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misskiernews · 6 years ago

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Our recurring column ‘Lest We Forget’ is devoted to revisiting albums that have been unfairly overlooked or marginalized within the broader critical and commercial context of our favorite artists’ discographies. We hope that our recollections shine a newfound light on these underappreciated gems from the past, and as always, we encourage you, our readers, to weigh in with your own perspectives and memories in the comments below.

History has not been as kind as it should be to the criminally underappreciated trio Deee-Lite. The selective memory-driven preoccupation with the massively successful single “Groove Is In the Heart” has unfortunately—and incredulously—obscured the group’s true musical legacy. Listen beyond their biggest hit and you’ll soon discover the undeniable power of their message, the vivacity of their spirit, their integral role in making New York City club culture palpable to a wider global audience, and the brilliance of their recorded repertoire.

Granted, the buoyant “Groove Is In the Heart” is a universally beloved classic, and understandably so. But Deee-Lite’s story and music do not begin and end with their most recognizable song. There’s so much more to love and revere about this genre-bending trio, and those who lazily pigeonhole them as a one-hit-wonder need to have their ears, hearts, and souls checked for signs of life.

Formed in the “original global village” of New York City in the mid-1980s, Deee-Lite was the brainchild of Kierin “Lady Miss Kier” Kirby and “Super DJ Dmitry” Brill, who a short time thereafter welcomed DJ Towa Towa (a.k.a. Towa Tei) to the group. The trio’s genesis was inspired by the dancefloor hedonism and devoted community that defined the city’s vibrant club culture, of which its founders were (and presumably, still are) avid participants and devoted purveyors.

A more uninhibited counterweight to the generally taciturn Dmitry and Towa Tei, Lady Miss Kier emerged as one of the most charismatic frontwomen in music during the early 1990s, with the soulful vocal chops and penchant for magnetic performance to match her commanding personality. Not simply the beautiful face, arresting voice, and FIT-educated fashion maven of the group, Lady Miss Kier was arguably the de facto leader of Deee-Lite, integral to the development of the trio’s career, from the studio to the stage to the media spotlight and beyond.

While Deee-Lite cultivated an embellished, unmistakably retro-inspired aesthetic, the group’s hyper-stylized flamboyance and effervescence never compromised the substance of their more contemporary and accessible—yet credible—brand of dance music. From their inception with debut album World Clique in the summer of 1990, the trio was always able to balance style and sound quite effectively, which helped them sustain their appeal among both underground club heads and mainstream pop aficionados alike. In the process, and certainly by calculated design, the group transcended musical and cultural barriers to create a loyal global following, predicated upon a shared joie de vivre.

Deee-Lite’s recording career was regrettably an ephemeral one, allegedly due to irreconcilable creative and contractual differences, both within the group and with their label Elektra Records. Despite their short-lived time spent in the limelight, the group’s three proper studio albums—including 1992’s Infinity Within and 1994’s Dewdrops in the Garden—form one of the most rewarding and uplifting 1-2-3 album punches you’ll ever hear.

The latter album, in particular, remains the unfairly neglected third child of Deee-Lite’s studio discography. Which is lamentable, considering that from beginning to end, it is their strongest effort of the three. I still vividly recall laying my ears upon Dewdrops In the Garden for the first time shortly after its release back in July 1994, courtesy of the listening station at my local Tower Records in Berkeley, California. It took just one cursory listen for my ears to register that this album was special and reinforce why I had been so smitten with Deee-Lite in the first place. Handing over fifteen bucks for the privilege of taking the disc home with me that day was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made.

Except for his contributions to one track (the infectious “Call Me”), original group member Towa Tei had flown solo by the time recording began, replaced by DJ Ani. But the slightly new-look trio proved none the worse for wear in his absence, musically speaking. An invigorating, vibrant homage to the dynamism of the dancefloor and arguably the greatest showcase for Lady Miss Kier’s undeniable vocal prowess, Dewdrops should be prescribed as the mood-enhancing drug of choice for those deficient in musical stimulation.

Standouts abound across the album, including the euphoric house of the soaring “Bittersweet Loving,” the propulsive “River of Freedom,” the spaced-out “Bring Me Your Love,” and the hypnotic electro-psychedelica of “Music Selector is the Soul Reflector.” Their ongoing connection to hip-hop persists here, as manifested on the beat-heavy “When You Told Me You Loved Me,” which finds Lady Miss Kier throwing lyrical darts toward a wayward lower. The back-to-back, sun-kissed soul-pop of “Picnic In the Summertime” and “Apple Juice Kissing” are unequivocal highlights, bolstered by the juxtaposition of her seductive spoken word musings and entrancing vocals.

Though admittedly beloved among Deee-Lite’s most loyal devotees, the group’s effervescent, soul-redeeming swan song of an album still warrants so much more shine than it has received to date. Not to mention that it’s begging for a vinyl reissue treatment. Hint hint. Wink wink. If you’re reading, Lady Miss Kier.

Justin Chadwick

http://www.albumism.com/features/lest-we-forget-deee-lite-dewdrops-in-the-garden

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dashobos · 7 years ago

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Vorbereitungen * Als uns vor rund einem halben Jahr die Anfrage erreichte, auf dem Odessa Jazz Fest (22. bis 24. September) in der Ukraine zu spielen, glaubte ich zunächst, es würde sich um einen moderne Art von Phishing-Mails handeln. Als wir aber vor drei Wochen dann die Flugtickets nebst einer Überweisung vom Auswärtigen Amt Kiew auf unserem Bandkonto einging, war klar: Es geht mit Das Hobos nach Odessa! Weitere Infos zum Festival gibt es unter: www.jazzinodessa.com (Tom) * Eine Konzertreise in den Osten beginnt meist schon zu Hause mit einem Besuch beim Hauptzollamt Augsburg. Es empfiehlt sich ein Formular INF3 auszufüllen. Auf diesem sind alle Equipment-Teile aufgeführt. Der Zollbeamte zeigte sich sehr interessiert und hilfsbereit. Als wir alles wiegen, weiß ich nun auch, dass mein Equipment inklusive Becken 23 Kilogramm wiegt. Am liebsten würde ich meine Becken auch da lassen. Die Formulare sind eigentlich für die Wiedereinreise nach Deutschland gedacht. In der Ukraine können sie aber bei Zollformalitäten auch nützlich sein. Am Ende empfahl mir der freundliche Beamte den ukrainischen Kollegen immer nur ein Exemplar auszuhändigen und das zweite immer zu behalten. Zitat: »Da hört man immer die wildesten Sachen! Der Stempel ist denen am wichtigsten!« Okay, vielleicht sollte ich mir doch die Nummer der Hotline für Fälle mit korrupten Beamten notieren. (Tom) * So, erste Probe am Freitag in Augsburg. Wir haben einen mäßig bis zufriedenstellenden Durchlauf gespielt. Aber irgendwie fühlen wir uns auch etwas distanziert von dem, was wir so vor gut einem Jahr gespielt haben. Also erstmal essen und reflektieren. Okay, noch zweimal das Set durchspielen. Neue Videos importieren und die Übergänge zwischen den Stücken anschauen. Ich bin hier und da geplagt von Zweifeln. Fast vergessen wir eine Videonachricht zu filmen. Das wurde schon seit einer Woche fällig, aber da wir nur einen Probetag haben, müssen wir das auch noch unterbringen. Highlight des Abends war dann doch eine Stunde freie Improvisation nach dem Essen und einem Ouzo beim Nicos, unserem Griechen in Augsburg. (Tom) * Im Gegensatz zu einem DJ-Gig im Ausland, der sich heutzutage auch mit einem USB-Stick bewältigen lässt, sind wir vor einige logistische Probleme gestellt. Wie verteilen wir das Eqipment? Wo muss noch Gepäck dazu gebucht werden? Kommendes Wochenende geht es wirklich los. Frank hat noch eine Dreistundenfahrt fahrt vor sich. Ich darf das Video noch etwas editieren. Als ich es sende, kommt gleich die Antwort: Odessa will auch ein Video! Oh man, Strafarbeit. Ich geh nochmal eine Stunde ins Studio, um das zu machen. (Tom) * Video des Tages: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pswC-Mz7u8&sns=em * Die Dame bei Ukrain Air (Julia) war sehr nett, doch leider kommen wir nicht drum herum, Zusatzgepäck einzubuchen. Gitarren z.B. sind Übergröße und kosten extra. Wie machen das die anderen Bands? Mal wieder zieht das Musikerhandwerk die A.-Karte. Naja, was solls. Goethe zahlt. Die zusätzliche Zigarrenbox Hobo guitar geht jetzt doch ins Handgepäck. Bis auf den letzten Zentimeter: 115 um genau zu sein. Das zugehörige Case muss da bleiben, zu groß. Wird auf jeden Fall einen super Eindruck machen, wenn ich auf dem Jazzfestival mit umgeschnalltem Besenstiel reinstolzier. Genial! (Leo) Der Flug, Ankunft in Kiew * Am Flughafen München stellen wir fest, dass es schon ein spannendes Gefühl ist, so als Band irgendwohin zu fliegen. Leo sagt, dass man das öfters machen sollte, damit es nicht so aufregend ist. Ich habe mich ja entschieden, die Becken zuhause zu lassen. So war ich gezwungen nach dem Check-In noch einmal den Zoll aufzusuchen. Da ist sie wieder, die deutsche Gründlichkeit, die mir in meiner tiefsten italienischen Seele gegen den Strich geht. Manchmal finde ich sie sogar beängstigend. Beim Anstehen zum Zoll höre ich aus dem Glaskasten Stempelgeräusche. Ein Zeichen, dass es gleich wieder ein Stückchen weiter geht. Für den Vermerk bekomme ich sechs Stempel auf das Blatt. Alles kostenlos! Mission erfolgreich! Das Boarding läuft. Wir sehen zu, wie gerade die Gitarrenkoffer verladen werden. Geschäftigtes Treiben an der Maschine. Ich finde, Flugplätze haben irgendwie etwas von Sortieranlagen. So eine von Menschen geschaffene Maschine, die Menschen sortiert, und am Ende durch eine Kanüle in Flugzeuge presst. Alles bestens organisiert. Faszinierend, oder? Funktioniert durch Gründlichkeit sicher richtig gut so eine Flughafen-Maschine. Ich versuche, zu schlafen, aber nach einiger Zeit wecken mich heftige Turbulenzen. Ich denke, mir wird nicht das letzte mal holprig. Vorfreude und ein Hungergefühl, ausgelöst durch die Duftaromen der Bordküche, machen sich breit. (Tom) * Die Landung war aber mal so richtig holprig. Der Kollege von der roten Zone des Zolls fragt uns, wo wir spielen. Als wir »Odessa Jazz Festival« sagen, schickt er uns in die total überfüllte grüne Zone. Warum? Ich glaube, Frank macht das skeptisch, kein offizielles Papier zu bekommen. Nach einigen Minuten werden an den uns musternden Zollbeamten durchgepresst. Es ist 19:30 Uhr plus eine Stunde Zeitumstellung. Am Ausgang empfängt uns ein freundlich wirkender Herr mit einem Schild »Das Hobos« in der Hand. Das ist Dimitry, so stand es in unserem Plan. Er ist unser »long distance manager«. Wir begrüßen ihn auf Englisch, er antwortet etwas gebrochen: »Ich spreche Deutsch«. Wir warten noch ein bisschen, da er noch irgendwas telefonisch organisiert. Er bittet uns, erstmal zusammen zu bleiben. Dimitry macht einen netten ersten Eindruck. Ein bisschen wirkt er wie ein Pastor mit seiner zurückhaltenden Art und seinem etwas steifen Gang. Als wir aus der Halle kommen herrscht ein unerwartet mildes Klima mit Herbstwind. Wir sind da! Dimitry führt uns zu unserem Shuttlebus. Er erklärt uns den Zeitplan für die nächsten 24 Stunden bevor wir in die Nacht starten. Noch ein paar Minuten Zeit zum Rauchen. Irgendwie wirkt Dimitry auf mich, als hätten wir Zeitdruck. Vier Stunden Fahrt sind geplant. Doch eine Pause für einen kleinen Snack werden wir machen. (Tom) Fahrt durch die Nacht * Wir fahren durch Kiew. Sehr moderne Wohngebiete mit vielen Hochhäusern. Am Rande der Straße ist viel los. Viele Menschen an Bushaltestellen, riesige bunte Werbetafeln am Straßenrand werben immer wieder für die üblichen Verdächtigen. Wir überqueren einen großen Fluss. Als ich auf dem Wasser ein nervös-blinkendes Partyschiff sehe, erinnere ich mich sofort an unsere Rhytm-Police-DJ-Nacht auf dem Partyboot in Ryazan damals. Ich glaube wir durchqueren einmal die Stadt. Sind wir nicht im Kreis gefahren? Das hell erleuchtete und sehr belebte Kiew entlässt uns in die Nacht. Wir erfahren von Dimitry, dass Kiew eine drei Millionen Einwohner Stadt ist. Es ist inzwischen 20:30 Uhr. Wir passieren Birkenwälder, dahinter Dunkelheit. Das einzige, das die Nacht durchbricht, sind Bushaltestellen oder alle paar Kilometer hell erleuchtete Tankstellen oder Shops. Durch die Glasscheiben einer nicht enden wollenden Schallschutzmauer erkennt man kleine Häuseransammlungen und Kioske, aber selten ist ein Gebäude beleuchtet. Es wirkt alles, als wäre es 5 Uhr morgens. Mit dem Unterschied, dass man immer wieder Fußgänger neben der Straße erkennt. Bestätigt wird dieser Anblick durch Fußgängerbrücken in allen möglichen Varianten, die die vierspurige Fahrbahn überqueren. Eine halbe Stunde später ist es nur noch dunkel, dafür lässt die holprige Straße noch keinen Schlaf zu. Wir kommen am Hotel in Vinnytsia an, inzwischen regnet es. Das Haus macht einen sehr feinen Eindruck, so im klassichen französischen Stil mit braun-weiß glänzendem Marmor und Stuck an den Decken. Zumindest diese Farben nehme ich noch war. Die alte Standuhr in der Lobby krächzt und schlägt 1 Uhr. Das war ein langer Tag. (Tom) Vinnytsia Jazz Festival * Wir stehen um 11:30 Uhr in der Konzerthalle. Sie wirkt riesig. Dimitry wirkt angespannt, er erklärt uns den Tagesablauf. Ich frage, wo unsere Zugtickets für den Nachtzug nach Odessa sind. Wir stellen fest, dass das Festival nicht für den Transfer verantwortlich ist. Wir versuchen, jemanden in Odessa zu erreichen. In sende eine Mail an den Stage Manager. Der hat oft sehr schell geantwortet, als wir Kontakt hatten. Ganz nebenbei haben wir erfahren, dass Dimitry 29 Jahre alt ist. Wir hätten ihn wirklich älter geschätzt. Er kümmert sich wirklich gut um uns. (Tom) * In der Konzerthalle werden wir Natalia und Oleg vorgestellt, sie werden für uns übersetzen und uns den ganzen Abend begleiten. Aufbau und Soundcheck läuft ganz gut, bis auf die Tatsache, dass die Videoprojektionen noch nicht aufgebaut werden können. Im Backstage wird uns vom Chefproduzenten nochmal der geänderte Plan erklärt: Das Konzert wird live im Fernsehen übertragen! Jetzt verstehe ich auch den Stress… Außerdem wird beim »change over« im Nebenraum ein Live-Interview mit einem Bandmitglied geführt. Der Ablauf muss also perfekt passen. Man sagt uns, es wird schon klappen. Wir schicken Leo vor für das Interview, die Stimme der Band. (Tom) * Und jetzt das endgültige aus für die AV-Show. Keine Visuals. Das ist wirklich schade! Wir lassen die Sachen im Backstage stehen und spazieren eine Stunde mit Dmitri durch Vinnytsia. Die vielen Denkmäler der Stadt, die um den alten Wasserturm stehen, sind beeindruckend. Die kurioseste Geschichte ist, dass der Präsident eine Schokoladenmarke hält. Ich will auch eine Schokolade vom Präsidenten! Zum Mittagessen bekommen wir eine köstliche Gemüsesuppe. Zeit uns auszuruhen. Es ist schwer, zu entspannen. Aber gute Nachrichten per E-Mail: Alexej aus Odessa hat sich gemeldet. Wir sollen neue Zugfahrkarten an der Rezeption ausdrucken lassen. (Tom) * Nun kommt der »change over«. Die Sprachbarriere stellt gerade bei technischen Fragen eine größere Hürde dar. Vielleicht ist es auch das ukrainische Temperament, das mir gerade zu schaffen macht. Unsere Dolmetscherin beteuert immer wieder, dass alles in Ordnung ist. Wir verlassen jetzt in dem Trubel trotzdem die Bühne, ohne alles aufgebaut zu haben. Die Stimmung kippt. Klar, der Druck beim Fernsehen in einer Live-Situation ist für alle Beteiligten hart. Vor allem, wenn Sprach- und Kommunikationsprobleme dazu kommen. Punkt 22 Uhr sollen wir auf die Bühne. Leo wird von drei Technikern und zwei Dolmetschern sowie der Festivalleitung belagert. Er soll das Interview führen. Und wir wissen, er kann nicht wirklich den Aufbau checken. (Tom) * Der »change over« läuft wie in Trance. Als ich fertig bin, steht schon die Moderatorin auf der Bühne. Unser Song »Danzig« beginnt mit einem Loop. Das Publikum klatscht den Takt mit. Das Konzert beginnt... Nach und nach breiten sich die Signale von Leo und Frank im Raum aus. Die Szenerie verwandelt sich in einen surrealen Hobo-Trip, den wir im Nachhinein wirklich schwer beschreiben können. (Tom) * Als das Konzert vorbei ist, stehen viele Besucher beim Applaus auf. Aus unserer Sicht haben wir wenig Connection gehabt. Jedenfalls haben wir polarisiert. Ganz sicher. Nach dem Konzert gibt es einen Pressetermin vor der Fotowand. Ist total unser Ding, schön freundlich zu sein. Fragen vom Fachpublikum und Journalisten. Der Höhepunkt: Eine Verlosung von LP’s, Singles und Kaffeegutscheinen. Zum Schluss ein Foto mit allen Gewinnern. (Tom) * Als ich im Konzertsaal mein Zeug abbaue, bin ich alleine. Die Luft ist heiß und verbraucht. Wir sind da grade wirklich durchgegangen? Ja, und irgendwie war es Punk. Danke Vinnytsia für dieses Erlebnis. Und ein Danke an die Dolmetscher Natalia, Oleg und Dimitry! Es ist spät. Um 4:30 Uhr sollen wir in den Nachtzug nach Odessa. Unsere erste gemeinsame Fahrt im Night Train. (Tom) * Das Telefon neben meinem Bett klingelt. Es ist Dimitry. Er sagt, der Fahrer will, dass wir um 3:40 Uhr unten sind. Ich schaue auf die Uhr. Ich hätte noch 22 Minuten schlafen können. In mir breitet sich Wut aus. 22 Minuten! Ich möchte schreien. Jetzt bin ich an dem Punkt, an dem ich etwas kaputt machen möchte. Ich habe wirklich kein Verständnis für Gewalt und konnte bis zu diesem Moment den Mythos dieser »Gepflogenheit« diverser Jazzmusiker nicht verstehen. Ich will nur bisschen Schlaf. Verdammt! (Tom) Auf nach Odessa * In der Lobby sage ich zu Dimi, wie wir ihn inzwischen nennen, dass ich etwas sauer über seinen Anruf war. Seine Antwort: »Ich liebe meinen Job!« Wir warten auf den Bus, der uns zum Bahnhof bringt. 10 Minuten Fahrzeit. Als wir dort sind, haben wir noch 30 Minuten. Auf dem Bahnhofsvorplatz stehen in der Dunkelheit einige Männer herum. Dimi sagt, wir sollten besser noch etwas im Bus bleiben. Als wir zum Gleis kommen, rollt der Night Train schon ein. Ich habe den Fieldrecorder und das Gepäck. Wir müssen schnell laufen, da unser Wagen weit vor rollt. Der Zug ist ewig lang. Es riecht nach Kohle. Die Züge im Osten haben einen eigenartigen Geruch. Das liegt an dem Samowar-Ofen in jedem Wagen. In jedem Wagon gibt es einen Zugbegleiter, der beim Einsteigen das Ticket checkt. Wir verabschieden uns von Dimitry und steigen in den rostigen Zug. Drinnen Holz-Flair und warme Orangetöne. Das ist für ukrainische Verhältnisse die Luxusvariante. Es sind Zwei-Bett-Abteile in diesem Wagon. Ich finds gemütlich, es hat ein bisschen was vom Orient-Express... 15 Minuten später liege ich schon im Bett. Das schaukeln des Zugs und die eigenartige Soundkulisse nehme ich noch mit dem Fieldrecorder auf. Dann wiegt mich der Wagen schön in den Schlaf. (Tom) * Nach rund fünf Stunden wache ich wieder auf. Ich fühle mich gut erholt. In Odessa angekommen, findet sich niemand, der uns abholt. Eventuell wurden wir aber auch übersehen, also warten wir am Ende des Gleises, da es ein Kopfbahnhof ist. Nach ein paar Minuten meldet sich Yulya, sie wird uns die nächsten 24 Stunden begleiten. Wir checken in ein modernes Designhotel ein. Gleich weiter zum Mittagessen. Ein erstes Licht am Horizont. Wir essen in der Optimistic Bar. Es gibt gutes, frisch gekochtes vegetarisches Essen. Meine Müdigkeit weicht der Vorfreude. Nach dem Essen haben wir sogar noch eine Stunde Zeit. (Tom) * Wir entscheiden uns für einen Spaziergang zum Hafen. Irgendwie ist fast jedes Haus in Odessa auf seine Art einzigartig. Wahnsinnig groß und die Architektur von vor hundert Jahren finde ich einfach umwerfend. Die Stadt wurde durch den Einfluss italienischer und französchischer Architektur erbaut. Ohne Katharina die Große gäbe es Odessa gar nicht. Die Sonne scheint. Um zum Hafen zu kommen, gehen wir 300 Treppen herunter. Natürlich bleibt dieser Ausflug nicht folgenlos: Wir müssen uns inzwischen beeilen, dass wir pünklich zum »get in« da sind. (Tom) Odessa Jazz Fest * Wir betreten das Odessa Philharmonic Theater, das 1898 erbaut wurde. Ein riesiger Saal mit 910 Quadratmetern und einer 15 Meter hohen Decke. Das Gebäude, eingewachsen zwischen vielen anderen imposanten Bauwerken, fällt von außen fast gar nicht auf. Soviel zu den Dimensionen. In Odessa ist alles in die Jahre gekommen, und noch nicht kaputt renoviert worden. Ich finde, das ist genau der Charme im Osten. Alexej begrüßt uns freundlich. Er fragt kurz, wie es gestern lief. Ich sage: »Lass uns bitte nicht darüber reden.« »Heute wird's besser«, erwidert er. Das Technik-Team macht einen jungen, engagierten Eindruck. Alles ist möglich. Ich höre öfter: »Wir sind hier um uns um Euch zu kümmern.« Ich sehe, wie der Mischer weit hinten im Saal beim Soundcheck mitwippt. (Tom) * Noch ein Interview mit einer Journalistin. Yulya übersetzt, da sie gut Englisch kann. Irgendwie fasziniert die Journalisten die Geschichte von Das Hobos, vor allem die Aufnahmen neben den Bahngleisen. Einige glauben, wir würden in einem Güterwagon leben und dort Musik aufnehmen. Wir sind tatsächlich am Gleiskörper gewesen, und das hat so eine Stimmung erzeugt. Das Hobos-Gefühl. Von der Hand in den Mund leben, nicht viel brauchen, dadurch vielleicht freier sein. Und was hat das nun mit Jazz zu tun? Das fragen wir uns auch. Bestimmt seid wir gebucht wurden. Ein Satz aus Leos Antwort bieb hängen: »Es hat vielleicht sogar gar nichts mit Musik zu tun... Wir sind vielleicht gar keine Musiker?« Das finde ich schon abschließend auf den Punkt gebracht. Danach machen wir uns daran, unsere Playlist zu kürzen, da nur 45 Minuten angesetzt sind. Wir werden nach dem »get in« auf der Bühne eingewiesen. Vor uns spielt das Wladimir Tarassow Trio. Sein Avantgarde Jazz ist sicher herausfordernd für manche Hörer. Vladimir war gestern schon in Vinnytisa dabei. Er ist sehr sympathisch. Immer mit diesem Lächeln in den Mundwinkeln. (Tom) * Okay, wir warten zehn Minuten vor dem Aufbau im Backstage. Eine letzte Einweisung durch den Stage Manager und dann geht es hoch. Der Umbau läuft perfekt. Am Ende warten wir am Bühenenrand, der Saal füllt sich. Das Odessa Philharmonic Theater ist am Ende mit gut 1.000 Menschen gefüllt. Alles bestuhlt. Wir starten pünktlich. Wir entscheiden uns gegen fertige Songs, für mehr Improvisation mit der Hobo-King-Gitarre. Das Konzert läuft gut. Wir fühlen uns musikalisch connected. Die Aufregung ist gewichen. Sie war in Odessa komischerweise nie wirklich präsent. Wir fühlen uns einfach gut aufgehoben. Die kurze Playlist mit freien Improvisationseinlagen bewähren sich. Der letzte Song ist heute »whitelines«. Heute können wir ihn spielen. Gestern war die TV-Übertragung schon vorbei, bevor wir fertig waren. Wir verlassen die Bühne. Es ist ziemlich hektisch. Viele haben Fragen oder klopfen uns auf die Schulter. Mich überfordern solche Situation eher. Natürlich darf ein Foto vor der Fotowand mit den Offiziellen nicht fehlen. Worte der Dankbarkeit von allen Seiten. Bei der Jazzsession beim Dinner ist es uns zu laut. Wir sind müde und die Möglichkeit, Schlaf zu bekommen, wird immer weniger. Nachdem alles Equipment wieder im Hotel ist, entscheiden wir uns für ein Bier in eine ruhigeren Bar und verlassen das laute Treiben der Jazzsession. Die Veranstalter feiern heute den Abschluss und den Erfolg des Festivals. Ich rechne die Zeit, die ich zum Schlafen bekomme. Wecker stellen. Um 5 Uhr geht es mit dem Shuttle zum Flugplatz und dann über einen Zwischenstopp in Kiew nach München. Andrej holt uns mit dem Bus ab. Er hat durchgemacht und sagt, wir feiern noch. (Tom) * Vielen Dank an das Goethe Institut bzw. das Bavarian House Odessa, die dieses Konzert ermöglicht haben. Danke an alle, die uns in dieser Zeit begleitet haben. Unser Dank gilt besonders auch Patrick Bellgardt von a3kultur, der unser Handygetippe in lesbare Sätze übersetzt hat.

#dashobos #odessajazzfest #vinnytsiajazzfest #ukrainetravelblog #tourblog #a3kultur #experience

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wolfgabe · 1 year ago

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Now I want to see Nintendo do their own Once Upon A Studio style short.

Some day I would love to see Nintendo do their own little short film similar to Once Upon A Studio with all the different Nintendo characters gathered together with a giant group photo at the end.

My ideas for who could appear.

The Super Mario Series

Mario

Luigi

Peach

Toad/Captain Toad

Toadette

Bowser

Bowser Jr

Koopalings

Petey Piranha

Daisy

Wario

Waluigi

Rosalina

Luma

Pauline

Wart

Tatanga

Cackletta

Fawful

Goombas

Koopas

Lakitu

Goombella

Count Bleck

Dimentio

Olivia

King Olly

Cappy

Piantas

Kamek

Foreman Spike

Starlow

Broque Monsieur

King Boo

The Legend of Zelda

Link

Zelda

Ganondorf

Tingle

Midna

Zant

The Skull Kid

Navi

Prince Sidon

Mipha

Daruk

Yunobo

Teba

Revali

Riju

Urbosa

Purah

Robbie

Master Kohga

King Daphnes

King Rhoam

Linebeck

Anjean

Byrne

Chancelor Cole

Agahnim

The Happy Mask Salesman

Marin

Talon

Ingo

Lord Girahim

Metroid

Samus

Ridley

Kraid

Phantoon

Raven Beak

Metroids

Mother Brain

Space Pirates

Dark Samus

U-Mos

Rundas

Ghor

Gandrayda

Adam Malkovich

Sylux

Kanden

Trace

Noxus

Spire

Weavel

Fire Emblem

Marth

Roy

Ike

Lucina

Chrom

Lyn

Ryoma

Xander

Takumi

Camilla

King Garrin

Robin

Corrin

Tiki

Medeus

Gharnef

Alm

Celica

Ashnard

Black Night

Dmitri

Claude

Edelgard

Byleth

F-Zero

Captain Falcon

Samurai Goro

Dr Stewart

Pico

Blood Falcon

Black Shadow

Mr. EAD

The Skull

Jody Summer

Earthbound/MOTHER

Ninten

Ana

Lloyd

Teddy

EVE

Gyig

Ness

Paula

Jeff

Poo

Porky

Buzz Buzz

Mr. Saturn

Starman

Flying Man

Dungeon Man

Master Belch

Lucas

Claus

Kumatora

Duster

Boney

Flint

Kid Icarus

Pit

Palutena

Medusa

Eggplant Wizard

The Reaper

Hades

Viridi

Phosphora

Magnus

Dark Pit

Phosphora

Dyntos

Wario Land/WarioWare

Captain Syrup

Rudy the Clown

The Shake King

Queen Meralda

Spritelings

The Black Jewel

Princess Shokora

Mona

Jimmy T

Ashley

Dribble

Spitz

9-Volt

5-Volt

18-Volt

Lulu

Pyoro

Orbulon

Kat

Ana

Young Cricket

Master Mantis

Dr Crygor

Pikmin

Olimar

Louie

The President

Alph

Brittany

Charlie

Shepard

Russ

Dingo

Bernard

Collin

Oatchi

Moss

The Ancient Sirehound

Various Pikmin

Bulborb

Emperor Bulblax

Animal Crossing

Tom Nook

Mr Resetti

Copper

Booker

Tortimer

Kappn

Isabelle

Digby

Pelly

Phyllis

Tommy and Timmy Nook

Crazy Redd

Gracie

Franklin

Dr Shrunk

Blanca

Gulliver

Leif

Mabel

Sable

Labelle

Jingle

Zipper T

Lyle

Lottie

Wardell

Blathers

Celeste

Brewster

Reese

Cyrus

Jack

K.K. Slider

Harriet

Harvey

Wilbur

Orville

Pascal

Joan

Porter

Daisy Mae

Lloid

Resetti

Don Resetti

Rover

Splatoon

Inklings

Capn Cuttlefish

Dj Octavio

Octarians

Callie and Marie

Sheldon

Marina

Pearl

Shiver

Frye

Big Man

Mr. Grizz

Salmonids

Commander Tartar

Crusty Sean

Annie and Moe

Spyke

Murch

Judd

Lil Judd

Aunt Flow and Craymond

Jelonzo

Jelfonzo

Bisk

Mr Coco

Harmony

Gnarly Eddie

Donkey Kong

Diddy Kong

Dixie Kong

Cranky Kong

Funky Kong

Candy Kong

Kiddie Kong

Swanky Kong

Rambi

Squawks

King K Rool

Kritters

Tikis

Tiki Tong

Snowmads

Lord Fredrick

Party Monkeys

Dread Kong

Ninja Kong

Karate Kong

Sumo Kong

Cactus King

Donkey Kong Jr

ARMS

Spring Man

Ribbon Girl

Ninjara

Min Min

Master Mummy

Mechanica

Twintelle

Helix

Kid Cobra

Byte & Barq

Max Brass

Lola Pop

Misango

Springtron

Dr Coyle

Biff

Yoshi Series

Yoshi

Poochy

Burt the Bashful

Roger the Potted Ghost

Naval Piranha

Hookbill the Koopa

Raphael the Raven

Baby Mario

Kirby Series

Kirby

King Dedede

Bandana Waddle Dee

Meta Knight

Whispy Woods

Kracko

Mr Shine and Mr Bright

Nightmare

Rick

Kine

Coo

Gooey

Nago

Pitch

ChuChu

Dark Matter

Adeline

Ribbon

Zero

Marx

Dark Mind

Drawcia

Magolor

Landia

Taranza

Queen Sectonia

Susie

President Haltmann

The Three Mage Sisters

Hyness

Elflin

Gorimondo

Clawroline

Sillydillo

Leongar

Punch Out!!

Little Mac

Doc Louis

Glass Joe

King Hippo

Von Kaiser

Soda Popinski

Bald Bull

Don Flamenco

Great Tiger

Piston Hondo

Bear Hugger

Mr. Sandman

Super Macho Man

Xenoblade Chronicles Series

Shulk

Reyn

Fiora

Sharla

Dunban

Riki

Metal Face

Rex

Pyra

Mythra

Morag

Tora

Poppy

Zeke

Malos

Jin

Lora

Amalthus

Noah

Mio

Eunie

Sena

Lanz

Taion

Riku and Manana

Star Fox

Fox

Falco

Peppy Hare

Slippy Toad

General Pepper

Wolf O Donnell

Andross

Leon

Panther

Krystal

Prince Tricky

General Scales

Early Nintendo/NES Era

Mr Game & Watch

Professor Hector

R.O.B

Smick

Dr Mario Viruses

Mach Rider

Ice Climbers

The Condor

The Polar Bear

Topi

Bubbles

ExciteBike Racers

Duck Hunt Dog and Ducks

Wild Gunman Outlaws

Sable Prince

Devil

Tamagon

Eggplant Man

Diskun

Takamaru

Balloon Fighter

Other

Wii Fit Trainers

Ring Fit Trainees

Dragaux

Miis

Dillion and Russ

Rusty Slugger

Ryota from Wave Race

Sebastian Tute from Wii Music

Chibi Robo

The Arcade Bunny from Nintendo Badge Arcade

Nikki from Swapnote

The Flipnote Studio Frog

#nintendo #video games #once upon a studio #crossovers #ideas #seriously I am surprised Nintendo hasnt done a crossover anniversary special.

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joneswilliam72 · 6 years ago

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What to see at Tallinn Music Week 2019

Later this month The 405 is travelling to Estonia for the 11th edition of Tallinn Music Week, an annual event celebrating cultural and ethnic diversity through music. Although our previous piece on the festival might have already propelled you towards an early Spring trip to the Baltic peninsula, here we gather some of the acts we're looking forward to seeing the most; our selection features a heterogeneous mix of styles, cultures, and genres that will spin you out of your comfort zone and make for a very diverse listen, freed from yawning recurrences.

See you in the front row.

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GHLOW (Sweden)

Crystal Memoriz by GHLOW

Hailing from Stockholm is electropunk duo GHLOW, showing us the noughties' subgenre is neither dead nor outdated and that their Scandinavian approach only made it more addictive. After releasing a four-track EP titled Crystal Memoriz back in 2017, the band is now prepping a proper full length whose details should be announced very soon.

Iris Gold (Denmark)

All I Really Know by Iris Gold

The thing that makes Iris Gold's music stand out the most is probably her omnipresent cultural tandem: the Danish-Jamaican-English singer grew up on a diet of Jefferson Airplane, Beastie Boys, and everything in-between, which resulted in a singular mix of hip-hop and soulful pop that keeps turning heads (and ears) everywhere. Her most recent single 'Keep the Light On' was released last November.

Kali Briis (Estonia)

Estonian producer Alan Olonen a.k.a. Kali Briis has been performing live with his band since 2013 — the year his LP Say Whaat? won Best Alternative Album at the Estonian Music Awards. His latest album Cloudy With a Chance of Briis came out last December and is a perfect example of his unique take on pop electronica and admirable production expertise.

Knightknights (Russia)

ТАЙГЕР ФОРС by РыцарныеРыцари

Heavy is Moscow-based duo KnightKnights' middle name, both sonic and environmental-wise. Igor's bass and Dmitri's drums join forces in what promises to become the next Russian scene export. Tallinn Music Week 2019 marks their first show outside Russia and Belarus, so expect it to happen with a bang; their video for 'ЖИВАЯ МИШЕНЬ' is out now.

Kosmonavt (Bielorussia)

Frozen Hearts EP by Kosmonavt

What's in a name? In Kosmonavt's case, everything. The Belorussian producer is one of the country's most prominent musicians of the 10s, and the alias he chose for his electronica project couldn't be more appropriate: his take on EDM is as dreamy and grandiose as a space mission — something properly showcased by his 2018 EP Frozen Hearts.

MOJA (Japan)

スーパーカー( Super Car ) by MOJA

Another duo that's set to warm up Tallinn's cold nights is MOJA (pronounced "moya"), a Japanese band consisting on drums (Masumi) and bass (Haru). Their forthcoming new album was recorded at London's Park Studios and succeeds to 2017's SUPER CAR; expect much energy and noise and everything else you hoped for.

Red Brut (Netherlands)

s/t by Red Brut

Among the most intriguing acts playing at Tallinn Music Week is Dutch performer Marijn Verbiesen a.k.a. Red Brut, who uses cassette tapes as her main instruments. Her untitled debut came out last year, showcasing an expertise of experimentation and avantgardism that draws inspiration from the likes of John Cage and Daphne Oram without ever losing its poetic core.

Red Telephone (United Kingdom)

Victoria Park by Red Telephone

With their first two singles 'Kookly Rose' and 'Victoria Park' Welsh trio Red Telephone have been revisiting the British Pastoral by giving it a 21st century twist. Likened to heavyweights of the genre such as Syd Barrett, T Rex, or Suede, they've been progressively gaining support from DJs everywhere in the UK; no news regarding a lengthier release have been given as of yet.

SADO OPERA (Russia)

In The Dark by SADO OPERA

Saint Petersburg-born, Berlin-based SADO OPERA have been pushing the frontiers of genre and sexuality through their music and attitude — after all, one of their most important flags is inclusivity, and they fly it loud and proud via the mix of boogie, disco, electrofunk that is their sound. A definite must-see live, they are currently the resident band of Berlin's nightclub Wilde Renate.

SEN (Taiwan)

With their self-titled debut album released last summer via White Rabbit Records, Taiwanese post-punkers SEN demonstrate how intensely perfect the East-meets-West encounter can be. A whirlwind of cinematic sounds emerges from the nine-track release, which in its turn is a perfect example of what musical expertise sounds like.

Sibyl Vane (Estonia)

If you missed that early 00s indie carelessness, Estonian trio Sibyl Vane are here to make sure you take a proper trip down memory lane — without the needless throwback repetition. Their unique take on alternative noughties rock is properly exemplified by albums Love, Holy Water and TV and their self-titled LP, as through the new addictive single 'I Don't Drive', released last year.

Teemu & the Deathblows (Finland)

I'm The Kidd by Teemu & The Deathblows

Hazy sunshine and retro fuzziness fill Teemu & The Deathblows's lo-fi garagy sounds, inviting us to their sonic road trip throughout the fields of Finland. The quartet released their first LP Keep It in the Dark last year via Svart Records, and are now surfing the airwaves all over the world with hits like 'Girl' or 'I'm the Kidd'.

Tokyo Taboo (United Kingdom)

No Pleasure Only Pain by Tokyo Taboo

'No Pleasure Only Pain' is London-based Tokyo Taboo's first taster from their forthcoming new album, which the band recorded in California with Noah Shain. Famous for their outrageous and energetic performances, the band fronted by Dolly Daggerz plays it loud and proud, promising not to disappoint with the much anticipated successor to 6th Street Psychosis.

Trees (Finland)

Finnish folk rock is represented in TMW by Trees — the most appropriate name for a quartet drawing inspiration from Laurel Canyon's residents Neil Young and The Byrds. Their single and video 'Out in the Open' perfectly showcases what the first album sounds like: a warm, pine-scented collection of tunes recorded live in the studio that will send you back in time.

Tallinn Music Week 2019 takes place in Tallinn, Estonia between March 25th and 31st. For further information on the line-up, schedules, tickets, and accommodation head over to their official website.

from The 405 https://ift.tt/2Cab4nZ

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donnahinkleystaceytroy · 4 years ago

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#deee-lite #super dj dmitry #lady miss kier kirby #jungle dj towa towa

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westakoasta · 6 years ago

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MEGABUSIVE - 2018

Can you tell us about your very beginnings in the Hip-Hop culture and growing up in San Jose?

San Jose had a small scene that began to pick up steam in the early 90’s. I got involved around 92 or so. B-Boying and graffiti were pretty popular at the time. I got my start there, and started rapping later on. Around 1994. The first show I ever did was at a legal graffiti spot in San Jose called the Barrio Art Gallery. I did that show with my friend Dmitri, who is actually a cousin of my wife, but I didn’t meet her until much later, so that was a cool coincidence. Dmitri was like a mentor to me in graffiti, and got us our first rap gig. The first rap group I was ever in was called Elements with Marc Price, Crescent, Esoin and Opski Chan. We did some talent shows and stuff.

What led to your first demo as "Pro"?

I had been given an opportunity to do my first show, but I had no recorded songs. A longtime friend and elder, Aiko Shirakawa gave me an opportunity to perform at an event she was putting together, but she said I needed ‘real’ songs. I was part of a community group called Sages that Aiko helped facilitate and organize at the Hank Lopez Community Center in San Jose. It was sort of like Zulu Nation, but localized to San Jose and minus a lot of the more disciplined tenants. We were young people who got together to talk about community issues, history, and trying to keep ourselves out of trouble. I had attended meetings for a while, and Aiko gave me a shot to enter the more legitimate rap fray. I was introduced to Tape Mastah Steph who helped with my first beats, along with Esoin. The songs I recorded for that show would later be featured on Four Track Anthems.

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When did you switch to the name Megabusive and where does the name come from (it's a pretty cool one btw!)?

Thank you. I appreciate that. I had been battling for a while. Before heading off to a B-Boy event one Saturday, as I was getting ready I felt I needed a new name. I wanted to something bold that was unconventional and got across what I was trying to do. After fumbling around with variations of the word Mega, I just sort of fell into Megabusive. At that moment, I knew I had found a name.

Can you tell us about this Epicenter Broadcast, how did you hook up with those guys?

Epicenter Broadcast was a group formed by a cat named Axeom. Axe, El Uno (the Unipersonalis), and Koan Abel were building together around ’96-97. They were definitely pushing a more complex line than most other rappers of the time. I had been friends with Axe for a while, and he brought me into the fold. We were young, and everyone had different ideas about where things ought to go. I myself was pretty wild and started focusing on my solo material. I actually recorded some of my first songs on El Uno’s 4-track. Shortly after that I got my own 4-track. It probably mostly had to do with my crazy behavior that we didn’t last long. We just ended up going our separate ways. We had features together on a few different local projects, but that was pretty much it.

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Your first cassette albums kind of stood out to me because it seems they were made with very simple equipment and also it was both sonically and verbally pretty original. There was a real will to offer something personal and fresh, no jazz or funk-related samples and every rap was pretty personal.

What was your state of mind when you recorded those albums? How did you live back then?

I was about 16 or so when I started making my own songs. By that time I had been exposed to Hiero, Hobo Junction, Goodlife / Afterlife / Project Blowed, and Solesides so I was interested in more experimental music. I leaned more toward darker tones and heavy bass because it just sounded good to me. I really liked LL Cool J and Run DMC as a kid and so much of their stuff was mostly drum machines and DJ cuts. I never really paid it too much mind. When I first started getting going on solo projects, Killa Klove really hooked me up. He did some of the first beats for songs I did as Megabusive, and taught me a lot about beat making and recording. He sold me the drum machine and 4 track I used to record my first albums, and I just took it from there. I didn’t have money for a sampler back then, so I worked with what I could afford. I’ve also always felt that there’s something very fulfilling about having constructed your track from top to bottom. I never much cared for how it compared to what other people were doing. I was only really concerned for how I was doing what I was doing.

I was in my late teens. Drinking, learning about drugs, hanging out with girls. Skateboarding. Graffiti. That was my mindset. I was going to shows by this time, so a lot of my direction also came from addressing what was happening in the local scene at the time. Have beef with some crew…go home and do a song dissing them. Have a fallout with a girl…make a song dissing her. That was the formula.

Looking back, it's pretty crazy how active and influential the local scene in San Jose has been as far as west coast underground hip hop goes. Do you have some kind of an explanation for this, some key factors, or actors? Were the local scene pretty tight in the late 90’s, was there some kind of an emulation?

This was the mid-90’s so it was all still pretty new. I’d credit Axeom and a cat named Mark Austria for influencing the tape trade in San Jose. There were a lot of underground demos and dubs circulating at the time, but it was like some dark web shit. Fools were mad stingy with dubs. You had to be in with the in-crowd to even hear certain songs, sometimes. Fortunately we had college radio and these dubs, which put us up on a lot underground artists. There were also these cats Chad and Dylan that were deep in the tape trade. I know they were responsible for helping spread things around. Aiko and Rob Rabang who threw Plan B at the Cactus Club are amongst the most influential. They knew what was dope and they brought out a lot of folks from the underground to perform at their monthly events.

Another key player in the San Jose underground connection is Jason Dooley. Jason and his crew TenSeven picked up where Plan B left off at the Cactus Club. They brought out a lot of the really dope underground cats, and that gave us an opportunity to network and get to know each other better. They gave me a pretty open platform, as well. While I wasn’t a ‘resident’ MC, you could pretty much guarantee I’d be rapping at some point during their events. Big up to BJ, Oscar, Carlos and their whole team for showing me as much love as they did. Can’t say for certain where’d I’d be if not for them. Jason also loaned me the ASR-10 sampler that I used to produce Farewell to Analog and my record for Mary Joy.

Also integral to all of this were Shane Nesbitt of Below the Surface, and P-Minus at ATAK. They were the first ones to ever sell our tapes, then later the CD’s. Both were fully independent and mostly popped up at shows to sell merch. Shane also had an actual storefront in Burlingame, then eventually in San Mateo, California. They were essential to getting our music out to a broader audience, and influencing many of us to take a more professional approach to the construction and distribution of our projects. I am eternally grateful to both of them.

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You had a lot of collaborations with lots of different crews back late 90’s era (FTA/Highground, Westcoast Workforce, Shape Shifters, Sacred Hoop, New Moon, later Isolated Wax). How did you end up hooking with those crews/groups?

The FTA connection came from graffiti. We had a little beef, but eventually became friends. I went to school with Jaer and Demo so that helped to ease the tensions. I was told they also appreciated that when confronted with the beef, I met it head-on instead of hiding or whatever, so that got me some respect. I dug what those guys were doing, so I was down with mending fences. We all really liked Hip-Hop and a few of us started writing rhymes together. We got our real start by calling into radio shows and freestyling. Early on we got a chance to pop by the radio station at Santa Clara University and became regulars for a short time on a show hosted by Sweet Lou. He really helped us out back then, and I will be eternally grateful for that opportunity. Rase eventually got some equipment and that’s what really brought it all together. His parents were really cool and let us hang out at their house a lot. Most of the FTA stuff was done at Rase’s house in his room, or this motorhome he got and kept in the back of the house. A lot of classic moments took place in that thing.

I’d known Joe Dub from attending Zulu Nation meetings in San Francisco when I was around 16 or 17, if memory serves. We hooked up again years later at the Cactus Club, and it was on after that. Joey would come down to San Jose with AC75 and the homie Matty C. They actually brought down the first 4 track we used, which eventually became Rase’s. I think he might still have that thing somewhere. We’d get hammered in the motor home and rap all night. It was a great time.

I don’t want to fudge the history too much. I was doing a lot of drugs and drinking back then, so some of the timelines are a little hazy. To my recollection, Unbreakable Comb from FTA and his homie Liquid Gold were super committed to keeping up on all the new stuff. They were in close contact with Axe and Mark Austria so they knew about stuff way early on. They were the dudes who would be tuned into every college radio show, and really had their ears to the street. I’m about 98% certain they were the ones who put us all onto Sacred Hoop. I was falling in and out of the crew during that time, while they all had been developing relationships with the Hoop. Fortunately I was able to be involved in the Moe’s Strange Hobby project. I was a pretty wild kid at the time, and only wish maybe I would have heeded Luke Sick’s advice to take a few more shots at my verses, but still, I’m thankful to have been there at all.

During this period is also when Stealth Melters came into existence. It started out as some sort of alias group I did by myself using 3 different voices for a song. I had met some guys from the Santa Clara area who I thought were really dope, and had these wild styles. I was introduced by THlostOT (lost in thought), who had actually been the person who inspired me to release my first tape. He said he knew some people he was in college with who would dig them, so he ordered the first ever run of Megabusive tapes. He showed me some stuff he and his friends were working on, and I was pumped. I asked if they were down to do some tracks and it just went from there. Pompous Kid on Trampoline/Luciferigno, Cire/White Noize, THlostOT, and I made an album together. That was a really fun time. Smoking a ton of weed and trying to be as absurd as we could. It was awesome. Later, Waste Management was created with the addition of Killichee Kows. My involvement was a little more limited there. Later Cyvee, Deform, Killeechee Kows, and Kizmic would become Animal Liquids. I love all those dudes to death.

New Moon were from San Jose, and affiliated with the Daysmen Empire. Piseas (of New Moon) is Style Misia’s cousin. I had known those guys for years, as we all came up around the same time. Esoin and I were in Elements and he helped me with my first couple songs. I had been really close with A-One through highschool, so we all knew each other. New Moon had asked me to get on a track, so we did that. They also appeared on my album Farewell to Analog.

I got to know Circus, Awol One, and Exist mostly through my having been affiliated with Anticon and through our LA connections fostered by Joe Dub. I’d hang out at the Anticon Chalet in Oakland and they’d come through. If they were ever elsewhere in the bay, we’d also get together. The posse cut we did for the 3 Eyed Cows project was actually recorded in a hotel bathroom when the Shifters were visiting San Jose. I love the Shapeshifters. Radioinactive I got to know more through hanging out with West Coast Workforce.

Workforce came about through Joe Dub. We had been going to B-Boy Summits in San Diego and LA for a couple years and started building relationships with artists from down there. Joe Dub was critical in keeping in contact with those guys and was eventually brought into Workforce. I got added a little later on. We did a couple joints and had a lot of fun. I still have a lot of love for all those guys and still try to work with them when we can. Much love to Subtitle, Life Rexall, Premonition, Anti MC, Joe Dub, Xololonxinxo, and Radioinactive. Big shout out to Neila, as well. She’s always been a major factor in the LA2THEBAY connection.

Isolated Wax is Dave Dub’s brainchild. Dave Dub is a pillar of the San Jose rap community, along with Persevere, Barry Bones, Fanatik, Zes the Smoker, Encore, The Architect and 50 Gran. They had a crew called the Underbombers which was pretty much the toughest shit out of San Jose at the time, in my opinion. They’d all end up having the first releases out on Stones Throw and 75 Ark (run by The Automator). They had all been doing stuff for a while when I got involved in the scene. I was a fan of Dave’s before I met him. I first met him at the Works shows that preceded Plan B. We’d hang out a few times, and eventually became pretty close. He had started Isolated Wax formally in about 2000. We picked back up in the mid 2000’s because he was given a distribution opportunity and brought me onboard to help flesh things out. All-in-all it was a pretty ambitious endeavor and I had a good time doing it. Life has gotten very real for all parties involved, so it’s been a while since there has been an Isolated Wax release.

Your first vinyl appearance was on that dope Tags of The Times 3 compilation. How did that happen?

Man. To tell you the truth, I don’t even remember exactly how that went down. I recorded the songs and Deeskee’s house, though. Deeskee is the brains behind LA2THEBAY. At this time he was still living in Halfmoon Bay. We’d met and hung out at different events around the Bay. He was building up a pretty thorough endeavor at the time, so I was stoked to be recording with him on his ADAT. I felt like I had hit the big time.

I’m really not sure how the record got initiated. I do remember this cat Higo from Mary Joy was super cool, and really into what I was doing. He was my contact at the label, and really helped move that along. They had agreed to do a 12” single, but it never came out. There’s 2 more songs and a couple test presses out floating around in the ether somewhere. It was a huge push for me, though. Still boggles my mind that I was even involved. Big shout out to Higo, Shungo, and Hiro for trying to help me out.

Although you did several appearances during that period, there's a gap in your discography between 2006 and 2014 as far as doing a full album. Why such a gap?

Truth told, I just go through phases of discontentment. I’ve had pretty severe mental health and substance abuse issues. I’ve always enjoyed the community aspect of Hip-Hop, but feel there’s a lot questionable stuff that goes down in the music scene. I’ve been pretty outspoken, mostly to my own detriment, and often wonder why I’m even involved. Every few years I’m inspired by seeing what my friends and the OGs are doing, and it motivates me to put out new stuff. I’ve been recording straight through all these years, but incentive to release records is minimal. I’m not into this free model of giving away music and doing free shows, but I love the art and still enjoy aspects of the scene, so I do what I have to do to stay visible. For the most part, though, being niche like I tend to be, while at odds with the establishment doesn’t generally lead to a favorable outcome. There’s peaks and valleys. I stopped trippin’ off people and scenarios I don’t like. Now I just focus on the positive aspects. It’s a lot less stressful.

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How did the Hell On Hell album happened?

My good friend J the Sarge who I’ve known since highschool had been working closely with Myka 9 and the M9 imprint. We got to talking, and one thing led to another. The initial vision J had was more of a polished rap record, with a little more commercial sensibility. I was recording songs and things were moving along. While I was working on those songs, Awkward sent me the beats which would all eventually end up on Hell on Hell, and right away I started writing to those and decided I wanted to do sort of an ‘anti’ rap record. Not against rap, but against the posturing and cool guy approach. I had just had my first child, and thought I should be doing something more mature than what I had been known for. There were a lot of social justice issues occurring at the time, and I just wanted to do something that was critical of the time we were living in, on all sides. Not just the system, but also how we exist inside the system. Not sure it went over well with the masses, but I’m glad we did it. Much love to J and Myka for letting us do the record we wanted to do, even if ultimately it didn’t have the sort of appeal that a more hype record might have had.

You also changed your aka to Computer Chip. Was there a particular meaning to this?

I love computers and my name is Chip. That’s the short answer. Computer Chip is like the flip side of Megabusive. As I’ve gotten older, the name Megabusive and the stigma it carries have sometimes felt burdensome. I no longer battle rap. I keep the swearing to a minimum. The beats are more synthy and technical. I just wanted to have an alternative outlet. As time has gone on I’ve realized that Megabusive is both a blessing and a curse, but it’s how I’m best known and I should be proud of what I’ve built. They’re interchangeable now. Depends on the mood I’m in.

Then you recently started this new project with Gel Roc and Deeskee called Exalt The Anti. Can you tell us a little more about it, what the name stands for, etc.?

Basically, Gel Roc hit me up and asked if I was down to do a record. We first met back in like ’99 and recorded for the 3 Eyed Cows tape together with the Shapes and EX2. I was down. He also wanted me to do all the beats, which is a big deal for me because historically I’ve been told time and time again that my beats were wack. This meant a lot to me, so I was up for the challenge. I was moving around a bunch, and had my second child during this time. It took a while to finish, but Gel was super cool about it and just kept encouraging me to do more beats and get songs done. In all my time making music I’ve never had anyone take that much time and effort to help me along on a single project. We’ve become really good friends over the course of the past few years. I owe him a lot for that. Luckily we were able to get Deeskee involved with the cuts, and then the final mix and master of the record. It came together beautifully and I love those guys to death.

The name came from a chorus for the song Exalt the Anti. We went back and forth with who’d go first, or who would do the chorus for each song. I came up with that one just based on what we were trying to accomplish. We both have a very similar mindset in regard to how we came up, the types of rap we like, and the way things have been on a steady decline for the past few years. We’re not down with the bullshit. Pretty much anti anything that isn’t what we’d deem ‘true school’.

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Did you see the documentary Adult Rappers? What's your take on being 40 (or close to) and still doing that thing you love?

I haven’t seen the documentary. I’m 39 now, and a lot of stuff still feels the same. There’s the added concern of having a family, being more mindful of my physical and mental health, and trying to build and foster lasting/meaningful personal relationships with the people I work with. Just trying to do stuff that hasn’t really been said or done. Dealing with cool guy shit, which is now magnified intensely by the internet. Not having as many local events, and how few people show up to the events we are able to do is kind of a bummer, but it’s not new. It’s just what I love. I do it for myself and the core group of people that are into it. Trying to mature the sound some, but always having fun. I still believe I might have a shot at doing something that reaches a larger audience, but I’m OK with how things are. I’ve always been lazy and kinda crazy, so I believe I get out what I put in. My wife is super supportive of what I do, and allows me the freedom to go about things at my own pace. She even shot my last few videos. It’s a real family affair.

Do you write the same way than back then? What did change on an personal, artistic point of view?

Having my kids has changed my perspective quite a bit. I used to be really angry and it was reflected in my music. I would often come off as aloof, or even bitter, but with some comedy. I was mostly just mocking other people. Whether it was gangster rap, or other underground heads I didn’t like, I was always poking fun. As I’ve gotten older, none of that matters as much. My kids listen to my music and I feel like I owe it to them to be doing things more responsibly. More personal introspection, and less anger. With that I’ve also become more conscious of my cadences, delivery, etc. I used to keep it to as few takes as possible. If I had to record a song again, it probably wasn’t going to get finished. Now I am definitely more meticulous. I want it to be known and acknowledged that I am serious about what I do. I also used to write more stream of consciousness style with very loose rhymes, whereas now I’m more into stacking rhymes and patterns. Had to clean things up, and prove I’m not a one trick pony. I’ve just been a drunk with very little guidance.

And on a larger tip, how do you see the shift of that particular underground scene in terms of audience, sales, etc.?

It comes in waves. Things will be very strong for a while, then it seems to calm down a little bit. There are also other elements at play now, which have always been foreign to me. Underground artists have a lot more options these days and are taking advantage of industry tools. Coming up, I didn’t know anyone with a publicist or booking agent, and now it’s almost mandatory. I have yet to retain such services, but have definitely considered it for future releases. Why should everyone else get to have all the fun? It takes a lot to get people to even check it out, let alone spend any money on it. My feeling is that if you’ve got a strong product, and get out on the road, you should be able to move a few copies.

Finally, do you have new projects to come?

I’ve always gotten something in the pot. Right now I’m just stacking tracks. Dropping random one-offs online. Just trying different things to get a read on what people like and what they don’t like. While I make music to satisfy my own urges, it’s naive to totally ignore the audience. I’ve learned that the hard way, but I wouldn’t trade my path for anyone else’s. I’ve also been working on producing songs and records, so I’ve got a few collaborative efforts taking shape right now with some amazing artists, that we all know and love. I’m really looking forward to those releases.

Thank you for taking time out to talk with me. I apologize for taking so long. It was a lot to remember, and I wanted to do my best not to leave anything or anyone out.

I may have mixed up a few of these dates and stories. It’s been more than 20 years in some cases, and I’ve been a mess for a lot of it. If anyone reading this disagrees with my memories of how things actually happened, I apologize. If your name was mentioned, it’s all love. There were so many people involved and it happened so quickly, in retrospect. I want to send a thank you to everyone who has ever been cool with me, or helped me out along the way. I’m not the easiest person to get along with, so I really appreciate those who have taken me as I am. Peace.

https://megabusive.bandcamp.com/

https://music.abolanorecords.com/album/hip-hop-against-the-world

Interview conducted by Pseudzero, august 2018.

#megabusive exaltheanti sanjosehiphop westcoastunderground

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