The House List

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Ep. 140 - Free The Robots - Island Stranger Mix Jun 01, 2020

Show notes

Recommended Usage: Respite. Chris 'Free The Robots' Alfaro created this rich vinyl mix about a week ago, that is a week before when I am uploading this, which is around Midnight between May 31 into June 1st 2020. From the get go you too may be asking just like the mix how you can't understand why the world world is pulling you, me, and everyone .. down. Take this and vibe, if there was a way to turn your off phone for a hour and still listen to this, I'd certainly suggest that. Go screenless. Get a blank page and get to work. Stare out into the sky alone on a roof, in a field, in an alley, towards water, towards something where you see no other human beings. Or run and lift, till you can't do no more push-ups. Smoke a huge blunt and pull the covers so far over your head the rest of the world will never be able to find you. But I can hopefully attempt to assure you that by the end of FTR's mix, you may have earned some new spectre of hope. Than apply that to helping someone, multiple that time and time again, while listening to this, and we just might some small semblance of progress as human kind.

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Ep. 139 - Hemlock Ernst With 4-Track Hiss Tape May 27, 2020

Show notes

This is like that one scuffed unmarked cassette tape you got from the homie a long long time ago that made that move with you from your parents house to your first place and then that next one after you got dumped and then that time you drove cross country in your old Honda CR-V that still had the tape deck. You had the hand written tracklist at some point, when the homie gave it to you, but as you know that was long long gone. Probably still under the couch from your first apartment. Could but under the passenger seat. You had this back when you still smoked Bidi's and chipped away at the resin bowl when it played on the dust covered boombox out in the backyard. You washed the dishes with headphones on with this, probably mowed your lawn or shoveled some snow with the chord getting in the way. Remember the homie, Hemlock Ernst, he put you up on all types of unknown rappers. Dubs of dubs, surgically taking The Cuf, Darkleaf, Third Sight, The Nonce, Saafir and many of joints you and your other homies tried for years to find .. but this tape was the only place you heard it. Here it is again, friend.

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Ep. 137 - Chronicles - October 1990 (KRS, X-Clan) May 20, 2020

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As I delve and deep dive into the archives, striving to perfect my podcast's milieu, I present the first of what hopefully may be a small mini-series of archival conversations by either myself or my peers - that I am simply calling 'Chronicles'. Today's show being the latter. From 1988 to 91 Jamieson Grillo hosted the 'Saturday Night Rap Devastation’ show at WRBB 104.9FM at Northeastern University in Boston. During the quar’ Jamieson and I were talking on the phone while he was going through boxes of old cassettes in his office, casually he noted a 1990 X-Clan interview he’d just discovered. I inquired and he then told me of his time chasing down live interviews to be broadcast on the radio. He then mentioned doing the same with KRS-One. Soon enough he digitized those cassettes, we checked them out and he agreed to allow me to host an episode where I share these with you. They are raw, of the moment, audio captured on the fly. At the time, Jamieson was just getting his start working in the music business. During this period, DJ Shame (later of Vinyl Reanimators) was the radio show’s DJ, he would continue the show after Jamieson’s eventual departure. I start the show with KRS-One and Jamieson, which was recorded at two different times, primarily on Tues Oct 9th, 1990. Part one was done as a phone interview from the studios of WRBB while part two was recorded live backstage at a club called The Channel (a famous spot in South Boston), shortly before KRS and D-Nice were to take the stage. I follow the KRS convo with an unreleased remix to “Dope Beat”, because he mentions it being the next single to the then brand new album Edutainment. Then, we have the X-Clan conversation which takes place backstage at a venue called the Hub Club in Downtown Boston on Mon, Oct 22nd 1990. It’s an incredible snap shot of X-Clan fully intact who were promoting their indelible debut To The East, Blackwards. The interviewer is briefly joined by a friend who asks a few questions, as well. At a moment, the night manager of the club even attempt to kick them out near the end. I myself had a moment where I got to become friends with Professor X shortly before he passed away and gotta say, this was a pretty incredible artist. I met Brother J many years before that and have to say he has always been one of the great voices of the genre. Now, on this same very show was the iconic DJ Clark Kent which Jamieson recorded on the handheld as well, albeit briefly. I thought I’d include here. Now, the audio isn’t the greatest but I have to thank Jerry Danielsen for his work editing and tweaking the sounds to make it better listen. The interviewer Jamieson would go on to intern for S.O.U.L. Records and then PWL and eventually Tommy Boy. I know him even more from his Redline distribution company that has released/distro many dope records and projects PLEASE visit his store and support: https://redlinemusicdistribution.bigcartel.com

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Ep. 136 - DJ Spinna - Hip House Revisited May 12, 2020

Show notes

I'm going to say it now: this is *the* preeminent Hip-House mix! DJ Spinna produced this clean, thorough all-vinyl mix in Late 2003/Early 2004 for a short-lived but very cool Japanese boutique Tube Records that specialized in CD DJ-mixes. This was part of mix series Spinna did for the imprint, released on CDR in very limited batches now impossible to find both irl and online. Mine is boxed up in storage back East, same with Spinna's - but thankfully my old friend Mas Yamagata had it and ripped it including the artwork. The artwork was all done by hand by with pens/paints and layout by Forest Stearns, an old college buddy of mine who was a big part of the Humboldt art scene at the time. I can recall Spinna asking me if I knew any artists and Forest did a lot of live-art shows at hip-hop jams and from '04-'06 all in all we'd collaborate on 5 different mixes and covers called 'The Basement Archive Series'. Mas sent me the files from the original CDR which sequenced the DJ mix individually track per tracks (27 in total). I really wanted it to play as one continuous mix for the podcast so the homie Monk One aka Andrew Mason then offered to turn it into one long track, which is how you'll be enjoying it. I had to dig deep to ressurrect it and I know it'll be worth your time! This is super high energy 1990, 91 NYC club tunes. Mixed incredibly well on all records owned by DJ Spinna.

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Ep. 135 - Remembering Stezo May 09, 2020

Show notes

Originally broadcast on WYBC 94.3 FM on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut on longtime DJ Juan Castillo's show - this is a round-table remembrance about the late great Steve 'Stezo' Williams. His sudden passing on April 29th hit the universal hip-hop community from out of nowhere, a truly sad lose. I felt particularly connected to his legacy as I worked on projects over many years between Chris Lowe and Dooley-O, some of his oldest friends. The audio here features Juan Castillo, Dooley-O, Chris Lowe, Superman J of Skinny Boys, Jim Slice, E and Lil E. They share stories and memories from a lifetime of experiences many of which start from childhood. It's a great look back on a kid growing up always thinking way ahead of the his time from fashion, style, to dancing, to music. This brings the casual listener who may only know Stezo's seminal debut to a personal account of much more than just that record. If you know a fan of Stezo's work please shoot them this convo. They will love it. Check out some cool obscure appearances on dooley-o.bandcamp.com - I urge you to check out not only his debut album but dig further to a lot of his songs and videos after that too. He dropped a lot of music over the years worth checking, loads of dope, fly shit. Enjoy and Rest Easy Stezo - Thank you for everything

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Ep. 134 - Thanksgiving Brown - Live at Brooklyn Bowl 1/12/2016 May 04, 2020

Show notes

This is a live board-recording of an all vinyl DJ Set from Thanksgiving Brown (pka Peter Agoston). The performance was done in one take with very little prep in front of a full house at the music venue Brooklyn Bowl on Tues, Jan 12th 2016 from exactly 8:30 to 9:30PM, opening up for RJD2. There are moments of pure delight as well as a couple of train wrecks and needle pops. This is not perfect by any means but it exists and I thought I'd share it. Especially because it was done in a room full of friends and strangers dancing and enjoying themselves. People were bowling, eating fried chicken, getting drunk as I prepared them for the headliner.

I've never been the kind of DJ with an obsession on set-preparation, in later years I'd just grab and go (but that attitude has back-fired on me a few times!) Some folks spend days meticulously gathering records and fine tuning a pre-meditated set. I always found that kind of futile in the moment and noticed audiences reacted better to a DJ who was clearly thinking of their feet, making quick yet cool decisions. DJ's that would look up and make eye contact with the crowd, crack a smile, nod to a stranger. It's not that I'm taking requests but I'm also not icing out the crowd. You'll notice I'm not talking on the mic except to thank them at the end. They don't know me, I'm hear to throw joints at them.

I arrived to the club solo, was on stage solo, hung out solo and bounced. My approach to this set was to play records that could universally appeal to just about *anyone (*this crowd wasn't a record-nerd audience whispering to each other about rare records, they were like college kids and couples and people that liked the Mad Men theme) .... and that a production-minded artist like RJD2 would appreciate. A proper warm-up with nothing too obscure or adventurous just feel good music.

In DJing my comfort zone is a tight hour or so opening up for a bigger act on a bigger stage, I don't really need a 6 hour set in a tiny spot (although I can do that). Playing joint for joint and keeping it moving is my M.O.. I like getting busy, grabbing a drink. giving out some pounds and hugs, grabbing my always modest payment and disappearing into the night. Gonna go ahead an apologize for any SKIPS on the vinyl here, or any volume issues - this is an unmastered recording from the front of house board by the sound person with me DJing on music venue turntables using all Wax (which as we know can be unpredictable). It got that house-party whip appeal. Listening suggestion would be plugging your devise into home stereo and turning it up a bit or use headphones. I hope one day to create a new mix for my podcast.

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Ep. 133 - Jaytram - At Home With Yourself Mix Apr 27, 2020

Show notes

Jaytram is like one of those dudes you’d meet backstage at a show at some club somewhere and be like - now, that is one cool cat. Jay’s been drumming most all of his life, plus he makes dope beats. I’ve known Jay’s live band work collaborations for Helado Negro, Yeasayer, Sinkane, along with his own solo work and killer improv styles. A North Carolina native, Jay has been living in Brooklyn for years. He’s been DJing for most of that too - one of the cool, dark, loungey vibes in Bed Stuy, Fr. Greene and the like - Jay’s tunes when DJing out are always really comforting, Funk-forward vibes. He is a Jazz cat with a Jazzy sensibility which comes across on this mix very well. One time we hung out Solange in Brooklyn well before she put any records out. I think this can work really well in hot, arid weather as well as grey, cloud-filled skies with particularly low pressure systems. On lockdown, this works great in headphones staring out the window or hooking up to the JBL’s and playing at loud volumes like how I prefer. Enjoy this one, share with a friend in need and subscribe if you’d like.

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Ep. 132 - DJ Mayonnaise - Friends & Heroes Mix Apr 21, 2020

Show notes

Chris Greer aka DJ Mayonnaise who many will know from his early contributions to the inception of anticon and even was the collective label's first artist out with his solo production/mix album '55 Stories' in the first week of Jan 1999. He grew up with Alias and Tim Holland/Sole and has deep deep roots in the North Eastern Hip-Hop scene. Now check out Chris' all new production/mix just for the podcast, it's really represents the early anticon production ethos and soul very well, on top of dope selections of beats/other artists. A must listen for hardcore anticon heads just as much for regular listeners of the The House List. It's moody, dark, bruiting head nodders that if you've ever spent any time in Portland, Maine you'd fully get where the sound comes from. Hope you enjoy and please subscribe, spread the word. Besides Mayo's debut he also dropped a record in 2007 called 'Still Alive' definitely worth seeking out. He's also had the same haircut since I met him, 20 years ago.

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Ep. 131 - Moka Only - Spring Mix 2020 Apr 17, 2020

Show notes

This is a special one - grab your ticket for a ride as Moka pulls files from his vast, infinite catalog of creations. I've known Moka for over 20 years and he has not stopped making songs and albums since then. One day we'll have a full on sit down talk on the mic, this offering is a special array of all unheard, unreleased joints by Moka Only himself. Baked in his home studio and guiding by Moka, we peep selections & snippets - this is an absolute must listen for hardcore Mok fans as well as our regular casual listeners. Enjoy!

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Ep. 130 - DJ7L - 2020 Quarantine Mix Apr 13, 2020

Show notes

This past weekend the Hip-Hop community worldwide got a nice shot in the arm watching RZA and Primo trade joints as stars and fans alike vibed in quarantined unison. In this episode of The House List, Boston's highly respected, long established, DJ and producer 7L (Czarface, 7L & Esoteric)delivers an all vinyl, all Hip-Hop DJ mix in it's true form. A great companion piece for all y'all. He takes some classic yet lesser known tracks/white labels from the mid and late 90's and lays it down cassette tape mix style. This would be one of those joints never to leave your car stereo or walkman, with mad flavors from acts like The Beatnuts, Shades of Brooklyn, Scientifik, Ground Floor, The Legion and much more. This is a MUST listen for any head of any age, classical DJ mix from one of the modern greats.

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