Got Meth?

There's Crystal Method to electronica's madness

by Joe Gagne

Even if you haven't heard of the electronica duo Crystal Method, you certainly have heard their music. Perhaps on Lost in Space, Spawn, or The Replacement Killers.

Or maybe you were playing the Playstation's "N2O: Nitrous Oxide" and heard their killer soundtrack. You've most definitely seen their Gap ad, where numerous khakied skateboarders do tricks to the beat of their hit single "Busy Child."

The music of Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland contains a lot of what you'd expect from electronica -- long, somewhat repetitive songs that contain crushing breakbeats and obscure samples. But it isn't your typically boring dance club music. Their songs are catchy and have hooks that match the best rock songs. And their as appealing live as they are coming out of your stereo.

What set Crystal Method apart are the ingeniously inserted vocals, from a snippet of a Jesse Jackson speech to the lush female lead vocals of artist Trudie Reiss. "We're both huge rock fans," says Jordan, "so we listen to a lot of music with vocals. But neither of us sings, and we're not traditional songwriters. So we use vocals as instruments."

Of course, neither Jordan nor Kirkland imagined they'd ever be making a living as a band. They began working together as DJs in Las Vegas, their hometown, dubbing themselves Crystal Method, not because of drugs but as reference a woman named Crystal, on whom they both had a crush. "We knew it was a drug reference, so we did it tongue-in-cheek."

The duo, who appear next Sturday at the Palladium, moved to LA and released their first single, "Now is the Time," in 1994 on the City of Angels label. The track was an underground hit, and they soon signed to Outpost Recordings, releasing their debut album, Vegas, in 1997. The disc's debut coincided with a wave of press that declared electronica (predominantly a European phenomenon) the next big thing. Crystal Method soon found themselves saddled with the distinction of being the "American" electronica act. "It's sort of a knife that cuts both ways," explains Jordan. "On the one hand, it's cool; but on the other hand, I'd rather have lots of American acts doing well and touring."

But Crystal Method will have to make do with being on tour with British acts Orbital and Lo Fidelity All-Stars for the Community Service Tour, a prospect that entices Jordan. "We've always liked package tours, going to see a good, big line-up for an extended period of time." Live performances are nothing new to the pair, who have earned a reputation as a viable live act, playing countless festivals and clubs around the world. But really, how do two guys from Las Vegas manage to make electronica music that matches anything coming out across the Atlantic? By sharing the same surprising influences as their European peers. "When you actually check, all of these electronica artists have similar influences," explains Jordan. "Old American soul, early American disco, Stevie Wonder. All of these had a bigger influence, than, say, Kraftwerk."

When not on tour, Jordan and Kirkland can be found in their "Bomb Shelter" studio, where their putting together a new album due out next year. Seeing as how today's musical climate is vastly different from that of two years ago, do the duo feel any apprehension about the upcoming release? "In some ways, I think it's good that electronica is no longer `the next big thing,'" Jordan says. "Now the music will be judged on its own merits, as opposed to the expectations of the media."

Just don't look for the duo's music in many more advertisements. "A lot of people want to use our tracks," explains Jordan, "but we're limiting requests." Apparently Crystal Method don't want to overdose on exposure.

Crystal Method appear at 7:30 p.m. on July 10 at the Palladium. Orbital and the Lo Fidelity All Stars also appear. Tickets are $25. Call 797-9696.