Music:
Member Since: 10/30/2007
Band Website: http://jtonal.com
Band Members:
New Year's Eve at SomARTS gallery 1/1/2009
Check your radar good citizens, that blip you see fast approaching is none other than The Flying Skulls, a nu-school three piece that plays live improvisational dub-step, breaks, and electro! The group brings the future-soundz of the modern dance music studio and interpolates them through the filter of live improv. With an old school jazz ethos The Skulls combine their tightly-honed electronic and hiphop infused sonic orchestra in a most dirty and crunked-out way.
The Flying Skulls first started melting dance floors in April 2008. Originally the brainchild of Lowpro Lounge co-founder Jeff Wareham (J.Tonal) as a way to bring the precision of the recording studio to the dance floor. J.Tonal had been creating music and throwing events in the SF Bay Area for over 7 years, sharing billing with musicians such as DJ Shadow, DJ Krush, Shpongle, Ott, Jack Dangers from Meat Beat Manifesto, and UFO! Growing up in the foothills of Northern California, J.Tonal was forced at an early age to go in search of a different sound. After moving to LA and immersing himself in the Hip Hop and Electronic music scenes, he started producing in a style that crossed between those two genres. In 1999 he moved to SF and met up with James Christopher, founding the Lowpro Lounge, throwing over 200 events all over the world, and starting the innovative record label Lowpro Lounge Recordings. “The Skulls is all crusher material. You’ve got a totally improv beat over here, and a live bass line over here, and I’m in the middle dropping a lead, and grabbing pieces of the other performances and cutting them up… really giving the listener an experience.†J.Tonal’s tracks form the root of the Skulls sound, and by all accounts, they’re getting bigger, badder, and more fun to dance to.
The second member of the platoon is Jarvez Turnage. Otherwise know as Snareface, he is a producer and MPC master who rocks ill'ed-out drum lines and crushing original maneuvers on those famous Akai pads. “I enjoy shaking my ass and get people to shake their asses with me. I like making the walls shake as well.†Armed with nothing more than an MPC1000, the kid with the huge afro gets SLUNK, juggling basslines and dropping snares so off beat you won’t hear them until tomorrow. This SF vet has been working with the Lowpro crew since 2004 and you can see fire in his eyes. Don’t mess.
Jerome Forney is a stuntman-turned-DJ, producer, and a dope rattler of bones from the hot and dry Middle-East of CA. An alum of the X’pressions Media Center, Forney pulverizes floorboards with an arsenal that includes a Korg MS 2000, an Access Virus, and some of the meanest sounds this side of the Rio Grande. “ I mean, music is my life. What gets me isn’t the notes themselves, or even the physicality of playing music, but the underlying language-less-ness of being really really crunked-out. I’m a softie for crunkologists.†This kid is trying to cram more wobble in your WAP WAP WAP , thank him.
Straight dope on these Flying Skulls guys? They’re dirty. Dirty beats, dirty grimy low-end, mucked up distorted synthesizers, live syncopated beats flipping between 4/4, 3/4, and 7/8 time. The Skulls distill these elements through their battle-tested mix interface into dancefloor-rending sets of huge beats with a cinematic depth meant for the very largest of soundsystems. Chromekids recently described their sound as, “A heavyweight collection of nasty synths, wobbly basslines and crunked out glitchy beats so dirty you'd swear they robbed their MPC players off a crack dealer.†A crack dealer? That is pretty dirty…
“The … goggle-sporting performers unleashed a sinful set of seamless grooves that rattled windows and wiggled asses from one end of the club to the other. Pure bass-wasted fun†–The Santa Cruz Metro Times
"Melodiously mesmerizing and explosive beats... innovative arsenal of dynamic drums and live precision." -Chris Clark
“The Kings of improvisational beat-bashing…†– ChromeKids
"Your music makes me feel like I was slathered up in baby oil and trying to ride a greased pony. It's dirty, and I know funk because I'm from the South." -Erin from Mississippi
“Yo! I got mad RESPECT for what you and your friends are doing. Straight killing it and destroying folks!†–Jerrell James Suelto
More info at http://theflyingskulls.com . The Flying Skulls are here. Listen and discuss.
The Flying Skulls live 1015 Folsom/STS9 Afterparty 2/27/09 (MP3 123MB)
A banging set from the main room at 1015 Folsom. This set drips with deep integration of sounds that are sharpened to a deadly potential mixed and molded through live improv. And you can dance to it.
The Flying Skulls live from Club 6/VeniVidiVici 1/10/09 (MP3 78MB)
The Flying Skulls Live from Club 6 recorded 1-10-09! This ArtNowSF/Juxtapoz Mag Issure Release party had some banging talent. Luckily The Skulls were able to bring back the black box with this recording! Featuring MPC snarology by Snareface- nasty synths and bass by Jerome Forney- mix, FX, tracks, engineering, and executive production by J.Tonal.
The Flying Skulls live from 111 Minna 11/1/08 (MP3 105MB)
The crowning show from the Skulls Mini-Tour, is a live-improv jam featuring tons of new Skulls tracks and remixes. Featuring dope rhymes by ZapTap- MPC snarology by Snareface- keys by Ribotto- nasty basslines and trumpet solo by Jerome Forney- mix, FX, tracks, engineering, and executive production by J.Tonal.
The Flying Skulls live from HowWeird St Fair 5/4/08 (MP3 117MB)
Get the album that has become an instant Skulls classic! The Flying Skulls Live from HowWeird Street Fair recorded 5-4-08! Featuring dope rhymes and cuts by ZapTap- MPC snarology by Snareface- keys and tracks by Ribotto- mix, FX, tracks, engineering, and executive production by J.Tonal.
Quotables:
"The Flying Skulls were dropping bass-wobbling dubstep and glitchy breakbeats as part of the 13th annual Freaker's Ball. While gorgeous girls in short skirts and tall stilts attempted to stay upright on the dance floor, the four goggle-sporting performers unleashed a sinful set of seamless grooves that rattled windows and wiggled asses from one end of the club to the other. Pure bass-wasted fun, these guys earned a permanent spot on the Muz radar and drove away any remaining doubt that Cypress has become the best spot in Santa Cruz to hear true nu school talent." -Santa Cruz Metro.
"With a name like that, they've got to be good." -The San Francisco Bay Guardian
"Your music makes me feel like I was slathered up in baby oil and trying to ride a grease pony. It's dirty, and I know funk because I'm from the South." -Erin Belle from Mississippi
"melodiously mesmerizing and explosive beats... innovative arsenal of dynamic beats and live precision." -Chris Clark
Attention!!! The Flying Skulls are going on hiatus this summer to develop their next set of albums! Be sure to get out these last few shows to avoid missing out! (Your friends will be there.)
3/13/09 The Great American Music Hall
The Flying Skulls are prepped for two great sets at the GAMH with BLVD and Break Science! You know you love the venue, come out and dance to some serious nu school flavor.
3/27/09 ArtNowSF's Suite Jesus at 111 Minna
A great reason to go to 111 Minna, this show is also a record release party for The Flying Skulls second album on 1320 Records: Take Flight! © Copyright 2007 J.Tonal . All Rights Reserved. MySpace Design By: DaddyDesign.com About | FAQ | Terms | Privacy | Safety Tips | Contact MySpace | Advertise | MySpace International
J.Tonal & Ribotto at Freakerz Ball by LuxVibes.com
To book The Flying Skulls please contact:
Jake Schneider
[email protected]
Madison House, Inc. West
Boulder, CO 80301-2561
303.544.9900 EXT *757
www.madisonhouseinc.com
©2002-2009 The Flying Skulls. All Rights Reserved.
Record Label: Lowpro Lounge Recordings
Type of Label: Indie