Back From Detroit.

I don't know why I'm awake so early.

Went to Detroit to play these gigs during Fuse-In weekend. The first party, TILT, was pretty good, promoter-wise. Matt was very professional. Problem was, no vibe. I mean, the crowd was beyond dead. After a while, I stopped mixing altogether and just played records up there to kill time. I was glad to be done with that set. We hung around for a while to make it look good then we were out.

There were problems with the second party, ENDURANCE. Those guys lost their venue (Masonic Temple) two days before the show so they had to relocate to Eastern Market. I don't know if people were told in time. The turnout wasn't what they expected at all. Half the people on the line-up didn't play. There were people who had travelled a long way to see me, though, so I played anyway. The crowd was very small, but they were true 313 heads. Plenty of vibe and people dancing. Sean Deason was there too, he's playing off a laptop now. He sounded great.

I wish John Patterson and the whole Electric Avenue crew good luck in the future, though. They don't deserve to go down. They are great promoters who push real music; Detroit's finest.

Didn't go to any other parties or even to the fest, though. People kept ringing my cell, wanting to hang out, but I wasn't feeling it. Instead, I visited my mom, went shopping (way cheaper in Detroit) and saw "Revenge of the Sith" with an old friend of mine.

"Sith" was easily the best of the prequel trilogy. What was great about it beyond the sci-fi elements was that it was a thinly-veiled allegory for Republicanism. Yes, Republicans are the Sith.

Fuse-In Fever.

The soundtrack of the day was "Mama Said" by Lenny Kravitz.

I leave tomorrow for the festival. We're driving in (me and Giaxia). The gig at the Shelter cancelled (like a lot of American parties =P), so now there are two gigs I'll be at. Both will be great. Electric Avenue and Majestic Entertainment have been very professional and cool to work with.

In answer to many e-mails and IMs today, I don't think we're actually going to Hart Plaza this weekend because a) they're charging to get in (the first time they've ever charged for an event there; I didn't know this 'till the other day), b) I'm not on any kind of list, c) I've seen/played with most of those DJs and live acts in Europe already, and d) I have no interest in the click-house/laptop/glitch people (except maybe Hawtin, and I know the Underground stage will be too insane to even get near him).

Plus, we have to catch up on shopping (cheaper than Chicago) and Union Street and other Detroit stuff. Oh, and visiting my mother, too.

OK, gotta listen to these promos so I can play 'em out tomorrow night. They've just been piling up, haven't listened to them yet (too busy making my own tracks!).

Magda make the tea.

Busy Busy Busy.

What a great day out there. The weather is finally getting good. And here I am in the studio.

Grabbed what had to be the last DAT headcleaner in the whole city of Chicago. Midwest Stereo on Belmont and Ashland had it (773-975-4250).

Still recording this Monoid EP. I'm two tracks in now. I just finished a track. One strong A-side and I'm done (had a couple of contenders but I decided I didn't like them). Gotta wait 'till after the festival, though. We leave early Saturday. Can't wait to let the windows down, blast some music, and do 90 MPH the whole way. I never get pulled over.

Miles is coming over to dump this electro track onto DAT. I told him that my DAT was shaky, but he kept screaming about these bad-ass stereo effects he added, and it has to be to DAT. All the guy had to do was burn me a CD. All this hype on software and making your music on a laptop, and it's actually SLOWER than outboard gear and a sequencer. That's why I only use software for post, man.

Haven't gotten around to this artwork. It'll have to wait 'till we get back.

Even though I'm playing these side parties in Detroit (see below), I'm not really sure if I'm interested in actually going to the fest. I'm more into going to see "Revenge of the Sith" while I'm in town. It's cheaper to go to the movies in Detroit than Chicago. Also, gotta do chicken wings at Union Street. That's the only thing I actually miss about Detroit. Well, that and the swimming pool and Jacuzzi we used to have in Royal Oak.

Got an e-mail about maybe playing the Dominican Republic later this summer! Now, see, that's what I'm talkin' bout!

Work Work Work.

Quote of the day: "Just because I have superficial values doesn't mean I'm not deep." -- Toni Childs, "Girlfriends"

I got an e-mail yesterday from Saskia, out of the blue. She wants more label art for Djax, and in a hurry. 15 new labels. That's a lot of artwork.

I'm recording a new EP (hopefully) for Monoid. I've got this hot track done, but can't lay it down right now (see below).

This smaller French label wants to hear some music, too, but at the moment, I'm only working with labels that can get me booked as well (Monoid runs a night in Munich).

I also recorded an electro track with vocals. My friend Miles did the vocal tracking on his laptop. I asked Ultradyne (my favorite electro band from Detroit) and Keith Tucker to do remixes. Both said yes. I haven't recorded the parts yet. I'm thinking of just giving them the track itself and an acapella and seeing what they do with it. There are breaks in the track that they can sample from.

Seems like I'm cooler with Detroit people now that I don't actually live there. Or maybe electro people are cooler than techno people.

I play with Ultradyne this weekend, so I'll give them the CD in person. Watch them lose it or something.

Gayle San's people have been slow as molasses over my EP for them. I haven't gotten a contract yet. But they've got like three releases before mine, plus her new mix CD, so...

My DAT's still fucking up. It's slowing me down, man. I hate delays when I'm on a roll. Going to buy a headcleaner today. Maybe that'll help. It better. I have to call Guitar Center and see if they have them. Soon as I get paid, I'm getting an interface and record straight into my HD. I'm sick of all these moving parts and shit. Moving parts break.

Speaking of getting paid, this guy in Richmond, VA cancelled the show I was supposed to be playing (see left). Since he's Bryan Zentz's boy, I didn't charge him a deposit. Fucker caught me slippin'. No more Mr. Nice Guy. 50% upfront, no exceptions.

On a related note, my ticket to Berlin came the other day. I'll be moving there in the fall. Getting a flat, the whole bit. Got three parties in Europe lined up already, with more once I get there. I'm excited. I can't wait to get out of America, you have no idea. Now that I think about it, I should have moved there straight from Detroit, instead of to Chicago.

Couldawouldashoulda.

Closer.

Checked out the movie "Closer." (Yes, I know I'm late.) A group of pretty, successful people basically pass each other around sexually, each getting revenge on the other for 90 minutes. I found it interesting that the two women (Julia Roberts and Natalie Portman) were both American, while the two males (Clive Owen and Jude Law) were English. English women aren't fine enough to use and pass around?

For all the sex that's happening in the film, though, we never see any of it. We always come in at the end, when they're putting their clothes back on, or taking a shower.

The whole thing reminded me of Neil LaBute's "Your Friends and Neighbors," one of my favorite films from the late '90s indie era. That film also had a group of friends who cheated on each other. There was a lot of dark humor in that movie that wasn't in "Closer," however. "Closer" was very earnest. It's a very quiet, detached film, punctuated by loud arguments among the characters.

Portman plays against her usual goody-goody type as a stripper. Seeing her in pink wigs and thongs and panties alone is worth the rental. Who knew she was rockin' a lil booty like that?

(I think that Luc Besson should do a new "Professional," with Portman all grown up and she's the hit woman.)

If there's any justice, Clive Owen should be the new James Bond. He's never looked better than in this movie. But then again, Bond has hardly ever been actually English, but Scottish or Irish, so we'll see.

All in all, "Closer" is a stylish, mature film experience, a real dinner-and-a-movie-and-sex-afterwards-type flick. Worth a rental.

Back to Detroit.

I'll be going back to my hometown of Detroit for Memorial Day Weekend. I won't be playing the actual fest (I played once in 2002 after much drama, and don't desire to play it again), but I'll be headlining three events in the city. Here's the info. I'm putting it here early for the blog fans ;-) I'll be sending this out via e-mail later this week.

If you want to get on our direct mail list, let me know at: alan@alanoldham.com

Saturday, 5/28
Tilt @ Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit
5141 Rosa Parks Blvd., Detroit
Set time: 2-3:30 am
$15
Presented by Majestic Nightlife and Flynote

Saturday, 5/28
Event name TBC @ The Shelter
431 E. Congress, Detroit
Set time: 12-1:30 am
$15

Sunday, 5/29
Endurance @ Masonic Theatre
500 Temple St., Detroit
Set time: 1-3 am
$25
Presented by Electric Avenue

All sets will be recorded for later webcast on www.puresonikrecords.net

Hope to see you in Detroit!

Happy Birthday To Me.

Yeah, today's my b-day. So much has been happening, though, that I really haven't felt it. It's like just another day. Had a drink at Tsuki last night (hot sake!), but was so tired I came home early and went to bed. Giaxia might take me to sushi dinner tonight, for my b-day, we shall see. I also have "Closer" here at the house on DVD, but I've been too busy to watch it.

I've been listening to Deftones' "White Pony" again lately. That's a bad-ass album. I think it's the best they ever did, that I've heard at least.

Now that I think of it, wasn't there a horror movie years ago called "Happy Birthday To Me?"

Miles Ahead.

Been a rough week, but I'm bouncing back now.

I'm listening to Miles Davis' "Miles Ahead." I've got all the lights off, and some candles burning. The CD booklet says it was recorded in 1957. Man, I wish I was alive in those days, even with the racism. All the style those people had in that era. And the talent. You had all the jazz giants at their peak, Blue Note, Pollock, early Warhol (just arrived in NYC) and Lichtenstein, the early Rat Pack, French New Wave cinema, early Poitier, and James Dean, all happening at the same time. And JFK was right around the corner. It would have been even cooler to have been in Europe at that time, as a black man, like the cats in "La Dolce Vida."

I wonder why Miles never moved to Europe. He was a god there. I read his autobiography, and he never said why.

Now, it's all about this marble-mouthed rap shit (with the exception of Jay-Z), and all these hipster emo bands who can't even play guitar solos. Clothes look like shit. The way American women leave the house today is appalling. And all these conservative assholes pushing the End Times on us. It's fucking horrible.

Give me Miles, man. You can never, ever go wrong with Miles. Any era, I don't care. "Kind of Blue," "Cookin'," "Sketches of Spain," "Bitches Brew," "Tutu," doesn't matter. Buy one of his CDs and be transported.

Talk Talk Talk.

I already did "Blah Blah Blah" as an earlier title and plus, that's the name of one of my favorite Psychedelic Furs albums. Yes, a black man likes the Psychedelic Furs (still).

My friend Miles let me borrow his CD recorder. Mine just started going haywire for no reason, same as my DAT machine. Maybe I need the heads cleaned or something. I can't see where both machines would quit working correctly at the same time. Maybe somebody lit off an electromagnetic pulse and didn't tell anybody.

Been busy running all over the city for other things, so no time for music this past few days. I've been in the (music) studio non-stop. I haven't drawn at all lately.

My friend Jimmy is the man. He hooked me up with Reason and Cubase, both. He's taken it as his personal mission to drag my analog self into digital, and my appreciation is deep. I didn't know people like him existed when I lived in Detroit. You know, cool people.

I've been noticing people from these really exotic IP addresses have been viewing the blog lately. Publicity companies, Entertainment Weekly, the makers of VO5 shampoo (no, really!). You guys sound interesting. Leave some comments ;-)

Jeff Mills.

Me and Giaxia had drinks with the great Mr. Mills last night. There's this place called Rodan in Wicker Park, little hipster-type joint on Milwaukee, we met up there.

Mills is cool, busy as ever. He's got projects upon projects coming out. I'd tell you about them, but I'm sworn to secrecy. In fact, he's leaving tomorrow back to Europe. He'll be gone a month this time.

Conversation came around to my book, "The Last DJ On Earth: My Life and Times in Detroit's Techno Underworld." It's completely written, but I thought I was getting out of the game when I wrote it. Obviously, I'm not done yet, if anything, I'm back in action, so I decided not to release it right now. I mean, I still see some of the people I write about, and not all of it is good! Jeff asked me if I wrote anything bad about him. I had to laugh, of course not! Jeff's wife wants to read the manuscript, though, I'm thinking of letting her. She's cool.

We also talked about the old days in Detroit, the early '80s. That's when I first met Jeff. I went to Henry Ford High and he went to Mackenzie. We met through this guy I used to draw comics with back in the day, Brent Carpenter (Brent actually lettered the first two issues of my first comic, "Johnny Gambit," back in '86).

I was also interested in radio and DJing even then (I was an announcer at my high school radio station), and Brent said he knew this guy two doors down who mixed records, and that guy was Jeff. This was before house music, techno, anything. We both worked at Northland mall together for awhile. I worked at The Art Works, and Jeff worked at a store that sold wicker furniture, right across the hall. God, this was like '81-'84, somewhere in there.

I remember breakdancing was in back then, and guys used to come to the mall and dance in front of the big mirrors there. If you've ever seen the video for Michael Jackson's "Beat It," guys used to really dress like that in Detroit. Also, Prince was huge. Guys used to get perms and Jheri Curls to look like him and Morris Day. They'd hang out at the mall to pick up white girls. White chicks were never into brothas before Prince came out, then they all became freaks overnight, wearing purple and dressing like Vanity 6. They'd come to the mall like that, in camisoles and shit. Not to be outdone, sistas became all freaky and bi, too. We used to play Monopoly at Carpenter's dad's apartment, me, Jeff, a whole bunch of us. Every time I see Jeff, I think of those days.

Oh, and if Jeff hadn't left UR in '92, and I hadn't taken his place, there would be no DJ T-1000 today. No Generator, no Pure Sonik, no Tresor, nothing. So I always credit Mills and Mike Banks for getting me started.

But, wait a minute, I'm giving away info that's in the book for free ;-)

Anyway, other than that, nothing going on except bangin' out tracks and getting these dates together for the summer. Just a few US dates here and there.

Movie Madness.

Spent the weekend catching up on a lot of movies with Giaxia. Here's what I thought of them, in no particular order.

"Sideways" - Finally caught this one. It was a winning little indie movie, I must say. Really cute and intelligent, with some genuine, laugh-out-loud moments, but not worth all the hype surrounding it, in my opinion. Critics were turning somersaults over this movie. Maybe if I was a middle-aged white guy in crisis, like Paul Giamatti's character, I'd see the total brilliance of it. As it was, I was merely entertained; a nice first-date kinda flick. Sandra Oh looked good in it, too, l'il Asian hottie. I've been down with her since "Arli$$." Her character had a half-black daughter to let you know that she was down with the swirl. You know I liked that ;-)

"Birth" - A very provocative, very adult cinema experience from the director of "Sexy Beast." You can tell Nicole Kidman's previous "Eyes Wide Shut" was an influence for this filmmaker. The high-class New York milieu and its tuxedo-clad men and well-kept women, lots of long, silent takes (usually centered on Kidman's face), pregnant pauses, and languid line readings. The story was very high-concept and original. The boy who was supposedly Kidman's reincarnated husband came from the "Sixth Sense" school of blank-faced, weirdo kids.

"Ocean's 12" - The whole gang is back for another caper, but the storyline was a mish-mash, an excuse for the super-cool Clooney and pals to hang out in Europe, and we get to pay to see it. In the last one, there was a clear objective (the Benedict job), and an air-tight narrative. In this one, there are too many extra characters, too many different capers (three by my count), and they're running around all over the place. Where the first one was slick and focused, the camera work in this one is documentary-style shaky. The Rat Pack vibe is still intact, but not much else. Wasn't feeling this one, even though I wanted to.

"The Assassination of Richard Nixon" - The feel-bad movie of the year. Sean Penn stars as a down-on-his-luck, '70s loser who begins to fixate on President Nixon as the source of his troubles, and resolves to do something about it. The title is a misnomer, though, because nobody gets within 500 miles of Nixon in this movie. I can see why this flick didn't do well in the U.S., though; let's just say plane hijacking plays a role in the plotline. The ubiquitous Don Cheadle is in this one, too, playing Penn's unlikely best friend. He's currently ruling the video store shelves in "Ocean's 12," "Hotel Rwanda," and "After The Sunset."

"XXX: State of the Union" - Way better than I thought it would be. Leagues better than the first one. The tossed-off explanation of what happened to Vin Diesel's Xander Cage character was priceless. The audience demographic they're going for is clear: young men who read "King," "FHM," and "Maxim" magazines, watch Spike TV and MTV, and play video games. You can see the corporate synergy in action. Lots of souped-up cars (a la "Pimp My Ride," complete with a guest-turn by host Xzibit), scantily-clad, big-booty women (including a STRAPPING Nona Gaye; that's one big motherfucker), boomin' hip-hop in the third act, and explosions, lots of them. I bought Ice Cube as an action star, though, which is the most important thing. A decent popcorn-muncher.