OK, I didn't answer the question - I'm not sure where specifically
Ken has heard Derrick, I wasn't at his gig. But I know DJs vary from
place to place. I used to fly up to catch Stacey or whoever at Sydney
gigs and they were never as out-there in Sydney as here and that was
largely as they were playing commercial clubs. It was like a
different DJ. Derrick's agent/manager lives here at present so he has
much more control over the venues and so he always encourages Derrick
to play what he wants. One of the best sets I saw Derrick play was in
Detroit at the Works and that was like he plays here. Maybe that
doesn't answer the question either but to be fair to the DJ you have
to consider where he's playing and how he's responding to the crowd
in that place and their preparedness to accept something deeper or
whatever the case may be.
On 04/10/2006, at 12:19 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Yeah but you haven't answered Ken's specific point:
We all (OK somebody on here won't, but ignore that) love Derrick May.
His place in history is unquestioned.
History aside, looking at him today, as a DJ the way he put's
things together is still great and he DJ's with fantastic energy
meaning it's a pleasure to go and see him.
And on that site he's making all the right noises.
BUT: although he's still a top spinner in technique, energy and
programming the records he does play when I (and presumably Ken)
have heard him over the last few years these records are flat
sounding looped tech / std. tech house kind of things that most of us
do not associate with "high tech soul" - in fact the kind of
records the term is maybe meant to indicate an alternative to.
Disclaimers:
I am not hating on Derrick May.
I personally do not tend to use the term "high tech soul" but am a
grouch who insists on standing by the word "techno" even when I
make life hard for myself by doing so.
I did say "when I have heard him over the last few years" - maybe
he's rocking sweet soul music, bizarre beats and twisted tracks at
other gaffs (but at the end of all this that was the original
question - has anyone heard him doing so? Give us a run down of what
he plays Thursday).
-----Original Message-----
From: Cyclone Wehner [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: 03 October 2006 06:35
To: Odeluga, Ken
Yeah you're wrong. ;) Seriously, I've seen him play some of
the best parties ever. Even ?uestlove raves about him and
there's a dude who loves his music. I can't think of another
DJ with that kind of presence - though I have a few
favourites. You should fly over and hang with us at the
Corner on Thursday. He will definitely play HTS.
On 02/10/2006, at 9:15 PM, Odeluga, Ken wrote:
It's a beautifully put together website and seems to hold out the
promise of interesting directions - whether shown in the release of
new or old material, or even in his DJ sets. Still, is
there anyone
here who would (and could) with the greatest respect
(preferably) call
what Derrick May plays High Tech *Soul*?
It's been a while since I saw him play, but certainly the last few
times I heard him play I didn't hear anything that wasn't
generic more
or less mono-tone techno.
Tell me I'm wrong, please.
Ken
