Q&A: Dam-Funk
LOOKOUT got the chance to speak with DâM-FunK, L.A. based “modern funk” musician signed to Stones Throw Records, who's venturing North to Montreal on March 5th for a live show at Lambi.
LOOKOUT: About your debut album Toeachizown, the five different volumes each have a life of their own, but still form a comprehensive whole and has an underlying story . Can you tell me something about the different volumes and why you decided to put it together this way?
Dãm: I wanted to make a concept record like progressive rock records I used to listen to back in the day. They would have a theme around it, as opposed to a bunch of hit singles on the record. “I Wanna Thank You (For Steppin’ Into My Life)” is one song that I think could be on the radio right now and be a hit. But, I didn’t want to make a record of hit singles, I don’t even want to aspire to do that. I wanted to create the record I've always wanted to make… and why not make it? In Toeachizown, the first volume is more electric based, the second more serious, Sky more positive, Hood more dark.
Is there something about L.A. that makes it a unique place for funk? How did growing up on the West Coast influence your style of music?
The music we grew up with on the West Coast is a little more laid back. Even though we have sunshine, there’s the darkness and the light… We’ve cultivated something a bit different from East Coast approach. The warm weather, the palm trees, and the driving culture of L.A. definitely influences my music.
Prince was a big inspiration for you. What Prince era do you draw influence from most?
1978-1987
I feel like you’ve coined the term modern funk. I don’t want to suggest a clear break in “old-fashioned funk” and modern funk, because there’s a definite continuation, but what is modern about your modern funk?
It’s a mix of subject matter, log extended tracks, instrumentals, reverb vocals... It’s a different approach. It’s the funk you’ve always wanted to have. The modern funk approach pertains to some of the science aspects of things, like of exploration of different worlds. Funk is more like funk 45 vibe. Modern funk is more electric based and appeals to post-disco funk. You know what I’m sayin'?
For more Q&A with Dam-Funk check the March 4th issue of The McGill Daily.
Dam-Funk @ Club Lambi - Mar 5, 2010
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Q&A: Red Bull 3Style Montreal DJs
Many thanks to LOOKOUT friend and accomplice Morgan Steiker AKA The Beatseeker for interviewing the 8 DJs competing in the Red Bull 3Style this Friday, February 19 at Theatre Telus! Check the interviews below to get a unique profile on the contestants and a glimpse at what to expect in their sets on Friday. Come through to cheer on the Montreal locals done good and choose which one could move onto the finals in Paris!Read More ↓ How did you get into this? My older brother bought decks and was nice enough to let me mess around on his set up at his place and play with his hip hop records until I realized I was serious about it and had to start buying my own. What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd? Two decks and a mixer. A nice size crowd is good but in the end, it's not about how many people are there. You can have 15 people and if you do things right with the music and mixing, you have a party. The set up is what you make of it. You have a job to do and that job doesn't depend on ideals, it depends on you showing up, assessing the situation and using your experience to figure out how to make things go off proper. That's how I see it anyways. What’s the first song that made you flip? Snap! - The Power What’s the last song that made you flip? Popof - Faces 'Uch Most memorable DJ experience? It sounds lame, but in their own way, they are all sort of memorable. What song will you never drop? Never say never... Funniest request you’ve ever gotten? Argentinean Tango. Dead Serious. A message for 3Style night: Whether you win or lose doesn't dictate your talent. How did you get into this? Piano, then guitar, then DJing. One thing after another I guess. Comes down to the love for music. What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd? Good old Serato is always a classic although I’m really loving the whole Midi controllers, loops, effects, pads, and the whole shabang! It gives the show a kinda vibe, instead of just playing other peoples tracks, you get to be the creator. What’s the first song that made you flip? Can’t even answer this one…”For whom the bell tolls” or “Fade to Black” by Metallica. What’s the last song that made you flip? “Vocal Chords (Tim Green remix)”. Most memorable DJ experience? Participating in the World Team DMC in England. We represented Canada. Ok, we got our asses kicked. But it was an amazing experience. That and when A-trak won the Canadian DMC finals at Metropolis, right before he became World Champ. Huge motivating moment for DJs who witnessed that competition. What song will you never drop? I guess it always depends on how the song is flipped, how you drop it, how you mix it in. Even the cheesiest tracks can sound nice properly mashed up. But enough with the positivism, “Ghetto Superstar” by Pras. Funniest request you’ve ever gotten? “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails. It’s actually a great song, and not funny at all. But the girl who asked me…well…it was her way of saying “I want to F#CK!!!”...and no I didn’t.. A message for 3Style night: Get ready for an orgy of songs mashed up together. Will be a musical gangbang to your ears. How did you get into this? I started DJing at the age of thirteen. My brother-in-law was doing a lot of private events and I would help him out to bring in and take down the equipment. I would stay the night with him just to see how he would work and what kind of music he was playing. He was only using vinyl back in the day. I bought my first mixer with amplifier and used my parent’s old run down turntables and tape deck players to start mixing. I would practice day and night and barely would go out for a couple of years. Started doing private events at the age of fifteen and clubs at nineteen. What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd? I like using two Technics 1200's with the pioneer mixer 909 with one extra CDJ on the side for extra tracks to loop and play with. What’s the first song that made you flip? “You Don't Know Me” by Armand Van Helden. What’s the last song that made you flip? I'm actually liking the new Alicia Keys. "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart". Most memorable DJ experience? DJing for Wyclef...hands down THE coolest guy out there! What song will you never drop? Hmmm....hard one. Let's just say that I don't keep the songs that I wouldn't play on my computer! Funniest request you’ve ever gotten? I can't remember...too many parties where people get drunk and ask random music! A message for 3Style night: Let's have fun, enjoy the music and be open! How did you get into this? When I was sixteen, a friend of mine was a DJ in a 14-18 club, and I was really impressed...at the same time Daft Punk launched Homework...that was it...I knew I was going to make something out of this! What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd? I put my fists in the air and dance!! What’s the first song that made you flip? Daft Punk “Rollin' & Scratchin” for the electronic scene but when I was four years old, it was “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. What’s the last song that made you flip? Not a lot of songs make me flip but the last one I would say was Mr Oizo “Positif”. Most memorable DJ experience? When Busy P brought me back to the audience from backstage so they would acclaim me...it was the best DJ set I've done in my life. I still got shivers thinking about it. What song will you never drop? There is always a time to drop a song...just have to know the right time. Funniest request you’ve ever gotten? A guy hired DJ Cherry COLA at Time Supper Club once and asked me to play some Cafe del Mar. What kind of idiot would hire Cola to hear some Cafe del Mar...did I say idiot? Yes, I did! A message for 3Style night: I'll try my best I promise...Thanks for having me! How did you get into this? Someone called me a pussy. What's your ideal setup to rock a crowd? Vodka Red Bull, Pionner DJM 800, CDJs 1000 and my friends. What's the first song that made you flip? Who can answer that question really? I remember digging my dad's vinyls when I was 10 and listening to Joan Jett and Pat Benatar on repeat. What's the last song that made you flip? “Poison Lips” by Vitalic. Most memorable DJ experience? Playing with Crystal Castle was something. People were out of control and Coda was way over capacity. I also had a blast in Paris when I played this party called "La Furie" at Social Club. What song will you never drop? Simian “We Are Your Friends”. Funniest request you've ever gotten? Someone asked me for Tiesto OR something VERY underground...euh....That was last week. A message for 3Style night: Beware of the devil How did you get into this? Dad let me mess with all his equipment from the Disco Days. He would tell me stories of cops shutting down his makeshift hotel parties…that stuck with me. I really got into it because of hip hop, and found myself throwing mini-jams in friends’ basements. I was the DJ in the high school crew. What's your ideal setup to rock a crowd? A mixer and two turntables but most importantly, a banging sound system. Not just a LOUD system. A well-positioned, properly set up one! I find there is not enough emphasis on sound- everyone just wants to get as loud as possible. DJs and club owners, please put more pride into the way it sounds! What's the first song that made you flip? I had a little dance to Housequake by Prince, what a jam! What's the last song that made you flip? Just heard it fifteen minutes ago. Peckos – “Love Girl”. It may not be your cup of tea, but it sure is mine. Most memorable DJ experience? Sweaty night in the corner of a third floor apartment packed with party people. This girl kept standing on the sub, dancing, and then falling off. She did this about 10 times. I deeply respect her resilience. What song will you never drop? That shit f***** Miley Cyrus song. Why would you want to hear that? It insinuates that the party is in the USA while you’re at a party in Canada...that is some existential shit! You’re at a party that doesn't exist! Funniest request you've ever gotten? Club’s packed, music is bumping, drinks are flowing, hands in the air, the song is about to drop, silence before drop... lady by the booth decides at that very moment to yell out her request for “Aime Tu La Vie” by Boule Noire. The whole place nearly broke out in to laughter. It was quite amusing. A message for 3Style night: To all the competitors, if I'm not drinking, be afraid! If I am drinking, STILL BE AFRAID…but not as much. And also if you could not include these songs in your sets that would be of great help to me... Any Eric Satie Prince - Crystal Ball Any Mario Pelchat Nothing from GWAR first... The Australian national anthem. THANKS! How did you get into this? Somebody told me they thought I could do it! What's your ideal setup to rock a crowd? I need room in the DJ booth to dance, and I need the computer out of my face cause I got to have a connection with people. I need space on the side! What's the first song that made you flip? Still saying the same about Motown Philly. It don't matter just don't curse!!!!!!!!! What's the last song that made you flip? Revisiting the Electric Slide. Most memorable DJ experience? Bouncer threatening to throw me out of the club for being behind the DJ booth with my homie on the decks. He tells me when MC Mario plays on Saturdays it's only him behind the decks, he figured one DJ was enough. It was risky business everytime I got near that booth, but they let me stay. Hey, thanks! What song will you never drop? As Psychology has said in the past...never say never. You're right as rain my friend. Funniest request you've ever gotten? Adzimm (pronounced Adam), play Brazilian house music. (after all these years, I figured out that guy was right.) How did you get into this? I don’t know…I guess its just the flow of life…I bought turntables when I was thirteen years old, got my first gigs at seventeen years old and next things I knew I was living off what I loved to do. What's your ideal set-up to rock a crowd? Summer heat. Packed room. Friends. Smiles. Good music. First song that made you flip? Mmm…don’t really remember as a child but early teens it would probably be A tribe called Quest, Nirvana, Beastie boys or Snoop. Last song that made you flip? This week: the new Theofilus London mixtape. Most memorable DJ moment? I think it was 7-8 years ago at Angels, I was playing a Neptunes song and then someone taps on my shoulder. I turn around and Pharell Williams is in the booth all like “great stuff man’’. Also, the few times I got goosebumbs when I played a song. Always a cool and intense feeling in memorable nights. What song will you never drop? mmmm…somebody tried to remake “Beggin’” by Franki Valli. I heard it on the radio this week. HORRIBLE. Funniest song you've been asked to play? “Chante” by René Simard…in the middle of an electro set. A message for Saturday night: I will eat your children.
State your name: Mayday
State your name: Twitch
State your name: DJ YO-C
State your name: Mr. Dany Patrice Valade AKA DJ Cherry COLA.
State your name: Mary Hell.
State your name: Rilly Guilty or simply Guilt.
State your name: A-Rock
State your name: Truspin
Q&A: Keys N’ Krates
LOOKOUT was blessed with the chance to pick the collective brains of Jr. Flo, Matisse, and Tune, better known as live-remixers Keys N' Krates, on their frantic live shows and plans for upcoming releases. Read More ↓
Music is transforming and adapting at a breakneck pace. How do you manage to keep up/focus with the constant evolution of music technology pushing music to new places?
Flo: We are always looking for old and new toys to progress our sound, but I wouldn't say we chase technology for the sake of chasing technology.
You guys have been in the studio with DJ Grandtheft recording your new LP. What can we expect from the upcoming album?
Matisse: Well, it's really not an album we're working on, but rather a series of releases. There will be a bunch of singles and eventually and EP, but we're not strong believers in the album format right now.
The development of an online Mixtape culture seems to be a catalyst in eliminating the need for a major record label’s budget. You guys released your Re-Mixing 101 Mixtape a couple months ago; What kind of reaction and response did the drop get? any plans for additional mixtapes dropping before or after the new LP is released?
Tune: The response from the mixtape was awsome and I believe that was because it sort of gave people a chance to take home what they see us do live on stage. A lot of critics, media, tastemakers had really great stuff to say about it and we were happy with the amount of downloads it got. We definitely plan to keep doing those live off the floor mixes to supplement our studio produced music.
Playing with a live band leaves room for more human interaction than just having a DJ playing whole songs from a laptop or turntables. What are some of the difficulties you encounter in the process of navigating the fine line between a sample based approach and a live band feel? When you play a live show, do you leave room for improvisation?
Flo: I think we are flirting between going for that big sound, that makes people perplexed that we're pulling that it off live, and keeping a live feel to our stuff. It's definitely a delicate dance. We balance using a lot of electronic with live drums, synth sounds with organic sounds, and more live grooves with more programmed sounding grooves (which we still do live). We're trying to get the best of both worlds.
Read Less ↑Q&A: Montreal’s Grimes
Claire Boucher, who performs under Grimes, is a solo act signed to Montreal’s Arbutus Records.
Geidi Primes, her latest album, is colourful with an out-of-this-world quality that incorporates space-age piano riffs, slurred lyrics and delayed melodies that have you yearning, but unable to sing along. It’s an intriguing album with a fusion of medieval vibes and sleepy sounds, an intermingling that is truly beyond words. The vocals are at times embracing, enchanting and angelic, and at other times, dark, spooky and otherworldly.
I got the chance to chat with Grimes on an otherwise lazy Sunday, and ask her a few questions about her indescribable musical style, while we were both hopped up on caffeine.
Download Geidi Primes, for free, here.
Listen to a few of her tracks:
When I think of Grimes, I think of words like grimy, raw, gangster and thug. Where did that name come from? Why do you perform under that name?
Haha, I don’t know really where it came from. I have this problem of deciding on project names. When I was 17 or 18, I was making really crappy music on a tape recorder, like wannabe classical music, and I would just record it and write Grimes because it seemed like a weird contrast that doesn’t seem to fit. Later on, I decided I didn’t want to use my own name, and I already started with Grimes and it wasn’t that embarrassing so I just went with it.
You’re also a visual artist and you designed the cover art for Geidi Primes. Is it watercolours that you use?
I use ink and food colouring. Food colouring is actually really great as long as you don’t get water on anything.
Your artwork has very unearthly, scary, dark and uncanny elements. How does your art influence your music?
My art is a visual manifestation of my music. If my music would look like anything, it would be my art.
You’ve been compared to a lot of people on the blogosphere including Kate Bush, Bjork, and The Cure... Personally, I got reminded of a little Tracy Chapman while listening to Rosa. As much as bloggers can compare, I've really have never heard anything comparable to your sound. Are comparisons progressive and positive? Or is it more of a burden?
It’s not really either. It’s weird because I never really listened to Kate Bush. Now I’ve been listening to it nonstop for the past couple of days. The Dreaming is my new favourite album, but I’d never even heard it before. I feel like people compare musicians to other musicians because it’s easier to say that people have a similar sound so that readers might be more inclined to listen. It’s the best reference point in order to compare different artists.
A couple of the album reviews say things like, "I can’t describe her music, so I won’t. Just listen." When making your music, do you intentionally make it beyond words and distinct from what's currently out there? Or is that just part of your spirit of making music?
I’m pretty technically limited, so I kind of make the music that I can make, if that makes sense? It’s really simple because that’s the only way I can make music. Like, every song is 4/4, most are 120 bpm and most are in the key of C. I’m trying to move on from that right now. I make music that I want to hear. Or I try to.
What are you working on now? What’s the future looking like?
I want to make a new album that’s more epic. I also want to make a better live show because I’m very inexperienced.
Why do you think you need to improve your live performance? What is it, for you, that makes a live show?
Well, I have a debilitating stage fright. I used to vomit before a show. It's getting a lot better lately. Usually I would only play for 12 minutes because it was really hard for me to make anything longer. I get super-critical of myself when I’m trying to make something live because it’s just so different from how I compose. The songs I’ve recorded aren’t what I think would do well in a live environment. I just want it to be louder, you know?
Grimes has a show coming up on February, 25, 2010 at 8:00 PM at Casa Del Popolo with Blue Hawaii and Pop Winds. Check out her MySpace for more info.
Read Less ↑Q&A: Montreal’s Lunice
LOOKOUT got a chance to shoot the shit with Montreal’s Turbo Crunk golden boy Lunice Fermin Pierre II before he heads out to the Red Bull Music Academy in London. Check out Lunice with Keys n’ Krates at Le Belmont on Friday, February 5!
LOOKOUT: First of all, big-up for earning a seat at the Red Bull Music Academy in London. What are you going to miss most about MTL and what are you looking forward to most in London?
LUNICE: What I'm going to miss: My girl & Poutine
What I'm looking forward to:
1. Energy Drinks + Studio Time
2. Collaborations / Meeting new people
3. Lectures / Workshops
4. Shows
5. Checking out the whole city!
LOOKOUT: Knowing that artists Hudson Mohawke and Flying Lotus came up out of the program you’re about to attend, how do you feel going in?
LUNICE: Beyond honored and continuously getting stoked! An over dosage of excitement knowing that a lot of dudes that I really look up to has gone through the RBMA.
LOOKOUT: Music in Montreal is in a strange juncture at the moment, coinciding with the end of the beloved Turbo Crunk nights and the rise of many of the artists behind it. Where do you see the Montreal scene headed over the next year?
LUNICE: Good question... I believe in the next year there will be many more shows catching on what Turbo Crunk has done in the past years plus more! Which is cool because it would help more people to become open minded to various genres of music.
LOOKOUT: Living in London puts you closer to your label Lucky Me’s headquarters. What’s going on with the LuckyMe collective in 2010? Any plans to head to the headquarters in Glasgow?
LUNICE: Yes actually. After the RBMA bidness, I'm going to head up to Glasgow for a few days to meet up with the fam and work on a video for my upcoming solo (still untitled) EP release on LuckyMe! Expect some cool moves and music ;) !
LOOKOUT: You’ve accrued some measure of internet fame with your dance videos on youtube, and B-boy culture has been a part of your development as an artist. As your career as a musician is starting to really take off, is the break-dance influence and passion still present for you?
LUNICE: For sure!!! I'll never ever ever ever ever stop Break-dancing no matter what! Breaking, to me, is like the foundation to most urban dance crazes you see out now! Every new young high school kid dance craze that pops out on Youtube always seemed to have some kind of Break-dance influence in it.
Interview: Wu-Tang’s GZA
LOOKOUT got the chance to sit down and talk to Wu-Tang Clan's Genius aka GZA, unquestionably one of the greatest lyricists and MCs of all time....
You’ve been doing something recently that I find pretty interesting, you did the Liquid Swords Tour, where you performed the album in its entirety on stage. Is that how you see the albums you’ve created, as cohesive pieces that should be enjoyed within their own contexts?
Yeah, I’ve always thought like that, but it wasn’t my idea to start doing the Liquid Swords tour. You know, it was an idea that came, I don’t remember who threw it out, but it was pitched to me from the agency I was working with. Some promoter wanted me to do it at Pitchfork [music festival], because I think they were having a concert and everyone was doing the theme of an album. They asked me to do the Liquid Swords album and since then, you know, I’ve been doing it. The last few shows, I kinda changed it up. For some reason, promoters were asking me to do that album and that’s what I was doing.
Obviously, the recording industry has experienced some major changes over recent years, due to the rise of music piracy and a shifting of focus from albums to the primacy of the digital iTunes single. Some of the biggest records from last year weren’t even full-length releases. When you’re writing today, are you still writing in the mold of creating a full-length album with its own context?
All the time. Yeah.
I know that your latest album Pro Tools started as a collaboration but grew into its own album.
Oh yeah, because after a while – I’m glad you noticed that – because, first of all, it took me several years to give this guy this album who, you know, I was doing the album for, Baby Grand. It was originally supposed to be a collabo, you know, a compilation, and I started thinking as time was going on and on, it was taking a while before I even recorded a song for that album. It was something I was doing, putting people on, and then I started thinking like…you know, I don’t want to just shortchange myself or anybody else. I think, if this has me on it, it’ll be good even though at the end of the day it still feels like they didn’t push it or go at it hard and all that. Sometimes, you know, there’s only so much independents can do. I just felt that it needed to be something good, something strong.
I’d also like to talk to you about the album Grandmasters you did with DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill. What was the concept for that album and how did it come about?
Muggs wanted to do an album, you know, he talked to me about doing the album. He said he had a situation, he wouldn’t mind doing a record with me, and I said ‘cool,’ and we talked about it for months. He came to New York one day. He had some songs on his computer. I picked about 14, narrowed it down to 12. We decided to go out, you know, record the album. We recorded it in about seven days, or maybe a little less. And, you know, I was writing at the same time, while trying to record some of the stuff. There was really a lot of pressure, you know.
Is that how you prefer to write, when a producer gives you a tape full of beats and you adapt your lyrics to that? Or are you writing all the time looking for the right beat to come along?
I’m always jotting down stuff, but usually when I start working on stuff, it’s usually pretty last minute for some reason, like it’ll be crunch time. Even with Pro Tools, I think I recorded it in three days, but, you know, I had a lot of stuff written down in notes, in certain things, and there were some songs I wrote. But with Muggs, you know, we were just vibing and working. You know, if I heard a song and got an idea, I would just go for it. It all came together and he just said, ‘we should call the album Grandmasters’. When he said that I said, ‘hmm, that’s a good theme.’ Then I thought about adding, you know, chess, little things from chess, chess terminology.
Is the chess game still strong these days?
Yeah, it depends on who I play. It may be weak to some and strong to others.
There’s a track on Grandmasters I wanted to talk about – the song ‘Queen’s Gambit.’ It’s ostensibly the track of sort of a lost girl, but it’s woven together with a series of football metaphors. When you write, are you usually looking for multiple meanings, going deeper than the surface?
Of course, of course. I always look for multiple meanings. I mean, have you heard ‘0% finance?’
Hell yeah.
Oh yeah, right? See, that’s kind of like Queen’s Gambit. It’s a story, it’s about a female… What’s interesting about it, what’s interesting about both those songs is that they’re songs about females, but it’s a song incorporating all the NFL teams, and it’s a song incorporating as many models and makes of cars I can incorporate. And I’m using car terminology. That song is 104 bars, straight through, and it doesn’t…it keeps escalating. It goes up through the whole thing, because I start talking about her, where she was from. I go into her great-grandfather – he was a Cherokee Indian. It goes into him, his brothers, they used to fish in Lake Tahoe. It goes into her friends, it goes into the friend’s boyfriend. And it’s 104 bars, straight through! And it never gets boring, in my opinion. I could be really big on myself right now, you know, coming off like that. But honestly, it took a while to write. I mean, I really put the time into it. It took a while to write. Just like ‘Queen’s Gambit.’ I had to figure out how I’m gonna use these teams. Usually when I use names of stuff, I use them where they have to have a double meaning.
Going back to the cheesy way, the easy way out of things, just imagine if I was to do the ‘0% finance’ song and everything would have been like, ‘ Yo, remember when we bought the Lexus? Yo, that’s when I crashed the Benz! Oh word, that’s when he was, you know, driving the Escalade! Oh, that’s when she sold the Volkswagen!’ And the whole song would be like that. ‘When I bought this, when we drove that.’ It would be so literal. ‘When he crashed that, when she washed this.’ You know, because it would be all that. ‘Wash the car, drive the car. Steal the car.’ You know? ‘Park the car.’ I’m not just gonna say, ‘He drove a Cherokee,” when the Cherokee is an Indian! So you want to bring the car to life, and you use the car as a segway to get somewhere, you know what I’m saying?
Hell yeah.
You use it as a metaphor, so it’s like her great-grandfather was a Cherokee Indian, explorer and navigator. I didn’t say he drove an Explorer or a Navigator, he WAS an explorer and a navigator.
They’re two fields that don’t normally go together, but when you go beneath the visible, constructed surface, the links are definitely there. I think both of those songs do that real well and bring them out.
Thank you, I appreciate it. You know, those songs, I love doing them. I usually always do something like that on every album. Just like with ‘Queen’s Gambit,’ I was talking to a friend on the phone and I was asking, where they watching the game? I was like, ‘Are you watching the football game today?’
And the response was, “Nah, those are not my teams. I don’t like any of those teams.’
I was like, ‘Oh, you like those Giants who fly on Jets, huh?’
And then I thought about it, like ‘oh shit, Giants who fly on Jets, that’s kind of slick!’ That’s how the song came about all the ways I can use teams and incorporate them, and use them to make them have double meanings, and sometimes triple meanings. That way it’s like putting hi-definition on your TV or something.
You’re a ten-I-see, you just need to Titan your game.
Yeah, you know what I’m saying? You’re a ten-I-see, you just need to Titan your game, right?
What’s got you writing these days?
I’m getting inspiration from books, movies, and that’s not saying that you’re not asking what movie right now, like I can just pinpoint something. It may be something from a book. It may be a line, it may be a page, it may be a chapter. It may be any song, I mean especially music. Music moves people like no one or nothing has ever moved anyone or anything. You know, I mean I get inspired by stories that I read or that I watch.
I mean, sometimes I watch stories of celebrities. They have certain programs like Behind The Music. They used to have Behind The Music on VHI, or they might have Driven, or The Biography. A lot of artists, we have similar stories, as far as our struggle to get on and get recognized, but just with a little different, you know, road or something that we travel to get to that one thing. Sometimes the stories are interesting yet similar, and you relate to them , and you also get inspiration from them. It can be its own story, it can be a documentary.
You know, you’re not gonna hear me say, ‘ I’m inspired by money. If it ain’t about that green, that paper, that’s what inspires me. Money!’ Fuck outta here. You know? How can we inspire you?
You did a show and record with the band The Blacklips. How did that one come about?
My boy Heathcliff, that’s been working with me on the road, he’s a publicist, he’s doing publicity for Wu Tang, you know, with the 8 Diagrams, and then he worked with me for Pro Tools. I met several bands through him and they were interested in doing work, and it’s really opening up with more doors. We kind of share some of the same fans and it’s a whole different vibe.
There have been some crazy rumors flying around about potential collaborators working with you on some tracks. Do you have any releases planned for the upcoming year?
Yeah, definitely, this year. I’m about to make an incredible album. I mean, incredible, especially lyrically. I mean, really beautiful, man, really beautiful.
You did the one album with Muggs and obviously, RZA is the god, but are you going to be working with any new producers or artists for this one.
Well, I want to do another one with RZA. I spoke to Muggs about maybe, perhaps doing it. I have at least four more things or concepts that I want to do, or I would like to, if I can. You know, some very uplifting stuff and when I say that I don’t mean…because sometimes people read that and they think, ‘Oh, look at this dude, he’s in church now.’ You know, there’s nothing wrong with being uplifted, but don’t look at it as if I’m becoming this nerd, this nerdy religious, clean freak. You know, it’s just hard to explain, but you’ll hear it.
When I told the producer I wanted to do ‘0% finance’ he didn’t really understand, even after hearing ‘Labels,’ ‘Fame,’ ‘Queen’s Gambit,’ ‘Publicity,’ you know, ‘Animal Planet,’ he still didn’t get it. I was like, ‘you’ll hear it.”
He was like, ‘How you gonna do a song about cars?’
I said, ‘You’ll hear it.’ When it started unfolding, it was like, wow. ‘In her tank, she loves to stash my tool.” After that line, he was like, ‘aw, it’s really, really, aw yeah! You slaying it!’
I’m gonna do something really beautiful. Something that has a great level of vibrations that’s positive. Just make you feel, you know, good.
You and RZA did that film Coffee and Cigarettes with Jim Jarmusch, a move that came off as a bit unexpected. What was the concept behind that role?
Jim Jarmusch is a good friend of RZA’s. He’s a big Wu Tang fan, and I think RZA actually met him, I met him the same time, right around when RZA was doing Ghost Dog. He’s a big fan, good writer, great filmmaker, and he’s a cool dude, really laid back, smooth. I guess he had this idea where he was working on some stuff for a while, and I was asked if I wanted to, you know, participate, and yeah, I was for it. It was cool. Got to meet Bill Murray, hang out and kick it with him. He’s a real cool dude, he’s really funny. You know, serious, dry humor.
Montreal is not traditionally listed among the great hip hop cities, but I can tell you that this show has definitely gotten a lot of people buzzing in anticipation. How have your previous experiences in the city been?
My experience in Montreal has always been great. I mean I’ve done, maybe within the last two years, four shows in Montreal and they’ve been great, especially the indoor ones where it’s a GZA concert, it’s not really outdoors or free or there’s a whole lot of other stuff going on. There’s a few opening acts of locals, like tonight there’s several local acts that I’m headlining and it should be a great venue. It’s always been good love. I mean, I did one show with Raekwon, I think Masta Killa, and Deck, I think it might have been Inspectah Deck, of and U-God in Montreal like a year and half ago and it was great. It was a large crowd, around 1500, it was good. Then I’ve done a show with RZA, the Jazz festival, but that was an indoor event, you know, the Montreal Jazz Festival. It was just myself and RZA on the bill that night and he had the band and he went on, I went on. It was, you know, a great response to the show. Montreal has been great, it’s been showing me love.
GZA LIVE @ FOUFS, MONTREAL - JAN 27
Read Less ↑Q&A: Skratch Bastid
One of our own got the chance to pick the brain of the up and coming Toronto DJ, Skratch Bastid who recently released his 110% mix this summer. You may recognize his rework of Kanye West's "Workout Plan" or his own take on James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", or maybe you've seen him on tour. The Bastid has been busy playing shows all across Canada and stopped through Blue Dog on September 27. Check out the interview below...
Lookout: Playing about 200 shows a year, what are the pros and cons of not having a home?
Skratch Bastid: The 'Pros' are many. First of all, TRAVEL! I am extremely lucky to have seen just about all of Canada, 30-something US states, many European countries, Bermuda and more. And to travel to those places and have people come out, listen to you and be entertained, it's a true gift. More specifically, seeing my music spread all over the place brings me a lot of satisfaction. Probably why you can catch me jumping around on stage and what not.
Also, meeting people and artists from different parts of the world inspires me to keep my music fresh by approaching it from many different angles. The 'Cons' are mostly what everyone takes for granted - weekly routines like being able to water plants regularly, missing shows & parties because you have another show, not being able to sleep in your bed every night, you know. All of that is pretty much outweighed by the pros, though.
Lookout: Last year, Kanye blogged your “Workout Plan” blend, this year, Common blogged your James Brown video. Who would you next like to hear some love from next?
Skratch Bastid: Bring it on! I'm thankful for it all, but yes, those two were nice. In the content-intensive blog world, I'm not really aiming for anyone in particular... just putting it out there and hoping that like-minded people pick up on it. It's older, but I'd still like to see what Justin Timberlake thinks of my mullet-sporting "Like I Love You" routine. It would be nice to hear what the artists that I use in my routines would think of my routines.
Lookout: At the beginning of August, you finished up your 110% CD release tour. How did that go?
Skratch Bastid: Incredible. I'm getting pretty good at this touring thing, ya know? Summertime is the best time to see Canada, and I embraced it with open arms. Saw some new small towns (Whitehorse, Cranbrook) and tackled some bigger ones again (Vancouver, my new home of Toronto). Did a lot of cliff jumping on the side. Ate some great food. Got the mix into a lot of people's hands!
Lookout: You’ve played shows all over Canada. What’s your favourite Canadian city to play in?
Skratch Bastid: Two nights ago in Toronto, Talib Kweli, Hi-Tek, 9th Wonder and Jeru the Damaja were all on stage bugging out to an after-party set that I did at Toronto's MANIFESTO festival. The crowd was going nuts. Toronto has such a great depth of musical knowledge, and as a DJ, that's so much to draw from. But the love/comfort didn't come overnight. I've been playing in T.O. for 4 years and some of the rough edge has worn away. I'm really loving playing here now. So yeah, I'd have to say Toronto! But I can't forget the hometown crowd of Halifax. Always a great time playing for friends and family. Yes, it's basically that small.
Lookout: What’s next for the Bastid?
Skratch Bastid: I'm working on a series of events called "Skratch Bastid Presents..." which will be nights that feature great, interesting or unusual collaborations between artists of a variety of genres. The nights will be spontaneous: different artists combining their strengths with others and creating of-the-moment experiences, freestyles and, i'm hoping, legendary music. Up first is "Scratch, Skratch, Scratch", a collaboration between myself, DJ Starting From Scratch and Scratch the beatboxer from The Roots. November 14th @ Revival. I think it's going to be amazing. I'll keep you posted!
Do yourself a favor and check out Skratch Bastid's take on Wale's "Chillin ft. Lady Gaga"
Interview by Tiana
Read Less ↑Q&A: Keys N Krates
Keys N Krates is a group of three musicians that have "re-invented the remix". By fusing hip hop, electronic music, turntablism and instrumentation, KNK produces an innovative sound and energy that pumps up any party. If you were lucky enough to be at House nightclub on Sunday night, you witnessed KNK throw down an insane set of their live remixes, in front of a great crowd. Everyone was really into the music, and even KNK's tour buddies, Love & Electrik, were snapping pics and grooving after their own set. Check out Lookout's quick Q&A with the members of Keys N Krates: DJ Jr. Flo, Matisse and Adam Tune.
Lookout: You’re about to embark on the “Masters of Remix” Canadian Tour. What are you looking forward to the most about touring?
Tune: Probably getting to hit all of these places in Canada that we've never been before. Also getting to tour with such a talented cast of people doesn't hurt either.
Lookout: With DJ Jr. Flo on the turntables, Matisse on the keys and Tune on the drums, what do you each bring to the table as musicians?
Matisse: I think it just allows us all to bring our own vantage points to the music.
Lookout: You claim to “bridge the gap” between live instrumentation, turntabilism and the technology of electronic music. Is this a first in your opinion? What does this add to the experience and energy of your show?
Flo: Yah it kind of is. We use live instruments (tables, keys, drums), in a live analog, but add the dynamics of dance/electronic music through our energy and the use of effects. When we say "Live Re-Mixing" we literally mean live, because pretty much everything your hearing we are doing right before your eyes.
Lookout: I know you’re all Toronto’s own, but what do you enjoy about the Montreal audience?
Flo: Probably the poutine...
Matisse: Good energy.
Read Less ↑Q&A: Nosaj Thing
The Red Bull Megahurtz event is just around the corner now and if you're as excited as we are about it than you are just counting down the hours (23) until the shit hits the fan. Musical modulator and charming innovator Nosaj Thing (a.k.a. Jason Cheung) hails from the City of Angels, just dropped his first full length LP, Drift, and is en-route to melt faces with the debut of his Sync Live AV set at Megahurtz. One of Lookout's own got the chance to ask Nosaj Thing some questions. Look below for the interview.
Lookout: Just to start off, the demo video for your new Synced Visual Show is absolutely mind blowing. What was the inspiration for bringing such innovation to the live show, how exactly do you manipulate visual features, and are you excited to debut the show at MegaHurtz?
Nosaj Thing: I got inspired to do a live visual show after seeing Cornelius play a couple years ago. It was the idea of creating an experience instead of the just having the typical visuals for the music. The whole show came together naturally...my girlfriend, Julia Tsao and our friend Adam Guzman are currently in the media design program and Art Center College of Design. Julia has an interest in experience design and Adam is interested in tying his visual work with music. We just kept building ideas and created clips using Adobe After Effects. The show is controlled with Modul8 and M-Audio midi controllers. We are very excited that we are getting this amazing opportunity to makme this show come to life.
Nosaj Thing: It's fun to work on remixes because the challenge but I prefer to work on original music. Writing music is therapeutic for me and I feel most satisfied when starting with a blank canvas.
Lookout: There seems to be a lot of synergy within LA's creative community, as evidenced by your collaboration with LA institution Undefeated, which put out a limited edition shirt in honor of you album Drift. What has it really been like coming up and living in Los Angeles?
Nosaj Thing: I've been living here all my life and I've been exposed to music everywhere I go. I got into hip hop when I was in 4th grade! My school's bus driver always had the local hip hop radio station locked. This was when the Beat Junkies were the residents. Right now, the community is so rich with amazing artists and it's been very inspiring for everyone.
Lookout: You're coming off a big year, including a new album, seemingly nonstop tour dates, and the development of a whole take on the live show. What does the coming year hold for you?
Nosaj Thing: I started working on my next album and hope to do more live shows with the visual concept.
Interview by Liam O'Keef
Read Less ↑Q&A: Speakerbruiser of Megasoid
Taking into account everything that Rob "Speakerbruiser" Squire has accomplished in his time as Montreal's resident Renaissance man, simply running through a laundry list of his contributions wouldn't truly serve them justice. Luckily, he's made it easy to grasp the quality aesthetic he's brought over the years to the Montreal creative community. Just visit Weaponshouse, his boutique design house based out of Mile End, and let your eyes wander over the collection of objects presented on the homepage. A number of themes and aesthetics emerge, the contrasting elements of which are central to understanding Squire's art. The inklings of a classical aesthetic, a presence suggested through the Italian riding gloves, the vintage razor, and archetypal glasses, are in turn made hostile through the implications of the brass knuckles. The professional design tools are compounded by the well worn fat-tipped markers and graff sketchbook, clear accessories of a proud delinquency. Somewhere in the balance lies Squire's style; constantly suspended between the clean lines of a Pantone production catalogue and irresistible recklessness. Of course, the grand image is dominated by the musical equipment - a sampler, drum machine, and synthesizer, each of which will be ritually used and liberally abused during Thursday's MegaHurtz event at Cabaret Juste Pour Rire. The Megahurtz promises to be a very special show for Rob's group Megasoid, as he is currently completing an extensive relocation away from Montreal. For a complete list of the man's accomplishments, check the information section on the weaponshouse site
Lookout Presents: You’ve cycled through a number of musical identities and collectives over the years. What precipitated the shift to making music under the name Sixtoo to your current moniker SPKRBRUZR?
Speakerbruiser Rob: Truthfully, I'm not quite sure. I have always had a number of visible monikers... Even Sixtoo projects sometimes labelled under different names such as 'Six Vicious' or 'Weaponshouse' or 'S&N' releases. I suppose truthfully, I am just not ready to assume responsibility for all of my creative pursuits being judged under the guise of one visible career, when I do, I will probably just update my entire discography as Vaughn Robert Squire. Until then, I suppose I will continue to release things with different names, with different extensions and ideas attached to them. I like having different titles to be able to attach myself to, and being able to explore very different angles within the umbrella of electronic music that I make. Speakerbruiser is pretty appropriate though. I like loud heaters, and that is pretty much what i am playing and making right now, I will probably hold onto it for a while.
LP: Megasoid, your collaboration with Hadji Bakara of Wolf Parade, is one of the most exciting acts to recently come out of Montreal. What can you tell us about how you two teamed up, how you create your distinct sound, and what we can expect to hear in the future?
SR: We started messing around with synths and drum-machines a few years back, after I blew up a modular synth that I borrowed of him. Hadji is one of the most brilliant programmers I know in terms of electronic music, and our chemistry with music was very natural... as a matter of fact, as we strive to start making music that exists outside of the blog/remix context, we have found it harder than we expected to make cohesive, good music, and not just making heaters that work in the club. We are taking our time, and have slowed our output in order to ensure that our 'real' releases are
We will be releasing our first official EP on Ninjatune sometime this fall. Should be interesting. Lot of rappers on it. It is music that we both stand behind, and I am excited to see what people think about it. Read More ↓
LP: During Pop Montreal, Megasoid will be playing the Red Bull MegaHurtz A/V experience, by far one of the festival’s most anticipated shows. Do you and Hadji have anything new up your sleeves for the event?
SR: Well, I suppose the main thing is that we are not be playing together as Megasoid. For now, I will be the visible representation of Megasoid. Most recently we made the decision (due to travel distances and responsibilities / pursuits outside of music on both of our parts) that it was best for the band for me to handle the live performance of Megasoid material, and for Hadji to be my creative studio partner. We have really had some amazing times together onstage, I truthfully have always felt more comfortable without the accountability of having 'players chemistry' all the time...
We are both pretty intense individuals and as such, it comes out in our personalities in and out of music... we are best as creatives that come together and make things and not people that should be surrounded by each other all the time. That being said, Hadji is my favorite person in the world to make music with, I think he is an incredibly dynamic individual that deserves to follow his passions outside of music.. and that it will ultimately be best for Megasoid for me to be the live extension of our collaborative outlet.
Perhaps when the LP drops we might do another 2-man AV show, but who knows, I guess time will tell. Until then, I am busting ass to make our shows something that stands alone in electronic music, with a philosophy about it carved out by two people with similar passions.
LP: Your Turbo Crunk events were definitely some of the best parties Montreal has ever seen. What do you think makes them so good and will we see a return anytime soon?
SR: Thank you! I am really glad you liked them. I think it was a very special time for music in general, but especially for Montreal, being able to be the visible alternative to all the 'club club' music that was dominating dance-floors for the last couple of years, and for Montreal to be worldwide contemporary to the visible laptop beat scenes.
I think that most of the people involved with Turbo Crunk have an expansive knowledge of music, combined with an amazing group of residents and locals (Seb Diamond + Hovatron [both ex-Mofomatronix] Lunice, Blingmod, Ango, Ghislain, Khiasma) being supported/co-signed by everyone from Zoobizarre to High Food to Peer Pressure to Mutek and MEG really made for some exciting things to happen. I also take a lot of pride in being able to say that we taste-made a lot of people that did their first shows here, and that we have in-turn built up good fan-bases for them enabling alot of our good freinds to return and be on bills that are bigger than the events we have promoted....
Getting to play alongside people like Theophilus London, Machinedrum, 215, Hudmo, Rustie, Mike Slott, Lorn, Nosaj Thing, Glitch Mob, Modeselektor has been nothing short of amazing. I am actually planning to move to the west coast for a bit, and as such Turbo Crunk has been put on ice... That being said, the Super Aqua Club team has joined forces with Duval (who we all love) and they together will be promoting events under the 'Night Trackin'' Moniker... all of which I am sure will be exciting and well curated, and that deserve peoples support. I love my Montreal team, and would just like to extend a little shoutout to everyone that came, was involved, performed, rocked out, had a great time, or hated it... we couldn't have had such an amazing time with music without everyone that came.
LP: This year’s St. Jean-Baptiste Bridge Burner Party, which you threw in conjunction with Khiasma and Poirier, was insane! How did the original Bridge Burner come about and how did this year’s compare?
SR: Megasoid did the first bridge burner a few years back, with just a PA in a Van, rocking out until the cops came. It was awesome. I mean, personally, I always prefer renegade events over sanctioned ones (Olivier's loft parties, Scott's rooftop, Our Pop After hours party were really my favorite events in this city)... but Bridge Burner has really become an amazing event, mostly because it has received support from a good diverse group of people... with great promoters getting on deck, Pop Montreal, RedBull, Mike D, Khiasma, Ghislain and a lot of heavyweight local volunteers. This years was the biggest, and most visible, and most successful, but truthfully, the first one will always hold the space in my heart.
LP: Your design firm, Weaponshouse, is a Montreal cultural institution with work spread out over just about every creative discipline. Could you explain what it is you do at Weaponshouse and what drives you to do it?
SR: I have always considered myself a visual artist and designer first and foremost, but somewhere along the line, I got lucky with music and started paying my rent off it and it in turn got priority. I like to travel, like the interactions but mostly like performing for people, in both a DJ and musicians context.
Weaponshouse is a work for hire creative house that does high end production work of all sorts... everything from graphic design to industrial design to custom jewelry and clothing for friends. I will soon be setting up a digital label and licensing house attached to it, and will be doing some textile work as well, in case anyone is seriously interested, the site has been stripped down to a bare bones resume, but will be back up with a new site soon. Megasoid's website should be up in a couple days as well.
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