Monday, January 30, 2012
Founders: Nicole From Sub.Mission
We here over at Beatport are long overdue in extending honors to one of the most crucial figures in dance-music culture: the promoter—the person whose vision creates a local outlet for fans to come together to celebrate the music they love. The culture wouldn't even exist without their support. Without the sounds and sights soaked up locally, today's producers and DJs would be without one of the most crucial sources of inspiration. In order to uncover the story behind producers' passions, we're reaching out. The first stop in our journey lies in Beatport's own backyard, in Denver, Colorado. Nicole Cacciavillano is head of Denver's biggest and best-known dubstep entity, Sub.Mission. Her events attract hundreds of party-goers with popular acts like Flux Pavilion, Borgore, Excision, and Datsik, while also servicing the most rigid dubstep die-hards with sounds from Hatcha, Distance and Appleblim. As they come up on their their fifth anniversary, we caught up with Nicole to see what it is that lies behind Sub.Mission's success.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Napalm Death: playing fast and furious
Formed in Thatcher's Britain 30 years ago, the grindcore band are back with their 14th album
'What we do is fast, chaotic and off the rails. It's like Motörhead times 10. We work our arses off and we're driven by passion for what we do," says 42-year-old vegetarian and fervent socialist Mark "Barney" Greenway in his Brummie accent. "We're always ready to eat shit and bullets, know what I mean?"
Greenway – a figure with a desert-dry sense of humour – has been the singer in Napalm Death since 1989, and shows no signs of losing his passion. For anyone who listened religiously to John Peel on Radio 1 in the late 80s and early 90s, the band's name has long been shorthand for the notion of sonic extremity. Notorious for their insanely fast and breathtakingly brief songs – such as the two-second You Suffer which, as students of such things will know, was only pipped at the post for the title of World's Shortest Song by fellow Britcore peers the Electro Hippies' one-second Mega Armageddon Death – they have existed in a variety of forms for an astonishing 30 years.
In fact, if the Sugababes have a metal equivalent, it is surely Napalm Death, because none of the original members is still with the band, but the present lineup was settled by the close of the 80s. Self-deprecating bassist Shane Embury was enlisted in 1987 and well remembers his first encounter with the group. "Me and a friend went to Birmingham on 22 March 1986 to a pub called The Mermaid and that's where I saw them for the first time," he recalls. "I was into metal and hardcore, always searching for the next extreme thing. They blew my mind. After that they were my favourite band. There were other bands playing fast, but there was something special about Napalm. No one else came close and that's something we protect to this day."
Napalm Death were originally part of the firmly off-the-radar anarcho-punk scene, but their sound evolved into something they proudly dubbed "grindcore" – a ferocious mixture of light-speed punk rock and churning, primitive metal, as showcased on their seminal debut Scum in 1987.
It was the subsequent patronage of John Peel and the numerous sessions they recorded for his show that enabled the band to dip a toe or two into mainstream waters. There were particularly memorable appearances on Chris Evans's Channel 4 show TFI Friday, including one where they recreated the famous Jim'll Fix It moment with a group of schoolchildren eating lunch on a rollercoaster.
"I get a certain perverse kick out of ambushing the mainstream like that," says Greenway. "There's a great number of people who really get what we do, but at the same time it's great when we go out in front of people who have perhaps heard the name but not the music, and then we start playing and you see their stunned faces. That's some achievement when people are so blase about everything. And to be honest, going on TFI was a laugh. We're a serious band in many ways, but we're not that po-faced."
Nonetheless, the band have never been afraid to espouse strongly left-leaning political views. Greenway is particularly passionate about the importance of what he terms "a humane and ethical way of looking at the world" and cheerfully insists his band's beliefs are an integral part of what Napalm Death have always been about.
"Right from the start, the band's name was a simple anti-war statement. Don't forget, it was Thatcher's Britain when Napalm began, with the sham of the Falklands war and all that," he says with a weary sigh. "The paradox of this band is between the brutality of the music and the lyrics, which are humanitarian and pro-pacifist and deeply critical of injustice on any level. I like that contradiction, because life isn't always cut and dried. It's a mixed-up beast and Napalm Death is like that too."
Their forthcoming 14th studio album, Utilitarian, once more belies the notion that Napalm Death are simply makers of impenetrable noise, showcasing a love of experimentation as well as the desire to push the boundaries of what is physically achievable with guitars, drums and the human voice. Songs such as Protection Racket, Think Tank Trials and the charming Everyday Pox (which features a suitably swivel-eyed guest appearance by avant-garde sax hero John Zorn) owe as much to the fearless noise worship of Sonic Youth, Swans and the Jesus and Mary Chain as they do to any straightforward metal band.
"In the early days we always attracted people from a wide range of different musical backgrounds," says Embury. "You'd have metal and punk kids standing next to Wedding Present fans and they all got something from it. That seems to be the case now too. We've never been afraid to try new things or to embrace all of our different influences. We've always just shared our passion for music with each other and somehow it just works."
The next year will again see Napalm Death grind inexorably forward through an annual schedule of more than 100 gigs all over the world. If there is a credible explanation for how a band that makes such a terrifying din can survive for three decades without slowing pace or losing heart, it must have something to do with passion, commitment and unerring belief in the idea that if you say something loud enough, people may find themselves with no choice but to listen.
"If your idea of music is something structured around a sensible, restrained, underlying beat, you're probably in the wrong place," Greenway laughs. "But your readers should be able to relate to us better than most! We're a contrary bunch of fuckers, for a start. We believe in equality and social justice in the truest form and not this 'Big Society' bullshit. And we hate the fucking Tories, if that helps!"
'What we do is fast, chaotic and off the rails. It's like Motörhead times 10. We work our arses off and we're driven by passion for what we do," says 42-year-old vegetarian and fervent socialist Mark "Barney" Greenway in his Brummie accent. "We're always ready to eat shit and bullets, know what I mean?"
Greenway – a figure with a desert-dry sense of humour – has been the singer in Napalm Death since 1989, and shows no signs of losing his passion. For anyone who listened religiously to John Peel on Radio 1 in the late 80s and early 90s, the band's name has long been shorthand for the notion of sonic extremity. Notorious for their insanely fast and breathtakingly brief songs – such as the two-second You Suffer which, as students of such things will know, was only pipped at the post for the title of World's Shortest Song by fellow Britcore peers the Electro Hippies' one-second Mega Armageddon Death – they have existed in a variety of forms for an astonishing 30 years.
In fact, if the Sugababes have a metal equivalent, it is surely Napalm Death, because none of the original members is still with the band, but the present lineup was settled by the close of the 80s. Self-deprecating bassist Shane Embury was enlisted in 1987 and well remembers his first encounter with the group. "Me and a friend went to Birmingham on 22 March 1986 to a pub called The Mermaid and that's where I saw them for the first time," he recalls. "I was into metal and hardcore, always searching for the next extreme thing. They blew my mind. After that they were my favourite band. There were other bands playing fast, but there was something special about Napalm. No one else came close and that's something we protect to this day."
Napalm Death were originally part of the firmly off-the-radar anarcho-punk scene, but their sound evolved into something they proudly dubbed "grindcore" – a ferocious mixture of light-speed punk rock and churning, primitive metal, as showcased on their seminal debut Scum in 1987.
It was the subsequent patronage of John Peel and the numerous sessions they recorded for his show that enabled the band to dip a toe or two into mainstream waters. There were particularly memorable appearances on Chris Evans's Channel 4 show TFI Friday, including one where they recreated the famous Jim'll Fix It moment with a group of schoolchildren eating lunch on a rollercoaster.
"I get a certain perverse kick out of ambushing the mainstream like that," says Greenway. "There's a great number of people who really get what we do, but at the same time it's great when we go out in front of people who have perhaps heard the name but not the music, and then we start playing and you see their stunned faces. That's some achievement when people are so blase about everything. And to be honest, going on TFI was a laugh. We're a serious band in many ways, but we're not that po-faced."
Nonetheless, the band have never been afraid to espouse strongly left-leaning political views. Greenway is particularly passionate about the importance of what he terms "a humane and ethical way of looking at the world" and cheerfully insists his band's beliefs are an integral part of what Napalm Death have always been about.
"Right from the start, the band's name was a simple anti-war statement. Don't forget, it was Thatcher's Britain when Napalm began, with the sham of the Falklands war and all that," he says with a weary sigh. "The paradox of this band is between the brutality of the music and the lyrics, which are humanitarian and pro-pacifist and deeply critical of injustice on any level. I like that contradiction, because life isn't always cut and dried. It's a mixed-up beast and Napalm Death is like that too."
Their forthcoming 14th studio album, Utilitarian, once more belies the notion that Napalm Death are simply makers of impenetrable noise, showcasing a love of experimentation as well as the desire to push the boundaries of what is physically achievable with guitars, drums and the human voice. Songs such as Protection Racket, Think Tank Trials and the charming Everyday Pox (which features a suitably swivel-eyed guest appearance by avant-garde sax hero John Zorn) owe as much to the fearless noise worship of Sonic Youth, Swans and the Jesus and Mary Chain as they do to any straightforward metal band.
"In the early days we always attracted people from a wide range of different musical backgrounds," says Embury. "You'd have metal and punk kids standing next to Wedding Present fans and they all got something from it. That seems to be the case now too. We've never been afraid to try new things or to embrace all of our different influences. We've always just shared our passion for music with each other and somehow it just works."
The next year will again see Napalm Death grind inexorably forward through an annual schedule of more than 100 gigs all over the world. If there is a credible explanation for how a band that makes such a terrifying din can survive for three decades without slowing pace or losing heart, it must have something to do with passion, commitment and unerring belief in the idea that if you say something loud enough, people may find themselves with no choice but to listen.
"If your idea of music is something structured around a sensible, restrained, underlying beat, you're probably in the wrong place," Greenway laughs. "But your readers should be able to relate to us better than most! We're a contrary bunch of fuckers, for a start. We believe in equality and social justice in the truest form and not this 'Big Society' bullshit. And we hate the fucking Tories, if that helps!"
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Track Of The Day: Pachanga Boys - Time
Just two releases deep and Hippie Dance is already my new favorite record label. Eccentric, creative and totally leftfield dance music is clearly the theme behind this imprint, and I absolutely love it. Run by Superpitcher and Rebolledo, the label's output so far has focused on their collaborative efforts as Pachanga Boys, and both releases have been some of the most interesting stuff I've heard lately. Perhaps it's not for everyone in the dance music spectrum, but you can't deny that it's totally different and slightly absurd. Personally, I wish there were more people doing this stuff. The second release, Girlcatcher, features a track called "Time" which is simply beautiful. Dreamy, ethereal, "emo" techno that's already a contender for my top-tracks-of-2012 list. I first heard it during Dirt Crew's Beatport Ustream session, and it was the track that totally stood out for me—one of the rare times I swallowed my "cooler-than-everyone" pride and demanded to know the name.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Duran Duran live at the Tonhalle
Duran Duran coming to a new date to Munich in the TonhalleAm 24/01/2012 British New Wave band Duran Duran comes to a new date of last July in Munich. In summer, the concert had to be canceled because of laryngitis by singer Simon Le Bon, but this is now rescheduled gig at the Music Hall. The success of Duran Duran are unique since its inception in 1978: Over 70 million sold records, hit singles in the U.S., 30 Top 30 hits in Britain and tons of sold-out shows across the globe. Duran Duran are a band that has done as no other, in an impressive way to combine pop music with art, a unique style and a lot of confidence in the fans.
Their hits speak for themselves: - but where are you supposed to just start? "A View To A Kill", "Is There Something I Should Know?", "Wild Boys", "Save A Prayer," "Hungry Like The Wolf", "Girls On Film" and "Notorious" determine the musical tastes of several generations and Duran Duran have long since secured a place in pop Olympus. But that's the gentlemen Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger give far from satisfied. With the latest album "All You Need Is Now" they have their 13th Studio album recorded and can not wait to present the songs from this plant to their fans live in Munich.
With "All You Need Is Now" Duran Druan set new standards. The ihnene confirm both the fans and their critics. For the album has got to be strong support: Ana Matronic of the Scissor Sisters, R & B-size Kelis and Owen Pallett of Arcade Fire contributed their share to the album, making "All You Need Is Now" to become one of the CDs varied from Duran Duran's entire creative life.
Their hits speak for themselves: - but where are you supposed to just start? "A View To A Kill", "Is There Something I Should Know?", "Wild Boys", "Save A Prayer," "Hungry Like The Wolf", "Girls On Film" and "Notorious" determine the musical tastes of several generations and Duran Duran have long since secured a place in pop Olympus. But that's the gentlemen Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger give far from satisfied. With the latest album "All You Need Is Now" they have their 13th Studio album recorded and can not wait to present the songs from this plant to their fans live in Munich.
With "All You Need Is Now" Duran Druan set new standards. The ihnene confirm both the fans and their critics. For the album has got to be strong support: Ana Matronic of the Scissor Sisters, R & B-size Kelis and Owen Pallett of Arcade Fire contributed their share to the album, making "All You Need Is Now" to become one of the CDs varied from Duran Duran's entire creative life.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
He also bridged the gap between rap and indie music
Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover may not meet the usual stereotypes of hip hop. He has not dealt with drugs such as Jay-Z, he has sold no crack - but laugh. Raised in a suburb, he studied in New York "Dramatic Writing" and worked as a successful writer and comedian for several U.S. series, now as a musician before he made a splash.
Glover was the first time in 2007 as a member of the Derrick Comedy's attention. The "Bro Rape" clip of the sketch comedy troupe was one of the first YouTube sensation with millions of clicks. "The Daily Show" was aware of him and put him as a writer, followed by a job for the Golden Globe-winning show "30 Rock." In the award-winning U.S. series "Community", he proves his great comic, acting talent as a former star football player in the identity crisis.
After Childish Gambino has in the past, a handful of albums on their own published and offered for free download, now follows in the next year his new studio album "Camp".
At "Camp" Glover provoked very deliberately and skillfully, he plays with language, with prejudice and rap stereotypes. This complexity is further pursued in the various musical styles on the album, Rap, Electronic and Musical-tinged chorus are not mutually exclusive.
He also bridged the gap between rap and indie music, his lyrics, he refers to Animal Collective, Sleigh Bells, Grizzly Bear and Vampire Weekend. "While you masturbate niggas, I'm in that Ariel Pink" he raps on already "Freeks & Geeks," in "Fire Fly" he observed, "I'm the only black kid at a Sufjan concert."
Glover was the first time in 2007 as a member of the Derrick Comedy's attention. The "Bro Rape" clip of the sketch comedy troupe was one of the first YouTube sensation with millions of clicks. "The Daily Show" was aware of him and put him as a writer, followed by a job for the Golden Globe-winning show "30 Rock." In the award-winning U.S. series "Community", he proves his great comic, acting talent as a former star football player in the identity crisis.
After Childish Gambino has in the past, a handful of albums on their own published and offered for free download, now follows in the next year his new studio album "Camp".
At "Camp" Glover provoked very deliberately and skillfully, he plays with language, with prejudice and rap stereotypes. This complexity is further pursued in the various musical styles on the album, Rap, Electronic and Musical-tinged chorus are not mutually exclusive.
He also bridged the gap between rap and indie music, his lyrics, he refers to Animal Collective, Sleigh Bells, Grizzly Bear and Vampire Weekend. "While you masturbate niggas, I'm in that Ariel Pink" he raps on already "Freeks & Geeks," in "Fire Fly" he observed, "I'm the only black kid at a Sufjan concert."
About JONA
we have already reported in detail and also published an interview with the guys.
Now there's news of the band from Giessen. Their first major concert tour, they have already put behind them (see above) - and is currently working on the debut album:
"We just stuck in the middle of working on our debut album, which is produced together with Robot Koch (Marteria, Marsimoto Jahcoozi) and Sven Ludwig.
We build on our gray-EP on ... something edgy and angular WIRDS. Organic live band sound with intricate beats and everyday poetry.
In early summer 2012, then we must also look forward to the next single from us. Soon then the future is given by Label known to us. "
It will be fascinating ... We'll keep you posted!
Now there's news of the band from Giessen. Their first major concert tour, they have already put behind them (see above) - and is currently working on the debut album:
"We just stuck in the middle of working on our debut album, which is produced together with Robot Koch (Marteria, Marsimoto Jahcoozi) and Sven Ludwig.
We build on our gray-EP on ... something edgy and angular WIRDS. Organic live band sound with intricate beats and everyday poetry.
In early summer 2012, then we must also look forward to the next single from us. Soon then the future is given by Label known to us. "
It will be fascinating ... We'll keep you posted!
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