Dirk wrote: "It seems that to some deejays playing a record relatively
unadultered is boring, but if the track is so boring why play it? Does
every track have to be "improved" by blending it with another?"
Uh- well, I maybe do this mixing once or twice in my set. The rest of the
time I'm playing boring ol' unadultered records. I was just trying to
figure a seperation between the 'art' of DJing and the 'act' of DJing. Some
can say that 'artistic expressions' in DJing involve scratching,
transforming, and other tricks that I'm pretty mediocre at... a thought out
song selection could be an expression as well (regardless of mixing,
right)... and the mixing of tracks is something I consider an artistic bent
on the act of playing two records, if thought out and done well, and I
personally like to do this now and then. But I (nor anyone else I know)
likes to make a WHOLE set out of it... or even a quarter of their set for
that matter.
And I never said this blending was to improve a less than brilliant track.
The one example I used was BMF mixing "Bring The Noise" with the Fila
Brazillia remix of DJ Food... if you consider these less than average
tracks, then I guess we don't see eye to eye.
Dirk also wrote: "My other pet peeve related to this is how may interesting
intros never get played at clubs because the deejay can't beat mix it
('cause the beat didn't kick in yet) so he/she just skips past it."
Indeed, I agree. But granted, many 'DJ oriented' songs are made with intros
that are boring and solely for mixing. I like playing quiet, beatless
intros in a set because it creates lulls and build-ups. BMF, who I spin
with frequently usually does, too, but saves these moments for drastic
tempo changes.
I record a bit of music as well, you know, and I've heard DJs play my stuff
and skip right over the intros. And the endings. And my favorite part in
the middle. So it annoys me, too!
Hope this clarifies a bit.
--------------------------------------
Now here are some quick props on some things I've heard lately you should
eventually check out:
SHARKSKIN EP on Sweet Mother: due out soon- the A side is a nice female
vocal driven groover, the first mix containing the rap. Its fantastic but
I'm in love with the B side... tabla charged mesh of hip hop and Indian
vibes (wasn't someone just talking about something like this?). Contains a
great Dragonfly remix as well. Beautiful full color cover art again. The
Sweetmother crew is on top of the quality heap.
REBEL CREW- Serpant EP on Sunburn: due out soon- a slammin' downtempo dub
record from this Hardkiss side label. A side is instrumental and has a
similar vibe to APE in its live playing and dubby studio treaments,
samples, and electronics. The B-side contains 2 different songs with an
added vocalist who sounds a tad like Bono. I'm told he's actually some
derilict who wandered in off the street and just started singing (so it
could be Bono... huh?). Fantastic, and its from Texas, so go figure.
MEPHSITO ODYSSEY - got a sneak preview listen of the tracks that will make
up their upcoming album for City of Angels. Lets just say that this release
will make a lot of list members happy. That jazz-house feel is complemented
with live sax, guitar, and stand up bass... a fusion thats been tried
before, but I haven't heard it done this well in a while. Twelve inch out
soon on City Of Angels...
So there you go. And, in case you're wondering, I'm staying out of the
'trip hop' thing this time (and next time, too).
PEACE'em
michael donaldson
Q-BURNS ABSTRACT MESSAGE
P.O. Box 1909
Orlando FL 32802 USA
PH: (407) 420-4669
FX: (407) 246-0580
EMAIL: badmood@earthlink.net