Huge thanks to DJ Sia Aurora (The Deviant DJ) for covering last Saturday at the last minute. I always feel bad about not being able to do a KattattaK! set but I'd rather cancel ahead of time on the slim chance I won't be online, than promise one and have to cancel it last minute! But that's why we have backup and Sia is awesome at that! In August I am away for 2 weekends so I am sure there will be a couple of Deviant DJ sets coming right up!
Sia is also wanting to start a Wednesday night EDM/House/Trance/Dance party at the Kimkattia Dome! Stay tuned for that as we confirm the details!
I was a metal-head in my teens: headbanging my way through highschool to Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Saxon, UFO, and of course Black Sabbath. I was of course fully aware of Ozzy's presence as a solo artist but I always found his 1980s stuff a bit too MTV-glam for my liking and it was not until I was lent some old Sabbath LPs from a friend that I really got into that early 70s grungy, grunty, blues-laden proto-metal they were the so-called pioneers of. I was hooked and tracks like Paranoid, Spiral Architect, Fairies Wear Boots and War Pigs solidified my taste in the genre which has endured today. I was too young in the early-mid-70s to have known Sabbath then, but like so many bands which were 'before my time', I really loved their music later on.
There will be an Ozzy track in this week's set, although which one I'll play is still open. I may even throw in a cover or two for good measure. Since I've been doing KattattaK! there's been so many tributes and memorials needed... we've lost so many great legends of music in the last 3-4 years and I suppose part of that is merely that we of a certain age like artists who, sadly, are also of a certain age...Getting old sucks. But here we are, Ozzy got to a certain old age: 76. Who would ever have thought the Madman from Aston would have made it all the way? I bet there were many times in his life he didn't...and that doesn't even include the time Sharon threatened to kill him!
-Katt.
Welcome back to Season 17 of KattattaK!
Hope all you fellow Americans had a good July 4th. whether it was partying, grilling meats on the patio, watching some kind of ballgame (...I dunno?) or protesting vehemently about our current federal executive. Come along for another belter of a set from DJ Katt. You will never know what you are going to hear in the Kimkattia Dome unless you're there, so as always, remember that if you're not here, you're missing out!
Can you believe it? We’ve officially entered Season 17 of KattattaK!—a milestone that speaks volumes about the energy, loyalty, and sheer love of sound that drives this show. Over the next 10 weeks (give or take), expect a fresh, unpredictable ride through the sonic universe as Katt throws out the rulebook and embraces a more eclectic, spontaneous approach to her playlists.
While KattattaK! has always had one foot in the shimmering neon glow of Synthwave, the nostalgic vibe of Synthpop, and retro-1980s, this season promises to stir that up with a splash of the unexpected.
What remains unchanged is that will never know what you are going to hear in the Kimkattia Dome unless you're there, so as always, remember that if you're not here, you're missing out!
Today I was goofing around the Internet Archive "Wayback Machine" looking up some old archived web pages that are long since gone from the internet itself. I thought to myself I'd try to find some gold from the earliest days of Second Life and found this gem from 15 Feb 2003, which is before Second Life was even open to the general public. Now, for context, I originally signed up for Second some time in 2005, stayed five minutes, thought it was rubbish, and left. Then I came back in 2006 and tried again with a bit more success. "Katta" was born in 2007, the result of me coming back a third time (and never leaving again!).
What has me going 'huh' is the section about Social Structure. I had no idea that Second Life was going to be so judgmental but I guess this was the start of the "social media" revolution and getting likes and follows and thumbs-up thumbs-down was just becoming a thing. I do have some vague recollection of a ratings system on profiles but I certainly don't remember it being a source of performance-reward or kick backs in L$...anyway have a read of this, it's amusing, though not very surprising, to see what LL thought SL would be compared to where it's at.:
"Linden Lab has created Second Life as the next evolutionary leap in the formation of virtual communities. Participants will truly take on a second life, an escape to a place full of people, activity and possibility. From the freedom of creating a personal identity and claiming virtual land to the responsibilities of earning money and maintaining one's health to the social implications of joining a community and collaborating with others, residents of Second Life will face a host of choices daily. Second Life is a multi-layered boundless universe that is constantly changed by - and constantly changes - its inhabitants. Key features of Second Life include:A complex social structure:Through a real-time reputation system, players can comment favorably or negatively on each other's personas and property, creating a rating viewable by other Second Life Residents. A series of positive comments confers financial rewards as well as social status upon the beneficiary. A player with a low reputation rating may have to be content with their small, unadorned home, whereas a player with a high rating might find him or herself with extra money to build an addition, or be invited to an exclusive party limited to people of equal status. As in life, players will likely seek a balance between actively participating and watching from the sidelines.A fully functioning economy:Second Life has an internal living economy with land ownership, property rights and player-player transaction capabilities that will help promote the creation of interesting content. Each player will begin with a stipend, but by constructing proprietary content that is pleasing to others, can charge usage or purchase fees to earn additional money. A group of players might invest their money together to construct a funhouse and charge a fee to customers who want to experience it. In both examples, real-time collaborative creation and the internal world economy will directly impact a player's experience.Limitless opportunities for self-expression:From changing one's appearance to changing one's surroundings, Second Life lets players express their creativity through simplified but sophisticated 3D creation tools. Players can customize their avatar's appearance in an infinite number of ways, allowing them to completely change identities whenever the mood strikes. When players decide to put down stakes, they can build a home from scratch or personalize a pre-designed home with objects and textures from their inventory. They can also bring their creations to life with scripts that add behaviors and special effects. And for those players who think on a grand scale, or who want to construct a major civic work, Second Life's streaming 3D allows any number of players to join together to collectively build anything they can imagine."LindenLab Announces Name of New Online World 'Second Life(TM)' And Availability of Beta Program: SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- October 30, 2002 | Linden Lab(TM) announced today the name of its interactive service, Second Life(TM). A new form of shared 3D entertainment, Second Life presents a remarkably immersive and self-expressive world to its online residents. Users who want the opportunity to enter Second Life can register and begin their new life with the beta program at www.lindenlab.com.
Some info here that's useful and might help you navigate some of the new features they've added to Firestorm on this update. I suggest reading through these, even if you feel your tech-level isn't very high because there's some important features and settings that will help everyone get the best from SL.
-- Katt.
Sun, Synths, and Seduction: The Midsummer Obsession in 1980s Pop Hits
Midsummer—those sultry, golden weeks when the light lingers and the world feels electrically charged—was more than just a season in the 1980s. It was a mood, a sound, and for many pop artists, a moment of euphoric clarity that poured directly into vinyl grooves and radio waves. The decade’s defining acts—Wham!, Madonna, Bananarama, and The Police—didn’t just write about summer; they mythologized it, captured its fleeting essence, and beamed it through synths, drum machines, and neon-lit videos.
This wasn’t the innocence of 1960s surf rock or the mellow acoustic warmth of 1970s singer-songwriters. The 1980s summer hit was urgent, escapist, and often bittersweet. Think of Bananarama’s “Cruel Summer” (1983), a glossy lament underpinned by heatstroke malaise and urban disaffection. Or Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” (1984), drenched in melancholic synths and haunted by a lover lost to time and tide. Even the carefree strut of Madonna’s “Holiday” (1983) was tinged with the desperate desire to flee the grind and bask—however briefly—in the illusion of freedom.
The production styles reinforced this sun-soaked yearning: gated reverb drums mimicked the echo of open spaces; shimmering synths evoked heat haze and late-night drives along coastal highways. Midsummer became a stage for lovers, loners, and dreamers alike—often in linen suits and mirrored sunglasses.
The significance of midsummer in '80s pop wasn’t just atmospheric. It was cultural—a reflection of Cold War uncertainty, youth disillusionment, and a hunger for transcendence. Summer, with its freedom and danger, offered a symbolic escape from the anxieties of adulthood and geopolitics. In three-minute bursts of synthpop perfection, the midsummer hit became a passport to a world forever frozen in sunshine and longing.