Lesser-Known Musical Artists

Dax Riggs: one of many artists you may not know about.

Just for fun, I'd like to compile a varied selection of music I enjoy by artists who are not quite mainstream (yet). The goal of this post is simply to spread their great music for more people to enjoy. Some of these artists are better-known than others, but for the most part these are musicians/bands that seem to not be widely known (almost no one I know listens to them, anyway). I encourage you to explore these musicians further! Note: the videos may not show up on mobile devices.

Artist: Dot Hacker  

Track: Quotes

Dot Hacker is the band of Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. Their music is unique and eclectic, calming yet powerful. Their album is titled Inhibition. 

Artist: Gogol Bordello

Track: 60 Revolutions

As this album is titled, gypsy punk describes their music perfectly. So much rhythm and energy and passion and Eastern-European flavor. Listen to them!

Artist: Arctic Monkeys
Track: Brianstorm

The British rock group Arctic Monkeys is a band you should know about. I saw them live recently, and it absolutely blew me away. I recommend these tracks to get you started: Cornerstone, Piledriver Waltz, Old Yellow Bricks, When The Sun Goes Down, My Propeller, and R U Mine?

Artist: Beirut

Track: Postcards From Italy

This particular track is actually quite different from the majority of the album pictured above, Gulag Orkestar. The album's feel is an amazingly haunting blend of Russian-inspired musical ideas. It's tough to describe but easy to listen to.

Artist: Dax Riggs

Track: Didn't Know Yet What I'd Know When I Was Bleedin'

Based on what I've read, Dax Riggs chooses to say underground. That is, he has quite a huge following, and his shows at small, intimate venues around the country are usually packed with fans. He's an amazing musician, and was the frontman in other projects worth seeking out and listening to: Acid Bath, Agents of Oblivion, and  Deadboy & the Elephantmen. My favorite song by Dax is Song With No Name.

Artist: Skip, Hop & Wobble

Track: From Ankara to Izmir

Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg, and Edgar Meyer playing music together is a wonderful thing. A fellow classical bassist and Edgar Meyer fan introduced this group to me. Also look up their track entitled The Hymn of Ordinary Motion.

Artist: One Day As A Lion

Track: Wild International

Rage Against the Machine frontman Zach de la Rocha and former drummer of The Mars Volta, Jon Theodore, formed One Day As A Lion in 2008. They play with power.

Artist: Buena Vista Social Club

Track: Candela

I recommend researching the Cuban group Buena Vista Social Club and looking for a documentary made about them. The musicians are older now, but from what I saw most recently, still playing and singing with passion. Incredible music.

Artist: Beenie Man
Track: Bossman feat. Sean Paul & Lady Saw

The self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall" puts out some really good tracks. If your head doesn't bob up and down to his music, you might be going deaf. Awesome Jamaican artist.

Artist: Sean Paul
Track: Touch The Sky feat. DJ Ammo

You've most likely heard of Sean Paul, but I don't know anyone else who listens to him! I get completely obsessed with each album he puts out. I'm not exaggerating: I go months listening almost exclusively to Sean Paul. He's a beast! Notice also that he's featured in the track above by Beenie Man.

Artist: Ratatat
Track: Sunblocks

Incredible instrumental music by the New York City-based duo. It always puts me in a good mood. Check them out!

Artist: Audioslave
Track: I Am The Highway

When Rage Against the Machine split in 2000, it was only a year later when the three instrumentalists hooked up with former frontman of Soundgarden, Chris Cornell, to form the rock supergroup (as some people call it) Audioslave. They rocked hard from 2001 to 2007. This band is truly something special, and they wrote some formidable rock tunes during their time together. This song above is tied for my favorite song of all time with Soul To Squeeze, which is by my beloved Red Hot Chili Peppers. Also listen to: Show Me How To Live, Like A Stone, Your Time Has Come, Revelations, and Moth (DEFINITELY listen to Moth).

Artist: Joseph LoDuca
Track: No Life Without You from Spartacus: Blood and Sand soundtrack

I'd just like to say, in general, when you hear beautiful, inspiring, powerful music in television shows and movies, go listen to the soundtrack. Joe LoDuca did a fantastic, outstanding, marvelous, incredible, and breathtakingly good job writing the music for the Starz series Spartacus. Here's a quote from one of the show's producers, Rob Tapert: "Joe LoDuca's music is the unseen thread that ties all the episodes together. His invaluable contributions to the show exemplify how a good composer can make all the various parts become a whole." Spartacus the series consists of three seasons and one prequel season. Throughout this journey, the music is simply transcendent... truly exceptional. This track's title comes from the character Spartacus himself, as he tells his wife that there is no life without her.

Why I Chose To Teach: Part II

I've been told that my posts on this blog are sometimes "intense" and a bit "cynical," and I don't disagree. But I guess I just don't really do "small talk" – I like to talk about real issues, even if they're a little heavy. Who knows, maybe I should work on being a little more light-hearted sometimes. I know that my previous post, Why I Chose To Teach, fits the adjectives I mentioned above, and that it was negative at times. I will say that I do stand behind that post and the reasoning discussed therein, but I wanted to write this short one to highlight the more cheerful reasons I teach. Most of that can be summarized in the note from one of my students I placed above instead of my words.

I didn't fully realize the influence or effect my words and actions could have on young people until this year of teaching. Like the note says, I always tried to help this girl feel empowered and valued. She was shy and sometimes sad – she is African American and didn't feel that she fit in with the prevailing culture of her fellow students, especially other African-American students. I simply encouraged her to be a leader and not a follower, and to work hard because she could achieve the life she wanted if she did. These are not groundbreaking pieces of advice, but powerful nonetheless. She eventually became more confident and proud of herself, even if she was sitting alone in the front of class. She always did her work, asked for help when she needed it, and generally ignored the chaos that sometimes took place in the room (that 6th period she was in was a handful). She was one of the few to earn an A in that class. 

I received many notes from students at the end of the year, which was very touching. Some told me I was a great teacher, or his or her favorite teacher (to which I thought, "Really?"). I'm confident that I was an effective teacher for these students, and that they learned, but it was always reaffirming to hear that I was their favorite or that I did an exceptional job in their minds. One of my students said she liked my class because I was the nicest teacher and the least strict with cell phone use, which, by the way, was not allowed! (It was kind of a losing battle though... oh well). Others, however, did say they liked the challenge my class provided and they appreciated the fact that I wanted to teach them and didn't leave like several teachers before me did. 

The note above, however, was the simplest but the most perfect. I didn't know that my words prevented her from giving up. She had six other teachers who were all kind and supportive I'm sure, but my words were the ones that stuck with her. I'm glad I could make such a difference in her life. So I suppose the point of this post is to say that one of the main reasons I teach is because it's the job that really does make a difference in people's lives. Being a strong, responsible, and trustworthy adult figure in students' lives is extremely important to them, and it's something they crave (sometimes unknowingly). I'm not perfect and I have things I need to work on, so I don't fully see myself as someone who is qualified to give life advice or to guide young people. However, at the same time, I am qualified for such responsibilities, and I know that I can help students in many ways. I know what hard work is, and I know how to push myself to meet challenges, so I can play at least a small part in helping others achieve as well. They help me too. Sometimes the simple advice from a teenager can be really illuminating and a nice break from my over-active mind. 

The other thing that's great about teaching: you never stop learning. You learn a great deal about people, emotions, human psychology, empathy, cultures, and of course, the content you teach. We don't get paid enough, but money isn't what matters.