Music

LOCAL MUSIC GETS BIG AIR

The Vans Triple Crown Snowboarding Event & Competition blends local music with big air.

If you are wondering why there is a snowboarding article on the local music page, rest easy. We have not abandoned our posts. What we have found is an interesting event featuring local DJs, a local promotions company, and a nation-wide audience. Running from December 7 through December 10, the Vans Triple Crown Snowboarding Competition will be held in Breckenridge. While riders get to show their stuff on the hill, three local DJs have the opportunity to inspire, energize, and create the perfect blend of sound and sport.

Majai Bailey founded Bail Productions three years when he helped organize a fundraiser for the nonprofit group Snowboard Outreach Society (SOS). It was the '98-' 99 Winter X Games in Breckenridge, with a crowd of about 250. Bail Productions provided music and entertainment for the day's events. Bailey found that hip-hop and dance music really tapped into the energy and vibe of the event.

If you are unfamiliar with local ski and snowboard culture, competitions like the Vans Triple Crown offer athletes the chance to demonstrate the moves and skills they've practiced on the mountains, and compete for money, prestige, and possibly, "professional snowboarder" status. Around the country, Breckenridge and the other Colorado mountain resorts are viewed as winter wonderland meccas, creating huge markets for tourism, advertising, clothing, and gear. ESPN carries the competition, and contestants come from all over the world.

"I am a snowboarder and a hip-hop fan," says Bailey. "I have always used music in my personal training for snowboarding or cross-country running. I noticed that when ski resorts held events, like the X Games or the Triple Crown, they never took the musical element into consideration. They'd either have nothing or the riders would be complaining about it." With the addition of hip, cutting edge music and a few talented DJs, Bailey feels the whole environment improves.

Three local DJs have been hired by Bail Productions to play the Triple Crown. The presence of Doc Holiday, DJ St. Patrick, and DJ Chonz serves a variety of purposes on the mountain. Snowboarder and competitor Gary Wyman represents NeverSummer Snowboards, a Breckenridge-based company. Wyman sees the inclusion of hip-hop and groove music as essential, and is glad Bail Productions is taking part in the event.

"It definitely spices up the atmosphere," explained Wyman, "and good music makes the competition more exciting. I think it helps to relax the riders and gives us something to lock into. It's great that there is a conscious effort to keep it comfortable and interesting for everyone involved."

The argument that music can make or break a party is not new. Everyone has experienced how quickly music can alter the motivation, concentration, or general mood of an event. And competition for winter sports funds grows ever more intense. Resort areas are realizing that by tapping into the currents and trends of the younger culture, they can create their own unique experience for tourists (and locals) on their mountain. Fortunately, places like Breckenridge are willing to utilize the bubbling pool of local resources.

Jennifer Radueg, Communications Coordinator for Breckenridge Resort, fully supports Bail Productions and admits that with the addition of live DJs, a special quality gets added to the weekend.

"[ Vans Triple Crown] attracts a wide diversity of people, and we found out last year that music can make it more accessible and entertaining," Radueg said. "We want as many people involved as possible for such a great event as this, and we want the athletes to perform the best they can." Not only was the crowd entertained, Wyman and many other riders found the music to be a pleasant surprise. Cooper Hoffmeister is flying in from Oregon to compete in the Triple Crown. After last year, he left Colorado satisfied with the event, and even more impressed with the quality of the local DJs Bailey had assembled for the event. Hoffmeister saw a definite improvement in the environment due to the unique blend of hip-hop, underground, and dance music.

"The Denver DJs were great! Just incredible," Hoffmeister said. "I mean, you are already in the most beautiful environment you can imagine as you ride down these mountains, and with the addition of the music right there while you're riding with everyone around you, it can be incredible."

Both Wyman and Hoffmeister think that more live music should be added to winter events. They admit that most of the riders they know, themselves included, carry Discmans or Walkmans on the slopes while they practice. Majai Bailey and Bail Productions plan on spreading the word of our local scene and coordinating music for the Chevy Trucks Grand Prix January 3-7. Hopefully, there will be lots of local music participation in a new two-week long Breckenridge Spring Massive festival from April 1-14.

--Judy B.

The Vans Triple Crown Snowboarding Event & Competition is free for spectators. For detailed info, check www.breckenridge.com To learn more about Bail Productions, call 303-715-1744 or e-mail bailproductions@juno.com

SHOCK RELIEF

The Peak 's morning drive show changes gears in a big way

August 1, 1981: MTV debuted with The Buggles "Video Killed the Radio Star," metaphorically asserting its theory that the addition of picture to song would thwart its archaic predecessor. In its fledgling stages, MTV's mere presence revolutionized the popular music industry. Now, close to 20 years later, that initial proclamation has proven itself embarrassingly erroneous. Airing a truly revolutionary three music videos daily, the current MTV's presence is at best briefly captivating to only the most drunken of fraternity boys. Today's "Radio Star" remains a constant in the media. It amplifies the voices of society as a whole, not just the whispers of this week's mainstream. "Killing" something so integral to popular (and not-so popular) music is, modestly put, an impossibility. Luckily for the song, the radio is forgiving.

"Everything in music is cyclical," Howie Greene surmises, using the recent explosive '80s rock-obsession to further his periodic theory. Greene, along with daily AM co-host Lisa Axe (" The Peak Today with Howie and Lisa"), aren't surprised in the least by the fierce resurgence in popularity of '80s music. In late Summer of 2000, KXPK-FM 96.5 The Peak shifted gears in format, enabling the station to cater to a non-specific generation's growing desire to relive those good MTV days. The recruiting of original MTV VJ Nina Blackwood as official 96.5 The Peak spokesperson launched the return to its roots with "The '80s and Beyond," music, Lisa Axe affectionately dubs, "the classic rock of our generation."

Implementing this unconventional "out with the new, in with the old" also meant the removal of the infamous Howard Stern's daily radio show from the frequency. "The Peak Today..." premiered Howie Greene and Lisa Axe in late October with shocking few protests from Stern fans. Howie and Lisa jokingly estimate that the complaints received due to Stern's absence total around three or four. Both agree that if anything, Stern's departure from The Peak's morning broadcast has enhanced the station's listenership. In the Denver court of public opinion Stern seems categorically hated, and instead of feeling pressure to fill Stern's shoes, Howie and Lisa call themselves to the Stern antidote. "We aren't shock-jocks and more importantly aren't shock-jock wannabes," Greene says. Both he and Axe pride themselves on presenting a morning show that is totally different-- it's locally-driven, it's issue-oriented, it's humorous. The clean kind of humorous ... a morning show that parents can enjoy with the kids in the car, not having to cringe through any inappropriate dialogue or perpetually change the station.

Howie and Lisa both list impressive achievements in their broadcasting histories, most relating to alternative formats (worthy of mention on Howie's list is co-production of the nationally-syndicated "Modern Rock Live" in the early '90s). Despite Howie and Lisa's generational rift and vast differences in upbringing, the two "clicked immediately on the air," successfully hosting a highly-rated morning show in Riverside, California, before coming to Denver and The Peak. Hoping their experience and innovative approach will secure them a #1 rating within a year's time, their pairing provides them an even greater asset: natural wit, endless musical knowledge, and a genuinely amiable presence that extends far beyond on-air chemistry. Both, however, are quick to cite their strongest unifying factor: the music.

--Jenelise Pulliam

Have an '80s dance party in the safety and privacy of your car! Listen to "The Peak Today with Howie and Lisa" weekday mornings from 6 a. m. to 10 a. m. For more information visit www.thepeak.com

BEAT DIET

Interview with Satoris

Go-Go: When did you decide you were going to be a DJ?

Satori-C: I first decided I was going to be a DJ in sixth grade, but I didn't have the resources or knowledge to get started yet. My first setup consisted of a discman, grandma's old turntable, a couple of tape decks, and a mixer I got from my music teacher. The worst part of the setup was when the nine-volt battery in the mixer would run out in the middle of a session.

Go-Go: What was the first record you purchased?

Satori-C: The first records I purchased were industrial bands like Front 242 and Nitzereb. This was before I knew where to get techno. I finally found out the titles of techno tracks by staying up and listening to Groove Radio's top ten and guest shows.

Go-Go: What was your first paid gig?

Satori-C: My first paying gig was during my senior year in high school. I got flown out to Phoenix with Tres Manos, Mike Day, Taurus, and a couple of local bands. The event was fun, but it flopped. I got ditched by the promoters in the morning, probably because they were cracked out, and missed my flight home. After trying to get back in a friend's car and blowing the engine, I had to use the money I got paid for a Greyhound ticket home.

Go-Go: What has been your worst experience as a DJ?

Satori-C: The worst experience I have ever had as a DJ was at a Basic event (I had residency for almost three years). While I was playing, my left eardrum actually crackled like a blown speaker would if it was overdriven. My only advice against this ... use earplugs, hearing loss is permanent.

Go-Go: What has been your best experience as a DJ?

Satori-C: My best experience as a DJ was becoming part of a collective called Humble Souls in 1996. The collective isn't a production company; they are my best friends, and we are trying to raise awareness of dance music culture in the Boulder/ Denver area. For the last four years, we have been responsible for the free Outdoor Sunset and Full Moon gatherings.

Go-Go:What is your favorite record store?

Satori-C:My favorite record store is a family secret. If you see me there, then that's the one.

Go-Go:What is your favorite venue?

Satori-C: My favorite venue is the outdoors. No one has really gotten back to their roots until they've combined the energy of electronic music with the beauty of the outdoors.

Go-Go: Do you play any other instruments?

Satori-C: I have played many since the age of five. I was put in music school at that age and have studied music my entire life. I am a trained musician and have a degree in audio engineering and music from CU Boulder. I have played trumpet, cello, French horn, and keyboards.

Go-Go: Where did the name Satori-C come from?

Satori-C: I first read about "satori" in philosophy books I used for a class my freshman year in college. The term is used to explain the momentary and immediate state of enlightenment, which comes with the understanding of your surroundings or thoughts. The letter C stands for the initials in my name, Colin Chapman.

--orange peel moses

For booking information on DJ Satori-C, log on www.milehighhouse.com or call 303-259-8595.

Bobbie Williams didn't receive the warm reception critics had predicted when he released his stateside debut last year, but nonetheless the cheeky bad boy has decided to give the U. S. market one last try with his latest batch of shimmering pop tunes. First things first: I want to point out that his new LP is by no means awful, but the self-deprecating cynicism that permeated Williams' last disc is woefully absent on Sing When You're Winning, and it's a damn shame, because that's what made him so much fun to listen to in the first place.

Williams is at his best when he's dredging up his endless insecurities and deflating his own ego, but this time around he just sounds too friggin' happy. The CD kicks off with "Let Love Be Your Energy," a catchy, yet unadventurous slab of overblown power pop that sounds like Lenny Kravitz at his worst. Which is then followed by the equally banal "Better Man" which has him crooning annoying blandishments over an "Angels" type piano arrangement. Williams doesn't connect until he shows off his hip-hop sensibilities on the soulful, mid-tempo joint "Rock DJ." Though the cockney-inflected, old school rhyme he flips at the beginning of the song is simply horrific, the tune is bolstered by a head bobbing, pseudo disco beat and the kind of chorus that invades your head and refuses to leave. Williams' rap technique is vastly improved on "Kids"-- a slinky duet with Kylie Minogue-- where the ex-teen dream flexes some clever wordplay, rhyming 'Sean Connery' with 'ornithology' and 'sodomy. ' His playful injection of small doses of hip-hop, R& B, and drum-n-bass help make the album's sunny disposition a tad easier to swallow, yet I'd much rather have the old depressed, self-doubting Robbie back. After all, being happy and in love is all fine and dandy, but it hardly makes for an interesting record. C+ --Morie Benjamin

CD Reviews

How much does being with the times matter? Certainly, all musical styles come back around eventually, but how long must one wait? Must one wait at all? These are questions I pondered while listening to Eve's Drop's The Specter.

All eight tracks on this album are rooted squarely in 1990: Kristi Stice's vocals mimic Siouxsie Sioux's later period, and Mike Lopez manages to straddle a thin line between Hagarera Eddie Van Halen and Empire-esque Queensryche. From the opening title song, you're dropped down a decade-old well into the sort of goth-metal lite that ruled airwaves just before grunge hit. Is this a bad thing? Let's set that aside and talk about the songwriting itself.

"The Specter" and "Why Me"-- as the first two songs on the album-- show the entirety of Eve's Drop's range, moving dexterously from ponderous Siouxsie to cheesy Van Halen. The lyrics stay out of the way for the most part, adding to the rhythm, but not necessarily the meaning, of the music. What's most troubling with what follows is the uneven nature of the songwriting. "The Metro" and "Not Here, Not Today" are both successes, creating a full sound and moments of eerie beauty that blanket the pedestrian percussion work that plagues the album. But "Wicked Tea" is simply atrocious from start to finish and, with the exception of one bent note in the vocals, "Anyway You Can" is a bar-for-bar rip-off of "Goodbye To You" by Scandal.

Hapi Skratch regular Dave Beegle helps out a lot on "The Specter" and "Not Here, Not Today" with piano and Hammond organ work, and overall it seems that another musician's influence would help Eve's Drop smooth out the sound. As to the sound I started out questioning, I've decided there's nothing wrong with 1990. In fact, it's sort of refreshing to hear wailing guitar solos over simple chord structures again. My guess is this band is a lot of boppy fun live, but the wrinkles really show once they hit the studio.

C --Chris J. Magyar