Calling out flapjax at midnite

June 1, 2010 3:40 PM

I'm calling out flapjax at midnite for making consistently awesome music posts and being an asset to the community.

In addition to the above links, thanks to flapjax, I learned about Tampa Red, Dock Boggs, and Blanche Calloway.

Also, Metafilter Music probably wouldn't be what it was without his efforts.

If you don't want to embarrass flapjax too much, or if your soul is a withered husk and doesn't respond to music, use this thread to give some thanks to consistently good posters or point out some gems from the not-so-prolific members we may have missed.

If for nothing else, you're aces in my book for this post.

posted by marxchivist to MetaFilter-Related at 3:40 PM (100 comments total)

Hear, Hear! Be it known to all present that flapjax at midnite is a boon fellow. This herewith is a coupon for flapjax to redeem for my celebratory flapjacks on any Sunday morning--a Beelzbubba tradition for nigh onto 30 years now. (Sunday morning is pretty damn near midnite in Japan near as I can figure.) So, flapjax, come on over anytime you're in the neighborhood.
posted by beelzbubba at 3:50 PM on June 1, 2010

Seconding this.
posted by Kinbote at 3:51 PM on June 1, 2010

Nthing the applause. Every time flapjax posts I get happy.

Thanks for all the music fj@m!
posted by fourcheesemac at 3:54 PM on June 1, 2010

Fourthing! A stand-up fellow with most excellent good taste.
posted by scody at 3:58 PM on June 1, 2010

I'm calling out flapjax at midnite

Yeah, fuck that guy.

I mean really. Give him lots of sex.
posted by rokusan at 4:01 PM on June 1, 2010 [11 favorites]

Quick! Grab the pitchforks!!

That's what you call them, isn't it? Those little forks you use to check your instrument has the correct pitch?
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:02 PM on June 1, 2010 [1 favorite]

Oh, hell yeah!

Flapjax, thanks to your tireless efforts, I no longer live in ignorance of Dr. John and Abdurehim Heyit. My world's a good bit brighter now that their music's in it. I owe you big.

Now if I could just lay hands on a bit more of Heyit's music without booking a trip to freaking Kashgar....
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 4:03 PM on June 1, 2010

love love love fj@m love.

LOVE.

funky, funky love.
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:08 PM on June 1, 2010

Nthing this. His posts are AWESOME! Thanks to FJ@M, I've learned a ton about new artists and musical genres I didn't even know existed.
posted by zarq at 4:08 PM on June 1, 2010

Absolutely!
posted by OmieWise at 4:11 PM on June 1, 2010

Also, if we're pointing out posters that go above and beyond the call to bring us heavily researched, meaty posts I'd like to mention filthy light thief's incredible body of work.
posted by zarq at 4:13 PM on June 1, 2010

Yeah man. It's taken me three-and-a-half years to start associating personalities with all of the regular posters, but flapjax was the one who first stuck out to me. His posts and comments have caused me to seek out all kinds of new things that I'd never have known about otherwise.
posted by roll truck roll at 4:17 PM on June 1, 2010

Yay!
posted by misozaki at 4:22 PM on June 1, 2010

Hear, hear.
posted by The White Hat at 4:30 PM on June 1, 2010

Truth! A thousand times!
posted by Miko at 4:32 PM on June 1, 2010

What I like the most about flapjax is his construction of the Pyramids and Stonehenge. The music and commentary is good but those enigmatic ancient monuments are what really make him special to me.
posted by Meatbomb at 4:34 PM on June 1, 2010 [5 favorites]

I always look forward to flapjax' jazams.
posted by netbros at 4:38 PM on June 1, 2010

Yes, flapjax always gets me all shook up!
posted by puny human at 4:39 PM on June 1, 2010 [4 favorites]

ASSHAT INDEED BURN THE GUY wait what?
posted by wheelieman at 4:47 PM on June 1, 2010

All right time for a musical flameout.
posted by fleacircus at 4:50 PM on June 1, 2010

Beautiful.... bastard.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:51 PM on June 1, 2010

All right time for a musical flameout.

Maybe we could ask cortex to update 88 lines about 44 MeFites.
posted by zarq at 4:52 PM on June 1, 2010

Hmm... well, just in case the intonation didn't come through, that was a line from The Mummy; a proclamation of great respect for an awesome force of nature.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:53 PM on June 1, 2010

The gold standard of music FPPs. Love to hear flapjax bringing to light so many terrific and underrated artists.
posted by applemeat at 4:53 PM on June 1, 2010 [1 favorite]

Another thing about flapjax is that he plays a mean jawharp, which gives me occasion every time to feel conflicted about whether to call it a jew's harp or a jawharp, because I learned it as jew's harp but there's kind of a "uh, really, do you also play the gypsytrombone?" spit-take thing there given the name but then at the same time do I really want to use some other name out of knee-jerk taboo-avoidance when I learned it as jew's harp in the first place from my Jewish dad, and anyway Django Reinhardt played the hell out of gypsy guitar, and he only had two fingers on his fretting hand so who am I to complain, and so on in circles without any clear resolution or direction, and then I realize five minutes have gone by while I stare blankly at the Music post just sort of mouthing silent arguments in both directions, and that is why I hate flapjax. That and the being so goddam good at the jew's harp.

All right time for a musical flameout.

One of several songs I wrote back in like 2006 for a notional Metafilter: The Album was a flameout-themed song called "I'm Leaving (And I'm Never Coming Back)". I should see if I still have my notes for that.

(Other songs included odes to each of the subsites, a butt-metal number called Banhammer, and a now-exceedingly-dated tune called You're So Dios, I Bet You Think This Site Is About You. It seemed like a pretty good idea in 2006; these days a lot of it feels a little weird coming from a mod.)
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:07 PM on June 1, 2010 [2 favorites]

Damn that flapjax! Damn him for raising the bar and making the rest of us afraid to post anymore!

'tex, I'm going to keep bugging you until you give in and record The Ballad of fr0zen and xteraco. I don't care what it takes.
posted by languagehat at 5:12 PM on June 1, 2010

Absolutely awesome music posts! Thanks for turning me on! (uh, to new music that is)
posted by white_devil at 5:18 PM on June 1, 2010

In 1991 Scrabbling at the Lock was released, an album by Dutch punk band the Ex, joined by (among others) cellist Tom Cora. I heard the opening track on WYBC one night in high school and it BLEW MY MIND. I had Usenet access sorted but had few resources to find out about music; it wasn't until Cutler's got one of those electronic CD catalogs that I could track down this Mr. Cora and his musical compatriots, which led me on a quest toward Curlew and then Third Person. These influences led to the noise band I led for a few years in the 90s, and changed the way I thought about art and life and bullshit like that.

And now I'm on a BBS with 1/2 of Third Person and I think he might be my spouse and that BLOWS MY MIND.
posted by jtron at 5:22 PM on June 1, 2010

three cheers
posted by caddis at 5:45 PM on June 1, 2010

Great musician, wonderful music blogger. I was aware of flapjax before I knew he was flapjax, introduced to his work first through the New Music Distribution Service mailorder outlet, and through his work with many downtown NY luminaries. It was kind of amazing when I made the connection between that drummer that played with the likes of Elliot Sharp and flapjax at midnight. An inspirational figure, is flapjax.
posted by metagnathous at 5:50 PM on June 1, 2010

agreed, this guy is bad meaning good
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:52 PM on June 1, 2010

There's never a bad time for flapjax.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:53 PM on June 1, 2010

Christ, what a...great guy!
posted by futureisunwritten at 5:57 PM on June 1, 2010

seriously, flapjax, wtf. great callout, marxchivist. it's about time someone brought this shit.
posted by shmegegge at 6:15 PM on June 1, 2010

One of the few that can do YouTubeFilter right proper. Hat's off.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:29 PM on June 1, 2010

This one's my favorite.
posted by Obscure Reference at 6:34 PM on June 1, 2010

Aww, heck, y'all. Many, many thanks! I'd be lying through my Alabama teeth if I didn't say this makes me feel really good. I really appreciate this so much. Wow.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:43 PM on June 1, 2010 [9 favorites]

If it's flapjax at midnite, you know it's quality.
posted by Spatch at 6:44 PM on June 1, 2010 [1 favorite]

Yeah, every time I see "flapjax at midnite" at the bottom of a post I know I should block out some quality time to spend with his sonic goodness.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 6:45 PM on June 1, 2010

The shmoopy normally burns my eyes a little, but we should seriously make dude our ambassador to other shitty sites and show 'em how pros do this. Cheers, fj.
posted by mintcake! at 6:46 PM on June 1, 2010

Absolutely--I still can't get the sound of flapjax's version of "I'm waiting for the man" out of my head and it's been a year or so. So, much thanks flapjax for the song (not so much for the earworm) and the many, many awesome FPPs.
posted by librarylis at 6:46 PM on June 1, 2010

I love fam's posts as well.
posted by maxwelton at 6:47 PM on June 1, 2010

Hey, is this about flapjax at midnite? That guy is pretty cool.
posted by Burhanistan at 6:58 PM on June 1, 2010

I used to like him back in the early days, but now that everybody likes him he can just go fuck himself.
posted by Dumsnill at 7:04 PM on June 1, 2010 [4 favorites]

A tsunami of love for flapjax. He's da man! YAY hugs!
posted by nickyskye at 7:16 PM on June 1, 2010

Just this morning I added flapjax as a contact because, you know, he's awesome, and I didn't want to miss any of his posts (and I was rather surprised that I hadn't spoused him already).

This callout is very appropriate and I highly endorse it.
posted by dogmom at 7:26 PM on June 1, 2010

The man is a genius.
posted by mediareport at 7:33 PM on June 1, 2010

I once met flapjax at midnight, in person. He smelled faintly of lavender and his skin was a radiant golden-bronze. We made origami swans out of Dentyne wrappers and set them afloat in a magical pond filled with singing fish. The sun shined down on us through six rainbows.




True fact: I have never actually met flapjax at midnight but if I did I think it would go something like that.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 7:39 PM on June 1, 2010 [4 favorites]

Also, "midnite". That's what I get for not wearing my glasses.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 7:40 PM on June 1, 2010

Man, I want to post "flapjax at midnite? His last album sucked!" but I can't because 1) it's pointlessly mean 2) I'm not even sure that's a meme outside my circle of friends 3) his last album did not, in fact, suck.

3 cheers, flapjax. Way to make a good place better.
posted by KathrynT at 7:53 PM on June 1, 2010

Flapjax is one of the people that makes me feel welcome and human again.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 7:55 PM on June 1, 2010

Yes, I totally agree with the sentiments. If it waren't fer Mr. Jax, I would not know Dengue Fever, Cambodia Rocks, Staff Benda Bilili, Tinariwen, Bambino and probably a whole ton of other stuff. There are a lot of good posts here, but only occasionally is there something mind-blowingly good, and about 80% of the time it's a Jax Post.

We should all forfeit, declare flapjax the winner, and finally close up this site.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 8:04 PM on June 1, 2010

Yay for flapjax!
posted by amyms at 8:17 PM on June 1, 2010

Let it be proclaimed that:

ONE) there is a gentleman with a nom de guerre alluding to the consumption of sweet tray-baked oat prisms* at the witching hour

TWO) that said gentleman provides summaries &c of profound depth, thoroughness and resonance concerning the auricular rhythmical and melodic arts

THREE) this community of verbose scholars, wastrel bridgands, pseudo lollygaggers, vain harlots, proud flibbertygibbets, mercurial ingoramii and slothful trolls doth appreciate said summarizing &c

FOUR) that this appreciation be manifest in the assignation of
June the 1st as "FaM day"



* in itself a reference to some sort of punch-card operational syntax of peculiar obscurity
posted by lalochezia at 8:18 PM on June 1, 2010 [1 favorite]

What meatbomb said. Also, he's a damn fine photographer.
posted by mygothlaundry at 8:20 PM on June 1, 2010

♫♫ <3s ♫♫
posted by gomichild at 8:26 PM on June 1, 2010

Love ya.
When are you going on a world tour so we can all hang with your coolness?
posted by readery at 8:54 PM on June 1, 2010

I like Flapjax at Midnite so much that I hired my favorite troubadours to salute him:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uCTJ7hkX-k
posted by planetkyoto at 9:01 PM on June 1, 2010

I mean, I hired my favorite troubadours to salute him.
posted by planetkyoto at 9:02 PM on June 1, 2010

Instant favorite every time he posts. I have learned so much from his posts.
posted by francesca too at 9:06 PM on June 1, 2010

We are deeply blessed to stand in the shadows of such a mighty man of musical knowledge.
posted by winna at 9:24 PM on June 1, 2010

Yep. He rocks. A wizard with the JUNO 60 analog synth as well. He makes that thing breathe.
posted by umbú at 9:54 PM on June 1, 2010

*stands in front of such a mighty man of musical knowledge.*
posted by hugbucket at 11:45 PM on June 1, 2010

Seconds the nomination for June 1st as Pancake day... er... wait...
posted by infini at 11:48 PM on June 1, 2010

Fucking burn him!

I mean.. Oh...

Partial to my own bias, every flapjax at midnite post for me begins with him rocking out a jaw harp in the back of my mind -- sorry dude, that audio memory is forever burned in my brain as "Woooaaaa!" -- and ends with me pouting that I need to bookmark this to come back later when I have time for a serious listen. I pout because right now I have 16 flapjax bookmarks alone. Heh. Thanks dewd!
posted by cavalier at 12:08 AM on June 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

I wouldn't mind so much but along with the obvious talent he's thoroughly nice along with it. Bastard.
posted by nthdegx at 1:45 AM on June 2, 2010

He's my sweet daddy
You'd better leave that man alone
See that suit he's got on?
I bought it last week
posted by madamjujujive at 5:51 AM on June 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'll drink to that flapjax at midnite guy!
posted by toodleydoodley at 6:00 AM on June 2, 2010

F@M agreed with me once and it made my whole week. Seriously, it felt like Mean Joe Green threw me his jersey after I offered him a Coke or something.

The man is a treasure and a full asset to this community, and deserves to be recognized as such.
posted by elmer benson at 6:30 AM on June 2, 2010 [3 favorites]

Yeah, that flapjax cat is A-OK.
posted by From Bklyn at 6:34 AM on June 2, 2010

[x] I AM FOR FLAPJAX AT MIDNITE
[&nbsp ] I AM AGAINST FLAPJAX AT MIDNITE
[&nbsp ] I PREFER BELGIAN WAFFLES AT MIDNITE

Talented motherfucker I mean really it's hardly even fair.
posted by everichon at 6:47 AM on June 2, 2010

I love this man. In a very manly way.
posted by Wolof at 6:52 AM on June 2, 2010

Is this the thread where we talk about Mefites we love? Kinda like an Anti-Callout? A Push-in? A Soft-In? Whatever.

Flapjaxs makes Metafilter a better place.
posted by The Whelk at 7:17 AM on June 2, 2010

ja

*makes a huggy rush at The Whelk*
posted by infini at 7:25 AM on June 2, 2010

I prefer the moniker FJ@M over FaM. FJ@M is much more "kicking" and has a "fresh groove."
posted by slogger at 7:33 AM on June 2, 2010

I'm back, just to say I loves all y'all.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:56 AM on June 2, 2010

You all are crazy, the guy's a total dick.
posted by nevercalm at 8:29 AM on June 2, 2010

Whoa, wait....flapjax at midnite? Sorry, he's cool.
posted by nevercalm at 8:29 AM on June 2, 2010

fapmax at midnite is all about the dickery.
posted by The Whelk at 8:30 AM on June 2, 2010

I had a map that Mr. at midnite made to show me how to get to a certain club in Tokyo. It had a sort of a spirally thing and the words "junk pile", "rickety stairs" and "orange door". It worked!
posted by moonmilk at 8:37 AM on June 2, 2010

Yeah, he's got the whole music thing locked down but once in a while he throws us a curve ball, like giant squids with elbows, and I'm like "Whoa - elbow squids playing the banjo?" and then I read the link and they are totally not playing the banjo and I'm like "Lame, dude". But that's the price you pay for earning a reputation for excellence in unusual music.

Is this where I can ask where his username comes from? lalochezia's "punch-card operational syntax" isn't helping me, here.
posted by Quietgal at 9:12 AM on June 2, 2010

Sorry in advance:

Metafilter: elbow squids playing the banjo?
posted by nevercalm at 9:23 AM on June 2, 2010

Flapjax is one pretty cool dude.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 9:24 AM on June 2, 2010

I am down with Mr. Jax at midnite or anytime.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:41 AM on June 2, 2010

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111!!!
posted by snsranch at 9:45 AM on June 2, 2010

no, nevercalm, that's a metafilter: that is not quite accurate

I may have elbows but they're not squidlike

hmph

*throws the hugs around since she's wearing the Note: tshirt today ;p*
posted by infini at 10:08 AM on June 2, 2010

use this thread to give some thanks
meatbomb rocks as well
posted by hugbucket at 10:14 AM on June 2, 2010

late to the love party, but wanted to give mine to flapjax anyway! He's defo one of the reasons this community is so great.
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:23 AM on June 2, 2010

Paging User 39010. I think you might get laid tonite.
posted by marienbad at 1:09 PM on June 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

er, not with me... just kinda, you know, with all the love goin on and all... er, not that there's anything wrong with it...er...
posted by marienbad at 1:10 PM on June 2, 2010

Gracias flapjax!
posted by elmono at 1:51 PM on June 2, 2010

I'm late to the party, but yes. I'm always happy when I see a flapjax post.
posted by ob at 1:56 PM on June 2, 2010

Keep on flappin those jax, man!
posted by ejoey at 3:47 PM on June 2, 2010

Hear hear indeed! Consistently excellent stuff Flapjax, on the blue and on music! Were I in Tokyo a tad longer than 2 days last week I would have attempted to find you and buy you a beverage of some sort!
posted by TwoWordReview at 3:55 PM on June 2, 2010

This is the best kind of metatalk post. I really enjoy your contributions, F@M, and look forward to more.
posted by clockzero at 4:24 PM on June 2, 2010

Yeah, another chiming in to say, "that guy is cool." I always dig his posts (I've been introduced to some really cool music by him, big HUGE thanks Mr. flapjax 'cause that's gold to me right there) and as far as I can recall at the moment, I always agree with his comments.

Not that I don't really like some people whose comments I disagree with, but, well, hopefully you get what I mean.
posted by dubitable at 8:38 PM on June 2, 2010

Just a note to say keep up the great posts.
posted by bjgeiger at 9:01 AM on June 3, 2010

I don't come onsite as often these days, so I regret the opportunity to be among the first to second this post and its subject. Flapjax has really done everyone here, and, by extension, online, a service with his posts and he well deserves the praise.
posted by y2karl at 10:58 AM on June 3, 2010

Cortex: I usually refer to a "jew's harp" as a "juice harp". Guaranteed not to offend (unless you're OJ) & similar enough in pronunciation to not be confusing in conversation. Also, didn't Captain Beefheart use a gypsytrombone?
posted by frodisaur at 1:16 PM on June 6, 2010

Thanks for being here Flapjax. Your posts make a good site better. You're one of the first users I recognized by name and when I see a new post from you it makes me happy. Sorry about getting sidettracked in the Gil Scott-Heron thread.

My favorite Flapjax thread: Hey Joe
posted by irisclara at 1:16 PM on June 6, 2010