DJ Shadow spent his teenage years in Davis, California and was a DJ at the community radio station KDVS. During his time as a radio disc jockey, DJ Shadow was significant in developing the experimental instrumental hip-hop style associated with the California-based Solesides record label. His early singles for the label, including In/Flux and Lost and Found (S.F.L.), were genre-bending works of art merging elements of funk, rock, hip-hop, ambient, jazz, soul, and used-bin found records. DJ Shadow is often cited as a leading creator of trip-hop, though this is a label he strongly contests.
Although he previously released a couple of original works (during 1991-1992 for Hollywood Records) by the time Mo' Wax's James Lavelle contacted him about releasing In/Flux on the fledgling imprint, it wasn't until his distribution association with Mo' Wax that his sound began to mature and cohere.
Shadow's first full-length work, Endtroducing....., was released in late 1996 to immense critical acclaim. Following the success of this album, he acted as a shadow producer for Rage Against The Machine for their album, Evil Empire. It is said he influenced the solo on their song "Bulls On Parade". Endtroducing... made the Guinness World Records book for "First Completely Sampled Album" in 2001. Preemptive Strike, a compilation of early singles, followed in early 1998. Later that year, Shadow produced tracks for Psyence Fiction, the debut album by U.N.K.L.E., a long-time Mo' Wax production team that gained superstar guests including Thom Yorke (of Radiohead), Richard Ashcroft (of The Verve), Mike D (of the Beastie Boys) and others. His next project came in 1999, with the transformation of Solesides into a new label, Quannum Projects. Nearly six years after his debut production album, his second album, The Private Press, was released in June 2002. In the same year, the movie "Scratch" (2001, Doug Pray) was released to DVD with DJ Shadow appearing several times throughout the movie.
The documentary films "Dark Days" and "Wisconsin Death Trip" feature music of DJ Shadow while "Scratch" features an interview and more music.
DJ Shadow has also collaborated with fellow artist Cut Chemist. Together they have made two CDs entitled Brainfreeze and Product Placement. These albums fuse jazz, funk, and soul in the framework of a cohesive concept. The second of these (Product Placement) followed a very similar pattern to the first, but using remixes/other versions of the songs in roughly the same order.
In the year 2004, Shadow released his feature length DVD, In Tune and On Time. The DVD features a live performance in London, emphasizing intricate visuals.
In 2005, Shadow released a Deluxe Edition of his first album, Endtroducing.... and a new album, titled "The Outsider" in 2006.
While Shadow's earlier works, especially 'Endtroducing.....', are known for their innovation in genres such as hip-hop, ambient, and trip-hop, his fourth full length album, The Outsider, had several tracks dedicated to Hyphy. This decision has been controversial, leaving many fans feeling alienated. DJ Shadow addressed this point in an August, 2006 interview, in which stated, "Repeat Endtroducing over and over again? That was never, ever in the game plan. Fuck that. So I think it's time for certain fans to decide if they are fans of the album, or the artist."
Also in 2005, Brian Udelhofen began work on the Shadow Percussion Project, an attempt to adapt some of the tracks from Endtroducing... for a live performance group. The result was largely successful and well-received by DJ Shadow himself.
In 2007 DJ Shadow was contacted by the Hollywood Bowl to do a show featuring Freeze with Cut Chemist. However, not wanting to repeat old material DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist came up with a whole new routine entitled The Hard Sell. In 2007 and 2008 they went on The Hard Sell tour and were accompanied on stage by two large video screens with visuals created for the tour.
Discography
Solo Albums
* 1996 - Endtroducing.....
* 1998 - Preemptive Strike
* 2000 - Dark Days
* 2002 - The Private Press
* 2003 - The Private Repress (Japanese Remix Album)
* 2004 - In Tune and On Time
* 2005 - Endtroducing... (2xCD Deluxe Edition)
* 2006 - The Outsider
* 2007 - The 4-Track Era Vol.1 Best of the KMEL Mixes
* 2007 - The 4-Track Era Vol.2 Best of the Remixes and Megamixes (1990-1992)
* 2011 - The Less You Know, the Better
with Q Bert
* 1997 - Camel Bobsled Race (Q-Bert Mega Mix) CD-EP
with UNKLE
* 1998 - Psyence Fiction
with Cut Chemist
* 1999 - Brainfreeze
* 2001 - Product Placement
* 2004 - Product Placement on Tour
* 2005 - Freeze
* 2008 - The Hard Sell
with Dan The Automator
* 1998 - Bombay the Hard Way: Guns, Cars and Sitars
Long Stem
DJ Shadow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And then decide.
I come to play right down
I'll tell your children not to lay right down
I say parking tickets?! you're crazy! I don't
He says well, they have some outstanding warrants left on you,
So they take me in on a chain to long beach.
And now they lock me up in the cell behind the courtroom in Long Beach,
While I'm awaiting to be heard on my traffic offences! parking tickets!
And I panicked, I'm thinking, oh my God, man,
While I'm here, you know, holding me, actually what's to stop them?
I mean what's really to stop them? oh, I assumed that maybe some day
My mother would realize that I should have gotten out!
But ah, she was nice, she would have known but still, what's to stop them?
And I'm panicking
And finally they called, sorry
Oh my god, I am
Scared.
Not a dream
We are using your brain's electrical system as a receiver,
We are unable to transmit to your conscious neural interference,
You are receiving this broadcast as a dream,
We are transmitting from the year 1-9-9
The lyrics of the song “Stem/Long Stem” by DJ Shadow are complex and multifaceted. The song starts with the lines “Then go back and then decide,” which might indicate a sense of indecision, hesitation or confusion. The following verse includes the lines, “I’ll tell your children not to lay right down,” which could refer to warning someone of a danger, urging someone to stay alert or aware, or advocating for resistance and rebellion. The song then takes a dramatic turn with the spoken word section, which tells the story of the singer being arrested for unpaid parking tickets and being held in custody, afraid and uncertain about what the future holds. This section is filled with fear, panic, and intrigue, as the singer tries to make sense of his situation and figure out a way to escape. This part of the song ends with the haunting and chilling lines, “Not a dream / We are using your brain's electrical system as a receiver, / We are unable to transmit to your conscious neural interference, / You are receiving this broadcast as a dream, / We are transmitting from the year 1-9-9...”
Line by Line Meaning
Then go back
Reflect on your past and go back to your roots before making any decisions.
And then decide.
Only after introspection, make a decision.
I come to play right down
I am here to create a lasting impact.
I'll tell your children not to lay right down
I'll inspire future generations to keep pushing forward and not give up.
I say parking tickets?! you're crazy! I don't
I cannot believe I was arrested for something so trivial like a parking ticket.
He says well, they have some outstanding warrants left on you,
The arresting officer reveals there are more serious charges against me.
And they want to just solve them you know, whatever it'll be.
The authorities just want me to cooperate and settle the matter.
So they take me in on a chain to long beach.
I am being taken to a detention center in Long Beach while in cuffs.
And now they lock me up in the cell behind the courtroom in Long Beach,
I am locked up in a prison cell behind the courtroom in Long Beach.
While I'm awaiting to be heard on my traffic offences! parking tickets!
I am still puzzled why I am being arrested for trivial offenses like parking.
And I panicked, I'm thinking, oh my God, man,
I am scared and concerned for my safety.
While I'm here, you know, holding me, actually what's to stop them?
I am wondering what is stopping them from keeping me locked up here permanently.
I mean what's really to stop them? oh, I assumed that maybe some day
I am worried that nothing is stopping them from taking advantage of their power.
My mother would realize that I should have gotten out!
My only hope is that my mother realizes I am in trouble and helps me get out.
But ah, she was nice, she would have known but still, what's to stop them?
Even though my mother is kind, I am still concerned that the authorities have too much power.
And I'm panicking
I am scared and anxious.
And finally they called, sorry
The authorities finally apologize for arresting me on such trivial offenses.
Oh my god, I am
I am emotional and upset about the whole ordeal.
Scared.
I am feeling scared and vulnerable.
Not a dream
This is not just my imagination, it is really happening to me.
We are using your brain's electrical system as a receiver,
The broadcast is using my brain to transmit its message.
We are unable to transmit to your conscious neural interference,
The broadcast cannot be directly received because of my conscious thoughts.
You are receiving this broadcast as a dream,
The broadcast can only be received as a dream.
We are transmitting from the year 1-9-9
The broadcast is coming from the year 199. (Possibly an error in the song's lyrics)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PATRICK CAMPBELL-LYONS, GEORGE ALEX SPYROPOULOS, JOSH PAUL DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jasg.
Such a fucking amazing, haunting, mesmerizing track. Reminds me of the nights i'd stay up playing Final Fantasy VIII, which had very similar music. 90s were a golden era man
@deskryptic
Every era has its gold. especially when you are coming of age...that said... the 90's were dope. feeling of immanent emergence...
@9inegod251
@deskryptic So true 90s had that magic man
@78lally
Yes
@78lally
Yesss
@m74568
Same
@sir243_simr
Reached number 8 in the Irish Charts back in 1996!!! Highest ever chart place for this song in any country.
@peaceandwealthseeker4504
Knows reminds me of later Northern Europe keyboard metal riffs
@c6el
that’s class
@Anthonyrmcg
Because it was in a Guinness advert on TV :-)