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Isis and Grahmzilla of Thunderheist. Photo: Eye Weekly

Thunderheist - Party Scholars

I did a guest DJ spot at a bar the other night. It was a first-time last-time kind of thing, and here’s why: I didn’t have any Thunderheist. When a girl requested it, I said I didn’t have any, thinking “yeah, I’ve heard about it, but I don’t need to hear it. I get it”. So I went on playing my new wave, and my Pavement, and lo, not a soul was dancing. I went home that night, feeling a bit rejected, but also with a bit of “they just don’t get it” in there too. I looked up Thunderheist, and threw my ipod in the garbage, I was no longer worthy of it.

Thunderheist are dancefloor doctors, in the sense that in that area of study, they have not only assessed and critiqued the field, they have contributed to the wealth of knowledge.

If I’ve deciphered the thesis of their “promo cd” (no album exists to date), they’re teaching us many things about making people dance:

1. Make your lyrics constantly about dancing. “Get yo back up off the wall”, “S’okay, get drunk get wild”, “can’t dance, get off the floor”, “shimmy shimmy cocoa puffs”.

2. Keep your lyrics extremely simple, even to the point of syllabic free association (as in the case of “shimmy shimmy cocoa puffs”).

3. Beats are like the wheels of a car. You’re not going to re-invent anything, just make sure they work really well.

4. MC with a sexy confidence rivaled only by the most fictitious archetypes of Most Popular Girl In School, Queen of the Castle, and Sexy Badass Lead Cheerleader.

5. Regarding the last quality, an MC’s best quality is enviability (I want to be her!).

1. Pannan Wophill
   3.09.07

   Interesting article, funky music and interesting point of view…
   Although I do understand and agree that popular dance music that tends to pack dance floors doesn’t necessarily have to have eloquent lyrics or complicated forms, the musician in me still feels that it shouldn’t mean we continue to “dumb down” good music just so more people dance. I think we can still take chances and trust that people can dance and still appreciate complex forms and lyrics in dance music. Just a thought…

2. Ice Dizzle
   5.12.07

   i totally agree with you…
   Ive been an MC first and foremost, now im being 22 and enjoying just making music that makes me happy.

   This is the best review we’ve gotten in a very long time..

   thank you
   I WANT TO BE YOU! u make what i do sound so well thought out and smart- like…with glasses

   :)

3. Bethanyy Paigee
   21.02.08

   This band,and their songs make me want to run up to some random person and dance.They have learned everything they know by dancing and making awsome songs!

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