wordplay: orangepeelmoses.com
image: JoshuaBrott.com
It was my virgin Burn. Mere months prior to the Y2K panic that swept the planet, I was in the middle of a desert in Northern Nevada. To clarify, I was not a virgin in any traditional sexual experience sense (not that I would be ashamed if that were the case). Anyone who’s ever been to both a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Burning Man knows that they share the same first timer lingo. The term “virgin” is applied to anyone who is new to either experience. On the night of the actual burn, when event organizers finally incinerate a giant man-like wooden effigy, I ingested a mild dose of LSD (simply put: a synthesized precursor to a bread mold alkaloid) and eventually found myself dancing barefoot like a wild Banshee on hot ash screaming: “Awaken your sacred destiny and dance around the fire!” Turns out my fellow stragglers were a bit more contemplative in mood, so I quickly decided it was high time I venture away from the fire and out into the night. I scanned the horizon and, like a Miller Moth to a light bulb, headed towards the brightest visible lights. Point Arena was the place, and the party was packed. Within no time, a 22 year-old musical prodigy (known then only as DJ Lorin) took the reins and manipulated the masses like marionettes for multiple hours. Afterwards, my body drained of all perspiration but ecstatic in lieu of its new repertoire, I eagerly introduced myself to the future Bassnectar and demanded a demo tape. The cassette was called Dreamtempo, and, in my mind, it was a bona fide down tempo masterpiece. Seven and a half years later, XM Satellite Radio shares my sentiments. Bassnectar, named “Best DJ” by Burning Man’s Piss Clear newspaper, is now a bona fide Burning Man legend.
Bassnectar is a man on a mission, a flesh and blood superhero, if you will. The “Information Superhighway” is in danger of becoming a toll road controlled by profit hungry telecommunications corporations like AT&T, and Bassnectar won’t rest until “net neutrality” is preserved. After all, without non-discriminatory access to virtual grassroots organization or Underground Communication, connecting the dots between the “modern day social mosh pit of hippies, ex-ravers, hipsters, dub reggae heads, Deadheads, Burning Man freaks, artists, fashion experimentalists, social activists and hip-hop enthusiasts” (known collectively as “bass nymphos”) that now regularly pack his dance floors across the planet would have been impossible in the first place. The laptop is mightier than the sword. In fact, many of the web’s benefits that we often take for granted would have been impossible as well.
“Underground Communication is ALL about everyday citizens spending time and energy LEARNING, educating themselves and each other, doing research, snapping out of the daze of apathy, committing to discipline, and making activism sexy. People are shut out from true information both by themselves, and by outside interference. Once something is in your face, it’s hard to ignore, and then your internal system of values and judgement comes into play. I for one am compulsive in my need to reject injustice and react against something that I view as dead wrong.”
Communication, Bassnectar’s first full-length for San Francisco-based Om Records, addresses the subject of net neutrality in graphic detail, mostly via a cutting-edge hip hop/electronica hybrid known as glitch hop. A video clip for lead single “Bomb the Blocks” featuring MC Persia can be viewed on YouTube, MySpace and iTunes. The SF-based producer has experimented with many stylistic directions over the years, as evidenced by his appropriately legendary DJ sets, which span the gamut from down tempo to break beats and jungle, from bone-crushing re-rubs of Black Sabbath and The Sex Pistols to mind-numbingly gorgeous glitch mixes of The Cure and Frou Frou featuring Imogen Heap. He is a genre chameleon and shape-shifter of the highest order.
“Usually, I like to rock like 50% original tunes, 25% exclusive edits and mash-ups, etc. and another 25% of my friends’ tunes, or a classic record, or something just utterly crushing. But it changes all the time, and sometimes I play exclusively original sets, and sometimes I just want to rock.”
Unpredictability and versatility are rarely vindicated or rewarded in an industry that banks on cookie cutter knock-offs of uber-successful trends. It has served Bassnectar well, though, allowing him to re-imagine and sonically conspire with a wide swath of disparate artists including Buckethead, Cheb i Sabbah, Freq Nasty, Grouch, Heavyweight Dub Champion featuring KRS-1, Ladybug Mecca (of Digable Planets), Michael Kang (of soon to be defunct String Cheese), Noam Chomsky, Perry Farrell, Saul Williams, Seied, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Spearhead and Zion I over the years, netting him extremely broad appeal that transcends many subcultures. Communication just may be his most focused effort to date, featuring a modest crop of virtually unheard of but wicked gifted MCs.
“MC Persia and Seasunz were introduced by friends who knew I was looking for ill voices with fierce conscious lyrics and flexible attitudes. Souleye is dope ‘cause he’s like MC Foot Pedal or something. He stands there, and, right when I want a verse to drop, I step on his foot and he just GOES, full malapropism in effect until I step on his foot again, then he stops. Nibu was a student in one of the remix workshops I taught in Texas, and E Note was a friend of a student in St. Louis. Kristina Maria is a genius, professional ballerina, Flamenco instructor and a super skilled vocalist as well.”
While hip hop might seem like an untouchable medium for other Caucasion former death rockers, it turned out to be a perfect one for Bassnectar, who effortlessly fuses the “visceral melodic presence of modern listening music with the force and volume of sound system dancehall devastation.” His Alan “Audiophile” Thompson tech rider normally insures that a venue’s woofers are capable of handling the kind of massively retarded donkey bass he brings to the tables. When SXSW’s room didn’t live up to those explicitly spelled-out expectations, Bassnectar walked out on the gig, choosing to reschedule a makeup Austin date over compromising his wildly ambitious sonic vision.
“I cannot stand when clubs or promoters skimp on sound. It is so important on so many levels, from ear safety to the dynamic of utter explosion, to taking a roomful of people from Earth to Venus.”
Venus is one of few places the Communication tour won’t physically go…just yet. Previous geographic favorites count festivals like Australia’s Exodus, British Columbia’s Shambhala, and, of course, Northern Nevada’s Burning Man. Kicked off on the West coast home front via recently converted bio-diesel tour bus, the tour will, whenever possible, feature a virtual circus of rotating co-headliners and openers including String Cheese side project Zilla, various incarnations of The Glitch Mob and The Funginears’ beat boxing puppets, among others.
“I love that we spent thousands of dollars on the bio-diesel bus as opposed to gasoline cars, because it was a small Fµ©K-OFF to the war, a little baby step of non-aggression towards Iraq. I didn’t choose bio-diesel because it’s more environmentally- friendly, I chose it because it removes us from the equation of the unjust war in Iraq. We chose to vote with our dollar. And we set up informational kiosks about bio-diesel, sustainable living, and green technology.”
Green technology is something Bassnectar should know a thing or two about, considering it’s pivotal role in this year’s Burning Man theme, as well as his own body’s biological technology. Whereas a couple of specific model CD mixers and a cross fader used to do the trick, both his tool and fuel needs have evolved over time.
“One Head of Kale, two Bananas, one cup of organic orange juice, two spoonfuls of Spirulina, Ableton Live, loads of ridiculous tunes, lots of invention and an Allen & Heath mixer.”
It’s a safe bet that the commune his parents raised him in engrained positive consumption habits from a rug rat age, though, positive consumption habits that didn’t require a lot of later correction. The community’s organic food co-op centerpiece was eventually absorbed by health food giant Whole Foods Market.
“I love my parents more than anyone else in the world. They raised me in a commune of sorts, called Koinonea, which was a bunch of their friends who all pooled their resources collectively and raised children together, etc. My childhood was very magical.”
May 2nd @ Hodi’s Half Note (Fort Collins)
May 3rd @ The Bluebird
May 5th @ The Fox (Boulder)
June 23rd @ SonicBloomFestival.com (Red Feather Lakes)
myspace.com/Bassnectar
SaveTheInternet.com
Bassnectar.net
Bassnectar Interview (full transcript)
IMAGE: Where did you come from? What are your parents like?
BASSNECTAR: I love my parents more than anyone else in the world. They met when they were 16 years old, and have been together ever since.
They raised me in a commune of sorts, called Koinonea, which was a bunch of their friends who all pooled their resources collectively, and raised children together, etc… My childhood was very magical.
IM: Most DJs mix mostly other people’s music, maybe occasionally slipping in one of their own tracks, yet you play a lot of your own music or custom remixes of others’ tracks. How much time do you spend producing or remixing music each week? Are you an insomniac?
BN: I am an insomniac for sure, partly because I cannot stop thinking and dreaming and wondering, and partly because there is so much work to be done, but mostly because I constantly travel. I am also just absolutely fµ©king obsessed with my creative work, and totally committed to various visions that I can tell you about later.
As for the music…yeah I am wide open, usually I like to rock like 50% original tunes, 25% exclusive edits and mash-ups, etc, and another 25% of my friends’ tunes, or a classic record, or something just utterly crushing.
But it changes all the time, and sometimes I play exclusively original sets, and sometimes I just want to rock.
IM: Completely cognizant you used to mix exclusively with CDJs, what exactly does your current setup entail?
BN: 1 Head of Kale
2 Bananas
1 cup of organic orange juice
2 spoonfuls of spirulina
Ableton Live, loads of ridiculous tunes, lots of invention, and an Allen & Heath mixer.
Oh yeah, and an Alan Thompson Tech Rider…which means just a fucking belligerent onslaught of bass.
Seriously, I cannot stand when clubs or promoters skimp on sound… It is so important on so many levels, from ear safety, to the dynamic of utter explosion, to taking a roomful of people from Earth to Venus.
IM: Your new Om Records full-length Underground Communication features several virtually unknown MCs, how do you go about discovering new talent worth working with?
BN: MC Persia and Seasunz (Ash) were introduced by friends who knew I was looking for ill voices with fierce conscious lyrics and flexible attitudes. Souleye is dope ‘cause he is like MC Foot Pedal or something. He stands there, and right when I want a verse to drop, I step on his foot and he just GOES, full malapropism in effect until I step on his foot again, then he stops. Nibu was a student in one of the remix workshops I taught in Texas, and E Note was a friend of a student in St Louis. Kristina Maria is a genius, professional ballerina and Flamenco instructor and a super skilled vocalist as well.
Usually when I work with an MC I like to record them for hours, then go back, and sample different segments, and edit the freakin’ HECK out of their takes, usually kind of transforming what they were saying into what I feel are words that represent deeeeep content to me personally. I have been working with different cats as well, recently remixing folks like Zion, Grouch and Ladybug Mecca (Digable Planets) and am open to more, more, more.
IM: The video clip produced for single “Bomb the Blocks” featuring Persia is impressive. How, exactly, was the clip produced and where can a “Bassnympho” (like myself) check it out?
BN: It’s on myspace.com/Bassnectar and YouTube and Google, and iTunes I think…
IM: According to your bio/press release, net neutrality is one of the most significant issues addressed by Communication. Do we really have a fighting chance against monolith telecommunications corporations?
BN: I think we can do whatever we want. And even when we can’t there really isn’t any other option. I for one am compulsive in my need to reject injustice and react against something that I view as dead wrong.
I think that’s what activism is. Not trying to predict the future, but accepting the fact that in the perfect balance of life, certain “sides” need representation and certain perspectives need a voice.
It’s also about raging against the dying of the light. I like that.
IM: What can citizens actually do to improve their odds?
BN: Well underground communication as a concept is ALL about everyday citizens spending time and energy LEARNING, educating themselves and each other, doing research, snapping out of the daze of apathy, committing to discipline, and making activism sexy.
People are shut out from true information both by themselves, and by outside interference. Once something is in your face, it’s hard to ignore, and then your internal system of values and judgement comes into play. Very few people want to see other humans treated as slaves, or murdered, or tortured, or sick and suffering. So once a person begins challenging themselves and asking tough questions, and not just accepting headlines and sound bytes and corporate propaganda
There are key elements that must be understood (among them the fact that United States citizens have a lot of responsibility for the corruption, violence, poverty and suffering of people in third world countries…we are not just all good doers of good and democracy. Our entire culture is set up around world domination, greed, and war. Anyhow, it’s too simple to get into here and now, and that’s why I am an advocate for underground communication…. The sharing of opinion and perspective. Active debate. Active research.
Education, empowerment, and action.
It’s easy. And fun. And when the work is hard, it’s emotionally rewarding.
IM: Portions of your Communication tour will be facilitated via bio-diesel bus, is bio-diesel really a better or safer alternative to gasoline or hybrid technology? Doesn’t the process necessary to create bio-diesel create unpleasant bi-products as well?
BN: Again, everything I have done up until this moment, and am currently doing, is not ideal manifestations of supreme accomplishment, but rather small, steady constructive steps forward, towards a goal.
I love that we spent thousands of dollars on the bio-diesel bus as opposed to gasoline cars, because it was a small Fµ©K-OFF to the war, a little baby step of non-aggression towards Iraq.
I didn’t choose bio-diesel because it is more environmentally-friendly, I chose it because it removes us from the equation of the unjust war in Iraq. We chose to vote with our dollar. And we set up informational kiosks about bio-diesel, sustainable living, and green technology.
IM: You play festivals all over the world, which are your hands down faves?
BN: Many things are faves for many reasons. Shambhala is outrageously special to me, partly because of the freak show enthusiasm of everyone involved. Exodus in Australia was dope because it was a psy-trance festival where I played breaks (back in 2002 or 2003 I think) and got to kind of bring a fresh sound to a pretty rigid scene. (I played a remix of PUSH IT, right before GMS went on, and the place tore up) Burning Man might seem like old news, but my first year in 1997 was fah-reakin NUTS!
IM: Anything else on your obviously occupied mind?
BN: SaveTheInternet.com
most seriously, get behind that.
Bassnectar.net