Sunday, December 26, 2010

Teena...


I'm sitting here at my keyboard playing the chord progression to Square Biz over and over again, with a glass of single malt on one side, and a box of tissues at the other. Clearly, whatever superpower that provides the unknown wanted Teena Marie to return to the sky today. I don't know if there are words to describe the utter emptiness inside of me right now.

I can remember vividly the first time I heard Teena, and thought "this chick is a complete badass." Even long before I knew of her complete CV, I knew that Teena Marie was a soulful diva, a singer of the highest order, and someone whose star I wanted to follow. She had a resume that inspired me utterly, as a writer, a player, and a singer. That she was also a lil ole white girl, who was adored by a largely African American audience, intrigued and inspired me as well. Artists like Teena live by the credo long ago spoken by Charles Mingus, "soul knows no color. The great are colorless."

Teena Marie was a funkstress, a jazz singer, a poet and someone who was an all ecompassing presence of aspirations and fearlessness. Teena, up to the end, was always Teena, uncompromising and funky. There isn't a singer alive today, who sings R+B music that hasn't been touched by her influence whether they know it or not.

Sadly, on Twitter today it became painfully obvious how few people knew who Teena was. An entire generation of younguns, completely missed out on Lady T. Normally I get really furious when I see how things are so lazily handled these days, and how uneducated so many young people are with the history and pathology of the music they enjoy today, but today it just made me all the sadder.

All I can say, is that without Teena Marie, there would be no Amy D. Teena was a true influence on what I do as an artist today and her removal from planet Earth, is going to be felt by me for a long time. If I had a dime for every time I sang Square Biz, or Lovergirl, or Behind the Groove with some pick up funk band, I'd be a rich bitch by now. Funny, those songs, no matter how many times I sang them, NEVER GOT OLD FOR ME. I never tired once of singing those songs, proof that her work was enduring and the truest highest definition of pure art. Teena wrote timeless classics that will endure forever, delivered by a voice that is one in a million. What other bad bitch could stand toe to toe with RICK JAMES????

54 years is not enough time on the planet. We'll always have her music thank heavens, but the world just lost one of the funkiest, sexiest most sensational artists of all time.

R.I.P.

Friday, December 17, 2010

ROCKTAILS!!!!






After a solid year in the making, it is FINALLY READY!!!!!

ROCKTAILS- by Amy Douglas (duh) and Dave Baron with amazing artwork and layout by Martin Stone Hennessee

for $10.50 cents this is a perfect holiday gift!

email discokaina@gmail.com for Paypal payment and give yourselves the ultimate in rock fantasy!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Nerdy Frames...perfect for an interview with this Nerdy Girl

http://www.nerdy-frames.org/2010/09/amy-d-interview.html

Thursday, September 9, 2010

PENNED...MAAAAAAADNESS

You gotta love the headline alone. "Who The Fuck is Amy Douglas???" Honestly after a few joints and a glass of single malt scotch, many times I'm not sure either!!! Big love to taste-maker, DJ and a really good cook Sean MFn Roberts for putting together this expose on all my plans to rule the charts.

Piece is here.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

I know its been awhile


But by no means have things been quiet round here....

Been in the studio working on my original projects Discokaina and SPF 5000. Shit is sounding loooooovely. Stay tuned for that.

Working on joints with The Juan Mac Clean, Sharkslayer, Team Facelift, Raffertie and many many more. There will be enough hot sauce to go round.

On a sadder note, I'm sick as a d.a.w.g. Typing this shit at 4AM, cause sleeping isn't working when your head is full of MUN.

"some chick named Amy Douglas"

LOL

http://walmerconvenience.wordpress.com/2010/08/15/rave-times/

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Some Mad Decent French Fries-Senta Mix

Well it looks like the Supra 1 track I sang on is just going....EVERYWHERE!

French Fries a hot team from Paris made this sizzling mixtape, and the track is on there. Mad Decent, the fine label run by Diplo put a nice blog piece together on it. Cop it here.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Sharkslayer Mix featuring...ME! ON Discobelle!

Sharkslayer are a Finnish duo that put together mixtapes and mixes and remixes that are the pinnacle of excellence! Their incredible summer mixtape features Supra 1 featuring me! Still Believe's Boogaloo Crew remix is the finale to this mixtape!!! AWESOME!!

And Discobelle is telling everyone! Go now!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

GAWKER!

http://tv.gawker.com/5570978/like-boobs-this-music-videos-for-you

BOOBIES!!!!!

I love The Kiki Twins. We met in NYC bout a year and a half ago, and we love to get silly and do funky ass dance music that also will really make you crack up and have fun. This talented twosome, wrote Boobies, an anthem to all things...breastacular, and I was absolutely honored and thrilled to lend my voice...and my CANS!

It dropped today on Masterbeat, you can buy it here

BUT....better still....the outrageous video, featuring all of us (including my girls.... Raquel and Letitia) can be viewed HERE.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Three Days of DISCOKAINA PURA


Well...we gone and did it. My partner in crime, Rubio Res came all the way from Bogota, Colombia with a pocketful and then some of mischief and ideas. We spent 72 hours taking photos and doing nothing but make music. Well...and get a little.....(you know the rest....)

Here's a shot of us, stay tuned for the pretty pics.

Supra 1 featuring me on VIBRATOR

http://thanksgodforvib.blogspot.com/2010/05/vibrator-063.html

Friday, June 11, 2010

Rock House giving BAMela LOOOOOVE

http://rockhousemethod.blogspot.com/2010/06/freekbass-new-project-bamela-and-song-i.html

Thursday, June 10, 2010

My Interview with Two Fours

http://twofours.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/interview-amy-douglas/

Cincy Groove Magazine showing love to BAMela

http://www.cincygroove.com/?q=node/2119

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Drop The Lime's Minimix

My vocals have found their way into Drop The Lime's minimix courtesy of the Supra 1 track, that is KILLIN EM!

http://awkwardprops.blogspot.com/2010/06/drop-lime-mix-bart-b-more-remix.html

Go cop that shit!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

My interview with Gosh Damn DJ's

Amy D interviewed by Gosh Damn DJ's

Mr. FEADZ...if you are reading....

It just came to my attention through Zaber Riders Blog, that FEADZ, yes THE FEADZ, quite possibly my favorite Ed Banger Records Artist is playing the Supra 1 featuring yours truly L-Vis 1990 Dub Remix! I am soooo happy!

FEADZ if you're out there and reading...holler at me! I'm a huge fan!

http://zaberriders.blogspot.com/

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

I Heart Franki Chan

http://www.iheartcomix.com/blog/franki/supra-1-feat-amy-douglas-still-believe-franki-chan-remix

Erol Alkan...is awesome

I was completely gobsmacked with joy when I noticed that the one and only Erol Alkan, put the Supra 1 featuring...yup...me EP release up on his blog!

Oh Mr. Alkan....I've always adored you. Please...come say hello.

http://www.erolalkan.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=524140

Monday, May 31, 2010

BAAAAAAAAMALAMA BAMela

Our first single, "I Do It Like" is up at our Myspace Page!!! There is a very special guest vocal on this track. A virtual pillar of funk. You could say, he is funk personified. Go check it out now!

www.myspace.com/bamela

Supra 1 featuring...well...MOI is out TODAY


It's out on Trouble and Bass Records now!

Go quickly to www.troubleandbass.com to get the deets, and buy it! The remixes by Franki Chan, L-Vis1990, The Boogaloo Crew, Brackles, Gucci Vump are SICK!

HOORAY!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Q+A

My interview with 28 Weeks of Change!

http://28weeksofchange.blogspot.com/2010/05/q-with-amy-miss-douglad-if-youre-nasty.html

Thursday, May 27, 2010

28 Weeks of Change

My friend for many years, the funny, succinct and bullshit free zone living Michele Marzano, has started a fantastic blog. Here she reveals the origins of my insanity, my penchant for hamming it up, and of course...THE MUSIC.

http://28weeksofchange.blogspot.com/2010/05/boobies.html

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Love from the House of Daundridge

http://www.houseofdandridge.com/dj-chauncey-d/super-amy-from-koko-dozo-gets-supra/

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Tingling All OVA

My first piece of sizzle that I did with the lovely Ann Hairston...aka Annex called Tingling All Over dropped on House Calls/KULT today and is up on Beatport. NOW!

https://www.beatport.com/en-US/html/content/release/detail/247453/tingling_all_over#app=a207&a486-index=0

Discokaina Decadence from PaperMag.com

We got some love from the very dapper and always turned out, witty journalist of awesomeness Mr. Peter Davis today on Papermag.com

And because we did know what had "Peter Davis Looking So Damn Handsome" it was all the more rewarding to make the sure the world did too.....

http://www.papermag.com/2010/05/discokaina_decadence.php

Monday, May 17, 2010

This is a feeling so real...this is a feeling insiiiiiiiide....

Today! THE FEELING DROPS! 92 Eternal is myself AC Slater and Juiceboxxx....

Go here to get it!

http://tinyurl.com/36ufqvp

Discokaina-Fashion Mag on Indietronix

Lookins like this is gon' places!

Indietronix Radio Show

Friday, May 14, 2010

Supra 1 featuring yours truly on Fader today

http://www.thefader.com/2010/05/14/premiere-supra1-f-amy-douglas-still-believe-l-vis-1990-rmx-mp3/

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Discokaina-Produto de Bogota, DC


Rubio Res and I go way back. Wayyyy back. He lives now in Bogota, DC living a life of music and doing damn well. Well when he asked if I'd like to team up and do "really sleazy nasty dirty electro disco rock pop music," it was affirmativo.

I describe Discokaina, quite bluntly as "taking the entire Casablanca Records catalog, chopping it up on a mirror, and snorting it up your nose." Rubio jokingly tells others that Kiss's "I Was Made For Loving You" is a jumpoff point. He's serious. We both are.

When we started writing this material, we knew we wanted it to be almost ludicriously pop. We wanted it to rock. We wanted guitars. We wanted more than a heavy dose of slippery sexuality and a healthy dosage of SLEAZE. We were living lives in two different cities though we met in New York, and ironically we were now living in Latino-centric areas, he to Bogota, and I to Somerville, MA in which a Brazilian, Salvadoran and Mexican population thrive and flourish. When you walk around Union Square up my way in Somerville, it's easy to think at times you're in a "Little Brazil" neighborhood. We wanted to capture the lives of a couple of frankly, degenerate musicians, who wake up at 3PM, and live rather hedonistic lives. Luckily we're able to borrow so heavily from our real lives to infuse the art.

Our first single Fashion Magazine was shouted out by extremely cool tastemaker and blogger Sheenabeaston, and we plan to release an EP sometime this summer. Check out what the awesome Hannah Rad had to say about us and check out the track here. Oh btw...that Myspace thing? Still doesn't have much info, but we urge you to go anyway. There will be soon.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

BAMela


Over the Christmas Holiday of 2009, I was fortunate to be on the phone with the amazing bassist/songwriter-Freekbass. Freekbass not only heads up a very well touted and respected band of his own, but he's been on sessions with some of the greatest names in Funk, and he is one third of a new trio called Headtronics, which also features DJ Logic and Steve Molitz of the band Particle.

We spoke for about 5 hours (okay maybe not 5, but it might as well have been 5) and realized quickly that we HAD TO DO SOMETHING TOGETHER.

Freekbass had just finished up a great album called Junkyard Waltz with one Tobe Donohue, aka Tobotius. Tobe, in addition to being engineer and producer at Bootsy Collins's Bootzilla Productions ( Tobe is, bar none, one of the greatest producers out there today, in my humble opinion), is a drummer, and one of the most profound scratch and cut style turntablists on the 1's and 2's today, having been the master of Cut Crew- The Animal Crackers. Basically if it's about beat, funk, beat, ass shakin, hip sliding beat, Tobe is the master of it's domain. Freekbass asked Tobe, "hey wanna meet this crazy chick I just talked to for like 5 hours on the phone?"

February 2010, they arrived at my crib here in Somerville, MA where we would begin the amazing power trio known as BAMela. We're already bout 7 songs done, and we're gonna be releasing our debut, very very very very soon.

Wanna stay in touch with us funkmeisters?

www.myspace.com/bamela
www.twitter.com/Bamelamusic

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

92 Eternal-AC Slater, Amy D., Juiceboxxx


Collaboration, is one of the most incredible elements of music. When you bring energies together, often the end result is powerful in ways you could never imagine. AC Slater, is one of the most profound DJ's, producers and remixers out today, and Drop The Lime recommended me for a special joint he was working on.

Special, is a humble description of "The Feeling" a collab between AC, incredible rapper Juiceboxxx and myself. AC has named this project 92 Eternal.

It's dropping May 18th on Party Like Us Records! Stay tuned! Will post more when that baby drops!

Annex Featuring Amy Douglas


Ann Hairston, is a musician that I'm honored to call a friend. We've been making music together on and off for the better part of a decade of decadence. Ann, is a brilliant multi-instrumentalist, having cut her teeth backing some of the greatest artists in the biz, from Macy Gray to Luscious Jackson. I've always loved working with her.

Her Annex project is yet another opportunity for us to get together and make quite a holler. We just released this gorgeous piece of Soulful House Music for KULT Records, and it's called Miracle Mile.

This is already getting INCREDIBLE feedback, and we're already hard at work at our next slice of sexy funky slippery deep house.

Go to Beatport for your copy, and you can also check it out on my Myspace Page which is www.myspace.com/amybdouglas

Seems I got myself into some Trouble and Bass


I've been a longtime admirer and fan for quite some time of Drop The Lime, Heavy Bass Champion and Top Dawg of the Trouble and Bass Crew. Having met him bout a year or so ago, and having jammed out on some grooves with him, I had always hoped our musical energies would find fusion.

So, when he asked me to drop a feature vocal on new Trouble and Bass signee's Supra 1 for a song called "I Still Believe" well....you know Amy D. was warming up the mic extra heavy that day!!

The song drops officially on Trouble and Bass Recordings on May 25th, but til then, you can check a preview here!

Stay tuned for the official release! I believe in LOOOOOOOOOOOVE!!!

Can You Feel The Zuzz Tonight???


Koko Dozo, Post Disco Duo for which I sing, released it's first EP for Red Star Records on March 26th, called Feel The Zuzz! It's available on all great places to buy yer tunes, like Itunes, Amazon, Emusic, and the likes.

Red Star is owned and run by Marty Thau, music impresario and former manager of The New York Dolls and Suicide. M.I.A's new Born Free song is modeled from Suicide's Ghost Rider, and Mr. Thau was on the decks that day!

It's already gotten a slew of great press, most notably from Bruce Tantum of Time Out NY, Peter Davis of Papermag.com, Connie Phillips at Blogcritcs and Jeff Meltz from the most fantabulous blog The Culture Of Me, all of which can be read bout here.

Remixes for tunes off this EP are OFF THE CHAIN! From House of Stank, Naked Highway and Morsy of the Nanachill Crew

Check em out here!

Koko Dozo Mixes

I Got Into Music So That Jimmy Page Would Call Me And Ask Me To Sing For Him

Okay, well....that's only partially true. But it is true. I've been waiting for that phone call since I was 10 years old. Still waiting. Still dreaming.

To say that I've spent my life and continue to spend my life devoted to music however, is an absolute truth. I've been singing for about as long as I've been speaking, and that's a long time. Once I got on the path at about 6 or 7, it was full steam ahead. Since then, I've been very fortunate to make some of my greatest dreams come true. Ironically, I feel like I'm just getting started!

There isn't a time of day where I'm not working on a piece of music, singing, playing keys, writing music, doing arrangements, listening to music or thinking about music. Even when I'm doing other tasks, but there is always a song in my head, or on my mind. Before I found the other love of my life, my husband Dave, when there moments of great darkness in my life, music was my light. It was my best friend, and still is. It's like air or food to me. Music is everything.

As a vocalist now singing for so many other amazing artists and heading my own projects as well, I wouldn't be where I am today, if not for dreaming, and for a lot of hard work, but most importantly, due to influences who even today, continue to inspire me. Chaka Khan, Sarah Vaughan, The Beatles, Miles Davis, Elton John, David Bowie, Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder in kind, Parliament Funkadelic, Marc Bolan of T Rex, John Coltrane, Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix, just to name a few. You'll hear me refer to my heroes time and time again here, while also talking about artists that have recently begun to really ring my bell, like M.I.A and Dam Funk.

I am also a creature of strange contradictions, it would seem. I love getting up on stage and rocking out for huge crowds, but I prefer the company of few. I love fashion and style, but I am pathetically lazy where it's concerned. I am fascinated by what's coming, yet ultimately I gravitate to what's been. Onstage, I'm loud brash, and flashy, but offstage, I just want to bake everyone cookies.

What's most important however, is that I am a woman of deep passions. I love bulldogs. I love sequins. I love cooking. I love my intensely wacky crew of uber-talented friends, some of whom you'll meet here! I love vintage cinema, in particular the films of Marlene Dietrich as directed by Josef Von Sternberg. My favorite movie of all time, is Taxi Driver. My favorite decade, is the 1970's. It's a grave and utter disappointment to me, that I didn't get to experience that decade, it's highs and lows firsthand, it's deepest low that I was nowhere near of age to be able to pursue Jimmy Page with utter ferocity when he was truly in his moment. I love fearlessness in life and in art.

And of course, above all things I love LED ZEPPELIN.

So, in the immortal words of WAR, another band I'm quite fond of "take a little trip, take a little trip, take a little trip with me..." Mr. Page, if you're reading this, could you please call me? I think I have exactly what you need for that new solo album you're doing. Should anyone reading this know how I can get a hold of him, or he of me, please holler LOUDLY. If you know Jimmy Page, TELL HIM TO CONTACT ME.

To all of you, dear readers, I say welcome aboard!