James Curd @ Salon Daome November 9th 2007

[simon b]

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James Curd (Greenskeepers Music | OM Records | Chicago)
w/ Simon B (BUMP! | Montreal)

Presented by Most Wanted Entertainers

Salon Daome
151 Mt. Royal E. Montreal, Qc

$10 at the door.

[simon b]

www.greenskeepersmusic.com
www.om-records.com
www.classicmusiccompany.com
www.myspace.com/jamescurd

[simon b]

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James Wilson Curd began spinning loft parties and raves at the ripe old age of fifteen years. At the time, most of his friends made fun of him for this, called him names and never returned his phone calls. These same friends would wind up eating their words because by the time James was 19 he had already built a solid foundation for himself in the Chicago club scene as well as the scenes from many of major cities around Chicago. At 20, though still not legally admissible to the clubs he was spinning at, James found himself guest Dj-ing at most of Chi-Town's dominant dance clubs while holding down residencies along side Chicago greats, Gene Farris, Derrick Carter and Diz.

At about this time, James's love of music pulled him into the strange and wonderful world of music production. He wasted no time and had his first record deal with the French recording label BNO within his first year. Lucky Bitch! With him to celebrate his success was long time skateboard friend, Nick Maurer. It was 1998 and Nick had just moved back into town after working for a year in Southern Germany as (you guessed it) a greens keeper. What James forgot was that Nick was a talented guitarist, pianist and drummer who (after his year overseas with crazy techno blasting his ears) developed a taste for electronic music. They decided to join forces to see if their two unique perspectives on music creation could spawn something great. With James's studio equipment and Nick's old Ibanez, they were able to lay the foundation for a project that blossomed into what is Greens Keepers today.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to hear one of the best nu-school FUNKY house DJs & producers do his thing in the intimate confines of Salon Daomé as we celebrate Alex AKA Lobby D. Caza's B-Day in style.

[simon b]

Stay green

>> Chicago’s multitasking James Curd
is old enough to know better

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JEEPERS KEEPERS: James Curd

by JACK OATMON

What do iPod commercials, TR-303 acid house tracks, early ’90s-style pogo punk choruses and switch-stance frontside 360s down staircases have in common? Other than the obvious truckload of self-destructive nihilism, that is. One groovy cat from Chicago, James Curd, is the multitasking maniac who delivers on all counts. And if you don’t believe me, just YouTube him for a serious earload and eyeful as he and his band Greenskeepers lay down the law with live jumbles of new wave, rock and funky, four-on-the-floor beats, while he shreds with his skateboard “Plan B style.” As it happens, he also holds the torch of Chicago’s fleeting but historically pivotal house scene.

“To be honest, it’s nothing like Australia or Japan, Europe, England,” says Curd about clubland in Chi-town. “Even Canada is more progressive when it comes to electronic music. Living in Chicago, there are two, maybe three nights a month where you’ll be out, you’ll look around and you’ll be like, ‘Damn, this is nice.’ That’s better than someplace like New York. New York is even worse. But that’s just what I do. You can go out any night of the week and hear trance and hip hop.”

Like any self-respecting producer and skateboarder, Curd harbours a tinge of affectionate curmudgeon-hood toward the flavour-of-the-month new-jacks that run rampant. “All the music now is made by people who aren’t musicians. There’s like one note and it sounds like a fire alarm. And people go nuts for it because it’s got an ’80s electro-style sound. If someone adds like two more keys, like Justice, they’re the king. The music that young kids are listening to right now is definitely more lighthearted and fun, but it’s just terrible music. They’re playing like, “Ghostbusters” and Venga Boys, but everyone puts a smile on and laughs at it and they do a stupid dance and have a fun time.”

Trash-talking aside, Curd naturally takes the trends with a grain of salt. “There’s definitely more job security in what I’m doing. I honestly can’t believe that playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, like ‘Go ninja, go ninja, go!’ is still going to be cool next year.”

With Simon B at Salon DaomÉ
on Friday, Nov. 9, 10 p.m., $10

http://www.montrealmirror.com/2007/110807/music5.html