Burn the Barn Down

This Halloween make your way over to Johnson’s Barn in Arthur, N.D., for what will certainly be one of the most unique whomp-tastic glitched-out parties in the FM area. I am unsure if most people have any clue who OTT or S.P.E.C.T.R.E. are.

Put on by Peaceful Plains Productions, Johnson’s Barn has of late become quite the hot spot for electronic music of all sorts. Very few venues in North Dakota, or even Minnesota for that matter, are showcases for what many would consider cutting-edge electronic music. Shows like this are a dime a dozen in the Denver/Boulder, California and New York music scenes so come one come all, because now you can take advantage of this superb opportunity in the FM Area!

Recently, I was delighted to be able to sit down and talk to one of my favorite local Denver/Boulder DJs, S.P.E.C.T.R.E.

HPR: How did you get involved with this event?

S.P.E.C.T.R.E.: I’m not exactly sure, but if I had to guess I’d say VibeSquaD must’ve put in a good word.  I know he came out to Fargo this last May and it seemed like these guys hit me up shortly after that.  Either that or they stay up on Colorado somehow.  I was stoked to come rock it in a new market and see what’s going on in a new scene.  I was happy to see acts like VibeSquaD and Ana Sia are getting love in places other then Cali/Denver/Seattle.
HPR: Where are you from?

S.P.E.C.T.R.E.: Born and raised in Iowa.  I left as soon as I could after high School.  I loved it, but I hated it at the same time.  The people are great, life is comfortable, but there was nothing to do after midnite ever, and music and the arts were not cutting it for me. I was a wide eyed city boy that needed a real city I guess.
HPR: Where were you living when you first started DJing?

S.P.E.C.T.R.E.: I grew up in Des Moines, IA and was messing around with some programs like Fruity Loops and Virtual Turntables in High School, more as entertainment than anything serious, but when I moved to Colorado Springs for my freshman year of college in 2001, I somehow started ordering vinyl Drum and Bass singles online.  I really don’t remember why, other than I heard music I liked and figured one day I’d want these records.  Once I had a small collection going, getting turntables seemed like the logical next step.  I only lasted a year in the Springs and found myself back in Iowa, and started getting gigs here and there, but in Iowa, it really was more about playing myself music, because there were maybe 3 other people actively playing Drum and Bass at the time.  If I wanted to hear it, then I’d better play it, ya know.
HPR: So you started on vinyl?

S.P.E.C.T.R.E.: Yes!  Didn’t we all!  That was the only option when I got into it.  CD DJ technology was just hitting the market and no one accepted them at first.  It was very much a “real DJ’s play vinyl” environment that I came up in.  I still have a huge collection of mainly Drum n Bass, but also some hip hop and some classic rock/classical pieces I’ve inherited from the family as they converted to CD’s.  I LOVE vinyl, but its time has passed; it’s 1970’s technology, and the fact is there are just so many more possibilities with digital, especially with programs like Ableton live.
HPR: I have watched you on Ableton (http://www.ableton.com) during your sets and notice that you do not lay out tracks ahead of time. Your screen is virtually blank and you lay tracks down completely live. This seems much more difficult, why do you perform this way?
S.P.E.C.T.R.E.: There’s a couple reasons actually.  When I first started with Abelton Live, I’d have all my tunes already loaded into Live, but I eventually got so many tunes that finding anything in a timely manner was becoming a big problem. Also it was taking 3 minutes or more for Live to load up my project, and I’m impatient.  Then by chance we booked Edit and Ooah, and I (as I always do when around those guys) was very actively paying attention and soaking in how they set up, and I saw Edit was using some organized folders like record bins and dragging in tunes on the fly. I like that approach because it’s more like a traditional DJ that digs thru their record crate for the next tune.  I’ve never been one to plan out my sets, even when I played vinyl, so starting with a black screen is just how I think it should be.  It also lets me organize music by genre and have things in alphabetical order with a usable search function so I can actually find the tune I’m looking for. I tend to think a planned out and perfected set is boring for me, because I’d have to practice with the same stuff over and over until it was “perfect” and then now it’s boring for everyone else listening because there is no risk, no randomness… no surprises.  If you want a perfect set, buy the CD, ya know.  Live music should be spontaneous, and that includes DJ’s in my opinion.  Starting with a blank screen just forces me into that zone to improvise and be more in tune with my crowd.
HPR: What was that moment you thought “Aha, I want to play music for people for a living?”

S.P.E.C.T.R.E.: I’m kinda crossing my fingers hoping that’s a possibility to be honest.  There are literally millions of “DJs” out there these days. And they all want to be famous like Tiesto.  It’s really a competitive field, maybe not in Fargo as much as other places.  If I can get rent paid in a month I’m a happy camper so I dunno if I’ve honestly let myself believe I can make a living DJ’ing.  I’ve tried to keep a realistic outlook and am just enjoying the ride and seeing where this thing takes me.  I think everyone “wants” to get paid to DJ, but rarely do people realize how much actual work that is.
HPR: Have you ever been to Fargo or North Dakota in general in the past?

S.P.E.C.T.R.E.: I can’t say that I have.  My only exposure is from the movie, so I’m sure my mental image will be shattered once I touch down. Dontchaknow!

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INFO:

What: S.P.E.C.T.R.E., OTT, Sovereign Sect
Where: Johnson’s Barn, 2 miles north of Arthur, N.D., on Hwy 18
When: Sat, Oct 31, 8 p.m.
How much: $7