So, blog neglect after only a month. That is def NOT a good look. But I have been busy. Working on a regular basis with lots of upcoming gigs approaching. Once I get through October, things should slow down.
In any case, one of the main things I’m doing is helping out Team Specsy with a lot of promotion and fundraising (check the site for details, fundraising for Leukemia & Lymphoma). I have been having a blast and thank the whole team for some very good times. Most recently was a fashion show, here are a few photos (see all at Tee Tung’s facebook).
So Finn’s is popping off and I’ll be DJing Saturdays some weeks, and Fridays others. I will try to make sure I keep my schedule up to date on here. This week, I’ll be there on Friday, and DJing a wedding Sat night.
So, I was reading a whole lot this morning (after a whole lot last night) about DJ AM. I mean, wow, that was just insane. And in speaking to others, it seems most were in a similar state to me. They were shocked first and foremost. And while many people expressed your standard sympathy for a celeb they were a fan of, many other DJs felt strangely impacted by it. I really couldn’t justify to myself, or anyone else for that matter, why it bothered me more than any other passing before their time.
After thinking a whole lot, I think I understand. DJ AM is a DJ’s DJ. He did a variety of styles and was able to kill it with all of them. I think I personally have a jealousy issue, cuz he is just so sick with it. He played out cuts before they were known, and had the crowd going off to them. I know a part of that comes along with being a big name DJ (crowd more willing to rock out to stuff they may not know), but I don’t think that was it. I think he was a true lover of music, and had a phenomenal ear for good music, that others would “get”. He did what I aspire to do. Play phenomenal parties and have people get down to quality music, not having to bend to the will of what is being pushed as the “latest thing”, but rather creating the next thing.
I could go on and on, but I think the best thing would be to quote what Diplo had to say (in the comments from a post over on Mad Decent.
im sure that AM had to go day in and day out and negotiate all the music we appreciate for mass consumption, he had good nights and just ok ones..
but he wasnt a radio DJ or a programmer or part of a label . he was a straight up Djs dj, he picked his tracks to play out and had THE STYLE that defines our whole generation like it or not …and even if you didnt like his style (which ranged form deep top 40 to deepest old school hip hop to deepest hipster indy rock.. he would come to your party and do what u do better than you (he did it to me coupla times) he would put tracks out there before they were acceptable and he was always adapting to whatever was goin on.. not because he had to… but because he loved music. ..he was definitely a peoples champ
and in a world that doesnt really seem to care about you – promotors, fareweather friends, rich assholes, alcholics, trendsters…. AM carved a whole pie out of it and built a giant empire that little of you even know about. He never ever ever didnt have time to talk to one of his dj homies, each and every one of the small wannabes like me still spoke to him still weekly. How many people do u know DJ wedding partys for billionaires, arenas for Jay z, and djs for roctakons shitty basment party in manhattan for free and then 20 k the next night.. each day he was still asking me for new music and tellin me how the wierdest of my tracks were starting to pick up momentum….. but.. i never knew how long it would last.
Djs have a ceiling, and Am lived on the roof. he sometimes would tell me a bit about his reservations in passing about his lifestyle and i feel like its a loveless place we all live in (DJs). but i dont think We will ever see another person built for it like AM.. he was THE Michael Jackson of this shit. so it really worries me a bit that hes gone , cause hes the only that i thought understood it all… he was a sweetheart and tried his damnest to be the best at it and still be the best at being himself
I can’t say it any better. So RIP to DJ AM.
I guess there was a party in heaven last night, and God needed a proper DJ. I’m sure it was a damn good time.
Well…I was working on a big post and stuff, and then got word that DJ AM has passed away. My thoughts and prayers to friends and fam.
I kinda feel eerily affected by this. I never knew him, nor met him or anything like that, but he was certainly an inspiration to me as a DJ. Suddenly I just don’t quite feel like DJing so much tonight. I was working on an Aaliyah tribute mix as well to start the night off…but now…just not feeling it so much. Wind has been taken out of the sails, if you will.
Over the past couple months I’ve put up Facebook links to some trailers that I am super hyped to see. So, I thought I’d recap, and put it all in one neat and tidy thread (the main thing that started this was seeing one of the trailers below).
So…I’ll go in sequence. The first, one of my son’s favorite books, which I absolutely love reading to him. Where the Wild Things Are is an absolute classic children’s book, and the film adaptation is being done by Spike Jonze (credited with Being John Malkovich, Fatboy Slim’s Praise You video in which he performed as the lead dancer, several Beastie Boy videos including Sabotage, and Bjork’s It’s Oh So Quiet). I have high regard for Spike Jonze, but was incredibly nervous as it would be SOOOO easy to screw up this movie. The initial trailer left me feeling good, and the recent release of a second trailer has me stoked. It looks phenomenal and I will be there opening night.
Love the 2nd trailer. READY FOR THE RUMPUS!!!
So…the next 2 are kinda rough, because it’s almost cruel to start building hype for movies that aren’t coming out until 2010. That being said, I’m already hyped, so I might as well have you all be excited about it too.
So first up is one that I had already posted, and I think quite a few people know about. I am a HUGE fan of Alice In Wonderland, and all of it’s forms over the years (if you doubt it, just ask, I can recite “The Jabberwocky” from memory, stupid trivia #287). Even my son has got a bit of a crush on Alice.
So anyways, if you are completely in the dark, Tim Burton is directing (in 3D no less). So where you have Tim, Mr. Depp will follow, and he looks wonderfully demented as the Mad Hatter (bruised knuckles and all) and of course Tim’s wife, Helena Bonham Carter, who is performing with a CGI enhanced swollen noggin as the queen. Also like the fact that Crispin Glover (Mr. Hey you! Get your damn hands off her!”) is in there, even if it may be a small part. Curious to see how much will be voice work for CGI characters, and how many will actually be portraying the characters. Additionally, I am hoping this focuses on Alice and does not become the tale of the Mad Hatter (which I can see happening with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp). But, I suppose we will just have to wait and see.
Lastly, after a whole lot of speculation and hype at Comic Con and leaked footage of this that and the other, there is a dope sequence for all 80s gamers. Tron Legacy is coming, and this looks like it should be in-freaking-credible. There’s no story or anything, but as far as cool factor, this has got it. Bear in mind, this is not a true trailer (this is not necessarily in the movie), but more of a teaser that was prepared for Comic Con
Lastly, being that I’m attempting to keep everything on the music tip, as that is why most of you would probably come to this blog…
Tron Legacy has long been rumored to be scored by none other than Daft Punk. There are videos (check YouTube for plenty from the Comic Con) and the backing tunes sounded like they were put together by none other. The below track is rumored to be a copy of the main theme, but not sure (basically, someone’s attempt to recreate the tune based on the not-so-clear audio from the YouTube videos). It’s gonna be interesting to hear what they put together for a movie score, and I think it could be INCREDIBLY fitting.
So those are the few that I am incredibly excited for. Coming up in closer future, I do want to see Inglourious Basterds (which has gotten some mixed reviews) and Rob Zombie’s new Halloween. I’m sure there are others, but it’s late and I’m tired.
Also, as a huge horror flick buff, any recent (past 5 years) movie suggestions. Halloween is not too far away, and I want some recommendations for some good horror flicks (I’m addicted to horror movies, even the horrible ones) for my traditional horror movie week in late October.
(NOTE: I spend time on my links, so please enjoy exploring them)
(NOTE 2: Let me know what you think!)
I’m jealous I don’t have a 4th generation ipod nano. Peep the multitude of shelled out old cassettes converted into ipod cases by Contexture Design. Can’t find the old early 90s bright blue/yellow/pink triangles on the clear casing (TDK if memory serves) that I remember having so many of. But some classics up there for sure.
This time around, the shit will happen. It just got real!
So I’mma do a tune review/introspective/education/hype or something on a regular basis. For those of you that don’t know, I’m the Friday night regular at Finn’s Lounge (in Old Town in ICT, KS), so I often put stuff together just before I get out the door. That being said, why not share some gems. Mebbe you will be feeling them and decide to head out to the bar to join me. So without further ado…
I’ve been all over the disco stuff lately. I was on a big kick over the past 6 months, and then the recent release of Duck Sauce (a collaboration between Armand Van Helden and A-Trak) pushed me deep into the disco house tip. So that being said, I’ve been tracking down old tunes that have some kind of history for me, or I just remember as being damn enjoyable. Well, while in the midst of some OG disco on a Sunday afternoon, I came up on some Teddy Pendergrass.
This tune is just funky. It hits you right off the bat with some horn stabs, then a mean bassline starts in. If you ain’t rocking your head and tapping your toes, something is wrong with you. Solid soul in the vocals, and I dig the lyrics to boot. For some reason, I remember Teddy being more of a slow jams guy until this one caught my ear. Not sure, but anyways. It’s solid.
So after hearing this, I remembered the tune sounding familiar from my days as a house head from a ways back. And then I came across this memory, tune courtesy of dj sneak.
I remember this tune quite a bit. It was never the peak time banger, but it was always leading right up to it. A great builder. This track comes up, pulls it back just a bit, then back to building. It goes through a few of these teases, and is just begging to be mixed into a banger.
And just for grins, to tie it all back to the mention of Duck Sauce, A-Trak mixed his track “Say Whoa” with the DJ Sneak tune posted above to open his Fabric Live 45 set. Dope mix, that I would have loved to see get realeased. Good party tune, and the whole mix is enjoyable (and eclectic).
So anyways, there is some old and new for you. Enjoy the tunes, and let me know what you think via comments.
edit 1: Well, I know people want to hear some funk, as that is a whole lot of what I really love, so I’d be amiss not to add some funk. Ladies and gentlemen, off Freestyle Records (yes I still support the purchasing of vinyl), The Apples, coming out of Israel. A funky crew, consisting of a nine piece band (horns, drums, bass, 2 DJs). This is a live show I would love to see.
Here’s the released version of the RATM, available along with some other dope tunes at Amazon.com or Freestyle Records(ps, Freestyle Records puts out dope shit. Highly recommended!!!)
Edit 2: if I do some funk, I gotta put up some hip hop, right? Man, I don’t even know what to post. So, ummm.. Well, after seeing Atmosphere this week, I’m feeling rather backpacker-ish. So, yo, here is a dope tune by Classified, a producer from north of the US border. One of those simple tunes that you just feel, and ride with. Anyone who prides themselves on being artisitc and appreciates being inspired and inspiring others should check out this tune.
Yes indeed. Back at it, and looking forward to enjoying it. Gonna do things a whole lot more regularly this time around, and keep you up to date on all the going ons. Let me know what you like and what you don’t. And get at me on the twitter/facebook/myspace.
