Motor City Blues: DEMF Ep. 1

Detroit, the Motor City. Once one of the most prosperous destinations for the American Dream, now a city in full recovery from devastating economic hardship.

Established as a fur trading outpost by the French in the 1700’s, Detroit became a thriving metropolis where immigrants from all over the world could come to pursue a life free of persecution. The birthplace of Motown, and Techno and the manufacturing epicenter for Ford, GM and Chrysler, this was always a city that was full of life, prosperity and innovation. 

But this is a place that has faced bankruptcy, drug infestation, violence and crime so overpowering that a large portion of it’s inhabitants abandoned their homes in search of calmer waters leaving a city with a stale economy, depressed housing prices and little chances of upward mobility through employment.

But that’s changing, and little by little, Detroit is rising up from the Ashes it was reduced too. Almost everyone I met were some of the most open, hard working, musical, fascinating hustlers you could ever imagine. I love it. I want nothing more than for it to be returned to it's former glory and be celebrated for the creative utopia it truly is. 

So I went to Detroit over Memorial Day Weekend for DEMF (Detroit Electronic Music Festival) that was started in 2000 that has seen millions of people flock to it’s dance floors in search of the kind of music that makes your whole body release it’s anger and embrace it’s more natural loving state.

In between dancing so hard I literally wore out the soles of my shoes, I pulled people off the decks and out of the dance floors to talk with me about who they were and what this city meant to them. How music has shaped them, and in some cases saved their lives.

You’ll be hearing a little bit about the history of Techno, and House music, as well as hearing about what is happening in real time to rebuild this historic city.

This is Piranha Head, a Composer, trained musician and producer who grew up with Moody Man (referred to as "Kenny" in this episode, another one of the D's best exports) I literally pulled him off the decks and brought him outside of Moody Mans BBQ on Sunday Night (cost 5 dollars at the door with a donation based bar!! CAN YOU BEAT THAT NO YOU CANNOT IT WAS THE BEST). 

We'll be hearing more from this wondrous human in the future, I only could keep him off the decks for 20 minutes, but damn was he able to make good use of our time together. 

I love you Detroit. Thank you for an incredible weekend that made me re fall in love with the dance floor. 

Music for this episode

Poem for a Lost One - Piranha Head  

Lyrics By, Vocals - Diviniti Mastered By - MJR*

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Maurice•”Pirahna head”•Herd   (Engineer/producer | string arranger | musician) [email protected] (engineer) [email protected] (string arrangements) [email protected] All social media: @pirahnahead

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