Songs to Listen to Before an Interview

We've all been there. You're on your way to the interview anticipating what will happen and asking yourself endless questions. What questions will they ask? Will they ask for my references? How much does this job pay? While you make your way to the interview you always need music that will pump you up and get you ready to kick some serious ass. Therefore, I've compiled a list of some of my favorite job interview songs.

Nas- The World is Yours
There are few songs that make you feel as pumped and ready to go as this one. With the world in your hands, you can knock that interview out of the park.


The Ramones- Blitzkrieg Bop
The phrase "hey ho... let's go" always gives me an extra jump in my step and gets me ready for battle.



Arcade Fire- Neighborhood #3 Power Out
I'd never tell anyone to lie at an interview, but I would encourage them to listen to this song for its kick ass beat to pump them up.


Bob Dylan- Subterranean Homesick Blues
There's a lot of wisdom in this song and I'm sure it could help you answer a few questions in the interview.


James Brown- Get Up, Get into it and Get Involved
You have you listen to this song last. No other tune makes you want to get out there and make things right. James is the ultimate motivator.


Now that you've heard the songs, go out there and get the job!

EDJ

My Favourite Song of All Time

I think it's kinda stupid to have a song that is your favourite because I listen to many songs for many different reasons and I hate to stack them up against one another. But if there is one song that clearly resonates with me on a very unique level it would have to be Nina Simone's Sinnerman. It is an epic song of all epicness that is over 10 minutes of raging cathartic beauty.

Simone was introduced to the song by her mother who was a minister who used it with the the downtrodden to help confess their sins. The songs starts with a very unique series of notes that would not normally be placed together and continues to build until it is a tidal wave of emotion that rages over the listener. There is no other song like this and there is nobody who could possibly play this song better than Nina herself.

If you've never heard this song before than you are really missing out. If you have heard the song before, listen to it again for the first time!



EDJ

Stranger Song

I have been in love with the music of Leonard Cohen since I was a child. In my opinion, there is no songwriter who is able to say so much with so little. This is one of my favorite live videos of him doing what he does best. Wait for the end when there is a single tear falling down his cheek.



EDJ

Digging with DJ Shadow

Do you know Jazzy Jay? DJ Shadow? or Cut Chemist? If not, you are missing out on some of the seminal figures in modern Hip Hop. Sure they are not rappers and don't have huge record contracts, but they play an important role in Hip Hop culture. Shadow is often referred to as the "Jimi Hendrix of turntables" for his uncanny ability to to cut and mix two seemingly opposite records together into one free flowing sound. He is the definition of what all DJs strive to be.

Jazzy Jay also has a pretty noteworthy resume. As one of the co-founders of Def Jam recordings, Jay worked with some of the most important artists of the 80s. Most importantly, Jay was the DJ on Afrika Bamabaattaa & Soulsonic Force LP in 1986 and still plays a major role as curator of a collection of over 400,000 records. He is a Hip Hop icon of the highest order.

While Cut Chemist has not received as much attention as DJ Shadow, he is also a major DJ on the scene who has the ability to keep crowds moving with just two decks and a mixer. While he is more commonly known as Jurassic 5's DJ, Cut Chemist constantly tours by himself or as a duo with DJ Shadow.

All three men are featured in the incredible documentary Scractch and tell us what DJing and digging for records means to them.



EDJ

THE ARCHIVE: WORLD'S LARGEST RECORD COLLECTION

This is a short documentary about Paul Mawhinney, the former owner of Recordrama in Pittsburgh PA and owner of the world largest record collection. Paul explains that only 17% of his collection can be found on modern formats. That means that the vast majority of the music of the past is completely inaccessible to the public.

Paul's collection is estimated to be worth 50 million dollars, but he can't sell it for a minimal 3 million. I know where I'm going next time I'm in Pittsburgh!


EDJ

Shoulda Woulda Coulda Artist #2: O.C.

If you haven't heard O.C. before that's understandable, but you're missing out on one of the best artists of today. A bold statement I know, but hear me out. O.C. had one hit in the early 90s for his single "Time's Up" and his best selling album only reached 16 on the R&B/Hip Hop charts, but O.C is a legend to those who are familiar with his music. His albums have been both idolized and slammed by critics and he has never achieved the stardom of many of his contemporaries. Yet aside from all of this O.C. is a survivor who is still putting out albums today.

O.C. got his start in the DITC Crew and on Organized Konfusion's first album (another essential Hip Hop album) and one year later on MC Search's "Back to the Grill," a track that also featured a very young Nas. After much critical success, he dropped a bomb of an album with "Word... Life" and although the album only reached 34 on the charts, it has become a Hip Hop standard to many. In my eyes, it is the best thing ever done in Rap music. It is a passionate and powerful recording that, unlike so many of his contemporaries, hasn't dated a day since its release.

O.C continues to release quality albums year after year. While he never received the immediate success of so many other rappers of that time, O.C. is a survivor that has been in the game for nearly 20 years and is still going strong. Trends come and go, but great music always rises to the top and towers over all the bullshit.

Check out a couple of O.C. tracks for yourself.





EDJ

Shoulda Woulda Coulda Artist #1: Vashti Bunyan

My Shoulda Woulda Coulda series is dedicated to artists that I believe should have received a lot more recognition than they did. It is made for artists who have unfortunately flown under the radar, but still deserve a lot of props. My first artist is Vashti Bunyan, also known as just Vashti.

Vashti was born in London in 1945 and recorded a few singles before her debut album in 1970. The album is an incredible chamber folk record that really captures the genre. It is a mellow album that is perfect for rainy Sundays, a cup of coffee and a great book. Her voice is absolutely angelic and is clearly an influence to more popular artists of today like Johanna Newsom or Fiona Apple.

After seeing her album fall to relative obscurity, Vashti quit the business and went about her life. It was not until nearly 25 years later when she received much recognition from critics and artists that she recorded another and embarked on a North America tour. While she is still not on any pop charts, she is still receiving much critical acclaim for her deep musicianship and artistry.

This video is for her second single, Train Song, which was produced by Canadian Peter Snell in 1966. This is my favorite Vashti song because of its simple, yet profound melody.



EDJ

Great Day of Digging

I live in a very trendy area of downtown Toronto called Leslieville that has a lot of unique shops and restaurants. On top of this, the summer season also has more than its fair share of garage and yard sales. I went to one yesterday only to find an obscene amount of records for sale. You should know that this is always the first thing I look for when I go to garage sales, so needless to say I was quite happy to find such an excellent selection. Sadly, I was not the first one there and the man in front of me gave me a very dirty look when I also approached the boxes that he was carefully inspecting. When I had the audacity to pick up a De La Soul record that he had already claimed, he snapped at me by saying "that one's already taken." My first reaction was a laugh at his social awkwardness and then I went back to looking.

There are a few things you should know about record collectors. They are often:
a) male
b) socially awkward
c) obsessive and overly protective of their records
d) looking of a great deal
The men at this sale today met all of these categories and hovered over these records like moths to a flame. I don't exclude myself from these people, but I like to think that I'm not quite as obsessive and don't covet records like a sacred text. Nonetheless, I found some great finds and I can't wait to give them a spin.

EDJ

Top Five Favorite Scene's in High Fidelity

Anyone who has seen the movie or read the book High Fidelity knows that it is loaded with top five list pertaining to everything on relationships, movies and music. As a tribute to this cult classic, I have created a top five scenes in High Fidelity list. If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, I highly recommend you do so. It is fun, funny, and sweet.

#5 The Monday Tape- This happens early in the movie and, while I am a big Belle & Sebastian fan, it's still pretty funny to see Jack Black's dance moves.


#4 Top 5 Things I Miss About Her- While this is not a music related moment, it is a sweet and tender scene that makes the film really real.


#3 Ian- I am a big Tim Robbins fan I as much as I like to see his dramatic roles, I think he's a great comedy actor. In this scene, Ray (Tim Robins) is approaching Rob (Jon Cusak) about his stalking Rob's ex. The film then cuts to Rob fantasy and juxtaposes it with the reality. Oh if we only did what we wished we could!


#2 Top 5 Side Ones/Track Ones- I can't tell you how many times I've had this conversation.



#1 The Collector- My favorite scene didn't make the move. At one point in the film, Rob subtly answers the phone about a collector wanting to sell their records. When he arrives, he is overwhelmed by the greatest 45 collection he has ever seen! The woman's offers the collection to him for 50 bucks, but he virtuously refuses and she looks for someone else to buy it. I would have bought it in a heartbeat.



EDJ

Reunited At Last!

For those of you who don't know me, my wife and I have spent a significant time apart over the past 3 years. If she was in New York, I was in Edmonton; If I was in New York, she would be in Edmonton. Well, yesterday all of that ended when she finally arrived for good with me in Toronto. Anyone who has done the long distance thing for a long time will tell you that it is no fun. It is hard to keep up to date on your significant other and it really challenges your relationship. Therefore, I want to send this post out to all the lovers who are apart. My advice to you is to keep positive and remember how good it will feel when you are finally back together again.

In honour of the unique institution known as the long distance relationship, here's John Lee Hooker and his beautiful song about rekindled love.

EDJ