Earlier today, Tech Funk Manifesto posted a photo of Justice “unplugged”, which lead to a whirlwind of linkage & emails circulating like wildfire across the internet.
The allegations and rumors . . . BUSTED!!! . . . Justice doesn’t play live?!?!?
So it seems to come down to a simple case of, ooops, my cord came unplugged, shit happens.
Justice responds to the allegations, with an “official statement” and explanation of the mishap . . .
“Yeah, shit happens! I remember the story, I couldn’t remember the city but i think it was in Manchester. I didn’t noticed at first, because as you can see i was looking at the computer to launch the next vocal hook and right after i realised that the blue screen went black, so there was no way possible it could work, so i plugged it back in, big deal! and the next thing you know is this picture.” - Gaspard Augé - Justice
To enter, simply send an email to: TICKETS@TRASHMENAGERIE.COM use “JUSTICE 2008” in the SUBJECT LINE and in the email LIST your Top 3 of 2008 in each category listed below . . .
Top 3 Artists of 2008
Top 3 Tracks of 2008
Top 3 Events of 2008
You can only enter once, winners will be selected by random, and we’ll be giving away 1 pair of tickets a week, leading up to New Year’s Eve, starting November 28th.
We’ll also compile and share everyone’s top 3 2008 ARTIST, TRACK, & EVENT picks when it’s all said and done, and have a little fun with it.
And if you’re not in the loop, there is yet another Justice contest currently running on Vimeo.com - it’s not to late to enter or vote for your favorite video submission of what was “Great In 2008.”
I saw the New York premiere of “Justice’ A Cross the Universe” last week. It’s a documentary of the band shot & produced by award winning directors Romain Gavras (”Stress”), and So Me (”D.A.N.C.E.”, “DVNO”) during the last 3 weeks of their Myspace sponsored tour in North America.
The screening was supposed to start at 7, I got there 20 minutes late, I thought I was going to miss it, but it was just starting. Members of the Ed Banger gang were in attendance, Busy P, So Me, SebastiAN, Amandine, of course Justice - Xavier and Gaspard.
I really thought one of best “characters” was the enduring, Christian bus driver. 100% Americana, 55 - 60 years old, reminiscing about singing in the church choir, practicing his vocal exercises, snapping shots of mountains with his camera phone, dealing with blown tires, and “crap” . . . literally.
Now throw the bus driver in with Justice, and their tour manager, “Bouchon“, English translation = bottleneck, stopper, plug. Bouchon has an obsession with guns, (I swear on one occasion he was in a Walmart shopping for one.) I think he is the most “gangster” French person i’ve come across in awhile, if ever. He’s definitely over the top.
And last but not least, Justice. Some of my personal favorite moments - Xavier & Gaspard kissing - Gaspard having sex with an Asian girl that allegedly looked like Xavier. The duo shopping for 8 mil homes. (Can they really afford that?)
Lots of drunk girls freaking out, singing “We Are Your Friends” at the top of their lungs, lots of “OMG I love you guys!”, puking, fights, blood, and hotel room pillow fights. I learned that Xavier can play the piano, and quite well, he is also caught on film serenading Anthony Keidis from Red Hot Chili Peppers with his band’s own song “Under the Bridge“. The look on Keidis’ face is priceless. There are also cameo appearances by Diplo (using the bathroom), the Ed Banger clan, and various other “scensters”.
It was an entertaining movie, certainly one for the fans, and it gives you more or less accurate inside look at what it’s like on tour in the land of Justice. It’s well done, considering the time restrictions it took to film, produce, and release the documentary by December 9, 08. The tour they were shooting ended in April of 08. Gavras and So Me do a great job of capturing the intensity of Justice‘ live performances. Quick cuts from revving up back stage to being right in the middle of a live dynamic sonic assault.
After the premiere, everyone headed over to hear Justice DJ at Webster Hall with SebastiAn and Busy P, who rounded out the night with old school Chicago House. Fun was had by all, and I felt like I was living a scene right out of “A Cross The Universe“.
If you live in Chicago, there is a screening of “A Cross The Universe” at The Metro on Nov. 14th, there are other screenings to coincide with their DJ gigs around North America, for more info visit UR CHICAGO.
As we speak, there is a contest running “Justice for All” - win a trip to Chicago on New Year’s Eve to hang out with Justice and So Me and party at Revolution Number 9, or take home cash. All you have to do is create a video, and get the most votes. The final winner will be chosen by Justice, So Me, Busy P, and other special folks. Maybe they will like your work so much you’ll shoot their next documentary?
Sign up and get full info at www.industreate.com/contest, create a video of what you did that was “Great in 2008“, then upload your video to www.Vimeo.com and tag it with “JST4ALL” and “TRASHMENAGERIE“.
As Big Stereo points out - “This is a contest for us too! We wanna hang out with you in Chicago so this is important, ha!*”
* Trash Menagerie note to Big Stereo and the rest of ya’ll, may the best blog win!
“…I guess music is more about making decisions than having skills. We are not great musicians. We are not great producers. We are not great songwriters. We are just nothing, but we have clear ideas of what we want to do, and even more what we don’t want to do.” – JUSTICE
Extraordinary things always happen when unexpected. French duo Justice spent 18 months touring following the release of their debut LP “CROSS“, and for the last 3 weeks of the tour, a film crew traveled with them 24-7, capturing those moments no one will believe or get the essence of, if you told them about it, unless they were there.
As Justice were about to embark on their second tour of the US, they enlisted multi-award winning directors and intimate friends, Romain Gavras (”Stress” director) and So Me (”D.A.N.C.E.”, “DVNO”) and taped every second of the 3 week tour. The documentary is about life on the road, the real deal, and about the extraordinary and unexpected things that can happen along the way.
“A Cross the Universe” live CD + DVD drops December 9th on Atlantic Records and will include recordings of Justice’s signature headbanging live sets along with show footage and various hijinks captured as the band toured the US in March 2008.
Justice Tour Dates:
10/28/08 - MONTREAL, QC - METROPOLIS
10/29/08 - TORONTO, ON - CIRCA
10/30/08 - NEW YORK, NY - WEBSTER HALL
10/31/08 - LOS ANGELES, CA - HARD FESTIVAL
Confirmed Screenings:
10/30/08 - NEW YORK, NY - IFC CENTER @ 7PM
Additional screenings of the film will be held in each city around the DJ sets late October.
On the horizon, Justice & So Me land in Chicago for New Year’s Eve 09 . . .
This is what Trash Menagerie was throwing down during the month of September. Features, interviews, parties, and plenty’a mix and MP3 download. We’re snuggling in for the busy month of October. Have you started thinking about your Halloween costume yet? We’re looking for ideas, so please hit us up and let us know if you’ve got any. Last year we gave you a heads up on how to MAKE YOUR OWN DAFT PUNK COSTUME. Hipster Runoff offered up a bit of inspiration, “WTF SHOULD I B 4 ALL HALLOW’S EVE”, But is it “ok” to be a Justice this year, if you were a Daft last year?
A truly scary option, the United States Vice Presidential Republican
Candidate and current Governor of Alaska - Sarah Palin.
Hmm, I guess she didn’t get understand the memo regarding last year’s Halloween Party. It was a Nordic theme. Looks like she still won anyway, even though she didn’t really come close to qualifying.
Sarah Palin 7 Months Preggers “I can hide my belly in a sexy, yet sophisticated, little black business suit.”
Goodness, her belly is HUGE, she looks like she’s going to pop any day now, right?
This is what Demi Moore looked like when she was seven months preggers . . .
Photo: Vanity Fair
Sarah Palin’s Witch Doctor . . .
Other potential options - “Sarah Palin Mayor of Meth”, “Sarah Palin Miss Alaska”, “Sarah Palin Soccer Mom”. Wow, and to think, the election isn’t even over yet, we’ve still got a few weeks to go . . . goodness, i’m sure we’ll have so many more choices to choose from. Maybe i’ll pull off one of those “couple costumes,” and we can go together as “Foreign Palin Policy“. One of us will be Russia, and the other Alaska, and we’ll stand on opposite sides of the room and say “I can see ya over there, behave yourself!”
Here’s a great video from Chicago’s, Hey Champ a hot new trio in the scene making some fresh tunes. The video is for the band’s new single “Cold Dust Girl“. This is one of those sneaky songs that you hear at night and wake up in the morning with its melodies still infecting your thoughts. Then you immediately want to hear it again. It’s just that fresh.
The first exposure to the world for the trio was when a blog accidentally posted their remix of Scenario Rock’s “Perfect Love Antidote” as Ed Banger’s distorto super producer Sebastian. When the remix was discovered that it was really Hey Champ, the trio’s take on the song was strong enough to gain plenty of acclaim. It is even available on itunes (Europe only) and was put out by a major label Sony.
Their sound can easily be compared to the likes of Van She, Cut Copy, Fred Falke and Les Rhythmes Digitales. Mixing rock with elements of house all based over an abudant amount of synth action. Sometimes playing out as a full band and sometimes doing dj sets, Hey Champ is paying their dues quickly. Already featured in UR Magazine with an upbeat, good times mix. Gaining bookings more and more and even getting rapper Lupe Fiasco attention enough for him to write about them on his blog. It is also entirely possible that the group will be scooped up at anytime by a record label.
Enjoy the video and the mp3 and check the groups myspace to keep updated.
A while back I did a little post on Florida heroes KMFX and pair of darling bootlegs they gave us to give you. Well they have come back at us with even more this time around. They have been kind enough to bless us with something even better, three of the four tracks off of Illeven Eleven Records most recent release, “Feelin The Luv“. Featuring vocals from Yolanda (often spotted collaborating with breaks superstars Deekline and Wizard) this is by far their best release to date, IMO. I’m partial to the “Original Chicago Mix” with it’s old school keys and banging beats but this release has a little something for everyone centered around Yolanda’s uplifting vocal. The Tampa Mix has the same drive but substitutes the bang for the mechanical choppy electro beat that put Florida Breaks on the map many years ago.
Chicago mainstay Zebo puts a Chicago house meets B-more break twist hanging on to the breathy part of the vocal and those infectious piano stabs. The best part of this version is the breakdown into very traditional Baile beat that adds real depth and a unique twist to the original. The final remix comes from recent, bass heavy, dancefloor friendly upstarts, Twocker, who worked their usual magic with the tune cranking out their expected banger that will be found in a diverse array of DJ sets, working extremely well in each. You can got to Beatport to check this one and, of course, buy it.
But Wait!!! There’s more!! Remember when, not too long ago, Surkin came out with his most recent “Next of Kin EP” and it had this great tune “White Knight Two“? You hustled to buy it (or download it you bunch of limey pirates, YARRR) and when you tried to play it out there was something missing in the low end. Not sure everyone felt this way but i sure did and I guess KMFX did as well. They spung this breaky re-fix on me and low and behold, White Knight is rocking on the floor with the bass that it was so sorely missing and gave me the go ahead to pass it on to our readers along with the rest.
KMFX will continue to be mainstays in the american breaks scene and is likely to emerge outside the limited world of breaks and into the vast EDM universe keep checking for future KMFX and illeven eleven Records for brilliant upcoming releases.
Scan the vast interweb and you just may come across some serious appetite whetting sounds, worthy of mega artist Felix da Housecat to proclaim “I love that fuckinBlackChromeeeeee! I’m gonna play that shit 2nite at the Ed Banger party!” and Elite Force to chime in with “This is a brilliant track - proper chunky, rolling tech-funk nastiness. Are you gonna spill on who did it?”
“Who did it?” is the question of many these days. Seems like everyone is gettin all ‘Fake Blood‘ on us. Well this much we know, “Black Chrome” is the first single from LA-based Circuit Freq. Don’t expect them to reveal their identities – at least not yet. With a past that lists major credits that include platinum albums, remixes, major tours, as well as involvement in some influential projects, the two musicians seem perfectly content remaining a mystery. That said, I’ve done some research since receiving the track and their info and I’m pretty sure I’ve got them figured out… (sly grin)
“Black Chrome” is one of those jarring, tricked out electro tunes that brings you back to those warehouse party days when you’d hear a track that you’d bang on and on about. Well prepare to be destroyed when you hear the upcoming remixes of “Black Chrome” by Acid Jacks, Charlie Fanclub, Vandal and Electrixx!! I’ve got a thing for Charlie Fanclub’s music, so I’m eager to hear his version, which I imagine to be pounding!!
So what’s in the pipeline for Circuit Freq? Their main focus is amassing more material, remixing/collaborating, and developing their sound. Their new track “Push Button Reject” is in the mastering queue and they’re currently scouting out remixers, so get on it!! Their third track “No Headphones”, is in production and they’ve got an EP release planned for summer 2008! If you’re anxious to catch them on tour, CF has this to say, “We haven’t approached putting together a live show as yet, but when we do we’ll bring our experience in production & touring to the table. We’re looking into innovative ways of human-machine interface control that would push our live performance farther.”
So yeah, the question I asked the other day, are you ready to leave blog house just yet?? It keeps calling us back for more.
MGMT hit us up with their newest video for “Electric Feel“, day glow Lord of the Rings party action going on in this one, mixed in with the bands chillaxed, smooth and sexy sounds. At this year’s Coachella, it was a hot blistering day in the desert, but it didn’t stop their fans. Their tent was over capacity, no one could move. People were struggling to get as close as they could, and boxing out for space on the grass. I was in the tent at one point, but getting crushed to death, no one wanted to move to let me out, afraid they might lose their prime vantage point to see the band. I ventured outside the tent, trying to find a spot that left me with a little wiggle room, and that too, proved to be a difficult task. I spotted others in my predicament, members of the Institubes crew, Pedro and his fellow Ed Bangers, Danny Masterson aka Mom Jeans Hyde from “That 70’s Show”. MGMT delivered an amazing performance, and I earned a bright red burn, braving the sun, it was great.
I feel it is of high importance to let you all know that it has taken a long fucking time to compile all 65 features that the entire TRASH clan has worked up during the month of MARCH. MARCH marks an entire year of madness for TRASH MENAGERIE and we haven’t stopped to breathe just yet. We’ve swooped into your lives to take over and give you something to do whilst passing the time. Beyond the amount of content that is growing, TRASH is now armed with a few more contributors. This just means more top-shelf features from a few more music lovers. We’ll strive to continue to bring you loads of MUSIC that we each love for whatever reasons and also find the time to pick the brains of the talent behind said MUSIC (time permitting). We’ve got 2 new sections to your right, MIXES and LISTINGS. Get to know each for all the right reasons. Lastly, the TRASH TALKFORUM has sprung a new life and will be back in FULL FORCE. We’ll also try our very best to not BOLD every word like I just did to emphasize what is important in life: TRASH and MUSIC (until it’s ingrained in your heads).
* This post will remain above all other newer posts for a few days. See below for the latest!
Roger and The Walk, photo courtesy of rogerseventytwo
Thanks to Aux from Blokgolf, I’ve discovered another lovely Dutch producer called Rogerseventytwo. He’s 22, lives in the Netherlands, and makes pretty nifty electro pop and is super super busy. Roger’s kindly given us two remixes (Daft Punk and Yelle) plus his uber-cool “Imagination”, which I love. I know what you’re thinking, there’s enough re-mixes of these songs to feed an entire country of music-starved people, but have a listen, and you’ll see what I mean.
When Roger’s not making music to make us all insanely jealous, he djs with friend and producer The Walk. In April, the boys are playing alongside Brodinski, Crookers, Boys Noize, Mixhell DJs and more. God, that’s gonna be a fun party !
Roger and The Walk also put on their own night in Amsterdam called WE LOVE, in which they invite upcoming new acts, djs, and producers (great name isn’t it?). So far, WE LOVE have welcomed Teenage Bad Girl, Les Petits Pilous and Aysam, and this spring the boys are partying with Danger and Breakbot.
Roger says of his music: “My biggest influences was the first Daft Punk generation like the Roule stuff and filtered disco house of Crydamoure. And I always been a huge fan of the 70s music. And furthermore I’m a big fan of the French scene nowadays like the Ed Banger andInstitubes crew. And of course not to forget Teenage Bad Girl and Boys Noize.”
Oh these kids. Do you remember what the rest of us were doing at 22?
Here are some dates for your diary, just in case you happened to be in town for Queens day, or you’re on of those lucky souls who actually gets to live in Amsterdam.
