Droog and Culprit barge into the New Year with this exploration of deep, funky, sexy, twisted house music. The setting is the spectacular rooftop of the Standard Hotel which served as staging grounds for Culprit’s notorious summer free-for-alls.

Now armed with heaters and on the first day of the long four-day holiday weekend, the rooftop should serve as a setting to no holds-barred celebration. Culprit recruits the crack(er) team of friends and future label artists, Detroit’s and Berlin’s finest, Lee Curtiss, Shaun Reeves and Ryan Crosson – together for the first time at an LA party.

2009 has been a marquee year for the trio, all having added tremendously to their already enviable reputations. The pioneers and banner carriers for the New Wave of US house and soulful techno, the fellas have found a home in Southern California with the Culprit family, with the rest of the global scene abuzz from their charismatic brand of dance music.

Culprit’s headmasters, Droog, and its Great Young Hope, Clovis join the trio to make this soiree a special one. With LA not starving for choice of enormous and over-produced New Year’s celebrations, the afterparty for the discerning and slightly jaded was much needed.

Join us on the first afternoon of 2010 to mark a new year of great music an great company.

As always, e-mail droog.la@gmail.com for guestlist

Droog – Ibiza-Voice Podcast – 17-Dec-2009 (Hotfile)
Droog – Ibiza-Voice Podcast – 17-Dec-2009 (Direct Link)

Read my review of the recent Culprit & Hear party with Anthony Collins and Sammy Dee in Resident Advisor right here.

Thanks to Chris Soltis for the photo!

HOLY FRICKIN’ HOLIDAZE I can’t believe 2009 is almost gone. This time last year, I wasn’t even considering moving to LA. And yet here I am now, smack in the middle of the most creative and exciting underground electronic scene in the world!

December is always party season, and this year is no exception. I keep this post updated and added to throughout the month and you can find it by looking in the right-hand column on my main page under “Shilo’s Event Calendar.”

• Dec 2: Low End Theory Family Reunion w/Gaslamp Killer, Daddy Kev, Nobody, Nocando + special guests TBA
• Dec 3: The Do Lab presents Solvent, Michna & Kether at King King
• Dec 3: Respect presents Genr8 & Kuru
• Dec 4: Culprit & Throne of Blood presents DJ Kaos, Soul Clap, TK Disko & Droog @ TS2
• Dec 4: BWOMP presents Dubstep.FM Invades LA w/Dopelabs, HD4000, EMU & SURPRISE GUEST @ TBA
• Dec 4: Nosaj Thing & Low Limit of Lazer Sword @ The Changing Same (San Jose)
• Dec 4: CONTROL @ Avalon w/AC Slater & DJ Craze
• Dec 5: Mark Farina @ Vanguard
• Dec 5: KRS-One @ The Roxy
• Dec 5: Winter Fresh Festival w/Datsik, The Toxic Avenger & much more @ the Pico Rivera Sports Arena

• Dec 9: Low End Theory with Busdriver, Oscar McClure, Bossasaurus, Asura & residents
• Dec 9: Lucent Dossier Experience @ H.Wood (every Wednesday)
• Dec 10: I AM A LASER with Ana Sia and Deru @ Club Nokia Mezzanine Lounge
• Dec 10: Made to Play with Jesse Rose, Riva Starr, Zombie Disco Squad & more @ the Roxy
• Dec 10: Respect w/Everfresh, Whizard B2B Circuit, Machete, MC XYZ @ Dragonfly
• Dec 10: Dopelabs, Them Cargo Pants, Knorsq & Tealong @ The Crosby
• Dec 11: Chicks with Decks: Michele Bass, Imagika, Porter Tinsely & more @ Area 33
• Dec 11: CONTROL @ Avalon w/Etienne de Crecy
• Dec 11: Ewan Pearson & Droog at TS2
• Dec 12: Pantheon pres. Elves and Hos Xmas Party w/Mimosa, Jesse Wright, Porter Tinsley & more @ Area 33
• Dec 12: Gaslamp Killer @ The Echoplex
• Dec 12: Derick Carter, Luke Solomon, John Graham @ Avaland @ Avalon
• Dec 12: Hear 008 1-Year Anniversary w/Mark Henning, Drumcell, Jeremy P. Caulfield @ TBA
• Dec 12: Love Fix w/Mark E Quark, Xavier de Enciso, Alex Villalobos, Victor Carrillo & more @ TBA
• Dec 13: BRAINFEEDER Sessions w/Nosaj Thing Visual Show Premier, Eskmo, Mono/Poly, Gaslamp Killer, Strangeloop, Kutmah, Teebs & more @ the Downtown Independent

• Dec 16: Low End Theory w/Sole & the Skyrider Band, Mono/Poly & residents
• Dec 18: BLVD, Souleye, AdamandEvil, Mid City West @ The Stronghold Building (Venice)
• Dec 18: Out of Asia w/Reid Speed, Gridlock, HD4000 & more @ TBA
• Dec 18: CONTROL @ Avalon w/Armand van Helden
• Dec 18: Obey pres. Brainfeeder & MHD takeover of the Crosby w/SamIYam, Ras G, Tokimonsta & My Hollow Drum (OC)
• Dec 18: Ugly Sweater Party with BOUNCY HOUSE arriving at 5AM
• Dec 19: Sqysh Fysh: A Nightmare Before Xmas w/Knowa Knowone, Pumpkin, Brion Charles & Gabe (BM Art Car fundraiser)
• Dec 19: LA Record Christmas Party with Daedelus, Daddy Kev, Nobody, Take, MatthewDavid & LOTS more @ Bedrock, FREE w/TOY & RSVP here.
• Dec 19: Infected Mushroom @ Avalon. Read my interview with Infected Mushroom
• Dec 20: Winter Solstice Party w/Jega, Deru, Kraddy & Tom Burbank @ Air Conditioned Supper Club in Venice

• Dec 22: Plug Research 2010 w/Daedelus, J.Rocc, Kutmah, surprise guests & more @ Echoplex
• Dec 23: Low End Theory w/Ras G, SamIYam, Lorn, Teebs & residents
• Dec 24: A Kilowatts Kristamas Eve feat. Kilowatts live, Treavor, Brian Saitzyk, Stephan Jacobs, Bartek @ Area 33 (Culver City)
• Dec 25: MERRY CHRISTMAS SMOKE A FATTIE
• Dec 26: Pure Filth presents BASSFACE w/DLX, Flying Lotus, Daedelus, Daddy Kev, 6Blocc, The Professionals, Magi, Remo, Metaphase, Kemst & MC1

• Dec 29: Dubtroit 1-Year Anniversary w/DJ KMO, 12th Planet & more TBA
• Dec 30: Low End Theory w/Tokimonsta, 6Blocc, Mr. Fantastic & residents
• Dec 31: Sea of Dreams in SF w/Glitch Mob, Ozomatli, Bassnectar, Ghostland Observatory, Yard Dogs Road Show, EOTO, Lynx & Janover, Random Rab, Marty Party, Ana Sia, an-ten-nae, David Starfire & more
• Dec 31: Gaslamp Killer, Chromeo & Peanut Butter Wolf @ Club Nokia
• Dec 31: New Year’s Eve 2010 Together As One w/David Guetta, John Digweed, Dubfire, Sander Kleinenberg & more @ Los Angeles Sport Arena
• Dec 31: HARD New Year’s Eve w/Boys Noize, A-Trak, DJ Mehdi, Destructo & more @ The Palladium
• Dec 31: Lunar New Years Eve @ TBA w/Cesare vs. Disorder, Mikael Stavostrand, Acid Circus, Drumcell & more

This chair design by DROOG is based on the structure of bone tissue.  

Joris Laarman’s Bonechaise Lounge Chair (prototype for Droog), an aluminum and resin piece that “represents a series of works which are designed according to the way bones develop—growing where strength is needed and shrinking where it is not.”

Samhain, November 1, always indicates new cycles and fresh beginnings in my life, and this year seems to be no different. Here’s to autumn in LA!

As always, I keep this post updated and added to throughout the month and you can find it by looking in the right-hand column on my main page under “Shilo’s Event Calendar.”

• 3: Wisp, Naha, Schlage & more @ Technique @ Zanzibar
• 3: Jogger, Daedelus, Buraka Som Sistema, Jokers of the Scene & more @ Cinespace in Hollyweird. Free vodka 10-11PM.
• 4: Low End Theory Special Ableton Event w/Thavius Beck, Sweatson Klank, MatthewDavid
• 6: Kraddy
• 7: Other People’s Money w/Vibesquad, Datsik, Subvert, Excision, Propa Tingz & more @ Nucleus Events Center

• 8: Brainfeeder Sessions @ Downtown Independent w/Daedelus, Jogger, Gaslamp Killer, Dr. Strangeloop, Jeremy Ellis, Teebs & Kutmah
• 10: Random Rab, Imagika & Electric Dandelion @ Zanzibar
• 11: Low End Theory: My Hollow Drum, Kutmah, Devonwho
• 11: Deru, Blockhead, AmpLive & Yppah @ The Echo
• 12: The Do Lab presents Bluetech, Mimosa & Electric Dandelion @ King King
• 12: I AM A LASER with Take, R/D, LC & Souleye at Club Nokia upstairs
• 13: Compression w/Robtronik, Drumcell, Vic Carillo @ King King
• 14: BWOMP presents: Attack of the BASS w/Anitserum, Puppykicker, Ev-1, J-Viz & more @ TBA

• 18: Low End Theory w/Ghislain Poirier, Rob Luis & Lanu
• 18: Scion House Party w/Plastician, Mary Anne Hobbs, SCUBA & 12th Planet, FREE w/RSVP
• 20: Culprit & Hear w/Anthony Collins, Sammy Dee, Droog, Deliquent Frequency @ new venue TS 2
• 20: Fat Freddy’s Drop @ The Roxy
• 20: RUSKO, 12th Planet, Mr. White @ Avalon
• 21: WE THE PEOPLE w/Bad Religion, Glitch Mob, Flobots, LA Riots, Jogger & much more @ Los Angeles Center Studios, downtown

• 24: Dubtroit w/Pawn, Druley, Rudelgin & more
• 25: Low End Theory: Daedelus special extended set
• 25: House of Dub @ House of Blues w/DLX, Pawn, Steady, Kelly Dean, Evol, Pablo Hassan & more
• 26: HAPPY THANKSGIVING = drinky drinky!
• 27: Compression 4-Year Anniversary w/Claude Von Stroke & SF Dirtybird Crew
• 28: Dysfunctional Family w/[a]pendics shuffle, Death by Acid, Alex Villalobos & more @ TBA
• 28: Pure Filth presents BASSFACE with: JOKER & NOSAJ THING, The Professionals, Novocaine9, Heru!, Kemst, Nomad @ Lot 613

Photo by Tap Tap Productions.

I’ve been meaning to blog all week, but life has been one bureaucratic nightmare after another. The icing on the cake was my Mother seeing a government official snooping around my yard. He was looking over some construction work I having done.  It’s Amazing. Simply Amazing.

What the government doesn’t know is that my mother is THEE MOST ANNOYING NAG in the history of Mothers. And tomorrow morning, I am going to sick her on THEM!

That’s right and by JESUS! It will be grand!

Luckily, all this real life red-tape has gotten me good and ready for a night-posting about Stanley Kubrick. As a film director, he pioneered a higher standard cinema. He once said in his documentary, “either you care, or you don’t.” I really took those words to heart. Either you care to do it right and make it the RIGHT way….or you don’t. No excuses or bullshit. It seems sorta cut and dry, but I think the beauty is in the simplicity. We can decide to stand up and say, “no. I don’t fucking care.” Or actively participate in whatever we DO care about.

It’s not wildly provocative, but let’s me sleep well at night.

The Kubrick Rooms are a wonder for any Stanley fan. The Droog Outfit is completely FREE, however cane and boots are not included. Droog Cane sells for 400 linden and comes with a complete AO. It’s pretty cool, I must say. Well worth the price in order to seal the deal. I slapped on my favorite combat boots (Ving Boots from Shiny Things) and I was good to go.

Raise a little hell on Halloween. It’s good for the heart.

ps. I updated this post and cleaned up all fucking typos. This is why I write in the morning. My brains is less foggy and visceral, and correct grammar is a turn-on.

01. Moonlight
02. Droog
03. Cold Fit
04. Moonlight (MR)
05. Droog (MR)
06. Cold Fit (MR)

Download

Credits: Jenpoo & the original uploader.

Hailing from the left coast of America, Los Angeles Techno trio Droog have been throwing some of the best parties in the West Side for some time.    Guest artists have included heavyweights such as Magda, Matias Aguayo, Damian Lazarus, Dixon and Ewan Pearson to namedrop but a few.  The collective (Andrei Osyka, Brett Griffin and Justin Sloe) also launched their own label Culprit earlier this year.  Some exciting folk such as Seth Troxler, Lee Foss, Lee Curtiss, Kenneth James G., and Jamie Jones all got involved with the debut EP… have a listen at Beatport!

Well, you don’t need to dream of sunny LA any more because Droog are bringing their Tech-House mayhem to Europe later this month with a date at Dice in Berlin (14/10/09), Arena Berlin (18/10/09), T Bar (25/10/09) and also the Hoxton Pony (29/10/09).

Check out their Youtube Channel for more great music, sunshine, rooftops and nice-to-look-at people.

And don’t say we don’t treat you well …. here’s Droog’s Big Shot Magazine Mix for you to download – happy friday!

... they dance to techno instead.

]]> http://myhouseismycastle.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/rag-chair-by-tejo-remy-for-droog/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:32:57 +0000 myhouseismycastle http://myhouseismycastle.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/rag-chair-by-tejo-remy-for-droog/

One of the lesser known biospheres in Europe is the former inner-German border between Bavaria and Thüringen.

Affectionately known as the “Strip of Death”, the border area was a 1,400 Km long and 50 -200m wide  forest and shrub landscape which for 40 years lay untroubled by human intervention.

And so within this strip of no-mans land between the East and West German barbed wire, a habitat developed that is unique on the European continent.
Something similar is happening in the back left corner of our bedroom.

A long, long time ago freshly laundered clothes were “stored” there until such time as we got round to properly placing them in the wardrobe. That day has never come, and so the clothes remain, untroubled by human intervention and quietly evolving in their own, natural way.

If we were clever we would turn them into furniture by now.

But we’re not .

Tejo Remy is.

And his Rag Chair for droog is simply brilliant.

A monument to the art of procrastination, each Rag Chair is  uniquely assembled from 15 bags of treated rags held together by metal straps.

And of course you can also “personalise” your Rag Chair through the inclusion of your own, discarded textiles.

OK, we predict a few problem if, for example, you spill your beer on it … but don’t spill your beer on it. Then there’s no problems.

In terms of form Rag Chair is reminiscent of Amoebe by Verner Panton or Monopd by Jasper Morrison and provides just as comfortable a seat as both of those masterpieces. Perfect for watching telly in, socializing or simply relaxing with a beer – without spilling it!! – or whatever else the Dutch enjoy getting up to. Rag Chair is a wonderful,softening, addition to any room.

And unlike the pile of clothes in our bedroom, wont develop into a unique biosphere.

Rag Chair by Tejo Remy. droog, nuff said.

Rag Chair by Tejo Remy

by droog

The Dutch ... unstoppable

House Plans from Italy and India

Our window on the modern home is widening: we’ve recently added some exciting (and exclusive to us) contemporary plans from abroad. Plan 473-1 by architect Lorenzo Spano of Terni, Italy, takes  an artful and sleek approach to indoor-outdoor living, from the cylindrical chimney floating over a circular hearth

that draws your gaze into the landscape (in a retro wave at mid-century modernity), to the dramatic concrete cantilever

that shades one side of the house,

to the seamless connection to a pool terrace on the other side. A roof deck also overlooks the water.

Plan 467-2, by Mumbai architect Rinka D’Monte opens up a simple box with walls of glass.

The floor plan takes the form of two rectangular volumes that appear to slide past

each other, which allows room for private decks at front and rear.  It’s a new twist on the row house idea. We’ll be adding more international plans shortly.

Dutch Design and Other Inspirations in New York

I just returned from New York City, where I visited Governor’s Island off the tip of Lower Manhattan.

It’s a remarkable enclave of early 19th and 20th century Army and Coast Guard houses, barracks, forts, and other structures now being preserved by the Governor’s Island Preservation and Education Committee  (GIPEC), a New York State agency. One model for them might be the public-private joint venture at San Francisco’s Presidio, which was reinvented as a national park.

When I toured the Island the historic officer’s houses (at lower right in photo above) were being used for art installations celebrating the 400th anniversary of the Dutch arrival in New Amsterdam (New York). Droog, the innovative Dutch industrial design and branding firm was one of the participants and worked with artist Marije Vogelzang (she is known as an “eating-designer”) to convert one house into a “Go Slow Cafe” that I found very appealing. I entered an all-white room and was asked to take off my shoes — the first gesture toward slowing down –  and then sat at a white table. Lunch arrived on a simple board, like this:

with circles around each item noting the distance it had traveled. The wood and the food comprised the only color in the space. The point: to slow down, focus on the meal,  and think about the energy used to bring us sustenance. The generous sampling of lettuce and cheese came from less than 100 miles away while the small portion of Chinese lychees (the white fruit at right) came many thousands of miles. For a while I was alone at the table as other visitors ambled past. I felt like part of the installation, which I guess I was. Of course another way to “slow down” like this is simply to have a real conversation with your family over the dinner table!

Droog is a fascinating global firm and reminds me of Marcel Duchamp in the way they transform an everyday object into something unusual, like a clothes hanger into a lamp, shown below:

(This image is from 2modern.com.) The word droog, in Dutch, means “dry” or “wry.” One of Droog’s more provocative products is the “Do hit Chair”:

a metal box that comes with a sledgehammer allowing you to bang it

(and your frustrations, presumably) into shape.

At the Island, Droog took a somewhat calmer, “Do Hit the Cool-It Button” approach (as we have seen) and also supplied products for an intriguing temporary design  store designed by Marcel Schmalgemeijer. He stacked chairs to create shelving and display units like this:

It makes you reconsider the typical rented party chair  — maybe a way to use that leftover furniture in your basement…

Finally, I just had to visit one of the greatest American Beaux Arts monuments: the monumental New York Public Library of 1911, by Carerre & Hastings. Now this is a room for reading!

In the age of Kindles and I-phones, it still has the power to awe and made me appreciate anew the grandeur and majesty that can arise from the intersection of knowledge and imagination. And outside, the famous lions

are still guarding the majestic Fifth Avenue entrance. Read about them and New York’s many other landmarks in the just published Public Art New York by architect Jean Parker Phifer (W. W. Norton 2009).

Deftly written, it’s an indispensable guidebook to every monument worth seeing in Metropolis. From the book I learned that the lions, sculpted by Edward Clark Potter in 1911, are named “Patience” and “Fortitude.” I think they’re good to have around in a time of economic uncertainty. Don’t leave home without them.

Bonjour, ola, ciao, aloha, badinga!  We can almost smell the weekend; it’s nearly time to shrug off your workday clothes and get yourselves into some dancefloor friendly spandex.  Warm up your ears with these bad boys!

DJ History September 2009 – Jason Boardman Mix

Octave One LIVE @ Big Chill

DROOG mix

This weekend, thousands of visitors came out to Governors Island to enjoy the last official weekend of summer. Many visitors took advantage of the miles of car-free biking here, while others caught performances at the New Island Festival, and saw the houses of Nolan Park as they were transformed by Droog design as a part of Pioneers of Change.

One attraction that provided delight for children and adults alike was Mist-e Simone, the New Island Festivals’ iconic cow.  Mist-e took up residence on the Festival’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams and was a great ambassador for the Island.

Another unique site during the festival was the archeological dig. Even though the festival is over, the archeological dig will remain open every Friday – Sunday until the Island closes.  So even though these wonderful Dutch events are over, there are still many more dynamic exhibitions, performances and programs happening through October 11.

Visitors at the Pioneers of Change exhibition in Nolan Park, where visitors experienced unique examples of Dutch architecture, fashion and design

Children on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams, at the center of the New Island Festival

Mist-e relaxing on Colonels Row with visitors

Many visitors ate and drank at the New Island Festival. Here, several enjoy a beer on the beer bike

By Chris Kabel for Droog.

http://www.droog.com/products/accessories/shadylace-parasol—green/

Ik had er precies al van gehoord, maar nog nooit gezien: Kabouter Wesley. Ingesproken door de stemmen van Neveneffecten als ik me niet vergis.

Edit: Blijkbaar is het ook gemaakt door Jonas Geirnaert, de maker van Flatlife en een neveneffecter! Onderaan ook een filmpje van Flatlife!

Ik weet nu wel niet of het aan de examens ligt (en mijn tekort aan sociale contacten) dat ik het super grappig vind:

Zij: “Seg, doe mij eens wat spuitwater bij mijne spavela. Hij is wat te straf.”

Hij: “Seg… doe mij eens wat bier bij mijne spavela. Hij is mij wat te slap.”

For those who are fans of Alex and his Droogs. Take a look at this design. Thoughts?

UPDATE

I’ve redesigned the above poster with this new one. Again, I’d love to know your thoughts.

Kuka ostaisi tämän minulle? Saa ostaa. Ei haittaa. Annan anteeksi. Älä murehdi tai stressaa. Kaikki on ihan hyvin. Droogin 85 Lamps maksaa noin 2000 euroa. Ihan tyhmää.

i obviously have a passion for ceramics– seems to be a trend this month.  such a nice way to add personality to your table and your home.  royal tichelaar makkum is celebrating the 10th anniversary of hella jongerius‘ B-set with four new colors :  pink, blue, green and brown.  i appreciate the purity of color, form and process – the kiln temperature is altered to result in slight variations in the porcelain and unpredictable shapes.  the beauty and the  flaws, tie the collection together. 

b-set, anniversary collection 

detail

hella jongerius . porcelain product matrix  

the original b-set in ivory via droog

via style-files