"I didn't do it for music reasons," Barclay Crenshaw says of his migration to California from the Motor City. "I just wanted to live in California. I just moved to San Francisco for a girl in the beginning. And I eventually starting doing video editing."
That's right, folks. Claude VonStroke moved himself to the other side of the country – and then started making music again. That sounds as much like divine intervention as anything I've ever heard. "It beats the alternative, you know? Making DVD copies or something," he says of his eventual plentitude of opportunities to continue creating music, albeit in a different environment this time around.
Music was always something that Crenshaw did. And it oftentimes ended up being something that may not have even been popular in his neck of the woods, either. "I was always the guy that couldn't find the info I needed," he explains. "That's why I mentor people now. No one in my neighborhood cared about the kind of music I was into. It was always about learning on my own. I went from hip-hop to drum and bass, and then there was one point where I was a real music purist, where I said, 'I'm going to create every sound I use from scratch.' And you know what? I learned a lot from that."
It's kind of hard to not root for the guy. He's got a winning story and a fantastic record label with an even more amazing name – Dirtybird Records – and a super-catchy and unique sound. "We got extra credit for the name," says Crenshaw. "In the UK, it just kind of means 'slutty girl'."
To top it off, Crenshaw also adores performing – which, when you're as talented as he is, that's a good combo. And he likes being in the thick of it, too. It helps him vibe with the audience. "In general, if I'm more than 15 feet from the crowd, it's not my favorite gig ever," he explains. "But in a festival, you have to do that."
Does that mean he's not thrilled to be playing Detroit again? "Movement is my favorite festival to play," says Crenshaw. "My parents come out, I get to see old friends. It's just a great place to play. I feel comfortable playing Detroit, and really go with what I want to play." | RDW
Claude VonStroke at Movement Electronic Music Festival • 5/26, 10 p.m. • Hart Plaza, Beatport Stage • movement.us
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