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4 Stories about 4 musicians who married their cousins

We've written before about famous folk who married their cousins. But it's such a great subject, and there are more stories to tell, so we thought we'd dive back in with another post today, and keep the focus on famous musicians. 1. Igor... READ ON

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3 Pairs of songs played back-to-back on the radio

Before I even get into the subject, let me just state up front: I know there are plenty of other songs that are usually played back-to-back on the radio. These are just some of my favorites. How about you all? Let's hear what some of your favorite pairs are in the comments below. 1 & 2) "Heartbreaker" and "Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman)" "“ Led... READ ON

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Introducing: Nadia Sirota (and the chance to win a free album!)

Ed. note: If you missed our first post earlier this week on New Amsterdam Records, be sure to check it out here. Part 2 in the mini-series, on Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, can be found this-a-way. Today, we continue with Part 3 by introducing you to another of New Amsterdam's exciting, new artists, Nadia... READ ON

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Introducing: Darcy James Argue's Secret Society

Ed. note: If you missed our first post on New Amsterdam Records yesterday, be sure to check it out here. Today, we continue with Part 2 of our little series by introducing you to one of their exciting, new artists, Darcy James Argue. By the way, Darcy and his big band, Secret Society will be debuting their new album live at Galapagos as part of this Friday's Undiscovered Islands music festival in Brooklyn. Click here to learn... READ ON

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How to Start a Record Label, with New Amsterdam Records

Ed. note: We love New Amsterdam records, so we're thrilled to be teaming up with them. This Thursday night from 6-8 pm, mental_floss is co-hosting a party at the Galapagos Arts Space called Pollinate with a whole bunch of exciting arts groups. The Wassaic Project will feature stunning sculptures from new artists, Hotel St. George press will dazzle audiences with a few short readings, and New Amsterdam is going to be spinning fresh, new sounds the whole time. We'll be there handing out FREE magazines (and... READ ON

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The strange history of "Mahna Mahna"

Who doesn't love that great song "Mahna Mahna" from Sesame Street? As funny as it is earwormy, as adorable as it is cool, the song appeals to each generation anew and never gets tiring. But guess what? Neither Sesame Street nor The Muppet Show can take credit for discovering the song. Penned by the Italian film composer Piero Umiliani (if you haven't heard of him, it's okay, "Mahna Mahna" is all he's really known for), "Mah NÃ Mah NÃ " as it was originally called in... READ ON

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The instrument behind the adults on the Peanuts

Ever wonder what instrument was used to make that funny sound of the adults talking on the Peanuts cartoons? It's a trombone with the rubber end of a toilet plunger over the instrument's bell. By opening and closing the plunger with the hand, thereby allowing more or less air out of the trombone's bell, the trombonist is able to get a wah-wah effect, which the directors were able to use to mimic the rise and fall of our voice patterns, exaggerated, of course. Here's a... READ ON

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The Chapman Stick

Some of you might recall my post from a little over a year ago on peculiar instruments. In it, I talked about the bonang, didgeridoo, and others. Well here's an electronic one I left off the list: the Chapman Stick. Invented in the early 70s by Emmett Chapman, "the stick," as it's usually referred to, is sort of like a cross between a bass and a wide-neck guitar. But rather than plucking or strumming the strings (of which there can be 8, 10, or 12, depending on the model), the... READ ON

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5 Composers murdered by the Nazis

Theresienstadt concentration camp, or TerezÃn as it was usually called, was an oddity, even by the Nazi's standards. They used it as transit camp, before carting people off to Auschwitz. But more than that, they used it as propaganda, the "model Jewish settlement"—the beautiful, special place where Jews would be resettled under Hitler's plan, before he went full-steam ahead with "The Final Solution." As such, people placed in TerezÃn were given privileges that the... READ ON

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7 Planets, as composed by Holst

The English composer Gustav Holst completed his most famous work, The Planets, about 15 years before Pluto was discovered. The piece was inspired by astrology, not astronomy (though he wasn't eager to reveal his main influences because the most famous astrologer in Britain, Alan Leo, had been prosecuted under the Vagrancy Act of 1917, which declared all astrologers, palmists, clairvoyants and mediums "common thieves and vagabonds.") By the time Pluto was discovered, Holst was so over the success... READ ON