YEAH, I WAS A COMMUNIST WHEN I WAS A KID…

THIS IS AN INTERVIEW THAT WAS DONE WITH JUSTIN PEARSON BY KAY BURIANEK FEB 2010 FOR A CZECH PUBLICATION SO ITS BEING POSTED HERE IN ENGLISH AS WELL…

K: Can you capture (from your point of view) the moment when kids generally hit the major life intersection and choose which way to go? And what exactly forced you become to musician, future record label owner, writer, etc.?

J: Well to be honest, I have hit that intersection so many times. Most of the situations I was not aware that I was at that intersection till I looked back in retrospect. Nonetheless, I have hit many of them. It’s hard to see the fist one, or the most pivotal one. I mean, life in general is a constant learning process. Yeah I grew up at those intersections, but I still am “growing up”. What forced me to become what I am, well that again is a slew of things. Anything from having my father murdered, to class struggle, to meeting bands that had “balls”, to realizing that I could do what I wanted on my own terns at age 15 when I left on my first tour.

K: Do you consider yourself as a punk?

J: Ha-ha. Uh, well ethically I do.

K: How important is attitude to you in the sense of being independent, D.I.Y., don’t ‘sell out’, etc.?

J: The “sell out” thing is irrelevant at this point. As far as I have been told, I sold out about a hundred fifty times. People will think what they want of you. Misconceptions and misperceptions are a plenty. As far as I’m concerned, ill never sell out. I have things like morals, dignity, and integrity, which all tie into my attitude. So yeah, that is important to me. It’s the basis of my decision-making. So far my entire chosen path was what I wanted to do, so as far as I see it I have remained independent, stuck to my “do it yourself” ideals, and stayed true to myself.

K: Can you describe your own personal evolution from the day when you first discovered music until now?

J: I think I first recognized music as an interest as early as about 5 years or six years old. I remember being into kiss, then later on realizing that they sucked. I was drawn to them by the stage antics as well as the costumes they wore. But I quickly realized that I loved that song “Mr. Roboto” by Styx when it first came out, in the early 80’s and differenchiated between good and bad rock music. Soon after, I went to my first concert, Chaka Kahn, at age 7. So I was already all over the musical spectrum by the mid 80’s. I was into music and drawn to different aspects of it until I met the cramps when I was 12. At that age, I realized that musicians, good relevant ones, were not gods as some are perceived or want people to perceive them as. And by the time I was fifteen, I realized that I could start a band and tour… so I did. Over the last 19 years of playing in bands and touring I fine tuned everything there is to do with music in my life and I continue to do so, as any person striving to be creative or challenging should.

K: How can you manage all those things – create music, be in bands/constant tours, do film projects, production, run the label, etc. What’s the fire inside?

J: I financially manage all of the things you mentioned by working odd jobs just about every day of my life, up till I have to go on tour. I think the world that one lives in is reflected in the music that one creates. So that fire comes from all facets of life, and who I am, as well as how my mind works.

K: What’s more important to you – to be part of any or all the bands you’re involved with or run your own label? What’s more powerful of a voice and tool, how do you change the world?

J: Well they sort of go hand in hand. And even with the other labels I work with, I learn from them… good and bad. As far as how to change the world, I’m not sure. But I do think that music is the most effective form of communication. It crosses all social barriers, be it age, gender, etc.

K: Do you even have and ambition to change something or do you think it’s a silly idea and cliché to even try?

J: If you mean change it with music? Well ill leave that up to bands like U2. I mean really, it is only music. And as the great dizzy Gillespie once said, musicians reflect society, and its up to the musicians to set things straight. The key to this is, a band like U2 lives in an entirely different world than I do. Can we start a revolution? Can we stop homophobia? Can we encourage people to vote in America and actually change things in a false democracy? I’m going to go with probably not. But we can influence people in social change, and even down to the point of educating people on things as typical as police brutality, or more fine tuned ideas as to how you spend your money and whom you give it to ala Fugazi. So yeah change can me made via music to some extent. Maybe as far as a full blown revolution, that would be something that is recognized in retrospect, after the fact.

K: Can you see strong connection in-between music and politics?

J: Yes. Even with the not so obvious politics, or specific social politics.

K: What about vegetarianism and animal rights? (You have lovely dog, which she means a lot to you, correct?)

J: Sure. This was a big part of 90’s punk and hardcore and I think it changed a lot of things. But I’m not a fan of being preachy. I live my life and if it’s an example to others, great. Aside from my diet, I feel that with issues pertaining to vivisection and animal abuse is pretty basic as to what is morally/ ethically right.

K: The Locust’s (and even other bands you were in from the past) fans were/are almost violent and very wild audiences, pushing on the edge performance, provocative and crazy…what do you think about violence in general and about violence at the shows particularly?

J: Well in some circumstances it makes sense. When I see punks in Mexico City at a Los Crudos show going off I understand that. Factor in politics, economics, and so much more. But when I see pseudo heterosexual white males going berserk in a pit at an earth crisis show, I sort of have to wonder, are they in the closet? Mislead youth? Maybe even institutionally racist? And what the hell are they so upset about? But for The Locust’s crowd, for one… we are not in this to baby-sit. Nor do we promote senseless violence. Sure, id rather people take a more progressive avenue at expressing themselves, but shit, this is one more example as to why music can’t change the world. As far as violence in general, well that is such a vague topic. I’ll just say that there are times when I feel violence is justified, or needed. But if there is a peaceful option, of course I would rather humanity takes that route.

K: Tell me more about this book which coming out in May - From the Graveyard of the Arousal Industry - is it more a biography, social criticism, vicious prose or what? What forced you to pick up a pen and put this all down instead of write another song or lyrics?

J: The book came about from someone asking me to write a tour journal. I wrote some stuff for a website and shared with a friend, John Waters, who said I should write a book. So I did. The time to write was found during long drives on tour, and no pen was used in the cyber age we now live in. Basically its forty something short stories in chronological order telling about anything form when I was born, to the fist time I did drugs (which I can count all of the times on one hand), to band related things, to me being on jerry Springer, and to me getting married and divorced in the span of less than a year. I actually just made a short video, or commercial for the book which can be viewed here…

http://www.vimeo.com/9429714

K: You’ve always been very critical toward this music industry bullshit and mechanism but lets say your major band The Locust became very well known worldwide and signed with Epitaph which is a label considered as a semi-major. Also your latest one – All Leather signed to Dim Mak which is not a major but Steve Aoki, owner and impressario is often criticized as a rich kid hipster whatever lifestyle. What do you think about this phenomenon, how do you differentiate what’s still all right and what’s behind already?

J: This question raises a lot of points. Yeah, I have been critical of the music industry but if you, or well… I, were not, then we would be ignorant, right? I mean, its like saying all television is good, and saying that as a TV actor or something. It’s just not that basic and simple. Yeah, I can criticism something like the music industry till I turn blue. But really who cant? It’s the driving machine, or machines behind one of the most important forms of art to human nature. So, with Epitaph, the label is an independent label. We can leave it at that. We had 100% creative artistic say in what we did and do. So I see no issues with us working with that label what so ever. With Dim Mak, well you can see Steve how you want. I could care less what people think about him. I mean, to me, he is a long time friend, well over a decade. The Locust even played in his living room when we first started. So is he hip? You tell me. I think he is cool, like I think my mom and dog are cool. We can discuss his artistic vision or creative outlet(s), as well as Epitaph (which I was initially drawn to Epitaph via ANTI actually), but this question is not about my opinion on that matter. It’s about why I work with these labels and people. My answer would simply be that I respect the way the labels are run, who runs them and most importantly how the enable the bands that I’m in which are on those labels. For me, Three One G is not big enough for The Locust, and with All Leather we basically wanted to branch out and hit an audience that Dim Mak caters to.

K: How it come the tough boy from hardcore/punk scene became to be part of DJ performance with one of the most hyped crew these days The Bloody Beetroots. You did guest vocal on their album Romborama, they remixed All Leather’s track, brought you to very successful Australian tour, your name pop up often in all their interviews…how did you come to work with them? Lots of things in common or you noticed major differences?

J: I guess you can call me tough if you want. Sure, I have street smarts and I can scrap if needed, but I’m in no way a “tough” person ala some professional boxer, or violent drunk who has something to prove. But my way of working with the Beetroots came about via Dim Mak. I never really knew of them until I started working closely with Nathan Joyner of All Leather and at some point Steve put them in touch with me to lend some vocals. After that their remix of “Mystery Meat” came about and then they asked me to go on tour with them. Sure there are obvious differences from The Beetroots world to mine, but there are similarities as well. And I see nothing wrong with differences to be honest. I mean, Bob Rifo from The Beetroots really just wanted to challenge the perception of live DJ acts as well as add (for lack of a better word) a punk element to what people now days see as electronic music. In my “career” and I think in what Bob had in mind, was that we wanted to throw a wrench in the way things are typically done, and do something different.

K: Your current band All Leather is - speaking of sound - far away from most of your other bands. Is that direction you’re going to? What’s with The Locust anyway?

J: I’d rather not specify a direction All Leather is headed in. ill leave that up to the critics. It is what it is. I think musically the band is drawing from all sorts of elements, and not just musical. So the outcome is something new. As for The Locust, we are slowly working on a new LP, while Bobby is in school full time.

K: You’re friend with lots of musicians and artists, lots of people even from creative world and music biz consider you as a hero. I am wondering – did you have back in the past or do you have your own heroes or people (present sense) you adore or have a big respect for and if so - why?

J: First off, thanks to whoever thinks this. It’s quite shocking to be honest. So thank you. As far as “heroes” of my past, I think I have always strayed away from that term. Pertaining to music, when I was 12 I met The Cramps and they really showed me respect, as a kid, and as a fan. Later on meeting bands like Downcast and Amenity, also showed me that I could do things just like them, hence crushing the perception of a hero and leaving it more like comrades, or an inspirator. Later on, becoming friends with John Waters and someone like Guy Picciotto again reassured me that me and anyone else with integrity and dignity could be on the same level as someone like them. I suppose I’m drawn to people or inspired by people who have ample creativity, style, and interesting visions. People who are progressive, innovative, and challenging in a nutshell.

K: You‘ve travel the world many times and have been pretty much everywhere. What’s the favorite place and why? Do you feel like San Diego is your hometown?

J: I think my favorite place would be Japan. I think Japanese culture is so amazing, absurd, and interesting. Every time I have been there I feel like my mind was stimulated in so many ways. As far as San Diego being my hometown, well this is where I have lived for 22 years. It’s perfect in its on way, even with the flaws that I can pick out. I think the negative aspects even make due for some of the most creative elements of who I am. Plus the weather is perfect all year around. You just can’t drink the tap water.

K: Do you believe Internet, all this web infrastructure these days and all social networks as Facebook or Twitter? Do you think is a good platform to spread the music or do you think it’s blind arm going nowhere?

J: I’d rather stick to human traits like talking in person and having a “friend list” be people whom I actually know. But it is what it is… there are good and bad aspects. I just wonder when the alien technology will be explained to humanity as to why we have this ability and what its greater purpose is.

K: Where’re you want to see yourself in next 10 – 20 years?

J: Beats me. I’m shocked that I’m at the point the point that I’m at right now. Get back to me in a decade and we can talk about it.

BOX – WHEN I WAS 13
(Only short answers, snapshots, ya know)

- Favorite movie: Star Wars: A New Hope
- Movie hero: some fake guy that was written into a script.
- Favorite book: the Webster’s dictionary
- Favorite record: “Never Mind the Bullocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols”
- Favorite food: burritos
- Biggest fear/phobia: loosing my mom
- Most exciting activity: taking the bus to purchase records
- Most hated topic in school: getting beat up

"FROM THE GRAVEYARD OF THE AROUSAL INDUSTRY"

Go SUPPORT SWEAT RECORDS in Miami right now! They are selling “Romborama” and put a Dim Mak sticker up! Plus, they got robbed & need your help. JUST GO THERE!

I got an email from Lolo over at Sweat Records in Miami, FL; which a great store and a big Dim Mak supporter! They are psyched about the Bloody Beetroots “Romborama” album. They even want to put the album in a listening station, but they were robbed last Fall, and the listening stations were jacked. As if record stores don’t have it tough enough these days, people are robbing them and taking their gear. UGGHH - that’s awful & ridiculous. Whoever did that will have bad music karma forever - I hope they get facially disfigured by being trampled in a mosh pit at a concert.

So, if you live in the Miami area, please go and support their store, buy some stuff, and/or check out their killer website and join their email list! And, buy some Dim Mak CD releases if you can! Help them raise funds to get new listening stations. Also, check out the photo below of our Dim Mak sticker they through up in their bathroom! SWEAT RECORDS rules!

SWEAT RECORDS
5505 NE 2nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33137
(305) 342-0953
 info@sweatrecordsmiami.com

Temporary Summer Hours:
Open 5pm to 10pm Monday through Saturday

 

 

FOLLOW DIM MAK ON TWITTER!

GET THE LATEST INFO ON WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH DIM MAK RECORDS, DIM MAK EVENTS, AND DIM MAK COLLECTION!

… See who is coming to DIM MAK TUESDAYS
…See who is coming to BANANA SPLIT SUNDAES
…Find out where STEVE AOKI is going to be
…Get the latest updates on DIM MAK RECORDS releases
…Get the latest updates on DIM MAK COLLETION
…Hear about DIM MAK EVENTS

THE BLOODY BEETROOTS invade BOSTON tomorrow for THROWED! This dance party will thoroughly kick your ass!

I used to live in Boston and frequent this wonderful experience of a weekly extravaganza called THROWED, that my buddy DJ E-Marce throws to the delight of Boston’s electroheads and college beauties (the two are not mutually exclusive). FINALLY, Dim Mak’s own masked men of Italy, THE BLOODY BEETROOTS, visit Beantown and are intent on destroying it! If you live anywhere in New England, you have no reason, whatsoever, to miss this exquisite dose of insanity which will descend upon Lansdowne Street to co-incide with the ASBSOLUTE INSANITY NEXT DOOR that is Red Sox opening day, since it is postponed because of Today’s rain. BOSTON WILL BE GOING NUTS! Enjoy the show, I wish I could go, but I am stuck in LA….but I will be back there for a wedding and Dim Mak’s own post-rock/instrumental band From Monument to Masses opening for Dredg on April 15th @ Middle East in Cambridge. That is your next chance to witness a Dim Mak band annhilate Beantown! Visit THROWED on myspace HERE - the flyer is below!

TICKET GIVEAWAY - TWITTER CONTEST for FROM MONUMENT TO MASSES national tour opening for Dredg and Torche! Enter today!

VISIT WWW.TWITTER.COM AND POST YOUR TWEET TODAY!

Tweet @MichaelDimMak, #FMTM and YOUR CITY on the From Monument to Masses tour, your name, and the answer to the question below! The first person per city to tweet in with the correct answer wins two tickets to the show in their city, a signed copy of FMTM’s “On Little Known Frequencies” CD, and an FMTM poster. Also, please also throw in the FMTM short url link (http://tinyurl.com/FMTMDM), so that your friends on Twitter give FMTM a listen! You are welcome to throw in a comment about FMTM as well. The question: WHO IS FMTM’S THIRD INFLUENCE LISTED ON THEIR MYSPACE PAGE (clue: it’s a person with a four letter last name)? 

MSTRKRFT & DIM MAK CAUSE RIOTS IN AUSTIN @ SXSW!!!

FROM MONUMENT TO MASSES play NOISE POP this ThursdaY (FEB. 26TH) - their first live show in San Fran since Dec. 2007! GO TO IT!

 

DON’T FORGET - From Monument To Masses will be headlining San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill THIS THURSDAY, February 26, as a part of the Bay’s 17th annual Noise Pop Festival. If you live in in the San Francisco area, you really need to go to this show - it’s going to be a real good one!

The festival prides itself on providing exposure to emerging artists, many of whom have gone on to widespread acclaim, including the White Stripes, Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Death Cab for Cutie, The Shins, Bright Eyes, The Donnas, Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) and Silversun Pickups.

It’s the perfect place for From Monument To Masses to kick off its support for “On Little Known Frequencies”, their eagerly-anticipated fourth full-length release on Dim Mak / Downtown Records (Due 2/24 on iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, etc. and March 10 in stores) which they recorded and produced with Seattle, Washington’s Matt Bayles (Minus The Bear, Russian Circles, Mastodon).

The show will be the first time the band has played in its hometown since Dec. 1, 2007. They’re joined by fellow Bay Area indie rock staples Crime in Choir (GSL) and Built for the Sea. Follow the link for show details and to buy advance tickets now (strongly recommended).

And to download FREE tracks and get a preview of the upcoming record, “On Little Known Frequencies”, visit HERE!

Steve Aoki and SPA kill it in Paris! Plus, they are featured on the Mode Operatoire blog and in their web magazine!

According to the Mode Operatoire blog, the Feb. 12th show @ The Social Club in Paris with Steve Aoki and SPA went completely and utterly off, in a good way. I know this thanks only to Google Translate, because the blog is in French and I know nothing about French. So, below is the text as it was translated into quasi-sensical English. I didn’t know that Steve’s other pseudonym is ‘DJ California’.

FROM THE MODE OPERATOIRE BLOG (translated from French to English by Google Translate):

“Once the rush is 22h before the risen Tryptique Social Club in the trendy Parisian youth roots. The star of the evening is Steve Aoki, DJ California that is expected as the messiah. But the surprise comes at midnight with SPA, recently signed by the DJ on his own label DIM MAK. Electro aggressive absolutely efficient, the sound of SPA and its dj Fuzz is seeping walls of the room. A compulsive moiteur waving fans who enjoy this small taste up to the promises of a well tied teaser announcing the release of Dance Pets. In the middle of the mix, the title just out completes the work of trance. Behind the scene illuminated by neon on epilepsy whisper that “the man assured.

And it is true that to see a room full to bursting to release fully, one can swear that SPA has a great future ahead of him.
www.facebook.com/pages/SPA
www.myspace.com/sparemix

After such benefits, it is said that the 2nd district is a pool of music no doubt ..”

 —  — >***If someone wants to look over the blog and do a better, easier to understand, human translation of the above blog post, please leave your version in a comment below. Thanks!***

Steve is also featured in this months issue of the MODE OPERATOIRE - LE MAGAZINE WEB (their online monthly magazine), with an interview that asks about his favorite places (and, for some reason, addresses) in Los Angeles. Click on this link HERE and look for the “voyage voyage” link - it’s all in flash, so I can’t post a direct link or the article here, sorry. It’s good to know that Steve’s favorite hotel for a pool party on a Sunday after twelve Noon is The Standard, at 8300 West Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood!

YOU can see the world’s largest lemon!!! AND All Leather’s next show, in ONE trip!!!

It doesn’t get much better than this, in one well-planned (or poorly planned, depending on preference) jaunt you can visit the world’s largest lemon statue (which happens to be located in Lemon Grove, CA) AND catch Dim Mak’s own, ALL LEATHER play!! 

It’s allll happening next Thursday, so if you’re a San Diego local, and especially if you’re not… this is your one chance……. ALL LEATHER & the world’s largest lemon.  Serious excitement.  Don’t miss it.

 

http://www.myspace.com/allleather

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=7333902

The band that started it all……………Stickfigure Carousel.

The first release that started Dim Mak Records was from my old hardcore band Stickfigure Carousel. We were around from 1995 to 1996. In that time we put out three 7 inch releases. One of those of course being the two song Dim Mak 7 inch with the songs “For The Kids” and “With This Moribund Summer”(Dim Mak Records #01). The 7 inch however is no longer in press. We gained popularity after we broke up in 1996. In 1998 we reformed and put out another 7 inch with Dim Mak as a split release with our german counterparts Linsay. After the second breakup, I went on to join the band Adamantium. Below are two old show videos from 1996, both filmed in San Diego. The first was at The Che Cafe and the second at the Soul Kitchen(R.I.P). The videos aren’t all that exciting, but for historical purposes, this is essentially the very humble beginnings of the Dim Mak behemoth. Dan Sena http://www.vimeo.com/3164860http://www.vimeo.com/3170677

note: I’m the guitarist furthest from the camera on the opposite end of the stage. Footage found by guitarist Keith Divel.

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