Personal Influences
My crusading late mom Loretta. My crusading dad Sandy. My crusading brother Dave. William Jefferson Clinton. Bill Maher. Dan Simmons (writer), George RR Martin (writer), Forrest Whitaker (actor)
Oldschool Musical Influences James Brown, Fred Wesley, P-Funk, War, Mandrill, Sly & the Family Stone, Allman Brothers, Alice Coltrane, RL Burnside, Dr. John, the Wild Magnolias,
Newer Musical Influences Beck, the Mutaytor, Jurassic 5, LCD Soundsystem, Allgood Funk Alliance, Kraak & Smaak, the Freestylers, Adam Freeland, Widespread Panic, Wilco, Secret Machines, Rage Against the Machine, Rondo Brothers, Lafa Taylor, A.L.O., the New Mastersounds, KJ Sawka, DJ Zeph, DJ Shadow, Rachid Taha, Lyrics Born, Fort Knox 5
Folks I wish would retire early George W Bush, Alberto Gonzales, Rush Limbaugh, Rupert Murdoch, Bill O'Reilly, Simon Cowell and the rest ofthe American Idol junta...
Favorite Quotes
"Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery,
But today, TODAY is a gift.
Which is why we call it
The present."
-Babtunde Olatiunji
"to me, funk is an attitude, a swagger, put to music. like most other good things in life, its not something you can explain. ive heard the word itself traced back to africa (where i think the word was "lufuki"); ive also heard that, originally, "funk" referred to the smell of sex. which is probably the best explanation of what it means, musically speaking." - Dan Prothero, Interview (on motionpotion.com)
Background: MoPo (aka Motion Potion aka Robbie Kowal) is one of America's most versatile, experienced and flat-out joyous party rockers. His decade long mission is to 'put the party back into the party', and to connect the casual music fan with the hard core dance music mavens and prove that music is more than just beats. Most commonly a bootleg breakbeat pusher, MoPo is kown for a rare ability to play exactly the right music for the moment and an expertise with a wide variety of genres that he seamlessly melds into a coherent blend. Since breaking out as a rare groove Dj in the 90's he has spent the 21st Century using funky breakbeat, trip hop and tech house as a backdrop for his genre-bending experiments. From a near religious love of funk and hip hop, to a lifetime study of rock and roll to a massive aptitude for latin, reggae and other outernational formats, MoPo incorporates bits and pieces of music culture into electronic edits that slam the dancefloor. As a backdrop, he creates, edits or chooses only the biggest baddest breaks, hooks and drops to create a sound that truly slams. To the dancer, MoPo is a breath of fresh air, often transforming a room into collective song or crowd chant that connect the audience to the DJ. These abilities have seen him preceding, following or tagging with a who’s who of breakbeat heroes like Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Icey, Cut Chemist, Grandmaster Flash, James Lavelle, Bassnectar, Evil 9, DJ Vadim, Tipper, Freq Nasty, Kraak & Smaak, Aquasky, the Freestylers, Future Funk Squad, Fort Knox 5, A.Skillz, Featurecast, and All Good Funk Alliance.
Press Quotes:
"at 3am on Sunday morning, June 17th, partaking in the revelry of DJ Motion Potion, who was spinning live in the tent, my notion of the Silent Disco changed, and so did the concept and possibilities of a house party. It takes a minute to adjust to the idea that everyone in the tent is listening to the same music, but when you realize the sick beats you’re hearing are from one of the country’s most talented DJ’s, and everyone around you is breaking down their favorite versions of the lawnmower, you slip into Silent Disco heaven with little problem."
READ IT
Scott Goldberg, Digital Media Wire
I walk into this swanky new venue and my nostrils curl emphatically as the libidinous bump coming from the speakers hits me. The DJ is slammin', all live cuts, a relentless push push push, sweatier than Herbie Mann on Fire Island, hands in the air, rump rising right. When I see Motion Potion behind his array of beat technology it all makes sense. Like the title of one of his mixes, he is an instant party and just the catalyst to christen this new space proper. Introducing the band he tells us, "There's no place in the world I'd rather be." His is a philosophy of unrepressed joy, life lived in the minute, elevates the here and now. It should be said that Im a harsh critic of DJ culture. Ten years behind the boards on radio gives me a perspective on this art form that makes me dubious of most turntable workers. Being blunt: most dont dig deep enough, most dont channel the trombipulated funk I crave in the live setting. That night I added Motion Potion to the short list in my head that includes Cut Chemist, DJ Logic and Kid Koala."
--Dennis Cook, Jambase, February 2004
As a DJ, Kowal tries to bridge this gap as often as possible himself -- he's opened for Southern rock revivalists Gov't Mule and closed for hip hop turntable demigod Cut Chemist. He frequently finds himself DJing for people who hate DJs, spinning CDs for people who cringe at CD DJs, and trying to get people to listen to music they usually avoid at all costs. He apparently even gets people to kiss people they normally wouldn't.
Darren Keast,, SF Weekly, July 2003
Wanna get funked up? Some of the stankiest sounds the Bay Area's ever heard have thumped through Nickie's dank walls on Thursday nights, inspiring more booty-shakin', ass-wigglin', funk-fueled fantasies than we'll ever know.
Sylvia Chan, SF Bay Guardian, January 2001
Online Now!
