April Fool, Reporting for Duty
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): After meditating on the omens, I can’t decide whether it’s more accurate to say “This week will suck” or “This week will blow.” APRIL FOOL! While it’s true that your imminent experiences may resemble the kinds of pleasure that one human being can give another through a masterful use of the mouth and tongue, “suck” and “blow” have too many negative connotations to use them as metaphors. Let’s say instead that the coming week will lick and slurp and drool.
Earplug 90: Henrik Schwarz
Feature
March 15, 2007
On the Seventh Day, He Kicked It
Henrik Schwarz brings Sunday Music to !K7
Berlin-based musician Henrik Schwarz has been DJing since his teens, and made a name for himself early on thanks to star-making supporters like Gilles Peterson, who has repped Schwarz’s soulful, jazzy, electronica on his radio show for years. Inevitably, !K7 came calling, certifying Schwarz’s gold status by signing him on as the latest artist to mix the label’s DJ-Kicks series. Schwarz’s mix is ambitious in its unitarian scope, reaching across soul, funk, rare groove, house, and techno. Earplug’s Jorge Hernandez caught up with the DJ before his gigs at this month’s Winter Music Conference.
Earplug: What’s it like being the “next big thing”?
Henrik Schwarz: Oh, I’m not taking it too seriously. Music’s always been a fantastic hobby; I never had to make music to earn money. I’m also only playing two weekends a month, just to keep things in balance and have time to think about what’s happening.
EP: Tell us a bit about your early music-making days.
HS: I had my first studio in the basement of my parents’ house. They were going mad because they only heard a bum-bum-bum-bum bass drum all night long. I had no idea how things worked and nobody to show me. I had a computer and wanted to attach my MIDI to it. It took me nine months to hear the first tone. I spent what I earned as a bartender and at my first DJ gigs on gear. I had many different synths and drum machines.
EP: How would you complete this statement? “Music is…”
HS: Music for me is a language to express things that are too complex to describe with words. Body music enters through the body; other music, like rock or classical, is head music. Everybody is collecting his own music in his head or body or soul. It’s your music fingerprint. Your music is you.
EP: Arthur Russell’s on this mix; that’s a strange musical fingerprint.
HS: His music is avant-garde, but at the same time, dance music. He uses classical instruments and background and combines these with synthetic sounds, effects, and recording technologies. That opens up a huge space and touches my heart, head, soul, and body.
EP: Sounds mystical. Energy vs technique?
HS: I like technology, but it’s only a tool. I believe in energy rather than technology. The turntable is a great tool, and I always loved DJing and vinyl. But I liked making music with computers from the beginning. Of course, the sound quality’s not so good compared to vinyl and analog recordings. There seems to be a lack of energy if music or images get digitized.
EP: Your label is named Sunday Music — what about the six other days?
HS: I had a day job as a graphic designer, working long weekdays. Then I was DJing on Saturday night, so I only had time to produce music on Sundays. That has changed: now it is half and half. Half design work, half music — that’s perfect!
EP: What’s the Chicago ensemble project?
HS: It’s called The Deeper Soul Arkestra, on Deeper Soul Recordings. They released an album of remixes from the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, a jazz band that’s played together for over 30 years. I did a remix for them, and the label invited the remixers to meet them in Bordeaux to play a concert together. That went so well that we all agreed to record a few things in Chicago. For me it is spiritual-jazz-meets-electronic-laptop-production live. Hopefully, we will finish a record soon.
EP: What else is next?
HS: I am working on my album for !K7 and on a new 12″ with Âme & Dixon from Innervisions. Also a new collaboration with Kuniyuki from Japan.
EP: Any other big interests, outside of music?
HS: I love cooking — so mostly when I have free time, I cook!
Down the YouTube
Since Viacom and the world can’t wrap their heads around 21st century concepts of copyright and privacy, let’s enjoy while we can. Below, a trio of hits from Steve, Lady Bunny and John Q.
Purple BareBack Mountin Majesty
Gak Reflex
Le BeatBox
Bic Runga: Birds, uncaged…
So, sue me. I was raised by a pack of latina lesbians – I like my pop music with a whole lotta drama. Under all the acoustic plucking and subtle electronic embellishments, Vietnamese/New Zealand singer Bic Runga flaunts her knack for all things Bacharach/Dusty/Carpenters/Mazzy Star. Self-produced with assistance from Simon Gregory (Massive Attack, Tracey Thorn, Yusaf Islam), Neil Finn (Crowded House) and Joey Waronker (Beck), Runga at times sounds like fellow Aussie Olivia Newton John (in the best way), albeit a bit more tortured and moody. By turns tender, dark, soothing, it’s an easy listen that captivates instantly and haunts long after its deceptive simplicity fades.
Bic Runga. Say After Me
Wonder Drug Powers Activate
Speaking of scratched sensuous bodies, I went to Dr. Chambliss again after 8 months. While waiting nearly an hour in the Soho lobby I distracted myself talking Mercury retrograde with a new Latina Gemini receptionist, Dominique; second-guessing the other patients’ ailments; watching the East-Euro electrician fiddle with the lights; and contemplating the snow falling outside the window just days before the new Daylight Savings change. He had a new assistant who screamed “Mid-west” – the extra pounds, clean-shaven face, the gosh-darn bright gleam in his eyes, and a nervous tick to his body language. He either couldn’t pronounce my first name correctly or he preferred to keep a professional distance by roll-calling my surname. “This guy’s going to draw my blood,” I thought.
Once the doctor arrived, we talked about his trip to a medical conference in L.A. – at the Standard Hotel (“they spent all the money on rooms and there was nothing left over for food; everyone was starving, but there was an open bar”). Among the topics were an emerging class of more advanced drugs (but not that one that “replicates neutral mutations”) – and my own meds. “Do you want to try the new Atripla?” My mind did flips at the name – yes, no, yes, huh? Seems the competing makers of Sustiva and Truvada have remixed and co-branded their separate recipes into a single/once-daily-before-bedtime dose.
“I already feel like I’m taking a placebo. Is this necessary?” “You’re lucky; you’ve adjusted well.” Just to make sure I stayed well-adjusted, I asked for reinforcements in the shape of an overdue Xanax refill. “At least you’re not asking on New Year’s Eve.” “Oh Doctor,” I rolled my eyes.
Still suspecting a set-up as I reached for the script, I arched my brow and crowed – “Two great tastes that taste great together. What are they up to? What does this mean? What’s in this for me?” Besides one less co-pay, allegedly also the peace of mind that comes with taking only one pill instead of two. Apparently, it makes some people feel less sick if they pop less pez. Or, that’s what I imagine the candy-brandishing pharmaceutical reps hawking when they make their sales rounds. In theory, I can imagine; but how I react in practice remains to be seen.
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All that Scratch Massive’s making me itch
Parisian duo Maud Geffray and Sebastien Chenut get off on mainlining the darker waves of the electro-techno spectrum. Their speedball sound, like the cover art to their new album, is sinister, lusty, and restless. Recorded for their own label, Chateau Rouge, and mastered by Basic Channel’s Moritz Von Oswald, Scratch Massive’s Time is marked by a luxe, indulgent, but meticulous tone that fuses their French gothic swoon to German precision. The ambient “Soleil Noir” echoes disembodied Beatles harmonies, the opener “Fake Lesbian” rides Laidback’s blip-zip “White Horse” groove, and “Shining in My Vein”, “Girls on Top,” and “Like You Said” are acid-laced industrial rollers. Alongside the edgier, original material, the Cure’s “Three Imaginary Boys” cover lands a bit hard. As Time bears out, Scratch Massive etch their most scintillating tracks when left to their own lugubrious devices.
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All that Scratch Massive’s making me itch
Parisian duo Maud Geffray and Sebastien Chenut get off on mainlining the darker waves of the electro-techno spectrum. Their speedball sound, like the cover art to their new album, is sinister, lusty, and restless. Recorded for their own label, Chateau Rouge, and mastered by Basic Channel’s Moritz Von Oswald, Scratch Massive’s Time is marked by a luxe, indulgent, but meticulous tone that fuses their French gothic swoon to German precision. The ambient “Soleil Noir” echoes disembodied Beatles harmonies, the opener “Fake Lesbian” rides Laidback’s blip-zip “White Horse” groove, and “Shining in My Vein”, “Girls on Top,” and “Like You Said” are acid-laced industrial rollers. Alongside the edgier, original material, the Cure’s “Three Imaginary Boys” cover lands a bit hard. As Time bears out, Scratch Massive etch their most scintillating tracks when left to their own lugubrious devices.
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DJ DIXON: Body Music
Wayward track & field rising star DJ Dixon (aka Steffen Berkhahn) spun off his Innervisions imprint from Jazzanova’s electronic base Sonar-Kollektiv in 2005 to celebrate the love for all House deep he acquired in Berlin hotspots like Tresor. On his Body Music Vol. 4 mix for Get Physical records, he conjures the simmered delirium of warehouse parties – without resorting to the divas, strings and keys that mark and dilute the genre. Instead, we get a spit-shined, purist’s collection of muted, wistful vocals, fluid basslines and strutting tempos. An exercise in melancholy syncopation, the session hits its defining stride in the long version of Larry Heard’s “The Sun Can’t Compare”, a disco meditation in the guise of acid squeeks, jack-house shuffles, and soigne wooing. Also in cahoots is a cadre of bold-face dub-heads. Eric “Dirty Jesus” Rug drops a new wave/hip hop “Tribute”; Dennis Ferrer leads Telepopmusik in a tribal cha-cha; Martin Buttrich melts down Tracey Thorn’s florescent “It’s All True”; and on Schwarz-Ame-Dixon’s “Pt. 2″ remix, Derrick Carter tells us “Where We At” – A place that wasn’t ours/is just a house with an address. Like Paris before it, Berlin is clearly burning its place into DJ history.
Pussy Cat Rock
Got this from the folks at Catskills Records, home to Husky Rescue. New one from Pepe Deluxe “Pussy Cat Rock”; below that, equally retarded/genius “Salami Fever.”
That’s right people Pepe Deluxe return with a brand new video to their forthcoming single ¨Pussy Cat Rock¨ featuring original footage from the unreleased cult classic ¨Red Lips, Drumsticks¨ directed by Kari Moore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wty3NME82QE
In the words of Kari Moore:
¨my film “Red lips, drumsticks” has turned to be a music video. You know the film never get finnished and I sold the material for Pepe Delux… They manipulated the footage with music video director and result is kind of kinky. The original movie was writen by my hot talented Billy-Kim Moore and it was shot in Finland, New York and hong kong.
Its coming up more information later on. you can screen the clip here in my home¨
http://www.myspace.com/karilovesbillykim
Massey Attack: Earplug #89
Feature
March 1, 2007
Massey Attack
Pacific pioneer wades deeper with Subtracks
Graham Massey has been a formidable presence in indie and electronic music for more than 20 years, playing in Biting Tongues, 808 State, and Toolshed; composing soundtracks; and producing and mixing the Stone Roses, Primal Scream, UB40, Art of Noise, David Bowie, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Goldfrapp. When Björk morphed from punk pixie to electronic prima donna, Massey largely fashioned her makeover. For nearly ten years, he has ripped out analog-inspired live shows under the Massonix alias; Earplug’s Jorge Hernandez caught up with him to talk about Subtracks, his new collection of Massonix material.
Earplug: Subtracks distills your “weird shows” over the years for Skam, Autechre, and Warp events. How do you translate that to CD?
Graham Massey: Playlists are a great filtering system. Sometimes when I make music, I don’t know where to put it, so I set it aside. Many of these tracks were favorite things that I listened to while I was doing the dishes. Also, the label was very clear about what they wanted, so that helped. We passed CDs back and forth until we got it right. If it doesn’t work, I’ll use it elsewhere.
EP: What is your Toolshed project?
GM: It’s like a pawnshop spread out all over the street. We’re all avid instrument collectors. Paddy Steer from Homelife is my right-hand man. Its style varies wildly depending on who’s in it at the time, from ambient when it’s just two people to big band, which I really like, when there are more of us.
EP: What else are you working on?
GM: I do another electronic thing with a guy called Graham Clark; he plays electric violin. I’m also learning to play the drums for a new organ quartet called Sisters of Transistors, and I’m doing a remix for Simian Mobile Disco.
EP: Are you touring for Subtracks?
GM: I don’t really like touring alone. I prefer playing with other people. But I might be playing the next Sónar in Barcelona.
EP: Are you doing anything with Biting Tongues?
GM: We’re re-forming for a one-off concert next month in Manchester. We did it about three years ago in London, and we’ve been trying ever since. It’s not related to it, but it coincides with a Soul Jazz compilation, DIY, coming out around then that’s about ’80s cassette culture, featuring Throbbing Gristle, all those guys.
EP: How did the It’s All Gone Pete Tong soundtrack happen?
GM: I got commissioned based on my show reel. While I was making music for it, the director kept saying, “There’s something I don’t like.” He figured out what it was: synthesizers. I said, “Well, you got the wrong guy.” So we reworked the tracks with more organic instruments.
EP: For 808’s tenth anniversary, there was the collection 808:88:98. Is there an 808:88:08 tour in the works?
GM: We did a couple 808 gigs last year. If we were to do it, we’d revamp the whole show because the technology’s changed. We’re remastering tracks and rereleasing each album with rarities, b-sides, and other mixes next year.
EP: Will you hit any US cities?
GM: It would be great. Dallas was always a hot spot; I personally love Seattle, Portland, and Chicago, of course. LA has always been big for us; they had DJs like Swedish Egil at MARS FM. We had a big Hispanic following there.
EP: LA loved Manchester. How has DJ culture changed since the scene’s golden era?
GM: It’s easier to organize things now. Everything’s not so centralized; there’s a lot of music outside urban areas. I’m old-school. I still buy vinyl. My son is beginning to buy music and he just wants the stuff he likes immediately. But I do pull random vinyl out of my collection every week and make sure he listens to obscure b-sides, just to school him.
Disco Infiltrator: Cerrone (Remix Magazine)
CERRONE
Mar 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jorge Hernandez
On the July 4th weekend in 1976, as America was in the throes of Bicentennial fever, an international flotilla converged on New York harbor, framing France’s most famous gift to America, the Statue of Liberty. Toward the year’s end, another Gallic gift ignited the city’s dancefloors: a 16-minute slab of wax by Jean-Marc Cerrone called “Love in C Minor” (Malligator). Like Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer’s “Love to Love You, Baby,” the 126 bpm Euro-disco template pushed the kick drum to the front of the mix and featured heaping crescendos, climaxes, denouements and erotically charged cover art that would define Cerrone’s signature as much as his accelerated tempo and symphonic excess.
For all its success, “C Minor” barely made it into being, let alone stateside in time for the movie Disco Fever. A Parisian shop inadvertently shipped the self-released single to NYC in lieu of returning Barry White overstocks. The single then infiltrated New York’s nascent record pools, where tastemakers like David Mancuso, Nicky Siano and Frankie Crocker put it into heavy rotation, generating sales to the tune of 3 million units. Billboard included it on its year-end list, and Cerrone eventually claimed five Grammy awards. Thirty years later, his total record sales range between 25- to 30-million units.
The success of “C Minor,” however, came with a price: a falling out with former partner Alec Costandinos. Many versions of the rift between Cerrone and Costandinos have circulated; to this day, Cerrone maintains it was a matter of loyalty. “When I did ‘C Minor,’ I asked him to do the lyrics,” Cerrone recalls. “When the record companies refused to sign it, I said, “I’m sure I’ve got something. You know why? Because nobody wants it. That proves it’s brand new.’ He said, ‘No, I think you fucked up.’ I said, ‘Shit, what am I supposed to do, put it in the garbage?’ He said, ‘Yes, it’s over. Goodbye.’ When ‘C Minor’ was a hit, he came back to me. I said, ‘Who do you think you are?’ You don’t forget that.”
Cerrone soon found another lyricist and kindred spirit. “One afternoon in Piccadilly Circus, I saw a red-haired girl without shoes playing a little plastic sax,” Cerrone says. “I was carrying my keyboard. She said, ‘What do you do?’ I said, ‘Musician.’ She said ‘Great! Where? Can I come see you in the studio?’” That girl was Lene Lovich, and the surrealist cabaret/punk diva from Detroit and the former hairdresser/Club Med music selector became friends, co-writing some of disco’s biggest hits, including “Supernature” (Atlantic, 1977) and its B-side “Give Me Love,” as well as “Je Suis Music” (Malligator, 1978).
As disco’s popularity waned and Cerrone explored R&B, rock and other sonic textures, another unexpected muse came from farther East. “I lost my father in 1983,” Cerrone laments. “In ‘86, I became a Buddhist. In 1994, I met the Dalai Lama. I went up to him like he was my father. He gave me certitude and advice: ‘Good or bad news, control yourself.’” He also gave Cerrone two to three pages of lyrics that he set to music and has repeatedly performed at many of his international outdoor spectacles, which have included 6,000 revelers at Versailles.
Cerrone’s latest extravaganza is scheduled for New York in the summer of 2007. It will comprise 23 simultaneous stages, last six hours, be beamed via satellite to millions and will continue his fundraising efforts for HIV/AIDS awareness, collecting contributions directly from people’s phone bills via text messages. After NYC, he’s off to Las Vegas and a two-year world tour. “I spend half the year on the road. It’s my life,” he says with a shrug. The event follows the 2006 re-release of Bob Sinclar’s Cerrone DJ mix (Malligator) and the upcoming 2007 release of a new album that may include Barbara Tucker, Chaka Khan, Run-DMC and Masters at Work — extending a roster that includes covers by Danny Tenaglia, Armand Van Helden and Daft Punk.
Underscoring the obvious, the silver-haired 56-year-old — who first prompted his father to buy him a set of drums some 40 years earlier to keep him from tapping out dinner-table rhythms with his fork — concludes, “When I go on vacation, my wife gets crazy; I get restless. One day I will calm down, but not now. It’s not time yet.”
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