Oh! The cloud of plutonium ions and static electricity circulating around outer Jupiter cleared for a minute, and lo and behold, Dam Funk was able to transmit his interview after all.
Dam Funk is a recording artist and DJ affiliated with the Stones Throw label, and with a renewed interest in the electronic, synthesized funk of the early to mid '80s. He's been on tour, spreading modern funk and boogie around the globe in support of his five-part opus Toeachizown, and he touches down at The Shelter on Saturday, September 26. We asked him about Prince's downfall, his time as a session musician during Cali's G-Funk era, and what happened to futurism.
Details on the show here.
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For people who don¡¯t know can you differentiate between modern and future funk and classic funk?
Dam Funk: For me, Modern-Funk is Funk music made in a progressive way without the 'retro' tag & vibe attached to it. Classic Funk to me is more on the lines of James Brown, the late 60's to early 70's sound and other groups today who try to replicate that particular style and sound. Modern-Funk is more influenced by the sounds that came later on in the 20th century, at the earliest such artist as: P-FUNK (Parliament/Funkadelic), ZAPP, Slave, One Way, Mtume, The System & even (early) Prince as well as in roads made by cats like Juan Atkins (Cybotron).
The popular knowledge of Funk is most associated with James Brown and George Clinton. What are some obscure and/or overlooked funk tracks/records that people should know about? It seems like there are some whole eras that didn¡¯t get the play they deserved
Dam Funk: Tracks such as "Wired For Games" by C-Brand or "Wide Shot" by Superior Movement. These are sounds that ARE Funk but, today can easily fall under the category of 'Boogie-Funk'. Even tracks, for example like "I Just Can't Get Enough" by Klique (Klique - I Just Can't Enough | 1982) are great overlooked Funk tracks that are more melodic & beautiful than, per say, the James Brown style of Funk. All of it is good, of course. But, I tend to lean toward the types of tracks that I mentioned above for my musical enjoyment in Funk & Boogie.
How would you describe 80¡¯s Funk to people not familiar with the direction the genre took in that decade?
Dam Funk: I would describe it as the point where it became more electronic based via drum machines & synthesizers yet, still bangin' with fluid bass lines and more colorful chords. The early to mid 80's era of Funk was a high point of the genre, in my humble opinion.
How were you involved in the West Coast G Funk era? Looking back on G Funk, what were the great innovations of the genre in regards to hip hop and funk proper? Where¡¯s Warren G these days?
Dam Funk: I was a keyboard session player in Los Angeles for artist such as Mack 10, MC Eiht, The Westside Connection (w/ Ice-Cube, W.C. & Mack 10), Allfrumtha-I, The Road Dawgs, and did some stuff on the "I Got The Hook Up" soundtrack by Master-P. + a few other various projects within that brief era that I participated in. The G-Funk era was innovative to me in terms of the fact that it incorporated 'live musicianship' over 'strictly' samples in the productions. The West-Coast scene made it 'okay' for this to occur within hip-hop. As for Warren G., I wouldn't know what he's up to these day. I don't know him & I've never worked with him. Talented producer though.
So much of the early 80's funk stuff, a lot of which you play is focused on outer space. Thinking about a song I've heard you play -- The Rah Band's Message From The Stars... It was part of a great, futuristic era. Do you see the same futurist strains in music today? What happened to the future?
Dam Funk: There are futuristic strains in music today, of course. With the material coming out on labels like Citinite Records and other similar indie labels, I see it re-emerging in a soulful & Funked based way & NOT just in a House music or strictly Techno way. The future looks bright for Funk music based in futurism.
Where does your interest in futurism come from?
Dam Funk: Just from having an open mind coupled with things I've seen + read while living life on this planet. I always try to 'keep looking to the sky' at all times.
Could you talk about maybe a couple of kinds of people who come to your night in LA? Younger kids? Older cats?
Dam Funk: All races, all ages (over 21) and vibes come to Funkmosphere. It's not a Hollywood'ish trendy place. It's a place for anyone to come and vibe out to the sounds that we all mutually dig & have an interest in. It's a beautiful place & concept that I'm very proud of. Along with the resident selectors: DJ Randy Watson aka Ron, Billy Goods & LaRoj, it's been all love.
What¡¯s your take on late period Prince? His early shit is revered, whereas his later stuff is roundly dismissed¡
Dam Funk: I feel that Prince has nothing to prove anymore. At this point in his career, he can pretty much do just about anything he wants to do musically. He's a shining light in all of music and always will be.
I read about your interest in Metal. Rush, Saxon, Iron Maiden. What about the British New Wave of Metal interests you? How do you reconcile this interest with a love of Funk? Do you see any similarities in the genres? Can Shanghai crowds expect a surprise Venom track thrown in there while you spin?
Dam Funk: I consider 'Metal' to be like 'Funk' in the way that Metal is kind of like the bastard child of Rock & Roll & Funk is like the bastard child of R&B & Soul. Metal & Funk are like that black sheep of the family, if you will. Off to the side yet, actually the best in the sense that it's more free than the others. In it's own zone.
Can you talk about the Metal project you were planning?
Dam Funk: Still in development. It will NOT be a straight Metal project. It will be more like an Electric-Metal sound. But, right now, I'm totally focused on this Modern-Funk sound I've been creating for the people. The Electric-Metal project will hopefully see the light of day at some point or another though. There will be NO surprise Venom joint dropped while I'm here in Shanghai. For now, Funk all the way!
What some Funk you couldn¡¯t live without? What¡¯s some Metal you couldn¡¯t live without?
Dam Funk: I couldn't live without the (sophisticated) Funk of SLAVE & I couldn't live without (the progressive-art-rock-metal) of RUSH.
Is there anything that a Moog bassline doesn't sound good on?
Dam Funk: No.
I read this in a recent interview: ¡°Bottom line is that I'm not going to be doing this real long. I'm just going to do 3 albums, hit it hard for you and then let the next man move in. I want to go behind the scenes and do movie soundtracks.¡± Could you elaborate on what you¡¯d like to do in terms of ¡°behind the scenes and soundtracks¡±? Do you watch a movie and think ¡°I could have made a real good score for this movie¡±? If so, what movies?
Dam Funk: "District 9". I would've have loved to score something on the lines of that recent dark & very unique sci-fi release. My favorite movie soundtrack though is the horror film "Phantasm" released in 1979. The score & soundtrack for that movie was/is INCREDIBLE!
Could you talk about the ¡°Funkmosphere¡±? Can you introduce the concept to people who might not have heard about it yet?
Dam Funk: The concept is simply an appreciation of and the meeting of the minds worldwide for Funk based music lovers (which encompasses Boogie, Modern-Soul, Italo-Funk, Electric-Funk, & soulful House + Disco sounds) of the early to mid 80's and beyond.
Now that you¡¯ve done some global touring what are you thoughts on the state of the Funk worldwide. Other DJs I¡¯ve talked to find international audiences more receptive to what they are doing (I guess I¡¯m thinking about Detroit Techno getting huge respect in Europe but still something of an underground phenomenon in the States).
Dam Funk: This is a true fact. It is what it is. The U.S. is catching up though. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
What are you planning on playing at the Shanghai show?
Dam Funk: Funkin' U in a 'modern' way with all of my influences intact.
Peace Shanghai.
DaM-FunK
"Funk is NOT a fad...It's a way of life"
Sub-Culture presents Dam Funk at The Shelter, this Saturday, September 26. 50rmb at the door. Details here.
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