Category Archives: Chief News

News involving Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice, including music, shows, tours, and more.

Let’s Play :: Chief And TheDoomsdayDevice Stops By Baby Lion’s ‘Rappers Playing Games (RPG)’

From the moment I saw the Feral the Earthworm Earthworm Jim episode of the Baby Lion-produced, Adam Protextor-hosted series Rappers Playing Games (RPG), I knew I had to get in on that action.  I immediately hit up Protextor, a fellow nerd with deep appreciation for many aspects of pop culture, and pitched an episode where he and myself chop it up over a session of one of my favorite NES games, Rolling Thunder.  The ‘cool’ thing about vintage games, however, is that they sometimes fail to work, which put the most minimal of monkeywrenches in the plans.  After a quick scouring of Protextor‘s respectable game collection, however, I locked into another old school favorite of mine : the Sega Genesis port of the arcade monster from the late 1980s known as Stryder.  We checked it, and everything ran perfectly, so we sat down and had a deeply moving and inspiring conversation about art, creativity, inspirational sources, expression and much more.  I am honored to have been a part of Baby Lion‘s official Season One lineup, and I look forward to more of the great content they’ve been putting out.  Subscribe to Baby Lion on YouTube to stay in the loop, and be sure to give our video a like, comment and share if you feel inclined to do so.

-chief

Granted Wish :: Virgil Wolfe Tags In Chief And TheDoomsdayDevice For ‘Lovely To Look At’ Remix

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A month or so ago, Virgil Wolfe debuted a new single (a collaboration with producer Big Lo) titled Lovely To Look At, and it made an impression on me.  It made such an impression, in fact, that I concluded my blog entry on the song by suggesting a remix with myself on it wouldn’t be a bad idea.  Cut to the present time, and what seemed at first like a wild request has become a stark reality.  Lovely To Look At still jams, but now there’s an extra bit of lyrical craftsmanship from yours truly tagged on at the end, and the possibility of more collaborations in the future.  Check out the new version of the track, share it around, and if you really dig it, give it a like and a comment!

-chief

Hard Rhymes :: Chief And TheDoomsdayDevice Continues ‘Escapism’ Mix Series

I am happy to present my two latest entries in the Escapism mix series :

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Fool’s Golden Ratio is a look at some of the more aggressive and abstract shades of modern day hip-hop, with no particular focus on region.

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Blood Moonlight is an exploration on deep emotion across a vast array of musical genres.

You can always catch myself and Bad Ingredients Records every Friday at Tantra Coffeehouse for Escapism Plan, and a live version of these diverse mixes.

-chief

Making Moves :: Baby Lion’s Big Rollout

Over the course of the last year, the Baby Lion Studios collective of Adam Protextor and Stephanie Thoreson has been busy creating proof of concept episodes and testing out their production skills.  This, combined with their love of all things nostalgic, has led them (and us) to Friday, September 21 : the official premier of Season 1 for the Baby Lion YouTube channel.  The season will consist of multiple episodes for the three shows they currently have : Slumber Party ClubRappers Playing Games (RPG), and My Biggest Weirdest Fear.  In celebration of their achievement (and as a testament to that love of nostalgia previously mentioned), they released a brief clip from episode 3 of Slumber Party Club.  The clip features Stephanie and Jonah Yohana doing their rendition of a classic jam by The Beets from the NickToon original Doug :

I’m definitely looking forward to what Baby Lion has in store, and that’s not just because your’s truly is in a future episode of Rappers Playing Games (RPG).  This will most certainly be a fun ride, so do yourself a favor by following the channel, ringing that notification bell, and maybe even tossing them a like on Facebook so you can stay informed.

-chief

Independent Spirits :: John Valley And Crew Embark On The ‘Duncan’ Journey

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Austin-based music video and film director John Valley is about to take a huge step forward in his creative life.  This past Monday, the Seed & Spark campaign begin for his upcoming independent feature film Duncan.  The film is a slightly embellished re-creation of the events surrounding Pizzagate, with a bit of a ‘what-if’ scenario thrown in for good measure as a reflection on the ‘fake news’ culture that runs rampant these days.  The campaign to get this film made is an important one… every bit of money and equipment donated not only will help ensure this film’s completion, but 1,000 likes will ensure the project moves to the next round, where the possibility of $60k and production credits from the Duplass Brothers becomes closer to reality.  As a member of the cast, I would certainly appreciate, and I don’t find it presumptuous to say that the rest of the cast and crew would feel the same.

-chief

Lab Work :: Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice Initiates ‘Escapism’ Mix Series With 2 Releases

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Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice stays busy with a diverse range of talents and exploits, but a key part of that business is making sure that none of the disciplines suffer as the palette expands.  Recently, in celebration of the steady growth that the Escapism Plan Friday night residency at Tantra Coffeehouse has seen, Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice took to the lab to start curating small mixes for promotional use and listener enjoyment.  Dubbed the Escapism series, each mix will feature a unique focus on top of Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice‘s signature DJ skill and execution.  The covers will also feature the photography of Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice.

Late Night Drive is a down-tempo collection of pop songs, electronic songs, R&B songs and instrumentals meant to put miles on the road for you.  Sonic Enlightenment features the works of independent (and largely Texas-based) producers such as Unusuals, members of the (in)Sect Records and Exploded Drawing family), Yppah, edison and poolboi blu.

If you dig what you hear, then make sure to keep your eyes and ears open for follow-up releases to the series, and don’t be afraid to request or recommend a mix you’d like to hear.

-chief

Renaissance Man :: Andrés Forecasts ‘Friendly Skies’

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andrés is a man of many diverse interests and styles.  When I originally got to know him, it was via his Unusuals moniker and the unique production approach he took with his albums.  Over time, I’ve gotten to know him deeper via his radio exploits with Cosmic Grooves on KZSM Radio San Marcos, his vintage clothing ventures with BORDER PALACE VINTAGE, and a recent transition into the middle ground of beatmaking and singer/songwriterdom with his work under the name andrés.  Friendly Skies is a reflection on connection, a lament about what one feels when an opportunity for intimacy presents itself, and all you want to do is make things as easy and easy-going as possible.  Bonus shoutout to me on the artwork assist, inspired by the recent admiration and respect andrés has for Missy Elliot.  andrés is certainly carving out a niche for himself that the San Marcos scene hasn’t seen since the likes of Roger Sellers, but andrés (much like Roger) is a wholly unique individual, so it should be a journey worth watching for those lucky enough to witness the growth.

-chief

Mellow Masterpiece :: Poolboi Blu Keeps The ‘Sincere’ Momentum Going With ‘(Volume 004)’

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You’d think with the summer heat on the horizon, poolboi blu would be ratcheting up the vibes, but on his latest mix of his soon to be iconic series, sincere (volume 004)poolboi opts for a mellower set of songs.  The R&B jams that open the mix are a refreshing change of pace, and when the bars start dropping it’s like ‘the party was already going, so why not invite a few more friends?’  I’m always going to be ready and on the lookout for a poolboi mix, and he certainly hasn’t let me down yet.  For those catching this post while it’s relevant, you can catch poolboi blu and myself doing 2X4 DJ sets this Thursday at Buzzmill San Marcos, and this Friday at Tantra Coffeehouse (San Marcos).  Don’t sleep.

-chief

Dream Teams :: ‘The Perpendicular’, San Marcos Cinema Club And The 72-Hour Film Race

The San Marcos Cinema Club is quickly becoming one of the better fixtures in the town of San MarcosTexas.  The group holds a number of events and festival directly designed to promote and foster creative filmmakers in the city, as well as bring fans of film together to appreciate these creatives.  One of their recent events, the 72-Hour Film Race, recently took place.  I got together with a handful of friends and collaborators, we were given a set of prompts (sci-fi, barber scene, ‘EL RITO LIBERDADO DEL AGUA’, mural incorporation and a bonus location via a riddle), and we embarked upon the journey that resulted in The Perpendicular.  For something made in just under three days, I’d say we did pretty well… the judges thought so too, as we came in second place.  Check it out, share it, leave a like or a comment, and keep your eyes open for more fun from the San Marcos Cinema Club.

-chief

True Stories :: Chief And TheDoomsdayDevice Releases ‘A Memoir Called Noir’

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In the immortal words of Rakim, ‘it’s been a long time…’.  After nearly 3 years, one of the longest breaks in between projects I’ve ever taken, comes the release of A Memoir Called Noir, the latest self-written and self-produced output from Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice.  This time around the beats are a bit darker, and the lyrics are more forthright and honest than usual.  Dynamite verbal assists are included from Kazee Queen and BERNICHUS.  Thanks to the good homey at Frownland Records, this album (and all of my other albums) are available on every digital streaming/storefront service your little heart could desire, so don’t sleep on the project.  For those about to support, we salute you.

-chief