I could go and change the names on all of you but honestly the names in this story are to good to pass up.
So as many of you have gauged from the annex collection, I LOVE MUSIC. More importantly, music that is impressed on to vinyl. Now I'm not such a purest that I can't appreciate other forms of musical data delivery. I enjoy my MP3 player, and mixtapes I adore. But when it comes to playing music for others in a DJ setting I appreciate being able to physically manipulate the audio. I commonly refer to this as touching the music. This selection, application, then manipulation of the music allows me to feel like I'm doing my part to provide the audience with a performance.
With this in mind let me regale you with a little story about a man from Fort Wayne IN. Kodiak is his name, honestly when looking at him on the street now a days you would never guess the epic vinyl collection this man had stashed away. This tall, youthful man, fit the bill for your average american. However once inside his moddest home he reveiled to us years of musical prouis. Kodiak was a collector of dance music from roughly the early to mid 1990's to... eeeh. Lets just say present.
So how did I met this man? Craigslist! Of coarse. (laughing mentally)
Kodiak was selling off his collection. Thus I found his post "House Techno DnB Jungle Trance vinyl, over 650ish records." This modist title and the 2 photos showing crates and crates of records did not do this collection justice. Kodiak had build up a collection of every Amen, 10LBS, Big tune that came out of the Detroit Techno House movement from the mid 1990's. Tracks that I knew of but never knew the name of. Tracks that mentally transported me back to dark warehouses, roadtrips and hours spent in my college art studio. Tracks that I had no right buying cause I could never use them in a jungle set. I found myself playing just to hear them again. The ghosts of memories filled the small back room where Kodiak kepts his records. My partener in crime Mr. Wilson and I played tracks, reminisced and absorbed all that these tracks had to offer us.
Kodiak (a master sales men I would later find out) left us alone for a chunk of time then came back in to join our musical adventures. Wilson took a break to just let it all sink in, while I dug through stacks, and discussed music, memories, and life.
This is the life of a digger... I would love to tell you that these are the way I fill my days, milling the back stacks of records stores or meeting new friends to dig through their prized record collection. One day... I will open my record store online. hahahaha
PS- if anyone is interested in buying the records described I've linked Kodiak's name for easy contactablity.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
08.21.08 Cutting and Scratching
After taking my first DVD lesson in scratching I know 2 things.
First this shit is hard to make it sound good.
Second this kids is amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rr1tFIPgPk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1OqINaOVQo&feature=related
08.20.08 Nice video on DJ looping/ Turntablism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPutHJ4qCss&feature=related
08.20.08 Goals for the Future
1) create a DJ community or find one again.
2) start releasing DJ mixes at least once a month
3) convert all my bloody records to MP3 / Aif
4) get invited to teach another DJ class
5) ... repeat number one
2) start releasing DJ mixes at least once a month
3) convert all my bloody records to MP3 / Aif
4) get invited to teach another DJ class
5) ... repeat number one
08.20.08 Resources from my Annex to yours
I've been around for a bit and over the years I've found a few sources that I've really enjoyed.
WEB SITE Tutorial Training:
Most recently I've discovered a web site called DJ Tutor. Now by no means am I a wedding DJ but Brian Redd is a refreshing human, teacher and promoter. "Refreshing" in that he is a normal guy that tells it how it is, and has created a small empire on helping other DJs better their craft. Hats off to you mate. PS- Great source for DeskTop DJing- check out the micro mixes on his site.
WEB SITE Record Stores:
DJ HUT
Hometown favorite, I have to admit. But with shipping prices going through the roof from the UK. DJ Hut continues to surprise me with the selection they provide. Especially in the genera of Jungle & Drum and Bass. Wicked Props to the DJ's that keep that place up and running. The site is great place to review what they have in stock and listen to mp3 audio samples of the track.
JUNO.co.uk
If your looking for Jungle, Drum and Bass, or Speed Garage... this is your best bet. Juno is single handily the best online record store, period. Everything is well organized, the site is easy to use and search and all the records, CDs and MP3 are complete with mp3 audio samples. Thank you Juno for setting the standard for everyone else to be measured against.
Satellite Record Store
... long time NYC record hot spot. Currently site is down but if your a club DJ this is the place to do for multiple house generas, trance, techno. But they usually have shit for Jungle & Drum and Bass... plus if you ever have to talk to then to correct an order they really suck. Sorry to say but this is why I wrote then off in the mid 90's
Planet X USA
When I wrote them off I moved on to Planet X, a now defunked online record store. I miss my Planet X. Their Jungle selection was modest but they would bend over backwards to find me tracks I was looking for. RIP.
WEB SITE Equipment:
Pro Sound & Stage Lighting
They have been around for ever. Their online store front is easy to use and if you ever have an issue with their products they are amazingly helpful on the phone. Also if you find a better price on the web they will match it.
BOOK Training / Tutorials:
How to DJ Right: The Art and Science of Playing Records
Originally I was wicked skeptical... but I was over visiting a buddy of mine and it was laying on the coffee table. I started thumbing through this booked and was totally hooked. Written by Frank Broughton in an easy and humorous manor, I given this book to a lot of friends and all of them have totally agreed that they wish they had had this book back when they started.
BOOK History:
Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey
Currently I'm reading this book. I will let you all know what I think if it in the end. Currently its an interesting view on DJs through out history. I'm not fully sold on Bill Brewster's writing style but for a bit of mental candy so far its been worth my time.
**These views are mine and mine alone. I invite you to go out and explore for your own, change my own and comment away.
WEB SITE Tutorial Training:
Most recently I've discovered a web site called DJ Tutor. Now by no means am I a wedding DJ but Brian Redd is a refreshing human, teacher and promoter. "Refreshing" in that he is a normal guy that tells it how it is, and has created a small empire on helping other DJs better their craft. Hats off to you mate. PS- Great source for DeskTop DJing- check out the micro mixes on his site.
WEB SITE Record Stores:
DJ HUT
Hometown favorite, I have to admit. But with shipping prices going through the roof from the UK. DJ Hut continues to surprise me with the selection they provide. Especially in the genera of Jungle & Drum and Bass. Wicked Props to the DJ's that keep that place up and running. The site is great place to review what they have in stock and listen to mp3 audio samples of the track.
JUNO.co.uk
If your looking for Jungle, Drum and Bass, or Speed Garage... this is your best bet. Juno is single handily the best online record store, period. Everything is well organized, the site is easy to use and search and all the records, CDs and MP3 are complete with mp3 audio samples. Thank you Juno for setting the standard for everyone else to be measured against.
Satellite Record Store
... long time NYC record hot spot. Currently site is down but if your a club DJ this is the place to do for multiple house generas, trance, techno. But they usually have shit for Jungle & Drum and Bass... plus if you ever have to talk to then to correct an order they really suck. Sorry to say but this is why I wrote then off in the mid 90's
Planet X USA
When I wrote them off I moved on to Planet X, a now defunked online record store. I miss my Planet X. Their Jungle selection was modest but they would bend over backwards to find me tracks I was looking for. RIP.
WEB SITE Equipment:
Pro Sound & Stage Lighting
They have been around for ever. Their online store front is easy to use and if you ever have an issue with their products they are amazingly helpful on the phone. Also if you find a better price on the web they will match it.
BOOK Training / Tutorials:
How to DJ Right: The Art and Science of Playing Records
Originally I was wicked skeptical... but I was over visiting a buddy of mine and it was laying on the coffee table. I started thumbing through this booked and was totally hooked. Written by Frank Broughton in an easy and humorous manor, I given this book to a lot of friends and all of them have totally agreed that they wish they had had this book back when they started.
BOOK History:
Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey
Currently I'm reading this book. I will let you all know what I think if it in the end. Currently its an interesting view on DJs through out history. I'm not fully sold on Bill Brewster's writing style but for a bit of mental candy so far its been worth my time.
**These views are mine and mine alone. I invite you to go out and explore for your own, change my own and comment away.
08.20.08 Blowing windows with my sound...
LOL. Well that's sort of the case. More like I just did not pack my speakers well enough thus it cost me roughly 500 quid to have my back windshield replaced. Needless to say this did not start my Sunday morning off well.
On the flip side, I have been in the business for 9+ years and this is my first car casualty. I guess that's just the way life rolls some time.
Now why I was hauling speakers around? The day before I was playing a gig at my local climbing gym chain. Sport Rock Sterling, has an annual climbing comp called Beat The Heat. This is the forth year and thinking back on it this may have been the 4th year I've spun. I'm not willing to be held to that statement but I know I can vouch for the last three years. :)
Anyways playing for Beat the Heat is always inserting. As a DJ, I pull my inspiration and my feedback from the crowd. If the crowd is jamming then it gets me excited and I start really jamming. But at a climbing comp besides the few bobbing heads and Scott K randomly breaking into liquid dance... there is not much feed back. In this cause I turn inward and if I'm having to play live music for 8 hours I make it the best 8 hour practice sessions I can make it.
When it was all said and done I got a lot of positive feed back and a few interested people in my next mix cd. The only draw back is all my gear is now coated in chalk dust... so canned air and some long hours in the Annex for me.
On the flip side, I have been in the business for 9+ years and this is my first car casualty. I guess that's just the way life rolls some time.
Now why I was hauling speakers around? The day before I was playing a gig at my local climbing gym chain. Sport Rock Sterling, has an annual climbing comp called Beat The Heat. This is the forth year and thinking back on it this may have been the 4th year I've spun. I'm not willing to be held to that statement but I know I can vouch for the last three years. :)
Anyways playing for Beat the Heat is always inserting. As a DJ, I pull my inspiration and my feedback from the crowd. If the crowd is jamming then it gets me excited and I start really jamming. But at a climbing comp besides the few bobbing heads and Scott K randomly breaking into liquid dance... there is not much feed back. In this cause I turn inward and if I'm having to play live music for 8 hours I make it the best 8 hour practice sessions I can make it.
When it was all said and done I got a lot of positive feed back and a few interested people in my next mix cd. The only draw back is all my gear is now coated in chalk dust... so canned air and some long hours in the Annex for me.
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