In the early nineties, techno had exploded into the conscious of the global electronic music scene, and while Detroit had long been heralded as the hotbed of American techno, somewhere to the south of the motorcity, a techno revolution was quietly emerging in it’s own right. The midwest wheat-belt of the US may not seem like a archetypal breeding ground for artistic genius, but the musicality of Woody McBride was soon to dispel that myth.

When the rumbling acid bassline of Basketball Heroes bounced into the collective conscious of Melbourne party goers somewhere in the depths of 1997, it would have
been the first time many had heard of Woody McBride aka DJ ESP. In fact, he’d been producing music and DJing for many years prior, and was already considered a musical luminary in his own country, and by the international techno community.

The foundations were laid for McBride’s foray into techno while he attended College. Initially there to study arts and writing, he found himself introduced to the emerging techno explosion of the late eighties and early nineties, and was drawn to it “like a bee to honey”. Citing Laurie Anderson, Eno and Jeff Mills as his early electronic influences, and driven by a will to create a fresh sound, the stage was set for a new wave of US techno to emerge.

McBride’s techno medium Communique was conceptualisied in ‘92, by ‘93 the aptly titled label had materialised, communicating a new style of US techno to the world, and placing Woody McBride squarely on the map of techno greats. Early releases on the label were quickly touted as classics, including Basketball Heroes, and SoundBurnt. Titles such as these would make Communique one of the most sort-after labels around, and would place it in the mix compilations of everyone from Dave Clarke to Seb Fontaine. Basketball Heroes would go on to sell over ten thousand units and survive several re-pressings – the equivalent of triple platinum in techno-land. Communique soon exploded into a multi-label, with ten sub-labels including The Drop Bass Network and Head In The Clouds, analog in flavour and catering to the thriving popularity of tough acid-tech in the mid-nineties.

McBride was also keeping busy out of the studio at this time, creating his own brand of infamous outdoor parties which were to rock the American MidWest throughout the nineties. Forty metres long and ten metres high; the speaker stacks in a circle pumped out a million watts of pure sound and garnered the gatherings – and Woody himself- a moniker; ‘the Minneapolis Wall Of Bass”.

Over 160 releases – and many a party- later, Woody McBride has found his musicality diversified over time; from techno production, to themes for Presidential campaigns, BMW Car advertisements, and for an anti-drugs youth campaign, which he takes specific interest in promoting. He runs eleven labels, and has toured the world over, multiple times.

While he is not working with his US contemporaries these days, due to a hectic touring schedule, (he has worked with Jeff Mills and Freddie Fresh on previous occasions), Woody McBride finds himself devoting his time into promoting fresh talent. There is obvious joy for Woody in seeing younger talents emerge; “I have been working with the new schoolers from Minneapolis and the mutual influence is red hot!” When he is not creating in his studio, solo or with others, he enjoys getting back to nature, and likes nothing more than “hitting the lakes in Minneapolis, taking the dogs to the park, or hanging out with my wife.”

At present, Woody finds himself a little disillusioned with his home country – citing it as “full of overworked workaholics who are losing their stamina to dance and enjoy themselves”. Of techno in the US, McBride says “there is a nation-wide crackdown on underground events which has really hurt. International DJ’s think America is a joke. Our society in general has become extremely paranoid, anxious and lost. The economy is tight. Most people are overwhelmed with the stress of keeping their life together that they compound the stress by eating fast food, using drugs and acquiring more debt. Most clubs want to play shitty house music. However, this could be the fuel to fire some amazing and revolutionary music.”

This certainly seems to be the case in point so far. And the world is large; McBride will be hitting our shores on the beginning of his next world tour to launch his latest releases on Bush, and Plus 8, and to promote his own label work. Brazil beckons as the new home of Woody’s promotional expertise – requests to emulate the Wall Of Bass parties in the party capital of the world are set to transpire later this year in Rio.

Woody McBride has long been a favourite at Teriyaki; and it seems that this feeling is reciprocated in full. “I really love coming to Melbourne – in my estimation, there are true techno people there – rugged spirits – kind hearts. It doesn’t hurt that the crowd actually knows the music you are playing and has great mentors such as the Teriyaki squad who have shown them the path for many years now. My first party in Melbourne was one of my best ever. At the theatre… wonderful. Colourful. Fresh. I hope the devout come out again when I am there.”

If you are in Brisbane you can check out Woody this Saturday 30th August at the Terminus Hotel and if you are in Melbourne you can party on down with Woody McBride, the Teriyaki posse and all your techno friends, on Friday, August 29 @ ROOM 680. Check ITM whatson for more details.