Jen Brings it for a 3rd installment of Meet your Bassgasm2 DJ’s!!
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Whether or not Woody McBride’s second Bassgasm installment at First Avenue amounts to the best DJ party of the summer remains to be seen but there’s one thing you can bet your dancing shoes on: it is going to be crazy loud. The Wall Of Bass soundsystem is McBride’s legend in the Twin Cities, its moutainous bins reaching toward the ceiling in praise to the electronic gods for over a decade. Though more than 70 DJs are playing BG2 this Friday, we’re interviewing a dozen before the show in hopes you’ll get to know your local turntable jock. Today’s roundup: First Avenue mainstay Soviet Panda (of Too Much Love fame), dubstep duo Hulk and up-and-comer Tekfro, who has a new release out on McBride’s own Communique Records…
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| Tough job… |
Getting to know … SOVIET PANDA
Downloadable mix: Lovecast #3
Current Top 10:
Beautiful Swimmers – Big Coast – Future Times
DJ T. – Dis (KiNK Remix) – Get Physical
Johnny Dynell – Jam Hot (Tensnake Remix) – Smash Hit
Midnight Magic – Beam Me Up (Jacques Renault Remix) – Permanent Vacation
Nacho Lovers – Deeper – Fool’s Gold
Neurotic Drum Band – Robotic Hypnotic Adventure (Harkin & Raney Remix) – Wurst
Runaway – The Fire Below (Jungle Mix) – On The Prowl
TBD – Okay, Cool – DFA
Voltage – All Night (Azari & III Remix) – Cutters
Wolf + Lamb – Love Somone – Wolf + Lamb
Gimme Noise: What are your current creative projects?
Soviet Panda: Too Much Love, my own productions, and a few collaborations with friends
Best memory of Minneapolis?
My best memories of Minneapolis are being with all of my friends, listening to music we love at events we’ve put together – the parties where you feel like a million bucks and know that it couldn’t happen anywhere else.
What artists are you currently really into?
Current stuff: Azari & III, LCD Soundsystem, Wurst Music Co., Runaway, On The Prowl, Ariel Pink, Cold Cave, Rub N Tug, Tensnake, Throne of Blood, Shit Robot, Elite Gymanstics, TBD, Mutant Beat Dance, Walter Jones, KiNK & Neville Watson
What’s your next release?
I’ve just had remixes come out for local bands Claps and G.Biz. Debut single by the end of 2010, fingers crossed.
Thoughts about playing Bassgasm?
The name “Bassgasm” doesn’t fully reveal itself until you are there and can experience the bass. A lightbulb went off for me the first time I felt it.
Which ’80s or ’90s Minneapolis bands are you influenced by?
12 Rods
Give us a quote from someone inspiring.
“Repetition is a form of change” -Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt
What was the craziest time you’ve had or thing you’ve seen at a party?
If you can remember the party, it must not be that crazy, right?! A few weeks ago at Too Much Love, a bagpiper roamed the dance floor and played along to the music. That was pretty crazy.
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| Top that, Selleck |
Getting to know … HULK
Downloadable mix: Future Imperfect
Tracklisting:
1. Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy train ft. Twista (Hulk remix)
2. Nero – Innocence
3. Hulk – Prophecy
4. Stellamara – Prituri se planinata (Nit Grit remix)
5. J Majik & Wickaman – Feel about you
6. Hot Pink Delorean & Fantastadon – Party favor (Flinch remix)
7. Pendulum – Set me on fire
8. Hulk – eTard
9. Bukez Finezt – Hey
10. Richie August – Light ya ass
11. Akira Takeshi – Ming the merciless
12. Noisia – Split the atom (Bar9 Remix)
13. Hulk – Flatbrim funk
14. Deftones – Change (in the house of flies) Claw remix
15. Richie August & Nameloc – Replaced vip
16. Hulk – Techno sucks
17. Claw – Instigator 18. Spl – Low girl 19. Richie August – Cloverfield (Claw remix)
20. Hulk & Messinian – Tear gas
Gimme Noise: What are your current creative projects?
Hulk: We each have our solo prodjects, Claw & Richie August, Hulk of course, and we have another project called “Club ” that focuses on hip hop. There will also be a Hulk EP to be released on Foul Play Records this summer.
Any memories of Minneapols?
Never been there before but have definitely heard about the rave scene there over the years. We are both super excited to play a party of this size and proportion.
Which artists are you excited about currently?
Bukez Finezt, RSK, Brainpain & Point Blank to name a few.
Are you inspired by any Twin Cities artists?
We”ve always been a fan of Atmosphere, and definitely take influence from anywhere and everywhere.
How do you feel now that the industry has gone digital?
Digital is cheaper. That and we embrace technology and the way it changes the world for the better.
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| Here comes the sun |
Getting to know… TEKFRO
Downloadable DJ mix: Summer Demo Mix
Gimme Noise: What are your current creative projects?
Tekfro: My most exciting project is my upcoming collaboration with DJ Assault. I am really interested in giving a uniquely American take on dubstep. have a few releases for Communique, and I am finally getting out of town more to play.
What’s your best memory of Minneapolis?
I have only been to Minneapolis once, in 1996. I went to a small warehouse party, and visited the Mall of America. My most vivid memory of that trip was visiting in May, and there was still snow on the ground in spots.
What kind of vibe are you playing this summer?
I like the booty bounce sound, with an updated dubstep vibe to it. I listen to this stuff a lot, though there is not much bootylicious dubstep out there, so I take in some breaks and classic booty house stuff. I also like to throw out some of my historical influences, with a little rock or rap mixed in.
Which artists are you excited about currently?
I really like the Circus label, with Flux Pavillion, switchdubs, and Funtcase. I also listen to a little Deekline and Wizard, they have also collaborated with DJ Assault, so I think we are like-minded. And I am excited to play Bassgasm, a big event for a crowd that has mostly never heard of me. Woody’s reputation has preceded him since I bought my first ESP record, Communique #9, in 1995.
What changes have you noticed most about the EDM scene?
The introduction of digital mixing tools has brought more people into the scene, as performers, than ever before. In St Louis, the last decade saw a decline, then a resurgence, of attendance at EDM events. Genres are constantly evolving, if it was just house and techno forever I would have gotten bored a long time ago. The kids like dubstep. The kids (if your a mid thirties kind of guy like myself, the 18-24 crowd seem like kids) are always into something new and weird, that’s what getting older is all about.
Are you aware of the lore surrounding First Avenue?
I’m not, but if it has anything to do with Prince, I am duly honored.
Give us a quote from someone who’ll inspire us.
“The wise man speaks when he has something to say. The fool speaks because he has to say something.” -Plato
What is your favorite memory at a party?
My gig at Underground Sound 4 was pretty cool, I had about 2000 crazy ravers in the cave. There were at least two naked people. It’s not a party until someone gets naked.
(Up next on Friday: Tommie Sunhine and Terry Mullan!)