Background: Motion Potion (RobbieKowal), called alternately the Dj for people who hate Djs (SFWeekly) and the "Swiss Army DJ", seems to have something for everyone. Funk impresario, mashup enthusiast, and live collaborator with such bands as Parliament-Funkadelic, the Mutaytor and Galactic. His career has been defined by an attempt to break down genre and scene barriers, playing every conceivable kind of music in the course of a night, a set, or a seven-minute mash-up. His own mix CD's range wider than most label's catalogs; live mixes that range from underground hip hop to electronic breaks to world fusion to rare southern rock.
The common denominator seems to be "the funk" whether it be funky urban electronic breaks, funky underground hip hop, funky nu-school rock and electroclash, or just plain sho'nuff motherfunkin' FUNK. This versatility has gotten him choice assignments such as the Bonnaroo Music Festival, Xingolati, Jamcruise, Mid-X, Wegofunk Paris, and Burning Man. Other pursuits include Sunset Promotions (producer of over 500 shows and 3 festivals including SF Funk Fest), the 6-year-old music newsletter "WhatDaFunk", "Scratch n Sniff" a duo project with SJ Littlewood, and "the Fringe" an artist collective aimed to push evolutionary music within the Burning Man community.Press Quotes:
"at 3am on Sunday morning, June 17th, partaking in the revelry of DJ Motion Potion, who was spinning live in the tent, my notion of the Silent Disco changed, and so did the concept and possibilities of a house party. It takes a minute to adjust to the idea that everyone in the tent is listening to the same music, but when you realize the sick beats you’re hearing are from one of the country’s most talented DJ’s, and everyone around you is breaking down their favorite versions of the lawnmower, you slip into Silent Disco heaven with little problem."
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Scott Goldberg, Digital Media Wire
I walk into this swanky new venue and my nostrils curl emphatically as the libidinous bump coming from the speakers hits me. The DJ is slammin', all live cuts, a relentless push push push, sweatier than Herbie Mann on Fire Island, hands in the air, rump rising right. When I see Motion Potion behind his array of beat technology it all makes sense. Like the title of one of his mixes, he is an instant party and just the catalyst to christen this new space proper. Introducing the band he tells us, "There's no place in the world I'd rather be." His is a philosophy of unrepressed joy, life lived in the minute, elevates the here and now. It should be said that Im a harsh critic of DJ culture. Ten years behind the boards on radio gives me a perspective on this art form that makes me dubious of most turntable workers. Being blunt: most dont dig deep enough, most dont channel the trombipulated funk I crave in the live setting. That night I added Motion Potion to the short list in my head that includes Cut Chemist, DJ Logic and Kid Koala."
--Dennis Cook, Jambase, February 2004
As a DJ, Kowal tries to bridge this gap as often as possible himself -- he's opened for Southern rock revivalists Gov't Mule and closed for hip hop turntable demigod Cut Chemist. He frequently finds himself DJing for people who hate DJs, spinning CDs for people who cringe at CD DJs, and trying to get people to listen to music they usually avoid at all costs. He apparently even gets people to kiss people they normally wouldn't.
Darren Keast,, SF Weekly, July 2003
Wanna get funked up? Some of the stankiest sounds the Bay Area's ever heard have thumped through Nickie's dank walls on Thursday nights, inspiring more booty-shakin', ass-wigglin', funk-fueled fantasies than we'll ever know.
Sylvia Chan, SF Bay Guardian, January 2001.a {font for band name}
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