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January 03, 2007
New Years
Sometimes it's hard for me to put into words what it is about electronic music that strikes such a rich and powerful chord in me. In many ways I don't understand why it brings such joy and inspires so much passion in me to create but, it does. In all honesty I get jealous when I see people who have that same passion for playing the guitar or piano because I feel as though it is a 'better' interest to have. I can't bring my decks and equipment to a park on a whim and play under a tree like I would with a guitar or write passionate love songs with my set up like someone can on a piano. Sure, girls dig DJs but, if given the choice I'm sure they'd prefer a rockstar. But when I hear the right beat or the perfect echoed, dreamy synth my heart just melts and I want to dance or drive or be in love.
I spun records over the weekend for New Years and had such an awkward experience of people not having the same visceral reaction to the music that I do. Spinning alone in your apartment gives you a weird confidence that everyone's going to dance as much as I want to but can't due to my headphone tether and vinyl-itchy fingers obsessed with maintaining minute-and-a-half mixes.
I was in the middle of a really nice progression of absolutely danceable tunes when a couple of other party-goers reminded me that there were married couples in the other room who 'wanted to hear more Snoop' or 'if I had any Billy Joel'. I don't blame them - people want to dance to what they know - but, whatever happened to dancing for the pure pleasure of being in motion? You know, the kind of movement that happened in the Garden before poetry and verse when there was only rhythm. Everyone was bobbing their heads but not moving, waiting for a familiar lyric to melt their insecurities away.
Turns out most people dance when they are drunk and it made me miss all those nights at college we got people together to go dance at Buzz in DC when the only liquid in us was water. We were moving for movements sake; excited with the knowledge that we had no idea what tune was going to come next.
If anything it inspired me to get my mixes out into the hands of more people so I can get one of those gigs where people come out to be surprised by new music, not up for specific songs but for a vibe; a soundtrack that will match their hunger for some gesticulation in a world of static, plastic people.
I did get a big confidence boost though, cause I was way nervous about not being able to fill the time required due to the party starting early at 7. It was great getting scolded by my host when I was still rocking well past 4am, completely lost in the music and unaware people were drunk and needed sleep. It brought back memories of when Jed and I would stay up, playing tunes and lining our apartment with Chinese newspaper, constantly being called by our neighbors to turn the music down.
Speaking of which I missed Jed thoroughly that night; I wanted him to close down the party so bad. Not just because I was dying to dance but because I wanted his feedback and someone to dance to those tunes I knew he'd enjoy. Matty was good company though, his head bobbing was a good gauge and it was fun to let him work the effects for a few of the tunes.
A new mix is in the works and it's being fueled by all the energy left over from that night. It's what I would have started at 4am with. Stay tuned...
Posted by Jon at January 3, 2007 06:34 PM