Electronic Musicians

Scratch (2001) is a documentary film, directed by Doug Pray, that looks at the birth and evolution of hip-hop disc jockeys (DJs), scratching and turntablism.
Interviewees include:

Grand Wizard Theodore (the inventor of the scratch)
Grand Mixer Q-bert
Grand Mixer DXT, Z-Trip
Mix Master Mike
Rob Swift
DJ Premier
Afrika Bambaataa
Jazzy Jay
Cut Chemist
NuMark
DJ Craze
DJ Shadow
DJ Babu
DJ Krush
Madlib
Peanut Butter Wolf

You can watch the whole [...]

This month’s Electronic Musician has an interesting profile of Alessandro Cortini, best known for his work with Nine Inch Nails.
In the article, Cortini discusses his Buchla 200e modular synthesizer:
“It was kind of like buying a car. But this takes me more places than a car. It’s my favorite piece of gear. If I had to [...]

There’s a nice Flickr set of Yaz, performing at the Paramount Theater.
Let me know if you caught the show.

Sasha Grey is a model, porn star and Penthouse Pet.
But when she’s not appearing in films like Sasha Grey Superslut & Teenage Anal Princess #5, she’s half of the experimental music/art project Atelecine, described as “experimental dub minimalist”.
Here’s how she describes it:
I have music/art project called atelecine.
For my part in it I sometimes sing, play [...]

Every now and then, a remix album is released that just makes you wonder “What the hell were they thinking?”.
But you know what the hell they were thinking - they were thinking about making a quick buck.
Johnny Cash Remixed, an upcoming release on Compadre Records/Music World Music promises to showcase Remixers Gone Wild. The album [...]

Matmos has skipped the synth porn and gone straight to the synth splooge with its gallery of goodies highlighting its latest release, Supreme Balloon:
What follows are some pointers and backstory about the songs on the new Matmos album “Supreme Balloon”. When there are no editors in sight this sort of thing can easily go on [...]

 

 Rainbow Flag [3:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I’ve been skeptical about Yamaha’s Tenori-On since it was announced, suggesting that the device was sexy, but more style than substance.
Now, a new group has emerged that could challenge that idea - The Tenorions - an trio of babes that play Yamaha’s unique new instrument.
The Tenorions seem to be sort of The Monkees of electronic [...]

Yaz was only around for two years (82-83), but it the music it made in that short time period has had a huge impact on synth pop.
Now, Yaz is on tour for the first time in 25 years and getting good reviews:
Moyet’s deep, husky and sensual voice seems, at least on paper, an unlikely companion [...]

Awesome Synthopia reader Anya Graham translated a recent Jean-Michel Jarre interview for us, and I thought it would be great to share. Thanks Anya!
The intervew has a strong Apple focus, but is still interesting for its insight into how this synth music pioneer uses current technolog:
You’ve used Apple products for a long time, which models [...]

This simple but creeptacular video is a promo for Grace Jones’s album Hurricane, to be released in October 2008.
Co-produced by Jones with Ivor Guest, the eight-track set will also feature contributions by long-time collaborators Sly and Robbie, Brian Eno, Wally Badarou, Tricky, Uzziah ‘Sticky’ Thompson, Mikey ‘Mao’ Chung, Barry Reynolds, John Justin, Martin Slattery, Philip [...]