Originally from Flint, Michigan, this Charlotte-based electronic musician was influenced by the more abstract and independent sounds of electronic music early in life. After moving to Charlotte, Redmond started producing and performing minimal techno in what’s now known as a “live PA” method of performing his own music without records. “What I want to focus on the most now is to expose the Charlotte area to the more minimal sounds of electronic music and performing in a way that’s more impromptu instead of pre-programmed.” Redmond is currently releasing material on Charlotte’s own techno label Active-Analog, and has joined forces with Detroit’s DJ collective Detroit Techno Militia. Here are five things that rock Redmond’s world:
1. “Something in The Water (Does Not Compute),” Prince. “This is more electronic and minimal than anything released in 1984 other than Kraftwerk. I really can’t believe how far ahead Prince was than everyone else.”
2. Sketches of Spain, Miles Davis. “Miles Davis redefined jazz about six times during his lifetime. And to me this collaboration with (pianist/arranger/conductor) Gil Evans marked the greatest period from him.”
3. Lifelike, Jeff Mills. “I really can’t get into the new minimal techno that’s out now because it sounds so polished and perfect. Mills’ Lifelike translates minimalism as a process instead of a “music by numbers” composition.”
4. Waveform Transmission 2, Rob Hood/The Vision. “When I first heard this I hated it. It took me a long time to mature to a point where I can now appreciate something as sparse as this album.”
5. “I Don’t Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing,” James Brown. “Rhythm, rhythm, rhythm, I think every dance genre since 1970 owes James Brown a lot of money!”
This article appears in Aug 10-16, 2005.
