(313) Re: [ok] Re: (313) re (313) DG
Well, all I can say is there are some DJs who I avoid at the Detroit festival too :) It's important not to underestimate what Michael mentioned in regard to what (not very funky) funky breaks did to the west coast scene starting as early as 1992 but definitely in 1994-95. Basically everyone started catering to the kids (including my good friends in Wicked). Working DJs always have the dilemma about playing what's popular at the moment versus what is good. Some simply skate from trend to trend over the years -- y'all can name 'em in your own locality, I'm sure. On the other hand, some DJs are good at spotting the good quality records in any trend -- including (not very funky) funky breaks. Everyone has genres they play well or not so well, it's a learning process like everything in music. I know a lot of musicians who play three, four, five instruments and enjoy them quite a bit, but obviously excel in only one. Does that mean they shouldn't play any of the others? Not at all, because breadth of expression is essential to music, it keeps you fresh. In any event, the (not very funky) funky breaks legacy lives on, grinds on, crawls on, year after year in the Northwest. I've actually heard some good breaks sets in the last couple of years but most of it is noxious paint-by-numbers crapola. Anyway, back to DG -- believe me, we will kick his bootay if he doesn't bring his best game to Detroit. fh
Re: (313) Re: [ok] Re: (313) re (313) DG
- Original Message - From: Fred Heutte Anyway, back to DG -- believe me, we will kick his bootay if he doesn't bring his best game to Detroit. = His best game - arm-waving; tongue-wagging; lame selection - is reason enough to kick his bootay. =/ seek
(313) re (313) DG
I see I hit a nerve on DG :) Y'all can say what you want but in 93-94 Donald was playing serious Detroit stuff. Being polite about it, DG is a character and there are a lot of stories, but i always revert to what a friend used to say: believe half of what you see and none of what you hear. Back then Donald promoted himself as DJ Dominator (as in that track) and we gave him sh1# mercilessly about it until he dropped it. fh PS As for what happens at gigs, you have to be there and actually know what is going on to figure these things out. As has been pointed out, DG has a big ego (to say the least) but I would never expect him to oust another DJ from their slot, especially not someone who's got the dance floor jumpin'. DJs are often pawns in promoter games -- even or especially the big names. Doc Martin tells stories about how people got angry at him for not showing up at gigs where he was never booked to begin with -- the promoter had made initial contact about playing (and sometimes not even that) and he never heard back from them again, even though they put his name on the flyer to draw a crowd. - - Original Message - From: Klaas-Jan Jongsma Just wondering but is this the same guy who had something to do with this: http://interimlover.livejournal.com/386142.html It's the same guy, but it's doubtful he had anything to do with that b.s. Donald's a showboat but is not a bad guy. Unless he's done a 180 in the past few years, he's respectful and would wait his turn. The club owner and/or security pulled that crap on their own, with *zero* input on ~any~ level from Donald, imo. What Renegade808 said below about Donald's dj-ing and selection is spot on, however. The bit about biting Spun is a bullseye. Playing 'Punisher' a half-dozen times in one's 'career' does not qualify as having done any serious justice to Detroit techno. seek
Re: (313) re (313) DG
- Original Message - From: Fred Heutte Y'all can say what you want but in 93-94 Donald was playing serious Detroit stuff. Ok, he played 'Seawolf', 'Punisher' and maybe some random track off of a Network 'Bio-Rhythm' comp that he heard played in Exotique Imports. Nothing in such abundance as worth raising as a point in his favor, and not any wide appreciation of Detroit stuff, not imo. Back then Donald promoted himself as DJ Dominator (as in that track) and we gave him sh1# mercilessly about it until he dropped it. Dominator and also DJ Steve Austin, the Bionic Man (or $6,000,000 Man, or some such nonsense); not sure which moniker came first, but both were lame. Someone/s should've given him more sh!t about that ridiculous arm-waving, tongue-wagging, 'look at me, look at me' nonsense, as well. Let's keep the focus on the music, not on the faces, *especially* on the dancefloor. I would never expect him to oust another DJ from their slot, especially not someone who's got the dance floor jumpin'. Agreed: 100%. He doesn't have it in it him to be that way. Good, nice guy. Over-rated, overhyped club dj, though, and that's mostly neither his fault nor doing: right place, right time. Or wrong place, wrong time, depending on how ya see a thing. seek
Re: (313) re (313) DG
Fred Heutte wrote: I see I hit a nerve on DG :) Y'all can say what you want but in 93-94 Donald was playing serious Detroit stuff. Being polite about it, DG is a character and there are a lot of stories, but i always revert to what a friend used to say: believe half of what you see and none of what you hear. yea i would say it annoy's the hell out of me...lol cause donald NEVER represented detroit in seattle/portland...and was heavely into his funky breaks...i know donald would play a random UR record here and there.but we threw half of the parties in seattle back in 92-95...and i whitnessed donald kill a party vibe in less than 3 minutes, more than i can count on my 2 handsnever was it more frustrating to be enojoying a nice night of music by someone say like jon williams(organized noise) or mark farina back when he played loads of acid music, they would have the party jus popin off... and here would come donald...not even booked to play...have a talk to the promoternext thing u know someone would be asking the current dj to step off the turntables to let donald onit happened with doc martin a few times and led to some infighting between crowds and styles of music... basically in the NW which is much different that cali.. there was the house schene/style which was chicago/ny/detroit baised stuff with progressive uk thrown in for times sake...and the other side of the scene..which was breakbeat/hardcore rave/progressive stuff.and for the portland/seattle scene quickfix (later from bc) quidity bliss from portland, d-lyte hebegeebe from seattle were the ones who leaned more to chi/detroit/ny with outside help from doc martin which at the time was ON FIRE playing mostly chi/det/ny , the other side was all about breakbeats/ego's donald/spun/and the wicked crew when they came to seattle/portland they played heavy breaks except thomas who in the NW played usally more like doc martin and had many sweet setsbasically that sums up the scene/styles of the NW back from 91-95... i remember sooo many promoter who hated donald and did'nt want to book him but were somehow forced to as they always ended up letting him play.i always attributed it to the social circles and the other things happening at the parties...and people jus wanted to hear him when i finally met Mike Grant later on, and he told me that he had given donald some wbmx mix tapes let him know a few things...i just about shat..cause there is no trace of that ANYWHERE in donald...he was a club jock before he got into underground parties...and worked at a decent record shop in tacoma...he bought LOADS of records and most of what was coming out at the time...so yea he has some sweet records..but for the life of me i still have not heard him play hardly ANY of themexcept when doc/spun/yeno/thomas/farina would come to town and drop certain recordsdonald would play them the following week as to let people know..look at me i have the same record that killed the party last week right here but never played it untill someone else didalways a trend rider and followernever pioneered anything here in the NW except some old club culture in seattle and maybe helping the bad part of the rave scene survive so say what ever what u want fred but i was at/SAW alot of those parties where donald was and usally left about 15 min into his sets but he played like 3 parties in a night so it was hard to get away from him. ok sorry for the rant..lol NW struggle in a nut shell...and now sadly on topic as paxahau actually brought it back to mei thought i ran far enough away...lol all the way to detroit...the one place i never thought i would have to worry about him being around...haha been to every festival except the first one...me=no go this year for sure :-( michael - - Original Message - From: Klaas-Jan Jongsma Just wondering but is this the same guy who had something to do with this: http://interimlover.livejournal.com/386142.html It's the same guy, but it's doubtful he had anything to do with that b.s. Donald's a showboat but is not a bad guy. Unless he's done a 180 in the past few years, he's respectful and would wait his turn. The club owner and/or security pulled that crap on their own, with *zero* input on ~any~ level from Donald, imo. What Renegade808 said below about Donald's dj-ing and selection is spot on, however. The bit about biting Spun is a bullseye. Playing 'Punisher' a half-dozen times in one's 'career' does not qualify as having done any serious justice to Detroit techno. seek
