Archive for the the clash tag

Panic! 4 year anniversary / Aztec Camera: Good Morning Britain + The Smiths: Panic

Tonight, Panic! celebrates their fourth anniversary at Darkroom. I don't even remember how Kamar and I met Pogo and Arturo, but it's no surprise that the new wave djs with the Blondie-named night and the Britpop djs with the Smiths-named night were fast friends. I don't think Debbie Harry and Morrissey ever hooked up, but if Atomic was a girl, Panic would be our quirky British boyfriend. We're there almost every month -sometimes in the booth- and Arturo is one of our favorite regulars and guest djs at Neo. In either case, it's always a good time, and we're glad to help them celebrate their fourth anniversary.
In honor of Panic, I've chosen the oft-overlooked Aztec Camera single "Good Morning Britain", featuring vocals from Mick Jones of The Clash, from their 1990 release Stray. And of course this post wouldn't be complete without "Panic" by The Smiths. See you tonight!

Arturo, Kamar, Qbot, & Pogo

Buy Stray on Amazon
Aztec Camera on MySpace

Buy The Smiths on Amazon

DiscoTech

In this post, I will give away some of my favorite remixes. I know approximately nothing about DiscoTech, aside from that I think they're from Brooklyn, and I get really excited when I see their name on something. Attempts to search for more information have come up dry.

I love remixes, it's no secret. I like hearing a familiar song in a new way, different people's takes on the same material, and in general I just have an affinity for things that have been modified. But as a dj, though a remix often makes for a better mix and a bit of the unexpected can infuse some energy into the crowd, it can be problematic as well. A lot of people have carefully planned their dance moves and sing-alongs according to the original, and when you mess with that, well, you get nasty notes written on soggy napkins thrown at you calling you a "bad dj" by passive-aggressive dancers who clearly don't understand the concept. Some people just won't ever like it, but I've noticed it's a lot easier for them to swallow if the lyrics are intact. DiscoTech does this well; they create an updated and energetic backdrop to a familiar classic in a way that doesn't leave people bewildered trying to sing along.

DiscoTech on MySpace

P.S. They also did this bit of brilliance that I have been known to throw into a few industrial sets.