One of his latest projects, Nufonia Must Fall, is a perfect example. A story about a robot trying to impress a girl, it’s a comic book with a CD soundtrack and a mini chess set all in one. “When I was a kid, all my 7-inchers had books and pictures to go with them. So I thought it’d be fun to keep that tradition going,” ponders Eric. “If you can understand the humour in the drawing part you’ll probably get the humour in the audio part.”
His approach takes vivid imagination and geek-like dedication, not to mention a talent with the cross-fader. “Making Basin Street Blues was like doing an animated film,” he explains, referring to his turntable cut-up of Louis Armstrong’s classic number from his Some of my Best Friends are DJs album. “Every note on each instrument was found on different bits of records that had to be scratched in and bent. In the end you get music which sounds like the original but moves differently. Like when you see an animated character walking and there’s something slightly distorted about it. I like that.”
For source material Eric goes “digging in dime stores”, picking out bizarre educational and self-help monologues or “treasures” as he calls them. “I dig for those records that people are embarrassed to have, then make records documenting that they exist,” he grins. “Anthropologically speaking, it’s kind of interesting, like audio-voyeurism.”
His charms haven’t gone unnoticed either. Both Radiohead and Björk have asked him to prime their crowds. “It’s funny how making odd noises can get you into strange situations sometimes,” he says, remembering his slot at Madison Square Garden in front of 20,000 Radiohead fans.
Still, it’s obvious from his manner that success isn’t dulling his senses, and his imagination is as potent as ever. “Eventually we want to do a puppet musical with turntables in the orchestra pit.” As I said, he’s no ordinary DJ.
Music for Morning People
Kid Koala Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, it's wake-up time.
- Ayo, wake up!
Time to get up and go to work...
(All right!)
####
Wakey wakey, eggs and bacey!
Break it up!
In Kid Koala's Music for Morning People, the song starts with the artist addressing household plants, stating that it is time to wake up. The call and response between the artist and the plants signify that the start of a new day has come, and it is time for everyone to start their day. The lyrics then continue with the artist warning about the dangers of consuming too much caffeine. The artist speaks from personal experience, stating that they used to consume up to 63 to 64 cups of coffee a day. This warning serves as a reminder to take care of oneself and avoid overindulging in harmful substances.
The phrase "Wakey wakey, eggs and bacey!" is a well-known English language idiom used to wake up someone in a humorous way. It is an interesting addition to the song and adds a playful tone to the lyrics. The phrase "Break it up!" could be interpreted in two ways. It can either be an encouragement to break free from old habits, as the artist has done with their caffeine consumption, or it could also be a reference to the end of the song.
Overall, Kid Koala's Music for Morning People is a cheerful and quirky song that serves as a gentle reminder to prioritize self-care and approach each day with a positive attitude.
Line by Line Meaning
Good morning, houseplants(?).
Addressing the silent living things in the apartment, probably because there's no one else around to exchange greetings with
Yes, it's wake-up time.
Confirming that it's indeed time to rise and shine
Ayo, wake up!
A friendly nudge to the listener to get up and start the day
Time to get up and go to work...
Reminding that there are responsibilities waiting and it's time to get moving
(All right!)
An affirmation that the listener agrees and is ready to tackle the day ahead
Too much caffeine is not good for you, and I know it's SO easy, because I myself in the old days used to drink, uh, oh, I was up to sixty-three, sixty-four cups a day...
Sharing a personal anecdote about the dangers of drinking too much coffee as a cautionary tale
Wakey wakey, eggs and bacey!
A playful way to announce the start of the day and breakfast time
Break it up!
Literally asking to break up whatever the listener is doing and transition to the next activity
Contributed by Mackenzie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.