Richie Hawtin: Transitions - Page 3

Tyler · #21 10-10-2005, 11:00 AM

Also, how much is the dislike/like for ableton/etc split along the traditional dj's who've invested SO DAMN MUCH MONEY in vinyl(me and the rev)/new dj's who don't want to have to spend all that stupid money (smart chaps) to get the respect due them lines.

Actually, saying that us trad guys 'dislike' ableton is probably a little strong. I bet the both of us (rev and I, here) knew about and used (and still use) ableton way way way before a lot of people.

Jason Roth · #22 10-10-2005, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyler

Also, how much is the dislike/like for ableton/etc split along the traditional dj's who've invested SO DAMN MUCH MONEY in vinyl(me and the rev)/new dj's who don't want to have to spend all that stupid money (smart chaps) to get the respect due them lines.

Actually, saying that us trad guys 'dislike' ableton is probably a little strong. I bet the both of us (rev and I, here) knew about and used (and still use) ableton way way way before a lot of people.

Tyler, please don't make the money argument. Once upon a time I owned a Nakamichi Dragon cassette tape player. Do you hear me crying about investing SO DAMN MUCH MONEY in a technology that is outdated? Not at all.

And that's the point. We may be at a point in time when vinyl, as tough as it is for you to hear, is becoming outdated. It's expensive, heavy to carry around, doesn't really loop, etc. Digital music, live programming, these things are the way of the future. You should be accepting them rather than putting them down. So you've used abelton live - am I supposed to be impressed because you used it way way way before a lot of people?

I go out to see Richie Hawtin play music because I want to have fun and dance, but also because I want to hear music taken in a new direction. It also happens to be one of the reasons that I travel far and wide to see Underworld play music.

If that's not a direction that you want to follow, then play vinyl, have fun and rock parties out that way. I still play mostly vinyl myself. But don't knock those dj's and musicians who are pushing the envelope, trying to take the sound to places it has never been before.

Tyler · #23 10-10-2005, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Roth

Tyler, please don't make the money argument. Once upon a time I owned a Nakamichi Dragon cassette tape player. Do you hear me crying about investing SO DAMN MUCH MONEY in a technology that is outdated? Not at all.

And that's the point. We may be at a point in time when vinyl, as tough as it is for you to hear, is becoming outdated. It's expensive, heavy to carry around, doesn't really loop, etc. Digital music, live programming, these things are the way of the future. You should be accepting them rather than putting them down. So you've used abelton live - am I supposed to be impressed because you used it way way way before a lot of people?

I go out to see Richie Hawtin play music because I want to have fun and dance, but also because I want to hear music taken in a new direction. It also happens to be one of the reasons that I travel far and wide to see Underworld play music.

If that's not a direction that you want to follow, then play vinyl, have fun and rock parties out that way. I still play mostly vinyl myself. But don't knock those dj's and musicians who are pushing the envelope, trying to take the sound to places it has never been before.

Oh I totally agree with you re:vinyl etc. I'm totally on board with the future of music production and live sets, and am definately using all that stuff in my recent sets. I've probably gone down to only about 25% vinyl in sets lately. I think my 'beef' (if you can call it that) comes down more to aesthetic paths that I think this stuff is leading people down that I don't particularly love 100%. I think they're doing a really good job of pushing new technology and trying new things, and it's really exciting to me, the only problem is that I don't think it really SOUNDS great yet. Somebody is going to do it in a really cool way that I like, real soon, though.

TheRev · #24 10-10-2005, 05:40 PM

First:

I don't need to read an article on what Richie is doing when my hears here the same boring loop going for way too long. I don't care WHAT he did to construct it, it's still boring. Concepts are great and he can join John Cage and Milton Babbit for making music with a great concept but is generally unlistenable.

So that's reason A that I didn't like Hawtin. His minimal bleeps were boring.

Now as for the dancing part, there were a lot of people standing around throughout the night. Yeh people were moving a bit here and there, but compare the level of movement to any DJ that actually plays something with funk or drive. I don't need banging ass hard shit or booty grooves to dance. Matthew Dear or Michael Mayer both play neither and both had me dancing my ass off.

The fact is I pay money to go to a dance club to........DANCE. Not stroke my chin and go, my oh my isn't that clever? However I do like my dance music to mess with my head. That's why I make/spin/go out to hear techno on the regular. The best techno hits both you're body and twists you're mind. At least in my mind.

As for ripping on Ableton, look I could care less what you're using to create the sounds these days. I actually am jonesing to buy a laptop so I can start using ableton out instead of records and recently wrote an article in the newsletter I mentioned previously Ableton is future of techno.

Now I just heard Surgeon do an Ableton set and I'd say he fell off the mark mostly because he couldn't decide what he was playing and jumped styles waaay too much.

The man who brought it proper on Ableton was Function. Saw him play after Surgeon and he mopped the floor, he twisted my mind AND had me moving my body. That to me is the ideal dancefloor experience.

No i didn't expect Hawtin to do much better than what he did. I saw him pull the same garbage in Detroit and I liked it just as little then. To be frank I want to punch Hawtin in the face for being an arrogant twat. Towards the end of the night I saw him make this haughty little hands on his shoulders pose to his enclave in the back. That's great that he's "pushing the envelope" but I can tell he's doing it with an air of complete and total arrogance. And that's reason B that I can't stand him anymore.

But back to what's good. Ya'll need to check out Function doing the Live PA bizness.

jose m · #25 10-11-2005, 02:26 AM

recently saw mike myer play,before him went hours of minimal tech-techno-electro and when he came on his first track was "sing it back" moloko............................................ .........it took the roof off !

Jason Roth · #26 10-11-2005, 05:19 AM

Rev - Did you expect Richie to play Maximal? He plays minimal techno, and has done so for quite some time now. I'm sure you were aware of this before you bought your ticket, or paid your fee at the club.

As for dancing? I was 10 people back in the middle, right in the mix, dancing for most of the show. But I was also there with about 40 friends, who took up the entire section left of the DJ booth (looking at it) directly behind the speaker stacks. Yes, we were standing around chatting each other up sometimes, but that doesn't constitute a bad crowd.

And I'll agree that Richie's arrogant, but I don't really give a shit. Arrogance doesn't factor into my appreciation for music. I've come to the realization that most musicians that I've heard, or seen, or met, are a little full of themselves (Karl not included

).

I think Richie's back in town for a set at CIELO! on Oct. 30th, and I'll be getting my tickets as soon as they go on sale. I guess I won't see you there.