2 cents gotta get thrown in here...
I met DJ Spooky in 1994 when he was a journalist/ad space sales
person for the Village Voice (sorry if you check this list, Paul)...
I was working with a musician from Germany Cosmic Baby, who he was
really excited about. Went to see Spooky perform in NY in an art
sculpture garden in that south of houston ghetto area 3rd and avenue
B or something like that during the last new music semonar... The
concept was he had 2 or 3 decks on one side of the room and another
guy another couple on the opposite side. From a sound generating
point it was at most a lotta noise. From an arts persepctive ala
John Cage/Found Noise, it was inneresting. More enjoyable was the
water sculpture in the garden.
Later heard him DJ about 97 at Sprawl in London -if memory serves me
- it was quite dissonant, he handed me one of his CD's at the time,
bout the same. But I like people like Jeff Noon/David Toop and the
experimental school/illbient music or whatever name you wanna hang
onnit. Spooky also writes for artbytes under his real name. He is
really good at delivering the message to the media via interviews. He
understands media manipulation, interviews & hype..
Sadly, when he opened for Coldcut during the Reich Remixed launch in
April of 99 at Irving Plaza, I had caught a miserable spring cold on
the plane & the nyc rain the day before, and damn, I missed his set,
although many reported a certain blandness to it...(but got there for
Coldcut who kicked it with their audio visuals - in fact saw many a
jaw dropping when they realised it was the VISuals making the sound,
not the music itself)
I dont think Spooky proclaims or could even come close to the same
kind of dj that Dave Clarke is (and I went around the UK for two
years judging mixing competitions from 90-92 as rap editor of mixmag,
and a journo on that scene, and yes watching dj's mix with just about
everything in a row for an evening can be a bit ear shattering) - I
must have attended five years of New Music Seminar Mixing
Championships in NYC between 86 - 92 watching some of the best -
including Cash Money - who for my money is over rated, but again
knows what time it is (ie sometimes you can get more for hype than
delivering)
Spooky is good as an ambassador of hype. He is good at making
interesting noises. Why he even coined it illbient. Cause it's ill.
(not illin')
What was it public enemy once said, 'dont believe the hype' ?
Just so you dont feel bad for having paid good cashola, I've walked
out of many an electronic/ambient/arts noise sculpture performance
having paid good money, just cause i thought the whole thing was erh,
boring...
I myself have been known to crash a few trains when mixing...I spose
it's all what expectation you go to a show with....
ok, i've dropped too many names now, sorry.....
http://www.ninjatune.net
coldcut on da radio mon nite 12am-2am gmt
http://www.bbc.co.uk/londonlive
http://www.worldtimezone.com
zentertainment: wed nite 9pm - 1am gmt
http://www.piratetv.net
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