A few from the first version of Reworking The Oldies and few more anthems thrown in.

Reworking The Oldies Part 2

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Started with music in 1987 by purchasing my first cassette single - Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind and followed with the thumping China In Your Hand by T’Pau. 

Not put off by my tone deafness I continued to get into all genres from the Electro 80’s, entered the rave scene in the early 90’s and then dipped my toe into the indie groove but got disillusioned by that scene once I’d overplayed anything by Radiohead and found grunge.  Whilst having a bromance with anything Jam and Pearl in colour I started to learn about what makes music what it is. Not just a catchy jingle on the radio but what lyrics are and what they mean. Once I started to learn that music is more than airplay I soon found myself in the intelligent musical wormhole of Pink Floyd, Procol Harem, a bat eating dude from Birmingham, some porn tashed metal dudes from West Bromwich and of course Robert Plant and his mesmerizing stairway. The list is endless.  At this stage I would listen to anything I could resonate with so if I found that Mate.Kill.Feed.Repeat was a perfect feeder album for Rumours then it got played on my twin tape Bush hifi. Friends often leave educated after discussing my music tastes albeit after a long one way conversation and journey through the music that is me. 

(Fast forward to 2018).  

I can’t play musical instruments even though I have flirted with the trombone but that skill is for people who can count cards and drive Citroen 2CV’s. 

So, at the age of 41 I decided that I’d give DJ’ng a blast.  I’d gotten into a lot of the +135 bpm genres with trance and progressive psytrance being my preferred learning tool. 

I profess, I’m not a good DJ but I play what I like and if you hang around for long enough you may like it too. Recently touching back in my rave roots with a big set coming up soon.  Deep House is starting to feel like I should mix it more and now I have a new turntable, I’ll be mixing some of my Cambodian Psychedelic crushers into my mixes. 

Preferring to start my mixes with long drawn out spoken word passages from Ram Dass, Alan Watts or some lesser famous philosophers like VB Bob from my local, they’re then introduced with a medium hit of bass and the rest just follows. Sometimes I get it all wrong and it’s terrible, other times it’s foot tappy and the moves get busted. I’ve never been paid to play and I never want to get paid either. I don’t like the idea that other music lovers enjoyment is dependent on who can give me the most $$$ or most exposure. This is why I’ve never played anywhere of significance (and because I’m not as good as those who do get paid and deservedly so)

Come to my house or invite me to yours and I’ll put something together. Offer me a set at a weekender and I’ll do it for free, use the cash for charity or buy tickets for those who can’t afford to buy. 

Basically, I love music, I’m learning to mix and getting better, age has no meaning when music is being played.  If you want to hear Rihanna getting a mashup with Bieber whilst My Heart Will Go On plays as an out of time sub beat - go listen to it. Not from me though. I won’t play commercial pop and most often you’ll hear traces of my musical roots throughout my sets mixed with the impressive production skills of medium fame artists. Don’t expect too much with effects either, artists spend days and weeks in their studios perfecting their works of art. Not cool if I destroy it thinking it’s cool to twist the nips off my flanger and filter effects. 

I’m a pretty cool dude who’s relaxed and happy to accept the opinions of critics as a tool of improvement. If you don’t like my music, you’ll love my humour. I’m adorable. Ha ha... I’m just me. 

Go steady with whatever you do in life and do it moderately. If you’ve read this far then hats off to you. You’re either a non-quitter or just really frikkin curious. 

I love you all with zero reservations. 

Go find a dancefloor and pump out some cutting edge new wave moves. Be you. 

Peace ✌🏻🤟🏻

Reworking The Oldies Part 2

Rusty Pine