80's Night! Over 4 Hours of the Worst Music Ever Made

You may or may not know this, but The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were not always so trendy and lovable characters. They started as a comic book series that was dark and bloody, with cuss words and sexual activity.  There's no point to that tid bit, I just wanted to mention it cause I found my old TMNT comics the other day.

Anyhooooooo...

 I made this 80's mix on a night that I got booked at recently.  It was at this theme party and everyone was in 80's "costumes/attire" (looking like douche bags). I kinda hate 80's pop and new wave honestly, but a man's gotta eat I guess.  If I was booked to play more 80's hip hop or rare soul, aka non-radio shit, then maybe it would have been ok, but these losers wanted New Wave and Hair Band Metal. I snuck in a little hip hop, but it's mostly the trendy pop crap. I guess it's a fun mix to have if you are throwing your own 80's party, so I'll hook you up with it.  It's not as bad as I'm making it out to be honestly.  It's just not my favorite music, and I was just a little kid in the 80's anyway, so I don't really know the music very well, or have memories attached to these songs.

(THIS LINK IS NO LONGER VALID)

"Focus" Mixed By DJ IMANI (Nu Jazz, Afro/Brazilian, Future Soul)

























It may seem as though I am drifting off into space when you catch me staring at the radio, or speakers.  In a way it's true, but I am far from being lost in some A.D.D. stupor. More than likely, if I am caught in a sort of trance, its because I am totally lost in the music. Music has the power to open up sectors of your mind that would other wise be dormant, so I am probably lost in thought.

When I was in college, we had digital cable, with digital radio stations. I would spend hours listening to some of the Electronic radio stations, just staring at the blank TV screen.  God they hated me for that, especially when some dumb show was on that they wanted to watch.  My roommates most likely thought I was some kind of stoner dip shit or something.  The music was my center of attention, while others merely listened to it passively.

People tend to view music as just background filler. This in unacceptable in my world. Music is the main focus of a party to me, and almost every other situation as well. My college roommates would come home and start huge arguments with me just because they wanted to watch brainless garbage on television, while I was merely listening to music. I guess they assumed that even though I was using the TV first, which was our rule, that it didn't count if I was just listening to music.  At the time though, that was the best source I had for new tunes.

They even thought I was depressed at one point because I'd be just sitting in the living room, in the dark, staring into nothing, listening to Downtempo Electronic. Some people just do not get it! The music keeps me from being depressed, what depresses me is when you turn it off, and the ignorance that is so deeply rooted in our "Land of Diversity". Even when I was 8 years old, I would spend an eternity just lying on the floor listening to the radio, staring at my bright red dual tape deck, waiting to hear songs I like so I could record them.  As a teen, it was the same thing.  I would drown out the world with music, and go into my own realm. I'd be in my Dad's basement for half the day listening to CD's.  My Dad probably thought I was jerking off or doing drugs, haha.

I'm sure the folks that have never felt the way many of us music enthusiasts feel, would think we are freakin bananas. I have been in tears due to a beautiful song. I'm not talking some cheesy, sappy love ballad, or just a sad song with sad lyric either. I'm talking about tears of joy, that make you appreciate the beauty and splendor that this world can offer. Sometimes the art and craft that someone was able to create is just too overwhelming.  It's powerful stuff.  Better than any drug I've ever tried, that's for sure.
It can be very spiritual when you hear that one song, that makes the rest of the world disappear. You are in tunnel vision, and all that exists is you, and that mind altering melody. Music is my meditation. It's like fuel to me.  I'm pretty sure I'd die without it.  I've had many "Out of Body" experiences, with music, no drugs involved.  I swear to God this is a total cliche, but the music really is its own high, and I feel sorry for people that need drugs to actually feel the music.

 I have seen guys with absolutely no rhythm in their body, tear the dance floor up, dancing uncontrollably. Its actually funny to watch, yet so wonderful to me. It's one of my favorite thing to see someone losing their shit.  It makes me really appreciate human nature, and raw, unedited human emotion. I get chills almost everyday because I have drowned my life in music.





















As an adult, and a DJ, I have become extremely picky and almost anal, when it comes to music, clubs and parties. I try hard not to be, but its so difficult not to be constantly searching for that high I was talking about.   You turn into a straight up junkie for it.  It's unfortunate that a lot of parties do not focus on the music at all. Instead they focus on an image. I see the music world falling deeper and deeper into heavy divides. All of the best music is in the underground scene, and smaller, more intimate venues. It has always been like that to a certain extent, but I think it will be more steadfast, and the line between the two is widening.

 When I found out that Lil Wayne was nominated for 8 Grammy awards, and that Soulja Boy was a national sensation, I realized that the music industry has completely alienated itself from the true music lover. They are just going after an image and want to keep us dumb and controllable.  I am a firm believer that the music should be the center of attention to make your event a success, or for me to recognize you as a respected artist. Music is such a major part of our core, that if you target that center, there is no way you can fail. You will hit everyone's heart. At least I like to think so.  Think about it, we live every second of our lives listening to the natural rhythm of our heatbeat.  So to end on another cliche, just follow your heart.

Anyway, here is my latest mix.

1 - Brooklyn Heights - Down To The Bone
2 - Dan Gna - Les Go De Koteba
3 - Querida Vida - Browntempo
4 - Funky In The Middle - Nickodemus feat. Jay Rodrigues & Ticklah
5 - Hurry Home Featuring TM Juke - Alice Russell
6 - Treasure - Zuco 103
7 - Possas Boogie (Remix) - Klement Julienne
8 - Another New Day - Jazzanova
9 - Listen To The Drums - Outlines
10 - A-Gusta - Safri Duo
11 - Exilio (Rewound By Thievery Corporation) - Thievery Corporation
12 - Universal Love - Truby Trio
13 - Soulmate - Summerland
14 - Feel - Li'sha Project (Lisa Shaw)
15 - Hard To Say - Clara Hill Meets Slope
16 - Pousada Do Amor - Les Hommes
17 - Jazz Mood No. 1 - Future Loop Foundation
18 - The Bushoong - Moodorama
19 - Nos Vida (MAW Mix) - Louie Vega Presents Ananè
20 - Inspiracao Feat. Lilian Vieira - Praful
21 - Bossa Del Sol (Bossa Del Lounge Mix) - Future Mode

Download Individually Here

"Dusty Shelves" Mixed By DJ IMANI (Old School Soul/Trip Hop/Future Soul/Downtempo)



























It seems that every time I question my obsession with Trip Hop, I get an extra boost of confidence to reassure myself that it's all good to keep spinning. I made the Burning Bridges mix a while back, after struggling to find a Trip Hop, Downtempo, Nu Jazz culture here in the Bay Area, and decided to move on. Then my homie DJ MIKAN, gives me a ton of new cuts before he moved to LA. It started to re-spark my lust for those raw beats and dirty, dark instrumental sounds.

I mixed this live a while back at a spot that we used to spin at together, and I used 7 of his tracks that he gave me. I have had this recording sitting on the shelves for months now, cause I'm still pissed that this music is not as big as I want it to be. But lately, with the winter coming, I have noticed that people are a little more down with it. So I am bringing it out of hiding. It starts off with some old school Soul, then is basically Trip Hop through the End. The sound levels may be clipping in a few spots.  Sorry.

1 - Tripping Out - Curtis Mayfield
2 - Son Of A Preacher - Dusty Springfield
3 - The World Is A Ghetto - War
4 - Superman Lover - Johnny "Guitar" Watson
5 - Miss Q'n - Zap Mama
6 - My Soul Ain't For Sale (Instrumental) - Jazzy Jeff
7 - Four Hills - DJ Day
8 - Hustle On - Evidence
9 - Bath Music - Greyboy
10 - Kix Jazz Pt. II - Kixnare
11 - King And I - Marc Mac
12 - Here's What's Left - RJD2
13 - Four Ton Mantis - Amon Tobin
14 - Moonpie - Cinema Recorded Music Cinema
15 - Downtown Brown - Ben Human
16 - Shadow - General Midi
17 - Shin-Sekai (with Rino) - DJ Krush
18 - Pretty Girl With A Crooked Smile - DJ T Rock & Squahy Nice
19 - Black Capricorn Day (Slum Village remix) - Jamiroquai
20 - Mental Invasion - DJ Cam
21 - Where Have They Gone - Harmonic 33
22 - Kanstrumental 5 - Kankick
23 - Give Thanks (Sound Providers Remix Inst) - Kero One
24 - Who's The Realest? - The Herbaliser
25 - Can I Get A Witness (Thievery Corporation remix) - Sofa Surfers
26 - Sometimes - B Tribe
27 - Immature - Bjork
28 - In The Garden - DJ Frane
29 - Duality - DJ Krush

Download The Tracks Individually Here