DJ's and MC's got sumptin' to say (TURNTABLES MAC THE NIGHT) sometimes...

[The MYFUNK NETWORK]

I'm watching the New TOOLS arrive.

Some prefer turntables, others prefer the Computer age, MP3's Vinyl, Tape, LP's, CD's & 8-Tracks all good to go...




What Do You Like?
Who do you like?
What's HOT?
What's Not?
Who are You?
What's YOUR Flow?
Where's the Party?



Let's Talk.................................

["Dollar" Bill]

Vinyl is my roots and has put the rice on the table for over 20 years,even more, now that I have a little record shop.

However,what records give,they also taketh away,as I was a stone cold vinyl junkie for most of that time and givin' up food for Funk.

I skipped CD's all together and for a brief period,was doing the laptop thing,which made road work and international travel a lot easier/cheaper.

The main advantage of a hard drive based system,is how much music you can carry,without adding any weight and the ease with which you can quickly locate tracks.
This can allow one to be more creative,but can just as easily,cause one to become lazy.

Another disadvantage of computer based music,is the amount of "download DJ's" that have appeared and are "Experts",after a couple of nights of punching "Funk" into the search engine.
They have no sense of flow and more importantly,none of the knowledge to ensure the history of the music and it's contributors are passed along.

When a "download DJ" with a mis-tagged,shitty sounding Mp3 tells people that James Brown is the artist performing "Play That Funky Music" it is a further errosion and re-writting of history.
Plus a angel dies.

Mp3's are great for those being completists that already know their music,but are dangerous tools in the hands(or hard drives) of the ignorant.

We as DJ's/Musicians have a obligation to entertain people,but also a opportunity to educate,enlighten and inspire.

When someone asks me what that song was I played,I want to provide them with more than "Track 5" or something equally empty.

Now as far as technique goes,there are computer solutions,that allow real turntables to control music on a hard drive and while they respond and sound the same,they have killed the vinyl market for DJ's which has in turn led to more than a few traditional music distributors folding in recent times.
Serato or Tourq are the last purchase most ever make and in turn are no longer supporting you or even the independent music industry.

While there are more than a few nights,that I wish vinyl weighed less,it is my weapon of choice for DJing,but would still prefer Live Music with real musicians and stepping back into the background/support,where I belong.

What Do You Like?- Funk,Soul,Jazz,Fussion,Blues,Early Hip Hop,anything in it's pure form,that can lift you and others up.

Who do you like?- Anyone that makes good music,not just popular music.Two very different things.

What's HOT?- Funk,but most people don't realise how it surrounds them and they know without knowing.Almost every commercial,movie and popular song has either "borrowed" or entirly ripped off and in some cases sanitized the Funk.

What's Not?-Funk,because even though it is all around us,many are still scared or unaware.
The same crew that loves the 8 bar loop in the latest track,will call the original,"that old stuff" and not support those still flying the flag.

Who are You?-A student,Funk found me when I needed it most,and I've been paying it back ever since.My mission is to let others know about the music and those who create it,while at the same time thanking those who have brought me so much joy and kept me here.

What's YOUR Flow?Slow and low,ease the tempo,simmer,then boil and a Funkin' we will Go!

Where's the Party?-In your head,no additives required,of course it's true that your ass will follow.


Rant mode off.

More to come...

[Wonder B]

Wouldn't have said it better... Vinyl and knowledge rule... we're the old school guys (shoosh I am one of the eldest there LOL) but at least we know where the funk comes from. Of course there's still room for learning more and I have vowed and pledged to that ever since I sarted buying records some 40 years ago...
Nothing will replace Funk in my heart as my music of choice even though I consider myself eclectic.
However I have been unable to embrace the current music forms including rap and current R&B (about rap I must add that I love, I mean I L.O.V.E early rap from 78 up until approximately 84, too bad for me these are the records that carry the highest prices!). I wish I could... I've tried but... you probably need to grow up with the music to like it. On the other hand I find myself travelling to the roots of US black music (40's race music and such) and find it very interesting.
I never play MP3's at home, but sometimes in the car (like CD's).
Home is Vinyl territory and my only problem is finding more romm for the ever growing number of records without clashing with Mrs B... a tough war which I will eventually lose!
I am also a video freak and have accumulated tons of rare music videos and concerts (but I pride myself on quality so if the image is crappy I won't keep it) and to add pain to pleasure on top of that, I've been buying (too many according to my wife) magazines from the 60's up to now and books, all of which (of course) are about black music.

[david c-one]

Ck Kingtragic out

[Gary T]

As a DJ for a college radio station and somewhat of a record collector, give me a turntable and I'm straight ! (VINYL RULES!)
MP3s are cool,if you're traveling light.
I still own quite a few cassettes,but I need to hurry up and transfer them on to MP3s.

As far as new technology is concerned, I don't have to be the new guy on the block to have it first. (I can wait) :-)