Mind Funk Music

They weren't originally called "Mind Funk." You can use your imagination to subtract and add the necessary letters to turn the word "Funk" into something inappropriate. The band was forced to change their name to the much less offensive "Mind Funk," and later "Mindfunk," by their original label Epic Records.

This heavy metal funk band from the 1990's was sort of a super group, at least a second-tier super group. It featured singer Patrick Dubar, formerly of the hardcore punk band Uniform Choice; guitarist Louis J. Svitek and bassist John Monte both former members of M.O.D. (Method of Destruction); guitarist Jason Everman who had played with Nirvana and Soundgarden; and drummer Reed St. Mark who was a past member of the Swiss heavy metal band, Celtic Frost. Both Svitek and Monte went on to perform with the industrial metal band, Ministry.

After the turn of the century, the term "Mind Funk" took on a completely different meaning. Instead of being associated with members of Uniform Choice, M.O.D., and Celtic Front, Mind Funk became associated with DJ Shawnodese, Djane Ada, Djane Back 2 Mars, and DJ Merry.

Want to know how the mind processes music? And of course, you can't escape the funk.

Born out of a series of raging parties held in Amsterdam, Holland between 2001 and 2002, Mind Funk became the name of a record label specializing in psytrance music, which was definitely not a major record label. Mind Funk operated on the assumption that the term "psychedelic" was being used incorrectly and way too frequently in the world of dance music.

Whether Mind Funk is used as the title of a heavy metal funk band, a psytrance record label, or a type of music, the term conjures up an unique style of music possessing out-of-the-mainstream sounds, integrity, vitality, and relevancy. Whether you're an ardent follower or an enthusiastic neophyte to the Mind Funk concept, it's clear that the term speaks to both the imagination and the intellect.

Mind Blowing Music

Music has the power to "blow one's mind."

We've all had a friend text us the name of a brand new band that we MUST listen to because their sound is so "mind blowing." Of course most of these ebullient recommendations fail to blow one's mind, most even fail to blow one's nose, and most just blow. But that's another story.

There is a way artists can blow one's mind without strumming a single chord or singing a single note. Artists can be mind blowing by selling a bazillion albums or oodles of concert tickets. Or they can blow one's mind by being part of unmitigated flops and historic failures. For example, the Beatles have sold more than 237 million albums worldwide, Jay-Z has more number one albums (11) than Elvis (10), and Bob Dylan has never had a number one single. And music is as diverse as Cher to Kid Rock, Madonna or Andrea Bocelli or funky Justin Timberlake, there's music for everyone out there.

Is your mind blown yet? Probably not, but it will be after you check out the seven great artists listed below and their mind blowing success (and in one case, their mind blowing failure).

Top Music Tours Of 2011 & 2012

The immense diversity of musical acts touring North America in 2011 is staggering. Music fans have a veritable smorgasbord of artists to choose from. There are legends, legends-in-the-waiting, jam bands, country music superstars, boy bands, international crooners, and reunion tours. In 2011, you can get concert tickets to see both an iconic British band from the 1960's and a Grammy winning alternative outfit from Canada.

To help you make sense of all your musical options, Mind Funk looks at 30 tours that are either underway or about to launch in 2011. We have to warn you though, while we pass along a lot of great information it doesn't make whittling down your choices any easier. Sorry, but you're just going to have to attend as many of these great tours as possible.

Coldplay
British rockers Coldplay are now on a world tour for their latest album Mylo Xyloto (2011). Expect to see Coldplay in North American cities such as Toronto, Boston and Chicago to name a few. Chris Martin and the rest of Coldplay will be putting on an excellent show to be sure.

James Taylor
James Taylor will be in Lennox, Massachusetts - Sweet Baby James will be performing at the historic Tanglewood Music Center. And, James Taylor tickets will be sold to a handful of dates in Europe.

Josh Groban
World renowned singer Josh Groban is on the road for most of 2011 selling tickets to support his 2010 release, Illuminations. His "Straight To You Tour" will make stops in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, and Toronto. In late May, Josh Groban visits Moline, IL for a show at I Wireless Center.

Journey
Journey will appear at the USA Festival in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on July 15. They begin a robust tour of North American three days later in Omaha, Nebraska. The last show on their docket is a Journey concert in Seattle, Washington on Oct. 21. Joining the 1980's rock icons are Foreigner and Night Ranger.

Kenny Chesney
He's known for putting on some of the best live shows around. Even if you're not a connoisseur of country music you have to get your hands on some Kenny Chesney concert tickets. We recommend the June 18 Kenny Chesney show in Philadelphia. Joining KC on his "Goin Coastal Tour" is the Zac Brown Band.

Red Hot Chili Peppers
It has been numerous years since the Red Hot Chili Peppers have toured, but fans have waited long enough. 2012 will see the Chili Peppers touring across the U.S. See the Chili Peppers in Dallas or Tampa.

Steely Dan
Billed as the "jazz-rock ambassadors to the galaxy," Steely Dan kicks off their "Shuffle Diplomacy Twenty Eleven Tour" on July 2 in Seattle, Washington. The North American leg of their world expedition ends in Boston.

Taylor Swift
Music's "It" girl, Taylor Swift, began her "Speak Now World Tour" on February 9. It's set to wind down Nov. 22 when Taylor Swift plays the second of two nights at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Widespread Panic
Legendary jam band Widespread Panic is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2011. You can party with the band since they have a slew of dates scheduled for the summer. Widespread Panic will play Red Rocks for three consecutive evenings beginning June 24. They will also be in Las Vegas on July 15 and 16.  See Panic in Atlanta from 1/27/12-1/29/12 at the Tabernacle and Panic in Denver at the Fillmore from 2/10-2/12/12

George Strait
They don't call him "The King of Country" for nothing. Country legend George Strait released what would be his first number one single, "Fool Hearted Memory," in 1981. By the time 2009 arrived the "Troubadour" had sent 56 more singles to the top of the country music charts for a mind blowing total of 57. Needless to say, Strait has more number one singles than any artist in any genre of music, ever. One can't imagine the number of George Strait tickets that have been sold. Even more amazing, when Strait turned 57 in 2009 he had at least one number one single for every year he was alive. If that doesn't blow your mind nothing will.

Jimmy Buffett
It can't be proven but Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville" has to be the most sung-along-to-song in the history of rock and roll. Everyone sings along to that indelible ditty whether they hear it on the radio or during a Jimmy Buffet concert. However, that's not why he's on the list. Buffett makes the list for mind blowing futility. His debut album, Down to Earth—released in 1970—was so awful that it only sold a few hundred copies. Today, both Parrotheads and Jimmy refuse to include the opus in his official canon, and you prbably won't hear any of those songs at a Jimmy Buffett concert.

Tim McGraw
Being married to country music singer Faith Hill may be mind blowing enough for you, but not for us. Nor is he on our list because his Soul2Soul II Tour (undertaken with his spouse) was the highest grossing tour in country music history. And Tim McGraw tickets were being sold by the handful. Tim McGraw is on our list because he not only had multiple Top 40 hit singles but he also had one named after him. The first single ever released by Taylor Swift is called "Tim McGraw." It dropped in 2006 and peaked at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Carrie Underwood
This is an easy one. Carrie Underwood is the best-selling American Idol contestant of all-time. You may not put much stock into outselling Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks, but look at it this way, Underwood surpassed Kelly Clarkson despite the original American Idol's two-year head start. Still, Underwood has achieved some undisputed mind blowing success. Her Some Hearts album is the fastest selling debut in country music history. The album eventually became the best selling debut for a solo female artist in the annals of the genre.

Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga generally blows people's minds. Not so much with her catchy pop songs but with her outrageous outfits which you can see live if you buy Lady Gaga tickets online. Nonetheless, the pop diva's video for "Bad Romance" briefly held the title of the most viewed video in YouTube history. The ultra cool "Bad Romance" vid garnered over 248 million views—that's like as many viewers as two Super Bowls and a World Cup final. What's so mind blowing about Lady Gaga's accomplishment is most of her fans have jobs and therefore they don't have a lot of time to spend watching videos all day. That sentiment will make more sense after you read the next paragraph...

Justin Bieber
The amount of success he received before being old enough to enlist in the army is mind blowing enough, but Justin Bieber isn't content to rest on his teenage laurels. Bieber's video to "Baby" surpassed "Bad Romance" as the most viewed video in the history of YouTube. Even more mind blowing, when Bieber surpassed Gaga, he owned the top spot as well as the fifth spot. Granted his fans probably watched the video every day in home room (and on recess), but 250 million-plus views is still mind blowing.

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