Hell Yeah Matt !! - Giles
D I G I T A S // B O S T O N -- Giles Dickerson Art Director 800 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02199 -- mobile 617 899 9635 office 617 369 8601 > ---------- > From: Matthew MacQueen > Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 8:09 PM > To: 313@hyperreal.org > Cc: Ian Cheshire; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: [313] Baby Ford / Zip > > > I'd still be interested in other theories as to why a culture > > of skilled, performing DJs is strong in the US and not so > > strong in Europe - I know mine is pretty flawed, but in > > the absence of alternatives (other than "euro-faggots suck" :) > > I'm generally confused as to why it is the way it is. > > Although I guess another theory could be explained in only > > two words - "hip hop"... > > and 'battles', yeah. > > I've been following this thread with a lot of interest and actually trying to > put some thoughts toward an explanation. Bear with me.... > > Contributing factors from a roots perspective are (as far as Detroit jocks > go) when you grow up listing to the Wizard 'quick mix' style on the radio, > you benchmark that as quality skills, something as a kid you think in your > head "now that is what a stellar DJ does." Or booty jocks, etc. it's part of > what you hear on the radio or in your environment, and influences you, as > obviously a lot of that (even Mills) influenced and by pop dance of the 80s > of which hip-hop and Mojo's eclecticism is a big part. A whole generation of > people in Detroit who heard 'hot-mix' and/or "quick mix" style shows and the > Wizard on the radio learn that skills = more than selections and more into > the realm of "what creatively/aggressively can you do with 2+ records"... > including early experimentations by Derrick May and even Richie with what > could you do with a Reel-to-reel machine during a radio show or DJ gig, etc. > Also what the HotMix 5 were doing in Chicago was all about cramming as many > hot 'street tracks' into a show, and that also means stuff like doubles, > drop-ins, phasing, cut-n-scratch, EQs, 33/45 tricks, effects, etc. And Yes I > am talking about with (proto) techno and house music, italo, etc. > > I'm with the camp who would rather see someone try and fail at something more > 'reaching' and funky and experimenting with really CREATING more than the sum > of an intro and an outtro of 2 records that flow seamlessly together. Yes > there is a time for that, but to me it's a lot easier and 'safer' than really > trying to ask yourself as a DJ "how can I go beyond just these 2 records, as > the artists intended them?" > > Esp. when you have records that are maybe hard as nails and 'straight' > techno.. you have to inject some funk into them with the way you play them in > a mix, because on their own, (just cleanly mixing one into the other) tends > to be pretty funk-less, or at best just a tad boring or uninspired... That > is why to me I love hearing Claude Young, because what he plays tends to be > harder than I'd buy/play, but the crazy funky stuff he does in the mix really > ads that funk that's IMHO missing from some of the individual tracks > themselves. Rob Hood and Jay Denham are less tricky than Claude, but without > a doubt their DJ styles also adds trenemdous soul and funk beyond what the > records themselves were 'born with'. IMHO, far too many DJs select a set by > what is easy to mix, not by how great the tracks really are *on their own > merit*. > > I guess to me the idea of just smoothly blending 2 great tracks is an average > way to play, (the cost of entry to DJing, if you will) but what really set up > you up as a creator / crowd mover became what you could do beyond that... > either with experimental selections (cross-genres/years/styles!!) or more > aggressiveness or experimentatin through other various techniques. > > So - in summary? - there's new generations of DJs who never were really > exposed to that as an archetypal kind of radio aggressive Hot Mix DJ, and I > think they have newer/different influences and DJ 'role models' than the > previous genera> tion who grew up wishing you were The Wizard, who was for > most people (who heard him) the guy you wished you could DJ like. :) So > not saying one style is right or wrong, but that might explain some of the > US/Detroit style of really getting aggressive and 'tricky' in a mix, without > it coming off as mere novelty, but elevating the art of what a DJ *DOES* as > an artform, more than what a simple machine or software can do now. DOes > anyone know what I'm trying to say? > > While "we may equate machines with funkiness", you also can't program > ProTools to 'inject funk' in a mix. Well, not yet. ;) > > peace, > Matt MacQueen > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
