Musicians - DJ Spooky

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	Musicians - DJ Spooky

DJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid (born Paul Miller, 1970), is a Washington DC-born illbient and trip hop musician, turntablist and producer. He borrowed his stage name from a character in a William S. Burroughs novel.

Growing up in DC, Spooky became interested in punk and go-go music, and attended Bowdoin College in Maine, earning degrees in French literature and philosophy. He began writing science fiction and formed a collective called Soundlab with several other artists.

In the mid-1990s, Spooky began recording a series of singles and EPs. His debut LP, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, is now widely regarded as a formative influence on illbient. Riddim Warfare (see 1998 in music) was an underground hit that include collaborations with Dr. Octagon and other cult figures in indie rock.

He then worked with several other artists on various collaborations and mix CDs, returning in 2002 with Modern Mantra (see 2002 in music). That same year saw the release of Optometry, a widely acclaimed collaboration with avant-jazz players Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Guillermo E. Brown and Joe McPhee. (This album also features portions of a breaks record by Billy Martin of Medeski Martin & Wood.)

DJ Spooky also composed the score for the 1998 film SLAM, featuring poet/actor Saul Williams in the lead role. The film went on to win both the Cannes Camera D'Or and the Sundance Festival Film Festival Grand Jury Prize.

In 2004 DJ Spooky released a book, Rhythm Science published by MIT Press. The same year saw the launch of his film/music/multimedia performance piece "DJ Spooky's Rebirth of a Nation". A live audio/video re-mix of D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation which includes footage from choreographer Bill T. Jones and a score newly composed by DJ Spooky, "Rebirth of a Nation" was commissioned by the Lincoln Center Festival, The Festival d'Automne a Paris, The Spoleto Festival USA, and the Vienna Festival. DJ Spooky continues to tour the world performing this work.

2005 sees the release of "Drums of Death", DJ Spooky's CD based on sessions he recorded with Dave Lombardo of Slayer. Other guest artists include Chuck D. of Public Enemy and Vernon Reid of Living Color. The record was co-produced by Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto.

DJ Spooky is also a professor of music mediated art at the European Graduate School where he co-teaches (with Michael Schmidt) an Intensive Summer Seminar in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.

Discography

Albums

Drums of Death Dj Spooky vs. Dave Lombardo (Thirsty Ear)
Optometry (Thirsty Ear) THI 57121.2
Modern Mantra (Shadow/Instinct) (DJ mix record) SDW 135-2
Under the Influence (Six Degrees) (DJ mix record) PRCD 1056-2
Riddim Warfare (Outpost-Geffen)
Haunted Breaks Volumes I and II (Liquid Sky Music)
Synthetic Fury EP (Asphodel Records 0110)
Songs of a Dead Dreamer (Asphodel Records 0961)
Necropolis (Knitting Factory Works KFW 185)

Singles and EPs

Optometrix 12” (Thirsty Ear) THI 57132.1
Catechism featuring Killah Priest (Synchronic) SYC 002
Subliminal Minded EP-Peace in Zaire Remixes (Bar None Records)
Peace in Zaire (with remixes by Ambassador Jr., and The Dub Pistols) promotional/White Label Only (Outpost/Geffen)
Object Unknown (with remixes by DJ Spooky and Kut Masta Kurt) (Outpost/Geffen CD; Asphodel vinyl)
Galactic Funk (Asphodel 101)

Paul D. Miller and miscellaneous albums

ftp>snd>untitled> Nest Magazine CD, accompanying November 2001 issue
Another Forensic Charade, accompanying catalogue to exhibition at Magasin 3, Stockholm, Sweden, September – December 2001 (limited edition)
The Viral Sonata Asphodel Records. Originally accompanied installation for The Whitney Biennial 1997.
Death in Light of the Phonograph: Excursions into the Pre-linguistic Asphodel Records (limited edition) Originally accompanied installation at Annina Nosei Gallery.

Collaborative releases and mix records

Celestial Mechanix: a label mix for Thirsty Ear Records
Riddim Clash with Twilight Circus (PLAY Label) April 2004
Rhythm Science Audio Companion - C-Side: companion to Rhythm Science book
Dubtometry fearturing Mad Professor, Lee “Scratch” Perry, and others - a remix of “Optometry (Thirsty Ear) THI 57128.2
Catechism (DJ Spooky w/Killah Priest) (Blue Juice Records/UK) BJ007
Anodyne (Main, core and Peripheral mixes) Picture disk w/Sound Secretion (BSI Records) Cat. BSI 014-1
The Quick and the Dead DJ Spooky and Scanner (Sulphur Records) Meld series Cat No. MELCD001 (UK) BBWULCD004 (US)
DJ Spooky vs. The Freight Elevator Quartet File Under Futurism
Caipirinha Records
10” DJ Spooky and Merzbow (Manifold Records)
10” DJ Spooky and Quoit (Manifold Records)
10” DJ Spooky and Arto Lindsay (Manifold Records)
Kaotik : Transgression DJ Spooky and Totemplow (Manifold Records)
10” DJ Spooky and Alan Licht (Manifold Records)
Template 12” DJ Spooky and Totemplow (Manifold Records)

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