it could be very fresh and clean it could be Frankie

January 31, 2012 3:00 PM

In honor of Philip Glass's 75th birthday (look at the cake!), here are three rather odd albums of or based on his music, all free to play:
Glassworked by U Can Unlearn Guitar ranges from drone to speed metal.
What Capitalism Was Plays Philip Glass on Accordion is as described.
Glassbreaks by dj BC mashes up Glass and Hip Hop. (previously)
posted by moonmilk (22 comments total)

Thank you for this post! I had missed the Glassbreaks album the first time around.

Also, today I learned from Twitter (and NPR) that Ira Glass is Philip Glass's cousin and my mind was pretty well blown. Maybe everyone knew that and I just live under a rock.
posted by dismas at 3:07 PM on January 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

Oh dear, the accordion link, unexpected but just what I need, right now. Goes great with a glass of ricard, too. Thanks so much!
posted by ouke at 3:33 PM on January 31, 2012

I should thank WFMU for introducing me to all three of these albums.

I was at the birthday concert where Ira Glass was the M.C. and that cake was served. I didn't try the cake because I'd pigged out on gumdrops before the show and I wanted to get home early, but I will forever regret that I can't say "I had a bite of Philip Glass's birthday cake!" Or more likely, I'll start to lie about it. Yeah, that's better.
posted by moonmilk at 3:40 PM on January 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

Knee 5 from Einstein on the Beach

Internet classic from 2001, The Glass Engine.

Happy. Happy. Happy. Happy. Birthday. Birthday. Birthday. Birthday!
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 4:11 PM on January 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

Knock knock
Who's there ?
Philip Glass
Knock knock
Who's there ?
Philip Glass
Knock knock
Who's there ?
Philip Glass
Knock knock
Who's there ?
Philip Glass
Knock knock
Who's there ?
Philip Glass
Knock knock
Who's there ?
Philip Glass
Knock knock
Who's there ?
Philip Glass
Knock knock
Who's there ?
Philip Glass ......
posted by y2karl at 4:20 PM on January 31, 2012 [2 favorites]

I like the early stuff - Gradus, Piece in the Shape of a Square, stuff like that, and also some of the solo piano stuff. I think his ideas come across better when he's only using as many instruments as he needs.
posted by kersplunk at 4:43 PM on January 31, 2012

The Glassworked interpretations are swell.

Philip's 'Glassworks' (Opening) is a fun song to play on solo acoustic or electric guitar.
posted by ovvl at 5:03 PM on January 31, 2012

You're a little late for my birthday (well, I'll blame Philip's Mom for that detail), but I really appreciate this anyway. Thanks!
posted by maudlin at 5:04 PM on January 31, 2012

Really, really digging these accordion interpretations. Would make the perfect soundtrack for a lego version of koyaanisqatsi.
posted by SomaSoda at 5:20 PM on January 31, 2012

How about a lego Einstein on the Beach?
posted by moonmilk at 5:24 PM on January 31, 2012

Love Glassbreaks. Very cLOUDDEAD!
posted by Drexen at 5:31 PM on January 31, 2012

I was expecting the cake link to go somewhere like this.
I keed, happy brithday Mr. Glass.
posted by chaff at 5:55 PM on January 31, 2012

My partner saw a preview performance of Einstein On The Beach (previously) in Ann Arbor two weeks ago. I was worried that he'd subsequently not want to meet up with me in Toronto to see it together as we had planned, but he says it was a transcendent experience of indeterminable measure, and he's really looking forward to doing it again.

For him to have sat uninterrupted through 4.5-5 hours of music and dance and want to see it again... it must be pretty fucking amazing.

I can't wait!
posted by hippybear at 5:55 PM on January 31, 2012

There's a great documentary about Phillip Glass. If you're a fan of Glass, and you haven't seen it, you should seek it out.
posted by crunchland at 6:24 PM on January 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

I came for (really, to see if it had already been posted) the knock-knock. I stayed for the youtube links.
posted by Brian Puccio at 6:32 PM on January 31, 2012

I can't wait!

*Seethes with bitter jealousy*
posted by shakespeherian at 6:52 AM on February 1, 2012

Ooh, gonna have to check these out. Thanks!
posted by immlass at 8:26 AM on February 1, 2012

Ira Glass interviews his cousin Philip Glass.
posted by crunchland at 9:40 AM on February 1, 2012

God I'm dreading this year. Glass is already over-saturated the world over, churning out music empty of content for decades now.
posted by ReeMonster at 11:23 AM on February 1, 2012

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posted by y2karl at 11:35 AM on February 1, 2012

Philip Glass On His 75th Birthday, Songs Of Protest And His Annual Tibet Benefit
posted by homunculus at 6:03 PM on February 1, 2012

When Philip Glass Wrote for Sesame Street
posted by homunculus at 6:04 PM on February 1, 2012