Beat-maker Bedrock #2: Nihilist Punk-Rapper & TUFF TURF New Wave Revivalist JE DOUBLE F Picks His 3 Most Influential Albums (Producer-selected Playlist)
"I'm Jeff Richie from New Jersey. I make Punk-Rap under the name "JE DOUBLE F" and New Wave under the name "TUFF TURF." First of all, I've never considered myself a "beat-maker" or a "producer." I've never considered myself much of anything. Nothing specific, at least. I write songs, I record them; sometimes, with sequenced instrumentation à la Rap/New Wave, sometimes not. No bullsh*t, no claim to be part of any specific "culture" or "scene." In fact, I think music culture and scenes are a complete waste of time. With that said, here are three albums that f**ked me up permanently:"
I. GRAVEDIGGAZ - 6 FEET DEEP (1994)
"I had been listening to a lot of traditional Hip-Hop around the time that I first heard 6 FEET DEEP. I was probably 16-years-old. This album proved to me that you can make "Rap music" that's not about intercity violence and drugs—two things that I had (and have) no interest in whatsoever. The production is grimy and straight-forward, no frills. The lyrics are evil and f**ked up. I recorded the first Rap lyrics I ever wrote over the instrumental version of "Diary of a Madman.'"
II. SAMHAIN - FINAL DESCENT (1990)
"Glenn Danzig couldn't find a drummer to play the beats that he wanted, so he sequenced the drums for a good portion of this record [himself]. This album was a huge influence on my newest release, HUMAN RITES."
III. NINE INCH NAILS - PRETTY HATE MACHINE (1989)
"Hateful and hollow. The production and lyrics on this album directly influence everything I do and have ever done. I don't even love all of the songs on this album—it's just that it's ORIGINAL and WELL-DONE. In 2017, people have forgotten the importance of those two things... These albums speak for themselves. Go listen to them and break something!"
"Fast, chaotic songs with no frills. Heavy touring schedule and DIY ethics; if Danzig met DOOM, you'd have JE DOUBLE F," reads a fragmented chunk of a recent press release I received from Atlantic City, NJ-based Punk-rapper JE DOUBLE F. Jeff Richie has previously worked with Pittsburgh emcee Cody Jones (formerly Stillborn Identity,) fronts a Nihilist New Wave/Punk band called TUFF TURF, and was recently cited by Static Brothers' Riff Quantum & DJ DM as a primary source of influence on their latest OBSTETRIC TRASH EP. Richie readily cites his own greatest sources of influence as Glenn Danzig, Bruce Campbell, Larry David, and Bruce Springsteen. JE DOUBLE F's latest album, HUMAN RITES, was released a few months ago and is available for FREE download from his Bandcamp. He currently has a handful of tour dates scheduled for:
JULY 21 - ST. BABS (CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, NJ)
AUGUST 14 - CONSOLIDATED CARDBOARD (ALLENTOWN, PA)
and NOVEMBER 1-10, 2017 - SOUTHEAST TOUR.
