asylum
04-21-2016, 06:04 AM
http://i.imgur.com/uAJesXX.png
Season 6 Magazine VIII Edition
By Asylum
Introduction
48 LINE MAXIMUM IS IN EFFECT
Featured Artist
MOPHONO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieuEvmv0ZY0
Week 7 Outline
This week, we’re going to be diving into the past and utilizing the forgotten pieces of our heritage’s ancestry, along with a few thrown in as I saw fit to fill the venue. If you’ll take a look back and see the picture’s nobody loved, the one’s that resulted in double no shows in the beginning.. of our league’s beginnings.. you’ll plainly see we’re on a different level now. They weren’t about that topical life like we are now. It’s time to polish their turds, if you will. Reinvent the wheel and prove yourself as an artist. Why not? If you can’t create something from nothing, you might want to try. That’s what we’re about here.
No Show Shine
Adonis
Back to living again
I’ve had enough loss through the years
And this memoir is sordid but clear
Memory shot, happily inebriated
Insulated. A close knit group
Acts alike, checkered past
The fact of life is hope you last
Don’t collapse; fold or pass
Hold the line, conceal the base
Don’t just chase the dragon,
Take a taste.
Be captivating, Picture perfect
Shake the photo, quickly, un-blur it
Admire the writings on the wall
“Fucking Cursive”
Wadding in the wind
Radiant, ever glades being poached and trimmed.
Smoke out… Don’t vent
Cope with opiates
Take a toke and hold it in
*choke*choke*
Exhale the evidence
ALL ABOARD!
Captain Vessel
Don’t sink the bow,
Stand up stern and drink your doubts
Float away in that raft of yours
Sip courage until you take BAC control
Steer clear of the powdered sand
Pristine beaches on lovely land
They lack the tracks, a simple scar that maps it out
Connect the dots and take the route
“X” marks the spot, now take a bow
Standing ovation, Applause in Awe
You spent over half your life in overdose
So I figured you’d fit right in-
In Comatose
~DONIS~
Adonis’ piece read like more traditional poetry to me. I did enjoy the angle. His topic, “Back to Living Again,” opened the doors of self-medication and he walked us through it. There were many subtle drug references throughout and he lightly brushed upon a few places I enjoyed. This artistic piece has merit, although I’ll admit some may view it as too brief. Personally, I enjoyed the short syllable counts and appreciate his ability to compact a topical into such a small space. However, there were some truly rough spots around the beginning of the second stanza. In all reality, this piece may have been more suited for a different theatre. I enjoyed it regardless.
Symetrik
[quote=Symetrik]
I've never been sure how to handle my problems, I guess I'll be askin'em here…
what kind of man would be driving at all after seven, eight or nine beers?
who doesn't brake when he looks through the glass and can see that she's screaming in fear?
how many times did I yell in his ear while the medic was trying to clear?
fast forward a week, but the tears never came...
I've never been told I was guilty, but people kept staring, I'm drenched in the blame
and day after day, the scene keeps replaying,
I've emptied the cupboards of each of my bottles, I'd rather have spirits consuming my brain
don't even know when I gave up on sober and fell off the wagon, certainly haven't been praying at night.
I thought I was sure I would never go back, but pain overwhelming convinced me to hide
I'm safe and I'm sound, drink 'til I'm drunk and I'm sadly alive
maybe the habit just happened to hold me together. it's honestly fine to feel broken inside
today, I decided,'s a good day to die…
I'm nothing but happy with saying goodbye, it's finally time that my cycle's complete.
the pain'll release to the stars in the sky, scars glowing white as I fall to my knees
empty the vessel they once knew as me, I peacefully bleed 'til my spirit is free.
the few I call friends are the first to believe in the truth that I found was so easy to see.
the kingdom is clean, the pathway pristine. far up ahead I hear laughter.
perhaps it belonged to the woman I killed but perhaps in the end, it won't matter.
I hope she'll be waiting so patiently calm 'til I join her forever and after.
gasoline soaked through my clothes to the bone, it's a comfort to know they'll respect where my ashes are scattered.
Honestly Symetrik, I think I might speak on behalf of a few of us when I say I didn’t expect this quality of writing from you. I’m not sure if you just weren’t trying as hard or trolling us the entire time. Anyway, great work here. Your broken assonance rings true with it’s tone throughout, and your rhymes flowed effortlessly. I particularly enjoyed the bouncing around in syllable counts throughout the second stanza. Very punchy writing, easy to enjoy. Last week you dedicated yourself to complete a whole piece I am satisfied with. Great effort, it’s a shame you were no-showed. You’re finding your voice. Embrace it.
Week 6 Battle Reviews
Writers Block
Predictions
Symetrik vs Asylum
After realizing your aptitude as a result of reading last week’s piece your brave challenge in chat makes more sense to me. I appreciate the fact you’ve been keeping it on the back burner, but we’ve been burning at full tilt for a while. If you really think you’re going to beat me this week, I hope you write the best piece you’ve ever written in your entire life. I’m going to try to. Good luck.
Innovator vs Jesodist
This week’s grudge match was set to settle the score. These two are close in their numbers. Their battle was one of the hardest decisions we all made last week. Their topic just happens to be right up Inno’s alley, an abstract image open to the most adept interpretation.. a kind of execution I’ve seen him execute several times flawlessly. I’m willing to bet he’s going to pin the tail on the donkey. Jesodist will be bringing that oldschool flare, tearing it up with rhymes and getting lost in them. At the same time if he dedicates himself to a storyline and utilizes some character development he’ll outrhyme his opponent as well. Problem is, I just don’t see that happening. Inno will take this 75/25. He’s burning for revenge.
Breathless vs Mr. J
These two will be battling it out to an abstract picture with a picturesque image at the top of keyboard extending into the sky. There’s guitars, clouds, grass, pianos, and blossoming trees in the background. In all reality, Breathless is all about that psychedelic life and he’ll get into this image. At the same time, he’ll go straight topical when J will drop a storyline. Mr. J will probably have too much fun with this and make for some hard votes, I got him taking this 70/30.
Adonis vs MMLP
Celebrity Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cyF4ssVqkQ&list=RD_cyF4ssVqkQ#t=2
Posted by Billyjam, February 15, 2011 09:49am
http://www.amoeba.com/blog/2011/02/jamoeblog/interview-with-sf-producer-mophono-about-his-genre-pioneering-new-album-cut-form-crush.html
Today (Feb 15th), San Francisco DJ/producer Mophono releases the genre pioneering new album Cut Form Crush on CB Records. On it, the artist presents the three genres he calls Dirt Wave, Thug Jazz, and Skip on Beat. Last year Mophono, who also goes by the name of DJ Centipede, did a record with a project called Mophono's Halftone Society on Bastard Jazz Records, a cool small label out of Brooklyn that another Bay Area DJ/producer/remixer DJ Platurn has also recently released a record through.
For Cut Form Crush, which should appeal to fans of instrumental hip-hop and glitch-hop type beats, Mophono is joined by San Francisco's MC Subverse on "Rep," the album's only non-instrumental track, and by famed LA producer Flying Lotus on the track "Cut Form Crunch." Another LA based DJ/production talent, Gaslamp Killer, will be joining Mophono, along with Citizen Ten, in San Francisco this weekend when the artist will be throwing a record release party for Cut Form Crush on Saturday, Feb 19th at SOM Bar. Meantime, the album (which will be released on both CD and vinyl) arrives in Amoeba Music today. Recently I caught up with Mophono to talk about the new record and his career to date.
Amoeblog: For those who don't know about you, can you give us some history about you as an artist, including releases that people should be aware of?
Mophono: I grew up DJ'ing hip-hop and instrumental, experimental, and electronic music at raves and underground warehouse parties throughout the Bay Area since 1995. Before that it was just a hobby that started from listening to shit like the Beastie Boys, EPMD, and the Art Of Noise. I also definitely was inspired by my older brother, who played me a lot of rap, punk and industrial music, sandwiched with my mother and father's psychedelic folk background.
These elements, combined with the Bay Area B-Boy culture blossoming in the early 90's, allotted me the musical spectrum to create my first release in 2005. It was a sample based concept piece about the self and communication and had a lot to do with the human condition and the role of the artist/craftsman. In 2006 I remixed DJ Quest's "Live Human" and the song was featured on the [Daly City Records'] Baby Godzilla compilation.
Later in 2006 I turned down the opportunity to produce beats for House Of Pain's DJ Lethal (also Limp Bizkit) to produce a new musical format called Skip On Beat. I also knew there was more for me in the vinyl culture and experimental electronic music community. In 2008 I released the first all Skip on Beat compositions on "The Edge" 45rpm/7" and in 2010 formed Mophono's Halftone Society and released the Sinicism EP on Bastard Jazz Records, pioneering the Thug Jazz genre.
Amoeblog: How much has your music changed or evolved over the years?
Mophono: Man, it's changed a lot, I've gotten a bit more minimal in the instrumentation and am really feeling the dirtier sounds. You can hear it in my DJ sets. There's a bit more dark, aggressive drum rhythms, complex patterns and distorted drum machine sounds and experimental synth arpeggiation. This is also reflected a lot in my compositions, especially on my new album, Cut Form Crush. Texturally it's gotten a whole lot richer and more specific. Like, I love the sound of one beautiful instrument recorded really interestingly -- whether it be an old ass baritone sax or the crappiest garbage drum machine or the fanciest organ with the perfect leslie, to kicking a pile of snare drums, to sampling on an Iphone, to static record dust.
Amoeblog: Why do you go by the two names DJ Centipede and Mophono?
Mophono: I have been DJ'ing so much music that I don't want to let go of my heritage as a odd baller from the mixtape generation of Bay Area turntablists meets D n B electro experimentalism. Even though I love drum machines and moogs and live instruments, the turntables have been my tool for more than a decade now. I was named DJ Centipede by my original DJ and production team mate who I helped start a DJ co-operative in 1995 called the Ace Revolution Mechanics (A.R.M.). At the time, the only other electronic music crews in the Bay either threw house music rave parties or was Phunkatek. Mophono is the title I use when creating my own compositions on stage or in the studio, but the line tends to blur when I DJ my own compositions.
Amoeblog: Is SF a good place for artists like you to be making music or is LA better?
Mophono: The Bay Area is the dopest place on earth, period. That being said, I have hella love for all cities, L.A. included. My mother was born in Brooklyn and drove across the earth to come to the Bay Area in the sixties and my father was born in Oakland, the second motor city of America, so the Bay Area is my home. No other city on earth has the freedoms that we have here in San Francisco and I use the open-mindedness and support of the community to build new forms of musical and creative expression. Honestly, San Francisco is the best place to make music and the hardest place to sell it.
Amoeblog: I know your record release party on Saturday is at SOM Bar, but is the Tuesday club night "Change the Beat" at the same venue with you as Centipede and all those other DJs still happening?
Mophono: Yes, Change the Beat is so dope! All the homies that have performed along the way and all the regulars, and like I was saying about the Bay Area and how supportive of new sounds and expression... man, we have been able to have some of the world's top musical minds through Change the Beat. Gaslamp Killer helped me start it in January of 2006 and was a resident for almost a year before he moved to L.A. and since then it has been a musical haven for many electronic and experimental artists like Salva, Low Limit and Dibia$e. My main goal in creating Change the Beat was to form a creative platform free of traditional closed minded pressures. So far we have all been very lucky to work together and have acts roll through the party like Flying Lotus, Samiyam, Slum Village, Edan, Andy Votel, Slugabed, Eprom, and so many fucking dope people from across the board.
Amoeblog: Tell me about the Skip on Beat genre.
Mophono: Skip on Beat is a new technology I am still developing. Skip on Beat wax is more than a record; it's a machine. Skip on Beat means, no matter where you drop the needle, the record stays on beat. Q-Bert and DJ Swamp pioneered skip proof records that helped take scratching and turntablism to another level. I really see Skip on Beat as something that could change the way we view and listen to vinyl records. Imagine being able to have a dashboard turntable or ride your bike with a record player. At the record release party for my Skip on Beat record The Edge, I invited people to come and bump the turntables and try to skip the record; everyone really freaked out and it became a completely interactive scene and blew a lot of people's minds, including mine. I still have not fully expanded on the tech side of things but there are two songs on my new album, "Now" and "Cut Form Eight." Both are Skip on Beat and the beauty is you can only do it with the vinyl copies.
Amoeblog: And how do you describe the Dirt Wave style?
Mophono: Dirt Wave falls closer to punk and musique concrete, but tips its hat to post punk industrial and new wave musical textures...really, I hope to dive more into it now that this album is done.
Amoeblog: And what about the Thug Jazz? Love that name, by the way.
Mophono: Thank you, yes, the title Thug Jazz was created by Aspect McCarthy, co-founder of the JAZZ MAFIA in S.F. and Change the Beat resident. It is a term used to describe the act of "Thugging out your sound system." The genre is still being developed by artists all over the world. Some of them don't even know it, they just make hard shit that is untouchable. There is a song called "Bumps" by a project I created called Mophono's Halftone Society on Bastard Jazz out of Brooklyn last year. That song does the genre justice for real.
Amoeblog: Can you break down the Mophono's Halftone Society project?
Mophono: The Halftone Society is a group of like minded musicians that come from the same school of dedication to the art of recording and playing with discipline and not needing so many notes all over the place, you know; people not afraid to play some simple melodies and rhythms, but with balls and feeling.
Amoeblog: Also, can you tell me what the album's recurring term, "Cut Form," means to you?
Mophono: It's kind of symbolic, because I came up with the title with a friend in 2007 after buying a drum machine with Flying Lotus at Robot Speak in the Lower Haight, San Francisco. As far as what it means to me, it definitely relates to the process of getting away from traditional forms and rules but also creating and building relative to them. Each composition or piece of music was created as a template or a rough sketch, a beat, that would later be developed into a composition or song.
Cut Form Crush has many songs that were created specifically for it. I wanted to create a body of music, like movements or parts of the project, [something] that has more value together. At one point I was considering releasing the whole album as one 45 minute track without song separations. But when I thought of the listeners, I realized that was unfair. I just really feel strongly about keeping the songs together as the album.
Amoeblog: What was the instrumentation and recording process for Cut Form Crush?
Mophono: There are so many digital tools available right now and with computers there are so few limitations, it has become daunting to decipher direction because of the endless options. I remember when all we had was an 8 second sampler and sequenced it with a DR 660 drum machine and then [would] record onto a 4 track recorder. Limitations created obstacles that pushed us to do more and be more creative composers. It's funny, in a sense we were inspired more because of all the rules to break and miss using equipment created new effects and odd outcomes that would surprise us. On Cut Form Crush, I kept re-inventing ways to construct compositions and while it was definitely cool getting real technical with programing and digital effects and automation, I was real hyped on recording grand pianos into handheld tape cassette recorders and distorting full drum recordings into static crunches.
Amoeblog: You collaborated with the Gaslamp Killer. Can you talk a bit about that, too?
Mophono: Most folks aren't up to date and other people just don't know of the huge and diverse history of recorded music and what makes old recordings so dope to listen to. Willie [The Gaslamp Killer was born William Benjamin Bensussen] and I have worked on many recordings together; he is one of the most inspiring artists for me to record with definitely because we share a knowledge of odd, obscure music from the newest underground producer to the most rare, sought after psyche beats.
Amoeblog: When you play live what gear/instrumentation do you use?
Mophono: I love the drums and have performed with live drummers but love the drum machine equally. I usually do live needle lifting and play the moog with a drum machine and look forward to the next time I can bring out a string section again.
Amoeblog: And what can people expect at the release party on Saturday night in San Francisco?
Mophono: I purposefully decided to do it at a smaller, more intimate space because I wanted to enjoy the party. It's gonna be myself, Gaslamp and Citizen Ten, we started Change the Beat together, so it means a lot to me to have us together again. There are going to be crazy psychedelic visuals, live performance and amazing DJ's and all the dope party people who have supported me along the way.
Amoeblog: Anything to add?
Mophono: Look out for more Mophono's Halftone Society and the Skip on Beat records to come and I have been making a lot of mixtapes, so keep your eyes on cbrecords.com. Peace!
Open Mic Feature
Final Word
Notes***
Voting penalties will be applied to those who do not vote on four battles.
http://i.imgur.com/xNmE7zZ.gif
Season 6 Magazine VIII Edition
By Asylum
Introduction
48 LINE MAXIMUM IS IN EFFECT
Featured Artist
MOPHONO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieuEvmv0ZY0
Week 7 Outline
This week, we’re going to be diving into the past and utilizing the forgotten pieces of our heritage’s ancestry, along with a few thrown in as I saw fit to fill the venue. If you’ll take a look back and see the picture’s nobody loved, the one’s that resulted in double no shows in the beginning.. of our league’s beginnings.. you’ll plainly see we’re on a different level now. They weren’t about that topical life like we are now. It’s time to polish their turds, if you will. Reinvent the wheel and prove yourself as an artist. Why not? If you can’t create something from nothing, you might want to try. That’s what we’re about here.
No Show Shine
Adonis
Back to living again
I’ve had enough loss through the years
And this memoir is sordid but clear
Memory shot, happily inebriated
Insulated. A close knit group
Acts alike, checkered past
The fact of life is hope you last
Don’t collapse; fold or pass
Hold the line, conceal the base
Don’t just chase the dragon,
Take a taste.
Be captivating, Picture perfect
Shake the photo, quickly, un-blur it
Admire the writings on the wall
“Fucking Cursive”
Wadding in the wind
Radiant, ever glades being poached and trimmed.
Smoke out… Don’t vent
Cope with opiates
Take a toke and hold it in
*choke*choke*
Exhale the evidence
ALL ABOARD!
Captain Vessel
Don’t sink the bow,
Stand up stern and drink your doubts
Float away in that raft of yours
Sip courage until you take BAC control
Steer clear of the powdered sand
Pristine beaches on lovely land
They lack the tracks, a simple scar that maps it out
Connect the dots and take the route
“X” marks the spot, now take a bow
Standing ovation, Applause in Awe
You spent over half your life in overdose
So I figured you’d fit right in-
In Comatose
~DONIS~
Adonis’ piece read like more traditional poetry to me. I did enjoy the angle. His topic, “Back to Living Again,” opened the doors of self-medication and he walked us through it. There were many subtle drug references throughout and he lightly brushed upon a few places I enjoyed. This artistic piece has merit, although I’ll admit some may view it as too brief. Personally, I enjoyed the short syllable counts and appreciate his ability to compact a topical into such a small space. However, there were some truly rough spots around the beginning of the second stanza. In all reality, this piece may have been more suited for a different theatre. I enjoyed it regardless.
Symetrik
[quote=Symetrik]
I've never been sure how to handle my problems, I guess I'll be askin'em here…
what kind of man would be driving at all after seven, eight or nine beers?
who doesn't brake when he looks through the glass and can see that she's screaming in fear?
how many times did I yell in his ear while the medic was trying to clear?
fast forward a week, but the tears never came...
I've never been told I was guilty, but people kept staring, I'm drenched in the blame
and day after day, the scene keeps replaying,
I've emptied the cupboards of each of my bottles, I'd rather have spirits consuming my brain
don't even know when I gave up on sober and fell off the wagon, certainly haven't been praying at night.
I thought I was sure I would never go back, but pain overwhelming convinced me to hide
I'm safe and I'm sound, drink 'til I'm drunk and I'm sadly alive
maybe the habit just happened to hold me together. it's honestly fine to feel broken inside
today, I decided,'s a good day to die…
I'm nothing but happy with saying goodbye, it's finally time that my cycle's complete.
the pain'll release to the stars in the sky, scars glowing white as I fall to my knees
empty the vessel they once knew as me, I peacefully bleed 'til my spirit is free.
the few I call friends are the first to believe in the truth that I found was so easy to see.
the kingdom is clean, the pathway pristine. far up ahead I hear laughter.
perhaps it belonged to the woman I killed but perhaps in the end, it won't matter.
I hope she'll be waiting so patiently calm 'til I join her forever and after.
gasoline soaked through my clothes to the bone, it's a comfort to know they'll respect where my ashes are scattered.
Honestly Symetrik, I think I might speak on behalf of a few of us when I say I didn’t expect this quality of writing from you. I’m not sure if you just weren’t trying as hard or trolling us the entire time. Anyway, great work here. Your broken assonance rings true with it’s tone throughout, and your rhymes flowed effortlessly. I particularly enjoyed the bouncing around in syllable counts throughout the second stanza. Very punchy writing, easy to enjoy. Last week you dedicated yourself to complete a whole piece I am satisfied with. Great effort, it’s a shame you were no-showed. You’re finding your voice. Embrace it.
Week 6 Battle Reviews
Writers Block
Predictions
Symetrik vs Asylum
After realizing your aptitude as a result of reading last week’s piece your brave challenge in chat makes more sense to me. I appreciate the fact you’ve been keeping it on the back burner, but we’ve been burning at full tilt for a while. If you really think you’re going to beat me this week, I hope you write the best piece you’ve ever written in your entire life. I’m going to try to. Good luck.
Innovator vs Jesodist
This week’s grudge match was set to settle the score. These two are close in their numbers. Their battle was one of the hardest decisions we all made last week. Their topic just happens to be right up Inno’s alley, an abstract image open to the most adept interpretation.. a kind of execution I’ve seen him execute several times flawlessly. I’m willing to bet he’s going to pin the tail on the donkey. Jesodist will be bringing that oldschool flare, tearing it up with rhymes and getting lost in them. At the same time if he dedicates himself to a storyline and utilizes some character development he’ll outrhyme his opponent as well. Problem is, I just don’t see that happening. Inno will take this 75/25. He’s burning for revenge.
Breathless vs Mr. J
These two will be battling it out to an abstract picture with a picturesque image at the top of keyboard extending into the sky. There’s guitars, clouds, grass, pianos, and blossoming trees in the background. In all reality, Breathless is all about that psychedelic life and he’ll get into this image. At the same time, he’ll go straight topical when J will drop a storyline. Mr. J will probably have too much fun with this and make for some hard votes, I got him taking this 70/30.
Adonis vs MMLP
Celebrity Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cyF4ssVqkQ&list=RD_cyF4ssVqkQ#t=2
Posted by Billyjam, February 15, 2011 09:49am
http://www.amoeba.com/blog/2011/02/jamoeblog/interview-with-sf-producer-mophono-about-his-genre-pioneering-new-album-cut-form-crush.html
Today (Feb 15th), San Francisco DJ/producer Mophono releases the genre pioneering new album Cut Form Crush on CB Records. On it, the artist presents the three genres he calls Dirt Wave, Thug Jazz, and Skip on Beat. Last year Mophono, who also goes by the name of DJ Centipede, did a record with a project called Mophono's Halftone Society on Bastard Jazz Records, a cool small label out of Brooklyn that another Bay Area DJ/producer/remixer DJ Platurn has also recently released a record through.
For Cut Form Crush, which should appeal to fans of instrumental hip-hop and glitch-hop type beats, Mophono is joined by San Francisco's MC Subverse on "Rep," the album's only non-instrumental track, and by famed LA producer Flying Lotus on the track "Cut Form Crunch." Another LA based DJ/production talent, Gaslamp Killer, will be joining Mophono, along with Citizen Ten, in San Francisco this weekend when the artist will be throwing a record release party for Cut Form Crush on Saturday, Feb 19th at SOM Bar. Meantime, the album (which will be released on both CD and vinyl) arrives in Amoeba Music today. Recently I caught up with Mophono to talk about the new record and his career to date.
Amoeblog: For those who don't know about you, can you give us some history about you as an artist, including releases that people should be aware of?
Mophono: I grew up DJ'ing hip-hop and instrumental, experimental, and electronic music at raves and underground warehouse parties throughout the Bay Area since 1995. Before that it was just a hobby that started from listening to shit like the Beastie Boys, EPMD, and the Art Of Noise. I also definitely was inspired by my older brother, who played me a lot of rap, punk and industrial music, sandwiched with my mother and father's psychedelic folk background.
These elements, combined with the Bay Area B-Boy culture blossoming in the early 90's, allotted me the musical spectrum to create my first release in 2005. It was a sample based concept piece about the self and communication and had a lot to do with the human condition and the role of the artist/craftsman. In 2006 I remixed DJ Quest's "Live Human" and the song was featured on the [Daly City Records'] Baby Godzilla compilation.
Later in 2006 I turned down the opportunity to produce beats for House Of Pain's DJ Lethal (also Limp Bizkit) to produce a new musical format called Skip On Beat. I also knew there was more for me in the vinyl culture and experimental electronic music community. In 2008 I released the first all Skip on Beat compositions on "The Edge" 45rpm/7" and in 2010 formed Mophono's Halftone Society and released the Sinicism EP on Bastard Jazz Records, pioneering the Thug Jazz genre.
Amoeblog: How much has your music changed or evolved over the years?
Mophono: Man, it's changed a lot, I've gotten a bit more minimal in the instrumentation and am really feeling the dirtier sounds. You can hear it in my DJ sets. There's a bit more dark, aggressive drum rhythms, complex patterns and distorted drum machine sounds and experimental synth arpeggiation. This is also reflected a lot in my compositions, especially on my new album, Cut Form Crush. Texturally it's gotten a whole lot richer and more specific. Like, I love the sound of one beautiful instrument recorded really interestingly -- whether it be an old ass baritone sax or the crappiest garbage drum machine or the fanciest organ with the perfect leslie, to kicking a pile of snare drums, to sampling on an Iphone, to static record dust.
Amoeblog: Why do you go by the two names DJ Centipede and Mophono?
Mophono: I have been DJ'ing so much music that I don't want to let go of my heritage as a odd baller from the mixtape generation of Bay Area turntablists meets D n B electro experimentalism. Even though I love drum machines and moogs and live instruments, the turntables have been my tool for more than a decade now. I was named DJ Centipede by my original DJ and production team mate who I helped start a DJ co-operative in 1995 called the Ace Revolution Mechanics (A.R.M.). At the time, the only other electronic music crews in the Bay either threw house music rave parties or was Phunkatek. Mophono is the title I use when creating my own compositions on stage or in the studio, but the line tends to blur when I DJ my own compositions.
Amoeblog: Is SF a good place for artists like you to be making music or is LA better?
Mophono: The Bay Area is the dopest place on earth, period. That being said, I have hella love for all cities, L.A. included. My mother was born in Brooklyn and drove across the earth to come to the Bay Area in the sixties and my father was born in Oakland, the second motor city of America, so the Bay Area is my home. No other city on earth has the freedoms that we have here in San Francisco and I use the open-mindedness and support of the community to build new forms of musical and creative expression. Honestly, San Francisco is the best place to make music and the hardest place to sell it.
Amoeblog: I know your record release party on Saturday is at SOM Bar, but is the Tuesday club night "Change the Beat" at the same venue with you as Centipede and all those other DJs still happening?
Mophono: Yes, Change the Beat is so dope! All the homies that have performed along the way and all the regulars, and like I was saying about the Bay Area and how supportive of new sounds and expression... man, we have been able to have some of the world's top musical minds through Change the Beat. Gaslamp Killer helped me start it in January of 2006 and was a resident for almost a year before he moved to L.A. and since then it has been a musical haven for many electronic and experimental artists like Salva, Low Limit and Dibia$e. My main goal in creating Change the Beat was to form a creative platform free of traditional closed minded pressures. So far we have all been very lucky to work together and have acts roll through the party like Flying Lotus, Samiyam, Slum Village, Edan, Andy Votel, Slugabed, Eprom, and so many fucking dope people from across the board.
Amoeblog: Tell me about the Skip on Beat genre.
Mophono: Skip on Beat is a new technology I am still developing. Skip on Beat wax is more than a record; it's a machine. Skip on Beat means, no matter where you drop the needle, the record stays on beat. Q-Bert and DJ Swamp pioneered skip proof records that helped take scratching and turntablism to another level. I really see Skip on Beat as something that could change the way we view and listen to vinyl records. Imagine being able to have a dashboard turntable or ride your bike with a record player. At the record release party for my Skip on Beat record The Edge, I invited people to come and bump the turntables and try to skip the record; everyone really freaked out and it became a completely interactive scene and blew a lot of people's minds, including mine. I still have not fully expanded on the tech side of things but there are two songs on my new album, "Now" and "Cut Form Eight." Both are Skip on Beat and the beauty is you can only do it with the vinyl copies.
Amoeblog: And how do you describe the Dirt Wave style?
Mophono: Dirt Wave falls closer to punk and musique concrete, but tips its hat to post punk industrial and new wave musical textures...really, I hope to dive more into it now that this album is done.
Amoeblog: And what about the Thug Jazz? Love that name, by the way.
Mophono: Thank you, yes, the title Thug Jazz was created by Aspect McCarthy, co-founder of the JAZZ MAFIA in S.F. and Change the Beat resident. It is a term used to describe the act of "Thugging out your sound system." The genre is still being developed by artists all over the world. Some of them don't even know it, they just make hard shit that is untouchable. There is a song called "Bumps" by a project I created called Mophono's Halftone Society on Bastard Jazz out of Brooklyn last year. That song does the genre justice for real.
Amoeblog: Can you break down the Mophono's Halftone Society project?
Mophono: The Halftone Society is a group of like minded musicians that come from the same school of dedication to the art of recording and playing with discipline and not needing so many notes all over the place, you know; people not afraid to play some simple melodies and rhythms, but with balls and feeling.
Amoeblog: Also, can you tell me what the album's recurring term, "Cut Form," means to you?
Mophono: It's kind of symbolic, because I came up with the title with a friend in 2007 after buying a drum machine with Flying Lotus at Robot Speak in the Lower Haight, San Francisco. As far as what it means to me, it definitely relates to the process of getting away from traditional forms and rules but also creating and building relative to them. Each composition or piece of music was created as a template or a rough sketch, a beat, that would later be developed into a composition or song.
Cut Form Crush has many songs that were created specifically for it. I wanted to create a body of music, like movements or parts of the project, [something] that has more value together. At one point I was considering releasing the whole album as one 45 minute track without song separations. But when I thought of the listeners, I realized that was unfair. I just really feel strongly about keeping the songs together as the album.
Amoeblog: What was the instrumentation and recording process for Cut Form Crush?
Mophono: There are so many digital tools available right now and with computers there are so few limitations, it has become daunting to decipher direction because of the endless options. I remember when all we had was an 8 second sampler and sequenced it with a DR 660 drum machine and then [would] record onto a 4 track recorder. Limitations created obstacles that pushed us to do more and be more creative composers. It's funny, in a sense we were inspired more because of all the rules to break and miss using equipment created new effects and odd outcomes that would surprise us. On Cut Form Crush, I kept re-inventing ways to construct compositions and while it was definitely cool getting real technical with programing and digital effects and automation, I was real hyped on recording grand pianos into handheld tape cassette recorders and distorting full drum recordings into static crunches.
Amoeblog: You collaborated with the Gaslamp Killer. Can you talk a bit about that, too?
Mophono: Most folks aren't up to date and other people just don't know of the huge and diverse history of recorded music and what makes old recordings so dope to listen to. Willie [The Gaslamp Killer was born William Benjamin Bensussen] and I have worked on many recordings together; he is one of the most inspiring artists for me to record with definitely because we share a knowledge of odd, obscure music from the newest underground producer to the most rare, sought after psyche beats.
Amoeblog: When you play live what gear/instrumentation do you use?
Mophono: I love the drums and have performed with live drummers but love the drum machine equally. I usually do live needle lifting and play the moog with a drum machine and look forward to the next time I can bring out a string section again.
Amoeblog: And what can people expect at the release party on Saturday night in San Francisco?
Mophono: I purposefully decided to do it at a smaller, more intimate space because I wanted to enjoy the party. It's gonna be myself, Gaslamp and Citizen Ten, we started Change the Beat together, so it means a lot to me to have us together again. There are going to be crazy psychedelic visuals, live performance and amazing DJ's and all the dope party people who have supported me along the way.
Amoeblog: Anything to add?
Mophono: Look out for more Mophono's Halftone Society and the Skip on Beat records to come and I have been making a lot of mixtapes, so keep your eyes on cbrecords.com. Peace!
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Notes***
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