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DJ Ororo and DJ Dingo8 In the stairway of Used Kids

"First Person Singular" is an occasional column by JP Marat that empowers artists, musicians and community activists to speak in their own voice. Sincere thanks to the Columbus Free Press for the opportunity to let our voices be heard . . . 

 

JP Marat Writes . . . 

 

What is House Music ?

House Music is a form of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) that emerged in the early 1980’s following the decline of disco. It is characterized by steady 4/4 kick drums, ubiquitous bass lines and syncopated cymbals. Each track in a DJ’s set is ‘beat matched’ to the previous song to create an uninterrupted symphony of sound that runs from the drop of the first platter to bartenders last call.

 

Record samples, chosen by the DJ, enhance this audible feast. These samples may add a splash of flavor or instead be the foundation of an entirely new arrangement. Artists as varied as Skrillex, Kanye West, Rihanna, Daft Punk and Fat Boy Slim have built some of their most loved songs around song sampling.

 

Why do they call it House Music ?

Hodgie Street is a rapper from Lima, who has spent plenty of his rap years inside I-270 after moving here in 2001.
  The Ohio rapper’s bio states he was discovered by Ginuwine in 2005.

  For me personally, Hodgie was always been that dude who had songs with people like Gucci Mane on his projects.

  His new album American Dreamin'  doesn’t have many features nor does it need them. You have Rashad ánd Lantana on “Middle of the Map,” PA Flex on “N*gga Sh*t” and Ella Star on the title song.

  “American Dreamin” features production from Rashad, Chase N Cash, Wax, AU and more.

  The production is similar to Rashad’s work on Stalley’s work on “Lincoln Way Nights.”

  There is an ambient underpinning with synths, bouncy 808’s while maintaining and overall musical sound.

  Rapwise, Hodgie delivers with perfect diction and a slight twang. Dude isn’t super technical but he can hit the double times when the Bone Thugs feel emerges necessary within the song structure.

Cartoons of four guys heads in the band

Barely Eagle’s new record is laden with hatred which is ironic because the Barely Eagle guys are some of the chummiest people.
  I don’t think it’s fake.

  They’ve been friends since grade school, and have made music together since the age of 18.

  You have possibly seen one or many of them perform in Go Evol Shiki!, Deerhead, Church of the Red Museum, Muscle Puzzle or Nick Toldford & Co. over the years.

  Tom Butler, who pens many of their misanthropic anthems, is a friendly radio personality on CD102.5 who hosts speciality radio programs Frontstage and the Independent Playground

  Their album will be released on the 1980 Records imprint based in Chicago.

  Barely Eagle has two release parties scheduled.

  One at Carabar June 13th.The other at Spacebar June 27th.

  Although, Barely Eagle are pleasant in person, musically one could reference the Murder City Devils or Shellac when describing their music.

Young woman at outdoor festival wearing a shell necklace

Sweet lord, spring has sprung! By the time you read this, Memorial Day will be past and it will probably already be too goddamn hot. Clouds of mosquitos will have descended, and hundreds of home recording enthusiasts will emerge blinking into the sunlight with demo tapes no one wants to hear. It’s the time of year for outdoor concerts and music festivals, and your weird neighbor will be already packing up for Nelsonville and demanding you babysit his pet squirrel for inadequate compensation.
  Which is a good thing. Maybe. But before you toddle off to the Scioto Mile Concert Series on a humid June evening, we feel obligated to once again remind you of the festering danger that lurks in an otherwise innocuous world of flip-flops and plastic Bud Light bottles. Remember, friends, even the adorable male platypus has a venomous spur on its hind foot. That’s right; this is your annual warning about smooth jazz.

The Rolling Stones

Can one imagine the world without the Rolling Stones?  No.

  There has always been a Rolling Stones and there will always be a Rolling Stones.

  I will vote many times for any member of Congress who introduces a bill naming our next aircraft carrier, nuclear sub and super-cruiser the U.S.S. Mick Jagger, the U.S.S. Keith Richards and the U.S.S. Charlie Watts.

  To hell with commemorative postage stamps.

  I mean, these guys did make their bones aping American music, right?

  Goddamn right.

  And now, they're gonna fill our 'shoe with British blues, r'n'b and rock'n'roll stolen straight from the slave markets down in New Orleans.
  True globalization, that.

Matcha Masa Cookies

White Wing Bakery is an exciting new all natural, handcrafted vegan and gluten-free bakery entry into the Columbus farmer’s market scene at 400 W. Rich appearing every other Saturday as of May 9th 2015 through the summer months. The menu includes exotic and adventurous twists on some classic favorites such as: toasted almond caramel cupcakes with brown butter-cream frosting, raspberry cocoa nib flourless mocha torte, Thai lemongrass - coconut cupcakes with lime frosting, Massaman curry peanut butter cookies, lemon blueberry cornmeal cookies, lavender - rosemary sugar cookies and banana chocolate chip cookies. They do also take special and custom orders for parties and events.

Red Rusty Boric Acid Deposits on Vessel Flange

Big coal was handed a big defeat in Ohio thanks to strong opposition from thousands of concerned citizens in central Ohio and the rest of the state.
  In a case before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), American Electric Power (AEP) requested to increase its customers’ electric bills to pay for aging coal plants. Coal, which generates nearly 70 percent of electricity in Ohio, causes major air pollution and negatively impacts public health while contributing to climate change.
  In particular, AEP wanted to charge customers an estimated $117 million, according to the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, to keep two dirty, expensive coal plants in operation. These coal plants (Kyger Creek in Cheshire, Ohio and Clifty Creek in Madison, Indiana) were built in the early 1950s. They are not competitive with today’s market prices for electricity, and they spew toxic pollution into our air and water.

Ralph Walters was once a normal guy.  But then something bizarre happened. A retired elementary school Spanish teacher bit him on the arm, giving him the simple power of speaking really bad introductory Spanish. He also gained a new name: “El Derango.”   

  Walters is actually the manager of the Artist’s Wrestling League (AWL). It is a painting match taking place this month at the Vanderelli Room in Franklinton, during Columbus’ June Arts Festival. He is also a wrestler in the match. The wrestlers do not really wrestle; they are local painters who publicly paint against one another.

  Each wrestler has a pseudonym, complete with a self-created back story, such as “Machete Page.” She is a lush and the bastard granddaughter of Betty Page. “KatTaztrophy” is a drummer, who thinks she is a cat and only paints with her paw prints. “Jimmy ‘Wildman’ Folk” paints with an axe, and “Sister Sangre” is a nun, who only paints Jesus.

  “Most of the wrestlers are really into their characters,” Walters said. “We have a lot of fun together.”

  And that is why the whole thing started – just for fun.

Collage of photos of pastors plane, car, big house, request for money

Recently a major mega preacher, Creflo Dollar, asked his congregation, and then Facebook fans to donate $65 million dollars towards his major quest.  What’s the quest? To own a private Gulfstream G650 jet so that he, his pastors and staff of World Changers Church International can fly around the world and preach the Word.
  Most Christians know the story of the poor widow who gave her last two coins, all that she had to live on, in the offering box and how Jesus said she had put in more than the rich because they gave out of their abundance while she gave out of her poverty. This story has been taught in Bible School, during church sermons and used to encourage the poor to not only give their 10 percent tithes, but also give an offering. There are some churches that also want them to contribute to the church anniversary, Pastor’s anniversary, the First Lady Appreciation day and, well, you get the picture.

   Photo 1: David Cullison and his partner Bret Richards (a.k.a. Hellin Bedd), of Columbus, have been engaged for 1-1/2 years.

At a recent gathering some homosexual men were discussing the salary one spends on an engagement ring. “Someone told me four months, but I think it’s only two. Yeah, but she wants a ring from Tiffany’s.”

  Sound familiar? Gays discuss the same things about marriage as heterosexuals, but in Ohio without the hope of actually getting married. Bret Richards (a.k.a. Hellin Bedd) and her partner David Cullison, both of Columbus, have been dating for 16 years and engaged for a year and a half. Richards said they might get married if it is ever legal, but it is not critical.
  “For us, it’s not the desperation to get married,” Richards said. “A segment of the gay population romanticizes it. We have friends in their second and third marriages and we see a lot of couples break up young. I could care less if we get married or not – our relationship won’t change. The main thing is having the ability like everyone else.”

  “We could stand up, have a have a party and profess our love for each other, but we do that every night,” Cullison said.

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