Frankie Knuckles RIP

Knuckles by Jim Newberry

Frankie Knuckles - RIP

Available: Technics 1200 turntable - EXCELLENT working condition

$400 and its yours. Located in Woodstock, NY. Contact me if interested.

Mark Kamins interview with Love Saves the Day author Tim Lawrence

Kamins at Danceteria. Courtesy of Emily Armstrong.

Writer Tim Lawrence, who wrote the indispensable history of dance music in New York City during the 70's, Love Saves the Day, conducted a lengthy interview with longtime DJ and record producer, Mark Kamins back in 2008. At the time, Lawrence was doing research for his long awaited Love Saves-follow up, Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor, 1980-83, due in 2015.

Kamins, of course, was an essential face on the scene at the time between DJ'ing at clubs like Danceteria, and working with artists. He is best known for helping Madonna get her record deal, and did plenty of great remixes, and recordings as well, which has been thoroughly documented. He was tireless, and sadly passed away about a year ago.

Red Bull Music Academy recently posted a short version of the interview, and if you're really compelled, you can get the entire thing over at Tim Lawrence's site. While reading, I suggest listening to this terrific collection of Kamin's related recordings curated by Lawrence, and posted by Red Bull.

Danceteria flyer for opening night. Courtesy of Rudolf Piper.

Fucking DJ Tips

Want to rock crowds and be a successful DJ, but don't quite know how?

Check this fucking site out. Hat tip to Bill Brewster.

A handy FAQ for DJ's

Mark Kamins RIP

Mark Kamins - RIP

Just to bring everything full circle, here is Madonna in her debut performance as Madonna at Danceteria in New York, 1982. She performs her first single, "Everybody," which was produced by Kamins. He was responsible for bringing her to the attention of Seymour Stein at Sire Records. See Mark's considerable discography here.

The Asphodells: new Andrew Weatherall project, new album available now

A personal hero of mine, famed UK producer/DJ Andrew Weatherall has a new album out this week under the name of The Asphodells. The album is called Ruled By Passion Destroyed By Lust.

The Asphodells is a partnership between Andrew Weatherall and Timothy J. Fairplay. Their friendship goes back to Tim’s time with Battant in the latter part of the 2000s with Andrew helping out on production. Musically the album’s yet another game changer. Andrew has left behind the rock and roll leanings of Wrong Meeting and A Pox on the Pioneers and looks back over his shoulder to the purer electronics of the Kraftwerk-inflected Two Lone Swordsmen but without the sparse introspection that characterised those times.

Order Ruled By Passion Destroyed By Lust direct from them: CD and double LP here and downloads here.

Tonight! James Chance's Molotov Cocktail Lounge at Parkside Lounge!

12.06.12 - NYC - The Molotov Cocktail Lounge-

Parkside Lounge, 317 E Houston

James Chance presents: The Return of the Molotov Cocktail Lounge flaming funk DJ dance party featuring the rarest & funkiest music you've never heard with live sax & vocals by Mr. Chance himself & special preview of new Contortions album "Incorrigible!" plus live set at 10:00 with James Chance at the piano & Robert Aaron on tenor sax.

Follow James Chance here & here

Broke As Me: The Tom Waits Beat Tape by Big Pauper

Here's an interesting project I came across: The entire Bad As Me album by Tom Waits remixed & reimagined by a DJ going by the name of Big Pauper. Overall it's quite surprising & definitely fun to listen to, and I have to give the guy credit for trying...Tom Waits isn't exactly the first artist you think of when you think about possible remixes. But a lot of this works quite well...especially the more uptempo rhythmic tracks like Chicago, Raised Right Men, and Satisfied. Interestingly, the most beat heavy track from the original album, Hell Broke Luce, here is reimagined as down tempo & piano based - almost sounding like a Spiritualized demo tape - my only complaint being it ends too soon!

Anyway, here is what Big Pauper himself says about the project:

This is "Bad As Me" by Tom Waits remixed track for track (in two and a half weeks time) by Big Pauper (Circle Into Square, Folktek) on some serious blowing-off-steam lighthearted i-wanna-feel-good-n-have-fun beat tape shit.This album was a creative exercise in rapid fire beat construction. While the two and a half weeks it took me to create this isn't exactly light speed it sure beats the seven year duration it took me to complete the "Beyond My Means" LP.

Remixes were constructed using the original songs, other Tom Waits material, a recent Tom Waits interview on NPR, 60's japanese gangster flicks, the occasional czech new wave flick, a bunch of instruments & a couple of stacks of records/tapes.
 
Short n' sweet, this record was created with nothing but the utmost respect for Mister Tom Waits & all sampled artists. It is unauthorized & unaffiliated with Anti Records.

Listen to and/or download the entire thing below. And buy Tom Waits records here!

Stupefaction Tech Report - Music Apps & Turntable.fm

Every once in a while I come across apps that I really dig, or think I should mention, and I never seem to get around to it. Well that stops today! Below are a couple I'd like to mention plus a website I was recently turned on to.

The first app, I helped out in the production of. It was put together for the recently released (and first for a very long time) new album from Gavin Friday, catholic. Not all that different from apps I've seen for many of my favorite radio stations (WBGO, WFMU) or musical outfits (Echo & the Bunnymen, Daptone Records). It's free and you never know...there might be a time when you need it! Check it out here.

The second one was brought to my attention via the ever excellent ModCulture website,  and is called The 45 Fix (info here). Currently only available (or useful) for UK record nuts, its basically an record store app. According to ModCulture, many second hand shops are currently not listed, but that will change over time. I hope the developers of this one can get it together for the States. What an amazingly useful idea!

Lastly, we have turntable.fm, proving that many times the best ideas are obvious & simple. Turntable.fm combines two old ideas into one new, and quite fun one - playing music with friends & chatting about it. Basically, there are virtual rooms which are user created. Each room can have up to 5 DJ's, along with unlimited listeners, and each DJ takes a turn playing a song. And everyone can chat...it's quite addictive, and a great way to listen to music...I'm sure the RIAA & music publishers will find some way to fuck these folks over, but I hope not. Anyway, have a go while you can. Its a blast!