Recently did and interview with the Deepblak Bredren for Friday Night Sessions (KUSF 90.3). Enjoyed the opportunity to chop shop on music and the general goings-on. Massive respect to Mike B., Cez, Andrew Jervis, and Tomas for the invite. Goodtimes…plenty of comedy hope you enjoy.
Rammellzee (or RAMM?LLZ??, pronounced “Ram: Ell: Zee”, born 1960 in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York), was a graffiti writer, performance artist, rap/hip-hop musician and sculptor from New York. His death was announced on 29th June 2010.
Rammellzee’s graffiti and art work are based on his theory of Gothic Futurism, which describes the battle between letters and their symbolic warfare against any standardizations enforced by the rules of the alphabet; his treatise, “Iconic Panzerisms”, details an anarchic plan by which to revise the role and deployment of language in society. Rammellzee is often identified as an artist apart of the Afrofuturism canon; Afrofuturism is identified discourse concerned with revisioning racial identity through the tropes of science fiction and fantasy narrative or aesthetics.
He was also instrumental as one of the original hip hop artists from the New York area who introduced specific vocal styles which date back to the early 1980s.[citation needed] His influence can still be heard in contemporary artists such as The Beastie Boys and Cypress Hill. His song “Beat Bop” was featured in the film Style Wars.
Discovered by a larger audience through the 1982 cult movie Wild Style by Charlie Ahearn, his fame in graffiti circles was established when he painted New York subway trains with Dondi, OU3, and Ink 76, and doctor Revolt. Rammellzee was also a member of the Death Comet Crew, with Stewart Albright and Michael Diekmann. In 1988, he and his band Gettovetts recorded the album “Missionaries Moving.” In 2003, Rammellzee performed at the Knitting Factory in New York with the newly reformed Death Comet Crew; subsequently, Troubleman Unlimited re-released recordings made by DCC between 1982 and 1984; additionally, their single for “Exterior St.” was featured on the compilation, Anti-NY, with contemporaries, Ike Yard, Sexual Harassment, and Vivian Goldmann, among others. In 2004, he released his debut album Bi-Conicals of the Rammellzee, produced by Gomma Records. Rammellzee also performed at Knitting Factory with guitarist Buckethead several times.
His artistic work has been shown in art galleries throughout the US and Europe. Currently, Rammellzee’s Letter Racers, and other Noise includes artistic works by individuals mostly identified with their musical contributions.
In a recent interview, he stated that his name is derived from “RAM” plus “‘M’ for ‘Magnitude’, ‘Sigma’ (?) the first summation operator, first ‘L’ – ‘longitude’, second ‘L’ – ‘latitude’, ‘Z’ – ‘z-bar’, ?, ? – ‘summation’.” He now performs in self-designed masks and costumes of different characters, which, as he states, represent the “mathematical equation” that is Rammellzee. On the basis of his “Gothic Futurism” approach, he sometimes describes his current artistic work as the logical extension into a new phase which he calls “Ikonoklast Panzerism.”
Rammellzee makes a cameo appearance near the end of Jim Jarmusch’s 1984 film Stranger Than Paradise.
Here are some PowerFUL(L) words for those that (C)hoose to hear…
Deep and profound documentary on the plight of Black Musicians in Rock music. I think ALL Creative Spirits who deal with the pressures of the proverbial corporate BOX will feel this deeply…
Fade to Deepblak
How an East Oakland native creates space for techno.
By Zoneil Maharaj
As head of the innovative Oakland-based label Deepblak Recordings, producer Armon Bazile always has his eyes wide open to the pulse of emerging music in the Bay Area. “The musical underground railroad is rumbling,” he said. “There’s some brilliant stuff going on, especially here in Oakland. A lot of people are taking chances again.” But for Bazile (aka Aybee), it’s been an uphill battle without armor. Read Full Article >>
This is kind of new in human history. Up until a hundred years ago – or even less – music was something we did together as a community activity. Live performance was the only music there was. People interacted with each other. I’d like to see that aspect of music flourish in the future. I’m not knocking recorded music, but if listening to music is going to be an increasingly lonely activity, with ourselves and unto ourselves, we’re going to miss something very important about being human: the ability to get together and do something as a community in real time.
– Bob Moog
I remember when I heard Bob Moog say this. It came at the end of his 2003 (Cape Town) Red Bull Music Academy lecture. I sat for a few minutes with tears in my eyes because I felt profoundly what he was saying. To call Bob Moog a Legend is cliche and cheap . Cheap as the scent of perfume in chinese brothel…
Bob Moog was was an Architect of Dreams.
He was an Architect who enabled thousands, and touched millions. The pure Joy that musicians have brought to the world via his instrument is un-measurable. As I sit hear re-visiting his 2003 Red Mull Lecture I am still moved. It is even more powerful after his passing in 2005. I hope you take the time to listen to him, and hear his story. Appreciate the Agents of wisdom available to us…
From the vault…Legendary DJ/Producer Ron Trent breaks down the differences between House and Garage. ’05
Ron Trent on House and Garage from Deepblak on Vimeo.
The Mighty Chick Corea speaking on Miles Davis one of my Hero’s. Articulating so well the essence…Without a doubt a one of the paramount musical spirits of the 20th Century.
AYBEE | In The Headspace November 2009
Aku9 – Only The Lonely (cdr)
Blaktroniks – Too Complicated
Portformat ft. Obey The Altar Native – Everything U Change
Afrikan Sciences – Thoughts Deluxe
Portformat ft Blakroniks – It’s On
Pirahnahead – Mirror Muse: Internal Inspiration
Gretchen Parlato – Weak
Levon Vincent – These Games We Play
Mike Huckaby -Melodies From The Jazz Republic
Black Jazz Consortium – Believe
Remus Watkins – Dem Nigg#z (cdr)
Miles Sagnia – Relativity
Conforce – Junction (Peak Mix)
Georgia Anne Muldrow – Roses
Jefferey Osborne – Really Don’t Need No Light
Anthony Nicholson – Gotta Have It (GU Techno Soul Rework)
The Clonious – One At A Time
Blaktroniks – Blow You (cdr)
Listen Closely to Herbie @ the 5:14 Mark – GAME! Please understand this…
One of the most NEGLECTED aspects of DJ performed music is attention to Sound. People are trying to deliver a sonic experience and know nothing about sound. It is unfair to the music, and robs the listener of an optimum experience. Alex Rosner has had a hand in creating what we know as the modern Club Sound set up. Check out his lecture at the Red Bull Music Academy to get a fundamental understanding of sound and how it should be set up. Promoters pull up a chair…
Fred P. (Soul People Music, NY) with some important words…
Interview with Friday Night Sessions talking about Deepblak, the Blaktropolis project, and Oakland electronic music scene…Listen
Long, Richard (1933-1986) Founder of RLA (Richard Long and Associates), dance club sound designers during the disco heydays of the ’70s and ’80s. Richard’s success grew out of his experience working as the sound engineer for the Paradise Garage in Greenwich Village during the mid-seventies. After developing his chops at the Paradise Garage, Richard designed many famous dance clubs including Studio 54, Annabel’s (London), Regine’s (a chain of 19 clubs scattered around the world from Paris and NY to Cairo) and many others that were the vanguard of the disco era. Indeed, continuing years beyond Richard’s unfortunate death in 1986, his designs flourish today in such icons as the Ministry of Sound (London). Further information available at GSA and see Richard and Alan Fierstein’s seminal paper “State-of-the-Art Discotheque Sound Systems — System Design and Acoustical Measurement,” presented at the 67th Convention of the Audio Engineering Society, New York , 1980.
Richard Long DJ Console
Stacks from the old Club Townsend in San Francisco, later moved over to Mighty SF in the mid 00’s.
