My friends at Foot Locker Kuwait have always kept me in touch with their recent arrivals but few days ago we met for a dinner where they showed me a collection that not only introduced new design elements from the brands they sell but also is introducing a new strategy to restore some of the classic values that Foot Locker was built on.

They realize they cater to people who appreciate sneakers and adore them but also want to be unique and have a pair that reflect their individuality. So they actually started bringing extremely limited edition sneakers. We are talking about pairs you could only find 16 of in the middle east. I know Footlocker has stores in Kuwait (Marina, Avenues), Qatar and the UAE, I’m quite sure they have plans to open a few more stores.

Imagine this, you can actually get a pair of sneakers and rest assured no one will be wearing a similar pair or say “Oh my brother got a pair just like those”. Individualistic and unique people would appreciate this approach, I know I did. I saw the price tags on those and it’s seriously nothing a genuine sneaker lover wouldn’t afford.

I was given this pair of Puma Sneakers that really caught my attention. I love green and nothing can be greener than green itself; cash ladies and gentlemen or DJ Cash Money (legendary hip-hop DJ and DMC champion) to be specific.

It’s scary, the colors almost go with colors of the blog.

Read the full press release (after the jump) to have a better idea

(more…)

Half an hour of happy stuff (the kind you listen to, not smoke).

Some of the songs are blunt as fuck, some are just so sweet you just wanna hear them cuddling with your loved ones (or your pillow). Some are pop and been heard to death some I bet you never even came across … I don’t know, I just hope you like them and let me know what you think of the mix overall.

Listen: The V-Day Mixtape
(Right Click and “Save link as …”)

Hello everybody … I’m really interested in knowing what you people think of this local hip-hop band, army of one. I need you to back up your answers with facts or references to their tracks.

Only those who know the band, heard their music, saw their video clips are eligible to answer here. Please be subjective and fair.

Thanks everybody

A little something I recorded in less than an hour, while making a mixtape for the one and only DJ Maha. If you’re a follower of her show (every friday 9-11 PM on 99.7) I’m sure you heard me on the radio saying “Hello”, “yep” and “Oh Yeah” and last but not least “Bye”. Yeah that was one hell of an interview, no really, I was just there sitting enjoying the excellent music.

Listen: Sketchy Bitchy Song - Tata Botata

Almost no guitars, very Bjork-y with lotsa beats and bleeps … sounds good for a first listen.

Download: Thom Yorke - The Eraser

Let’s just say I’m more than willing to give sexual favors in exchange for one of those.

It’s just so fucking hot, Check out the video demo.

More here

Our Manager, who’s leaving us soon, is using his intercom to ‘broadcast’ some obscure bob dylan songs and a some blues music. I’m totally loving it.

feels like a scene from an independent film. I will miss him.

I need a recommendation on which brand/ model I should get for my car as it doesn’t have a built-in CD Player. I want something sophisticated with mp3 compatibility and whatever cool features you think I would be interested in.

I think I have seen something that has a bluetooth thingy incorporated in it.

Please let me know of prices, dealers and any experience you had.

Thank you

My fairouz-loving friend just sent me an audio clip with samples of the songs she sung in her latest concert in Dubai at the American University. I think she still got it and I’m looking forward to listen to her album which is on hold for the moment as she’s a little bit depressed, Is that a new thing to Fairouz? :p

Listen: AUD Concert Sampler

… and I highly doubt the guy who is playing it knows shit about what he’s playing.

Update: Oh shit, they’re playing whole albums.

note: I wrote this post few days ago.

OK, so who are we kidding? We’re all sad about the amir and officialy we’re stilly mourning but c’mon guys, you gotta admit that we start listening to music again the very next day if not later the same day.

Now we got that outta the way, I just have to give it to the marina FM guys when it comes to picking nice instrumentals to go with the mood the country is having right now.

I just think it’s funny and stupid at the same time of them to think that instrumentals with vilion and oud isn’t really ‘Music’. I think the way they look at it is, like, If you can’t shake your ass to it then it’s not really music. This is almost as stupid/funny as playing the nay instrumental during prayers times on Kuwait Radio or even playing the soundtrack of Al Risallah on 99.7 FM.

I don’t think we have enough musicians in the arabic world doing music without much vocals. I think that’s very limiting for them to come up with any new genres or even innovate musically. I remember once an indian friend of mine who used to DJ all kinds of stuff was telling me “If you hear one arabic song, you heard them all” … I kinda agreed with him.

OK, I’m gonna rant and rant about it … deal with it …

I hate the fact that almost all the known [arabic] singers are signed to one label (Rotana), that will totally kill any chances of being unique and innovative. The label would most probably use the same producers, song writers and maybe even the same direcotrs to direct the videoclips that will be shown on the same channel that the label owns. Doesn’t that just remind you of A.R.T? Oh fuck, where are they now? are they still alive?

Why musicians here who do instrumentals only get stuck doing soundtracks for commercials and producing pop crap while they know and we know they can do better stuff on their own without any shitty posers singing over their tracks.

Why such musicians can only find the recognition they deserve in shitty compilations like buddha bar and shitty compilations like that.

I think starting online labels that are specialized in digital music and maybe doing actual CD releases for their successful artists is something we really need, something will change the face of arabic music. BTW what’s taking rotana so long to make an agreement with apple to distribute music online thru their iTunes store? Doesn’t El Waleed Bin Talal own big shares in apple? Won’t that make things easier? does he really think by doing so he will encourage arabic music piracy?

… and while we’re at it, I compose beats, drumloops and rhythem sections, I would love to work with other musicians on something. ANYTHING. If you play an instrument really good or you know someone who does, let them get in touch with me.

Update: Somebody told me Marina FM already made some ‘patriotic’ songs to celebrate Sheikh Subah being an amir finally. Somebody please remind who owns Marina FM?

I know it’s kinda late, but I really wanted to do that. :p

Does anybody remember that TV series produced by lebanese TV station, Future TV. It was aired in ramadhan like 7-9 years ago, it was about this halawanji guy called Ismaeel and how he’s a failure and how he try to make it big with the help of his uncle’s wife (marat 3amu) Najaah

Now the series wasn’t all that great or anything but I remember the into music, It was done by that band that used to do all the promos of Future TV (Ala Eyni) or somethhing like that.

Can anybody help me find the intro song? PLEASE!

Today on my way to the office they had Nabeel Shuail’s ‘Sekkat Safar’ on the radio. It’s been like a million years since the last time I heard that song.

That’s what I like mostly about Marina FM, although it’s mostly operated by kuwaitis, the music appeals to many tastes.

Ok guys, I been looking on the web for an expandable hard-disk-based mp3 player for my car. It would be awesome if I can use the old PowerPC 540c in this thing instead of collecting more dust. I want some kind of LCD display, no need to see the colorful covers, artist name and song title will do. I want it cheap, I want it good and oh yes … I want someone to help me build it.

I’m gonna kill the first to suggest buying an iPod.

/me looks at K … pleeeease.

Note: K is the man and he knows how to do this. He’s the man.

So I was invited to this party in the hilton last weekend, OK, so I wasn’t invited … I bought tickets … shoot me. The point is, I was at this indian party last weekend. They were celebrating some “Goan Night” and they had this amazing rock band from Goa.

They played some very dance-able rock songs and some surf rock anthems but what blew me away was pink floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” … no no fuck all that … the point of this post is, Why would an indian band playing for indian people in kuwait play Hava Nagila? They don’t realize it’s jewish song?

Listen to this very short recording of the song as played last thursday at the hilton.

Also, guess who was there?

It’s super late but whatever, later better than never. That rhymed, didn’t it? Nice because this post is about music. So I finally uploaded the “Je T’aime” songs (Star Academy’s version and Lara Fabian’s Original) and while we’re at it, here’s a link to some random mp3s by Lara Fabian.

This post is dedicated to all the beautiful people who helped me find that song.

Note: It’s really easy to use Rapidshare.de, Just click “FREE” then you will get a new page scroll down you will find some kind of timer to start downloading (that’s how they make money, the force you to stare at their ads for like 20 seconds or so) then you will see the countdown timer replaced by a link to the file. Right-click and Save.

I should tell you about what I did in my weekend. It’s not like I have weekends this interesting every week. I want to ramble about this but I will just stick to the point.

I went to a jazz concert organized by the american embassy on thanks giving as a sign of gratitude for the kuwaiti people and what they’ve done to help their american brothers overcome a disaster like hurricane katrina. The New Orleans All-Star Brass Band kicked major ass. They were loud and that’s how I liked it. Amazing what a bass drum and a snare can do to you. Their vocalist, the short guy, was signing pretty much like Louis Armstrong. He did a good job if imitating armstrong was one of his intentions.

What’s a jazz concert without Jazz Central, right? He was there as well as the main fusla and her partner in crime Amunki. I also heard some other blogger were there. Anybody?

Did you see the guy who was wearing ghetra and e’gaal and was obviously having so much fun?

OMG Guess who I ran into after the concert was done, our old friend Mona AL-Gena’e. I actually saw her before the concert but I didn’t want to risk losing the seats I was saving for my friends. I had a really interesting chat with her and I think my number of friends has incresed by one. She really really wanted to hit me, I can tell. Oh don’t you deny it mona, I saw the way you were pointing your finger almost poking me with it while saying “… a person like you … “. I’m not gonna go in details, I know you guys are just dying to know more but sorry I will disappoint you this time.

On friday, I went to the book fair at mishref … blah!

WTF? for what exactly? and a look alike?

Should we expect midgets and clowns next week?

Dear iPodders in the house,

How does iPod deal with mp3s with arabic artist names or song names?

Photos would kick ass

Thanks a lot and god bless.

Whether Al-Amiriyya incident happened or not we all have to acknowlege the fact wars in iraq killed and still killing millions and millions of innocent children. We also have to acknowledge Naseer’s talent in documenting that incident musically.

Listen: Naseer Shamma - Al-Amiriyya

Please somebody remind me why he got removed from the last year’s Qurain Festival. Anybody got any idea if he will be in this time? I’m still amazed Dar Al-Athaar didn’t invite him to be part of any of their cultural activities. Too big for them? I don’t know but I know their theatre will be full to the extent people will be pushing each other to breathe. I know I would be camping outside their door a day in advance to get me a decent seat.

I encourage you to sign up with Mazajy, an arabic mp3 music forum. They have four of his albums in the “Instrumentals” section of their website. Smart boys and girls can find a lot just messing around with the direct link I gave you up there. Sorry I just don’t to want to kill their bandwidth.

Update: He’s playing tomorrow at the Wisdom Hall, Cairo, Egypt.

The guys at Pitchfork not only have a great taste in music they also have an incredible sense of humor.
Reading some of the comments in this feature is funnier than the covers themselves. Some of the covers are for some major bands.

I just looked out of the window and I saw the streets all wet with water.

Dear Fairouz Loving Friend who discovered my blog recently, This is just about perfect time you give me that obscure fairouz CD.

Apparently it’s a cover of the supposedly classic “Je T’aime” done by one of the girls (or all of them as the file name implies) of Star Academy.

Thanks to “Meloo” who commented with a link to the song. Somebody actually mention the song before in the comments but I didn’t believe something this good would come out of Star Academy.

So it’s basically the tenth (last track) of the Star Academy 2 CD.
I bet somebody out there got the CD, please rip it off and gmail it to me at tata [-dot-] botata [-at-] gmail [-dot-] com and post a comment here if you did so other would know.

Hell, maybe somebody wants to upload it with Rapidshare.de and spread the love all around.

Somebody please save my soul and tell me what’s the name of that french song with arabic (very arabic) music and “taraa raa ra ra ta ra rraaa”. Also touches of electro and textural drumloops.

Please people, PLEASE.

I will love you long time if you help me find that song.

I just discovered that Fredwreck, the guy who remixed the door’s “Riders On The Storm” and added snoop dogg’s rhyming over that beat, is an american palestinian.

I found this interview with him, the best bit is when he quotes snoop.

Fredwreck has helped Snoop learn about the Palestinian cause. Says Fredwreck, “He calls me on tour: ‘Hey, cuz, what does this mean when muthafuckers going up to the Temple Mount, what is that shit all about, cuz, why they be tripping?’ or he’ll be like, ‘Why they building a wall around y’alls people’s shit. That’s fucked up, cuz.’ ”

He’s very anti-bush by the way.

Update: I just found the track, It was in the soundtrack of “Need For Speed 2″.

What a turn off to see all these religious paintings when googling “madonna” hoping to find more poses of that single cover photo.

That red/oragne hot hair could break my fasting tommorow.

The Doors - Alabama Song

(Just few minutes before futoor) :p

check this story out …

So this guy finds my portfolio website while he was googling for something. He adds me up on msn. We chat, he’s an indian designer working for an american company in kuwait. We meet, we talk … nice guy and everything. He asks me if I got any “cool music” something he can use in some interactive presentation he is making for the company. I give him with the most pure intentions a bunch of my “coolest” CDs (originals I must add … back then didn’t have a CD recorder).

He kinda told me that the whole company is relocating to dubai and he will be moving too. No problem, we will miss you man … stay in touch and all that crap.

I got busy and I kinda lost contact with him, basically I didn’t call. So after finishing whatever project I was working on back then and getting some free time. I decided to call on my indian friend and see what he’s up to. The phone was ringing but he wouldn’t pick up. I tried after a couple of days, the same.

I was thinking “oh he’s just too busy with some big ass presentation or something”. I don’t know what made me go and check out his website only to find that he mentioned that he already relocated to dubai. You can only imagine the anger, the rage, the complete dissatisfaction with what I just learned. I wasn’t really angry about him not saying goodbye or meeting up one more time before he finally leaves … fuck that, apparently this guy doesn’t care about our so called friendship. I fucking wanted my CDs back. I tried emailing him, smsing him. No luck.

Time passed by and I just forgot about the whole thing. Now out of the blue he’s sending me this email

From :  ****** ******* < ********@hotmail.com>
Sent :  Wednesday, September 21, 2005 6:52 AM
To :  tata_botata@hotmail.com
Subject :  RE: hello

 Hey Tata (salaams),

Apologise for not beening
in touch for months ... say years now.
Been in India and US since last 2 years
and now finally settled
in Dubai, and now you can also chat
with me online.

How about you??
Where are you these days
and what are you doing??
Same track hunh...?
Keep in touch.

I still visit your site: *****.***
whenever I remember you.

Yallaa, gotta go.
Do mail me a line or 2.

Thanks,
********

    From:  "Tata Botata" 
    To:  ***********@hotmail.com
    Subject:  hello
    Date:  Tue, 16 Sep 2003 11:38:43 +0000
    >hi ********,
    >
    >It's been along time
    >
    >where are you?
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >tata
    >

Did you notice that? He’s replying to a two years old email I sent to him. After some thinking I remembered I visited his website a few weeks ago to see what he’s up to. Maybe he saw something in his stats, hits from kuwait, and figured out it was me.

Right now I’m puzzled and I have no idea how to react.

What would YOU do?

After few successful singles, James murphy released his first and his best album. He recentlly announced from the Bowery Balroom in newyork while they, LCD Soundsystem, were playing their last gig in their tour, “After this show, we’re done. We’ll go on and quitely make bad albums.”

I think that line will be a good starter for “Losing My Edge” Part 2.

His music is something like a rock band making dance music. So yeah check out the guy who played daft punk for the “rock kids” in CBGB.

Talking about CBGB, according to popbitch, They lost their house in Newyork but they were offered a new one in Las Vegas.

NOT AVAILBLE FOR DOWNLOAD ANYMORE