MB)

suma - let the churches burn

Suma

Let The Churches Burn

2006

Speakerphone

[stoner metal, doom metal, noise]

MF (97 MB)

Heavy as fuck.

circle - prospekt

Circle

Prospekt

2000

Ekto

[experimental rock, krautrock, psychedelic rock]

MF (68 MB)

This certainly has to be the very finest hour Circle ever committed to tape. If not perhaps one of the best records of the 00s. Repetitive motorik rhythm section with punky, aggressive guitars that build and build. Kosmisch!

circle - meronia

Circle

Meronia

1994

Bad Vugum

[experimental rock, krautrock, psychedelic rock]

MF (99 MB)

Debut LP. Good stuff.

circle - telescope: live at cairo

Circle

Telescope: Live At Cairo

2007

Sunhair

[experimental rock, krautrock, psychedelic rock]

Part 1: MF (150 MB)

Part 2: MF (54 MB)

circle - peel session 09.06.02

Circle

Peel Session 09.06.02

2002

bootleg

[experimental rock, krautrock, psychedelic rock]

MF (80 MB)

circle - zopalki

Circle

Zopalki

1996

Bad Vugum

[experimental rock, krautrock, psychedelic rock]

MF (114 MB)

circle - tyrant

Circle

Tyrant

2006

Latitudes

[experimental rock, krautrock, psychedelic rock]

MF (60 MB)

circle - alotus

Circle

Alotus

2002

Klangbad

[experimental rock, krautrock, psychedelic rock]

MF (63 MB)

circle - odottamaton/harmaat linnut 7"

Circle

Odottamaton/ Harmaat linnut 7"

2009

Sub Pop

[experimental rock, krautrock, psychedelic rock]

MF (21 MB)

circle - hissi

Circle

Hissi

1996

Metamorphos

[experimental rock, krautrock, psychedelic rock]

MF (87 MB)

bohren & der club of gore - bohren & der club of gore 7"

Bohren & Der Club Of Gore

Bohren & Der Club Of Gore 7"

1994

Burt Reynolds Moustache

[dark ambient, jazz, doom metal]

MF (14 MB)

Fantastic German group that fuses beautiful jazz with slow, almost doomy ambient. If you haven't experienced this band before I strongly advice you to get yourself a copy of their 2002 album Black Earth. Fucking great.

monks of the dip tse chok ling monastery - sacred ceremonies: ritual music of tibetan buddhism

Monks Of The Dip Tse Chok Ling Monastery

Sacred Ceremonies: Ritual Music Of Tibetan Buddhism

1990

Fortuna

[traditional Tibetan folk music, drone]

MF (85 MB)

long fin killie - houdini

Long Fin Killie

Houdini

1995

Too Pure

[experimental rock, chamber pop]

MF (98 MB)

Beautiful album by this Scottish band that I until quite recently hadn't even heard of. Quite difficult to label, genre-wise. Sounds something like Slint if they decided to try to make a pop album with the guy from The Wedding Present handling the vocals? You be the judge, well worth checking out (also includes a Mark E. Smith guest rambling appearance that completely caught me off guard the first time I listened to it).

Integrating Nature with Donald Kaufman by Erin Ferucci, Designs 4 Living

By Erin Ferucci

Celebrity Lifestyle Designer

It's spring and I feel inspired by nature! One of my favorite ways to bring nature into any space is to start with paint. There is no better paint to do this with than Donald Kaufman Paints and I have to tell you his new architectural colors are impeccable! I was in New York on a shopping trip for a client a last fall and couldn't resist. The paint chips alone were $75. Who charges $75 for paint chips? Donald Kaufman does. Why? Because his colors are to die for. Seriously, you can't go wrong. He has the perfect cream, the perfect french blue. He is an amazing colorist with impeccable good taste.

And they are all beautifully inspired by nature. Look at how rich these colors are! The bottom line is that Donald Kaufman Colors are incomparable and there are some very important reasons why. DK colors contain as many as 13 different pigments making them both rich and transparent. The transparency of the paint is what sets them apart from commercial paints. Also DK never adds oxides to their paints, oxides diminish paint's ability to reflect light. So with DK colors you getter a richer tone that reflects light and actually transforms the light in the room.

What is truly amazing is that he draws inspiration for his colors from raw nature,
creating rich, expressive color that is unique and lush. DK colors are more expensive than other paints, but the colors are unsurpassed. For maximum results DK colors suggests painting over white primer, as opposed to neutrals and expect to use 2 to 3 coats in order to achieve the best results.