Still arguing!

It's been over 40 years since Miles Davis added instruments that required electricity into his music, over twenty-five years since the first techno record came out, almost twenty years since the first drum and bass record, and conversations like the below are still happening. Thankfully, not only does Mtume have a talent for dope early 80s r&b but also for comedy! As Miles would say, he's a motherfucker.

Ones and Twos

I played some records last night as part of a belated birthday celebration for myself which managed to draw all of one friend besides the two who regularly DJ that particular night and were nice enough to hand a few hours off to me. All of you who know me personally and don't actually live in New York were not expected to come, of course.

I played well. I played badly. I played a lot of records I wanted to hear and wanted others to hear and I didn't always think about my selections in terms of what would actually be good to mix (it was just a bar, you know?). More than a few mixes involved some speed changes that were pretty unacceptable outside of the context of a handful of inebriated people hanging out at the end of the night. Here's the track list. Mixes are mostly not listed - just check the links...

(Friend #1 plays, then)

Set One:

1. Mr. Fingers - Can You Feel It

2. Fingers Inc. - Mystery Of Love

3. Projekt:PM - Deeper In The Tones

4. Nagual - I Feel The Rhythm

5. Cassio - Paradise

6. Jon Cutler - Don't Move

7. NY's Finest- Do You Feel Me

8. Jomanda - Got A Love For You

9. Darryl Pandy - I Love Music

10. Mod Wheel - The Way

11. The Shamen - Make It Mine (Moby's Deep Mix)

12. Sweet Exorcist - Testone

13. Virgo - Ride

14. Convextion - AA

(Friend #2 plays, then)

Set Two:

15. Jamie Principle - Bad Boy

16. ESP - It's You

17. Joe Smooth - I'll Be There

18. JM Silk - Music Is The Key

19. Octave One - Blackwater (NB video is not the exact mix I played but closest)

20. Model 500 - Starlight

21. Psyche - From Beyond

22. Jam & Spoon - Stella

23. Jacques Greene - Another Girl

24. Frankie Knuckles presents Satoshie Tomiie - Tears

25. New Order- Thieves Like Us

(random messing around, some other records not from my bag, then)

Last Record:

26. Bizzarre Inc - Playing With Knives

Fucking 31!

How did this happen?

Accidental Break

I guess I was always a Leftist but there's nothing better to turn abstract concepts into hardened beliefs than direct experience. Reading Rousseau in bed in high school not particularly worried about food was a bit different than trying to fit reading a similar work around less free time, less energy, less mental space for contemplation, etc. I was 16 and I think I can be forgiven somewhat for the distance that existed in my head between thought and action. But what about those who are no longer teenagers but who still have so many of the aforementioned benefits of my youth? Is it inevitable that only personal suffering will turn predilection to conviction?

As for me, work sucks, my apartment sucks, I have no money, and I am tired. I haven't been here to lament human misery towards political ends. I'm just livin' it right now. Well, sort of. I have a job. I have a home. There are certainly billions worse off than I am. Let's just say there are two types of torture. The worst happening and the constant reminder that it could happen at any moment. In my case it is not paranoia.

I still haven't gone down to OWS. I feel like a hypocrite. You should read Disaster Notes on the specter of hierarchy that is currently haunting the still-legitimate movement. One and Two.

Until sometime in the future...

Personal Ad

When I am drunk I like to play air bass to "Love Sensation" by Loleatta Hollway. The Shep Pettibone mix, of course. All I want is a basement, a TV, a joint, a collection of classic Film Noir movies and a girl to cuddle and watch them with. But it ain't that simple, and neither are you. Oh well.