Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Found this randomly while trying to pass the time before bed, go figure I found my favorite bed time stories I used to read when I was in grade school before lights out were called in the house. There's more stories narrated out there but found this very enjoyable since the Native American story of Wendigo influenced the movie Ravenous.

Introducing: DJ Signify

Introducing:DJ Signify

Last of the three part interviews that were found in my Blast from the Past circa 2004 days. DJ Signify is a very interesting person with some very impressive production skills. Here is more from the interview with him..

What inspired you to create Winters Going?

I thought the album was dark and needed something
lighter.

Why did you decided to collaborate with Buck 65?

He's been a homie of mine for many years and a huge
influence on my music, I thought he would do a good
job on the record and would understand what I was
doing.

Can you explain the art work behind the album?

The kid who did does most of Lex stuff and is named
Bat and he did his art for boombit.I was really siked
to work with him and told him that I wanted something
very minimal. He came back with the idea of his of
making the album a coffin and the hands inside are
pushing out. I really like it a lot! Very consistent
with the record.

Any artists that your interested in working with in
the future?

I did a track with Grande Master Cass from
the kool quest brothers.

Any future plans?

I'm actually getting really amped to do an
instrumental record.

Same kind of sound as Winters going?

You never know till you hear it.

Tell me about Lex Records?

Lex is a series from Warp Records and was started by a
guy named Tom Brown, basically a hip-hop division of
Warp. Going into the hip-hop genre. They have made a
name for themselves and Danger Mouse, Gemini, the
Gifted one, Sage, and Boombit is on the label
and the label seems to be doing quit well.

How do you feel about artists such as Prefuse 73?

I do!, I really don't look into artists thinking is
this hip-hop or not. Not the way I look at things. I
really do like him as an artist and think he is
interesting.

How long have you been in this business?

I've been a DJ since 95. I had a radio show. I've been
making beats for about four years.

Do you listen to anything else besides hip-hop?

I listen to tons of stuff that is not hip-hop based.
Lately I've been listening to rock based stuff.My
obsession is crowd rock and post punk. Which has a
lot of parallels to hip-hop. It's really based on
drums around that music. I'm obsessed with that music
as I am with hip-hop. I'm into in a really big way.

Are you looking into possibly doing film scores?

I would love too!

What kind of genre would you be interested in?

I would be interested in doing any genre but I would
have to like.

What do you have planned for the future?

First off the bass player, Matt Kelly.I'm pretty much
sure I'm going to collaborate with him at some point
again.The two guys in our band are real inspiring. I
think me and Rob are talking about doing an EP
together.Where we would take a lot of dope West coast
mcs like Sinco and we have this Etour EP that me and
Rob did. I did the beats and Rob raps on it. Have a 7
inch with Grande Master Cas coming out in a couple of
weeks coming out on Grande Good Records. I did a mix
with Stienski, the Sugarco, it's only out on import on
sugarhill suites.

whats your favorite color?

I don't have a favorite color, probably grey if
anything.

More info on DJ Signify can be found:

www.myspace.com/djsignify
www.djsignify.net

Introducing:Sixtoo

Introducing:Sixtoo

Here is another interview which was found in the Internet email archives from 2004. Never was published until now.

I have these dope teeth check em out!

Ha, I noticed that you and Signify both collaborate with
Buck 65?

Well Buck is a long time partner of my mind. Started
making music with him since 95. AS the sebutones we
released a couple records together, like rap records
that we're both mcing on and sharing production
duties. And over the years of course we sort of gone
into our own directions. I still on occasion work with
him. But for the most part I'm just more interested in
developing my own career as a rapper. But as hip-hop
music goes there's a lot of similarities in taste of
myself and Justin. I think we both come from the same
era with lyrics. When lyrics were very important. For
now that focus doesn't seem to be there too much
anymore.

What do you think about Madlib?

I think Madlib is really dope. I like a lot of the
Quananm kats. Doom is still around kinda left over
from the old days. But both of us come from that era
and more so appreciated cats with lyrics.

What inspired you the most to create your unique sound?

Mostly from beat diggin.You know growing up the era of
hip-hop that I did. The only rule was not to fight and
as a result of that I think my taste for music has
gone a little less centered looking for beats that
may or may not have been touched before. Generally
being exposed to genres of music for the most part
that haven't been sampled but could be sampled.
Specifically minimal musics that have an interesting
flare to them. That is what I'm trying to do with my
own music now. Influence from everything from French
pop to punk rock. Straight up rock to breaks to Jazz
to funk and soul and take what I considered the strong
elements of all those different musics put them into
my own thing without exploiting them but more so
paying homage to all those genres

On your latest album did the Montreal winters have an
influence?

Part of it but more so than anything. Just trying to
make a record that really..especially an instrumental
record you would want there to be the same emotion and
tenacity that you would put into a lyric record. My
music has always been real personal and all most
enough so that has pushed me out of writing. I really
don't wanna release my diaries to the public as a
result to that I think I've been trying to put that
same emotions and tenacity to instrumental music.

Still writing?

I'm still writing a lot , I still do raps but
generally I think my life has gotten phased in the
last of the while and there's personal shit. Some
people feel that I and some of the anticon guys have
created a new genre that is specifically that. It's
like diary rap. Like wearing armor in our sleep. All
these thing I generally don't even like, you know.
I prefer not play peoples emotions as my writing style
personally.

I felt the same when I heard one of Buck 65's
songs.The song was on check with the moment of what
was going on in my life.

Tell me about the art that is involved?

I mostly do stuff myself. These days I'm too busy
focusing on music as also a visual artist my taste in
art ascetics are a little refined. The guy who did
all my ninja stuff. Like my chewing on glass record
and my new ep that is coming out in October. My friend
Font a well known graffiti artist in Canada and mostly
doing commercial illustration work these days. I told
him to listen to my record for a couple of weeks and
do what you do. I think that's how friends should do
it.

How did you get started with Ninja tunes?

Jeff was really into the direction my music was
heading. Was doing a live album and sampling myself
and using rique records that caught their attention of
the guys in the uk.

What kind of instruments do you use?

Fender Rhodes, bass, an mpc and other analog outboard
stuff. I use Api compressors.

What kind of music have you been listening to mostly
up in the now?

Everything from Avant Garde music to 70's music

More info on Sixtoo can be found:

www.myspace.com/sixtoo

sixtoo.blogspot.com

http://www.ninjatune.net/ninja/artist.php?id=108

Introducing: Blockhead

Introducing:Blockhead

A blast from the past circa 2004 interview with Blockhead of Ninja Tune. The interview was for a Texas zine called Feedback Magazine I used to work for part time which most of the content was cut until NOW. Thank you Rylie for finding this. These are my first ever interviews with people and I was very nervous btw.. more than usual...

How would you feel about doing film scores any plans
with this?

I would love too but it's the matter that I work with
samples so when I do an album I would have to make an
obscure version.

Have you done anything currently leaning towards this?

I've done stuff for video games like Getaway 2 but it
was music they gave and it really didn't matter what
music I sampled.

Do you find yourself ever mcing once again?

Not in a serious way. The people that like my beats
would not like the kinda rap I do. Ignorant battle
raps. That's the way it was 7 years ago.

How long have you been involved in music?

I've been making beats since 93 and I got my sampler
in 94.

What kind of sampler do you use?

An ARS 10

How did you hook up with Aesop Rock?

I met him in collage in 94 and we used to rap together
and we both started making beats at the same time. We
became friends and from that we built that I took the
more beat direction and he took the more rhyming
direction. We're homeboys you know.

What inspired you to create tracks such as
Carnivore??

It's all about melody and getting something that will
catch someones ear, ya know. I kinda just sit there
until it's done and when I step away from it, it's
done. More about sequencing and building memento.

Do you think that you will possibly might be working with
RJD2 at some point?

To a point. I just don't think that there is a point
for two producers to work together. Cause we both have
our own styles, own ideas on how to make beats,
different equipment. Both kinda go in different
directions. I just see no purpose to it.


What have you been listening to recently?

Mf Doom, Master Killa, I like TI. I got lime wire so
I've been downloading a lot of stuff, basically
whatever I get my hands on.

How do you feel about people downloading your tracks
off the net?

You can't really do anything about it, it's
promotions.When your an artist at my level you really
don't depend on record sales.

Did you used to work in a bakery?

Yea! I did it for 5 years!

I used to dig graves and make pizzas!

More info about Blockhead can be found:

www.myspace.com/theblockishot

www.ninjatune.net/blockhead/

Film Review : Paranormal Activity

Film Review:Paranormal Activity

Didn't make time to catch this at the cinema but I also have a mini theater called my living room. The film was a little bit hyped up but overall I thought the film did justice for the budget it had. Tells a story of a young couple haunted by a demon that brings them the most terrifying night terrors. I felt bad for the couple dealing with the unforeseen nuisance. I guess the girl forgot to tell her boyfriend before she moved in that she has a stalker demon.. Everyone has baggage!
There is one scene that made me jump a little. I don't scare easy so it must have been frightening. The film was shot in a camcorder type style with no soundtrack really, except bass heavy eerie noises from everywhere. It was influenced by the Blair Witch Project in my opinion. I would recommend to check it out or rent it at your local video store.