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Last Updated:
Mar 19th, 2008 - 07:43:02 |
The Electorate
by Adray Ielus
One of the things that we Detroiters like to brag about is the serious amount of talent that’s here. One such artist is Bill Stacy, aka DJ Seoul. He‘s been on the set for so long that people can sometimes take for granted his impeccable mixing skill. All of that may change soon, as Seoul is finally bubbling up from the underground to make his presence known on a global scale.
Fresh off of Detroit Techno Militia’s European tour, Recon: 313, he recounts his slow but sure rise to notoriety. “As a child, I was formally trained on the drums — counter-culture sounds and movements really motivated me,” Seoul says. “I‘m still into drums, as well as other traditional and electronic instruments.” Like so many of us, his introduction to electronic music came from two familiar sources: The Wizard (Jeff Mills) and the Electrifying Mojo, both of whom had mainstream radio shows in the ‘80s and early-‘90s. He cites other Detroit artists for influencing his DJ style, like Kenny Dixon Jr., Theo Parrish, Terrance Parker and Aux 88. In 1995, DJ Seoul was officially born at Juan Atkins’ Metroplex Records ten-year-anniversary event. Since then, he has developed a DJ style that is more akin to hip-hop turntablism, focusing on mixing and scratching, which is not the easiest of tasks when playing house and techno. DJ Seoul will be performing Saturday, March 22 at Corktown Tavern for the Funktion 2.0 event. Visit bangtech12.com. | RDW
The Zone
by Origix
Marvwon is one of Detroit’s sickest MCs. Marv has been on his grind for over ten years trying to make his rap game a career. From the days of his group Karactaristix with Silent Riot to his crew Fat Killahz, he hasn’t dropped a solo album, but that will change this year. “I’m trying to give the listener a complete experience; don’t want people to think it’s going to be an album of battle rhymes because it’s far from that!” Marvwon says. Marv has been in some serious battles that shaped him as an artist and solidified his place in hip-hop. “Fat Beats Records has shown some interest in the albums, we decided to drop a vinyl EP first to see where I stand, that should be out soon. It’s called The Way of the Won,” Marv says.
Get his new mixtape with Quest Mcody, Jump Off A Bridge, at myspace.com/marvwon. He will perform with Nick Speed, Fat Ray, Street Justice, Octane & Illite, D. Allie and DJ Gruv at the 2RAW4FM.com Web site party hosted by The Zone Radio on March 21 at The Bullfrog in Redford. | RDW
The Zone Radio with Origix & DC airs Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. on 89.3 FM, stream audio at whfr.fm; visit myspace.com/thezoneradio & 2raw4fm.com.
Deep Cutz
by Jeff Milo
My button says “Great.” Another button has a cartoonish Stephen King portrait. Another may have bubonic plague and another yet an algebra equation. I’ve known guitarist Nicholas Koenig for a while, (as part of heavily-melodic indie trio, You Look Adopted) but since he moved to Ferndale, I found out this ever-shifting homemade button project is just the tip of an unobstructed forceful flow of creation from the CCS student, be it collage, music, writing or bottle-cap-buttons.
His new project, unhinged and amorphous, is My Dear, Watson (including Adopted’s Erik Daniel, Eric Schmeling): “It’s very highly experimental,” said Koenig, 20. “It’s hard for me to differentiate between art, music and writing; they’re all very connected.” MDW’s EP is five instrumentals with a trio of guitars, seemingly wandering, but loosely structured; songs are never reliant to stay the same from show to show. “The sound could have been anything,” Koenig says. “Which is still where I’m trying to push it …”
Find Nick, you’ll get a button at Scrummage University on Saturday.
More info: myspace.com/charltonwatson or myspace.com/recordtime. | RDW
Motor City’s Burning
words + photo by Eric Allen
There aren’t too many things than can make me happier than imbibing in flat black circular wax. Here is a list of what records I’m spinning so that you can go to the record store and hear 'em for yourself.
The Denizens single: Bratty Ramones powerpunk that treads the line between The Dead Boys, The Count Five and The Stitches. Three songs of mouthwatering true-blue punk rock from Livonia circa 1977.
F’ke Blood: “Water Wings” and “The Band That Bled Real Blood": No Wave as envisioned through the eyes of Detroit's brightest musicians and visual artists. “Water Wings” is a bass heavy masterpiece with fantastic, unintelligible lyrics and a lovely, light guitar solo. The band finds the cure for my case of cowbell fever on the b-side.
Clone Defects: “Shape of Venus” and “Stick My Knife”: After seeing Vulgar slam through three plastic tables full of bottles I just had to whip out this slab of fantastic clear vinyl. Don’t worry about your clothes, this record comes sans blue paint.
Is my hype of the TTs overkill yet? Hell no, they're the best band in the world! There, I just said it! They blew away the Black Lips last week. | RDW
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