Daedelus keeps himself busy.  Since 2001, the Los Angeles-based producer has released albums on underground hip-hop labels Plug Research, Mush, and Alphapup, experimental techno label Phthalo, German label Laboratory Instinct, and the prolific underground electronica giant Ninja Tune, amongst others.  In 2003, he collaborated with LA underground MCs Busdriver and Radioinactive for the childrens’ album-soaked “The Weather,” (Mush) only to release a completely reconstructed instrumental version later that year.  Upcoming projects include collaboration with his wife, Laura Darlington, a second collaboration with Los Angeles’ DJ Frosty (after 2003‘s marine-inspired “Dreams of Water Themes“), and a full-length album for Ninja Tune.  And hot off the presses are the “Fair Weather Friends” EP (Ninja Tune) and “Live At The Low End Theory” (Mush) from LA’s new weekly home for underground hip-hop.

I caught up with Daedelus on a recent tour with Busdriver and Antimc at The Great American Music Hall, possibly San Francisco’s best-sounding small venue.  Here’s what he had to say about creating music, distributing music, and, well, music. (more…)

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I don’t think that I will ever forget the first time that I listened to the band WEEN.  I was in the back of a white 1980 Datsun 210 sedan with soft light blue interior.  I had recently ingested a plus-size hooker’s corpse-load of cubensis and, being inexperienced at the time, I was downing fistfuls of them like I was going head to head with Takeru Kobayashi at the Nathan’s on Coney Island.  Someone popped in a cd of Pure Guava and I was mesmerized.  Something about the sound spoke to me by emmiting 2 different, almost contradictory, vibes (sorry for lack of a better word but my mind had sizzling pop-rocks in it).  Part of the feeling that album seemed to give off said, “We love what we are doing, we care about this music,  this is how we make our art, and we are giving it every thing we have!” while the rest of it said to me, “Bloody cock!  We don’t even shit a fuck!  Lets steal your dad’s porn, drink his booze, tape ourselves rocking, and then set a golfcart on fire and push it into the country club lake” and ”Hey! Did you find my tape in my room?!  Turn it off and give it back, dick!“  Like I said, it spoke volumes to my teenage ears and its message was delivered with the fury of a taco truck burrito.

The first time that I ever saw WEEN was in 2000 at the Showbox in Seattle.  I was tired of people flaking out at the last minute so I took a 4 hr bus ride from Olympia to get to the show by myself.  I was trying to “miracle” a free kick down ticket from someone outside but, at first, all that I got was a Big Gulp full of Bourbon and Pepsi and a “Good Luck” here and there.  I finally got a ticket and, as I watched the show, I had to avoid slipping on the Heineken bottles strewn across the venue floor.  The show was amazing and bizarre.  Some drunk broad hopped on stage and Gene waved security away to let her sing with them and, when they played Baby Bitch, sorority girls were singing along to lyrics like “Fuck you, you stinkin’ ass ho” while swaying their heads side to side with their eyes closed like it was one of Michael Bolton’s “greatest hits“.

Ween is currently touring for their latest release La Cucaracha (Rounder/Chocodog) and I was able to catch their most recent show in Seattle and to have a copy of the album sent to me to peep out for a review.  I have a quite a few opinions about each. (more…)

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