Ukulele Prom DVD, New World Record: Friday Links
November 20, 2009
You can pre-order your copy of The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain’s already legendary Proms performance on their website and watch a clip of it here.
New Zealand builds a human ukulele out of 961 kids and set a new world record.
Der Spiegal talks about the London ukulele scene (the entertainingly translated version) with Tricity Vogue, Eleanor from the “BonnyMcGees” and Mighty Ukulele who list the ukulele events in London.
Rolf Harris’s ukulele Christmas song. (Thanks – sort of – to Andy).
Build a Pez dispenser humidifier.
Cherryade’s Christmas album includes Uke Hunt favourites The Bobby McGee (who are ripping me off good and proper) and ‘Allo Darlin’.
On Uker Tabs: Corinne Bailey Rae’s cover of Editors’ Munich, Lust for Life by Girls and The XX – Islands.
Obviously all the models are playing ukulele – another to add to the list is Maxim cover (NSFW) girl Jessica Warner – but you know something’s really fashionable when the luge champions start doing it – Bartt has pictures of Kate Hansen ukeing and lugeing if you need the proof.
MP3s: My Crazy Music Blog and newdust have a couple from Galapaghost. And I recorded a couple myself: Eye of the Tiger (for a trailer for a film about chess-boxing) and The Bar-Kays’ Soul Finger (just for giggles).
In the comments: Ron Hale’s been kicking things off again with his appraisal of Dent May and campness.
Photos: Ukulele player practicing on the seawall, time has told me, Ukulele Girl
Is it a good idea to microwave a ukulele? (Thanks to April in Autumn).
Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer, Plushgun, Luca Gemma: Saturday UkeTube
October 31, 2009
Most of the UOGB stuff that turns up on YouTube is DVD rips, which makes lizardonuke’s channel very refreshing with lesser seen songs and backstage shenanigans. As well as the UOGB, this weeks vids include Mr B schooling us, Lulu and the Lampshades going bandstand busking (watch the whole thing here), The Bobby McGee’s fighting off zombies, Plushgun making a video on the cheap, Peter Moss soundchecking, Luca Gemma with the UKEit guys and plenty more. [Read more]
Friday Links
October 30, 2009
Pam ‘Nerd’s Eye View‘ Mandel has a lovely little story about travelling with a ukulele.
William King has been making some very sexy, solid body electric ukuleles.
The Bobby McGee’s crop up in the new Dizzee Rascal video (not the first time he’s had a uke in his video) thanks to cardboardfrog for spying that.
Whilst I was working on the updated Buy a Ukulele section, I realised I hadn’t seen a Black Bear ukulele for sale in a very long time. So I actually did some investigative journalism and got in touch with Duane. Turns out the eBay rules and fees got too high and he now sells them on Flea Market Music.
Rumour has it my version of Upstairs, Downstairs will be on Radio 4’s PM next week.
Help Ukulele Movement find 101 reasons to play the ukulele.
The Qatari royal family are learning to play ukulele.
Tiny Tim Overdrive are a new uke covers band from Vancouver. There’s a recording of their rehearsal in the sidebar (including covers of Sam Roberts and Eddie Vedder) and I can’t wait to hear more.
Photos: Sophie Madeleine shoot, Bongolele (thanks to byjimini), ukulele swimming pool (via Shelley).
Ukulele spotting: in the intro to Neighbours.
Billy Connelly has been uking it up with Jack Black and Emily Blunt.
Megg Farrell hooks up with the Beatles Complete on Ukulele guys.
Saturday UkeTube
September 26, 2009
Before we get down to business, two bits of news.
1) Jimmy from The Bobby McGee’s has recorded a jingle for the blog and here it is:
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Just don’t visit www.ukehunt.com.
2) If you visited the London Uke Fest and enjoyed it, vote for it in the UK Festival Awards.
This week’s videos include L’Uke and GUGUG trying desperately not to smile, Pilar Diaz, Susie Asado, a rollocking version of the Benny Hill Theme on a Tahitian ukulele and plenty more. [Read more]
Bobby McGee’s, Sara Watkins, Bill Tapia: UkeTube
June 6, 2009
A very tough job sticking to my 10 video maximum this week. Those that the survived the ruthless cull include The Bobby McGee’s, a couple of performances from the NY Uke Fest, Sara Watkins and Tom Allalone.
You might notice Zoe and Jodi wearing prototype Ukulele Hunt shirts. They’re still at the testing stage – I don’t even have them myself yet. [Read more]
Ken Middleton, Jake Wildwood: Friday Links
June 5, 2009
Ken Middleton has released his first ukulele ebook: 12 Tunes for Bluegrass Ukulele. If you’ve been following his videos and his tabs, you’ll know he makes great arrangements and this ebook is definitely no exception.
Last chance to sign up for my How to Play Fingerpicking Ukulele mini-course – it’ll be taken down tomorrow (Saturday).
Jake Wildwood has a new album out and you can download it for free on his website.
The London Uke Festival people are keeping tight-lipped about who’s on the bill. They have a couple of acts listed here. My team of private investigators reveal the expected presence of The Bobby McGee’s, Joe Brown, The Re-Entrants, The Sugarsnap Sister (including Tricity Vogue and Cousin Alice) and a “smattering” of the UOGB. But the most interesting part for me is that I’ve always felt there’s a big disconnection between the London ukulele scene and the online ukulele scene. So it’d be nice to get together and be one big family. Or, failing that, have a Sharks-vs-Jets style dance-fight. If you’re feeling generous, you can sponsor my part in the festival here.
If you missed Dent May’s debut EP first time around, you’ve got a second chance to download it here. And you can watch a performance and interview from SXSW.
Armelle’s fascinating trip around the world of ukulele languages continues with Girls Aloud in Latin and a trip to Oceania. You can catch up with the full list here.
At the risk of starting a bidding war between Emily and Zoe, last week’s moustache ukulele is available to buy here.
This new uke website has popped up. Not much there yet but thought I better mention it before I forget.
Build your own ukulele speakerdog (via Ukulelia).
KDUS has animals doing people things – including playing the uke.
I usually only link to photos I can say something droll about. But I’m linking to these because they’re rather beautiful and they give me a light boner*: You might sleep, but you’ll never dream, Untitled, Ukulele.
*Yes, that link is safe for work. What’s going on in your head?
Friday Links: Madame Pamita, Uketopia
April 24, 2009
The response to the Slide Ukulele ebook has been great – far better than I was expecting. So it’s going on permanent sale at the new price of $7.
Pick up Madame Pamita’s new album Wax Works on a ‘pay what you like’ basis. It’s an excellent album. All recorded on wax cylinders without using electricity. Essential tracks: Do Whatever You Please, Madame Pamita’s Theme Song, Malaria. And she’s touring the UK in May.
The Ukulele Shop is no more. And Ukulele Ireland is spreading the rumour that the Duke of Uke is heading the same way.
In more sad news, Chicago’s Windy City Uke Fest won’t be going ahead this year. But it’ll be back for 2010.
And yet more sad news: Tab-U-Learn has shut its doors.
Ken Middleton’s new site including his tabs.
Uketopia is an excellent new(ish) ukulele podcast with songs, instrument reviews, interviews and various uke chatter. And there’s also the Stretchlinks Podcast from “America’s haymakers of jocularity.”
How to get sopranino tuning on your soprano ukulele.
Make your own ukulele chord sheets with the help of Kiwi Ukulele
The Baby McGee’s are the cutest thing ever. And the full size version are releasing a 7″ single ahead of their new album in June.
Jack Kirby style ukulele by Ben Towle.
On Flickr: Another ukulele playing monkey, ukulele lamps, Mon ukulele enfin fini
Saturday UkeTube
March 14, 2009
I assume everyone is subscribed to Bosko and Honey and has already seen the incredible Kamatetsu. If not, go there right now.
With that done, check out this week’s videos including some cheerup music, some throat singing, a tribute to ukulele girls and – this week’s Boing Boing contender -a song about cannibalism.
Ukulinklinks: New James Hill Album
March 6, 2009
You can listen to excerpts from James Hill’s upcoming album True Love Don’t Weep on his website.
Chalmers Doane has posted all nine of his and the Halifax’s uke albums on his site. And the music is as kitsch as the covers. (Via HUG).
And related to both those, the new edition of Ukulele Yes! is up. (I wish they’d put up an RSS feed. I completely missed the last one. And I’m still not subscribed despite numerous attempts and assurances from the man himself).
Ukulele Cosmos has been shut down by its host for using too much bandwidth. Stay away from Bluehost and scammers who recommend it. They’re a notoriously crappy host but they’re very generous to affiliates.
Des Cordes et Dubois has a very challenging tab of Allegretto Op. 30 by Mauro Giuliani.
Jimmy McGee tells us how to be annoying with a ukulele yet fails to mention the most annoying song to play on the ukulele.
Ukulele spotting: Phil Jupitus and Lauren Laverne uke it up in a caravan – at around 5 and 9 1/2 minutes (thanks to Andy for that). The Saturdays break out the uke for Comic Relief at 1:50 (should I be worried that I find the uke the most exciting part of that video?).
Jake Wildwood’s other half, Bonnie, has these cute banjolele-playing gnome doodads for sale (it took me a while to realise that’s a pipe rather than some Gene Simmons gnome action).
Taking the Flying V concept one step further.
Baby Bosko. Awww bless.
Friday Links
January 16, 2009
We’re back in business. I hope everyone had a good Xmas/New Year. Lots to catch up on.
Mike Hatter (aka hoosierhiver) has started a new ukulele company: Mainland Ukes. Julie from Ukulele Review took a visit to the shop.
After the ukuleles for libraries stories, Unshelved did a week long comic strip series on ukes starting here with a line I intended to steal at the earliest possible opportunity.
Jimmy of the Bobby McGees has been sharing his ukulele wisdom with videos about moveable chord shapes, the split stroke and plenty more.
Ken Middleton has recorded a fantastic entry to the ‘Collaborate with Yo Yo Ma’ contest. You listen to and vote for his entry here and get the tab for it here.
Curt Sheller has uploaded a bunch of his ukulele books to Scribd where you can read them for free.
I wrote a guest post telling guitar players to buy a uke on Jemsite.
Winner of the Bushman World and so forth Contest is announced. I’m even more baffled than I was last year. I can’t believe my choice of winner didn’t even get an honorable mention. Nor did my second favorite: Banana Phone. And this video deserved at least a mention for the animation alone. And no Seeso. Pffft. Atleast Boing Boing knows its shizzle from its pizzle.
Wilfried Welti compares ukulele strings.
On Uker Tabs: Sam has put up a whole load of King Blues chords and Bomb the Music Industry, Todd has Pink Floyd’s Is There Anybody Out There?, katreetrunk put up A Fine Frenzy’s Almost Lover and Arnaud provided us with Round Midnight. Thanks folks.
No New York Ukulele Festival 2009.
UkeToob interviews Howlin’ Hobbit.
Second edition of Ukulele Player Magazine.
Ukelele-bot (Via ilovefizzypop).
Amanda Palmer and Emilyn Brodsky jump on the ‘ukulele covers of The Cure’ bandwagon.
Anyone have any advice on building a ukulelecopter?
