Spirits were high in Arcata last week as the good people at Rebel Bass Collective were more than happy to provide another bass-filled Saturday night, with the genre bending mashups of David Starfire and the bass heavy riddims of Marty Party. Patrons who were smart enough to arrive before 11pm got in for 10 bucks, and were treated to the familiar sounds of local FootClan members Masta Shredda and Mike Diesel, before the very vocal and animated Starfire took the stage. Mixing in varying styles, all laden with heavy basslines, with the help of the multi-parametered KP3 Effects Pad, Starfire rocked the stage and got the whole place going. The most notable track of the evening, “Kashmire Punk”, mashes artists like Led Zepplin and Rusko, and was the perfect finale before Marty Party took the stage. (Download Kashmire Punk for FREE here). With the help of his Roland Handsoniq drum controller, in between absolutely manhandling the KP3 like a face melting hair metal guitar solo, Starfire bongo’d and kaossilated his way off stage while Marty Party gave his introduction: “I am Marty Party, I am going to play 2 hours of original music, I’ve loaded some random samples I will be playing for you. I hope you like it.” WIth utmost modesty he began cranking out mounds of the hip hop heavy jams he’s known for, including my favorite track “Whatever”.
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As his set continued, he got more and more animated and used more samples and Ableton effects. I learned later that he had been up MartyPartying all night with friends in San Fran, and was pretty haggered when he showed up for soundcheck. This explains his increased energy as he got stronger a dose of the hair of the dog, which all us ragers know is sometimes the only way to rally for round two, 48 hours after our last winks. The night progressed seamlessly, and except for high house lights and a lack of lazers which prevented some of the best Hardware Hero photos, the night finished without a dull moment. I indulged in just enough whiskey and local microbrew pints to achieve an optimal level of inebriation for the evening, and was lucky enough to get a few minutes with both artists before stumbling out the door into the cool North coast air. Here’s what Marty Party and David Starfire had to offer to you via LOSTinSOUND.
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Getting into his groove
Interview with MARTY PARTY (martyparty.org)
LiS: What were your biggest influences, music or otherwise, growing up in South Africa?
MP: My mother. Growing up my Mother was a tap dancing chick, a real show girl. I think that’s why I like putting on a show, the performance is why I do this. The music is ok, but the performance is always different. Music is more theatrical and the show is more of an experience. Its more of like a party I’m having with the people, I like to get drunk, get sloppy or what ever with the people, other DJ’s don’t get drunk, I get drunk. I never drink up to the show, but once it starts I get drunk with the people and party.
LiS: Can you tell us a little about the hardware you produce with?
MP: I use a keyboard, mouse, Midi controller keyboard and my computer, and that’s it, man. When I perform live I use a controller pad and thru ableton map the Midi controller pad and load banks of sounds I have gone thru earlier and cut up, or whatever. I make one-shots (from these samples) and assign them to the pads randomly, so every show is different. I learn it, by the end of the show I got it down, and continue making songs with it, but in the beginning its so cool because it’s always new.
LiS: Have you ever found a combination of these new live combinations and used them in later recording sessions?
MP: I never really recorded or saved a live set. I could just push record in Ableton and it would record it, but that day will come soon. I’m practicing now, but I think when I record it I will release as a set, a 60 minute marty party set, and sell it for $4.99.
LiS: I noticed on your website you release all of your music for free. What made you choose to give your music away instead of selling it?
MP: I’m lazy, haha. I’m an OG, man, ya know, Im an older guy. I don’t have time to fuck around. I just wanna make music and party. If I can make a couple bucks from that, ya know, why not? I don’t make a lot of money, I don’t have any insurance.
LiS: What is your favorite type of show to play (big arena, small club, festival, etc.) and what is your favorite city you’ve played in?
MP: I like playing where ever the best sound is, it doesn’t matter what kind of venue it is as long as the sound is the best. The best sound I’ve heard was in Boulder Colorado at a Pretty Lights show, and I was in the crowd.
LiS: What made you choose New York City over any other places you’ve been in America?
MP: My wife is really into fashion, so New York is a really good place for her to blow up right now.
LiS: What can we expect from you and/or PaNtYrAiD anytime soon? (Audio fondle your girlfriend here with PaNtYrAiD)
MP: Well Josh (Oowah) is touring right now with the new Glitch Mob album, so that will be heavy for a couple months. So I’m just doing Marty Party. I’m touring and concentrating on Marty Party now and having a lot of fun.
LiS: Any advice for a beginning producer and/or DJ like me?
MP: You’ve got to be patient to be an artist. You have to learn the tools you are using, and do it all the time, you know, you got to be a musician and have fun.
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Interview with David Starfire (davidstarfire.com)
USE YOUR HEAD
LiS: One of the most impressive aspects of your set, besides the way you manhandle the KP3, is the use of your WaveDrum controller. Did this replace any other controller or live bongos?
DS: I have used lots of controllers, including the Wavedrum, but actually now I use an Handsonic drum controller. The wave drum from Korg is a good tool, but the Handsonic feels more like real drums. On top of that I love the Kaos pad on Korg’s KP3.
LiS: How did growing up in the south with Cajun influences affect your life musically?
DS: I grew up in Dallas, but my family was from Louisiana, so when I was younger I got some of the influence of jazz and creole music from my grandfather, and also grew up playing the guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, percussion. I was a madman for music, being in different bands and doing different tracks. Thats about the point my kinda crazy music roller coaster began when the band I was in was signed by a label and we began touring with Nine Inch Nails.
LiS: What influences did that tour have on you now?
DS: It was like BAM, I was 19 playing in front of thousands of people, and was like, wow, this is cool. But then the band broke up and I had to pick up the pieces and figure out what I was doing. I had all the time been into software as long as it’s been out, so at that time I began gravitating toward software.
LiS: What were your first pieces of hardware?
DS: My very first tool was the Korg DSS 1, and that was my shit. On top of that it was the Emu and Ensonic Mirage were the first pieces I had. Since then I have had a lot of different pieces.
LiS: You seem to be touring a lot. Does any city or event you’ve played stick out as your favorite?
DS: Wow, thats tough, I’ve been to a lot of amazing places. There are a few that stand out but its tough for me to say. I really like the small shows, like here in Arcata, and places like Reno and Salt Lake. I like smaller events because you don’t expect them to go off, and when they do just go OFF it’s just amazing.
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D~R Dyaphonoyze signing off.. in the meantime, rage ya faces off and keep ya mind right. Stay tuned for the RJD2 w/ Live Band featuring Busdriver review coming soon, plus much more from the North Coast and LOSTinSOUND.org.
