Rob Dougan has a special place in my heart

I used to play his song “Clubbed to Death”* (of Matrix soundtrack fame) on repeat for hours in college to power me through homework.  (At the time he was known mysteriously as “Rob D”.)  These days I still prefer dark IDM or orchestral stuff for settling into a night of coding or writing.

I mentioned earlier this morning that the Reese’s “Global Warming” commercial seems to have been influenced by the Dust Brothers song, “What Is Fight Club?”.  Turning to the Web, it turns out I’m like two months behind on this because I only watch TV on DVR and skip the commercials.

My research went like this:

* Fun story about Clubbed to Death. One summer a couple years later in college I turned on WGUC’s 6 O’Clock Symphony and was shocked at what I heard: the inspiration for Clubbed to Death. I flipped out and immediately called Ben. “Dude, what is Enigma Variations?!?! He turned around and called out to his father, an orchestra conductor, “Hey, dad, how’s the first movement of Enigma Variations go?” In the background I heard him sing the exact melody. KNOWLEDGE.

Edwar Elgar - Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36, “Enigma”: I. C.A.E.

20080727 12:08 PM: “John Murphy” iTunes link fixed.