>I see benefits in both styles. In any given party, there's always a group >of people that like to be up close to the dj to see him/her work the tables, >and then there are people that are into the music just as much who sit back >and dance/chill away from the dj. So, if you're not hell bent on seeing >exactly what the dj is doing, then it shouldn't matter what medium s/he is >using.
I don't know. I think the presence of a DJ is one thing that makes a great DJ, I can't overstate that, I love personality, presence. I interviewed two US DJs out here lately and they were agreeing that in the future the presentation aspect will be what distinguishes DJs and by this I mean not the lights etc but the actual performance - think of someone like Green Velvet. That may not be desirable to some but it's an interesting idea. I guess Hawtin would appreciate the technology described, I can see why. But then again I find him overly clinical as a DJ, as much as I like his production work and his ideas and concepts. I can't see too many house DJs adopting the new thing - can you imagine Kenny Dope pressing buttons, I don't think so. I am a big fan of technology and I see advantages in it (I spend my life on computers) but if that technology disenables the creativity of the artist then it's not especially cool, in my books. However, it's possible that the new technology could be used innovatively, sure, and then the divide between the DJ and live performer may become more tenuous and that could be inevitable and interesting - I guess that again is what interests Hawtin. I still think there is a future for the turntables - new avenues to explore. Like aren't some of the hip-hop turntablists establishing a way of notating scratches?
