Just stumbled across this DJ Technics autobiographical-interview that used to be hosted on Baltimoreclubtracks.com but I believe that site is down so I’m copy/pasting it here so it doesn’t get lost in the ether (i.e. internet).

DJ Technics Q & A (a self interview)

I have done tons of interviews with various mags and press, and i have only seen one honestly good article on the Baltimore Club scene.

It’s bad when i’m getting asked more questions about Chopped n Screwed music than our own scene.I have read all of these articles on our scene and its music and it’s always some guy who has more opinions about why the tracks are so ghetto or why we APPEAR to lack creativity when making tracks. So in the wake of all this madness….i will do us a big favor and i will ask myself the questions that you should know cause these cats didnt get good grades in english classes obviously.

NOTICE THIS !!!!

I am not doing anymore interviews so please do not email me and ask me any questions about doing a story for any reason. I am sorry but i’m a bit discouraged about the whole thing so this is how its gonna be until someone improves their presentation.

Baltimore Club “What It is” by Glenn Brand aka Technics

Glenn: Q – WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE IN THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MUSIC TO THE PEOPLE ??

Technics: A – IN 1991 A FRIEND AND I WERE IN MY HOUSE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO A NEW STYLE OF HIP HOUSE MUSIC. SO WE CREATED A TRACK WHERE THE BEAT WASNT QUITE A 4/4 BEAT BUT A 4/4 WITH A SLIGHT TRIBAL SHUFFLE .

Glenn: Q – WHAT TRACK WAS THAT AND WAS EVER RECORDED ON RECORD ??

Technics:A – YES IN 1991 THAT RECORD WAS THE ” ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY EP ” FEATURING ” TAPP” (R.I.P). TAPP WAS A GUY THAT LOCALLY SANG AND CREATED GHETTO ANTHEMS IN THE 90’S HERE IN BALTIMORE .THE TRACK ON THE RECORD THAT HE WAS FEATURED ON WAS ” SHAKE THAT ASS ” WHICH LATER WENT ON TO BE BOOTLEGGED IN NYC BY THE GREAT DJ MR CEE IN NYC. MY TRACK WAS “DICKONTROL” ON THAT SAME RECORD.THE TRACK WAS CREATED BY ME AND MY FRIEND TIM (DAPHATDADEE). THE LOOP IN THAT TRACK WAS ME JUGGLING “THE BRIDGE” BY MC SHAN.

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Glenn: Q – WHAT WAS THE SCENE LIKE BACK THEN …I’M MEAN HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS AS A RESULT OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING BACK THEN IN 1991 WITH THE MUSIC ??

Technics: A – BALTIMORE WAS A R&B TOWN IN THE 80’S THANKS TO WWIN,WEBB AND V-103 RADIO STATIONS.WE HAVE AN AWESOME HISTORY OF MUSIC AND PARTY VENUES IN BALTIMORE CITY ALONE .FRANKSKI WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN EXPOSING THE SOUND OF UNDERGROUND HOUSE MUSIC TO BALTIMORE COMMERCIALLY.I WAS EXPOSED TO THE CHICAGO AND NYC HOUSE MUSIC BY FRANKSKI EVERY NIGHT ON V-103 AND SUNDAYS AT HIS “SUPER SUNDAY ” PARTY.AT THE TIME CHICAGO WENT THROUGH A FAZE OF HIP HOP & HOUSE FUSION. THIS WAS CALLED HIP HOUSE . FOUNDED BY PEOPLE IN CHICAGO LIKE “TYREE COOPER ” AND ” DJ FAST EDDIE ” WITH RECORDS LIKE “TURN UP THE BASS AND ” HIP HOUSE 89 ” AT THE SAME TIME PRODUCERS IN THE UK WERE CLONING THE SAME STYLE OF MUSIC. THERE WERE GUYS LIKE ” SHUT UP AND DANCE ” AND ” THE DYNAMIC GOVORNERS ” TO NAME A FEW.SO FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS WE PLAYED THESE HIP HOUSE RECORDS THAT ULTIMATELY BECAME CLUB CLASSICS HERE IN BALTIMORE .

Glenn: Q – WHERE DID THE TERM “BALTIMORE CLUB ” COME FROM ?

Technics: A – BACK THEN KIDS WENT TO THE CLUB TO HEAR THIS MUSIC THAT WAS LIKE HOUSE MUSIC BUT WASNT HOUSE MUSIC SO THE TERM “CLUB MUSIC ” CAME FROM GOING TO THE CLUB TO HEAR WHAT YOU COULD ONLY HEAR IN THE CLUBS.

Glenn: Q – WHAT WAS YOUR INVOLMENT WITH THE SCENE AT THAT TIME. WHO WERE YOU KICKIN IT WITH WHEN IT WAS JUMPIN OFF IN THE EARLY 90’S.

Technics: A – IT WAS ME AND MY HOMEY SCOTTY B. WE WORKED IN A RECORD STORE TOGETHER, IT WAS CALLED ” THE SOUND OF BALTIMORE ” SCOTTY AND A FRIEND SEAN CEASAR STARTED A RECORD COMPANY CALLED ” UNRULY RECORDS ” THEY CREATED THE GROUNDBREAKING UNRULY RECORDS THAT SET THE TREND FOR WHAT WAS TO SOME 15 YEARS LATER .I WAS ONE OF THE PRODUCERS ON WHAT WAS THE BEST ASSEMBLY OF PRODUCERS IN BALTIMORE’S HISTORY.UNRULY BROUGHT THE MUSIC TO THE MASSES.AT THAT TIME ALL THE DJS THAT WERE BREAKING RECORDS WORKED IN A RECORD STORE IN THEIR AREA SO IT WAS EASY TO GET THE RECORDS TO THEM .

Glenn: Q – SO ITS SAFE TO SAY THAT BALTIMORE CLUB AS ACTUALLY BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW ?

Technics: A – YES ITS BEEN AROUND AND SO HAVE I …HAHAHAHA

Glenn: OK I GET IT…TELL ME MORE

Technics: I WAS THERE IN THE UNRULY ERA…I WAS THERE IN THE CLUB KINGZ ERA… AND I AM STILL HERE NOW DOING THE DAYUM THING TILL IT DROPS.

Glenn:OK ….THAT MEANS YOU HAVE WORKED WITH MANY PEOPLE, WHO ARE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT YOU CAME UP WITH AND PRODUCED WITH ALONG THE WAY ?

Technics: THERE WERE THE DOO DEW KIDZ AKA KW GRIFF & DJ BOOMAN, DJ BIG RED & KOOL BREEZE, JIMMY JONES.THESE WERE THE GUYS THAT PUT IT DOWN DURING THE UNRULY ERA THAT I WORKED WITH .I PUT OUT A FEW NICE RECORDS WITH UNRULY THEN I WENT ON TO CREATE MY OWN LABEL “KNUCKELHEAD RECORDS ” WHICH WILL BE RETURNING IN THE 2006 YEAR. I PUT OUT A BUNCH OF RECORDS FROM THE STORE THAT I WAS WORKING OUT OF ” MUSIC LIBERATED ” THE OWNER WAS BERNIE RABINOWITZ A 30 YEAR VET IN THE RECORD STORE GAME .

DURING THIS TIME I MET ROD LEE WHO WAS AT THE TIME A FAN OF OUR WORK AND WANTED TO GET INTO THE GAME . I SHOWED ROD LEE THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE IN THE PRODUCTION GAME . I SHOWED HIM EVERYTHING I KNEW ABOUT THE ASR-10 SAMPLER THAT WE USED AND THEN ON TO THE SOFTWARE THAT WE USE TODAY. ROD LEE AND I PUT OUT A FEW RECORDS TOGETHER AND THEN HE WENT ON TO FORGE HIS OWN CLUB MUSIC EMPIRE .ROD LEE BROUGHT NEW SOUND TO BALTIMORE CLUB WITH HIS SING SONG STYLE OF MAKING TRACKS THAT FEATURED HIS VOCALS.

TRACKS PREVIOUSLY WERE REMIXES OR SLIGHT EDITS OF SONGS THAT WERE ALREADY HITS. SINCE THEN I HAVE PUT OUT LOTS OF GREAT RECORDS AND THE SCENE HAS CHANGED GREATLY SINCE THEN.

Glenn: Q – WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND HOW HAS IT CHANGED ?

Technics: A – BERNIE PASSED AWAY THAT OWNED THE RECORD STORE AND THE SCENE ON A RETAIL LEVEL WENT DOWNHILL SINCE. I MYSELF ATTEMPED TO OPEN MY OWN STORE TO SERVE THOSE WHO I THOUGHT WOULD APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT A DJ THAT EVERYONE KNEW HAD HIS OWN STORE AND UNDERSTOOD THE EXACT NEEDS OF HIS FELLOW DJ. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT DIDNT WORKOUT. LACK OF SUPPORT FORCED ME TO CLOSE THE STORE AND RELOCATE IT IN ANOTHER CITY. PEOPLE IN BALTIMORE WERE OBVIOUSLY NOT READY TO BE LEAD BY ONE OF THEIR OWN.

ALSO THE LACK OF RECORDS BEING RELEASED ON VINYL FORCED DJS TO GET CD PLAYERS AND SPIN CLUB TRACKS FROM CDS. TO A DEGREE I FEEL PARTLY RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE I MYSELF CONTRIBUTED TO THE CD CAUSE . BUT THAT AT THE TIME WAS ONLY TO BE USED AS AN EXTENTION OF THE TURNTABLE ITSELF.

WE HAD TONS OF NEW PRODUCERS WHO DIDNT KNOW SHIT ABOUT MAKING TRACKS JUST BANGIN AWAY ON FRUITY LOOPS AND RUSHING TO THE RADIO STATION TO GET THESE UNFINISHED TRACKS PLAYED.I MYSELF ELECTED TO SIT THIS ONE OUT. I WASNT GONNA COMPETE WITH GUYS WHO ARE MAKING 20 TRACKS A WEEK AND WERE GETTING THEM PLAYED ON THE RADIO.THESE GUYS DIDNT HAVE THE CONSUMER IN MIND WHEN THEY WERE MAKING THESE TRACKS. THEY WERE DOIN IT JUST FOR THE STREET CREDIT.BUT THEY ARE BROKE AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE GETTIN RICH OFF OF THIER SHIT AND ITS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT.

Glenn:Q – SINCE YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE NEW PRODUCERS ON THE SCENE , HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THEM AND WHAT THEY ARE DOINGFOR THE SCENE ??

Technics: A – LET ME SAY THIS …I AM A FAN OF LOTS OF THE NEW PRODUCERS. I LOVE WHAT THEY DO BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I INFLUENCED ALL OF THEM AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. BUT I WISH THEY WOULD TRY TO FIND WAYS TO HELP THE CONSUMER GET THEIR PRODUCT. THERE ARE MANY DJS LOCAL AND NOW NATIONWIDE THAT SEEK BALTIMORE CLUB.THE NEW PRODUCERS DONT PRESS RECORDS AND DONT SELL TRACKS ONLINE OR DO ANYTHING TO HELP FURTHER THE SCIENCE OF WHAT WE DO AS A WHOLE .ITS MUSIC THAT PEOPLE HEAR AND WANNA BUY BUT CANT BEACUSE THERE IS NO LINK TO THE PEOPLE .

THIS ISSUE WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE NEW YEAR …I HAVE PERSONALLY HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH SCOTTY B ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO TO BRING THE SCENE BACK TO A REASONABLE STATE . UNRULY WILL BE RELEASING THE HOTTEST TRACKS BY THE NEW PRODUCERS AS WELL AS RE-ISSUES OF THE ENTIRE UNRULY CATALOGUE IN 2006.

Glenn: Q – BALTIMORE CLUB HAS BEEN EMBRACED BY THE WORLD NOW THAT YOU HAVE CREATED THE INTERNET RADIO STATION.WHAT DO YOU FEEL HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE ?

Technics: A – FIRST LET ME SAY THIS ….PEOPLE IN BALTIMORE DONT EVEN HAVE A CLUE HOW BIG CLUB MUSIC IS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD HAVE EMBRACED US. IN THE UNITED STATES ALONE I HAVE FANS IN PHILLY,NEW JERSEY,NEW YORK, WASHINGTON DC, VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, ATLANTA, ALABAMA, TEXAS, CALIFORNIA, CHICAGO, BOSTON, DETROIT SEATTLE, OKLAHOMA AND EVEN CANADA .ON A WORLD LEVEL OUR LISTENERS REACH TO LONDON, ITALY, GERMANY , FRANCE AND JAPAN. PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE FOUND OUR SITE AND LOG ON DAILY TO CHECKOUT THE 24/7 RADIO SHOW OF NOTHING BUT THE BEST BALTIMORE CLUB.

Glenn: Q -THERE ARE DJS AND PRODUCERS DOING THEIR OWN VERSIONOF BALTIMORE CLUB…WHATS YOUR FEELINGS ON THAT ??

Technics: A – I THINK THAT ITS GREAT….I LIKE THE FACT THAT THEY WERE

INSPIRED TO DO WHAT THEY DO BY WHAT WE DO.I WAS INSPIRED BY MANY PEOPLE SO NOW THE TABLE HAS TURNED

AND NOW I’M THE ONE DOIN THE INSPIRING. ITS GREAT FOR THE SCENE AND IT HELPS PEOPLE IN OTHER STATES UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO.THESE CATS OUT OF TOWN ARE THE REASON WHY I’M STILL ABLE TO STILL DO THE TRACKS THAT I DO. THERE ISNT MUCH IN THE WAY OF UNITY IN BALTIMORE SO IT CAN BE FRUSTRATING AT TIMES.

Glenn: Q – WHAT ARE YOUR INFLUENCES OR HOW ARE YOU INSPIRED TO MAKE A TRACK ?

Technics:: A – ANYTHING THAT I HEAR CAN INSPIRE ME ….I CAN BE WALKING THROUGH THE MALL AND HEAR A SONGBEING PLAYED ON THE MALL SYSTEM AND THINK WOW I NEED TO GET HOME SO I CAN JACK THAT . I MAINLY RELY ON MY PERSONAL PREFERNCE OF MUSIC.I MOSTLY LIKE REMIXING SONGS THAT I HAVE A PERSONAL FEELING FOR . FOR INSTANCE “PILLOW TALK” BY SYLVIA ISON OF MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD SONGS SO I HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE MASSES ON THE CLUB TIP.BIG SHOUTS TO KW GRIFF WHO BROKE THAT RECORD ON 92Q FOR ME AND MADE PEOPLE FEEL WHAT I WAS FEELING.I CAN BE INSPIREDBY ANYTHING AT ANYTIME FOR ANY REASON.

Glenn: Q -WHATS NEXT FROM TECHNICS ? WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO TO HELP THE SCENE LIVE ON ?

Technics: A – THIS IS NOTHING BUT A SITUATION WHERE YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ON TOP OF YA GAME . I HAVE OUT GROWN BALTIMORE AND ITS INFLUENCES SO I CAN NO LONGER LOOK TO IT FOR HELP. WHAT I INTEND TO DO IS ALWAYS BE CREATIVE AND BRING SOMETHING NEW TO THE TABLE. I’M GONNA ALWAYS MAKE TRACKS BUT ITS WHAT YOU DO TO MAKE THEM SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAT GIVES THIS ITS APPEAL . I’M GOING TO BE DOING NEW VARIATIONS OF BALTIMORE CLUB TO CATUR TO A LARGER AUDIENCE . HERE IN BALTIMORE IF A TRACK DOESNT HAVE A GUNSHOT IN IT…THE PEOPLE DONT WANNA HEAR IT AND THATS NOT THE ROUTE THAT I WANNA GO WITH WHAT I’M DOING.I’M ON THE NEXT LEVEL WITH WHAT I’M DOING IN THE NEW YEAR AND PEOPLE IN BALTIMORE ARE NOT GONNA BE READY…BUT THE WORLD IS ALWAYS READY.I WILL ALSO BE INTRODUCING THE OFFICIAL BALTIMORE HOUSE SOUND THIS YEAR IN 2006. ITS MY SECRET SO DONT ASK ANY DETAILS…BUT ITS GONNA STORM THE WORLD !

Glenn: Q – TELL ME WHAT CAN PEOPLE THAT KNOW YOUR SOUND CAN SAY ABOUT YOU .

Technics: 1ST – I WAS THE FIRST PRODUCER TO PUT DRUM BUILD UPS IN BALTIMORE CLUB RECORDS

(PUSH IT UP TO THE CEILING)

2ND – I PIONEERED THE BEAT THAT YOU HEAR IN EVERY BALTIMORE CLUB RECORD TODAY.

(DICKONTROL)

3RD – I WAS THE FIRST DJ TO GET BALTIMORE CLUB EMBRACED OUTSIDE OF BALTIMORE .

4TH – I’M NOT AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW WITH MY MUSIC .

Glenn: WHO WHERE YOUR INFLUENCES BACK IN THE DAY BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY BEGAN TO PRODUCE YOUR OWN MUSIC ?

Technics:I WAS INFLUENCED BY A NUMBER OF PRODUCERS AND ARTISTS…HERE’S A LIST OF THOSE THAT I REMEMBER OF THE TOP OF MY HEAD:

MASTERS AT WORK (KENNY DOPE & LOUIE VEGA) – TODD TERRY – SHUT UP AND DANCE (LONDON) – THE BLAPPS POSSE (LONDON) – THE DYNAMIC GOV’NORS (LONDON) – THE 45 KING – CAJMERE (CHICAGO) – FRANKIE BONES – FAST EDDIE (CHICAGO) – TYREE COOPER (CHICAGO) – ARMANDO (CHICAGO) – SIMON HARRIS (LONDON) JUST TO NAME A FEW

Glenn:Who were the djs that made club music have the impact that it did during that era in BALTIMORE ?

Technics: I’d love to answer that question….there were djs like MARC HENRY, SEAN CEASAR, SHAWN MARSHALL , DJ BOOBIE , SCOTTY B , MIKE CROSBY and ROD BRAXTON these guys were on the frontline at one time or another crankin out the hits to hundreds if not thousands of people on a regular basis.

Glenn: What about the club scene back then…what were the spots that put club music on the map ?

Technics: Thats a great question too and it brings tears to my eyes to even think about a few of these places. Kids today have no fuckin idea how off the hook clubs were in baltimore back in the day. They think that the shit thats going on now is whats hot but they aint even close….there were spots like: THE BODY FACTORY , THE SPORTS BAR , THE ORIGINAL HAMMERJACKS , THE PARADOX , THE BEAT , ODELLS , GODFREYS , CLUB OZONE , MARCOS , 32ND STREET PLAZA , THE FRANKFORD ROOM , VOLCANOS , THE BALTIMORE OAK TREE and FANTASYS.

Glenn: What about the producers of the tracks once you guys started doing the records yourselves.Who were putting out records early in the game.

Technics: Before i answer that questions i wanna just tell everyone to please visit my HISTORY ROOM to get the full effect of what i’m about to say next.Now…to tell ya who was puttin it down back in the day: DJ PATRICK – DJ KENNY B – DIAMOND K – DJ ICE – DUKEYMAN – DJ PRECISE – SCOTTY B – SEAN CEASAR – DJ EQUALIZER – FRANKSI – DJ FREEZE – KW GRIFF – DJ BOOMAN – JIMMY JONES – FRANK JOHNSON – DJ GRAND O & SUGARBEAR – DJ BIG RED – KOOL BREEZE to name a few of those who cranked out the records.

Glenn: THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND I WISH THE BEST FOR YOU AND THE BALTIMORE CLUB SCENE IN THE FUTURE.

Technics:THANK YOU FOR SUCH A GREAT STORY AND I WILL BE UPDATING INFO ON THIS PAGE DAILY SO THAT ALL OF THE FANS CAN GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED.