The Crystal Method has been leading the charge of electronica music across the nation since the release of their first album in 1997. Now their latest salvo in the war against music thats sucks is their latest album Legion of Boom. This new album has more guest stars than has ever such as Milla Jovovich, Wes Borland, Rahzel and many more. The new tour kicks off this month as well.
I got a chance to talk to one half of the Method, Ken Jordan, from his hometown in Las Veags.
Check out the official website for The Crystal Method.
Daniel Robert Epstein: Does Legion of Boom have any political overtones to it?
Ken Jordan: Not politically. It means God and us taking on the world with our music or each song is a soldier in the Legion of Boom.
DRE: You have said that your first album seemed like a project you were working on for most of your lives. How does this one feel?
KJ: I was just talking about the amount of time it takes to work on records. On your first album you get your whole life to make it then you get a whole lot less time to make the other ones. We think this is our best one yet.
DRE: How did you get all these people together like [poet, playwright, musician, and actress] Hanifa [Walidah]?
KJ: For her we had originally used a sample of hers from this album she put out a ways back. So when we went to license the sample she said she would rather come in and redo it. Thats what we did and it ended up on the track Bound Too Long. While we had her in there we had her do Wide Open so that was a bonus for her. What we normally do when we have a song thats got a need for either guitar or vocals we just try to find the best fit for that. In the past we used to work with whomever we thought might work. But now we try to just work with people we know are into our music, our band and we get along with.
DRE: I dont know too much about Limp Bizkit. But what made you want to work with Wes Borland?
KJ: We knew Wes from when we did the Family Values Tour a few years ago. But Wes was always kind of the odd man out in Limp Bizkit. Hes a super cool guy and he hasnt been in that band for years. He was doing some work with Richard Patrick from Filter and weve got the same manager as Richard so we knew he might be available. He was totally into working on the album.
DRE: What specific thing does he bring?
KJ: We always liked his guitar playing but then on top of that we like him. We talked to him and realized it was going to work.
DRE: How about John Garcia of Kyuss?
KJ: We know of Queens of the Stone Age but not that much about Kyuss. But when we decided to use John for the record we listened to some of the Kyuss stuff and we thought it was so crazy it just might work.
DRE: Someone wrote this great quote about you When the Crystal Method finally released its debut in 1997, the world of dance music stopped mid-cabbage patch to listen.
KJ: Thats a good one.
DRE: What made 1997 the year Crystal Method hit the world?
KJ: Well I think our second 12 inch hit in 1995 and I think we were shooting for a 1996 album. But it just didnt work that fast.
DRE: How is being an American in this music field?
KJ: I think it would be better if we had more Americans doing this. But outside of America I think it works to our advantage.
Sometimes the British press can be really touchy about it because they think they own this type of music. How dare Americans try to do this kind of music? But outside of that it works out all right.
DRE: How about this idea of the DJ as celebrity? Would you rather stay in the background?
KJ: From the moment we decided to be in a band instead of just producers we knew we would be out there on stage and giving interviews so that doesnt bug us. We still dont get recognized that much except at our shows.
DRE: How is the experience of a live show? Is a concert venue as good of a place for you to perform as a club?
KJ: We still prefer the live shows. Were doing all our music and were doing a great live show. DJing is fun and we like doing that occasionally but for us the live show will always better.
DRE: Youve made comments about certain DJs who dont live up to their first album like DJ Shadow and BT. What did you do to make sure it didnt happen to you?
KJ: We just wish the people that had early success put out better follow up records or put out follow up records at all; some people just seem to disappear. For us we knew making our follow up record it would always be judged against our first one because the first one was popular. As soon as you have any sort of success people are always ready to knock you down for any reason. We were prepared for that but after getting the second one done we were glad to get it out and start work on the third one. We knew there would be a lot less pressure on the third album.
DRE: Youve said that electronica will never live up to revolutionary expectations.
KJ: There was just so much hype about electronic music when our first album came out. But we never expected it to be the next big thing. We were just glad for the hype so that people will notice us. We never thought it would replace rock or become mainstream.
DRE: And it still hasnt.
KJ: Right. We kind of think that its now where it should be. The only thing that happened in the late 90s is that it built up these false expectations and when it didnt take over everyone says it failed and it was done.
DRE: What equipment are you working on lately?
KJ: We always use new technology but a lot of what we do is use old guitar pedals and things like that and combine that with plug-ins and sequencers and samplers. We always combine the newest technology with the old technology.
DRE: What about computers?
KJ: Weve always used computers but we use it as our recorder. We dont use computers to make any music. We use computers instead of multi-track recorders.
DRE: Do you guys write together?
KJ: We almost always write together but well bring separate ideas into the studio that we may have worked on at home. But we finish writing everything together.
DRE: Were you guys ever into drugs at all?
KJ: Never too much. Alcohol has always been our drug of choice. Right now were on vodka and Diet Rock Star.
DRE: Whats Diet Rock Star?
KJ: Its like Red Bull.
DRE: How are you guys getting along?
KJ: Were getting along great.
DRE: When you do argue what is it about?
KJ: It used to be over anything and everything. But now we dont argue that much. We have different opinions but we always work it out.
DRE: Do you come up with a certain method for working out your problems?
KJ: The way it goes that if we have two differing ideas then whoever feels most strongly gets it his way.
DRE: After Tweekend you guys took some time off to meet up with fans.
KJ: Yeah we did the Community Service mix CD, we went out and DJed more.
DRE: Why was that necessary?
KJ: From about 1995 on we made a conscious effort to stop DJing because we wanted to establish the band as a live act. From that point until all the way until after Tweekend we really hadnt done it for a while.
It turned out to be a lot of fun. It got us back into buying records all the time. Were probably going to do a mix CD in-between every album now.
DRE: When you DJ what do you play?
KJ: New breaks and more new breaks.
DRE: Whats up with breaks now?
KJ: Its just the music we make. Were not super crazy about music that sounds like computers made it. We want drummers that sound like drummers playing. Its just always whats turned us on. We never notice breaks getting more or less popular. Its always the same for us. Well always be into that music. The sounds of breaks changes over time but were just not into that 4 4 boom boom sound.
DRE: So you were born in Las Vegas?
KJ: Born and raised. Scott moved there when he was like two months old so we dont really accept him.
DRE: Whats it like growing up in Vegas?
KJ: Now its like Disneyworld for adults. But when youre growing up there you dont really have anything to compare it too. You just think that every 7-11 has slot machines. Then when you move away you realize how weird it is.
DRE: What was the first music you listened to?
KJ: Disco and Led Zeppelin.
DRE: Where did the two of you meet?
KJ: We both had part time jobs when I was in college. Scott came to work with a drum machine and that was the first time we started talking.
DRE: Were you already into that stuff?
KJ: I was working with this other singer kid and Scott had just switched from being 80s heavy metal dude to Depeche Mode dude. So we just started talking, working together and combining our gear. Then we moved out to LA.
DRE: Was that when you discovered the real electronic music?
KJ: Yeah we started going to all the raves in LA in the real early 90s. That was when we figured out what we wanted to do.
DRE: What clubs did you hit then?
KJ: Before Moonshine was a record label it was a club. That was cool. It was a Friday night underground thing. On Saturdays we would go to a club called Giant. Then the rest were just big one off raves.
DRE: Edie Brickell is back by the way.
KJ: Where is she [laughs]?
DRE: Shes got a new album out. I know you worked with her as an assistant producer back in the day. What does that mean?
KJ: I engineered part of her second album with The New Bohemians. The whole band was really cool. Scott and I actually have this totally bootlegged remix of one of the songs from her second album called Mama. No one will ever hear it. The New Bohemians have heard it and they love it.
DRE: Whats the one CD you just got that no one would expect you to have?
KJ: I just got the new Outkast record. I buy all that Nelly southern fried stuff. I like all that musical hip-hop shit. I made sure I got the new Led Zeppelin DVD.
DRE: Are you married?
KJ: No.
DRE: Are you seeing anyone?
KJ: Several, no. Nobody special or serious.
DRE: What kind of girls are you into?
KJ: Dark haired confident women. I dont like needy girls.
DRE: Any tattoos?
KJ: No tattoos. Ive thought about getting one like armband type tattoos. Not barbed wire but maybe matching ones on each arm. I see all the chicks on Suicide Girls have tattoos.
DRE: What are you up to this weekend?
KJ: Weve got a show in Portland. Then Im going to LA to play in a celebrity hockey game.
DRE: With who?
KJ: I know David E. Kelley and some Farrelly Brothers will be there. I dont know who else.
DRE: For this tour are you going to any new places in Europe?
KJ: I think were going to all places Ive been London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Berlin and Barcelona. The last three days was going to be Paris but they cut that out those fuckers.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
I got a chance to talk to one half of the Method, Ken Jordan, from his hometown in Las Veags.
Check out the official website for The Crystal Method.
Daniel Robert Epstein: Does Legion of Boom have any political overtones to it?
Ken Jordan: Not politically. It means God and us taking on the world with our music or each song is a soldier in the Legion of Boom.
DRE: You have said that your first album seemed like a project you were working on for most of your lives. How does this one feel?
KJ: I was just talking about the amount of time it takes to work on records. On your first album you get your whole life to make it then you get a whole lot less time to make the other ones. We think this is our best one yet.
DRE: How did you get all these people together like [poet, playwright, musician, and actress] Hanifa [Walidah]?
KJ: For her we had originally used a sample of hers from this album she put out a ways back. So when we went to license the sample she said she would rather come in and redo it. Thats what we did and it ended up on the track Bound Too Long. While we had her in there we had her do Wide Open so that was a bonus for her. What we normally do when we have a song thats got a need for either guitar or vocals we just try to find the best fit for that. In the past we used to work with whomever we thought might work. But now we try to just work with people we know are into our music, our band and we get along with.
DRE: I dont know too much about Limp Bizkit. But what made you want to work with Wes Borland?
KJ: We knew Wes from when we did the Family Values Tour a few years ago. But Wes was always kind of the odd man out in Limp Bizkit. Hes a super cool guy and he hasnt been in that band for years. He was doing some work with Richard Patrick from Filter and weve got the same manager as Richard so we knew he might be available. He was totally into working on the album.
DRE: What specific thing does he bring?
KJ: We always liked his guitar playing but then on top of that we like him. We talked to him and realized it was going to work.
DRE: How about John Garcia of Kyuss?
KJ: We know of Queens of the Stone Age but not that much about Kyuss. But when we decided to use John for the record we listened to some of the Kyuss stuff and we thought it was so crazy it just might work.
DRE: Someone wrote this great quote about you When the Crystal Method finally released its debut in 1997, the world of dance music stopped mid-cabbage patch to listen.
KJ: Thats a good one.
DRE: What made 1997 the year Crystal Method hit the world?
KJ: Well I think our second 12 inch hit in 1995 and I think we were shooting for a 1996 album. But it just didnt work that fast.
DRE: How is being an American in this music field?
KJ: I think it would be better if we had more Americans doing this. But outside of America I think it works to our advantage.
Sometimes the British press can be really touchy about it because they think they own this type of music. How dare Americans try to do this kind of music? But outside of that it works out all right.
DRE: How about this idea of the DJ as celebrity? Would you rather stay in the background?
KJ: From the moment we decided to be in a band instead of just producers we knew we would be out there on stage and giving interviews so that doesnt bug us. We still dont get recognized that much except at our shows.
DRE: How is the experience of a live show? Is a concert venue as good of a place for you to perform as a club?
KJ: We still prefer the live shows. Were doing all our music and were doing a great live show. DJing is fun and we like doing that occasionally but for us the live show will always better.
DRE: Youve made comments about certain DJs who dont live up to their first album like DJ Shadow and BT. What did you do to make sure it didnt happen to you?
KJ: We just wish the people that had early success put out better follow up records or put out follow up records at all; some people just seem to disappear. For us we knew making our follow up record it would always be judged against our first one because the first one was popular. As soon as you have any sort of success people are always ready to knock you down for any reason. We were prepared for that but after getting the second one done we were glad to get it out and start work on the third one. We knew there would be a lot less pressure on the third album.
DRE: Youve said that electronica will never live up to revolutionary expectations.
KJ: There was just so much hype about electronic music when our first album came out. But we never expected it to be the next big thing. We were just glad for the hype so that people will notice us. We never thought it would replace rock or become mainstream.
DRE: And it still hasnt.
KJ: Right. We kind of think that its now where it should be. The only thing that happened in the late 90s is that it built up these false expectations and when it didnt take over everyone says it failed and it was done.
DRE: What equipment are you working on lately?
KJ: We always use new technology but a lot of what we do is use old guitar pedals and things like that and combine that with plug-ins and sequencers and samplers. We always combine the newest technology with the old technology.
DRE: What about computers?
KJ: Weve always used computers but we use it as our recorder. We dont use computers to make any music. We use computers instead of multi-track recorders.
DRE: Do you guys write together?
KJ: We almost always write together but well bring separate ideas into the studio that we may have worked on at home. But we finish writing everything together.
DRE: Were you guys ever into drugs at all?
KJ: Never too much. Alcohol has always been our drug of choice. Right now were on vodka and Diet Rock Star.
DRE: Whats Diet Rock Star?
KJ: Its like Red Bull.
DRE: How are you guys getting along?
KJ: Were getting along great.
DRE: When you do argue what is it about?
KJ: It used to be over anything and everything. But now we dont argue that much. We have different opinions but we always work it out.
DRE: Do you come up with a certain method for working out your problems?
KJ: The way it goes that if we have two differing ideas then whoever feels most strongly gets it his way.
DRE: After Tweekend you guys took some time off to meet up with fans.
KJ: Yeah we did the Community Service mix CD, we went out and DJed more.
DRE: Why was that necessary?
KJ: From about 1995 on we made a conscious effort to stop DJing because we wanted to establish the band as a live act. From that point until all the way until after Tweekend we really hadnt done it for a while.
It turned out to be a lot of fun. It got us back into buying records all the time. Were probably going to do a mix CD in-between every album now.
DRE: When you DJ what do you play?
KJ: New breaks and more new breaks.
DRE: Whats up with breaks now?
KJ: Its just the music we make. Were not super crazy about music that sounds like computers made it. We want drummers that sound like drummers playing. Its just always whats turned us on. We never notice breaks getting more or less popular. Its always the same for us. Well always be into that music. The sounds of breaks changes over time but were just not into that 4 4 boom boom sound.
DRE: So you were born in Las Vegas?
KJ: Born and raised. Scott moved there when he was like two months old so we dont really accept him.
DRE: Whats it like growing up in Vegas?
KJ: Now its like Disneyworld for adults. But when youre growing up there you dont really have anything to compare it too. You just think that every 7-11 has slot machines. Then when you move away you realize how weird it is.
DRE: What was the first music you listened to?
KJ: Disco and Led Zeppelin.
DRE: Where did the two of you meet?
KJ: We both had part time jobs when I was in college. Scott came to work with a drum machine and that was the first time we started talking.
DRE: Were you already into that stuff?
KJ: I was working with this other singer kid and Scott had just switched from being 80s heavy metal dude to Depeche Mode dude. So we just started talking, working together and combining our gear. Then we moved out to LA.
DRE: Was that when you discovered the real electronic music?
KJ: Yeah we started going to all the raves in LA in the real early 90s. That was when we figured out what we wanted to do.
DRE: What clubs did you hit then?
KJ: Before Moonshine was a record label it was a club. That was cool. It was a Friday night underground thing. On Saturdays we would go to a club called Giant. Then the rest were just big one off raves.
DRE: Edie Brickell is back by the way.
KJ: Where is she [laughs]?
DRE: Shes got a new album out. I know you worked with her as an assistant producer back in the day. What does that mean?
KJ: I engineered part of her second album with The New Bohemians. The whole band was really cool. Scott and I actually have this totally bootlegged remix of one of the songs from her second album called Mama. No one will ever hear it. The New Bohemians have heard it and they love it.
DRE: Whats the one CD you just got that no one would expect you to have?
KJ: I just got the new Outkast record. I buy all that Nelly southern fried stuff. I like all that musical hip-hop shit. I made sure I got the new Led Zeppelin DVD.
DRE: Are you married?
KJ: No.
DRE: Are you seeing anyone?
KJ: Several, no. Nobody special or serious.
DRE: What kind of girls are you into?
KJ: Dark haired confident women. I dont like needy girls.
DRE: Any tattoos?
KJ: No tattoos. Ive thought about getting one like armband type tattoos. Not barbed wire but maybe matching ones on each arm. I see all the chicks on Suicide Girls have tattoos.
DRE: What are you up to this weekend?
KJ: Weve got a show in Portland. Then Im going to LA to play in a celebrity hockey game.
DRE: With who?
KJ: I know David E. Kelley and some Farrelly Brothers will be there. I dont know who else.
DRE: For this tour are you going to any new places in Europe?
KJ: I think were going to all places Ive been London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Berlin and Barcelona. The last three days was going to be Paris but they cut that out those fuckers.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
..oh, and they rocked my ass at Family Values!!!