Hasta La Ideas

Big Huge: At The Movies Self-described as “a frightful/delightful five-piece of ditty pumpers with a heart that bleeds for the wild child, the mood swinger and the lost thought found again,” NYC-based Big Huge and their garage-pop sound is a legitimate gang of…

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More than 100 tracks sampled on an instrumental album two years in the making

Founder of music label Case/Martingale and recent resident DJ at Marie Claire magazine, music maker and producer Chris Lawhorn has created Fugazi Edits, a new record made entirely by sampling every single song in the band Fugazi’s discography. The instrumental album includes excerpts from 100 Fugazi tracks to form…

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Nearly a decade of The Kills captured in photographer Kenneth Cappello’s new book

Following the life of the band The Kills both on stage and on the road, photographer Kenneth Cappello shot more than 600 rolls of film of bandmates Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince in the last nine years. Capturing the raw energy of this garage punk duo is “Dream & Drive,” Cappello’s new book archiving more than 20,000 images culled from his expansive library. The book hits the US this month after being announced this spring.

Cappello began to photograph Mosshart and Hince in 2003 while they were filming scenes for their documentary, “I Hate the Way You Love.” These moments in Paris proved to be the beginning of a bond that led to a fruitful relationship. Cappello came along for the ride in subsequent years, cultivating that special relationship of musician and photographer as the moments of their exploits unfolded.

Known for their intense emotions on and off the stage, The Kills perform with additional drummers or pulsing drum machines to enhance the atmosphere of their bracing songs. This distinct sound of Mosshart’s raw vocals and the intense and frenetic sounds of Hince’s guitar have captivated a loyal fan base over the years. The imagery in “Dream & Drive” offers an intimate glimpse into what makes them tick, capturing not only the magnitude of their sound on stage, but also the quiet moments they share off stage.

Cappello’s “Dream & Drive” will be released in North America to select bookstores on 16 August 2012. Preorder now from Domino or Amazon.

Exclusive content and Sub Pop’s showcase live streamed to parties in five cities during SXSW, courtesy of MasterCard®

Sponsored content:

We’re bringing you exclusive content from Austin and bringing a little bit of the city to you courtesy of MasterCard PayPass®. You’re familiar with the Cool Hunting motto “Always More”, so it’s no surprise that one party isn’t enough. That’s why we’re throwing five parties. At the same time. This Friday night, 16 March 2012, you can join us in NYC, LA, DC, SF and Chicago to see a live stream of the Sub Pop SXSW Showcase featuring Niki & the Dove, Spoek Mathambo and THEESatisfaction.

The events feature outstanding DJs like Boy Wonder and Jon Huang in Chicago, Chances With Wolves in NYC, Chris Holmes + Brie Larson + Elijah Wood + Turquoise Wisdom in LA, Stretch Armstrong in D.C. and Claude VonStroke in San Francisco. Each will have an open bar and our special South by Southwest cocktail created by celebrated mixologist Jim Meehan, along with food from some of the country’s best food trucks—all for free. You can RSVP via the city links above, just make sure that you bring your MasterCard, or a friend who has one.

For those of you who can’t make it to one of the parties you can watch the stream live on the Tap Into SXSW section of Cool Hunting. In addition to the bands mentioned, Debo Band and Gashcat will also be streamed lived starting at 9pm CDT.

We’ll be adding new content daily to the Tap Into SXSW section of Cool Hunting, so check back often for exclusive interviews, videos and more.

Visit Tap into Austin 2012 to catch the Sub Pop Showcase livestream on Friday night and learn more about what’s happening in Austin during SXSW.

An insider’s perspective on London’s clubland 1976-1984

There’s a seductiveness that surrounds the London club scene of the late ’70s and early ’80s. It was an era that spawned a host of new music, a few new drugs, some serious fashion and Boy George. With his new book, “We Can Be Heroes,” Graham Smith packages the nostalgia for those who romanticize or actually remember it.

As a young man, the untrained photographer got his hands on a 35mm Praktica and began snapping friends and musicians in the early punk scene. He started out processing them at home in a cupboard, storing them away as mementos. Later, when the media caught on to the trend and began reporting on what they called “The New Romantics,” Smith and others felt that it was misrepresented. The photographic coverage was always from an outsider’s perspective, and attracted poseurs who flocked to be part of the scene’s cool factor.

Smith’s intensely personal photos depict his cohorts, many of whom went on to become major icons. Among the book’s 400 images are stills of Gary Kemp, the Sex Pistols, Boy George, Iggy Pop and Robert Elms. Smith conducted 60 interviews with artists and club regulars and wrote the book with Chris Sullivan, a friend and fellow ne’er-do-well. “We Can Be Heroes” offers a glimpse into the interiors of legendary old spaces like Billy’s, the Mud Club, the Blitz and Le Beate. The book also includes DJ set lists, club flyers, magazine covers and other paraphernalia of the bygone era.

Due out on 8 December 2011, “We Can Be Heroes” is raising funds to get made through the donation-based site Unbound, and still needs supporters. To help bring the book to life, head over to the site and make a pledge. There are a range of donation options—£50 will get you a signed first edition and the satisfaction of knowing you helped record a pivotal moment in music history. In the meantime, the book’s on display through 23 December The Society Club in London.