University of San Diego Radio

Beastie Boy Adam Yauch a.k.a “MCA” recently developed throat cancel. The Beastie Boys have consequently canceled all tour dates, including a scheduled performance at August 28th and 29th’s Street Scene in San Diego.  Yauch’s cancel is reportedly not-life threatening and highly treatable.
Best wishes for recovery, and we’ll be bummed not to get the chance to see the longtime legends at the festival.

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A-trak (Alain Macklovitch) has been showing the music world his stuff since he was just a kid.  He was killing DJ competitions by the age of 15 and became the youngest Canadian to win the DMC world championship.  Simply put, the guy is one of the best known turntablist DJs around.  It was his prowess with turntables that landed him work touring as Kanye West’s DJ.  Since then his music has only grown and evolved.  A-trak has always personally been one of my favorite DJs so getting him on the phone was awesome.

So what first got you into DJing?

A-trak: I started DJing when I was 12 or 13 and the way I got started was really just scratching, just the technical, specialized side of short scratching turntablism just trying to make those weird sounds with it.  I just happened to have a knack for it so i picked up on it really quick and got hooked and, you know…haven’t looked back since in the 14 years or however long it’s been.

Right on, so you got your start scratching in DMC competitions and was DJing next to guys like Mix Master Mike and Mista Sinista (I was really into that as a kid).  What was it like being a younger DJ and playing with guys like that?

A-trak: Honestly to me at the time it was a dream come true, I mean those guys were my idols.  I learned a lot of what I knew by watching videos of them during DMC battles and that sort of of stuff, and within a few months or a year, I started meeting them.  I won a DMC myself and suddenly was kind of doing shows with them… Suddenly  these guys were my peers but they were still my heroes and they were all so cool to me.  I mean honestly they all really greeted me with open arms.  I think they saw that I really cared about it…I think they saw that I had the same spirit that they had.  Some of the other DJs were going about different ways and either getting too nerdy with it on one end and also being too show-offy  or whatever it was.  I think I was really, purely about the love of DJing and they seemed to pick up on that with me.  I don’t really know what it was but they really greeted me with open arms and saw me as the new generation of what they were doing.

So after your scratch-work over the years, you ended up working with Kanye West.  What was it like working with him?

A-trak: When I met Kanye, his album had just dropped and he hadn’t toured yet, and it ended up being his first tour.  But I was already a fan, of his production at first, and then when he put out the album he suddenly became the next favorite artist in hip-hop.  He was bringing back a certain spirit to the music that was missing for so long.  So I was huge fan and suddenly he asked me to come on tour with him and it worked out great.

Not everyone can work with Kanye.  I worked closely with him for 4 years, so I saw a lot of people come and go.  Some people couldn’t hang and some people could.  He moves really fast, he has high standards, and he also expects a lot out of people.  Personally, that’s the people that I like to work with.  I really get along well with that character, and I’m up for the challenge.  I want to push myself also, so it worked out really well.

Cool, how has working with him changed or influenced your own kind of music and your own sets and presentation?

A-trak: I think it took me out of a mentality that was getting a little bit closed over the years, just being in the same scene, doing the same DJ shows, and sort of being in one scale I would say.  [Working with Kanye] I went to a scale that was much bigger, with Kanye performing in front of tens of thousands of kids, and doing MTV and Grammy stuff, and bringing music into a wide scale of people who could appreciate all different types of music.  For me to bring my craft to that, I had to sort of find what was universal about what I do, and also find what was most impressive about what I do.  I also had to find a way to take what I do in DJing, which was really specialized, and see how to present that to people who had never heard anything close to turntablism and still keep it interesting.

Would you say you had to do a similar transition as you moved more towards electro-based shows?  Doing more techno and that kind of stuff?

A-trak: I wouldn’t say it was the same kind of transition.  It was another growth I think where at my DJ gigs I ended up playing more party records and faster tempo.  I was finding different kinds of club music and finding whatever was original and kind of weird and cool in those sounds and slowly I graduated to more electronic music.  I approached that with a more hip-hop feel to make my own name within that.

So, Hard Summer is coming up in August.  Your going to be playing with guys like Underworld, Bloody Beetroots, Crookers…..What are you hoping to bring to that show?

A-trak: Well, what I play is less aggressive I think. It’s a little bit more hip-hop influenced and more quirky and less about destroying people’s brains.  Like when you listen to Bloody Beetroots songs, they’re super aggressive and even some of Crookers’ stuff is hard, clubby shit which is fun and I love it.  I just approach it a different way.  I’m a hip-hop DJ who’s doing electronic music now.  The way I DJ technically is pretty involved with dance, and I try to showcase that at my shows.  I like to show my personality, have fun with it, and do it my way.

One last question: What’s been your favorite thing about DJing so far in your career? What has been sort of your driving force?

A-trak: Not to sound selfish because I want people to enjoy it, but I DJ because there’s a passion inside me that pushes me to do this.  I love doing a good show.  I love producing a good track.  I love technically pulling off a trick that’s really hard to do.  That’s sort of why I DJ.  There’s always a big show that’s so good, and your always kind of striving for another one.

A-trak is a musician who, again and again, displays the passion and skill with which he approaches DJing.  His background in turntablism offers a different take on electronic music that is sure to entertain.  Try to make it to HARD SUMMER if you can and catch one of the better DJs of the hip-hop, turntablism, and electronica genre.

Street Scene Countdown: 45 Days!

In my opinion, I consider Street Scene the Coachella of the Coast. Rather than in the desert during the day, it’s in the middle of the city in the evening. What better way to end your summer and kick off the school year?

M.I.A.: Recently named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2009, M.I.A. has remained consistently in the public eye thanks to her role in the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack, the birth of her first child and her guest vocals on T.I.’s “Swagga Like Us.” I missed her at Coachella so I’m definitely gonna try and hit up her performance at Street Scene.

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“20 Dollar”

Modest Mouse: Modest Mouse is yet again providing fans with new tracks to devour, but before you automatically say, “I hate their new stuff,” take a listen. Their new stuff is actually old stuff that didn’t make it onto their last two albums. They have the classic Modest Mouse wordplay, (“I drew a blank and put it into a frame”) and they have various styles of guitar distortion. Right up my alley. I’ve seen them play four or five times and can guarantee that you will not be disappointed. Here is my favorite of their newest released tracks.

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“Autumn Beds”

Bassnectar: Bassnectar is my new favorite electronic dubstep band. I put their album on when I’m headed to a party of some sort because it makes me smile, makes me headbang and it gives me chills. This is a band that is passionate about what music can do for people and is passionate about the live show experience. I’m most excited for their performance at Street Scene because after snooping around their website and hearing the live set they did for KISS FM, I realized what I have been missing at all of the electronic shows I’ve gone to and I refuse to pass up the chance to experience this kind of environment. Their track “Art of Revolution” features the vocals of Tapper Zukie.

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“Art of Revolution”

Silversun Pickups: I never really got a chance to hop on the Silversun Pickups bandwagon, but thanks to MTV I’ve heard tidbits of their song “Panic Switch” and I was instantly drawn in. I like the vocals and I like the overall vibe of their music; it’s pretty easy to take in. Peter Cho described it best when he wrote in his album review that “The music maintains a serious nature throughout the album, while also maintaining a sound that feels like wisps of smoke entering your ears into your dreams. Seriously.”

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“Panic Switch”

West Indian Girl: This summer I’ve been getting into more eclectic, transcendent, experimental hippy shit, and I like it. West Indian Girl reminds me of the little known bands I’ve been exposed to, so I already know a live show by a band of this nature will be incredible. Their sound is a little ethereal and ambient and altogether an experience. Ps their name is a type of LSD that was popular in the ‘60s. I look forward to the lights at this show.

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“Beach”

Matt and Kim: Matt and Kim are the smiley-est musicians I’ve ever seen. I tend to be enthralled by their music videos and in them they look like they are having more fun than I ever thought possible on a music video set (but I would be too if I got to have a food fight while pounding my heart out on the drums). Matt and Kim are energetic and from what I can tell by viewing their music videos, they like to get messy. I’m gonna try and avoid the center of the crowd for this show. In a past interview the band did with The Vista they said some kids like to mosh at their shows…to each their own, I suppose.

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“Daylight”

LA Riots: LA Riots have played at HARD and have done remixes of many enjoyable songs. In fact, they put together a 2008 Coachella playlist for the LA Times. They know a good beat when they hear it, thus they know how to manipulate a good beat and make it even better. They’re fast, they’re furious and they’re fun. I don’t think it’s possible for their live show to disappoint.

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“N.A.S.A. Music Remix”

Deerhunter: Deerhunter has received encouraging words from Pitchfork (a rarity) and a ‘two thumbs up’ on my behalf (with my first listen at that). Their music is a type of psychedelic pop rock that’s catchy while maintaining an underscore of intelligence. The band associates with fellow musicians Grizzly Bear and Liars. Sold.

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“Nothing Ever Happened”

Holy Fuck: I describe their music as somewhat of an ear fuck, as they use live instruments to create electronic sounds and the result can be a bit intense, and equally inspirational. Radiohead chose the band’s track, “Lovely Allen,” to be on a playlist they did for BBC Radio, and also picked their remix of “Nude” as the winner of the remix contest they held. Holy Fuck was also deemed one of top three performers at Glastonbury, with their live show described as a “force to be reckoned with.” Mix all these delicious facts together and you get a potentially life-changing experience. I most definitely will not be missing out.

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“Jungles”

Girl Talk: Girl Talk’s name was uttered by many at USD after his rumored performance fell through. But weep no more, as the famed mashup artist returns to San Diego via Street Scene. I heard he jumped into a raft on top of his Coachella crowd, and judging from my past experiences at his live shows he’s a very entertaining artists, to say the least. You can check out my interview with him here.

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“Play Your Part, Pt. 1″

R.I.P. Guru

“Gang Starr has got to be the sure shot/And its like that”

What makes a group so successful and relevant through the eyes and ears of modern hip-hop listeners? Is it the combination of clever and crafty rhymes mixed with uncanny and unique beats all in one? If that is the case, then that has been the calling card of Gang Starr for almost 2 decades. The duo, consisting of MC Guru and DJ Premier, have collaborated with each other since 1989, the end of an era that featured the likes of Public Enemy and N.W.A. They broke up in 2003 over creative differences but reports have surfaced in the past few years that a return has been mentioned. Both Guru and Premier have gained notoriety as solo artists as witnessed with their continual impact on the industry but their chemistry together as a duo was nothing short of magical.

They have been considered one of the most influential East Coast hip-hop groups and were responsible for jump-starting the careers of such artists such as Afu-Ra, Jeru the Damaja, and Mobb Deep. The music that Gang Starr created was presented in a form that was very intellectual and well-versed. The subject matter found throughout the Moment of Truth is positioned at different angles and directions. Each track on the album is blatantly different from another, which is indicative of Premier’s talents on the board and Guru’s skills on the mic. The album is part of a tradition that Gang Starr has steadily upheld and the music is definitely a reflection of the reputation that Gang Starr has attained.

My favorite tracks on the album include: “What I’m Here 4″ and “Make ‘Em Pay”. My introduction to Gang Starr was prompted by my interest in listening to new artists whose songs were not being played on the radio 25 times a day on the radio. A friend of mine then told me about a group called Gang Starr and for the past 2 years, I have managed to buy every Gang Starr album ever released. A wise investment in my opinion but my parents have often gawked at how much I spend on music. However, what matters to me is music that challenges me to think in a different light and to me, Gang Starr is one of only a few artists that do that for me.

If I could sum up Gang Starr in a sentence: A dynamic duo that sacrificed the evil intentions of the hip-hop industry for the good of making music without selling out or compensating for anyone else.

“Make ‘Em Pay”

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San Diego’s renowned music festval Street Scene is just around the bend.  The 2 night, 5  stage, 45+ band musical circus will take over the streets of San Diego’s East Village on August 28th and 29th. Since its debut in 1984, Street Scene has began one of the States’ largest and most well attended festivals. Check out some of the artists storming the streets this year:

Beastie Boys: Mike D, MCA and Ad-Rock may be 30 years out of the gate since they first hit the streets of New York, but anyone who doesn’t find themselves with feet movin and head bobbin to the Beasties’ music is either deaf or just an avid advocate against enjoying life.

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“Intergallactic”

Thievery Corporation: The DC-native duo’s eclectic work has been labeled everything from bossa nova to Classical Indian to dub to Acid Jazz. But regardless of what you name it, it’s excellent. And if Kaitlin’s review of their EDC performance is any indiciation, this is a definite don’t miss at SS.

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“Doors of Perception”

Band of Horses: My friend told me I was living in 2006 when I put on their album  “Everything All The Time” the other night. But it’s just been that good enough alone to last several years, and “Cease to Begin” will keep me content til 2025.  Additionally, their 2009 Coachella set confirmed Torero senior Brittney Carratelli’s affirmation that their live show was a religious experience. Go see this em you are at SS.
“The Great Salk Lake”

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Dead Weather: Since Jack ditched Meg and toured with the Racounteurs, he’s now formed a new “supergroup”–if the term still applies–with the Kill’s vocalist Alison Mosshart, guitarist Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone age and Raconteur bassist Jack Lawrence.  The just released a new album “Horehound”.

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“Hang you From the Heavens”

of Montreal: The Athenian (Georgia, not Greece) pop-psych band will be finishing up a European tour with a few pitstops in the States before heading to SD’s East Village. Their live shows are as much theatrical performance as musical show. A definite entertaining set to see.

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“Lysergic Bliss”

Devendra Banhart: Devendra’s melodies are as close to  a 1967 Golden Gate Park, Free Love flower child acoustic pow-wow as you’ll find, at Street Scene or otherwise.  And a perfect juxtaposition to however the  Dead Weather’s rock might leave you feeling.

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“It’s A Sight to Behold”

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists: Ted Leo’s revolving set of accompanying musicians will be backing up their time-tested frontman. With 5 albums since their 1999 debut– 2007′s “Living with the Living”  being the most recent– the band’s got a deep catalogue of diverse music from solid punk rock to more reggae oriented tunes to keep the crowd satisfied.

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Calexico: Joey Burns and John Convertino formed the Tucson, AZ based back in 1996 and have been producing an excellent and unique blend of Tex-Mex, Southwest flavored, alternative country that lead the band to aptly name themselves after the bordertown of Calexico, California.  The band’s toured with the likes of Iron & Wine and knows quite well how to take over the stage.
Garden Ruin Single

Ra Ra Riot: The Syracuse University quartet graduated on to release “The Rhumb Line” album in 2008 with Barsuk. They’ve played and toured with Bow Wow, Art Brut, Tokyo Police Club, Death Cab and others since. Their combo of indie rock, strings and lead singer Wes Miles’ voice has drawn comparisons to Vampire Weekend.

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“Can You Tell”

Look forward to an excellent end of August weekend with Street Scene

With a greatest hits record recently released and a hiatus about to end, Incubus’ Chris Kilmore, who does the organ piano, mellotron and samples for the band, talked to USD Radio about what it means to have a greatest hits record, joining the band and the Make Yourself Foundation.

“A greatest hits record usually comes out when a band is over, but times have changed since when I’ve grown up. We had 13 top ten singles. That made me feel pretty good.”

The thought of Incubus being over doesn’t make any sense, especially when they have a summer tour coming up that hits all the hot spots, most pertinently the bowls and amphitheatres, which Kilmore says is “the best touring you can do.”

The tour comes after a nearly yearlong hiatus, during which the band members (Kilmore, Brandon Boyd on lead vocals, Mike Einziger on guitar piano and string arrangements, Jose Pasillas on drums and Ben Kenney on bass) took time for personal projects and family. According to Kilmore, it was the longest the band had been off without playing together.

Kilmore’s new-found free time consisted of what he calls being home schooled. “I was incorporating a lot of keyboards into our act. Make scratch records and put them on the turntable. Learning how to play the piano all over again. I was taking keyboard lessons and just really developing. Someone was at Harvard, other guy’s raising a baby, and I’m home school,” he said with a laugh.

Since the band has formed in 1991 there have been a few changes in members and style, resulting in a lot of evolving. “It’s like a little kid growin,” said Kilmore. “It’s like a baby and each recording being like a little kid. As you tour behind it you start to see these songs come to life and start to realize that was really cool or that was really bad. You start to learn from all your mistakes and all your good things and move forward. The 10 or 11 years I’ve been in the band there’s been a lot of evolving.”

Kilmore joined the band in 1998 preceding the release of 1999’s Morning View. According to Kilmore, “our personalities just meshed. They were looking for somebody they could go on tour with and survive on the road with. They were also looking at skill level. We started talking about random things, from what kind of food we liked to conspiracy theories to aliens, just random stuff, before I even played anything.” And the rest is history.

Monuments and Melodies, a two-disc compilation of greatest hits and rare recordings, was released on June 16 and debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard top 200. The album is available online with a special offer for college students; it can be purchased for $7.99 with a valid .edu e-mail address here.

Some of the proceeds of the Monuments and Melodies tour will be donated to causes that make up the Make Yourself Foundation, a non-profit organiztion started by the band a couple years ago. According to Kilmore, “We reached a plateau where what we were gaining from the world was outweighing what we were giving to the world.”

The foundation works in this way. The band chooses causes that mean the most to them and fund them through band-related activities, be it concert tickets, memorabilia or bootlegs. You can learn more about the project via the Make Yourself Foundation website.

The tour kicks off July 9 at the San Diego Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre. Other dates are as follows:

July 10             Santa Barbara, CA     Santa Barbara Bowl
July 11             Las Vegas, NV            The Joint
July 13             Hollywood, CA            Hollywood Bowl
July 16             Salt Lake City, UT       Usana Amphitheatre
July 19             Kansas City, MO        City Market
July 21             Chicago, IL                 Charter One Pavilion
July 22             Indianapolis, IN            The Lawn at White River State Park
July 23             St. Louis, MO              Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
July 25             Cincinnati, OH            Riverbend Music Center
July 26             Detroit, MI                    DTE Energy Music Theatre
July 29             Celeveland, OH          Time Warner Amphitheatre
July 30             Toronto, ONT              Molson Amphitheatre
August 1          Boston, MA                 Comcast Center
August 2          Uncasville, CT            The Mohegan Sun Arena
August 4          New York, NY              Radio City Music Hall
August 5          New York, NY              Radio City Music Hall
August 7          Holmdel, NJ                P.N.C Banks Arts Center
August 8          Philadelphia, PA          Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing
August 9          Washington, DC         Merriweather Post Pavilion
August 11        Virginia Beach, VA      Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
August 12        Charlotte, NC             Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
August 14        Atlanta, GA                 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
August 15        Tampa, FL                  Ford Amphitheatre
August 16        Miami, FL                   Bayfront Park Amphitheatre
August 19        Austin, TX                  Austin Music Hall
August 21        Houston, TX               Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 22        Dallas, TX                  Superpages.com Center
August 25        Phoenix, AZ               Jobbing.com Arena
August 28        San Francisco, CA    Outside Lands Music And Arts Festival