I was really jazzed when Jeff MacDougall agreed to appear on the Periodic Table, as Jeff is one of my very favorite musicians anywhere. Jeff, if you don't know, is the challenger that went up against Jonathan Coulton in the very first Masters of Song Fu competition. To my mind, this was a very close competition. JoCo pulled out the win with 'Space Doggity', but Jeff's space ballad, 'High' remains stuck in my head to this day. Here it is, submitted for your approval:
Those of us where are of the community called TMA owe a debt of gratitude to Jeff. With Mike Lombardo, he started an international community of musicians and -- more importantly -- friends. That's not the kind of thing that everybody can say.
If there is a person on this Table with a social conscience, it is Jeff. As you're perusing his bandcamp site, read the text, particularly that of the song 'Thank You', and consider that Rite Care is not the only charity worthy of your support.
Also take a look at Jeff's children's album, Stand Up!. Most albums created specifically for kids are, to put it mildly, lacking. Stand Up! manages to entertain and educate without condescending. I'm an adult, and I like it, particularly the high-energy number, 'Bounce'. If you want to get your kids to burn off some energy before naptime, this is the number to play. It's like an innocent little kiddie rave!
It was 'Bounce' that inspired this first bit of merchandise. We have an entire line of children's clothing with the "BOUNCE!" theme, with logos in blue or pink. There are bibs, infant bodysuits, and of course, T-shirts in various colors:
And of COURSE, if you're going to bounce, you need some company! How about this cuddly plush teddy bear? He's eleven inches tall and sports his very own BOUNCE! t-shirt! (Or her own... I've never been very good at that where bears are concerned.)
We have a few special items for the adults as well... naturally there's a coffee mug, and I'm really happy about this one. Taking the theme from 'High', we've captured Tom's spacewalk in this panoramic view in near-Earth orbit. This is a great gift for any geek... musician or not!
One of Jeff's early Song Fu entries was a spoof of 'WKRP in Cincinnati', entitled 'Jeff MacDougall Dot Com'. This was the inspiration for this radio-themed adult T-shirt. And of course, since we all know that Jeff is old, this radio is decidedly retro:
I know this is a little difficult to see in the graphic, so here's the radio in more detail; it sports a retro-styled chrome logo, and the dial lists the songs listenable on JeffMacDougall.com
Finally, we carry that same chrome logo over to a retro-style cap.
I'm sure there's something on this page for everyone, so please show your support for this fine artist, and at the same time help some preschool children get the language therapy they desperately need. You CAN help change a life!
I'll leave you with these important links, and my profound thanks to Jeff MacDougall and all the artists who have chosen to support Rite Care. Until next time!
Great addition to the Periodic Table! Particularly like the "I can see my house from here!" mug. Hilarious. And the "Bounce" teddy. Just adorable.
ReplyDeleteGreat work with the merch again Dave. Everyone should listen to Jeff's music. The man is more than just a pretty avatar. :p
ReplyDeleteAh, but he IS a pretty avatar, Spin. So sayeth my wife, and I defer to her judgement in all such things.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I placed Jeff at number 88 on the same day that he edited JeffMacDougall.com's template to display a piano keyboard in the header rather than the Flipface. Coincidence? Hmmm.....