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RA.877 Eddie Fowlkes

Publicado
Mar 26, 2023
Tamaño del archivo
138 MB
Longitud
01:00:20

Top-notch techno soul from a Detroit hero.
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As he'll happily tell you, Eddie Fowlkes has been DJing for 42 years. That's a long time for anyone, but especially for someone who never really stopped. From his early records on Juan Atkins' Metroplex record label through to newer releases on his own labels City Boy and Detroit Wax, he's been doing his thing and staying true to himself and his timeless combination of Detroit dance music genres. He doesn't always get his dues alongside his fellow Detroit techno pioneers in the Belleville Three, probably because his sound was always more hybrid, a blend of techno and house that he would come to call techno soul, including on his landmark 1993 album with Moritz von Oswald and Thomas Fehlmann, The Birth Of Technosoul. But Fowlkes is still a force of nature, and a master at mixing too, having four decades to hone his craft. You'll hear that skill on his RA Podcast, which comes in the wake of two more prominent releases (Forever on Rekids and AYHEE onClassic Music Company/Defected), that might help (re)introduce him to a wider audience. Touching on soul, jazz and funk, this is functional but deep stuff played by a master selector, whose hands you can always hear in the mixing—a personal, human touch that defines techno soul. What have you been up to recently? DJing at my residencies, Spot Lite and Big Pink in Detroit. Just finished working on my Detroit Techno Soul Sound with EPs coming on Classic Records and Rekids. You'll be able to hear those soon, available at the usual places to buy or download across the world. How and where was the mix recorded? And can you tell us the idea behind it? Yeah, I banged this fat ass mix (one hour) at the studio. I've been mixing for 42 years now and it's like riding a bike blindfolded. I love bringing some American underground techno/house tracks (urban sounds) to get me going and from there I just dive into it with booty shaking vibes (vocal, deep drum build ups) etc. etc. What's one club or party that had a major impact on you as an artist? I would say one party—this is a well known fact about my history of the Detroit music scene / techno—I went with my middle sister to Downtown Detroit on Park Ave, the building is still standing today. I was 15 going on 16 in December. This was one of those first high school parties of the new school year and my sister knew the promoter (her boyfriend). To make a long story short I just gravitated to the endless sound of music (mixing) and I asked the DJ 'what's that in the middle of the turntables?' And he said 'a mixer.' And from that, the next day I told my mom what I wanted for X-mas. The Legend was born, Eddie "Flashin" Fowlkes: Techno Originator / Godfather of Techno Soul. After over four decades in dance music, how do you stay excited about things? What do you look for in newer dance music that you play / listen to? I stay excited about making hits, like I did before on Metroplex and on Tresor. Most DJs and producers (above average) never made a hit. I don't think they know how one hit can change their life forever. I look for some funky swing and urban flavor. Most music these days is sample-based—R&B / soul / jazz / disco. So it's hard to find good music because you've heard these samples before. You've said that Defected and Rekids are a good fit for the "kind of music I've been making most recently." What kind of music is that, and what's driving your recent musical direction? Who are some of your favourite younger producers or DJs? That style of music is techno soul. There's nothing driving me, I was blessed to be here by God to give beats to the world. Everything I do musically is meant to be. Young people are in a creative pandemic with anxiety, because they're rushing to put the music out that sounds like shit. It takes time to make music. It takes time to do music that lasts forever. So these young kids' music doesn't sound good at all! It sounds like they've got anxiety—they're looking for likes on social media. They look for pictures that correlate to the music instead of the music correlated to the pictures. They want hugs and loves from social media. Therefore they will never learn, because they don't know how to latch on to a good DJ, or to get a music producer and learn the ropes, because it's about now and it's about them and nobody else. So their music sounds like nothing! What's one social or political cause you want the world to pay more attention to? Not into the socials or New Politics—I'm going to stay in my lane—I would like to address "young person wanting to learn about DJing." I think kids miss out on the essence of the skills you need to craft your skills for DJing, first on vinyl then moving up to CDJs, because once you train your ear, then your brain muscle will kick in on doing tricks on vinyl, and then musical bars and rhythms will come into play. At that point, take those skills you crafted and embrace technology (CDJs), because you can be very versatile for years to come. With software you are just dead musically (you never will learn, because the software does everything for you)—FACTS. What are you looking forward to in the near future? I am looking to find a good booking agent In Europe who knows how to handle a legend like me, to compliment an agent who handles my musical releases, adding in good tours (vinyl tours or CDJs). Also, just doing more festivals and letting the world hear what 42 years sound like with Technology (no laptop).
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