the Island of Misfit Songs

Let us open up the Book of Rakim, chapter 4, verses 12 through 16:

It’s been a long time

I shouldn’t've left you

Without a strong rhyme to step to

Think of all the weak shows you slept through

Time’s up–I’m sorry I kept you.

It’s been about a month since the last one, and while Party Ben is continuing at a low simmer, Mr. Matt Hite has freed himself from the hot seat. You can expect the usual fun and games that you’ve come to know and tolerate from a Behind the Scene.

More importantly, without this man, there is no Island of Misfit Songs.

So for everything he’s done, and will do, Matt Hite has my eternal thanks.

And just to clarify, I did not have sexual relations to “Lick It Wild”–I only was using my hand at the time.

And now, to confirm your worthiness, the usual three-pronged opening question gambit that has become a staple of the Island. Just remember: if you cheat or lie in any way, shape or form, you will be raped by a bear and a three-legged puppy will be shot in the face. K? K.

 

Option #1: you listen to the Pussycat Dolls album all the way through. Option #2: with a 10-step running start, a stranger takes a full-speed swing at your crotch with a baseball bat. Which do you choose?

Well, considering the pain of listening to a Pussycat Dolls album is a maximum of 74 minutes, and the pain of a bruised crotch is likely days — maybe even weeks — I think I will have to begrudgingly choose option #1.

Short essay: you have up to 25 words to elucidate one of the following positions:
a) Hall & Oates were fucking awesome, or
b) Hall & Oates were a plague brought to us by the beast known as the Desolate One

Definitely awesome. I can’t tell which is Hall and which is Oates, but together they’ve kept me company in many an elevator and dentist office.

Another Bad Creation : Kris Kross :: some random kid throwing something in the general direction of the stage : _______________

some random kid with his clothes on backwards throwing something (Are you trying to give me some sort of S.A.T. nightmare?)

Matt scored the usual requisite 2 out of 3.

To paraphrase David Byrne: well, Matt, how did you get here?

I got started as a DJ when I was 15. I used to go to a new wave teen club in the basement of a miniature golf course and it was there that I first witnessed a DJ mix records live. I was totally amazed and knew I wanted to learn how to do that. I was lucky to find several mentors who let me practice on their equipment until I could afford my own and were willing to teach me what they knew. I also was fortunate enough to connect with several promoters in the area that brought many great opportunities my way. And of course we can’t forget my mom who used to get out of bed at 2 or 3 am to help me carry my records back into the house. You might even call this whole thing a family affair!

Fast-forward 18 years and I’m still DJ’ing and doing remix and production. I still dream of doing it full-time one day (and being able to support myself and my family) but as they say half the fun of a dream is the “getting there” part. Lucky for mom I no longer need her to get out of bed to help me with the records.

Maybe I’m dense, but how does one party in the basement of a miniature golf course?

So this particular miniature golf course had an arcade on the ground floor, a restaurant area on the top floor, and a dance club space in the basement. I know it sounds a bit strange! Picture 200+ new waver kids (a.k.a. “people in black”) roaming around a perfectly respectable family golf establishment and I think you’ll understand why they wanted to keep us in the basement.

Explain to us punk kids nowadays just how up on things (if at all) the interwebs were when it came to the mashup community back in 2003.

Well, different sites have come and gone, but GYBO of course still stands. It’s the grand daddy and rightly so — I’d be absolutely gutted if Grant ever pulled the plug on it. We’ve unfortunately had various shakedowns, takedowns, and cease & desists shape the way people are able to share tracks on forums like GYBO, and that’s a bit unfortunate. But I really have to hand it to Grant as he has kept the place on point (for the most part) and it’s still a thriving community that I enjoy visiting and participating in when possible.

As to the quality of tracks that get released these days — well, to be honest, it just gets better. There’s still a ton of shit mashups that people put out but the quality producers are just getting better. A lot of DJs have “cut their teeth” on mashup production and the ones with honest talent are putting out some seriously quality stuff today.

What was the primary motivation for launching Beatmixed (without which this site wouldn’t exist)? Was there any secondary motivation? And is it true web masters gets allllllllllllll the fine bitches?

Beatmixed really started as a way for me to document and share all the interesting mashup and remix production information I could find — whether it be tutorials, production techniques, software reviews, interviews, news or pressing clips, etc. The intended audience is definitely the producer/DJ/mashup enthusiast seeking knowledge.

As far as secondary motivation — no, not really. There have definitely been some secondary outcomes, though. I’ve certainly met a ton of other people who are also obsessed with mashups, remixing, and audio production. It’s also brought great opportunities my way like the editing gig for DJ Earworm’s mashup book on Wiley Press and the DJ sets at great nightclubs like Bootie. I guess in short more people know who I am and what I love. Beatmixed has been my outlet to share this with the world.

As far as getting all the fine bitches, I’m afraid all the women in my life know little of Beatmixed or the tangled web I’ve woven with it. To be perfectly honest, I’ve always had to depend on my chiseled body and supermodel looks to attract the opposite sex. It may seem hard to believe, but I am rarely appreciated for my intellect or web mastering skills.

Why do girls not love us for our brains and demand hours of sex when we’re trying to HTML? Scarlett especially drives me crazy with that shit!

She must have thought you said “hyperSEX markup language.” An honest mistake. Make the most of it.

If you’d be kind enough to share a few words about your friends and contemporaries, starting with, let’s say…Phuegoo?

I haven’t had a chance to get to know Phuegoo very well, but I’ve always been a fan. Sympathy for the Warhols is my current fave.

A + D

Presiding over a virtual empire of bootleg clubs, Adrian and Deidre have poured their heart, soul, and money into the mashup scene. It’s truly been a pleasure to work, play, and party with them over the past 4 years. Sometimes I wonder how they find time to do anything besides Bootie, but I’m sure they ask themselves the same question.

Tripp

Yuma has put out so many great mashups that it’s hard for me to pick my favorite. He’s an extremely talented producer and as a DJ he really knows how to rock a crowd. We’ve had a lot of fun DJing together… dare I say we make a great team…

Victor Menegaux

Haven’t had a chance to chat with Victor and I unfortunately missed his set @ Bootie, but I do hope to make it over to the Pacific Northwest someday soon to catch up with the Seattle bootleggers.

2 Many DJs

Classic. I can still pop in a 2 Many DJs CD today and it sounds fresh and fun.

Earworm

Jordan is definitely the “mathematician” of the mashup scene. Everything he does artistically is precise, well-executed and with intent. It was great working with him on his book and seeing such a major undertaking become a reality. If you don’t own his book (Audio Mash-Up Construction Kit) already, definitely get yourself a copy!

Party Ben

Ben definitely pioneered the mashup sound on U.S. radio airwaves. I really looked forward to hearing Sixx Mixx every Friday and I truly am sad that it is gone. I was gutted when I heard him announce that the show was over. But the truth is that Ben is more than “Mr. Sixx Mixx” and he continues to release amazing mashups and throw down inspired DJ sets. I expect even bigger and better things from him in the future. His recent Rihanna / General Public (”Tender Umbrella”) mashup is brilliant, BTW.

Scotty Johnson

Love his podcast. Scotty always features great dance cuts and mashup tracks — my two favorite genres! He’s also been a long-time supporter of my own mashup work and I truly think of him as a kindred spirit. Thanks for all your support, Scotty.

Go Home Productions

Really one of my biggest inspirations. Mark definitely knows how to craft a quality mashup out of seemingly disparate parts.

You mentioned “Sympathy For The Warhols”…what have been some of your other favorite mashups that’ve come out this year so far?

This is really hard to answer. I could go on for days and still leave something out.

I’d rather just point you in the general direction of great podcasts like Ramdom Thoughts and Radio Clash along with the web sites of Mashup Town (http://www.mashuptown.com/), GYBO (www.gybo.org), the Bootie Top 10 (http://www.bootiesf.com/), and Audioporn Central (http://www.audioporncentral.com/). Also, check out the Beatmixed links section (http://www.beatmixed.com/links) for an extensive list of mashup artists and web sites that I think are worth checking out.

What was the first mashup that you ever heard? Were you hooked instantly?

It was likely DNA’s The Source / Suzanne Vega mashup of “Tom’s Diner” and “You Got The Love” from back in the early 90s. As far as the “modern” mashup landscape is concerned, it would probably be one of the hundreds of forgettable Missy bootlegs. I don’t know if I was hooked instantly, but it certainly sounded like fun to cook some up myself.

Who were/are you using for guidance as sort of a hero-worship figure in the scene?

Technically speaking, Dunproofin’, Earworm, DJ John, Team9, and Eric Kleptone are producers whom I hold in high regard. Dunproofin’s “Spektrum John” is amazing. Earworm’s “No One Takes Your Freedom” is jaw-dropping. DJ John crafts some amazing masterpieces. Pretty much anything team9 touches is golden. And of course Eric’s “A Night at the Hip-Hopera” blew me away. There are others but these 5 have always provided inspiration.

You run a very popular site and would be revered if you only did that. What’s your motivation for continuing to do mashups?

I really just want to grow as a producer, take on new production challenges, and most importantly learn. I consider it to be both a form of entertainment and a great artistic outlet. It’s also exhilarating to hear one of my mashup creations on the radio or to see a massive crowd of people cheer when my track is dropped in a dance club!

What differentiates a good mashup from a great mashup?

Is it in key? Is the sum greater than the parts? And do I actually want to listen to it again? If I can answer yes to all three of these, then we’re at least on the right track.

Not just content to be a net maven, you also do mashups. So, how easy was it to get “We Will Rock & Roll You” together? Did the idea arrive fully-formed in your head?

This one was a major pain in the ass to edit. The Joan Jett song shifts tempo all over the place so making it all fit right was a bit of a challenge. Though I am pretty proud of the Joan Jett micro-edits used to make her hold the “singingggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg” part as it transitioned into the Queen chorus. However, that being said, someone on GYBO did tell me it sounded like it was edited with a chainsaw. Besides the chainsaw guy, everyone else seemed to like it. The idea was pretty much thought out before I began.

You also spin a lot of techno in some of your full-format sets: what made you choose the tracks that constitute “I Like The Way You Move It” as opposed to something more recognizable to the club-goer not so into techno (”Call On Me”, Chemical Brothers, Benny Benassi, etc.)?

“I Like The Way You Move It” was more a novelty concept type track — one song was called “I Like The Way You Move” and the other was called “I Like To Move It.” So that pretty much explains why I chose those tracks. It’s always fun when you can come up with oh so clever combinations that happen to sound good together.

Besides myself, how many fans of yours have revealed they’ve gotten it on to “Lick It Wild”? Can you, as a parent, sleep at night knowing that you’ve put such libidinous tracks out into the world? WELL!?!

I think you are the first! And actually, I’m more worried about explaining “Fuck My Bitch Up” to my children. That one will have to stay locked in the vault.

Lots of Cassie boots in the past couple of years, but few people using “The Situation” by Yaz. What inspired “Close To Me & U & Yazoo”? Was it a spin-off of the Jay-R classic or did you come after it from a different angle?

The original Cassie “Me & U” track is totally boring in my opinion. No offense, Cassie. The remix idea started while playing around with the acapella in Ableton — I pitched it up ~ 20 BPM and decided it might actually make a half decent dance track. I had been cutting up samples from some of my old 80s records in the weeks prior, and that Yaz synth loop happened to be in the same key as Cassie’s vocals. And thus the track was born. I created an original drum track, bass line, and added some new keys to it and the end result turned out a lot better than I expected. The Art of Noise breakdown in that track is the real goose-bump moment, though. I’m actually really proud of that remix/mashup — it’s one of my better ones production-wise I.M.O.

The last track you came out with in Bottled Love–again you took a well-known instrumental but used a big change of pace in the a capella. How did you get to using “Runaway Love” as opposed to the numerous other, more popular Ludacris songs? Were you even thinking about using Ludacris primarily at all?

At that time I had been experimenting with various D.I.Y. acapella techniques. The Runaway Love vocals were the result of one such D.I.Y. acapella extraction experiment. The key and chord structure of both the X-Tina and Ludacris track are nearly identical — it was a natural fit. Most importantly, though, is that Mary J. Blige sounded great singing and harmonizing with the X-Tina track. No one had really heard the Ludacris track when I released the mashup, and it wasn’t until months later that I started getting emails from people telling me they heard the mashup on the radio.

You’ve recently remade your acquaintence with Bootie–did you fear any deck rust? Had anything noticeably changed from the last time you spun there?

No deck rust. The thing to understand about Bootie is that people will literally dance to ANYTHING there. People don’t go there expecting to hear anything they know, and as a DJ that’s like a blank check. Bootie continues to grow every month, packing more and more people in. I’m waiting for them to start doing big arena parties or something! But seriously, it’s always a lot of fun to DJ at Bootie, whether I’m doing the main floor or the lounge.

How long does it usually take you to form a set? Do you go in with a preconceived plan or do you play on the fly? What is more important, the opening song or the 2nd song?

I have a general idea of new tracks I might want to play, but I try not to plan too much. The opening song is definitely important, but I think having an idea of where you want to take people is more important.

I’ve asked prior guests to come up with dream sets they’d like to hear, but this is a little different with someone who rides both sides of the fence. So let me change up the usual pitch: would you rather be the one doing the dream set or hearing it as an audience member? If it is the latter, who’s DJing, and what do they spin during the King of All Hours?

Definitely performing! I’m not much for being out there in a crowd. I much prefer the sanctuary of a DJ booth.

What’s been your best moment as a DJ?

It would be too hard to pick a specific moment! In general, though, I think one of the most gratifying things is hearing someone ELSE drop your mashup track into their set. That’s a great feeling.

Usually, this is the part of the show where the interview ends with Mea Culpa and you plug whatever you want coming down the pipeline. If only we had that option with you…

…or do we?!

Well, it just so happens that I have a new mashup for your fine readers. That’s right — an exclusive Island premiere! It’s called “Everybody Is Right” and it consists of Timbaland’s Furtado beats, keys and chords pitted against Blackbox’s “Everybody Everybody” acapella. It also features a little bit of Harold Faltermeyer (Axel F), Stacey Q (Two of Hearts), and a special Nelly Furtado / Martha Wash duet at the end. I hope you like it!

EVERYBODY IS RIGHT! ISLAND EXCLUSIVE! YOU WANT ALL THIS!

As far as the pipeline goes, I have another Depeche Mode remix that I should be releasing soon. Also expect the occasional mashup. It’s hard to tell when inspiration will hit, though!

And of course no plug would be complete without me encouraging people to visit my web site, beatmixed.com!