About

BATTLE SOUNDS

HIP HOP DJ DOCUMENTARY - 1994-1997

BATTLE SOUNDS is a documentary project about Hip-Hop DJ's, primarily those that participated in competitive battles later to be known as Turntablists. Shot over a period of three years, ending in 1997, the project captured the grass root movement efforts of DJ culture at a pivotal moment in it’s evolution.

turn ta bl ist\ 'tern-ta-belest \n (ca.1995)

1a. one who has the ability to improvise on a phonograph turntable

1b. "one who uses the turntable in the spirit of a musical instrument" (Dj Babu)

1c. a musician; a hip-hop disc jockey who in a live or spontaneous situation can manipulate or restructure an existing phonograph recording (in combination with an audio mixer) to produce or express a new composition that is nearly unrecognizable from its original elements.

THE UNDERGROUND :

Founded in 1994, Battle Sounds quickly generated underground success via newsletter distribution, screenings, and it's the annual Turntablist Festivals events. In April 1996, audiences first got a glimpse of what the Battle Sounds project would become with the short, underground videotape X-ersize #1. The 35-minute film introduced viewer to the active members of the X-men crew (a.k.a. The X-ecutioners) with rare footage of home practice sessions, live performances, and personal interviews. Previously, audiences only had access to strictly DJ performance only video tapes, but with X-ersize #1 it became the first time home viewers could actually hear and see what was going on behind the scenes. It gave these often-anonymous personalities a genuine voice.

THE ART & FILM CROWD:

By March 1997, a 60-minute program was created for an installation at the Whitney Museum of American Art Biennial Exhibit. The piece, entitled "Battle Sounds "The 1997 Whitney Biennial Cut," was compiled as a "best of" from John Carluccio's five-hour-long director's cut. As viewed in an all day installation, the piece awoke fine art patrons to this amazing movement. The Whitney piece later went on to be screened at the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, the Brooklyn Museum, the Smithsonian Institute, the Edinburgh Center of Contemporary Arts, the New Museum (NYC), the Block Museum (North Western University), and Cologne's Contemporary Art (Germany) Museum. The film has also played at various college and club venues in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Vermont, Seattle, Switzerland, Montreal, Toronto, and Australia, as well as at The New York Underground Film Festival, Sight Unseen Festival (Minnesota), Chicago Underground Film Festival, Philafilm Festival, The Overground Festival (Tulsa), and the D/Vision festival -Switzerland.

The film continues to be recognized as "it furthers the notion that Djing is the new jazz" and gives "a refreshing look at a group of self-empowered youth who have shaped a new musical movement”

CELEBRATING THE ART:

As part of Carluccio's goal to bring greater attention to this sophisticated and intelligent art form, he began coordinating The Battle Sounds Turntablist Festival in 1997. The festival acted as both an opportunity to screen the film, as well as provided a venue for unknown and established DJs. On November 21st, 1997 at S.O.B's in New York City, a sold-out audience witnessed Turntablist Festival I featuring the X-men, The 5th Platoon, and the first open turntable showcase. From 1998 to 2001, festivals were held at New York venues, including the Knitting Factory, Speed, and Symphony Space. Perfromances have included Q-bert, Babu, Radar, Mr. Dibbs, T-Rock, Z-trip, Mysterio, The Technicians, Dummy, Rakus, Evil Dee, The Kolabz, The Steelworkerz, The Allies, and the 1999 Battle Sounds DJ Battle (won by Develop).

THE MOVEMENT:

Carluccio's dedication to the Turntablism movement has continued beyond Battle Sounds, he has initiated TTM, a system transcribing scratches like musical notes, and Hop-Fu, a film /DJ collaboration where turntablists perform live scores to Kung Fu cinema.

In Spring 1999, Carluccio was approached by the makers of a film entitled SCRATCH (the Hughes Brothers, Doug Pray, and Brad Blondhiem) to consult and assist in its making. As an Associate Producer of the film, Carluccio offered advice to the director and producers concerning the production effort. In fact, several scenes were filmed a The Turntablist Festival 4, including a closing scene with DXT & Dj Q-Bert.

The film was made possible by the volunteering of many friends and family as well as, the fundraising efforts of home video sales and festival events. The 1997 Battle Sounds Whitney cut and Turntablist Festivals 4 & 5 are currently available on DVD and can be purchased on this site.