Apr/29/11
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Obama and U K L Lee: Friday Links

Local Registrar on Barack Obama’s birth certificate was one ‘U K L Lee’.

New live album from the UOGB on the way: Still Live. Tracks include new tour hits like Hot Lips and Good Sculptures and new versions of old favourites like Le Freak and Monster. Full track list on UOGB Frog Fans.

MP3s: New Re-entrants album available on CDBaby and iTunes, Jake Wildwood has a new instrumental record for free download, Thea Gilmore does a uke cover of John Wesley Harding on her new Dylan cover album.

The Hitachi Ukulele contest shambles I mentioned last week is rolling on. After complaints from schools they will look at the sites sending traffic and, “if we deem those sites to be inappropriate or unacceptable within the spirit of the competition then they will be disqualified.” I’m not sure how people are supposed to control which sites link to them. Or if it’s legal to change contest rules after they’ve finished in Australia.

She Geek does a ukulele song for Portal 2 (I still haven’t finished it).

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10 Comments

  1. Craig Robertson April 29th, 2011 3:26 pm

    I think the UOGB, like the royal wedding, is something that the Brits are obsessed with and enjoy. The rest of the world, not so much.

  2. julie April 29th, 2011 11:50 pm

    thanks for the link !
    I’m also a great fan of Hot Lips, Crazy and Danse macabre
    can’t wait to listen to the cd !
    J

  3. SamD April 30th, 2011 12:07 am

    I disagree – I live in the UK and also have contacts overseas. I hae yet to find anyone in the UK who cares about the royal wedding, whilst many of my friends in the rest of the world are obsessed.

  4. Ron Hale April 30th, 2011 1:13 am

    Yes, Al, but does Baroque Hussein play the
    uke? We’ve seen photos, we’ve heard stories, but does he play?

  5. Carrie April 30th, 2011 1:47 am

    Craig, the incredibly large American office I work in full of groggy people who woke up at 5am to watch the ceremony live might disagree.

    Or they might agree but infuriatingly add something like, “Oh, I know, most people over here don’t care about it. I’m weird. But I just love British stuff! It’s so sophisticated!”

    I do love the UOGB, though.

  6. Craig Robertson April 30th, 2011 2:38 am

    @Carrie I know it’s heresy to say this on a uke-centric site; but the ukulele world is not a very large cross-section of humanity. or musicians. Most musicians I know have absolutely no idea who UOGB is, much less what they do.

    When was their last American tour? I missed it, I think.

    I’m not trying to be cranky; just put a bit of perspective on this entire thing. The latest poll showed 6% of the American public had any interest at all in what “the royals” were doing.

  7. Woodshed April 30th, 2011 9:12 am

    Craig: If you tour for 25/1000 years you build up a local fanbase.

    Julie: Thanks for putting up the track listing.

    SamD: I have a similar experience. And I think the strength of feeling against the monarchy is definitely stronger here.

    Ron: The only pictures I’ve seen are fake. I know Better Midler gave him a couple of Fleas for the kids.

    Carrie: I can understand Americans appreciating it. They can enjoy the spectacle without worrying about the political significance.

  8. Alec April 30th, 2011 11:26 am

    UKL Lee? WTF? I thought you were kidding.

  9. Carrie May 1st, 2011 3:39 am

    Craig, no need to so fervently defend yourself. I definitely agree with you 100% on the UOGB. I don’t care enough about the royals and what the rest of America thinks of them to put the effort into being skeptical as to whether or not I agree with you on that front.

    I’m just complaining pointlessly in the comments section of a ukulele blog about something not particularly relevant to ukuleles. I should almost definitely find something better to do with my time.

  10. Craig Robertson May 1st, 2011 3:45 am

    “I’m just complaining pointlessly in the comments section of a ukulele blog about something not particularly relevant to ukuleles. I should almost definitely find something better to do with my time.”

    One of the most sensible and extravagant things anyone has said on this blog. But music isn’t made in a vacuum; everything you are and think should go into it when you make it. What’s relevant to that? Fuck if I know.

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