MONOLOG

DJ D-Sharp# - "Definition of a Star" Single Release

2010-03-10T10:44:00.000-08:00

DJ D-Sharp has just dropped his very first single, "Definition of a Star". The track is a west-coast-influenced banger which features Bay Area MCs, Kev Choice and Tony Vic.

It was only inevitable for D-Sharp, a long time producer, to put out his own music after producing songs for artists such as Lyrics Born, Lateef the Truthspeaker, Shock G (Digital Underground), The Grouch and Flipsyde.

D-Sharp began his music career at the age of 15, performing at venues all over the Bay Area. He later became the resident DJ at Maritime Hall in San Francisco and then at Justice League, where he opened for acts like Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, Living Legends, Blackalicious and Latyrx. His years of hard work paid off when Chief Xcel of Blackalicious recommended him to Quannum Projects MC, Lateef the Truthspeaker (Latyrx, The Mighty Underdogs, Fatboy Slim) who asked him to go on tour. D-Sharp quit his day job and from there, began touring the world with Quannum artists such as Blackalicious, Lyrics Born, Lifesavas, Latyrx, The Gift of Gab; and joined the infamous Quannum World tour DJing alongside DJ Shadow. It wasn't long before his talents caught the ear of other prominent artists including Lauryn Hill, Clyde Carson, Mike Patton (Peeping Tom), Slum Village, Planet Asia and Goapele -- all of whom he has DJ'd for. On tour, he has shared stages with high profile acts such as Jay Z, Kanye West, Outkast, Common, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, The Game, Pharrell and The Wu Tang Clan.

Before venturing out on his own, D-Sharp was the DJ for the Bay Area alternative rock group, Flipsyde (Interscope Records). As a member of Flipsyde, D-Sharp appeared on The Tonite Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Soul Train. The group toured extensively, including runs with the Black Eyed Peas and the Pussycat Dolls. Flipsyde also saw the success of their single, "Someday", reach a monumental high when NBC chose the track as the theme song for the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Soon after, D-Sharp broke out on his own and continued to make a name for himself by dominating the Bay Area club scene. He currently holds residencies at major San Francisco night clubs such as Manor West, Vessel and Fluid; and has played prominent clubs such as Ruby Skye and Roe. D-Sharp has also DJ'd in clubs across the United States including Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles.

As a DJ and Producer, D-Sharp has also put together mixtapes for Lateef the Truthspeaker ("Truth Is Love"), Jennifer Johns and Kev Choice ("The Bailout"); and has released his own mixtapes including "Gangster Donuts" (J Dilla & Jay Z) and the Valentine's Day hit, "Love Is Love Is Love". His remixes for artists such as Kanye West, Erk Tha Jerk, Joyo Velarde and Goapele have been praised by other DJs and fans alike.

2009 saw the launch of his official website, TheRealDJDSharp.com as well as his own Podcast Show, "Sharp State of Mind" -- which branched out into a video series in which D-Sharp interviews artists, such as DJ Premier, DJ Shadow, Clyde Carson, Mike Relm, Erk Tha Jerk, to name a few, as part of an online video blog.

With the release of his first single, "Definition of a Star", which he produced, D-Sharp proves himself as a formidable MC as well. Coupled with his current success as a DJ and Producer, 2010 looks to be a very promising year for this multi-faceted artist.

A video for the single is being released on March 23rd with more music planned for the coming months. As he has already proven, DJ D-Sharp is definitely an artist to pay close attention to.

Jonathan Kingham - Smooth Out the Lines

2010-03-05T09:51:00.000-08:00

<a href="http://jonathankingham.bandcamp.com/album/smooth-out-the-lines">She's so California by Jonathan Kingham</a>

We first met Jonathan Kingham at a Glen Phillips show where he was backing up the ex-Toad frontman. Glen was just getting over a tragic accident to his hand that left some nerve damage, playing the guitar was as he described it "relearning the thing". So Jonathan was called in to back up guitar duties and lend some backing vox as well. I was immediately impressed with Jonathan and when he contacted us with word that he was putting out another solo album, well we were super excited.

"Smooth Out the Lines" gets really intimate from the start of the album. 'Grace' the second song on the track really hits home with a song about personal reflection of shortcomings but leaving with an abundance of Agape. Towards the middle of the album we find a more soulful tune with "We're All Just Trying to Get By". One of my favorite tunes is "September Skies". If you would like to pre-order the album please visit www.jonathankingham.com

Coachella is in...43 days!!!

2010-03-04T13:43:00.000-08:00

Coachella - Indio CA in the desert. 3 days of music. Every year there seems to be an epic amount of bands that make their way out there. One thing you will need is hydration, I hear it can get quite hot out there.

Expect to see loads of this...

And this years lineup is scary good:

View it HERE!!!

UK Producer Bag review!

2010-03-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

Another great review from one of the leading gear reviewers in the UK! FutureMusic Magazine got their hands on the Producer Bag and here's what they have to say:

"...this bag has happily taken me all over the world and protected my laptop and gadgets in a variety of weather situations. Definitely one of the best messenger bags I've ever had the pleasure of jetting with."

UK players, hit up Madison & Fifth here to get yours!

Andrew Belle @ The Utah

2010-02-25T12:09:00.000-08:00

What's great about The Hotel Utah Saloon is the same attribute that makes it suck - the size. The tiny stage seems to be blocked from any angle, whether you're on the floor or upstairs. But, there is something sort of magical about seeing such great artists at point blank range, in a tiny, intimate space. Last time we were there it was David Mead gracing the stage, singing solo and playing a mix of guitars and mandolin. He also jumped on the piano in the corner to play Human Nature - it was unplanned and awesome.

This time it was Andrew Belle on stage, playing songs from his getting-super-popular album The Ladder (as well as some material from his previous album All Those Pretty Lights). If you don't know Belle's music, he's a Chicago-now-Nashville singer/songwriter who recently joined the ranks of the 10 Out Of Tenn tour. The Ladder is his first full length album, although you'll probably recognize his music from that show you're addicted to (his songs are being picked up by many a prime-time drama). Sadly, Katie Herzig did NOT make a cameo to sing Static Waves (on which she is featured on the album), but a great performance nonetheless. I highly recommend catching Andrew now, while he's still approachable and able to hang after the show and sell you a CD in person. Soon he will have the management buffer of an Andrew Bird and you'll be hard pressed to shake his hand.

Shoutout to the other super talented artists there as well: Allen Stone bucked all stereotypes by busting out his soul break-up tunes like Quit Callin, Matthew Ryan and Kasey Anderson traded tracks from each others albums, and while he wasn't on the roster this time, San Francisco native songwriter David Greco was spotted in the building.

[Andrew Belle]

[Allen Stone]

[Matthew Ryan]

[Kasey Anderson]

Monday Meshuggah

2010-02-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

Let's start the week off with some inspiration from Sweden, shall we?
Fredrik Thordendal on guitar. Morgan Ågren on drums. Happy Monday.

Bajah + Dye Eye Crew: Once upon a time in Oakland

2010-02-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

The band: Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew
The venue: The New Parish in Oakland

Once in a while a good show turns out to be more than that. We were excited enough to hear that Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew were hitting Oakland. (This is a band we've been hearing about more and more.) But to have a some of our favorite MONOplayers from NYC backing them was something truly special.

With a proprietary blend of hip hop/funk/dancehall/reggae, The Dry Eye Crew are bringing some much needed sounds to the scene. Add in the real life storytelling of their Sierre Leone upbringing and the music becomes a powerful medium for the messages.

Backing the Crew on this tour is musical director B. Satz on bass (Jay-Z, Big Luther, etc), Daivd Bailis on guitar (Talib Kweli, Elizabeth, etc), Wynne Bennett on keys (Philip Glass, Little Brother, etc) and the mighty Swiss Chris on drums (Kanye, John Legend, etc).

[B. Satz]

[David Bailis]

[Pupa Bajah, A-Klazz, Dovy Dovy]

[Me and Swiss]

UK says "yes"

2010-02-17T13:06:00.000-08:00

UK's Guitar & Bass Magazine just printed a great review of the M80 single and dual cases. We got a 94% out of 100. Ok, we'll take that. Among our favorite excerpts:

"The really impressive thing is the ratio of protection to weight."

"Excellent protection in a light, super-durable package."

"Highly recommended."

UK players, hit up Madison & Fifth to gear up! Drummers, you can hit up The Music Shipping Co.
Cheers.

Die Antwoord, Taking Over the Interwebs.

2010-02-10T16:15:00.000-08:00

This group is fascinating. I don't know whether to be scared or laugh, or be both. What intrigues me most about this band is their thick South African accent. I couldn't make it out at first thinking to myself...sounds like they are from New Zealand or something. But it wasn't quite like that. I soon realized that "The Answer" hailed from the southern part of Africa and is now soon to be exploding onto American soil. I am also enamored by their hair stylings, a cross between trailer and heavy 80's Euro. I'm sure Vanilla Ice is somewhere dusting off his Puma's ready for a return. Don't even go there, they are definitely taking over the Interwebs with rap/rave next level gangsta $h!t.

P.S. I've got new respect for Pink Floyd now.

Ovall - Don't Care Who Knows That

2010-02-09T14:03:00.000-08:00

Ovall's 'Don't Care Who Knows That' is about to be released on March 10th with Origami Productions. MONO got an exclusive preview for this, their firstalbum. The spiritual hip hop journey Ovall takes you on is nothing but bliss. Collaborations from all over the world play an important part to keeping things very fresh. Ovall backs up some really great vocals especially heard on 'I Need Your Music' featuring Hanah. The very next track on the album, 'Supalover, features 20syl spilling some rhymes while David Le Deunff of Hocus Pocus lends his vocal skills.

The album only gets tighter as collaborations with Jo'Leon Davenue, Wayna, Kenn Starr, and Ol'K provide a great balance. 'The Skin I'm In' lands in the middle of the record and really stands out. This is Ovall at their best.

Ovall shall be known. Band consists of members:

Shingo Suzuki (Bass/Keyboards)
Shingo Sekiguchi (Guitar)
mabanua (Drums)

MetroSonics - Focused Fire Pt. 2

2010-02-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

You find yourself in Brooklyn on Friday night. Head down to Little Field, get yourself a drink, and enjoy some sounds you might ever experience again. Metrosonics headlines the night. Now throw in fashion giveaways, door prizes, a raffle for the chance to be out fitted by rising star designer-martial artist-native new yorker Angela Gao who will be in attendance with models, breakdancing, martial arts demonstrations by Tai-Chi master C.K. Chu, and YOU, it's adding up to some serious FUN. Each ticket purchased in advance or at the door comes with a copy of the MetroSonics debut album: Focused Fire. The link for purchasing tickets is below. Don't miss this one, bring ALL your friends and come enjoy an amazing night. If you know you're going to be there, buy tickets in advance. It's going to be a full house.

Tickets On Sale HERE!

INFO: $12 Advance, $15 At The Door. Chase is the title sponsor for Sounds Like Brooklyn Music Festival.
21 and Over
$12 ADVANCE, $15 AT THE DOOR. CHASE IS THE TITLE SPONSOR FOR SOUNDS LIKE BROOKLYN MUSIC FESTIVAL.

WHEN: February 5th, Friday, Doors 9:00pm

WHERE:
Little Field
622 Degraw Street
Between, 3rd and 4th
Park Slope, Brooklyn

Mapped.

Here's a little preview of what you might hear:

Media Mistakes by MetroSonics

Focused Fire by MetroSonics

Shirts Off by MetroSonics

MetroSonics - Focused Fire Pt. 1

2010-02-02T10:18:00.000-08:00

MetroSonics [me-troh-son-iks] - listen - proper noun - organic hip-hop gritty, ny, street poetry serious musician ship activism.

Paul Josephs [pawl-joh-zuhfs, -suhfs] - listen - proper noun - Leader of the band, NY street kid, son of a tough Jewish mother, guitarist, MC, college graduate, educator, martial artist, public art school product, captain of the team, oversensitive street brawler, blues junkie, jazz lover, classic rock listening early 90's skater boy, foodie, autocrat of my own kitchen, producer, entrepreneur, session musician, activist ready to take to the streets, world traveler, Cuban soul, wine lover, millionaire, broke artist, health nut, stone cold sober business man, hemp lover, beat-boxer, free style whiz, comedian, rock star, came up with the name MetroSonics while heading downtown on the 2 train to a gig.

By age 16 Paul was performing with some of the bright lights of the New York blues scene. He went on to record a live album, as an emcee, with jazz guitar great Rodney Jones's Soul Manifesto project, and to tour with such musical legends as Maceo Parker, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Idris Muhammed, and Arthur Blythe.

Accomplishments include producing, recording, and performing with some greats. Beyonce, Alice Smith, Groove Collective, Jean Grae, Citizen Cope, The Roots, Baba Israel, Toni Blackman, Imani Uzuri, D.J. Chela, Ra-Re Valverde and rock collective Earth Driver.

Focused Fire [fō'kəs-ed-fahyuhr] - listen - proper noun - A unique blend of the myriad of musical styles that influenced Josephs. MetroSonics newest that is set to launch at the end of this week.

Date, time, location, clips. Pt. 2. Tomorrow.

MONOplayer sightings: ?uestlove

2010-01-29T16:33:00.001-08:00

Players, the weekend is upon us. This was a big week for us. We're on the verge of our 2010 product launch and all hands are on deck. This is going to be a good one! We also got to hang with one of our idols this week (more on that later). And let's cap it off with a MONOplayer sighting of Mr ?uestlove (or maybe Dr ?uestlove) and XXL's Elliott Wilson straddling the almighty 365 DJ pack.

Thanks to all of you for spreading the love!
Go Play.

Marrvelous.

2010-01-29T16:31:00.000-08:00

Brilliant moves and a bit of stealth gets us in the same room with Johnny Marr. It's a wonderful experience to have JM agree to ambassador our products and really give it a go. He is a legend in his own right, but much more a geek for gear which we had suspicions he would be. He described himself having a bit of OCD with his gear, I like to call it a keen sense of observation and intuition rather than a disorder. He likes what he likes. Nothing wrong with that.

Good times were had as he kindly obliged to model our newest line of straps. It's a strap most people have not seen or had the privilege to wear. We hope Owen and Kirk of legendary Root band feel special.

One of my personal bucket list items was to see Marr perform before I kicked it. I can now cross that off.

GRUV GEAR!

2010-01-25T10:56:00.000-08:00

www.gruvgear.com

We met these guys at NAMM, and they make a product that we at MONO really stand behind. Any musician knows how much of a burden it is to carry all your stuff, that's why things like low watt amps exist...make it smaller because your back will love you. The thing about smaller gear is that sometimes it sounds smaller.

The v-cart solo was just launched and now provides a total solution for transportation of all your gear. Visit them to find out more about the 4 different modes this thing has.

NAMM 2010. It's a wrap.

2010-01-20T16:04:00.001-08:00

We battled snow. Coming back from NAMM yesterday even though it was 2 days after the official close, we had to battle snow. Of all the crazy things that happened at the show it was the snow that really baffled me. It was probably the worst weather I've ever had to drive in. Still last week was so crucial to why we go to NAMM every year.

Distribution - We picked up some key countries this year. Soon MONO gear will be available to ALL.

Recap: Everyone loves the products. People are going crazy over the new gear.

Artists: We met up with some really special artists that we feel we are going to be working with for a long time. DJ Enferno stopped by and is stoked to try out some of our newest stuff.

Z-Trip stopped by and gave us his 2 cents on the Flyby case that we designed with him in mind.

Buds for life, Vernon Reid came up and took us upstairs to visit a friend. I was so glad to catch with him since Calhoun was up over in Africa and couldn't make it out this year.

Oh yeah, we met up with this bass player. Flea or something like that.

All our players came out to support us as well, Andrew Sheron, Evan Marien, Aaron Gonzales, A Band Called Pain, Zeke Martin, Steven Espaniola and his boys...Geez the list goes on...you know who you are!!! Thanks for a great year...and thanks for giving us:

Bluetooth Mullet moments.

NAMM 2010

2010-01-09T15:01:00.000-08:00

The NAMM show is just around the corner. Those of you who have seen us there in the past know that we like to keep things fresh with new gear launching each year. Well, this year will be no exception. We are stoked, and we can't wait to unveil the 2010 collection. Here's a sneak peek...

If you're coming to the show, hit us up!
Booth #1256, Hall E

NYE with the Roots!

2010-01-06T15:19:00.000-08:00

The Roots spent NYE in San Francisco headlining a set at the Warfield. We had time to hang with them before their set. Here's Captain Kirk giving us a tour of his new Gibson Robot guitar. Where's the button that makes the thing do laundry?

Introducing Renee Biddle's hubby, Owen:

The one and only ?uestlove.

Reflection Eternal - The Re:Union

2010-01-04T14:18:00.000-08:00

Kweli and Hi Tek back at it with a mix tape by Statik Selektah. Revolutions Per Minute is their newest and is currently a work in progress. There is no official date of release but they are looking to put this out in March. Re:Union is definitely something we all can put on iTunes for the time being. I haven't been this excited since...uhhh...Train of Thought!

Find it HERE!

Taken from www.yearoftheblacksmith.com

Ready for 2010!!!

2009-12-30T13:18:00.000-08:00

We've got some really exciting stuff brewing in the works for 2010. This is going to be a great year for MONO and we could not have done it without the love from family, friends, customers, and our players. Your support was vital to keeping 2009 a year to remember. HUGE BORAT THUMBS UP!

Christmas coming...REAL FAST!

2009-12-22T10:39:00.001-08:00

I think everyone should enjoy Christmas music during this time of year. Isn't great how technology has made it so that you can access Christmas music at anytime of the year, 24/7. So if you haven't already seen this...here you go, David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing the Drummer Boy.

Phoenix, in Paris

2009-12-10T12:31:00.000-08:00

One of our favorites performing a take away show...

Phoenix - Lizstomania / One time too many - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

MONO Christmas list...

2009-12-07T12:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a Christmas list from those of us in the MONO studio:

1. Legacy of Helmet - A series of graphic artwork on canvas that Page Hamilton has created visually interpreted by Page with ideas from the customer considered in the creations. The artwork will feature a different Helmet song spanning the entire 20-year catalog of music.

2. Livid, Block - A compact and programmable MIDI control surface designed for DJ's who want the baddest looking controller in the world.

3. Flea Bass - Created by none other than Flea. The concept is simple, students want to have an instrument they can fall in love with but don't have to pay an arm and a leg for. They also don't want to buy cheesy instruments that will either fail on them or transition into an instrument that ends up in the closet collecting dust. This one is definitely for the next generation of bass players.

4. Divided by 13 - Me likey boutique amps that look cool as heck.

The Airborne Toxic Event @ The Fillmore 11/02/2009

2009-11-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

TATE is now staking its claim as one of those bands to see. Garnering comparisons to The Arcade Fire, I can see the resemblance. Their onstage performance demands attention because they seriously look like their having some fun up there. People have to remember that this band has only been together for a few years. They have 1 LP under their belt, and have been touring their self-titled for nearly 2 years. When do they have time to sleep???

3 Albums we be bumpin'

2009-11-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

1. Idle Warship - Party Robot
Talib Kweli and his gang of uber talented vocalists. We saw them live a few months ago and it was insane. This album kicks off with a total mixture of hip hop, 80's synth pop, and rock. To justify this, one must see them live to appreciate their sense of musicianship. Daru for life! (this album is free btw)

2. Tegan & Sara - Sainthood
Their newest and man this one is soooooo good. This is their 6th studio album and they mustered up all their strength to put out one of their best albums to date. This one really gets going from the start with Arrow. You'll definitely hear Missing Persons and the gamut of serious girl power movement. These twins are 2 times the charm.

3. Hearts of Black Science - The Star in the Lake
Hailing from Sweden, this duo was rumored to have split previous to this album. I was saddened by the fact that this might have been the case but was relieved and completely surprised to have heard a new album was in the works. It is here, and it is a great pleasure to add this to the MONO studio playlist. You will only have to listen to a few seconds of each song to capture all their 80's glory and synth vibe they've got going on.