Early hip-hop MC's used to rap over breaks and rhythm lines played directly from vinyls by highly-skilled DJ's. No laptops, no auto-tune, just two turntables and a mixer. In the early 80's, digital samplers began showing up in studios and at gigs. The original purpose of these devices was to allow non-musical sounds, say traffic noises or bird calls, to be incorporated  into rhythm lines, or to allow repetitive musical figures to be played over and over without giving some poor musicians carpal-tunnel syndrome. It didn't take long before DJ's figured out that the new machines could make the job of looping beats and breaks a whole lot easier, and allow them to construct complex, multi-layered backing tracks which they'd previously only dreamed about. DJ's and producers were ecstatic, the major record labels, not so much.

Sampling culture exploded, driven by hip-hop as well as producers like John Oswald (whom you may recall was actually commissioned by the Grateful Dead to mash up their own music) and most famously, culture-jammers Negativland, whose sample-driven parody of a U2 song, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For got them slapped with a lawsuit by U2's label, Island Records.

Needless to say, the technology of sampling and digital sound proecesing  has advanced somewhat in the intervening years. And like any other kind of music, most sample-driven tunes are, to be charitable about it, merely adequate. It takes a special talent to make something worth hearing, let alone hearing again and again. In my travels across Youtube, I believe I have found such a talent.

DJ Steve Porter mainly spins electronic dance music, something which I must admit isn't really my cup of latte. But it's his videos, his novelty tracks if you will, which have caught my eye and ear, and have got me glued to my screen. (Why, I'm even prepared to to forgive him for messin' with my idol, Henry Rollins!). In Mr. Porter's universe, TV programs, press conferences, stand-up comics and infomercials for kitchen utensils are all fodder for his risible, danceable remixes, a few of which are submitted here for your perusal.

 (Some salty language in places. Apart from that, enjoy)