Modern funk maestro Dam Funk (real name: Damon Riddick- ‘Dam’ should be pronounced ‘Dame’) is a trooper – one of the most positive forces working in music today, he has an independent spirit that truly shines when he speaks about his love for music. He has an unerringly energetic and forward-thinking approach but at the same time is hugely appreciative and respectful of the men and women whose musical creations paved the way for people like him to do his thing.

If you’re not already, you should follow him on Twitter – personally I really love his attitude on there.  While he is protective of his music, he doesn’t have the petty attitude that some can have towards criticism of their art. Instead, he vocalises his belief in positive action and thoughts:

What if it was U who made a 45 min. visual statement & were being judged by millions 2day? Be careful how hard U pounce. It ‘could’ be ‘U’.

Don’t even fall into the urge 2 destroy. I’m tellin’ U…karma is some true sh*t! Each time U fu*k some1 else in the game..U get 1 owed 2 U.

Resist the urge. Just scream your distain or hate in a pillow. Opt out of destroying in public. Keep sh*t tight. U’ll be proud of yourself.

I spent a lot of this weekend listening to one of his recent releases, the 12-inch maxi single ‘Hood Pass Intact’, which has some pretty fine b-sides (and is a version of last year’s 12″ of the same name, but this time with vocals). Notably, one of the tracks features Steve Arrington, the former vocalist in the funk band Slave, who is experiencing a new creative streak thanks to his work with Dam Funk. The hallmarks of Dam Funk’s production skills are all over this new cut from the forthcoming album by Arrington, but it still retains an old-school feel.

Here’s a video Stevie G took of him performing at The Pavilion in Cork city last year – I’m somewhere in the middle getting my funk on!

One of my favourite Dam Funk tunes, Galactic Fun:

Dam Funk is signed to the fantastic Stone’s Throw records.

XLR8R have a great interview with Dam Funk here from 2009, which details the time he had to back out of a Milli Vanilli comeback band!