The duality of Framework's Bob Brown

If you have ever come across Bob Brown's 'Framework Music' and their striking leopard skin jump suits, you will conclude fairly quickly that things aren't exactly normal or dull over Ohio way. This of course is of great help when you embark on a mission to 'take this thing we call "techno" and beat it like a red-headed step child till it ain't "techno" no more.'

Bob Brown is the founder and creator of Framework Music, instigator and leader of the 'dance music (r)evolution', (in Ohio, USA at least) and an expert in creating tasty omelettes and big ole American breakfasts. Via the powers of cyberspace, Bob pledged his allegiance to his cause and gave TranZfusion the low down.

Compared to Christian Vogel and Subhead by critics, Bob Brown is well regarded amongst his peers for "having an ability to maintain a humanitarian element whilst still rocking it like a motherfucker, a talent that Bob explains as,

"The duality of Bob Brown, it is my nature, I am a very empathetic person, and have a knack for knowing when people need a hug and when they need a kick in the teeth."

Relentlessly striving to achieve new sounds and break down the flogged to death art of pigeon holing, Bob's exposure to techno came from store owners Scott Forbush and Ian Mariano.

"I started DJing when I was 16 and made a lot of mixed tapes. I listened to the Klinik, Einsturzde Neuebauten, Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb. Scott and Ian would sneak me into clubs where I saw Lenny Dee and Laurent Garnier. I had my first weekly residency by age 17."

By the time Bob graduated from College he had a ton of music and a distributor, all that was needed was a label,

"that was willing and interested in my stuff."

As his tracks began to appear on Missile, Mutter and Mental.Ind, Bob started Framework and began to put out his own music.

"Lately Framework has evolved into a proper label with promotion, a website, other artists signed and Neuton handling distribution."

With most of Framework's success coming from Germany and the rest of Europe, it was a logical step to allow Neuton to distribute their body of work.

"I felt that there were more sales possible in Germany, and the world. I had a lot of gaps in my arrangement with my distributor and I realized that I had to move on. When an established label with 15 releases under its belt comes to a distributor, the distributor generally opens wide its doors."

Currently on the Framework books are Paul Birken; a hugely passionate techno producer whose live performances get erased after each event, never to be heard again. One part of the Brighton based 'No-Future' collective, Ibrahim Alfa. A German group of nutters that are clearly setting the new school pace - 'Aphorism'. Wyndell Long, who is currently channelling all his efforts into the Chicago and Detroit house sound, and Melbourne's own 'Blimp', aka Shaun Green.

"I was a fan of Blimp's records on Pro-Jex and he sent me some amazing songs. I was made a believer."

With a strong belief that electronica must endeavour to take a good hard look at itself, and with an ever growing host of followers, I ask Bob to explain why he feels that techno needs a good beating, to which he replies.

"You know those kids in high school who just needed a good beating… well I don't know if you have noticed, but that is what most of the people in this business are like.

I finally saw how far up my own ass my head was about music and the music industry. There is a whole universe outside of the one where we are the warriors of techno music and we must convert the masses taste to our taste. I am tired of fighting the fight of Sisyphus."

Once the flogging is over Bob hopes for a relatively simple result,

"I just want to bring fun into my music. I really don't care what any one else's music sounds like. I am going to do dance music."

This isn't Bob's first assignment to transform the world's DJ community. In June 2002 Bob bought record labels,< Tags