MAGNET knows a thing or two about good music, art and interesting people, so when Dengue Fever was asked to be guest editors, we all replied within minutes: ”Yes, please!” We have had our noses to the grindstone as of late because that’s what you need to do when you release your latest full-length studio album, The Deepest Lake, on your own label, Tuk Tuk Records. It’s a hell of a lot of work, and us sitting down and writing about subjects other than ourselves sounded like a great respite. So thank you, MAGNET. Enjoy the info, rants and inspirations. Who knows where they’ll take you …
Paul Dreux Smith: De La Soul. Did you know they’re still alive and kicking? Sure there is some grey hairs and bit of gruff to their not-so-young voices, but that’s exactly why I need them more than ever. Not only musically, but philosophically as well. Please allow me to wax nostalgic. “Plug Tunin’” was the first song that blew my mind. I felt like I had found a track beamed back from Mars or Pluto (back then Pluto was still a planet; poor guy I hope he can handle the rejection) that was written specifically for me. Within days of hearing that track, I went out and bought a Radio Shack sampler, microphones and a four-track. It would have been hours, but I had to sell my bike first to get the dinero. Back to the present. When De La gave away their entire catalog for free, earlier this year, I got a chance to visit with some old friends, figuratively speaking, as well as meet a few new ones. My takeaway you ask? These guys deserve more respect than I had given them, for reasons I hadn’t thought of in my earlier years. They have managed to write introspective lyrics, create their own language, brave the exposure of vulnerability brought on by sheer honesty, and deliver all of this with a healthy dose of humor in the process. They never strayed away from who they were. They intentionally killed their own image by releasing De La Soul Is Dead after the huge success of their first album just so they could remain true to their vision. They continued to push boundaries with subsequent albums while watching many a trend come and go. How many of us can look back and not cringe at some phase we went through? Pos, Trugoy and Mase can. The fist wave of inspiration they gave me sent me into music production; this second wave I’m riding has forged a promise to remain true to myself at every turn because the proof is in the pudding—maturity, reflection and honesty are always in fashion. Plus, it is so less embarrassing than that picture of you rocking size 40 FUBU jeans with “corn rows” in your hair.
Video after the jump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo8kSoHhteA
