What's up everybody!? I just wanted to say hello and wish everyone out there a very happy new year.
We hope you all had a fun, safe, and enjoyable holiday season and that 2012 is off to a good start.
Ugly Duckling spent the last little bit of 2011 relaxing and recovering from a whirlwind couple months of touring
and promoting the new album. 2011 was an incredible year for us and we can't wait to see what adventures await.
Once again, thanks to everybody who picked up the new album. We are very pleased with the way it turned out
and the response has been incredible. Our goal is to continue touring the globe (at Breakneck Speed) throughout
the new year and trying to bring the freshness to as many of you as possible. If you have any questions or comments
please feel free to hit us up. Thanks again for your support and happy new year!
Any new year's resolutions out there? Ours has been the same for about the last 15 years... keep it fresh!
--- kc
12.09.2011 --- "CMedia Interview"
Check out this interview that the group did on their most recent visit to the UK.
Big ups to CMedia for taking the time to put this together. CMedia is a
digital media content creator for a range of arts-based organizations in the UK. Their goal is to get artistic content into
the public consciousness through social media and other digital formats. Our goal is similar in that we strive to bring funky,
classic style hip hop to people of all nations, albeit through more of an analog medium. Nevertheless, much respect and keep
doing your thing.
--- kc
11.28.2011 --- Touring at Breakneck Speed Part II
bon jour from Marseille!
last night was the final show of our 2011 European tour and Dizzy, Einstein, and i are happy to be headed back to
Southern California for sleep, sun, and Mexican food. after a furious couple of months touring at breakneck speed
i plan to spend the next few days moving at a snails pace.
that said, we have had a great time traveling
and performing and we look forward to returning soon. we would really like to thank everyone who came out to the shows and
rocked with us. there are no words to describe our gratitude for the opportunity to perform our music in front of an audience.
it's an honor and a privilege to entertain people and hopefully anyone who came to a concert was thoroughly entertained.
see you soon, au revoir, auf wiedersehen, pozegnanie, cheers!
--- andy
11.15.2011 --- Touring at Breakneck Speed
hallo from Vienna!
whew.... just give me a second to catch my breath... alright, today was our first day off in over a month of touring
at breakneck speed. yesterday we left Krakow to drive through the Czech Republic just in time to perform in Vienna
and, with the exception of copious amounts of cigarette smoke being blown into our lungs, the shows in Germany, Poland,
and Austira we're all packed and rowdy. of course, the clubs are very small and people in those places are naturally rowdy
but still, we did bring something to the table. i think.
Vienna is a beautiful city full of rich musical history and amazingly vivid, old world architecture. you can almost smell
the embers of past empires as you pass through the streets (either that or more cigarettes.) i'm sitting in my hotel room
listening to Mozart and trying to feel reasonbly cultured, but failing miserably as i search for football scores. i did sneak
down to the Vienna Christmas market today where i eyeballed giant sweetcakes and happily observed people considering whether
or not to buy puppet toys.
after another day of rest, we're off to Switzerland to stash away our millions in secret accounts all the while pretending
to do low-level hip hop shows. big shout outs to the Tru Beatz Crew in Berlin for helping us sort out our rental car situation
and the St. Pauli football store for giving us loads of free stuff, none of which we'll pass off as thoughtful Christmas presents.
thanks also to everyone who came out to any of the shows. it's been really nice to see old friends and meet new ones.
let us know what you think of the new material on the forum!
--- andy
11.07.2011 --- "SWN Festival 2011"
Here is some footage supplied by On Par Productions and MMPTV from an impromptu gig UD put on during the SWN Festival in
Cardiff, Wales a couple weeks ago. This clip features an interview mixed in with a live performance of Elevation (from the new album) and A Little Samba, a UD classic.
Be on the lookout for the official Elevation video which should be available any day now.
I wish I was in Cardiff, they know how to rock! Big thanks go out to
On Par and MMPTV for this one. Thanks for supporting UD and the SWN Festival.
--- kc
11.03.2011 --- "France Shows Confirmed"
Just wanted to let everyone know that the venues for the upcoming shows in France have been confirmed and added to the
shows page. Everything has been going great with the tour so far so thanks to everybody who has made it out to a show.
After a month of incredible shows in the UK the second leg of the tour is just getting started with a few shows in Ireland. After that it's off
to Germany, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, and France so if you're in any of those areas we hope you can make it out. I'm keeping up with
the tour via YouTube so thanks to everybody who has been posting their videos. Like the song says, keep movin!
--- kc
10.15.2011 --- "Urban Media Interviews"
The good folks at Urban Media were able to track down Andy, Dizzy, and Einstein on a recent trip to Salt Lake City
and sit down with each of them to try and get their take on various subjects including music, performing, and the history of UD. The video essentially acts like
a DVD menu so once you hit play you can click on each of the links to check out the individual interviews. Pretty nifty.
Urban Media is a weekly documentary web series highlighting urban culture and the people who keep it alive. We are very happy
to be considered among that group. Urban Media's website features lots of cool articles, interviews, and videos about music, dancing,
fashion, and more. You can check it out here.
--- kc
10.10.2011 --- It's Finally Here!
The wait is over and the new Ugly Duckling album "Moving at Breakneck Speed" is available now! You can download the album
through numerous MP3 download sites or purchase a CD copy from a retailer in your area. For help finding a retailer in your
area click here. If your area is not listed you
can always pick up a copy (as well as lots of great UD merchandise) at theUDstore.com.
To celebrate the release of the new
album we would like to invite you to listen to the entire UD back catalog for free. All you have to do is post a Tweet and you
can listen to any song from the first five UD albums including singles and b-sides. Check out uglyduckling.us/free
and you'll see what I mean.
Lastly, the group is on tour in Europe right now making their way through cities in seven different countries.
You can check out a full list of tour dates on the shows page.
If you're in Europe there's a good chance we'll be in a town near you so we would love to have you come out to a show. Hope to see you there!
--- kc
09.11.2011 --- Ready to Move at Breakneck Speed
the boys and i are really looking forward to our european tour in october and november. we hope as many of you as possible
will come out to a show (or two). we'll be celebrating the release of our new album "MOVING AT BREAKNECK SPEED" with
a setlist that will include brand new songs as well as tracks from all the previous albums. plus, as always, loads of funky
rap routines, turntable magic, and quite a bit of seductive dancing so let's take it to the stage sucka!
on a personal level, i can't tell you how much i enjoy entertaining people and meeting new friends. it's been an extreme
privilege to travel and perform for so long (over a decade!) and i always appreciate the opportunity to do so because, in
this business, you never know when it will all come to an end. with that being said, i'll see you everybody starting in a few weeks. hold onto your hats!
P.S. if you're in the u.k. and you own a "Nando's" franchise, you might want to stock up on supplies because einstein is planning to do major damage.
--- andy
08.21.2011 --- Breakneck Hits Shelves in Japan
First, I'd like to wish a very happy birthday to our own Young Einstein! It was on this very day some years ago that the young turntable virtuoso
came into being. For those of us who've had the pleasure of knowing him and his music we're very happy to celebrate the anniversary
of that day. Happy birthday Einstein and thanks for everything that you do.
In other news, we're pleased to announce that the new album "Moving at Breakneck Speed" has officially been released in Japan. As you can see
from the picture above it is available for consumption and we're very excited that it has finally been unveiled. The release date for most
of the rest of the world is for October 10th so it won't be long for the rest of us!
A special thanks to everyone who has been hitting us up on Facebook, Twitter, and in the Forum. It's always great
to hear from you. To sign up for the mailing list and stay current on the latest news check out the contact page.
--- kc
08.15.2011 --- In Other Meatshake News
I'm not exactly sure how it happened but I recently stumbled across the stylish artwork of a fellow named Daniel Davis. Daniel and his wife Dawna own a company called Steam Crow, based
in Phoenix, that "creates quirky, imaginative characters and strange stories for people with a monster imagination." One of their creations
is a comic called Monster Commute which features a fast food
chain called Clown Bite. Stay with me here, among the items on the menu at Clown Bite is a delicacy called, that's right, a Meat Shake.
Unlike the previous post, this Meat Shake has nothing to do with Ugly Duckling. It's merely a coincidence that two unrelated artists would dream up
strange concoctions of the same name. What's really odd is that Daniel's artwork bears striking resemblance to some of the
artists UD has worked with in the past. I joked with Daniel that we might have to get him to do one of his limited edition print
sets with a UD themed design. We've seen several animated versions of the group before but they've never been monsterized!
To check out more of Steam Crow's creations visit their website which
includes a shop with unique gifts and artwork. Our thanks to Daniel and Dawna!
--- kc
07.25.2011 --- "Meat" Our New Mascot
As a fellow Long Beach native once said, it's a doggy dog world. While we agree that hip hop has, for the most part, gone to the dogs (or doggs)
the members of Ugly Duckling are what you might call cat people. With that in mind, we would like to introduce you to the group's new mascot.
Her name is Meatshake.
Meatshake is owned by Justin Shady from Los Angeles. I caught up with Justin after discovering that he had named his cat after the fast food
chain featured on Ugly Duckling's Taste the Secret album. "Before we got a cat we had said that Meatshake would be the perfect name," said Justin.
So when he and his girlfriend adopted one the fact that it was a girl certainly was not going to stand in the way. They also have a dog named Mr. Fabulous who,
you guessed it, is a girl.
In addition to being an Ugly Duckling fan Justin is a freelance writer who has written for The Onion’s A.V. Club, Variety, Cracked, OC Weekly, Draft Magazine,
Milwaukee Magazine, and a bunch of others. He also runs a site called The Blarg
which features witty and insightful observations about life in LA and, of course, adorable pictures
of Meatshake. Special thanks to Justin, check him out!
--- kc
07.05.2011 --- "Einstein interview"
We recently sat down with Einstein in an attempt to gain new perspective on Ugly Duckling's engimatic and taciturn conductor.
No subject was off limits (except for inquiries as to the value of the dookie gold rope) as we delved into the
psyche of one of hip hop's most seasoned vinyl veterans. The result was an ostensible look at the life of a weary
world traveler and immaculate beat creator.
Kevin Cooper: Rumor has it that the infamous dookie gold chain has mystical powers and that it's keeper is empowered with
the strength (and dexterity) of ten men. Is this true?
Young Einstein: In 2003, I was driving home late one night and I lost control of my car on the 10 freeway in Los Angeles.
The vehicle flipped over three times and was totaled but I emerged from the wreck unscathed. As far as I'm concerned the
only possible explanation is that it was because I was wearing the chain. Following this incident I came to the conclusion that
no man wearing the dookie gold rope can be harmed.
KC: How long have you been known as Einstein? Were you really a turntable child prodigy or is there another explanation as to the origin of the name?
YE: When I was four my dad gave me a Mickey Mouse turntable. One afternoon my cousin brought
over his Fisher Price turntable. Without giving it much thought, and to the amazement of everyone
present, I successfully mixed "The Bear Necessities" with "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" and had the family room
jumpin! What can I say, it's a gift.
KC: This one's a two part question. Who were your most profound influences in your quest to master the art of the scratch? Second, where does one begin if they desire to become a world renowned archeologist in the field of beat digging?
YE: As a kid I really liked Jazzy Jeff and went to see DJ Aladdin a lot when I was in high school. DJ Scratch
from EPMD and Richie Rich were great as well. I always listened to the local radio
station's (KDAY) mix masters, one of whom was a young Dr Dre. I would suggest that one start
by pilfering their family and neighbors collections, next moving along to the local thrift store.
Then go to a local record show and start asking some of the collectors for advice. Most
importantly, get outside of yourself and check out music that you wouldn't normally listen to. An
eclectic and open-minded attitude is the key to being a great digger.
KC: I understand you have become quite fond of football (that's soccer to you Americans) in recent years. How did this get started?
YE: We've been working in Europe and the UK quite a bit over the past decade. I had some free time
one day in Manchester and was at a shopping center and saw a group of kids that appeared to be
fighting. As I got close enough to see the huddle, I figured out that they were arguing about the
Manchester United match against Chelsea that was to take place that evening. I thought if they
were that passionate about it that it must be excellent entertainment. I watched the match
that night and was mesmerized by Rooney's footwork and disgusted by Drogba's ability to fake being
hurt. Shortly after, I was invited to a Los Angeles Galaxy match and have since become a member of
their support group, known as the Riot Squad. I have also been playing for the past 6 months or so.
KC: In your travels you must have sampled some of the finest cuisine the world has to offer. Which of the places you've been has the best food?
YE: I'd have to say my favorite food is still the Mexican cuisine of Southern California but I've
been lucky to discover Indian food while working in the UK so much. With my love of spicy food it's
been a perfect match.
KC: Although UD has been almost everywhere, is there somewhere you guys haven't been yet that you'd still really like to visit?
YE: There are several places I'd love to go. South America would be at the top of that list. Since
I think Brazilian music is some of the most creative I've heard, Brazil in particular would be a
dream destination. I'd also love to perform in South Africa.
KC: I'm assuming that a man with a record collection as extensive as yours probably doesn't own an MP3 player but if you did, what would be on it?
YE: I actually do own an mp3 player. I only use it for jogging but my favorite thing to listen to while
running is UB40. In particular, their "Signing Off" album.
KC: The new album "Moving at Breakneck Speed" is said to be a whirlwind adventure that encompasses the past, present, and future of UD. What can you share with us about the new album?
YE: I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you like Ugly Duckling you will love the new
album. If you use your imagination you should be able to experience what it's like to be a
nostalgic band in the modern digital era.
KC: You've been known to make small lyrical contributions on previous UD tracks but on this album you actually kick a verse. What brought that about?
YE: (Laughing) It's not actually an entire verse but I was lucky to deliver a few lines. Technology
has finally caught up to the point that we can alter my voice to sound somewhat on tempo.
Hopefully I'll get an entire verse on the next album.
KC: Finally, do you really own a monkey?
YE: Unforunately no, but I have been contemplating getting a ferret.
So there you have it folks. Hopefully this has provided all the information you care to know about Einstein. If you would like to know
anything else or if you have questions for Andy or Dizzy feel free to drop us a line at info@uglyduckling.us and
we'll make sure to include them in our next interview. Until then, Godspeed and keep it fresh!
--- kc
07.01.2011 --- "Sklarbro Country"
The guys were lucky enough to be invited to be on one of the funniest podcasts going right now. Sklarbro Country features the hilarious comedy
team of Randy and Jason Sklar, known to many from their time as hosts of the ESPN show Cheap Seats as well as numerous television and movie appearances.
It turns out the Brothers Sklar are fans of hip hop and Ugly Duckling. Also joined by comedian Brian Unger, music and sports were among the topics
discussed during the show, which features multiple freestyle sessions including one with Randy and Jason. I definitely recommend you give this one a listen.
Is it just me or does Brian Unger look like he could be Einstein's long lost brother?
--- kc
05.01.2011 --- "live and direct"
Check out this interview Andy did with rockyoumentally while on a recent visit to Europe. My favorite quote from the interview...
"we try and design out musical architecture to last for a long time." Ugly Duckling chooses not to build it's house on the sandy
land of popular music by instead aiming to be funky at all costs.
Rockyoumentally is the visual wing of the dvd/book project Under Your Skin, a cultural mosaic on the art of music and it's
creators. Check them out on
Facebook or
Myspace.
Thanks to John from MGI for putting this together.
--- kc
03.01.2011 --- "keep moving!"
keep moving, that's the new philosophy. it's not the destination, it's more about the odyssey. if that doesn't make sense
now, it will soon. that being said, i can now
officially confirm that the title of the new album will be...
with the finish line finally in sight, we should be putting the final touches on the album over the next month or two.
we've enlisted some very talented individuals to assist with the album artwork and photography so we'll introduce
them to you soon. we're looking forward to visiting a town near you and bringing our new album with us. hope to see you soon!
--- andy
02.01.2011 --- "puttin in work"
what's up everybody, just wanted to give you an update and let you know that we're hard at work putting together
the new album. for too many weeks to count i've been staring at nothing but the inside of Einstein's house while we
put this thing together. so far it's coming along very nicely and we hope to have the main framework
completed in the next couple weeks.
we're still not sure exactly when the album will be coming out but it should be sometime later this year. we're also hopoing to hit up as many
spots on the globe as possible so check back with us throughout the spring and summer to see what develops. as soon as we
have tour dates and more info we'll let you know.
keep doing your thing and we'll keep doing ours!
--- andy
01.11.2011 --- "happy new year"
2011 smells good so far. we just finished mixing all of the songs for our new
album and as soon as we arrange and master the music we'll hand it over. we're
very happy with the tracks and i think anyone who enjoys classic UD will
really get into this one.
we've got 13 power-packed tunes filled with heroes,
villains, and a monkey. i can humbly say that it makes thriller, sgt. pepper,
and low end theory sound like clogged garbage disposals. seriously though, it's
hard-hitting like appetite for destruction but more tender than al jarreau's
theme song from "moonlighting". the songs are catchy, simple, and to the point
yet somehow deeply philosophical and life-affirming. if you have any sense at
all you'll buy at least ten copies because, like commemorative civil war
plates, they're bound to increase tremendously in value. remember it's not just an
album, it's an investment. if we get snubbed at the grammy's i personally plan to interrupt someone's
speech.
hopefully, since we're just about out of the studio, we'll soon be back out on
the road performing the new material at a dive near you. and when we do put a
tour together, can one of you feed my cat?
--- andy
09.12.2010 --- "going back to Cali..."
...nah, i don't think so. well, not me anyway. Dizzy and Einstein are on their way back to our hometown at this very
moment but i'm heading over to the homeland (Ireland) to spend some time with my mom. she's been wanting to visit
for a while now so i'm going to play tour guide and show her the sights.
anyway, i just wanted to say thank you very
much to everybody in the UK, Poland, and Germany who made it out to a show these last couple months. we had a great time
and we really appreciate your support. we still have a few of the Yudee Skullcandy tour t-shirts left over so stop by the
website and pick one up if you didn't get a chance to grab one
at the show.
we will be back in Europe in October for a short visit to Switzerland and the UK. the postponed Jamstand Festival
has been rescheduled for October 2-3 in Ross-On-Wye, Herefordshire. we will be performing on Sunday the 3rd so if you're
in the area please come out and join us. we might also be adding another couple shows while we're there so keep an eye
on the shows section for more info.
thanks again for your support and hospitality and for allowing us to continue to do what we love. alright, i'm off
to kiss the blarney stone. slainte!
