Terrance tagged me and so did KB. I'm a sucker, yet again, for a music meme. I did it before...what's the harm in doing it again? Taking it from the top...

1. What is the total volume of musical files on your computer?
Apollo - 85.0 GB and rising.
Hermes - 32.8 GB. Most (if not all) of them are on Apollo.
ejPod - 2 GB. Doesn't take too much music to work out to.

2. What song are you listening to right now?
Avalanches - Since I Met You.

3. Last CD I bought?
Afterdark - Chicago from the rekkasto, Natalie from Amazon.

4. Five songs you listen to a lot and which mean something to you:

Just five? Let's make it 10.

The newer cuts:
Ivana Santilli - You're So You. Played this cut to death after Todd kept singing it, and singing it, and singing it....
Teedra Moses - Caught Up. My favorite cut off the album, don't care who tells you anything different. It's gotta be the guitar and the keys in the high register. It's intoxicating. There's another one, but I won't present that one yet.
Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist. This track is wild! That boy needs therapy!
Michael Johnson - Do It. He's so smooth.
Platinum Pied Pipers feat. Steve Spacek - No Worries. Anything from PPP right now thrills me. This one grew on me and now won't go away.

The old school/not so new cuts:
Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Information. I can't describe it. I think I played this song to death, seriously.
Soul II Soul - Missing You. Ditto on this one. IMHO one of the best British cuts from back in the day out there.
Bill Withers - Let Me Be The One You Need. Love the way he whines.
Chuckii Booker - You Don't Know. One of the cuts that never got airplay.
Troop - You Take My Heart With You - One of those cuts that they should have released.

Tags.
Stephen Charles. Curious to see what he's up to.
Chandrasutra. Ditto for Chandra.
Humanity Critic. Gotta see what's in his head.
Will. Because I have to do it to him.
Golden. Where you at?

Can I go outside now?

It's been a long week, and I'm glad it's over. Today's In Rotation: 05/27/05 is in full effect. This was a bit of a challenge for me, since I was (as usual) feeling very mellow after a long work week, which was pretty much a repeat of last week. After I turned up the sound and rested a bit, I was able to drop a mix of cuts that, outside of the OSWs, have been in rotation and haven't been too mellow and a even- dare I say- a little eclectic. If you're feeling mellow, you know you can always dip into our crates...

And people, if you happen to see Todd Kelley around, do not give him a photo of yours. There's no telling what might happen. And yes, I'm still open for Q&A. You've got questions? I've got answers. I'll start dropping them on Tuesday. Go for it.

Check it out:
01 - The Avalanches - Since I Left You. They are an Australian sextet that, if I tried to classify into a specific genre, I would fail miserably. This is the lead single off their CD released last year. I would definitely classify this as one of the misses of last year. (Big ups to Gwen for the tip -- I owe you a big one).
02 - Platinum Pied Pipers f/ Tiombe Lockhart -Stay With Me. Don't ask me, ask Honey. Like I mentioned to her, their album is quite possibly one of my top 10 of this year.
03 - Ivana Santilli - Should I. Todd is a mellow cat. Yet another one of my misses from last year.
04 - Jamiroquai - Little L. Word is Jay is in the studio. Let's hope so.
05 - Maya Azucena -Too Much. Yep, Honey again. It's like an addiction.
06 - Rahsaan Patterson - The One For Me. Wonder who designed his website? Hmm......
07 - Frank McComb - Do You Remember Love? I got to see him perform at Prince's concert and picked up his CDs.
08 - Lalah Hathaway - Outrun The Sky. From her album of the same name.
09 - Toshi - Beating of My Heart. I mentioned his album last year.
10 - Kem - Set You Free. From Album II. (Yep, her again.)
11 - Michael Johnson - Move On. One of the close friends of Julie Dexter and a wonderful producer. Cop his album if you like this track.
12 - Q-Burns Abstract Message f/ Lisa Shaw - This Time. Whisper "Lisa Shaw" into Todd's ear and find out what happens. Wish I could see her again.
13 - D'Influence f/ Shola Ama - This I Promise You. From their last (and hopefully not final) album, D-Vas.
14 - Jhelisa - Whirl Keeps Turning. I'm wondering what she's doing these days as well.

I've made myself a happy camper after a busy, yet productive week. Let's hope I spread the love. Have a great weekend and a wonderful holiday - and Chicagoans, I will see you in July.....

You know what time it is. It's Xquizzyt1 time.

Old School Wednesday: The Xquizzyt1 Mix, Slow Jams from the 70s, Volume 2

01 Stevie Wonder - Knocks Me Off My Feet
02 Switch - There'll Never Be
03 Deniece Williams - Free
04 Teena Marie - Portuguese Love
05 Cameo - Sparkle
06 Earth, Wind & Fire - Lover's Holiday
07 The Floaters - Float On
08 Bloodstone - Natural High
09 Love Unlimited Orchestra - Walking In The Rain (With The One I Love)
10 The Manhattans - Let's Just Kiss And Say GoodBye
11 O Jays - Stairway To Heaven
12 Dells - Stay In My Corner
13 The Isley Brothers - Sensuality (Part 1 & Part 2)
14 Lenny Williams - 'Cause I Love You
15 Major Harris - Love Won't Let Me Wait
16 Marvin Gaye - Distant Lover
17 Atlantic Starr - Send For Me
18 Stylistics - Hurry Up This Way Again
19 Shalamar - I Don't Wanna Be The Last To Know

If you'll excuse me, I'll be playing The Stylistics and Love Unlimited Orchestra again continuously. Show your love to DJ XStacy.

I swear, it's been mad busy for me in the last week or so, but I finally got a reprieve. I finally got to see Star Wars, and finally get to catch up on my blog reading. That's two out of three....now I've gotta catch up with the memes. I've been tagged.:

From Metaphyzxx: 10 of my favorite things, in no particular order:
10. Headphones at work.
9. Welch's Berry Punch. Three cartons a week, easily.
8. Listening to MP3s in my car. It's the hotness.
7. Coming up with playlists.
6. Mornings. Watching the sunrise is mad cool.
5. Nathan's beef hot dogs with cheddar cheese. Don't hate.
4. My laptop, Hermes.
3. Reading blogs. Some people read books, me? I'm a blog fiend.
2. Sweatpants and t-shirts.
1. Springtime weather. Not too hot, not too cold.

Seven people to call out on this one: Will (done), Frank, Tony, Todd (done), Yolie (done), Kelvin (done), and KB (done), since he called me on one I did before. I'll have to do an updated one soon. It's about that time.

You know how it is when work gets you, where there's stuff you really want to do but there's not enough time in the world? Well, that's me, today - seven days after Friday the 13th.

I had every intention of doing an In Rotation this week, but then I thought that maybe I was too mellow, that I needed to do more upbeat stuff. For example, the radio blog I was going to throw up was going to include Platinum Pied Pipers, Matt Bianco, Ivana Santilli, Rahsaan Patterson, and more....but then I thought that after the Old School Hip Hop arby that it would be better if I just let people marinate on that instead of going ultra-mellow as I've been kinda feeling after the weird work week I had. For example, I was supposed to see Star Wars, and I was all set. We were all sitting down, and the movie was about to start and then.... then....

...my pager went off, I got stuck on a conference call, and as the movie started I was on my way to my car going back to work. Sometimes life is like that, you know?

Especially since I've hit the cover of Jet Magazine!

HOLLA!

DJ XStacy, better known as Xquizzyt1 lights it up again, and Will and I are in serious agreement here.

Old School Wednesday: The Xquizzyt1 Mix- Old School Hip-Hop

01 - Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock
02 - Run DMC - Sucker MCs
03 - The Boogie Boys - Fly Girl
04 - Ultramagnetic MCs - Ego Trippin'
05 - Big Daddy Kane - Ain't No Half Steppin'
06 - Special Ed - I Got It Made
07 - Joe Ski Love - Pee Wee Herman
08 - Eric B and Rakim - Eric B Is President
09 - EPMD - So Whatcha Sayin'
10 - Marley Marl and the All Stars - The Symphony
11 - UTFO - Roxanne Roxanne
12 - Chubb Rock - Treat Em Right
13 - De La Soul feat. A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah & Monie Love - Buddy (12'' remix)
14 - MC Lyte - Cha Cha Cha
15 - Slick Rick - Children's Story
16 - Brand Nubian - Slow Down
17 - Chubb Rock - Just The Two Of Us
18 - Method Man and Mary J Blige - You're All I Need
19 - Gangstarr - Nice and Smooth - DWYCK

I would be typing this all day if I told you how much I loved this list. EPMD is my favorite one right now, but if you ask me the same question 10 minutes from now, it would probably be another track. Again, we're not responsible for you turning it out at your job today.

Xquizzyt1, make 'em clap to this....
***Special thanks to Metaphyzxx for dropping Buddy into the mix on such short notice! I owe you one.