I looked around for a long time trying to find a venue that would work with us. Coincidentally, an old bowling alley in Sylvan Lake was recently refurbished under new ownership, and the management was eager to work with us.

Red Rock Bar and Sylvan Lanes is more than just a bowling alley, in fact, it’s less of a bowling alley than it used to be. They tore down a few lanes so they could build a big poker room in the back. Then they completely renovated the bar, hired some hottie bartenders and started re-branding the venue with a new, hip image. I have been frequenting this establishment a great deal lately, and have a blast every time I’m there.

That’s why I’m absolutely astounded by the possibilities that have arisen through this new opportunity. Not only does my band, Lune Noir, have the opportunity to rock out in front a real crowd for once, we also have the opportunity to reinvent night-time entertainment as we know it.

The club scene in Detroit, and throughout America, has become a complete joke, but has mostly followed the same direction as the ever-failing mainstream music industry. The focus is on social status, not music. Entertainment is no longer about pushing the boundaries of creativity, but about pushing the boundaries of taste.

I think one of the main reasons why night life has gotten to this point is because of a lack of brick-paving DJs. Back in the day, people worshiped DJs. People respected their opinions on music, and counted on them to lead the dance floor. You would have never asked Afrika Bambaataa to play a song request, that’s for sure. The lack of talented and experienced DJs who are willing to play at the low wages these club DJs are getting these days is a huge factor. Lack of talent leads club owners to get more involved in the entertainment experience, and club owners know even less about leading the dance floor than most of these hack DJs.

I am not against playing at, or even going out to clubs and bars, but that’s just not going to be where I focus my energy right now. Bowl-A-Tron will be a spectacular event, no doubt, but it will be the first event in a revolution that is going to sweep through Detroit and take over our entertainment industry.

It’s time to think differently about our night life experience. Do we really want to go to a club and pay Miami Beach prices for drinks and bottle service, only to hear the same shitty music they play on the radio while some skank pole dances on the bar with her clothes on? If you pay $400 for a bottle of champagne, don’t you want a little bit more than a bed to sit on while you drink it? Are we going to keep letting these clubs get away with raping our wallets without adding any significant value to our night life? It’s time to demand more!

Value will be my number one priority as I move forward with this revolution. I aim to deliver a more complete night life experience for your dollar than any club in Detroit. It all starts this Saturday, I hope to see you there! Click here for more details.

Friday night I will be at the loft spinning 80s hip hop at Rock N Retro, an 80s themed party.

Saturday night I’ll be spinning at a fashion show, to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

My google voice phone number is 313-473-WORD. Call or text me if you have any questions.

Alas, the cure to the world’s DJing woes has been found, and his name is Mayer Hawthorne. An Ann Arbor native, formerly known as DJ Haircut from the A-Side Worldwide hip hop crew, Mayer left Michigan like many good artists from this state do when they want to use their talent to make a living. While in LA, he picked up some DJ gigs and decided to make a solo album. The rest is musical history in the making.

Here are a few songs that come to mind as I listen to Mayer Hawthorne:

Starting to see a pattern? Mayer Hawthorne is funk, soul, Motown, rock n roll and a little bit of hip hop all rolled into one, but most importantly, he’s all Detroit. Let’s face it, right now is no better time than ever for an artist to “stand up and tell em your from Detroit.” There is a stigma that goes along with this city, and it’s well-deserved. Detroit is still putting out some of the most talented musicians and artists this world has ever seen.

“I’m a DJ… What does this mean for me?” Grab Mayer Hawthorne’s heart-shaped and soon-to-be-collectible 10″ single, play it at your next gig and come back to me with that answer. I played that song at a gig I had in Flint last month and I had five people come up to me and ask me who it was. It’s not just about it being good music, it’s both catchy and (for now) obscure enough to really get people dancing and asking questions. Unlike most modern music, however, it’s timeless. It has staying power and has the potential to be played for years and years to come.

Mayer Hawthorne’s music is a collection of future hits that are bound to make teenagers fall in love, and increase the spread of STDs at nursing homes all across the country. It’ll put the funk back into your boring sex life too. Then, when you become a big superstar DJ from playing these tracks, and all the girlies want some of that action, you can let ‘em down easily with this song:

Justin Timberlake and John Mayer agree, Mayer Hawthorne’s new album, A Strange Arrangement, is a must-buy. (CDs and digital media available at Stones Throw Records for all you non-audiophiles) The 2-disc LP also comes with a limited edition 4″ single. This is yet another benefit to us DJs, and a sign that Mayer Hawthorne honors the art of record collecting by adding value and giving us a reason to buy. Hawthorne and the good folks at Stonesthrow Records are obviously well-versed in the Trent Reznor case study, which puts them light-years ahead of the recording industry.

So do yourself a favor and buy this album. Also, don’t be afraid to sing these songs in the shower, or dance around naked to them in your house. And be sure to tell a friend.

I barely remember the day Thriller debuted on MTV. Hell, it wasn’t too long after that when MTV became too raunchy and my parents wouldn’t let me watch it anymore. I was ten  years old when Dangerous came out, and it was one of the very first CD’s I ever owned.

I always had an interest in my parent’s records though. As I got older I began to explore different genre’s of music, and went through many phases, but Michael Jackson’s music always seemed to fit into my life along the way.

When I heard about the child molestation allegations, I was angry. I couldn’t believe that one of my idols could have turned into such a vile person. However, it prepared me for a lifetime of being disappointed by the people I look up to.

By the time Michael Jackson was acquitted of the second set of child molestation charges, I started to feel bad for him. I realized that he never got a chance to live a normal life. It was the people around him that made him into what he had become.

Yesterday, when I heard that he had passed away, it was shocking to me. Michael Jackson was only a year younger than my own father. I can’t imagine what his kids must be going through. I’m 28 years old and I’m not ready to lose my father.

All I can do is remember the good times that I had when his music was involved. I can continue to let his style influence my music. I can appreciate him for what he was, and what he contributed to mankind.

His music will live on forever. No one will ever forget. We will feel his pain through his music and it will help us to get through our own lives. We will dance like fools to his music when we’re having a good time. We will carry on his message, and continue to make this world a better place to live.

The group I was involved with, Detroit Sharp (D#), came up with an idea to stimulate Michigan’s music scene by empowering artists and giving them new avenues for generating revenue. The problem we have in Michigan is that good talent tends to leave the state in pursuit of better profits, and in most cases, any profit at all. It is important for musicians to be able to sustain themselves so that they may dedicate their time to their craft, instead of having to pick up a side job to pay the bills.

We will do this by mobilizing artists, bringing the resources to them instead of following the traditional model where profits are funneled down into the record label. Many artists are willing to put in the work that is required to make it in the business, they just need the resources to stay ahead.

Check out our presentation below. If you are interested in getting involved, please visit the Contact page of our web site.