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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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The Future of Music embraced at Red Bull Music Academy
Contributed by Anonymous on: Wednesday 19 November @ 12:23:14 |
 by DJ ESP Woody McBride, RBMA MR. X Representative
Just five days before airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center in 2001, I was giving a lecture on techno music in The Village only a few blocks from the WTC at the Red Bull Music Academy.
It was a milestone experience for me. A great day when a rebel artform that I had dedicated my life to was placed in a purely academic realm – if even for just two weeks – and was debated, discussed, dissected, delighted and delivered.
During this time Electronic music and a peaceful world-tribe mindset were poised to take over.
Acts like Chemical Brothers, Fat Boy Slim and Paul Oakenfold could not stay out of the news or out of the soundtracks... I was even invited to score a soundtrack for the Green Party’s Ralph Nader for President Campaign.
So, what happened?
Since that day, 9/11/01, the world has become remarkably smaller, more restrictive, more violent and now the ho-hum of Big Brother’s mind-control machine is drowning out much of what we listened to and what made us feel alive.
Drug use is out of hand, "cool" has been commercialized to the point of no return, and anti-dancing laws are knocking at our door - which will leave tens of thousands of young people hung out to dry. To make things more confusing, turntables and music software sales are at an all-time high, nightclubs have been tactical targets of Capitalist enemies and oddly enough "techno" is heard on Mitsubishi TV commercials.
Help! An oasis providing a "time-out" to reflect on our musical future and social path is needed more than ever. But keep it Underground if possible!
We have all been looking to Independent and pop Artists brave enough to comment on the world around them. There are DJ’s that speak out against drug dealers preying on unsuspecting people, MCs who talk about corporate infiltration into our private lives, anti-war Singers who tell it like it is, and Bands who refuse to sell-out to the monopolistic Clear Channel Concert network who threaten Radio boycott or organize CD burnings.
Another vanguard of personal expression is Red Bull Energy Drink, based in Austria, which developed the only hard-core grass-roots pan-genre Electronic Music seminar of its kind – the Red Bull Music Academy.
Their corporate status makes them intrinsically suspect, but their track record is impressive. Red Bull has generously given back to its consumer base and is very careful to not over-brand events that they assist or sponsor. But, their one showpiece, however, is the Red Bull Music Academy.
RBMA is a scholarship-based Electronic music-oriented educational retreat held once yearly for two, two-week sessions - last year in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and this year in Cape Town, South Africa. New York City was the first U.S. host for the academy and a relevant location given the city’s long history in Electronic Music, fashion and business.
Taking western music to locations where people view sound and dance as importantly as food and water is an education in itself. The people of Brazil seem to be charged with a powerful mind-boggling amount of sensual rhythm. In South Africa, ethnic music is pillar of society rather than a traded commodity. You cannot fully capture this magic second hand.
North American DJ stars such as DJ Craze, Cut Chemist, John Acquaviva, and Jeff Mills as well as Internationals such as MJ Cole, J Majik, Gilberto Gil and Christian Vogel have taken part in the RBMA. Most artists volunteer their time.
Bedroom DJs and producers meet their heroes face to face and witness their hands-on studio demonstrations and lectures. The presentations of this incredible roster of artists are carefully and thoroughly documented in the archives on http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com.
Hip-hop, Techno, Dancehall, House, Ambient, Minimal, IDM, Hardcore, Drum & Bass, Samba, Acid Jazz, Acid Trance - all genres are celebrated and profiled. Perhaps the average person does not know what this kind of music is – I think Detroit Techno Overlord Mills said, "it is music that you have never heard before." Yes, music that chases the future.
And we might be just gaining on that "future" as the latest newsflach is that Rap Mogul P Diddy, touched by an experience at Ibiza, has hired Dance Moguls Felix Da Housecat, Darren Emmerson (of Underworld fame) and Hell to produce his next record. Wo!
Market analysis, Studio production, DJ blends, the skill of negotiating a record deal, dance politics, MP3/Final Scratch controversy, historical of Samba, sexism in music, UK Hip Hop, Asian Psychedelic Trance, Canadian House, German Techno or US Drum & Bass are just a few of the topics of RBMA discussion. Diversity in experience, national origin, socioeconomics, sex, and race at RBMA are important parts of the enriching multicultural experience.
For over a decade The Energy Drink Company has been a chief supporter and advocate of Electronic Music events Worldwide - many of these events reaching numbers of 10,000 to 100,000 people.
Through this experience, RBMA has a deep understanding of Electronica having began its workshops in Europe 6 years ago (450 to date spanning 300 lecturers).
According to Red Bull, The first Academy took place in Berlin in 1998. Fifty DJ/producers from Germany and Austria were chosen to attend two fortnightly workshops on music history, technology and business. After two years in Berlin, it moved to Dublin, to New York and then to London, increasing the international mix of our students to 28 countries.
The purpose of the Academy is to provide a platform for the exchange of musical knowledge and ideas – a familiar atmosphere in which guest lecturers and participants can talk about the experiences and fascinations that make up their musical lives. The participants can also learn a lot from one another, sampling each other's styles and exchanging new ideas and techniques throughout the two weeks they're together.
Student representatives are selected via a rigorous application process and then invited all-expenses paid. The motivation of the Academy is to deepen student’s understanding of music, to clarify RB’s commitment to Electronica, and to refine a relatively new genre of music that stacks up in popularity to Pop, Rock, Rap or Country.
Brought in to speak about my career as a DJ, Producer, Label owner, Concert promoter, Drug-free living advocate, Activist and Spiritual guide in the Underground Electronica movement, the International panel of students, the moderator from Ireland, and I quickly departed from my planned speech about turning knobs on synthesizers.
We moved to a raw forum about the evolution of Electronica and the status of America’s lack of freedom to express itself musically, culturally and by raving. I also noted that RB is an excellent option to using drugs while out clubbing, as it is a proven and potent energy supplement "…that gives you wings" I think someone added from the class. I responded with something like, "Living chemically-free is my personal practice and can be seen as clever and radical and revolutionary - drug use is a very tired mainstream practice."
Shifting gears,"What is it that makes the Midwest American sound different," asked Moderator Fion Higgins, a studio engineer from Dublin. "In Minnesota for example our techno is influenced by our funk and rock heritage as we do not have a very deep dance history like New York or Chicago – we grew up on Prince, Husker Du and Run Westy Run rather than House Music" I replied. Then a question about rare Japanese synthesizers came. "I contacted the Roland Corporation in attempt to speak with the engineer that designed the TB 303 (a baseline emulator discarded by rock and wedding musicians and picked up by 1980’s House producers and used as a scorching lead line synth).
"I was told that no one engineer could take credit for the instrument as they work as a team, but the lead tech on the project was grateful for the huge cult fame of the 303, but was not particularly fond of how we used the box." I always found this little story funny. We all laughed about it together sitting on comfortable couches as fans hummed to keep us cool – the hip interior of the rugged gutted loft was uniquely made-over just for these sessions.
"It is odd here… lost," I recall one student stating to me after class. "Yes," I agreed. " …this is America – land of contradictions – the best and the worst of everything – but a perfect place to recharge and restart."
Working as a techno DJ, I have seen firsthand the way the rest of the globe celebrates life in droves dancing to underground music at clubs, raves, open-air festivals, techno parties, art and music fairs, spontaneous happenings, and DJ concerts. The US is one of the few places in the world where Electronica is an either unfamiliar or a suspicious word to the mainstream. But then I think, "why are we complaining? – we want it to stay "Real" and "Underground" anyway - maybe it is simply a cultural difference and not ignorance and oppression? Or perhaps this blockade against new ideas is the fuel that makes the US a creative place?"
As North America has historically been 5 – 10 years behind the times when it comes to Dance Music, Red Bull has had a "subtle" presence at U.S. Electronica Events. "But it is coming," says Minnesota Marketing Manager Phil Mero. "Out of respect to the musically-independent minded crowd, we prefer to help out behind the scenes rather than "Brand" these happenings as "Red Bull Events". This is a testament to Red Bull’s sincere interest in the music."
In North America Red Bull over the past 10 years has focused heavily on alternative and extreme sporting events, such as snowboarding or motocross, but is now moving to assist and plan more and more music-oriented and urban projects.
But they like to keep it radical!
Red Bull aims to cast a brighter light on the international Electronic Music scene to the media and the public, to raise the Red Bull profile and make a dignified contribution to the continuum of music. Despite a long standing relationship with Red Bull, there is one question that has remained unanswered for me about the company – what is the motivation for this extravagant and gratuitous gift to a selection of rather anonymous people? I think the reason is that after years of being on the supporting end of many legendary Events and projects, Red Bull wanted the freedom to express Itself creatively and gloriously.
If you are an electroinc music lover still enjoying amateur status and have a few minutes to spare – log on to http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com and apply for the conference or join us and Frankie Bones for a more personal info session July 19 at 6 PM at First Avenue Club in Minneapolis (DJ sets to follow later that night). It could be life changing for you; it was for me…
For more information on the Academy or a life in music contact Woody McBride at geniusoffun@aol.com, or go to http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com. McBride is the Midwest America Red Bull Mr. X Representative.
Woody McBride grew up on the planes of North Dakota, where he was a peace activist, a journalist and great basketball player. He now lives ecologically conscious in Northern Minnesota with his wife Amanda, an artist and kind soul, operates Hidden Studio, runs Communiqué Records, the Soundburnt DJ System, http://WWW.DJESP.COM, works in the Sleepy Hollow Art Fab with his brother Graçon, collaborates on the Sleepwalker project with one of his heroes K Justin J from Iffy/Run Westy Run, has made soundtracks for Hazelden Foundation, is an organic gardener, has released over 100 Techno records on the World’s most prestigious underground Electronica labels, loves Speed Metal, pretends to be a famous Chef sometimes and plays with dogs Miso and Mazzy as much as possible.
"Hello - Woody McBride here. Thank you for considering the following article. It is an op/info piece about my experience at the Red Bull Music Academy.
This summer I am working as the Midwest Red Bull Mr. X Representative recruiting applicants to the academy. The deadline for application is Friday July 25. Next Saturday, July 19, We are holding an info session for RBMA at 6 pm at First Ave's VIP lounge and a throwing a party afterwards in the 7th Street Entry, with DJs Frankie Bones, ESP, G-13, Lectric, JP and Monkey Boy. It will be wild! There are logos and images available to accompany this article or it might be a good start to something one of your writers might produce. You can contact me at 651 583 2991, wallofbass@aol.com and please check http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com or contact Red Bull locally at phil.mero@us.redbull.com. Thank you very much.
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