A Few of My Favourite Mash Ups

Introduction

The digital age has meant that anyone who is willing to put in the time can create some amazing watchable videos, sometimes without actually adding any work of their own apart from the stitching together of the product.

This could be construed as plagiarism, especially in writing, but sometimes it is good to bring together disparate sources of music, video, photography and writing to create a new artefact and encourage consumers to go out there and seek out the sources of these amazing creations.

Since the rice of the personal computer and mobile phone people have been able to make music and cinema with the products that they have. The film “Tangerine” was made using an iPhone. The film “Monsters” had the special effects and editing done on a personal computer.

You can also publish a book on your own, I have published three.

Things that even ten years ago would require some kind of company structure to get off the ground can now be done solo.

Baby Blue by Badfinger - The Heisenberg Supercut

This was the final song in the series “Breaking Bad” which may still be the greatest TV series ever. This is a splicing of the development and words of Walter White throughout the series. I love the song and this brings together both sides of the the media used and if you don’t know either then this will give you a good taste of what is happening.

The Doctor Faustus Take on Nick Cave’s “Red Right Hand” in The Style of Dr Seuss

I saw a series of images drawn by an artist named Dr Faustus illustrating the song “Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave in the style of Dr Seuss. I was surprised that this had not been developed into a cartoon or slideshow using the song as the soundtrack, so I contacted Dr Faustus and asked if he had any objection to me creating a slideshow.

I ncidentally "Red Right Hand" was the first non commisioned music used in "The X-Files" so became a favourite of my daughters.

I never got a reply despite sending a few emails, so I put together a slideshow, giving credit to all involved and it has become my second most viewed YouTube slideshow with over ten thousand views.

This shows that even I can put together something that people enjoy with the technology and resources that are available to me. I was even at a gig once and some was eulogising the slideshow, and they were over the moon when they found out I was the one who had created it.

True Romance in Seven Minutes

True Romance is my favourite film of all time. It has one of Quentin Tarantino’s greatest scripts even though he disowned it, a stellar cast, and the love story between Clarence and Alabama is just beautiful. It also features Dennis Hopper as a good guy, but you need to see the film to watch the stand off between him and Christopher Walken discussing Sicilian heritage.

This mash up gives you the feel of the film in seven minutes with the beautiful Orff sourced Hans Zimmer soundtrack. It is a little slice of heaven.

MTV Mash Prodigy Vs Enya - Smack My Bitch Up Vs Orinoco Flow

This is brilliant and manages to offend both Prodigy and Enya fan bases but it definitely works for me and the matador fighting the giant track is a wonderful visual imagining of the creation.

“God Save September” - Earth, Wind & Fire vs Sex Pistols mashup

This was shared with me by my friend Lady Annabella (I wrote her a poem which is at the end of this piece. This is one of the most unexpectedly brilliant mas-ups I have heard and you really have to give this one from ah! - The Alan Hurley a listen.

Concluding The Mash

These are a few examples of using existing products and digital tools to give the world and your audience something new to entertain them.