paul dateh

New Site is now LIVE!

2008-02-09T23:41:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

I have launched my new site at http://pauldateh.com. This blog will no longer be updated. See you at the new site! :)

Vlog Episode 3A: Hip Hop Violin Caprice

2008-01-30T11:25:00.000-08:00

Click To Play

Okay, so here's the deal: the new site is pretty much done; however, it's currently not stored in the correct database. I hope to have all the technical details worked out by next week.

But, that doesn't mean that the site's content should be delayed as well! So, here we go! This post marks my very first episode: Hip Hop Violin Caprice.

There's more to come, so stay tuned! :)
pd

Vlog Preview: One Week in January.

2008-01-11T22:36:00.000-08:00

(See Quicktime version here.)

Last month, I promised a site and show launch for January, and I still plan to do so!

While I get everything ready for the actual launch of the site and show, check out this preview video that documents the events of my past week: performing at the Los Angeles Philharmonic's "Concrete Frequency" event; opening up with the incredible DJ Johnny Juice for Public Enemy and DMC at the Hard Rock Las Vegas; and exhibiting for Skullcandy and Beyond.FM at CES 2008!

*I forgot to link DMC in the video! Make sure check out this hip hop legend at http://me-dmc.com.

Preparations for the the album recording are wrapping up, and I plan to go into official production at the end of this month. I'll be sure to post video of my progress whenever I can.

Finally, if you're going to be in Los Angeles over the next two weeks, check out my show schedule below:

1.17.08 - 1-21.08: 2008 NAMM Show - Anaheim, CA [trade only, not open to public]
1.24.08: Knitting Factory Los Angeles (Main Stage) - Hollywood, CA [opening for Grouch & Eligh of Living Legends]
1.26.08: Genghis Cohen - Los Angeles, CA [performing a special acoustic set with guitarist Ken Belcher]

Hope you're all having a great day!
pd

[Episode music provided by Inverse. Check out their new release "So Far" now at http://inversehiphop.wordpress.com.]

"Kicking Off" the New Year!

2007-12-29T15:34:00.000-08:00

Inka and I will be guest artists at the Los Angeles Philharmonic's "Concrete Frequency" kick-off event this Friday, January 4th at Walt Disney Concert Hall! Here are the details as given by the Philharmonic:

Concrete Frequency is a multi-disciplinary two week festival which
will examine and celebrate the elements that define a city, and how
those elements are affected by – and reflected in – music and art.

Concrete Frequency Kick-Off Event!
Friday, January 4th, 2008
Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
9pm – midnight

Immediately following the LA Philharmonic’s main stage
performance on Concrete Frequency’s opening night, the doors open
to fill the alternate spaces of the Concert Hall (BP Hall, lobby areas,
etc) with music, film and dance, inspired by the sights, sounds, and
soul of Los Angeles. Explore our urban landscape as it comes to life
within this compelling festival in the living room for the city.

More information available on the Los Angeles Philharmonic Website: http://www.laphil.com/

Hope to see you there!
pd

Preparing for '08.

2007-12-19T01:19:00.000-08:00

Click To Play

The music in this video is something I came up with earlier today, and I wanted to record it before I forgot it. It's kind of growing on me, and I'm thinking about developing it further so I can put it on my upcoming album.

Speaking of the album, I've been working on new music to put on the project. As soon as pre-production ends in January, the real recording will begin. I hope to have everything mixed and mastered by April, which means I better be smart about what I do with my time!

I'm really excited about recording this album, because it'll be my first real one! I've done many pre-production demos in the past, but never anything official. After years of putting it off, it's finally time to make this album a reality. Of course, I'll be taking video of the whole process, so you'll be able to share in the experience, too!

The new site is coming along, also. As far as I can tell, I'm still on track for a January launch. :)

Come on, 2008. I'm ready for you.

New Site Coming Soon.

2007-12-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

Click To Play

Yup. Check for a new http://pauldateh.com in January.

Also, my album recording is underway. I'll be sure to document the process on the new vlog.

And yeah, the beanie will come off in January, too, provided that I figure out what to do with my hair by then. Suggestions are welcomed!

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your 2007! :)
pd

The Game Plan.

2007-11-27T23:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, so here's the deal: I really enjoy sharing the moments of my life through this blog, but I'm starting to notice a need to begin separating my professional entries from my personal ones.

I didn't really have a specific purpose in mind for this blog when I first started keeping it in May. This blog was originally meant to only be a fun project to try out. But in the six months of keeping this blog, I have discovered that I really enjoy being a part of the blogging/videoblogging community.

For that reason, I think it would be a good idea for me to give a little more thought over the content that I post on my blog. Not only that, I would also like to put more thought into how I present my content to the reader or viewer. It does look kind of strange when I'm performing with DJ Johnny Juice in one entry, only to eat lettuce in another. Even though both of these entries represent me as a person, I know that they don't necessarily belong in the same place.

Obviously, having two blogs is the answer. So, look for a new http://pauldateh.com launching sometime in early 2008 for all my professional, music-related happenings. In the meantime, I'll keep posting my personal entries on this blog.

See You at The Winnies!

2007-11-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

I'll be performing a special set with K9 the Human Beatbox at The Winnies afterparty. :)

Find out all the info at http://youarethewinner.org!

(Want to watch the promo in Quicktime? Click here.)

Go Eat a Lettuce.

2007-11-18T18:41:00.000-08:00

Click To Play

A couple of days ago, my friend Vu launched a videoblog project in which he would live off a strictly vegan diet for two consecutive months. I know that the first couple of days have been a little rough for Vu, so I'm eating some lettuce to show my support.

Check out http://vugoesvegan.com!

[music: "Say It Ain't So" - Weezer]

Bonus Vlog Entry - The Elevator

2007-11-13T10:04:00.000-08:00

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My friends and I visit the crazy elevator at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, NYC.

[Music: "What Goes Up" from Suburban Light - The Clientele]
[Music: "Nothin' but Sunshine" from Lucy Ford - Atmosphere]

Back to Los Angeles.

2007-11-11T19:03:00.000-08:00

Click To Play

And so, my nine-day trip to New York City comes to a close.

I truly had an amazing time: performing with DJ Johnny Juice, hanging out with Chuck D and Tony Tone, performing at Public's 4-year Anniversary, meeting Hip Hop legends at the Zulu Nation Anniversary, seeing old friends, meeting new friends!

New York City is truly an awesome place. I can't wait to go back! :D

Again, very special thanks to Lan at Noodle Scar for lending me a camera so I could vlog my trip. Vlogging is a lot of fun! I think I will be purchasing a camera of my own very soon...

But, wait! There's more: the NYC trip may be over, but the story isn't over yet. There are many more projects coming up, and I'll make sure to keep posting all of the news right here. :)

Hello, Los Angeles. I'm home.
pd

Up next: (it's a surprise!)

[music: Foreign Exchange - "Nic's Groove"]

NYC Day 8 - Zulu Nation 34th Anniversary

2007-11-10T23:57:00.000-08:00

Click To Play

During my rehearsal with DJ Johnny Juice on Day 3, Tony Tone of the Cold Crush Brothers personally invited me to come hang out at the Zulu Nation 34th Anniversary in Harlem. They were hosting a B-Boy and DJ battle on the night I attended, and they asked me to join in on the fun by performing a quick set with Juice.

It really made my night when Grandmaster Caz came on stage to say that my work is "culture" and "real". I will never forget the amount of excitement I felt!

Juice made sure to introduce me to all the other Hip Hop legends in the house and also made sure that I got a chance to grab some photos with them. It really was a great place to be that night. Everyone was overwhelmingly supportive and encouraging (qualities you see less and less in today's mainstream Hip Hop world).

Going to the Zulu Nation anniversary was the best way to end my trip to New York City. I couldn't have possibly asked for better! I can't wait to come back to this awesome place again.

Next entry: Back to L.A.

NYC Day 6 - BKLYN.

2007-11-08T00:56:00.001-08:00

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During my 6th day in NYC, I spent some of my free time in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Williamsburg is a really cool community, but all of the new construction projects in the area will probably bring major changes in the coming years. The last time I was here was only this past February, and it already looks a lot different than I remember!

Greenpoint is an interesting place, too. It's got a small town feel that complements neighboring Williamsburg nicely. I really like the fact that New York still has a lot of independent businesses, unlike Los Angeles's unending gallery of chains. I hope that doesn't change as time goes on.

I'm really having a lot of fun here in New York, and I'm sad that I'll soon have to come back to Los Angeles. But, L.A. has its perks, too; you just can't beat L.A.'s weather. And it looks like I'll be leaving New York just as it's about to get COLD!

NYC Day 4 - Private Event at Public

2007-11-06T22:09:00.000-08:00

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DJ Johnny Juice and I performed at a private event celebrating Public Restaurant's 4-year anniversary. Everything went really well; the crowd loved us (over 350 in attendance!)!

I really like being in NYC. Maybe L.A. won't be home for much longer. Who knows? :P

Shouts out to ILLUS for taking video!

P.S. Don't worry: I'll probably stay in L.A. for a while. Even if I decide to move anywhere, it won't be any time in the immediate future. ;)

NYC Days 2 & 3 - Rehearsals

2007-11-06T08:52:00.000-08:00

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First things first: DJ Johnny Juice is one of the greatest DJs that ever walked the face of the planet.

Okay, now that we're all on the same page, let's move on to the rest of the story:

I took the E train to Jamaica to meet up with DJ Johnny Juice, so that he could drive us over to the studio to rehearse. Juice gave me a short geographic tour of Hip Hop as he drove us towards the studio - Linden Boulevard was the most interesting to me (you know how I love A Tribe Called Quest!).

We get to the studio, and the first person Juice introduces me to is the legendary Chuck D of Public Enemy. I was so nervous that I could barely get myself to say "hello"! It was truly an awesome feeling to be in the same room with Hip Hop royalty.

My friend Illus also came by to hang out (he does the artwork for the Public Enemy comic book) and it was a really cool sight to see him, Chuck D, and Juice talk about comics.

Juice had told me earlier that at a certain point in the day he would have take a break to record a radio show. And sure enough, about an hour and a half into our rehearsal, Juice's co-hosts arrived: Hip Hop pioneer Tony Tone of the Cold Crush Brothers and Zulu DJ Outlaw!

When I was working as manager of promotions at Basement Records, my boss Roc would always school me in Hip Hop history, and "The Cold Crush Brothers" was a key lesson that he liked to highlight. He would finish the conversation by saying, "You don't know the Cold Crush Brothers, homie!" Now, I can officially tell him that I do. Haha!

The entire two days were an incredibly awesome experience: rehearsing with DJ Johnny Juice, meeting Chuck D, Tony Tone, and DJ Outlaw... It is an experience that I will never forget.

But, the story doesn't end there. The rehearsals may be done, but we still have the actual event to do! All that is coming up next. :)

NYC Day 1: LAX to JFK

2007-11-05T01:35:00.000-08:00

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I made it to NYC!

All I can say is this: Virgin America is nice, son! Haha.

As someone that usually hates flying, I must say that flying on Virgin America was a pleasant surprise. I sincerely hope that they maintain their high level of service and quality as they become more popular (because I'm sure they will!).

Coincidentally, my friend Carmen and her sister Tere were headed for New York, too, so we decided to book ourselves on the same flight and hang out for a little in the city together before they went back to L.A. on the 4th.

I love New York. I'm currently staying in Greenpoint, a couple blocks north of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This side of town is much more laid back than the craziness of Manhattan, but there's still plenty to do! I'm really feeling this place called Supercore. If only we had more places like this in L.A.!

But, let me stop rambling and focus on the important issue at hand: I'm here to work! There'll be plenty of time to have fun later, but right now I'm on the clock. I have a meeting and venue/equipment check scheduled, as well as rehearsals with the legendary DJ Johnny Juice!

Stay tuned. There's much more come. :)
pd

Train & Automobile. Plane is next!

2007-10-31T21:08:00.000-07:00

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In my last entry, I promised to post an update of what's been going on with me lately. So here it is: I'm going to New York!

I'm headed to the city to work with the amazing DJ Johnny Juice and also to meet up with some friends in the music world (and maybe some friends in the new media world!). New York is a great city, and I'm very much looking forward to spending time there again.

Oh yeah, thanks to the awesome people at Noodle Scar, I'll be able to vlog my trip. Thanks, Lan!

Back in Los Angeles, I'll be performing at the Whiskey A Go Go alongside Inverse, Tiron, and Oren Yoel on November 26th, 2007. Make sure to come check it out, as everyone on the bill is truly incredible to watch!

I've been spending a lot of time on the pre-production work for my album. The project is really coming together, and I plan on heading into the studio very soon. I'll be sure to post some teasers as soon as they're ready!

There's still more news to tell, but I've got to get some sleep if I'm going to catch my flight in the morning on time (I haven't gotten more than 4 hours of sleep for the past two days!).

Talk to you soon from NYC!
pd

Music: "Step Forward" - RADIx feat. Paul Dateh

so. many. things.

2007-10-26T01:59:00.000-07:00

There's so much going on lately that I haven't had much time to post!

First things first: thanks to everyone that came to my recent show at Temple Bar! I had a great time making music with you all, and I look forward to seeing you again soon. :)

I have a lot of news to tell, but not enough time to tell it! I promise to post a real entry within the next couple of days so that you'll all be up-to-date on all my latest developments.

Check back soon.
pd

Vimby.com Launch Party Video.

2007-10-16T22:14:00.000-07:00

Check out my current feature on Vimby.com! :D

If you like what you see, please help me get "Dugg" on Digg by clicking the button below:

The Birthday Song.

2007-10-16T20:21:00.000-07:00

I wrote this earlier today, and I wanted to share it with you. It's a rough recording, and the song itself is kind of unfinished, but I'm okay with that for now.

Click To Play

A very happy birthday to each of you, whether today is your actual birthday or not! :)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License, so go ahead and download this song, and send to someone you care about on their birthday!

[photo by Vu Bui]

I'm practicing... for you!

2007-10-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

Click To Play

Come join me at Temple Bar for my live show!

Paul Dateh
performing live at Temple Bar
Friday, October 12th, 2007
10pm

www.templebarlive.com for info & directions

And don't forget to RSVP for the Vimby.com launch party happening on the 10th! It's going to be an incredible event, and it's FREE! But it's "invite only", make sure to get your name on the guest list at www.going.com/vimby

(Music featured in video is "Untitled" by Oren Yoel and Paul Dateh. All rights reserved -- until further notice.)

"Do You Know the Times?"

2007-10-05T00:17:00.000-07:00

Random Find: UNIQLO's UNIQLOCK

To promote their clothing line, UNIQLO has created a quirky flash-based clock that plays upbeat music while displaying short video clips. It's pretty freakin' fun to watch.

Back to Music.

2007-09-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

In my previous blog entry, I wrote about getting back to working on music, and October is the month that will get that plan underway.

Here's a quick roundup of events that have been officially confirmed:

* Wednesday, October 3rd @ FlyPoet Showcase (The Savoy - Inglewood, California)
* Wednesday, October 10th @ VIMBY.COM Launch Party *Invite Only* (Safari Sam's - Hollywood, California)
* Friday, October 12th @ Temple Bar (with Slapbak - Santa Monica, California)

As you may already know from my earlier entries, FlyPoet is a great monthly arts showcase that features extremely talented spoken word artists, musicians, dancers -- all narrated by the great performance artist Norton Wisdom. I'll be kicking off the event with some string and voice action, so come hang out!

VIMBY.COM (VideoInMyBackYard) is a new video-driven site that focuses on youth culture and lifestyle. The site goes live on October 12th, and I'll be performing with Inka One at the launch party to help with the celebrations. Check out the video from the recent screening event. I make a cameo! :)

Vimby.com Industry Mixer Video

And last, but not least, I'm back at Temple Bar! I'm currently preparing to record an album, and the best place to work out arrangements of songs is in front of an audience. So, please come share this exciting experience with me as I fine-tune my material for the album! October 12th is the date. The time is 10:30pm. And make sure to tell them "Paul Dateh" at the door! :D

The plans for my album are starting to come into focus. I'm currently narrowing down my choices from things I've previously written, and I'm also in the process of writing new material. I'm looking very much forward to getting into the studio. That feeling you get when you step up to the microphone for the first take is priceless! Currently, the goal is to have the album ready for release early next year. w00t.

There are more exciting things to come, but I can't talk about them just yet. Stay tuned!

Blogging Forward.

2007-09-23T01:26:00.000-07:00

Although I couldn't be happier about last week's small victory against the "overzealous" and "incendiary" actions of Miri Ben-Ari's legal team (as admitted by Ms. Ben-Ari's own manager), I have decided to archive my blog entries that document the facts pertaining to this issue.

I am a musician, and therefore music is my ultimate priority. I would very much like to put the events of the past week behind me and move forward to work on new and exciting music-related projects.

However, I will be happy to release these archived posts to anyone that requests them for research purposes or educational use.

I would like to sincerely thank everyone for offering such incredible support during this past week. I couldn't have done it without you!

I look forward to making more music for you to enjoy.
pd

P.S. Stay tuned! I have some exciting news to share with you all soon. :)

photos from recent shoot.

2007-09-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

I recently had a photo shoot done by the amazing Vu Bui. Check out his photostream on Flickr to see some really great shots he took!

Also, check out Noodle Scar, a great videoblog by Vu, Lan, and Bonny. I'm a special guest on today's episode. :)

In the meantime, I have a couple performances coming up (with more in the process of being confirmed!). Check out the show schedule on my MySpace profile for all of the details.

trabajando. working. hataraiteru.

2007-08-28T00:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm not technically hiding, but it's definitely been a while since I last updated. So, I'm posting today to affirm that I am still here.

Since the recent show at Temple Bar and the appearance on ABC's "i-Caught", I've been busy working behind the scenes on several projects -- projects that I can't yet talk about in detail. Don't worry, I won't have to keep everything under wraps for too much longer! I'm very excited about these projects, and I will be sure to keep you updated on what's happening when the time is right.

In the meantime, you can keep updated on my everyday stuff through Twitter! :)

Paul Dateh & Inka One to Appear on ABC Network!

2007-08-20T03:33:00.000-07:00

Paul Dateh and Inka One will be featured on ABC's "i-Caught" this coming Tuesday, August 21st at 9pm!

What is "i-Caught"? Here's the show description, taken from the i-Caught website:

Every week, i-CAUGHT brings you the real stories - reporting on the real people - behind the videos that millions of us watch and share everyday.

So, set your box to ABC this Tuesday night, and join us in celebrating our primetime network television debut!

Our best wishes and thanks to the entire i-Caught team for inviting us to be a part of the show!

Paul Dateh & The LIVE Movement at Temple Bar 8/18!

2007-08-09T01:16:00.000-07:00

If you're in the Los Angeles area, come join me for my only summer show at home on Saturday, August 18th at Temple Bar in Santa Monica!

Since it's our only LA show for the summer, we're going to make sure that it's extra awesome: new material + special guest DJ inka one (you may know inka from our YouTube video)!

Paul Dateh and The LIVE Movement - with special guest DJ inka one
performing at Temple Bar Santa Monica (11th & Wilshire)
Saturday, August 18th, 2007 @ 9pm
www.templebarlive.com for more info and directions

See you there!
pd

The FlyPoet Showcase

2007-08-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

"They say that it's now or never. I say that it is now. Not never. It is now." - Sekou the Misfit

Every month, I have the privilege of being part of an event called The FlyPoet Showcase. FlyPoet's main goal is to bring "underground talent" into the light and regularly features musicians, dancers, and spoken word artists from all around the country that are on the "up and up".

In the most recent showcase on this past Wednesday, the lineup included the incredible Sekou tha Misfit and Steven Connell.

Both Sekou and Steve were great when they performed solo. However, they decided to perform a joint piece at the end of the night, and it was beyond anything that I could have ever imagined.

They performed a piece on the concept of love, and while I have come to let myself believe that anything written about love is cliche and boring, they completely surprised me by presenting a seemingly unending list of new definitions for the word.

Poets have the ability to give new definitions to words that you thought you knew. With each new piece I hear, I feel as if I am being let in on a special hidden part of the English language; poetry allows us to enter an arcane place of communication that is otherwise inaccessible as we are distracted by the daily routines of our lives.

I love being a part of this event, not only because I have the opportunity to share my own work with others, but mostly because I get to see amazing poets perform. Spoken word is an art form that is largely ignored in the mainstream -- except for maybe when Maya Angelou speaks at a political event or when Def Poetry Jam airs on cable -- and it is an immensely powerful form of artistic expression that definitely deserves to be seen and heard.

Thanks to John Hensley, for putting together such a great event every month!

JETSET Show LIVE - Monday, 7/30 @ 6pm P.S.T.!

2007-07-29T23:46:00.001-07:00

JETSET is an awesome weekly video podcast that focuses on today's tech-driven youth culture (http://jetsetshow.com), hosted by the incredible Zadi Diaz.

On Monday, July 30th, 2007, JETSET will be launching its first ever live show at 6pm P.S.T. on BlogTV.com.

So lock your browsers on http://live.jetsetshow.com, and join in on the fun experiment that is JETSET Live!

I will be there! :)
pd

*UPDATE* IF YOU MISSED THE LIVE SHOW, THE ARCHIVED VIDEO IS NOW AVAILABLE HERE ON HTTP://MIX.JETSETSHOW.COM!

violinists can provide their own soundtrack.

2007-07-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

just kidding around during my break. :P

Find more videos like this on MIX.JETSET

Taqueria Estilo Mexico.

2007-07-23T18:09:00.001-07:00

Want to eat some tacos? Want to get stuff to decorate your house with? Hit two birds with one stone at Taqueria Estilo Mexico - your one-stop taco shop! Haha, I love my neighborhood!

"tonight, we will close at closing time."

2007-07-19T14:24:00.001-07:00

"tonight, we will close at closing time.",
originally uploaded by pauldateh.

On Sundays, they close promptly at 9pm.

On other days?

Whenever they f***ing feel like it!

awesome night at dodger stadium.

2007-07-17T01:13:00.000-07:00

user_id=8005458@N07&set_id=72157600678115582" frameBorder="0" "width=500" height="500" scrolling="no">

"Drunk Underwear Karaoke Deathmatch is ON!!!"

2007-07-15T02:14:00.000-07:00

(Repost from http://vlogdeathmatch.com)
---

The illustrious Adam Quirk and Maestro Charles Hope bring you the newest deathmatch! From Quirk's post on the Yahoo! Group:

Drunk Underwear Karaoke.

You can choose to use any or all of those 3 words
as a basis for your video.

For example, you could:
1. Get drunk
2. Put on some underwear
3. Sing a song

Or you could:
1. Get drunk

Or just:
1. Put on some underwear

Or even:
1. Sing a song

On Saturday, August 11 at 4pm there will be a screening of all the Drunk Underwear Karaoke entries at the Pioneer Two Boots theater in the East Village of New York City, followed by a Q&A discussion with any vloggers in attendance, followed by Vloggercue in Brooklyn: an evening of grilled meats and vegetables, great local beer, and possibly some friendly banter if we're lucky. Plus you'll get to meet my cat.

Learn about it:
http://vloggercue.pbwiki.com
http://vloggercue.pbwiki.com/Vlog-Deathmatch-Screening

This challenge was designed (by several high-ranking Blip staffers, the curator of the theater, and myself) to attract non-vloggers. We figured those three things in any combination would be enough to entice any sane person into a theater.

And to start things off, we have the awesome Paul Dateh of Pixelodeon fame with an original composition, perhaps the official Vlog Deathmatch: Drunk Underwear Karaoke theme song?

Click To Play
Right-click, save as... for the MP3

KICK ASS!

If you want to grab the MP3 and repost it, please do so and be sure to give a link back to Paul's site at http://pauldateh.com.

More details will be coming with deadlines and info -- post your questions in the comments!

ALSO!

We need a real voting tool. Please get in touch with me if you're a developer and want to contribute a voting form that makes gaming the system as tough as possible (with no email registration process).

Paul Dateh on LAist!

2007-07-11T23:46:00.001-07:00

Check out the interview with LAist that was posted earlier today!

Thanks to Tony Pierce on the interview.

Shakey's Prize.

2007-07-10T00:57:00.000-07:00

I won a toy at Shakey's.

under the weather. or sombrero.

2007-07-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

i has a cold. i'll post again as soon as i feel better.

Hip Hop Violin - Paul Dateh & inka one.

2007-07-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

http://myspace.com/pauldateh
http://myspace.com/inka_one

can gorilla has iphone?

2007-06-30T01:18:00.000-07:00

no. can not has.

Television? Come on, let's be real.

2007-06-27T00:47:00.001-07:00

Talks about establishing an "a la carte" model for cable television have come back up to the surface recently, and i find myself wondering if it's too late for everyone to even bicker over such a model.

I mean, does everyone still really watch television on television?

I know that there are still plenty of folks out there that like their TV the traditional way: by appointment only, no timeshifting, no on-demand. But, everyone that i personally know gets their television in different ways -- mostly online. And i don't roll with a necessarily tech-savvy crowd, either.

My mentee is 17, and he and his friends access their shows through sites like www.tv-links.co.uk. It's kind of like a library of links to streaming videos hosted all over the web. And almost every show you could want is on the list: sitcoms, dramas, anime, cartoons... They even have full-length movies (watch out itunes, netflix, movielink, etc.!) all neatly alphabetized, eagerly awaiting your mouse's click.

And these aren't links to shows created specifically for the web. No, these are genuine network shows, created by and for network television.

Not every show is available all the time, of course. Those DMCA takedown notices can cause the links to break occasionally. But check back in a couple days, and you'll find that the links have been updated.

Can sites like this be sued? Maybe. Napster got sued for hosting a centralized server that allowed people to trade files containing copyrighted content. So, sites like tv-links could be found guilty for essentially doing a very similar thing: hosting a centralized location that allows people to link to copyrighted content.

But even if sites like tv-links are sued, I don't think it really matters. Suing napster didn't do much to revive the music industry, so i don't think it'll do much for the television industry, either. The fact is that the world of content delivery is changing, and networks need to find a way to ride this new tech wave, rather than push against it and angering everyone in the process.

I own a television, but i rarely even turn it on. I watch all of my shows online. In fact, i'm just about to "tv-link" an episode of Planet Earth while I catch up on my RSS feeds.

So, bicker about "a la carte" all you want, cable network people. And get mad all you want, major network people. I don't know if it'll really matter for that much longer.

*UPDATE*: Here come the lawsuits.

import market gum

2007-06-25T02:29:00.001-07:00

i went to the import market today and found gum with some funny names.

*UPDATE*: i recently tried the green candy. see the photos on my flickr account here.

"by youth, for youth" conference 2007.

2007-06-23T19:47:00.001-07:00

today, i attended the 2007 "by youth, for youth" conference at the mar vista family center in los angeles.

i got to meet a lot of really cool youth organizations based in the los angeles area, and i got to participate in some really fun and informative workshops.

check out the flickr account for photos of the day's events.

also, check out the people at http://youthradio.org. they're doing some awesome things with youth in the media world!

the coolest house in the neighborhood.

2007-06-20T00:50:00.001-07:00

i had a two-hour block of free time on monday, so i decided to explore my neighborhood. i found a house that had these huge dinosaur sculptures in the front yard. there was a giraffe there, too.

it's definitely the coolest house in the neighborhood.

The Monsters on the Road

2007-06-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

It was a late Saturday afternoon in October. I was seven, and my parents were driving my sister and me home from our respective music lessons -- a weekly event that I had come to dread. When you're seven, music lessons are weekly bits of scheduled torture. I'm sure that my sister would have agreed with me, if I ever would have asked her.

Each week, we would be robbed of our Saturday and instead be reimbursed with a creaking metronome and an old lady yelling, "Play that passage again, but this time more slowly!" But, as much as we hated it, we would mysteriously find ourselves complying. And at the end of each hour, we would leave the lesson feeling dejected and completely betrayed by our own actions.

Metronomes were the real enemy. When you're a kid, being forced to divide time into equal amounts of musical measure is like going to the beach and only being allowed to count out individual grains of sand during your “playtime”. Every cracking click from the evil box only further reminded us of the one thought that gave us kids true pain: we're missing Saturday morning cartoons.

But after some time, the clicking box would drown out any thoughts at all, and the concept of Saturday morning cartoons would fade away. Eventually, we learned to become tolerant of our weekly lessons, and we passively accepted them into our regular cycle of living.

Besides my sister, my only friend that I could depend on each Saturday was the road. From traveling on it so often, I felt like the road and I had come to share a very special bond. Each week, he would have something new to show me: a shredded tire, a renegade box that had escaped off a freight truck, or (if I was really lucky) an old, abandoned car. No matter how unbearable the lessons became, the road would always deliver something amazing for me to see.

This particular day in October wasn’t very different from any other day in October – or any day at all, for that matter. But, I will never forget it because of what happened next during the car ride home.

We were passing through El Monte, when suddenly my dad cried out, "Yuki! Paul! Close your eyes! There's something really scary coming up on the side of the road!"

My mom immediately joined in, "Oh no! Your father is right. It's horrible!"

Upon hearing the sheer terror in their voices, my sister and I quickly covered our eyes and buried our heads in our laps, hoping that it would be enough to save us from the evils on the side of the road.

My father continued, “Don’t worry, kids. We’re not afraid of these monsters. We’ll protect you!”

As I sat there with my hands tightly cupped over my eyes, I began to think of my friend the road. Why he would suddenly want to show me such horrible things that my parents would have to protect me from? I felt betrayed and ashamed that I had ever built any trust in our friendship. From the darkness of my mind, I cursed the road and put him on my mental “ex-friends” list. And with my magical psychic abilities, I sent a silent message of gratitude to my brave parents for boldly protecting us.

After what seemed like enough time to have another music lesson, my mom sent out the safe signal: “It’s okay. You can open your eyes now. The monsters are gone."

I couldn't help myself. I had to see what the horrible monsters which my parents had so courageously battled looked like. I carefully turned my head ever so slowly towards the car’s rear window. My heart began to beat faster as I thought of the unspeakable horrors I could potentially see.

I fearfully looked out the window, only to find my old friend the road blankly staring back at me. Then, I noticed it: the faint blinking of carnival lights waving goodbye to me from a distance.

Paul Dateh & Inka One featured on JETSET!

2007-06-09T03:14:00.001-07:00

JETSET is this awesome weekly video podcast that the great people at Smashface put together, and this week DJ Inka One and I were able to join in! Point your browsers over to http://jetsetshow.com or just click the play button below to watch it here now.

Don't forget to check out MIX, the show's companion site! It's THE place to hang out online.

See you all tonight at the Pixelodeon Revver party!

will YOU be at Pixelodeon?

2007-06-05T15:21:00.001-07:00

I will!

If you want to see what’s happening online and meet the people who are making it happen, this is the place to be. It all goes down this weekend at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles!

After watching all the great videos at Pixelodeon during the day, make sure to come say what up to me @ the Revver party on Saturday night. I'll be performing a special set with DJ Inka One.

Party starts at 7pm @ Blu Monkey Lounge.
Don't lose your festival program. You'll need it to get into the party.

See you there!
pd

CONTROL.

2007-06-04T02:47:00.000-07:00

i like to go back sometimes and revisit songs i've written in the past. they're like journal entries, almost. i remember being particularly frustrated on the day i wrote this. but after the last line was angrily scratched into my book, i remember feeling so much better.

i feel so lucky to have music in my life to help release all the thoughts building up in my brain. without it, i don't know what i would do! :)

(you can hear this track on the music player on my music page.)

[Control]
[Paul Dateh 2007]

(Verse 1)
In the morning when I wake up
I try to think what's best for me to do
But even when the morning's over
I still find that I have yet to choose

What method am I to use?
I know I'm wasting time
My future's on the line

(Chorus)
I'm still searching for control
'Cause round and round I go
and I can't seem to take any more
Though I try my best to fight it
My life's intertwined with
Things I just can't seem to resolve

(Verse 2)
In the afternoon I try
To find a new design
Through which I'll have myself defined
But when I look at what I've refined
I see that everything's just misaligned
Maybe I'll just resign

(Bridge)
I don't care what you've been told before
Sometimes life just ain't no fun, no
It's a lesson that will hurt if left ignored
You could fight it, but what for?

do YOU has a guitar?

2007-05-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

betty has.

she won it in a raffle.

at the guitar center memorial day sale.

rock. on.

"what's the true role of media nowadays?"

2007-05-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

this is my response to a thread on MIX.

we are indeed a culture that is fascinated with violence and catastrophes, but we are mainly a culture that is fueled by fear. and considering our country's history, it seems that it has been that way for quite a while.

from the beginnings of our industrialized history, we have profited from exploiting the concept of the "other" -- outsiders or the unknown. the "snowclone" of "if you don't do 'X', the bad guys win" can be credited with most of our country's economic growth.

but today, it's not just the "bad guys" we need to worry about. there is no longer just "one evil". everywhere we go, we are now given the message that constant danger is lurking around our every action.

we have become so afraid of everything, that we are even afraid to make up our own minds. we are so frozen in our fears that we allow our media to spoonfeed us everything from "what happened" to "how we should feel about happened". we are so desperate for the illusion of safety that we pour our time and hard-earned money into schemes that are designed solely to perpetuate the fears we are trying so hard to escape.

and it's oh so profitable.

granted, some of our fears are warranted on some level. i most definitely would not want to be in a car crash, caught in a gang shooting, mugged, suffocated to death by my own friends, cooked in a microwave by my father, drowned by a post-partum mom, attacked by a road-rage-charged driver, mobbed by out-of-control teens, or spontaneously combust.

all of the events described in that list have indeed happened. and yes, they are undoubtedly disturbing situations. but what is the likelihood of all of these things happening to each and every one of us? it appears that we are fearing the wrong things.

maybe it boils down to simple human nature. somewhere deep within our psyche, we have an inherent, twisted intrest in the obscure, the painful, the uncertainty of the unknown... and our conscious, morally-governed mind is in a persistent battle for dominance over it all.

if that is true, maybe the media isn't necessarily entirely to blame. perhaps the current state of mass media is a personification of our own inner evils brought to the surface allowing us to externalize our own faults and escape passing judgement on ourselves; we depend on the media to present such horrible images of "the others" so that we can validate our own uncouth actions by comparison.

but, in my humble opinion, that's no way to live. living in a constant state of anxious fear and panic in exchange for temporarily evading personal responsibility is not my idea of fun.

it hurts all of us greatly in the end. we'll become completely disengaged from reality. disconnected from a sense of balance. lost in an ocean of moral indifference. it'll only contribute to more ignorance, prejudice, and violence.

with today's technology making the world ever so smaller and closer, our need for responsible media sources is greater than ever before. everyone should be entitled to balanced news, and be encouraged to develop the skills necessary to take their own stand on a given issue.

but, that change is entirely up to us, before any media outlet follows suit. As long as we watch the carnival that is today's mass media, there's money to be made. but the generation of revenue isn't the problem. it's what we choose to watch. we ourselves must elect for change if the media landscape is to improve.

if not, we could have mass-miscommunication at a detrimental level. and that could prove to be disastrous for all of us.

or deep down, maybe that's what we really want.

party of the nerds, er... gamers.

2007-05-27T22:09:00.000-07:00

the homie had a party last night. it was good. everybody was real cool. i had a lot of fun.

there were tons of food, a load of drinks (props on the captain coke!), decent music... and everyone was sitting around playing tetris on their ds.

:-|

wtf.

nerds.

well, i can't blame them, really. if i had a ds (and believe me, i want one), you know i would have been right there with them!

actually, the ~~nerds~~, er... gamers do in fact know how to party down. after the bar was pretty much raided (and the ds's were stashed away), everything got much, much, much more interesting. i hope the homie doesn't get evicted after all the craziness that ensued!

don't eat here.

2007-05-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

i have passed by this place everyday since i was a kid. it's practically a neighborhood landmark. sadly, the only cool thing about this place is its name. don't ever eat there!

inverse rocked it.

2007-05-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

the show @ knitting factory was off the hook. the house was packed, and the crowd had such a great energy. inverse rocked it, of course, and i was happy to be there on stage to contribute my two cents.

brother ali was there, and it made my night when he shook my hand and congratulated me. that was a cool moment.

all this excitement has made me miss performing my own material. lately, all i've been doing is behind-the-scenes stuff. of course i really do enjoy the studio work, and i have fun guesting on other people's sets, but i'm really starting to miss the direct connection to an audience. it's a good thing i'm in the process of booking some solo shows as we speak!

and now, some random thoughts:

i have finally cleaned my apartment, and now i can start to think clearly again.
it's looking like a good weekend to take my comp book and start penning some lyrics down.

i've just passed the two-year mark on my phone, and it's looking like it's time to replace it.
i like the treo line, but i wonder if there's anything better coming up soon.
maybe iphone? hmm...

i love the internet, but i realize i need to read more books.
yeah, books.

gotta practice some scales and arpeggios on the old fiddle.
i hate practicing scales and arpeggios.

i want an mbox2.
soon.

go blue!

2007-05-16T22:20:00.000-07:00

IT'S TIME FOR BASEBALL!

so the homie's family is cool with one of the umpires at dodger stadium, and he hooked us up with some tickets to the dodgers-cardinals game last night.

it was my first game of the season, so i was definitely excited when the ticket was in my hand (it was for the loge section, too!)

as soon as we got in, i got right in line to get my first dodger dog of the year. you know i made sure to add onion, ketchup, & mustard! and of course, i grabbed a bag of cracker jack (because it's just not baseball without cracker jack!).

i've always wanted to sit in loge, and my day had finally arrived. obviously, it's not as close to the action as when you sit in field, but loge is an elevated level and it's actually a really good angle to view the game from.

and what a game! the dodgers scored three right away in the first inning and eventually won over the cardinals 9-7.

i also got to see saito pitch live for the first time. pretty exciting.

but, i can't say the same for the stupid prizes cracker jack has been putting in the bags and boxes lately (or for a while, should i say). seriously, there was a time when cracker jack prizes were cool: decoder rings, plastic animal figures, etc. this time, i got this stupid folding riddle thing of thomas jefferson or whatever. such the let down.

come on, no whammies!

wtf?!

but, for what cracker jack lacked, the game made up for. furcal is the man! garciaparra and ethier can definitely throw down, too, but that little shuffle that garciaparra does at bat always cracks me up.

baseball season is back in full effect, and i am loving every bit of it.

go blue!

people.

2007-05-14T14:26:00.001-07:00

i've been meeting a lot of new people lately (through work, industry connections, and just life in general), and i have made the following conclusion:

people really are weird, man.

a lot of them are bulls***ers and have no problem straight up lying to your face even when they know that you're fully aware of their dishonesty. it's kind of a let down, actually. i'd much rather you just be real, whether your truth favors me or not.

otherwise, it's a complete waste of time.

new week.

2007-05-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

it's monday.

a new week has started.

let's make it a good one!

i ate what?

2007-05-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

aight, so i was challenged to keep track of what i eat for one day and take pictures of each meal.

so here goes...

breakfast: chocolate bars
lunch: blueberry waffles
snack: coffee w/ cinnamon
dinner: burger lunchbox, green tea, & apple

more lights

2007-05-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

taken with the little camera phone that could.

box fort

2007-05-08T12:13:00.001-07:00

i did too make a box fort!

2007-05-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

lights.

i like playing around with the crappy camera on my treo.

what up, blogosphere!

2007-05-07T14:01:00.001-07:00

okay, so i've nerded up and joined the blogging world. don't know how i'll often i'll use this blog, but i guess we'll just have to wait and see.

for a quick blog-like snack, join me on www.twitter/pauldateh.

or, to keep up on all of my net feeds (including this blog), just find me on pauldateh.jaiku.com.

that's it for now.

peace!