Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
Why am I posting pictures of Space Balloons playing at a birthday party for a three year old? I’m adding some visual spice to some friendly advice. If you are throwing a party for a kid you should hire Space Balloons. Hell, if you’re throwing a party for an adult you should hire Space Balloons.
Darling Pet Munkee
Glows In The Dark!
2012
Darling Pet Munkee is what happens when the kids who grew up on comic books, The Cramps and The Misfits decide to make a record just for the hell of it. The kids in this case are Michael J. Epstein, Sophia Cacciola and Catherine Capozzi. Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling meets Axemunkee in name and sound.
The subject matter for Glows In The Dark! (and the band’s name) comes from the ads in the back of old comic books. Songs like “X-Ray Specs”, “Kung-Fu Sandals” and “MONSTER S-I-Z-E MONSTERS” are given a garage/surf treatment. Even the ubiquitous “Sea-Monkeys” are fodder for this trio. The band’s website reveals the inspiration for each track, which is quite the fun read. Thankfully, the songs focus on what the products could have been rather than the inevitable disappointment delivered by the postman. Although, if a “Darling Pet Monkey” showed up at your door, disappointment would be the least of your worries.
Where to get it:
Michael J. Epstein and Sophia Cacciola
“Eight More Days of Hanukkah!”
2011
Tonight is the fourth night of Hanukkah. Wouldn’t it be great if it could go on forever? Michael J. Epstein and Sophia Cacciola seem to think so. They wrote a song about it. The duo’s plan involves adding eight more days of Hanukkah after every holiday. Like Groundhog Day. And St. Patrick’s Day. And Christmas.
If this song was the basis for a Rankin/Bass holiday special, it would probably end with everybody realizing that Hanukkah is more special when there are only eight days. The rest of the year we can carry Hanukkah in our hearts. This isn’t a Rankin/Bass special, though. It’s an Epstein/Cacciola special. In their version, every day would actually be Hanukkah. There would be an endless festival of lights.
We’re going to need some more candles.
Where to get it:
Michael J. Epstein and Sophia Cacciola
“Shift Your Shopping!”
2011
Here’s a little something to think about on the busiest shopping day of the year. Michael J. Epstein and Sophia Cacciola have put together a folk ditty in support of the Shift Your Shopping campaign. It’s called “Shift Your Shopping!” Go figure.
The song itself reminds me of the classic Space Balloons healthy snack anthem “Grapes”. This time the positive message is about spending your holiday shopping dollars close to home. “Mom-ing and pop-ing” as they like to call it.* Also, there are sleigh bells, which officially qualifies this as a holiday song. “Shift Your Shopping!” even comes packaged in a variety of different sizes!
Where to get it:
* Or is that “momming and popping”. I need an official ruling on the spelling of this.
On Balloononia, arguments are settled differently than they are here on earth. In this video, Space Balloons tell you how it’s done where they come from.
Kids music played at 11pm in a bar? Must be Space Balloons.
I have to admit I was quite excited that Space Balloons were performing as part of Uke-Arist II. I wanted to see what kind of nonsense this trio could stir up. I was not disappointed. There were songs about reading to mustaches, square grapes, hovercrafts full of eels, hug wars, balloons in lagoons, life on Balloononia and dessert for breakfast.
I laughed.* I cried.** I watched Richard Bouchard chase Navigator Joe around the bar with a giraffacrockasomethingorother.*** I took some pictures. I had a good time.
* I did.
** I did not.
*** This almost made me laugh so hard that I cried. Alas, I did not (see **).
Space Balloons
Hugs And Hovercrafts
2011
Big Little Guy woke up sick the other morning. He had a nasty fever, wouldn’t eat, and seemed bored out of his skull.
I picked him up, plunked him on my lap, and pulled up the Space Balloons website. He loves Welcome to Balloononia. Maybe their new Hugs And Hovercrafts double single would cheer him up.
I press play and the ukulele strums of “Hug War” start in. He listens intently to the song. He seems to be perking up a little.
“I want to hear the rest.”
“Hovercraft Full Of Eels” has the same sense of whimsy as “The Tale Of The Space Balloons”, a song that Big Bittle Guy likes quite a bit. As we’re listening I explain to him what a hovercraft is.
“Can it go on water, too?”
“Yes it can. It can go over land and water.”
He goes back to listening. When the song ends, Big Little Guy asks me to play it again. Space Balloons have once again enchanted him. He quickly learns how to play the song over and over again.
Mom comes home.
“Mom! A hovercraft is like a car, but it doesn’t have wheels! And it can go on land and water!”
Later that night, as I was emptying the dishwasher, a familiar tune popped into my head. I start to sing. Big Little Guy and Mom join me.
Floating in our hovercraft full of eels
Flying through the air ’cause it has no wheels
Really, really happy is how we feel
Floating in our hovercraft…
Where to get it:
Space Balloons
Welcome To Balloononia
2011
“Hey buddy, want to hear a song about mustaches?”
“Yeah.”
If you want a mustache you gotta take care of it…
That’s how it started. My five year old thought a song about feeding and reading to your mustache was funny. He liked it so much he made me play it over and over and over. I couldn’t even play the rest of the Space Balloons EP, Welcome To Balloononia, for him. He just wanted to listen to the song about the mustache.
Then he started singing it around the house.
I did eventually convince him to listen to “Grapes”. He liked it.
I had made it clear that we were going to listen to the whole record (all three songs clocking in at just over four minutes), so “The Tale Of The Space Balloons” came on next. Oh boy. This intergalactic tale of balloons, lagoons and monsoons captivated him. I can’t even tell you how many times we listened to this song.* I have video of him singing this song in the car. If my son was a member of The Recording Academy, “The Tale Of The Space Balloons” would win the 2011 Grammy for Record Of The Year.**
Michael J. Epstein and Sophia Cacciola, who also happen to be Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling (who sound nothing like Space Balloons) and integral parts of about a billion other projects (which vary in their degrees of Space Balloons similarity), seem to be onto something here. The kids dig it.
Where to get it:
* Well, actually, thanks to the wonders of the iTunes play count, I could tell you. Truth be told, I’m afraid to look.
** I predict “The Tale Of The Space Balloons” is a better song that whatever wins the actual award.
Michael J. Epstein
“July 4, 1976 (Disco Independence)”
2011
Do you like historically inaccurate songs about Independence Day, the Founding Fathers, disco music, life, liberty and the pursuit of facial hair? Maybe?
Michael J. Epstein is hoping you do.* He’s written “July 4, 1976 (Disco Independence)” for people just like you! You need not like actual disco music, just songs about disco music, as the song is not in the disco style. It’s a little indie rock ditty that rewrites history to explain why we have fireworks and barbecues this time each year. It’s a free download. As an added bonus, Mr. Epstein is throwing in a version of “The Stars And Stripes Forever (Moustache Mix)” that sounds like…
I’ve spent enough time on this.
Where to get it:
* Actually, he probably doesn’t even care. He seems like a well enough adjusted individual to not worry about this sort of thing. It’s all good.
Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling
Questions Are A Burden To Others
2011
Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling is a duo made up of Sophia Cacciola on drums and vocals (usually) and Michael J. Epstein on bass (usually). Their songs are based on the ’60s British sci-fi spy series The Prisoner. Weird, right? It kind of is, but it’s also rather intriguing.
First of all, the bass rarely sounds like a bass. It’s so processed and distorted that it sounds like some kind of weird guitar/organ/bass hybrid from the retro future. The complex nature of the bass sound helps minimize the novelty of their unusual instrumentation. As for minimizing the novelty of lyrics based on The Prisoner, well, uhhh… how much do you really know about The Prisoner, anyway? If you don’t know much about the Patrick McGoohan drama (thanks Wikipedia), then it won’t seem like a gimmick. I would imagine if you knew a lot about The Prisoner it would be just plain awesome.
As for the music, it is guttural. Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling are desperate. They are dark. Tick tick tick tick-tock. The tension builds. The juxtaposition of sparse instrumentation and dense sound is powerful. Their urgency is alarming. Tick tick tick tick-stop.
I think I need to check out The Prisoner.
Where to get it:
