Marching to a different drum 'n' bass

I was only in junior high when I first noticed the small square on the last page of Rolling Stone magazine allotted to the "College Music Top Ten." What was college music, I wondered. Who were these strange bands with cryptic names like the Afghan Whigs and R.E.M. (which I read as the monosyllabic "rem")? I calmed my curious mind by assuring myself that one day I, too, would be at college and on the inside of this scene, absorbed in a whole new world of music by unheard-of bands with acronyms for names.

I almost cried when I came to Yale. With WYBC, our "college" radio station, playing only "adult urban contemporary" and students apathetic towards music in general. (Ever notice how at most frat parties there isn't any music playing, creating a `We're here for beer and nothing else' ambiance?). It's rare that students who enjoy listening to new music get to indulge in that pleasure. Thank goodness for the emergence of the Yale Performing Musicians Cooperative and the Turntablist Society, two student organizations that bring with them hope of remedying this dire situation.

The Yale Performing Musicians Cooperative is a group of 14 musicians and non-musicians who seek to develop the indie rock scene at Yale. One member, David Slade, TC '01, said of the Co-op's goal,"We all find music to be an expressive, creative medium and we want to make it a more central element in Yale's artistic scene."

Already this semester, the Co-op has put on shows featuring Yale acts like Pearly Sweets, Pinstripe, and the Eddie Gunther Sound--all of which feature Co-op members. Future plans include bringing New Haven bands to campus, as well as larger acts like the Washington, D.C. based band Trans-Am. A CD compilation of local and student music is also in the works.

The Turntablist Society is currently comprised of 23 students, the majority of whom are DJs. "It's the Society Electronica that is trying to provide a party scene alternative to the frats, but we're not really affiliated with them," Kensaku Watari, TC '01 (a.k.a. DJ Kenzo), a founding member, said.

The function of the Society is very simple. It aims to help establish both "party DJs," who perform multiple-hour sets, and "battle DJs," who put on ten-minute displays of scratching and more complicated techniques, in the Yale community. In addition, there is the business aspect. Operating in cartel-like fashion, the Society sets standard performance prices. According to DJ Kenzo, $300 is the going rate for a party.

Because the Turntablists don't provide the University with any public service, they will probably have to operate without Yale's financial backing. The Co-op, on the other hand, needs University funding to foot the bill for its shows, which currently don't draw enough of a crowd to be profitable. Matthew "Sticky" Dunkel, JE '01, explained the problem: "Many people here are unwilling to go see--let alone pay to see--a band they know nothing about. So although we would eventually establish ourselves independently, we're not willing to wait in obscurity until then." But to get funding, the Co-op has to provide Yale with services; to do that, the group needs money for better PA equipment and performance space.

The question that then arises is whether or not taking money from Yale constitutes corruption of the independent music scene the Co-op seeks to establish. The very nature of indie rock is a do-it-yourself ethic, so accepting money from Yale--essentially a large corporation--might be perceived as a bastardization. Slade acknowledged that it isn't an ideal situation, but for the time being it's a necessary evil. "I would love for the Co-op to someday be able to bring in out-of-town bands without financial assistance from Yale, but unless we take advantage of all the resources available to us from them, it's going to be almost impossible for independent music to thrive on campus," he said.

Despite their noble efforts, does either group really expect to expand that far beyond its pre-existing fan base? DJ Kenzo believes that there is room at Yale for electronic music's growth, but he is less optimistic about the possibility of campus domination. "Electronic music will never be completely mainstream in America--not like it is in Europe." Even if the music does grow to an apex of popularity at Yale, the scene will never rival that of fraternities, largely because of the absence of alcohol on the rave scene.

Another limiting factor is space, a lot of which is needed for a rave. "The only places really suited for this purpose are bars, and that would keep out most students who are under 21," DJ Kenzo said. For these reasons, the Turntablists, rather than pursuing a collective goal, are setting their sights on a more personal level. "Some might want to go out and win competitions," DJ Kenzo said. "I just want to be hired and play the music I want to play--versus only Madonna."

The Co-op faces a different situation. Since independent music is often synonymous with "obscure," it will likely never achieve the popularity necessary to rival the frat scene. But this doesn't explain why Yale's indie music scene has failed to flourish like that of schools like Brown, Amherst, and Wesleyan. Tom Noerper, BK '97, explained, "Yale, for most of the '90s, has attracted more students who prefer singing groups, casino nights, etc., and enjoy ignoring the genre of music most apt to expressing the sentiments of today's college-age youth." This, combined with "stodgy administrators" and "limited disbursements," creates the stagnant student music scene which the Co-op is trying to enliven.

Slade believes that, in addition, the attitude of the indie rock scene of the past has worked against itself. He said, "I've heard it said that a lot of the older generation of [Yale] indie rockers--not much older, mind you--were an exclusive bunch. Fortunately, the Co-op is just a collection of geeks who really, really enjoy music and want to share it with anyone who'll listen."

Maybe the future of Yale music isn't as grim as it appears. The Turntablists are finding a growing interest in techno, while the Co-op sees its efforts kindling sparks in the music scene. "Once you expose people to something that's real edgy and hands-on, like independent music is, they become supporters," Slade said. "I'm sure that we won't be seeing Sonic Youth play at Spring Fling anytime soon, but a boy can still dream."

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