Rave to the Grave

Handsome Tiger on Indigenous Bass, Pow Wow Drumstep and Decolonizing the Dancefloor Oct 14, 2024

The literal translation of his Arabic name, Handsome Tiger is the moniker of Vancouver-based producer and DJ Hussein Elnamer. Hussein got his start in metal bands, found dubstep and is currently fusing the genres big low-end and 140 tempos with global club and bass rhythms in an effort to “decolozine the dancfloor.” Hussein talks about growing up mixed-race in Canada – his father is from Libya and his mother is Anishinaabe Métis – and how he’s fusing indigenous sounds of pow-wow drums, chants and more into underground bass. We also talk about his artist journey, the Canadian festival circuit, the importance of dance and ritual rhythms and how connecting with his ethnic background has shaped his sound. Taped live at Bass Coast Festival in Merritt BC! Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

El Hornet on Pendulum, Punk Rock and the Pleasures and Perils of Living Drum & Bass Sep 06, 2024

We're headed to Perth, Western Australia to catch up with Paul Harding aka El Hornet, one-third of drum 'n' bass group Pendulum, who have reached huge heights with their hard-driving neurofunk bangers that lay bare the group's background in heavy metal and hard rock. Paul is a hilarious storyteller and we talk about CB radio, surfing with sharks, trading beer for mixtapes, losing a dead person at a Pendulum show, being broke in DJ Fresh's London flat making Pendulum's first album and keeping drum 'n' bass punk af. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or follow us on Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

The Librarian on Bass Coast, Vibe Management and Partying in British Columbia Apr 11, 2024

We're headed to the woods of Western Canada to talk to Andrea Graham, a bass music DJ/producer known as The Librarian and the co-founder of British Columbia's music and arts festival Bass Coast, which she established with her friend Liz Thomson in the small coastal town of Squamish in 2009. Ahead of Bass Coast's 16th year this July, we talk running a festival, harm reduction, bass music, environmental awareness, vibe setting, charcuterie plates, what goes on party-wise on the West Coast of Canada and how she had the courage and drive to make an independent festival happen. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Moshe Kasher on Bay Area Raves, Burning Man and the Long Strange Trip That Led Him to Comedy Feb 10, 2024

In the last 44 years, Moshe Kasher has been a flyering bear, a sober ecstasy dealer, a sign language interpreter, and a gate monitor at Burning Man. He is now a stand-up comedian living in Los Angeles, and he has a new book out called Subculture Vulture, about the six subcultures that have defined his life. Moshe joins on Rave to the Grave for a funny conversation about Bay Area raves of the '90s, Bonny Doon, PLUR, pacifiers, the Thunderdome, what Katamari Damacy has in common with trauma, and finding himself through raves and comedy. He is currently on a book tour around the United States, followed by some comedy dates. Find out more at MosheKasher.com. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin on Soundsystems, Nightclub Design and NYC's Nowadays Jan 16, 2024

Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin are DJs, founders of the parties Mister Saturday Night, Mister Sunday, and Planetarium and the Mister Saturday Night record label, as well as New York City nightclub Nowadays. In part two of our interview, we dive deep about opening and running Nowadays, the NYC underground scene at the moment, and how cultural and political shifts impact the underground. If you’re interested in soundsystems, nightclub design, Brooklyn after dark and/or what it takes to run a club, this episode is for you. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin on Mister Saturday Night, Post-9/11 NYC Nightlife, and Making Partying Their Job Jan 13, 2024

Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin have spent the last 20 years helping shape NYC nightlife but these days, they're best known as the owners of Nowadays in Ridgewood, Queens, which is, in many people's estimation, the best club in New York right now. Justin and Eamon are also DJs, run the record label, and are the hosts and residents of long-running parties Mister Saturday Night, Mister Sunday, and an ambient chill-out affair called Planetarium. In part one of this two-parter, we talk to the duo about Mister Saturday Night's 15-year anniversary, the dos and don'ts of fog, wild times at Motherfucker, DIY spaces, post-9/11 NYC and the parties, locations and music that shaped all their endeavors. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Shawn Reynaldo Saw Claire Danes Eat Shit at Berghain Sep 22, 2023

Over the last 20+ years, Shawn Reynaldo has been a DJ, record label owner, radio station manager, journalist and the editor-in-chief of XLR8R magazine. He's a one-time staple of the San Francisco indie rock scene, a former promoter of tropical bass and UK funky parties, and also one of the pre-eminent critics writing about house and techno for Pitchfork, Spin, NPR and beyond. Velocity Press just released Shawn's first book, First Floor Volume 1, which collects the spiciest thinkpieces and hot takes on electronic music and culture that he's penned over the last couple years in his popular First Floor weekly newsletter. To celebrate the kick-off of his North American book tour, we talk about how DJ culture has changed over the last two decades, his view on music writing, his spicy takes on the best and worst sonic trends, the current club scene in Barcelona (where he's based), sober raving, and the time he saw Claire Danes eat shit at Berghain. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave. Quick LinksGet Embed PlayerDownload Audio File

Furacão, Pancadão & Proibidão: House of Pris on the Early Days of Baile Funk in Brazil Aug 26, 2023

When 1980s electro and freestyle music from Miami, New York, and Los Angeles touched down in Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian cities, it ignited a wildfire in the minds of local DJs and soundsystem operators. Out of the hoods – in Brazil known as favelas – emerged the ass-shaking sounds of baile funk. You may have heard baile funk hits by Pablo Vittar, Diplo & MIA, and Karol G, but on this episode we're taking it way way back to the roots. Raised in Fortaleza in Northeast Brazil, Priscilla Cavalcante a.k.a. House of Pris joins me to talk about her experiences in first-wave baile funk and plays us some of the most important samples and beats that started the whole movement. We also talk about her baile funk party in Miami, Florida called Proibidae, the process of saving lost anthems of the 1990s, plus furacão, pancadão, and the wild wonderful world of Brazilian funk parties. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka Star Eyes). For more, follow @ravetothe.grave on Instagram and visit RavetotheGrave.org.

Kevin Carpet on Being a Human Carpet in NYC Jun 11, 2023

Multiple nights a week for the last four decades, Kevin Carpet has rolled himself up in a body-sized custom carpet and placed himself in bars, clubs, and the streets of NYC for folks to step on, bounce on, take pictures with or... whatever they want really. We talk to Kevin about stepping out at legendary '80s nightspots like Danceteria and the Peppermint Lounge, the ins and outs of his profession/obsession, fashion, kink and consent, how he compares to other human carpets worldwide, and his wildest and most famous encounters. It's everything you wanted to know about being a human carpet but were afraid to ask! Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

McKenzie Wark on Writing on Raving, Transitions, and the Techno Dancefloor Mar 28, 2023

McKenzie Wark is an Australian born writer, critical theory professor, and trans-femme techno raver currently living in NYC. Her latest book, Raving, thinks deeply about dancing, dissociation, drugs, bodies, and identity as McKenzie, recently transitioned, navigates the queer ravespaces of Bushwick, Brooklyn. On the line from Berlin, we talk about experimenting with language and writing, bodies and the beat, smart vs. stupid drugs, the intersection of transness and techno, Kathy Acker, cultural theory, and McKenzie's extraordinary journey from growing up in an Australian mining town to dancing on the bleeding edge of the NYC underground. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Seana Gavin on Spiral Tribe, Cyberpunk Soundsystems, and Adventures in Tekno Nov 27, 2022

Seana Gavin is a London-based visual artist who spent 10 years immersed in the free party culture in the UK and beyond, traveling to week-long parties in Czechoslovakian fields, French mountains, and Berlin squats with soundsystems like Spiral Tribe, Bedlam, Desert Storm, and Hekate. Her photos and diary entries of the adventures of these roving cyberpunks are collected in books like Spiral Baby and Spiralling, and we sat down to talk about the intersection of punk and rave, border crossing, fashion, friendship, adventure, freedom, and just how dirty things can get. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Shawn Caesar on Baltimore Club and Keeping It Unruly Sep 13, 2022

"Tear the Club Up." "Watch Out for the Big Girl." "Bring In the Katz." Shawn Caesar of pioneering Baltimore Club music label Unruly Records joins us to talk about some of Baltimore Club music's greatest bangers, and takes us back to genre's roots in the hip-house scene of the late '80s and early '90s. Learn about Bmore club's inspirations, how it's evolved over the years, and the life and times of some of its icons, including Miss Tony and Club Queen K-Swift. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit us at Ravetothegrave.org or on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Steven Klavier on Club Etiquette, Weird Afters and Working Behind the Scenes at NYC Nightclubs Aug 10, 2022

Guestlist etiquette, artisanal ketamine, sordid afterhours parties, club sex and trapeze artists are just some of the topics we delve into with Steven Klavier, a house vocalist and nightlife staple who has worked in a bevy of NYC clubs including House of Yes, Verboten, Thompson Hotel, and Public Records. Along the way, he's been a door person, bartender, booker, stage manager, and many other unofficial positions that have put him on the frontlines of all the blood, barf, bodily fluids, and bad behavior the nightlife can serve up... and he still chooses to go back for more! Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Flapjack on the Best Parties, Burning Man, EDM and Rave Shit (Literally) Jun 10, 2022

In part 2 of our interview with rave icon Flapjack, we talk renegade Burning Man, the business of EDM, the importance of DIY art and culture, haunted weed, and get treated to a steaming handful of wild party stories, including a trilogy of poop-related bad trips. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka @stareyezzz). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Flapjack on the Hardcore Underground, the Lessons of the '90s, and Kandi Kid Pride May 11, 2022

Literally a pied piper of the underground (happy) hardcore scene, L.A. DJ, promoter, fashion designer, vinyl collector, and JNCO enthusiast Flapjack joins us to talk about being a Raveaissance Man. In Part 1, we explore how he got so hardcore, kandi culture, being sober but loving drugs, sacred objects of the '90s, DIY ideals and creativity, plus we workshop party names. Stay tuned for Part 2. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Marco Passarani on The Birth of Roman Raves, Breaking Techno and His Many Hustles Mar 23, 2022

Italy's Marco Passarani has been DJing and working in record stores since age 10, and releasing records since 1993. A native of Rome, he walks us through the transition from disco to rave, the evolution of city's unique "broken beat" sound and details the scene at some long-forgotten spots like Borgo Sabatino and Piper. We also talk about his Tiger & Woods project, his complex relationship to Italo disco, smiley pants, the DJ hustle and why techno was and is still the future. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

LinaLovesIt on the Bloghouse Era, 2010s Gossip, and Documenting the Scene Feb 16, 2022

Rave cruises, mermaid outfits, scene hair, nasty hot tubs, Skrillex on the couch! Join American scene queen Lina Abascal (aka @linalovesit) as we revisit the bloghouse era of the early 2000s, the subject of her new book Never Be Alone Again. We talk which DJs were hot (or not), how the internet and technology has transformed culture, wild parties & free booze, bloghouse coming back into style, and how Lina spun her career from professional party girl to book author, journalist, and professor. For fans of Justice, Diplo, and A-Trak! Visit RavetotheGrave.org for extras and follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Chris Liebing on '90s Techno, The Omen, and Musically Letting Go Jan 10, 2022

Germany's Chris Liebing has been a mainstay of the European techno scene since the late '90s, running the CLR and Audio labels and playing music that explores every dark, melancholy, pummeling corner of kickdrum and hi-hat. Upon the release of Liebing's second album for Mute Records, Another Day, we talk about his forays into more chilled realms of electronic music, his formative years at clubs like the Omen and Tresor, Berlin vs. Frankfurt, and the meaning of techno, plus he offers advice for DJs on how to handle anxiety, social media, and promos. Visit RavetotheGrave.org for extras and follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Elijah of Butterz on Grime History, Bad DJ Gigs, and How to Run a Successful Brand Oct 04, 2021

Elijah & Skilliam are a DJ duo and owners of London’s Butterz record label, which since 2010 have done more than anyone else to promote underground UK genres like grime, bassline and UK funky to the world. We talk to Elijah about growing up grime and what the music means to young black Londoners of his generation and talk about grime’s best MCs, mixtapes, and artifacts. Elijah also recounts some of his most ridiculous DJ stories and drops wisdom on how to maintain longevity in dance music. Visit RavetotheGrave.org for extras and follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Maria 909 on Growing Up Hardcore, The Limelight & 90s NYC Raves Aug 23, 2021

Maria 909 has operated behind the scenes at some of the most famous events on the East Coast, from The Limelight nightclub to Industrial Strength parties, from Def Mix deep house events to Melting Point protest raves. Promotion, record distro, management: she's done it all. She joins us to revisit the dark and light of the 90s NYC rave scene, from growing up near Coney Island and falling in love with hardcore to witnessing the death and rebirth of the underground in the city that never sleeps. Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Noncompliant on Techno Feminism, Midwest Raves and Accountability in Club Culture Jul 23, 2021

Noncompliant (fka DJ Shiva) is an uncompromising techno DJ/producer from the conservative state of Indiana, a queer punk skateboarder who would go from playing in barns and VFW halls to headlining in Berlin and Australia. In this interview, recorded as lockdown restrictions were easing in May 2021, we talk Midwest raves, learning to DJ on crazy equipment, speaker freaking, phone taps, buying mixtapes from The Blessed Madonna, sci-fi and epidemiology and the importance of community and accountability in club culture. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Kurt Eckes of Drop Bass on Going Furthur, Satanic Rituals and Hard Acid - Part 2 Jun 18, 2021

Kurt Eckes put Milwaukee on the map in the ’90s with his Drop Bass Network parties and Even Furthur festival. In Part 2 of this interview, we talk about Satanism and rituals, how to throw a rave, the craziest stories from Furthur, the RAVE Act, the Drop Bass label and Midwest hard acid, plague raves and starting a Kult. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Kurt Eckes of Drop Bass on Hardcore, Acid Tests and Midwest Raves - Part 1 May 28, 2021

Kurt Eckes put Milwaukee on the map in the ’90s with his Drop Bass Network parties and Even Furthur festival. With an aesthetic that combines heavy metal, Satanism, the acid-fried 1960s and a heavy dose of humor, Drop Bass became legend around the rave scene and beyond, while championing the darker, harder sides of electronic music, from gabber to hard acid to drum 'n' bass. Kurt is a true rave outlaw – in Part 1 of this interview, we talk about big ideas, heavy music, farming, how to talk to cops, drugs and legendary parties of course. Stay tuned for Part 2. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Harry DiY on DiY Sound System, the Dawn of UK Rave Culture and Fusing Anarcho Punk & Acid House Apr 30, 2021

Nottingham's DiY Collective, formed in 1989, were one of the UK's first house sound systems and played a huge role in rave culture as we know it today. DiY co-founder Harry calls in from Wales to talk about fusing punk ethics to acid house, his best friend Woosh, what it was like at Castlemorton in '92 (the largest illegal rave ever), the Criminal Justice Bill and rejecting capitalist club culture. Also, DiY's 40-person SF apartment, drug trips, fighting for your right to party and how raving really did change the world. Don't miss it! Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

OJ San Felipe on Filipino DJ Parties, Blood-Soaked Punk Shows and How to Perform Live Mar 26, 2021

NYC scene staple OJ San Felipe of X-Ray Eyeballs, Acetone 4 and Sahd Wyte Guyz on growing up in SF's Mission District, the Filipino party culture that birthed the West Coast scratch DJ scene, the NYC underground past and present, and blood-and-piss-soaked rock exploits, plus how to write a song, perform live and wild out while sober. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Marke B on 80s Detroit Clubs, the Evolution of Queer Nightlife and Documenting the SF Scene Mar 06, 2021

SF mainstay Marke Bieschke on Detroit clubs of the 1980s and ’90s, the birth of techno, NYC club kids, legendary looks, VOOM raves, writing about partying, the changing tides of queer nightlife, co-owning The Stud and San Francisco clubbing past, present and future. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Ms Easy on Managing Clowns, Viking Festivals, Rave Outlaws and Loving the Moment Feb 12, 2021

L.A.-based performer Ms Easy on her extraordinary journey from St. Louis rave fixture to globe-trotting performer to managing clowns, stilt walkers and Fishy Fish as Entertainment Director for Insomniac, who throw massive EDM festivals like EDC and Beyond Wonderland. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Bill Bernstein on the NYC Disco Scene, Nightlife Photography & Legendary Clubs of the Late '70s Jan 17, 2021

In the late '70s, photographer Bill Bernstein tirelessly documented NYC's freaky and fabulous nightlife, producing some of the most iconic images of the disco era. We talk about the unique conditions that birthed the disco movement, photographing in the dark and the scene at legendary clubs like Studio 54, Paradise Garage, GGs Barnum Room and Xenon, plus his current work shooting Brooklyn's gender-fluid nightlife scene. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave

Jubilee on Florida Raves, Bass Music & Writing Term Papers on Ecstasy Dec 28, 2020

NYC DJ/producer Jubilee of Magic City revisits the Florida rave scene of the '90s, reveals the secrets of how to party hard (and smart), plus talks about the halcyon days of the Hollerboard, NYC jungle and the wild twists and turns of DJ life. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Michelle Lhooq on Rave Utopias, Future Drugs & Autonomous Zones Dec 19, 2020

Counterculture journalist and party girl Michelle Lhooq on rave utopias (and dystopias), new frontiers in drug culture, the Asian rave scene and the intersection of protest and partying. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

Barbara Tucker on House Music History, NYC Nightlife and Her Legendary Dance Hits Dec 11, 2020

Iconic house music vocalist Barbara Tucker talks about her life in music and dance, NYC nightlife over the years, the making of "Deep Inside" and what house music really means, plus gives us a taste of those legendary vocals. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

AC Slater on Night Bass, Rave Antics and How to Be a Successful DJ Nov 24, 2020

L.A.'s bassline king AC Slater talks about epic rave adventures, American cheese, the heyday of happy hardcore and how to build your own EDM empire. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). Visit RavetotheGrave.org or follow us on Instagram at @ravetothe.grave.

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