Dub dot dash

Vinyl junkies swarm K Rd - Police call for calm.
Heard about this? First Annual DJ Record Swap Meet, happening in AK this weekend.
"Designed expressly for record music enthusiasts, The First Annual DJ Record Swap Meet is a revolutionary concept and a true chance for big name and bedroom record spinners to unite and gain new tracks. Finally, a unique occasion to swap/ buy/ sell and trade records, flipping through the crates of your friends and favourite DJ’s collections in search of elusive electric gems.

• 12NOON - 6.00pm, February 19 at The Studio, 340 K Rd, Auckland City
• Heineken are bringing to the party Found@thirst winners Matt Harris and Javed Haider to perform
• Tickets ONLY $5 available on the door!! Guarantee your place by registering your name and contact details to Swap-Meet@deejay.net.nz to be in to win fantastic prizes
• Free gift for first 500 registered" Via Hiphopnz.com.

So, two double-oh five is the year I get to see George Clinton and Parliament, AND Grandmaster Flash, live. Damn! Me so happy!

Missing in Acton.
"Every so often, the GBs like to give some shine to those struggling artists who don't have the luxury of the media hype machine (i.e. The Man) puffing them up to ridiculous heights that no one could live up to. There's a whole world of untapped, unnoticed talent out there just waiting for some kind of recognition — an opportunity to prove that, yes, there's more to music than what you see on eMpTyV (haha ... I just made that up) or hear on the ray-D'-oh (not as clever, but it's hard to top the MTV one).

In the past, we put you on to such hidden gems as Dizzee Rascal, The Streets, Lil Jon, Cam'ron, and most recently The Game (it took forever for us to convince people that he was an actual person, and not a thing). Now we have yet another mumbling, accented, not-really-rapper to present to you, the discerning music fan: Maya Arulpragasam, also known to us (and soon the world) as M.I.A. The most important thing you need to know about this new artist is, she is totally hot! And totally not white!"

Gossiping Bitches New Artist Spotlight...Dissecting M.I.A. (tip of the hat to funkdigital)
I like the bit suggesting that M.I.A. is one of "those struggling artists who don't have the luxury of the media hype machine" - if you Google her, you'll discover she has management representation from William Morris Agency, one of the most influential actors/musicians management companies on the planet. And then there's all the heat she's getting from the indie bloggers... perhaps because she's hot, as the GBs point out.

Chris Rock, Oscars host, not a fan, however...
"Come on, it's a fashion show," he added. "What straight black man sits there and watches the Oscars? Show me one. And they don't recognise comedy, and you don't see a lot of black people nominated, so why should I watch it?"

All that jazz
Not too sure about lettin RJD2 loose on Astrid Gilberto, but the previous two Verve Remixed comps have thrown up some gems, so who knows? Out April 5 in the US.

Via Billboard... Here is the track list for "Verve Remixed 3":
"Little Girl Blue (Postal Service remix)," Nina Simone
"Speak Low (Bent remix)," Billie Holiday
"Sing, Sing, Sing (RSL remix)," Anita O'Day
"Fever (Adam Freeland remix)," Sarah Vaughan
"Come Dance With Me (Sugardaddy remix)," Shirley Horn
"Just One of Those Things (Brazilian Girls remix)," Blossom Dearie
"The Gentle Rain (RJD2 remix)," Astrud Gilberto
"Peter Gunn (Max Sedgley remix)," Sarah Vaughan
"Stay Loose (Lyrics Born remix)," Jimmy Smith
"The Boy's Doin' It (Carl Craig remx)," Hugh Masekela
"Lilac Wine (the Album Leaf remix)," Nina Simone
"Yesterdays (Junior Boys remix)," Billie Holiday
"Baby, Did You Hear? (Danger Mouse remix)," Dinah Washington