K.K. Slider plays the hits
May 16, 2016 6:48 PM Subscribe
There are plenty of cover acts, but it's a rare talent that carries a crowd-pleasing repertoire, yet can still make each song their own. K.K. Slider pulls it off with simple acoustic stylings and howling vocals. He's covered them all: Adele.
DJ Snake and Lil Jon.
Lady Gaga.
Outkast.
Michael Jackson.
Survivor.
Bobby McFerrin.
Celine Dion.
Darude (yes, that song, and a vocal mix, natch).
For reasons he's never explained, his catalog has more than its fair share of video game music. Of course, the duo Portal ending songs "Still Alive" and "Want You Gone" are a given. But he'll even add his own lyrics, like he did for the overworld theme from Super Mario Bros. 2 and Cave Story theme.
You can hear him play in front of the train station on Saturday nights.
For reasons he's never explained, his catalog has more than its fair share of video game music. Of course, the duo Portal ending songs "Still Alive" and "Want You Gone" are a given. But he'll even add his own lyrics, like he did for the overworld theme from Super Mario Bros. 2 and Cave Story theme.
You can hear him play in front of the train station on Saturday nights.
oh gods, you just reminded me that my town is probably covered in weeds.
this is neat though.
posted by numaner at 7:00 PM on May 16, 2016 [7 favorites]
this is neat though.
posted by numaner at 7:00 PM on May 16, 2016 [7 favorites]
His Saturday night shows are legendary, even the great fashion icon Gracie shows up once in a while! If you can't get to the train station, fans can listen to him in Chrome, too.
This is excellent, thanks!
posted by ApathyGirl at 7:00 PM on May 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
This is excellent, thanks!
posted by ApathyGirl at 7:00 PM on May 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
this is very silly
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:08 PM on May 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:08 PM on May 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
Is this something I would need to have a blood debt to an immortal raccoon to understand?
posted by Faux Real at 7:14 PM on May 16, 2016 [20 favorites]
posted by Faux Real at 7:14 PM on May 16, 2016 [20 favorites]
The K.K. Slider version of the theme from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is amazing.
posted by rifflesby at 7:41 PM on May 16, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by rifflesby at 7:41 PM on May 16, 2016 [4 favorites]
This made me smile. Thank you.
posted by inconsequentialist at 8:00 PM on May 16, 2016
posted by inconsequentialist at 8:00 PM on May 16, 2016
Excellent, but it's Monday night here! I can only assume your town is on a different calendar.
posted by asperity at 8:23 PM on May 16, 2016
posted by asperity at 8:23 PM on May 16, 2016
Hm. I'll admit, I don't really get it. But I've bookmarked it in the "when I get high next" folder.
At which time I will not at all be surprised to pen a new comment along the lines of, "HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS, NO SERIOUSLY, DID YOU LISTEN TO THIS? REALLY LISTEN TO IT? THIS IS MAD FUCKING GENIUS!!!"
posted by bologna on wry at 8:25 PM on May 16, 2016
At which time I will not at all be surprised to pen a new comment along the lines of, "HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS, NO SERIOUSLY, DID YOU LISTEN TO THIS? REALLY LISTEN TO IT? THIS IS MAD FUCKING GENIUS!!!"
posted by bologna on wry at 8:25 PM on May 16, 2016
I will spoil it for people who don't know the reference --
Nintendo's series of Animal Crossing games are basically life sims where you play a human kid who's come to live in a village of animals. The games make heavy use of their game systems' time-of-day clock, and different events happen in your village, even if you're not there to experience them.
One of these events is, every Saturday night, K.K. Slider (the dog picture in some of the videos) plays for you a random song in his repertoire. When he plays, the lights turn down low, the camera moves around him, and, as he sings and plays his guitar in exactly the style demonstrated in these videos, the game's credits roll. (This is the only way to view them.) You can also request a specific song by name. After he plays, he gives you a copy of the song for you to play in your house.
Now, the deep geekery:
In the Japanese version K.K. Slider is known as Totakeke. The name is somewhat similar to Kozume Totaka, a long-time Nintendo-employed musician, who has written music for dozens of games. As a bit of a trademark, many games he's made music for has a short piece called Totaka's Song buried somewhere in the game. We're talking very well hidden most of the time. Here's a compilation. Natch, the song is included in Animal Crossing too, but only available upon request, as "K.K. Song".
I read somewhere that Totaka is also the voice of Yoshi, saying Yoshi's one word, "Yoshi!"
posted by JHarris at 9:00 PM on May 16, 2016 [8 favorites]
Nintendo's series of Animal Crossing games are basically life sims where you play a human kid who's come to live in a village of animals. The games make heavy use of their game systems' time-of-day clock, and different events happen in your village, even if you're not there to experience them.
One of these events is, every Saturday night, K.K. Slider (the dog picture in some of the videos) plays for you a random song in his repertoire. When he plays, the lights turn down low, the camera moves around him, and, as he sings and plays his guitar in exactly the style demonstrated in these videos, the game's credits roll. (This is the only way to view them.) You can also request a specific song by name. After he plays, he gives you a copy of the song for you to play in your house.
Now, the deep geekery:
In the Japanese version K.K. Slider is known as Totakeke. The name is somewhat similar to Kozume Totaka, a long-time Nintendo-employed musician, who has written music for dozens of games. As a bit of a trademark, many games he's made music for has a short piece called Totaka's Song buried somewhere in the game. We're talking very well hidden most of the time. Here's a compilation. Natch, the song is included in Animal Crossing too, but only available upon request, as "K.K. Song".
I read somewhere that Totaka is also the voice of Yoshi, saying Yoshi's one word, "Yoshi!"
posted by JHarris at 9:00 PM on May 16, 2016 [8 favorites]
These are fine, but time is limited. It might be more efficient to play them all at once.
posted by Drastic at 9:31 PM on May 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Drastic at 9:31 PM on May 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
This feels like something Mark Mothersbaugh would do with all of his weird old synthesizers, when nobody is looking.
posted by kinnakeet at 1:49 AM on May 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by kinnakeet at 1:49 AM on May 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm spend more of my life playing Animal Crossing than any other franchise of entertainment. And I do not regret a minute of it.
Wrote a few words last year about K.K. Faire, my favorite Animal Crossing song, with some videos included (which include K.K. Slider). The Daft Punk video at the end may also delight.
posted by Wordshore at 2:47 AM on May 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
Wrote a few words last year about K.K. Faire, my favorite Animal Crossing song, with some videos included (which include K.K. Slider). The Daft Punk video at the end may also delight.
posted by Wordshore at 2:47 AM on May 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
brett: working my way through the links in your post, which is for me the FPP of the year so far. Superb job!
posted by Wordshore at 3:15 AM on May 17, 2016
posted by Wordshore at 3:15 AM on May 17, 2016
Excellent, but it's Monday night here! I can only assume your town is on a different calendar.
You know that feeling you get when someone points out you missed an opportunity you never even knew you had?
Yeah. MY POST IS RUINED BY MY OWN HAND.
posted by brett at 4:19 AM on May 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
You know that feeling you get when someone points out you missed an opportunity you never even knew you had?
Yeah. MY POST IS RUINED BY MY OWN HAND.
posted by brett at 4:19 AM on May 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
This seems as good of a place as any to say that in addition to the brilliance of K.K. the original theme song is one of the greatest moments of video game soundtrack history.
Seriously, i find myself humming that in the shower all the time.
posted by emptythought at 2:20 PM on May 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Seriously, i find myself humming that in the shower all the time.
posted by emptythought at 2:20 PM on May 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
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