My adventures as a music producer Modern music production, tips, videos, music industry, anything thats seems at all interesting. music related or not.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Fiona Apple's Interview at Andrew Zuckerman's Music
Fiona Apple is one of the most talented artists of the past decade or so. I've watched this video of her a dozen times and it gives me goosebumps every time. She just nails on the head, what it is to be a musician and what it feels like when your in tune and in sync with the other musicians your'e playing with. Sometimes your fortunate enough to tap into something special. Once you feel that inspiration, you'll be on a constant quest to get that feeling back.
Fiona Apple is such an amazing artist in the world of cookie cutter hacks we're bombarded with on a daily basis. Do yourself a favor and listen to anything she's put out. My favorite is still "Tidal" but all of her work is worth listening to. I believe she has a new album coming out in the next couple of months. Can't wait.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Ed E Ruger -Ziplocked and Loaded
Workingman’s grind: Ed E. Ruger’s new album is a slice of blue-collar hip-hop life
Outside Greene Street Club during a show by Big KRIT on a Sunday night in late January, a champagne sedan with its headlights killed rolls up the dark alley from behind the club. The driver rolls down his window to meet Ray Armfield, who hands over a wad of bills just pulled out of his wallet. The scene’s not what it sounds like, but it’s not an atypical Sunday night for Armfield, otherwise known as Greensboro hip-hop artist and promoter Ed E. Ruger. The guy in the car is Young Stacks, an up-andcoming rapper with LGI Entertainment who was getting paid for playing a show with Ruger two nights before.
“We back here makin’ deals,” Ruger says with a wink. “But man, y’all takin’ all my money. I’m ballin’ like a midget,” he adds, a reference to a well-received single he dropped a few years back that wound up on his 2009 album Lights Out.
The show in question was the CD release party for Ruger’s latest work Ziplocked & Loaded at that very club, and like any show where Ruger is involved, it was a demonstrative slice of Triad hip hop. Names like Illpo, J. Harris, Scottie Flippen, UpRite Lions, Phillie Phresh, Ty Bru, Kayo Bracey, and Stitchy C aren’t simply artists on the bill, they’re his friends. But like any set by Ruger and fellow Iconoclast Crew associates, things can sometimes be unpredictable. In this case it was a surprise appearance by Rugged N Raw, a young rapper signed to hip-hop icon Immortal Technique’s Viper Records, who came down to support Illpo.
Big shows seem to be coming more often these days for Ruger, who just recently opened up for noted producer RJD2. It’s all about networking, he explained as he walked through Greene Street, slapping hands with Joe Scudda and bumping fists with Sadat X. But like he outlines so succinctly on the new album, the grind never seems to get much easier. “All these shows I’m doing, man you think I’m ballin’/but you got to add up how much this promos costin’/I can barely pay the bills on the phone y’all callin’/bungee cord on my Accord to keep the trunk from fallin’,” he rhymes on “Luck’s for Losers.”
Whereas Reloaded was the outlet for his anger over the death of his close friend and mentor Tre’ Stylez and Lights Out was an assertion to his place in hip-hop, Ziplocked & Loaded is without a doubt one of the most introspective works of Ruger’s career. “I don’t feel right every day punching the clock,” he states almost immediately on the album’s first track “40 Bars,” but it’s about more than the juxtaposition of being a working Joe while pursuing a hip-hop career at night.
“I’ve grown up a lot since the last one. I still talk a little s***, but this one is more about what I’ve been going through the past couple of years, raising my little girl, all the tours we’ve been on and actually making some money on this,” Ruger said. “To me, it’s the best mix I’ve had ever.”
His flow is strong and flexible on every track, a versatility he partially credits to close listens to Alabama rapper Yelawolf during the recording process, and production on the album matches him track for track.
Iconoclast producer JJ the Jenius put beats to 11 of the album’s 16 tracks, with folky chords hacked and chopped amidst blaxploitative funk and stoner grooves to match the litany of smoker references.
“It has a couple of radio singles, but damn near every track has weed references,” Ruger said. “That’s what I do, I can’t get rid of that.”
As much as it is a part of his persona, it’s his brand as well, and as Ruger’s matured as a businessman, consistency has become as important as frugality. Throwing dues to Rugged N Raw and Young Stacks days after the show comes a little easier as he parses out his production expenses. He cut more than $500 off album costs simply by going with plastic sleeves over jewel cases.
“People literally throw the CD in their computer and toss the jewel casing anyway,” he said. His next release, due in April or May, will cast off the packaging entirely, as Ray Lock: The Missing Links goes entirely digital. “We tried to be a little clever with the links reference, I just hope people get it,” he says with a big grin.
In the meantime, Ruger has been recording with another mentor, veteran Greensboro emcee Celinski, along with a separate project with legendary Brand Nubian member Sadat X, which will also feature frequent Ruger associates Genghis Khan and Ty Bru. Ruger’s work with Bru, which includes a dubstep project with DJ Phillie Phresh and Dubkiller known as DubBoro, landed a track on the new season of Breaking Bad, and nearly goes back to a former life: the days when Ruger was simply known as E Dot. A dispute over trademarks with a producer on Uncle Howie Records, however, forced the change.
“I’m sure there’s a million other E Dots, but there ain’t too many Ed E. Rugers,” he said. “I’m the best one, that’s all that matters.”
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Joshua Smeaton
I happen to have a very talented brother that designed and drew the artwork for my DUBKILLER release. www.dubkiller.com. He happens to have his own blog that you should check out.
http://joshuasmeaton.livejournal.com/
He is also the author and artist for a really cool graphic novel called "Haunted". Do yourself a favor and check it out here.
http://joshuasmeaton.com/
Free synth patches...
Check out http://www.synthsoundz.com/ for free synth patches. There are some nice ones for Logic ES2, Albino and looks like they will have some for massive soon.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Spectrasonics "Trillian" The Ultimate Bass Plug in?
I acquired Trillian today. It's installing as I write this. It requires a massive amount of free hard drive space at 35 gigs. I have one terabyte on my macs internal hard drive but I've decided to install it on aan external hard drive.
So I got to play with this plug-in a little bit at a West L.A. Music expo a couple of months ago. The bass sounds I heard we're nothing short of phenomenal. I've been salivating for it ever since. Can't wait to start making music with this.
To quote my production partner and friend. "Trillian has bass for days".
This is not a payed endorsement however should spectrasonics want to..... I'd be willing to accept.
"The only bass plug-in you need? Absolutely… if you can't find the bass you need here, you're doing something wrong."
-Future Music
"A musical instrument that begs to be played, Trilian isn't just the best bass instrument on the market, it sets the gold standard for years to come."
-Keyboard
www.spectrasonics.net
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Making Of Test Run
We had a great time making this song and the video. Watch the process of how this song is made. It even turns into a music video. Enjoy.... we did.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Reporter tells co-anchor he has a small penis on live TV
WOW!!! So this is not music related but WOW just WOW!!! Nothing like a woman scorned.
A comical look at the creative process
One thing I believe though is that you have to work through the crap. You have to put in the time and effort in order to get to the good stuff. To feel that "inspiration" if you will. For the truly gifted that seem to be be able to create greatness at will. I hate you. Not really, but it must be nice.
Anyway I have to get back to working through the uninspired crap to find that creative gem.
Later,
DUBKILLER
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Hey producers remix Martin Solveigs "Hello" and win $7000!
So if you haven't heard Martin Solveigs super catchy "Hello" featuring vocals from Dragonette you must be hiding from the radio. Heres your chance to win $7000 in prizes. All you have to do is submit the winning remix to the contest sponsored by Beatport.
If you've never done a remix before. Its a great exercise and it should help you understand song structure. Its always cool to hear where someone can take an already familiar song. Check out all the details at beatport.com. Good luck!
If you've never done a remix before. Its a great exercise and it should help you understand song structure. Its always cool to hear where someone can take an already familiar song. Check out all the details at beatport.com. Good luck!
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| David Lynch Remix Contest |
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| Round Table Knights "Say What?!" Remix Contest |
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