<body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://draft.blogger.com/navbar.g?targetBlogID\x3d11123526\x26blogName\x3dFrom+The+Digital+Sweatshop\x26publishMode\x3dPUBLISH_MODE_BLOGSPOT\x26navbarType\x3dBLACK\x26layoutType\x3dCLASSIC\x26searchRoot\x3dhttps://digitalsweatshop.blogspot.com/search\x26blogLocale\x3den\x26v\x3d2\x26homepageUrl\x3dhttp://digitalsweatshop.blogspot.com/\x26vt\x3d6705737670873377985', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe" }); } }); </script>
From The Digital Sweatshop
The Music, Art and Travels of Alan D. Oldham a.k.a. DJ T-1000.

New Music.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Back again, it's been a little while. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. I had a quiet one. I spent it with Giaxia and her family. Also managed to get my hands on "Seinfeld" seasons 6-8, so it's been non-stop "Seinfeld" at my house!

I am in studio mode right now, finalizing "The Art of Transformation 2" CD. The tracklisting will end up being a little different than the one that's up now at puresonikrecords.net. I added two new tracks, and replaced one completely. I'm waiting on Kim to do the vocals on "Shibuya Vampire Club," then we're off to the pressing plant for a Christmas release.

Then in February '08, we're finally coming out with the trip-hop CD, The Inside. Some of the best stuff I've ever done, thanks to my friends Jimmy and Jane. Vocals, full production, the whole bit. Like something you'd hear on the radio. I let somebody normal (completely non-electronic/doesn't like techno) listen to it and she loved it.

Generator is back up in case you hadn't noticed. The first new release, The Neon Sex Fiend's "Elektrofive" did pretty well (championed by the likes of Dave Clarke and Adam X). The next one is from local Chicago kid Mauser, with the "Jack Orchestra" EP, out in early '08. While you're waiting, check the Generator site on Myspace and have a listen.

Also planned is a Generator various artists compilation, "World Sonik Evolution." I did a brand-new DJ T-1000 track (techno) for it. Can't tell you who the other artists are yet.

Finally in early '08 I'm starting the push into digital availability of all Generator/Pure Sonik/xfive tracks across different platforms so you can download them whenever you want.

Thanks for your support!


Movies.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

All I've been doing since I've been back from Berlin is making music and catching up on movies. Still behind on a few things, but here's some stuff I've seen so far. I know some you don't care about movie reviews from a techno DJ, but hey. It's my blog.

"Michael Clayton." Smart legal thriller in the vein of "The Firm." Very cool and adult. Plot and script were airtight, unlike "The Good German," which was more of a showcase for the filmmaking. There were some beats in there that resonated with me emotionally. This was George Clooney's best one yet. He actually acts in this one, exhibiting a wide range of emotions and moods, as opposed to just looking good, like in his "Ocean's" movies.

The funny part of this movie is that they try to make Clooney into a regular guy. There's a scene where he's at a family get-together and he looked 100 times cooler than everybody else.

"30 Days of Night." Cool vamp movie based on the graphic novel, a.k.a. comic books. Directed by David Slade, the same guy who did "Hard Candy," which I also liked. Rent it, it's the shit. He's got that Tony Scott look to his films.

In "30 Days" I liked the way they played the vamps. They were like animals, growling and shrieking. Not like the jaded, supermodel vamps of "Blade" or "Underworld." They had that Nosferatu look. Their fangs didn't retract, either. Danny Huston was the shit as the lead vamp, Marlow. And who knew The Stranger was the same guy who played The Angel in "X3"?

"Planet Terror." The Dimension people should be shot for releasing this and "Death Proof" separately on DVD instead of the the whole Grindhouse experience, but whatever. "Planet Terror" was a real grossed-out romp. A lot of "UGHHHHH!" moments in it. Plot and internal logic were non-existent (what actually triggered Rose McGowan's machine gun leg?), but who cares.

I liked the whole post-modern-ness of it where you couldn't tell what year it was. '70s? '80s? Also liked the fake aging of the film. That shit probably flew right over people's heads at the theater. Which is probably why "Grindhouse" tanked (that and length). I can hear idiots now: "Why is the film so fucked up? I don't get it."

McGowan was hot. She could be Wonder Woman if she wasn't so short in real life. But then again I've liked her since "Jawbreaker" (like Christina Ricci, she was much juicier in the '90s). Oh, and the fake trailer, "Machete," was the shit. They're talking about making that into a real movie. I can't wait.

"Ocean's 13." I saw it again on the plane back from Guadalajara. Better than "Ocean's 12." It's cool to see the whole Clooney rat pack all on one screen but I wouldn't be sad if there weren't anymore of these movies. How many more excuses can there be to get all the guys together again for a caper? What would they steal? Then there always has to be a new member to justify the title (Eddie Izzard was the thirteenth guy this time).

And some of the actors get bigger between movies, like Don Cheadle and Casey Affleck, so you have to give them more to do each time, even if it doesn't have anything to do with the plot. All that having been said, Ellen Barkin is still hot at 50. There are 20-year-olds that don't look as good. These old broads (like her, Helen Mirren, and the blonde from "Desperate Housewives") are killin' it right now.

Speaking of Cheadle, check out "Talk to Me." Finally something intelligent for the non-ghetto among us. A black period movie with no rap, no drugs, and none of that Tyler Perry Baptist-ass comedy, in other words, a movie with dignity, an outdated concept amongst us black folk.

Cheadle and Chiwitel rocked it 100%. The soundtrack was all funky '60s and '70s R&B. And Taraji P. Henson was a total doll with her big bright smile and her Afro wigs, I was loving her. Kasi Lemmons was the director, a black female. Word is that Cheadle's next one is the Miles Davis story. You know I'm down.


Live in Milano.

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Here are a few short vids from the Milan gig a couple of weeks ago. Now you can see how I do. Thanks to the Movement crew and Nik for taking the videos. Supposedly they've got a solid hour of my set on video. It was a really bangin' show, one of the best I've played in '07.









Back in the USA.

Friday, November 02, 2007

Well, back from European tour. This was the best one yet despite a small crisis that caused me to miss my Poland date (thanks for being so understanding, guys).

I didn't go out too much in Berlin this time. There's usually something going on every night, but in between jet lag and catching a cold, I was all business this time out. Got a lot of artwork done, though, and made a lot of plans for new projects.

Met a lot of interesting, non-techno people in Berlin, though. It's nice to talk to people in the real world instead of the Matrix.

I also had fun playing with and hanging out with my minimal sidekick, Chroma S. We played in Wittenberg, Germany together and also did a tag in Berlin. I'm trying to work it out so we play more dates together in Europe.



Best dates were Tresor Berlin (as always), Moog Barcelona, and Movement Milano.

I was especially surprised by the Moog. It's a Wednesday night party that's been going on for years. The last time I was there in '04, it was completely dead. I remember being up there spinning and wishing I could shoot myself. This time, though, it was completely different. The crowd was incredible, the sound was perfect, the mixer was perfect. I found out the club's got new management, and it shows. Plus, hotel and meal were excellent. What a great night! Thanks to Robert X and crew.


Milan, what can I say. Those guys took care of me all weekend. Great show (hot, sold out and packed to the gills), great hotel, great meals, great city.


They even took me to see Kool and the Gang live in the city square. They played a free show. Weird how you have to go all the way overseas to hear real Black Music played by Black musicians on real instruments.


Oh, and the WOMEN. Milan is the fashion capital of Europe if not the planet, and it shows. If you're a man like I am who appreciates vicious pumps and stilletto heels on a girl, go to Milan and just sit on a park bench. I will say no more on the subject.

So the last leg of the tour was especially wild. I'm on the last flight out of Milan back to Berlin, which puts me back at the flat close to midnight. Some coffee, a shower and packing, and I'm out at 3:30 am for a 6 am flight to Amsterdam. No sleep. Then from A'dam to Chicago at 10:35 am. Wild. As you can imagine, I slept on the plane coming back.

There was a chick next to me that was coughing and sneezing the whole flight, wonderful. I was trying to get over my own cold. Being a nice guy, I shared some of my cough drops with her =P

Now I'm finally back and in the studio in Chicago and getting back to my normal self. Well, until next weekend when I go to Mexico. =)

I'm thankful for being so busy. Hopefully, it will continue. Thanks to all who are reading this for making it all possible.

PS: Forgot to mention, I saw the model Angie Everhart at the airport in A'dam. I was in the middle of changing my money and by the way I was done, she was gone. I also saw Common at the airport when I got back to Chicago. He was pretty cool. He acted like he knew me. He's either cool as hell or had me confused with somebody else. I asked him if he was gonna be Green Lantern in the Justice League movie. He said he didn't know yet.