As you may know by now, this album is a concept album. Not only in story but in things I wanted to do in music as well. I wanted to have a variety of songs offering new and different things from skratch styles, to ways of composing, to ideas that people can make something new out of. At the same time, keeping its story line (the album is the soundtrack for an animated movie in the works right now to be released near the end of 99').

It took me a while but I broke the album down even more because I thought you may be interested in some of the insights, inspirations, techniques and stories that went into the making of W.T. which took me 10 Months to finish recording (Nov.97' to Sept.98'). The notes are in order, so if you want, you can listen to the parts as you read along to get the big picture. Well here goes...

Track 1. Turntable TV Re-vizion: The intro to the TV show. This is an update to the old version of TTTV. At the beginning you'll hear static white noise from an old TV being turned on. Listen for the middle break (0:55) where I skratch a double time drum beat. The goal here was to mimick very fast Jungle/drum & Bass type drums by skratching. I can't wait to hear how this style advances in the future.

Track 2. A Word From Fresh Breath Mouthwash: The commercial. This was strategically put here for the reason that a TV show has a sponsor. I also wanted to sike the listener into thinking the brushing sound at the beginning was skratching. Nothing else musically special to listen here for other than the skratched drums and "the moral": Oral hygene is a must because a lot of djs have bad breath! But seriously you should floss as well.

Track 3. Enter the Wave Twisters: Gnilres Dor (Rod Serling backwards) introduces the tv show, the character on the front cover in the T.V. Who also narrates the story randomly in the album. I recorded my voice in a Japanese accent and then slowed it down and put some echo on it. Listen for Yogafrog's turbo skratch in the background. How does he do it? He wouldn't let me see for a while until later. He shouldn't have did that. Mu hoo ha ha!

Track 4. Chapter 1, Innerspace Dental Commander: Disguised aboard a mining spacecraft. This "question and answer" type chorus where the "aaahh" sounds copy each other with The Kool Keith "say aaahh" (0:21) was skratched in the lazy, layed back style where the skratches land a little after the beat. I made it simple so you can say it easily with your own voice. Just one of the experiments in the album. After the first chorus and drill bridge is the solo where I incorporate little touches of what we call "power skratches" (ones that take a lot of effort like fast chops and fast transforming) along side technical and lazy skratches. Also trip off guitarist Buckethead (2:02) who shreds the guitar and bass solos with his own new futuristic style (the only other instruments used on the album besides turns). Buckethead now works with Dj Disk and Eddie Def of the Space Travellers in their new band called "Stew" with drummer Brain.

Track 5. Chapter 2, Redworm: The first encounter with the enemy. This was the first song I made for the album back in November of 97'. The first solo with the "aaah" skratch is in "punchline style". Lead them one way and take them another. The next parts, I composed different scenes for the movie. For one scene I wanted to portray the Redworm as a very powerful and formidable creature like on the part where I'm skratching "I call you to surrender" (around 1:02). Further on, peep the cymbal being skratched (at 2:07) that now sounds like an open hi-hat. At 2:20, the beat speeds up to double time (hardly anyone catches that because I see them headbobbing the same tempo as the last beat) then back out of hyperspace at 3:12. Did you notice Donkey Kong at 3:30? The solo at 3:36 is where I'm trying to make the "word" skratch sound like "worm". I couldn't find a "worm" sample to kut and I really liked the way my "word" skratch sounded on that DJ Shadow remix I did. At 4:12 I subliminally taunt myself here because I always thought I sounded goofy at the World DMC 93' competition. (Go see what I said at the end of that video).

Track 6. Chapter 3, Cosmic Assassins: This was the dogfight spaceship scene. I wanted to have hard skratch sounds that attacked the listener. We be imaginatin' squadrons of spaceships shootin' each other! Especially with the skratch sounds over that fat ass distorted space beat MMM hooked up! I had to change the intro and chorus because the original one, found on the 12" single (Sneak Attack/Cosmic Assassins), didn't make sense for the story line of the movie. Although for me, the original's more flavorish ("The funky Beat" and "Back up off my tip"). At 1:15, the "oooh" skratch is being hydroplaned on the pullbacks. It's kinda hard to hear because over that is the "Go ahead" skratch which was a tribute from us to Johnny "Juice" Rosado who, little known to many, was the actual studio dj for Public Enemy and did those sick ass skratches on their first 2 albums (check out our favorite song, "Terminator X to the Edge of Panic", on our favorite album, "It takes a Nation of Millions" It should be entitled, "Juice to the Edge of Panic!"). Listen to the break where Vinroc kuts over his juggle (1:55). Can you find the part where Vin flares the cymbal of the beat he's juggling? After that I had to throw in a little 33/45 trick that my homie, Dj Prod, wanted me to do. Then the organ skratch solo by Mix Master Mike at 2:37. Then of course the standard "aaaah" skratch at 3:21 to end it with the, "now let's see how he can freak the aaaah skratch solo". MMM also skratches "Mix Master Mike standing by, Qbert Standing By" and "Your weak, now sit your ass in the back". This was the first song MMM and I were going to do together for an ISP album. Then we decided to make separate albums before the group album, so heads would get to know our personalities better.

Track 7. Chapter 4, Destination Quasar: The secret mission. At the beginning you'll here a voice say, "Welcome". That's to signal that the dentist's team has secretly entered a giant mechanical robot and they just turned it on in the cockpit on their way to hijack it for their mission (Refer to the album notes on the outline of the story or wait til' the movie comes out). Listen for continuous changing different styles of skratching over different changing beats in this piece. This is reminiscent of a crazy old school skratch/mix tape. You'll find transforms to crab combos, quick 1/16 pull backs to beginnings, and other power skratches (mostly on the forward stabs) in the "ya, ha-ha" solo that starts at 2:00. The next 4 bars represent simplicity with 3 tracks (2:10), then chaos with 6 tracks (2:21) and then simplicity and chaos again to bring it full circle. At 2:52 I wanted to do some abstract skratching over a funky / jazzy backbeat kinda like De La Soul's "Bizness" instrumental except of course skratched. At 3:55 MMM does the "oo-ah" skratch where we question and answer each other (he came over one day while I was in the middle of it and he just wanted to throw in his 2 cents). He also produced all those bass beats I skratched in from a record he made. At 4:34 I skratch Charisma's voice over a beat he made courtesy of Peanut Butter Wolf. I wanted to throw in that, "breakin' down a phrase style", into the album somewhere and it ended up here.

Track 8. Chapter 5, Paranoia: Exit to "?" quasar. In the film, weird creatures on the planet they land on, pop out of no where as they settle in their surroundings and explore in their ground rover. For this joint, I wanted to have a, "bumpin' in your space buggy", kinda feel. You know, the lowrider from d' moon, esay! Where the skratches made for decorations around MMM's Sinistrous beat. The big strong screaming headnotes that are in your face were done by Mike as well.

Track 9. Chapter 6, Invasion of the Octopus People: Ground Attack. I wanted to throw this in the album because it's the first skratch song ever made (1995) where all the sounds from the bass to the cymbals were skratched, and I just wanted to document it. At 0:59 I do a vibrato style of skratching where I'm rubbing the side of the platter to get that wavy effect.DJ Disk skratches "ha" (1:18), Also the incorporation of a wah wah pedal was used (2:16) and Shortkut skratches "Cold kut skratch" and "oww" with wah wah (3:51). This song was made with a high speed 6 track tape, gemini skratch master mixer, DMC melos mixer, reverb, Crybaby wah pedal, and 1200's with Audio Technica cartridges. You can totally hear the vintage qualities in this antique!

Track 10. Chapter 7, Electric Eyebeam Abduction: In this song, the style for the solos I chose was the hypnotic off beat, flying, panning, lazy skratch kind (0:51 and at 2:26). Now the second half of the second solo at 2:50, is where I wanted to try and blend 2 skratches that went against each other yet still sounded good together. The first skratch will be flying around the second lead skratch. If the technology of today wasn't so primitive, I would have had the two skratches fly around the listener, go under, over, through, behind and even let them be felt physically. I'm sure that stuff's possible on other worlds.

Track 11. Chapter 8, Razorblade Alchohol Slide: The torture scene. A.K.A. "Guillotine". Here D-Styles displays unparalleled skill in his 2 solos (0:46 and 2:31) that set the listener up for, "Yo rewind! How'd did he do that?" His production, technique and overall skratch composition make this definitely another gem for turntablists to study. For instance, how Dee kuts the cymbal with a one click flare, how the bassline is simple yet extremely funky, and the infectious violin chorus that'll have you humming it's tune after the first listen. Dee even throws in one of his own patented "sex death gore fetish" themes right before my solo. I solo the "aaah" sound at 1:38 and experimentally throw in touches of "tearing the fader" whilst doing double tear skratches randomly placed throughout the solo. I don't know if anyone caught that though since it is very subtle. At 1:58 I call this skratch, "the square double tear flare". This skratch was inspired by Dee. I can't wait for his album to come out!

Track 12. Chapter 9, Sneak Attack: The rescue scene and defeat of the Red Worm. (You can see this finished video on Turntable T.V. Annual #2) Here I wanted to display different styles with the voices describing what style was to come next. Do you remember when Dj Jazzy Jeff and Cash Money had Their M.C.'s say stuff like "Now Make it chirp!" Then Jeff would skratch like a bird. Or when Marvelous would say, "Make it sound like r2d2!" and then Cash would do his r2d2 skratch. Well I loved that idea but I didn't want to do the same on my album, so I had the skratches narrate themselves. Also you can hear the dentist throw in a plug for "Fresh Breath Mouthwash" during a fight scene.

Track 13. Chapter 10, G.W.F.L. (movement 1 of 3): The celebration and display of the four lost elements of hip-hop. I made a mistake in the credits on the album which also moved Flare's credit one track ahead. Shortkut did a little production (he skratched some funky beats and basslines for 3 bars on 0:28 and 0:56) on this track and not on the next one like it says on the album. I envisioned old school wildstyle type b-boying throughout the song especially at 0:46. This is another jam where each section could have been stretched to make a whole individual songs.

Track 14. (movement 2 of 3): The aliens learn the arts. Dj Flare busts his new Sonic Flare skratch at 0:09. Some people thought that skratch was done with a trick clicker (A "trickler". You know the ones where when you get an extra click with one stroke!) because the static popping made it sound suspicious. Well I tested his mixer when he went to the bathroom and his switch was normal. I remember him hiding that skratch from me when I was recording him. He was covering his mixer while he was doing it! Damn, I show him everything! What a greedy punk! It's kool though, I peeked! I did the drums under his skratch and everything after his "come on ya" skratch. Anyways, at 0:38. Note how the "aaah" skratch blends into the next tempo switch at 0:54. This jump in tempo is one and a half times faster than the preceding one (from 100 to 150 bpm). In the next part, I imitate an electro song by skratching all the drum samples. You can hear a polyrhythmic triple tear skratch at 1:04. The bass kick is that T La Rock beat on Superduck Breaks but in reverse. The cymbals are skratched in howie tee march combos.

Track 15. (movement 3 of 3): The return back home. Here the switch is to half speed of the aforementioned electro track plus it's in waltz time (3/4). Note how the cymbals are skratched in a triplet "Howie Tee" style (Howie Tee was the actual dj for the late 80's hip-hop group, "Whistle", and did the skratches on "Just Buggin'". Jazzy Jeff told me he was the first to do that Howie Tee type skratch back in the day, but who knows?). I left an empty break for a breather and you can hear it better here at about 0:15. I also wanted to do the slowest solo on the album (0:33) after the first chorus. This song also contains the "secret message". No one in my crew figured it out yet though. I wonder who will be first? Actually Flare did, but he asked someone (that's what I get for cheating when I peeked at his sonic flare skratch. It came back around to me!)

Track 16. Turntable TV Blueprint: This signals the end of the TV show and since I didn't want to repeat the new version, bringing it to a full circle, I just used the old one that's also the theme song for our international dj video magazine (guess what's the name of the video series). Just a simple song I made in like an hour. No big deal technically. It's just classic TTTV.

Track 17.Aphrodisiskratch: Phonograph-Pornograph. In this song I wanted to have an atmosphere of relaxed calm soothing skratches that weren't complicated but had a more serene and classy understatement to them. Except of course near the end where it has a girl's moan skratched to orgasm. I remember my mom hearing this and she was like, (in a Pilipino accent) "Please don't put dat on your alboom! Dat ees a sin!" I said, "But mom, it's just art! She said, "Dat girl yelling ees not an art! You are promoting peepol to hab eebil thoughts!" After that I always had to work on this with the head phones on. But when I played it for these girls one day, they got all aroused and stuff. One said, "This song makes me horny". Hence the title. I got the structural idea for this song from when I was in a musical engineering school called "Cogswell Polytechnical College" (D-Styles went there too). We were taught that a basic song has an intro to the body, a gradual rise to climax, and then back down near her end...oops I mean, the end of the song. Listen for my friend, Prod D, blow a puff of cigarrette smoke as a relief gesture. And that's the end of the album. This is where you start it over and see it now for a new and different experience!

Well in closing, I want to thank everyone for the constant contributions of love to this art and for making it more fun everyday for all. "Real happiness comes from giving". This album is dedicated to you the open minded music lover...

So e-mail me qbert@skratchpiklz.com or call us at the office(650) 878-9944 and let me know your thoughts after reading this and how I can help. By the way, I love honest criticism. Also, feel free to do what you want with any of the sounds or ideas you may have learned and we'd be glad to hear what you've done with them! I'll add more to the page as necessary. From all of us here at ISP, Peace and blessings...

Laterz,
Q-Bert