Reports from the scene

Sweet Beats

Our semi-regular look at the local DJ scene.

Artist: Disc-O (aka Omar Ramos, aka Kid Wonder DJ)
Home base: The 26-year-old was born and raised in San Diego, although he studied at Boston’s Berklee School of Music, where he first dabbled in making electronic music and DJing.
Sound: Disc-O’s the guy you come to listen and dance to when you want a fresh take on your favorite club track. He’s reluctant to call himself “electro-house,” and for good reason—his method extends way beyond the usual bleeps and bass. He might play the new Joker track or even the hot hip-hop song on the radio, but don’t expect the version you’re used to.
“You can go to a club and hear one song and then go across town and they’re playing the exact same song at another club,” he says. “I like changing it up, like maybe adding some samples or an a cappella track over the top just to be different. That’s how people remember you.”
Stats: Has regular gigs at The Office and Harney Sushi, and his brother is local DJ Harvard Bass. A year ago he teamed up with DJ Saul Q (of Feel the Noise fame) to form SQZMYLMNS (just add the necessary vowels and you’ll get it) with the intention of crafting original music for the clubs. Their original sound (think Justice-meets-Steve Aoki) has landed them gigs at The Casbah opening for big acts like Gang Gang Dance and The Juan Maclean, but that hasn’t stopped them from playing around with other’s music. They’ve done remixes for local bands like Lualta and All Leather (Justin Pearson from The Locust’s new band), the latter to be featured on an All Leather EP alongside fellow vowel-deprived electro act MSTRKRFT. But while Disc-O may be crafting original tracks, he still likes nothing more than introducing audiences to new stuff.

“San Diego is sometimes a year behind when it comes to music,” he says. “And I feel like I’m playing the type of songs now that people are going to go crazy for next year.”

Locals Only

Following Chicago-based Touch & Go Records’ decision last month to stop releasing new music, The Black Heart Procession are currently without a home for their new album. On a recent blog from their MySpace page, multi-instrumentalist Pall Jenkins asks, “Anyone know anyone who wants to release the new Black Heart record? Just let us know. We need a good company. Touch and Go is no longer releasing new records, so all the bands have to find new homes. Sad times.” Jenkins also suggests that his other project—on-again, off-again indie-prog combo Three Mile Pilot—is without a label for its long-gestating album that was due out later this year. Sad times, indeed.
Matt Mournian (formerly of Goodbye Blue Monday and most recently Calico Horse, has started a new band, tentatively called This is Not My Life. Despite the Talking Heads-esque name, Mournian says that Greg Russell of Lowcloudcover has also joined the band and that fans shouldn’t get too worried about their sound. “People who liked Goodbye Blue Monday, Manuok, and Calico Horse will probably like this band,” Mournian says, but then adds, “or hate it.” The new band plays its first show on Saturday, May 23, at the Soda Bar with Tape Deck Mountain.

Alt-country troubadour Grampadrew is keeping up with the kids by podcasting the creative process behind his forthcoming full-length, Cut from the Cloth. In addition to previewing tracks from the album, each segment documents the trials of his ventures into self recording, hopefully enlightening DIY-types on how and how not to approach their own works. Subscribe at www.grampadrew.com.

You probably heard that Chula Vista punks Cabron! had broken up, but fans were pleased to discover that they’ll be playing at the Radio Room on Thursday, March 19, with Free Confusion, The Accoutrements and Human Fragments. Don’t call it a reunion—the show marks the debut of vocalist Rodney Foley (of Disposable Income). But it may be the last show before guitarist Bob Rob Medina leaves San Diego for Egypt.

The Enrique Experience

Any North Parker will tell you that the mustache is back, baby. Once relinquished to life’s junk drawer alongside the rhythm birth control method and a balanced federal budget, the ’stache is experiencing a Britney-like comeback, thanks in part to the St. Louis-based American Mustache Institute, whose mission is clear: “AMI promotes the growth, care, and culture of the mustache, and works to create a climate of acceptance, understanding, flavor saving, and upper lip warmth for all Mustached Americans alike.” Thanks in part to AMI’s work, whiskers have quickly become a hipster staple apace with clapping while dancing, terrorist scarves and apathy.

Case in point: last Saturday’s Mustaches are for Lovers party at The Office in North Park. “Do you want a mustache ride, baby?” fly doorgirl Nery—rockin’ a Fu Manchu—suggestively asked me as I walked in and witnessed the lip-sweater-sporting crowd go nuts to Tom Jones’ “Sex Bomb,” which added to the night’s gritty porn-stache feel.

“Cool Charlie Chaplin,” I told a felt-hat-wearing Asian girl as she made her way to the bar. “I’m Hitler, bitch!” she angrily responded as she raised her arm in a Nazi salute. Along with the toothbrush-dictator style, patrons were seen donning the Salvador Dalí, the Magnum P.I. and, yes, even the Goose Gossage as they tore it up on dance floor to the beats of DJs Disc-O, Harvard Bass and the electro pied piper himself, Saul Q, who generously gave out stick-on handlebars to the more-than-willing attendees. Meanwhile, hipsters with the real deal shook their heads in discontent at the fakery around them, clapped and danced the night away to old-school hip-hop and ’90s anthems by the likes of Robin S, Crystal Waters and CeCe Peniston.

As for the ride, Nery, I’ll take a rain check. Throw a sideburns-and-strap-ons soirée, and then we’ll talk.