between the groove: EPISODE 01
Your hosts Fuckup and Hal dive into the Deep Scratch Universe of Steve Fly.
Fuckup: Welcome back to “Between the Groove,” the show that digs deep into the sonic landscapes of literature. Today, we’re spinning the wild world of DJ Steve Fly’s Deep Scratch.
Hal: Yeah, this one’s a trip! Imagine Amsterdam, 2012. Our protagonist, Plush, is a DJ-poet who’s hit rock bottom. We’re talking a failed music career, getting attacked, gear smashed and stolen. But he’s tirelessly searching for that elusive perfect beat.
Fuckup: And he’s not alone! He teams up with his buddies Max and Percy to form TRB. Get this – they’re inspired by the legendary Robert Anton Wilson. So, right off the bat, you know things are going to get weird, in the best way. They’re mixing turntablism – serious DJ skills – with literary experiments.
Hal: It’s like, forget just spinning records, they’re spinning narratives. They even get pulled into Wilson’s unfinished “tale of the tribe”. While they’re honing their skills and trying to tackle this sprawling project, the world outside is getting pretty tense.
Fuckup: Seriously tense. There’s this wave of nationalist populism sweeping Europe, making them question the purpose of their art. Is what they’re doing even relevant in the struggle? Could their kind of expression even become illegal? Heavy stuff layered over these mad beats.
Hal: But then things get really interesting. They start noticing synchronicities – connections between the Mayan Long Count Calendar, the music of jazz genius Thelonious Monk, and the 1936 Olympic Games! It’s like the universe itself is dropping clues onto the turntables.
Fuckup: Exactly! They decide they need to use their art, their skills, to “set the record straight” and hit the rewind button on history. An early title of the novel was, Our History’s Back. The book’s described as black science-fiction comedy – think dance floors meet deep dank thoughts. It’s “turntable prose” aimed at breaking down walls between art, music, and literature.
Hal: I love that phrase, “turntable prose.” In a world drowning in deep fakes, the local DJ becomes the unlikely hero, scratching beneath the surface to find a deeper meaning. It’s about reclaiming reality with rhythm, we just change the beat as John Sinclair said.
Fuckup: So, what can listeners, or rather readers, expect? Short stories, “novel albums” – which sounds amazing – practical jokes, juggles, and, of course, fresh beat patterns. It’s a multi-layered, multimedia experience on the page.
Hal:; It’s a whole vibe, a frequency. It’s where ancient tribal battles meet turntablism, history gets remixed, and the DJ booth becomes the frontline against a deep faked world of lying toe rags.
Fuckup: Definitely one to check out if you like your fiction philosophical, and fiercely original. That’s all for this episode of “Between the Groove.” Keep digging, my dawgs and fly cats!
DEEP SCRATCH 