Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA
I am more impressed with this Real Scenes piece than I expected to be. The real story of Detroit is a lot more interesting than the hype, if you ask me. fh - What a wicked, wicked post. I totally agree. I've sensed the same thing about Mr. Huckaby for a few years. But of course, I've not articulated it as well, even to myself. Ken --Original Message-- From: Kent Williams To: Jeff Davis Cc: 313@Hyperreal. Org Subject: Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA Sent: 11 Aug 2011 15:43 Mike Huckabee's educational work is amazing. He's a guy that, unlike many of his peers in Detroit, stayed in Detroit and dedicated himself to keeping it a vital center for musical innovation. He did it, I believe, at a personal cost. If all he cared about was making money and becoming famous, he could easily have moved to Berlin, gotten a good booking agent, and hooked up with European labels. I don't mean to criticize the people who have taken that path -- if it works for them it's fine -- but there's no denying that moving away changes their music. Instead he's stayed true to the city, true to his own music, and perfected the art of DJing. And he's taken direct action to help the young people of Detroit, who face serious obstacles to finding a place in the world. I admire a lot of Detroit musicians, and certainly isn't alone in his commitment to Detroit. In particular Underground Resistance and Submerge have demonstrated a deep and sustained commitment to the people of Detroit. There are others but to list them is to risk leaving someone out. What really makes me return again and again to the music that comes out of Detroit isn't a particular style, it's the deep, clear-eyed emotion and soul that infuses the best Detroit music. Music can point to itself, it can reflect listeners' aspirations back on them, it can start a party. Or music can do all that, and point up and out of itself. It can make you think about the world in a different way. On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 6:55 AM, Jeff Davis j...@jeffreyjdavis.com wrote: I left this vid having even more respect for huckabee than I did before Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA
I would like you to expand on the idea of Detroit being 'hyped.' Do you mean the stories on US media that come up every few months on slow news days about the 'sorry plight of detroit' with stock footage of ruins? Or... What vexes me is musicians who use Detroit as a touchstone without any real appreciation for the music, or ever having visited. Exhibit A Fedde Le Grand's Put Your Hands Up For Detroit. And I don't know the guy's music at all but 'Motor City Drum Ensemble' doesn't seem a good name for a german producer. OTOH he is from Stuttgart... On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 2:43 AM, Fred Heutte ph...@sunlightdata.com wrote: I am more impressed with this Real Scenes piece than I expected to be. The real story of Detroit is a lot more interesting than the hype, if you ask me. fh - What a wicked, wicked post. I totally agree. I've sensed the same thing about Mr. Huckaby for a few years. But of course, I've not articulated it as well, even to myself. Ken --Original Message-- From: Kent Williams To: Jeff Davis Cc: 313@Hyperreal. Org Subject: Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA Sent: 11 Aug 2011 15:43 Mike Huckabee's educational work is amazing. He's a guy that, unlike many of his peers in Detroit, stayed in Detroit and dedicated himself to keeping it a vital center for musical innovation. He did it, I believe, at a personal cost. If all he cared about was making money and becoming famous, he could easily have moved to Berlin, gotten a good booking agent, and hooked up with European labels. I don't mean to criticize the people who have taken that path -- if it works for them it's fine -- but there's no denying that moving away changes their music. Instead he's stayed true to the city, true to his own music, and perfected the art of DJing. And he's taken direct action to help the young people of Detroit, who face serious obstacles to finding a place in the world. I admire a lot of Detroit musicians, and certainly isn't alone in his commitment to Detroit. In particular Underground Resistance and Submerge have demonstrated a deep and sustained commitment to the people of Detroit. There are others but to list them is to risk leaving someone out. What really makes me return again and again to the music that comes out of Detroit isn't a particular style, it's the deep, clear-eyed emotion and soul that infuses the best Detroit music. Music can point to itself, it can reflect listeners' aspirations back on them, it can start a party. Or music can do all that, and point up and out of itself. It can make you think about the world in a different way. On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 6:55 AM, Jeff Davis j...@jeffreyjdavis.com wrote: I left this vid having even more respect for huckabee than I did before Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA
Motor City Drum Ensemble is AMAZING though, and his sound is actually rooted in Detroit music. Plus he plays 313 tracks, check out the DJ-Kicks tracklist: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dj-kicks/id442897889 . Rob Hood and Recloose in there, also some love for Chi, Sun Ra, Rick Poppa Howard and Mr. Fingers in the mix... But here is what MCDE himself has to say--ya'll can judge for yourselves! http://www.beatportal.com/feed/item/interview-motor-city-drum-ensemble/ Interviewer Why Detroit? MCDE For me it’s just a big fascination, I know a lot about the history of the records and music that was before such as Motown and jazz labels like Strata, not only the techno and house history. In this music you can hear the struggle of people trying to survive, social issues, before there were human rights for everybody. You can hear so many emotions. I’ve never heard so many emotions as I have from the tracks of Detroit. The fascination of Detroit, is one thing that some people think, because I am white and from a suburban wealthy German city, I don’t really have the right to comment on how things were there, because I’ve never been there. But I can hear so much of that social struggle in the music and it fascinates me deeply. I mean I can’t say I’m a black guy, but it’s not about race. I’m not a poor guy having to struggle, every human being has everyday struggles, for me the best way to express them is through music. I’m not saying I have the same hard times but I can identify with the emotions in the music from Detroit. Music was the only shelter and rescue people had, for me this is something that I want my music to convey and to achieve. Every time I travel I can see not only the good things I can also see what is wrong in society and what should be different and then you hear this music where it can be so touchingly beautiful and being thankful for life and joy. ~David On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 8:04 AM, kent williams chaircrus...@gmail.com wrote: I would like you to expand on the idea of Detroit being 'hyped.' Do you mean the stories on US media that come up every few months on slow news days about the 'sorry plight of detroit' with stock footage of ruins? Or... What vexes me is musicians who use Detroit as a touchstone without any real appreciation for the music, or ever having visited. Exhibit A Fedde Le Grand's Put Your Hands Up For Detroit. And I don't know the guy's music at all but 'Motor City Drum Ensemble' doesn't seem a good name for a german producer. OTOH he is from Stuttgart... On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 2:43 AM, Fred Heutte ph...@sunlightdata.com wrote: I am more impressed with this Real Scenes piece than I expected to be. The real story of Detroit is a lot more interesting than the hype, if you ask me. fh - What a wicked, wicked post. I totally agree. I've sensed the same thing about Mr. Huckaby for a few years. But of course, I've not articulated it as well, even to myself. Ken --Original Message-- From: Kent Williams To: Jeff Davis Cc: 313@Hyperreal. Org Subject: Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA Sent: 11 Aug 2011 15:43 Mike Huckabee's educational work is amazing. He's a guy that, unlike many of his peers in Detroit, stayed in Detroit and dedicated himself to keeping it a vital center for musical innovation. He did it, I believe, at a personal cost. If all he cared about was making money and becoming famous, he could easily have moved to Berlin, gotten a good booking agent, and hooked up with European labels. I don't mean to criticize the people who have taken that path -- if it works for them it's fine -- but there's no denying that moving away changes their music. Instead he's stayed true to the city, true to his own music, and perfected the art of DJing. And he's taken direct action to help the young people of Detroit, who face serious obstacles to finding a place in the world. I admire a lot of Detroit musicians, and certainly isn't alone in his commitment to Detroit. In particular Underground Resistance and Submerge have demonstrated a deep and sustained commitment to the people of Detroit. There are others but to list them is to risk leaving someone out. What really makes me return again and again to the music that comes out of Detroit isn't a particular style, it's the deep, clear-eyed emotion and soul that infuses the best Detroit music. Music can point to itself, it can reflect listeners' aspirations back on them, it can start a party. Or music can do all that, and point up and out of itself. It can make you think about the world in a different way. On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 6:55 AM, Jeff Davis j...@jeffreyjdavis.com wrote: I left this vid having even more respect for huckabee than I did before Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA
And the counterpoint: http://www.xlr8r.com/news/2011/07/watch-intruders-tvs-interview-mo m50 At 2011.08.12 08:57, David Powers wrote: Motor City Drum Ensemble is AMAZING though, and his sound is actually rooted in Detroit music. Plus he plays 313 tracks, check out the DJ-Kicks tracklist: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dj-kicks/id442897889 . Rob Hood and Recloose in there, also some love for Chi, Sun Ra, Rick Poppa Howard and Mr. Fingers in the mix... But here is what MCDE himself has to say--ya'll can judge for yourselves! http://www.beatportal.com/feed/item/interview-motor-city-drum-ensemble/ Interviewer Why Detroit?⨠MCDE For me itâs just a big fascination, I know a lot about the history of the records and music that was before such as Motown and jazz labels like Strata, not only the techno and house history. In this music you can hear the struggle of people trying to survive, social issues, before there were human rights for everybody. You can hear so many emotions. Iâve never heard so many emotions as I have from the tracks of Detroit. The fascination of Detroit, is one thing that some people think, because I am white and from a suburban wealthy German city, I donât really have the right to comment on how things were there, because Iâve never been there. But I can hear so much of that social struggle in the music and it fascinates me deeply. I mean I canât say Iâm a black guy, but itâs not about race. Iâm not a poor guy having to struggle, every human being has everyday struggles, for me the best way to express them is through music. Iâm not saying I have the same hard times but I can identify with the emotions in the music from Detroit. Music was the only shelter and rescue people had, for me this is something that I want my music to convey and to achieve. Every time I travel I can see not only the good things I can also see what is wrong in society and what should be different and then you hear this music where it can be so touchingly beautiful and being thankful for life and joy. ~David On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 8:04 AM, kent williams chaircrus...@gmail.com wrote: I would like you to expand on the idea of Detroit being 'hyped.' Do you mean the stories on US media that come up every few months on slow news days about the 'sorry plight of detroit' with stock footage of ruins? Or... What vexes me is musicians who use Detroit as a touchstone without any real appreciation for the music, or ever having visited. Exhibit A Fedde Le Grand's Put Your Hands Up For Detroit. And I don't know the guy's music at all but 'Motor City Drum Ensemble' doesn't seem a good name for a german producer. OTOH he is from Stuttgart... On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 2:43 AM, Fred Heutte ph...@sunlightdata.com wrote: I am more impressed with this Real Scenes piece than I expected to be. The real story of Detroit is a lot more interesting than the hype, if you ask me. fh - What a wicked, wicked post. I totally agree. I've sensed the same thing about Mr. Huckaby for a few years. But of course, I've not articulated it as well, even to myself. Ken --Original Message-- From: Kent Williams To: Jeff Davis Cc: 313@Hyperreal. Org Subject: Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA Sent: 11 Aug 2011 15:43 Mike Huckabee's educational work is amazing.  He's a guy that, unlike many of his peers in Detroit, stayed in Detroit and dedicated himself to keeping it a vital center for musical innovation.  He did it, I believe, at a personal cost.  If all he cared about was making money and becoming famous, he could easily have moved to Berlin, gotten a good booking agent, and hooked up with European labels.  I don't mean to criticize the people who have taken that path -- if it works for them it's fine -- but there's no denying that moving away changes their music. Instead he's stayed true to the city, true to his own music, and perfected the art of DJing.  And he's taken direct action to help the young people of Detroit, who face serious obstacles to finding a place in the world. I admire a lot of Detroit musicians, and certainly isn't alone in his commitment to Detroit.  In particular Underground Resistance and Submerge have demonstrated  a deep and sustained commitment to the people of Detroit.  There are others but to list them is to risk leaving someone out. What really makes me return again and again to the music that comes out of Detroit isn't a particular style, it's the deep, clear-eyed emotion and soul that infuses the best Detroit music. Music can point to itself, it can reflect listeners' aspirations back on them, it can start a party.  Or music can do all that, and point up and out of itself. It can make you think about the world in a different way. On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 6:55 AM, Jeff Davis j...@jeffreyjdavis.com wrote: I left this vid having even more respect for huckabee than I did before Sent from my
Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA
We've discussed this all for many years on 313. As BMG says in the RA piece, there is a tendency to think that what happens on one weekend in Detroit is how it is all the time. Another tendency is to pay homage to the Belleville Three (usually without delving into the breadth of what they actually accomplished) and forget all that has happened since. Or to focus entirely on one aspect like minimal, etc. Like Motown, Detroit techno has had global influence. But as the RA oral history of the festival last year showed, the mayor of Detroit, Dennis Archer, did not even know about it when the festival idea first surfaced a dozen years ago. The surface view of Detroit electronic music ranges from total hype to total invisibility. The reality is different, much deeper and richer, and ties back to the history of a city that has traced to a stronger degree than most the trajectory of the American economy. fh - I would like you to expand on the idea of Detroit being 'hyped.' Do you mean the stories on US media that come up every few months on slow news days about the 'sorry plight of detroit' with stock footage of ruins? Or... What vexes me is musicians who use Detroit as a touchstone without any real appreciation for the music, or ever having visited. Exhibit A Fedde Le Grand's Put Your Hands Up For Detroit. And I don't know the guy's music at all but 'Motor City Drum Ensemble' doesn't seem a good name for a german producer. OTOH he is from Stuttgart... On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 2:43 AM, Fred Heutte ph...@sunlightdata.com wrote: I am more impressed with this Real Scenes piece than I expected to be. The real story of Detroit is a lot more interesting than the hype, if you ask me. fh - What a wicked, wicked post. I totally agree. I've sensed the same thing about Mr. Huckaby for a few years. But of course, I've not articulated it as well, even to myself. Ken --Original Message-- From: Kent Williams To: Jeff Davis Cc: 313@Hyperreal. Org Subject: Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA Sent: 11 Aug 2011 15:43 Mike Huckabee's educational work is amazing. He's a guy that, unlike many of his peers in Detroit, stayed in Detroit and dedicated himself to keeping it a vital center for musical innovation. He did it, I believe, at a personal cost. If all he cared about was making money and becoming famous, he could easily have moved to Berlin, gotten a good booking agent, and hooked up with European labels. I don't mean to criticize the people who have taken that path -- if it works for them it's fine -- but there's no denying that moving away changes their music. Instead he's stayed true to the city, true to his own music, and perfected the art of DJing. And he's taken direct action to help the young people of Detroit, who face serious obstacles to finding a place in the world. I admire a lot of Detroit musicians, and certainly isn't alone in his commitment to Detroit. In particular Underground Resistance and Submerge have demonstrated a deep and sustained commitment to the people of Detroit. There are others but to list them is to risk leaving someone out. What really makes me return again and again to the music that comes out of Detroit isn't a particular style, it's the deep, clear-eyed emotion and soul that infuses the best Detroit music. Music can point to itself, it can reflect listeners' aspirations back on them, it can start a party. Or music can do all that, and point up and out of itself. It can make you think about the world in a different way. On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 6:55 AM, Jeff Davis j...@jeffreyjdavis.com wrote: I left this vid having even more respect for huckabee than I did before Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA
So many brilliant and inspiring posts over the last few days have given my enjoyment of the list a shot in the arm. And almost made me feel like a complete idiot! ;-) 'cause I definitely could not say what's been said by you guys any better. Good weekend all, Ken Ken Odeluga Assistant News Editor Markets – Market Talk Dow Jones Newswires 10 Fleet Place Limeburner Lane LONDON EC4M 7QN ken.odel...@dowjones.com 44 (0) 20 7842 9297 44 (0) 7887793644 - Original Message - From: Fred Heutte [mailto:ph...@sunlightdata.com] Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 07:24 PM To: 313@hyperreal.org 313@hyperreal.org Subject: Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA We've discussed this all for many years on 313. As BMG says in the RA piece, there is a tendency to think that what happens on one weekend in Detroit is how it is all the time. Another tendency is to pay homage to the Belleville Three (usually without delving into the breadth of what they actually accomplished) and forget all that has happened since. Or to focus entirely on one aspect like minimal, etc. Like Motown, Detroit techno has had global influence. But as the RA oral history of the festival last year showed, the mayor of Detroit, Dennis Archer, did not even know about it when the festival idea first surfaced a dozen years ago. The surface view of Detroit electronic music ranges from total hype to total invisibility. The reality is different, much deeper and richer, and ties back to the history of a city that has traced to a stronger degree than most the trajectory of the American economy. fh - I would like you to expand on the idea of Detroit being 'hyped.' Do you mean the stories on US media that come up every few months on slow news days about the 'sorry plight of detroit' with stock footage of ruins? Or... What vexes me is musicians who use Detroit as a touchstone without any real appreciation for the music, or ever having visited. Exhibit A Fedde Le Grand's Put Your Hands Up For Detroit. And I don't know the guy's music at all but 'Motor City Drum Ensemble' doesn't seem a good name for a german producer. OTOH he is from Stuttgart... On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 2:43 AM, Fred Heutte ph...@sunlightdata.com wrote: I am more impressed with this Real Scenes piece than I expected to be. The real story of Detroit is a lot more interesting than the hype, if you ask me. fh - What a wicked, wicked post. I totally agree. I've sensed the same thing about Mr. Huckaby for a few years. But of course, I've not articulated it as well, even to myself. Ken --Original Message-- From: Kent Williams To: Jeff Davis Cc: 313@Hyperreal. Org Subject: Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA Sent: 11 Aug 2011 15:43 Mike Huckabee's educational work is amazing. He's a guy that, unlike many of his peers in Detroit, stayed in Detroit and dedicated himself to keeping it a vital center for musical innovation. He did it, I believe, at a personal cost. If all he cared about was making money and becoming famous, he could easily have moved to Berlin, gotten a good booking agent, and hooked up with European labels. I don't mean to criticize the people who have taken that path -- if it works for them it's fine -- but there's no denying that moving away changes their music. Instead he's stayed true to the city, true to his own music, and perfected the art of DJing. And he's taken direct action to help the young people of Detroit, who face serious obstacles to finding a place in the world. I admire a lot of Detroit musicians, and certainly isn't alone in his commitment to Detroit. In particular Underground Resistance and Submerge have demonstrated a deep and sustained commitment to the people of Detroit. There are others but to list them is to risk leaving someone out. What really makes me return again and again to the music that comes out of Detroit isn't a particular style, it's the deep, clear-eyed emotion and soul that infuses the best Detroit music. Music can point to itself, it can reflect listeners' aspirations back on them, it can start a party. Or music can do all that, and point up and out of itself. It can make you think about the world in a different way. On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 6:55 AM, Jeff Davis j...@jeffreyjdavis.com wrote: I left this vid having even more respect for huckabee than I did before Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Re: (313) As I'm sure most of you heard: Real Scenes: Detroit RA
It behooves you to try! On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 1:47 PM, Odeluga, Ken ken.odel...@dowjones.com wrote: 'cause I definitely could not say what's been said by you guys any better.