Damn, the announcement comes down just as I'm on a two week vacation away from computers. Sad to see it go, but it isn't what it was, for sure. I still have the pre-crash HTML archive, I listened to "Rockin' With Seka" in like 2000 on RealfuckingAudio as a mid-teenager just getting into music that wasn't on the radio, read the forums for like 10 years but didn't get around to posting actively till things were slowing down. Oh well, I hope you do the exit justice, Raj, and thanks for the decades of effort.
Stuff like this is the only thing electronic communications have that approaches a real community - a dude devotes his own time and effort to sustaining a place where one can form. Once ad sales are the business, or subscriptions, or automatically harvested personal data, that community shit is out the window.
So much of the music that's sustained me in life, whole genres and such, I found out about from the Strut, so thanks to all of you, especially Superpoaster and Puto Bong Bong.
This entire website should be preserved by the Smithsonian. It’s important, dammit.
Nothing is important. The entire, regrettable story of humanity isn't more than a brief nightmare, this fucked up planet had to tumble through on its way towards the nearest black hole. Why should anybody care about what music we made? Why, of all that, the tiny fraction ever pressed on vinyl records? Why should it matter, how these records were bought, way past the official shelf life, by people who didn't have anything better to do at the time and then, gasp, posted about the experience on a message board that's been dead for more than a decade?
If this sounds like hot shit, why doesn't anybody collect or "dig" for the most memorable threads and fill up the space in between with the basic knowledge needed for civilians to be able and follow? To be safe, better first run those "most memorable threads" by a non-biased group to see if there's really anything of interest. Maybe this doesn't leave much meat on a cancerous bone but with records drying up and procreation having turned out as a shit idea, hopefully for even the most desperate and hormonally challenged amongst the dumbest of fuckers, perhaps someone will make this their new hobby.
*edit: hmmm... simultaneous post on the "other" forum by an alcoholic ex-record shop owner who seems like the perfect candidate. Brush that homeless beard to a shine Johnny and walk towards glory, even if it's just a hole in the wall.
PS: Should have called me for rare Kung Fu flix, bet you didn't even have the Crippled Masters or Kung F**k in your collection, been digging for og vhs rears since 1986
Well, damn. I'm clearly one of those guys who faded away a while back, but to say the 'Strut had an impact on my life would be understating it. The people I met (or maybe only e-met) here, the ridiculous amount of knowledge I got to soak up from the certified Big Dudes, the incredible stories, the legendary threads, and of course, the in-jokes and phenomenal graemlins that I still reference to this day...man. This community was a big part of a really exciting period of my life. Social media is some bullshit, but Teh Strut is
Oh, one other thing that deserves its own poast: To this day, Heatrocks for Katrina remains one of the most amazing things I've been a part of (and I even still have some of the records I won in those auctions). To see a fractious community immediately come together, get on the same page, and step up like that was Huge props to everybody who made that happen.
As a related note, the story of Sween sending his Stark Reality heatrock (wasn't that the origin of the term "Sween" meaning "a thousand dollars?") back to Matthew Africa's family after MA's passing is some of the realest shit ever.
The one Duder once gifted me with a baggie of lettuce in Barcelona when I was on my way to a music festival and needed just that kind of support. (Thank you again, Duder! You will always be the Thriller-era Quincy to my Michael for that. Hee-hee!)
Yeah, no problem, thing for me is that I regret that I had the obligatory joint with my man and as an infrequent inhaler/total lightweight, I was completely skullfucked the one and only time I met you. Couldn't even find the Cat Zoo!
I'd also love to see something new emerge from Teh Strut before it dies. I don't know what that means or looks like. Maybe it's just a sick mixtape swap or record auction before we say goodbye.
I think this would be a great idea, it might get a few old-timers out-of-the-woodwork and would be a nice way to remember why we all came here - sharing music. If it gets announced now(ish), I think even the least punctual could have something ready by October.
The one Duder once gifted me with a baggie of lettuce in Barcelona when I was on my way to a music festival and needed just that kind of support. (Thank you again, Duder! You will always be the Thriller-era Quincy to my Michael for that. Hee-hee!)
Yeah, no problem, thing for me is that I regret that I had the obligatory joint with my man and as an infrequent inhaler/total lightweight, I was completely skullfucked the one and only time I met you. Couldn't even find the Cat Zoo!
haha - no it was a great evening. the streets are so lovely in the summer like that - memorable. especially without the kids!
This entire website should be preserved by the Smithsonian. It’s important, dammit.
Nothing is important. The entire, regrettable story of humanity isn't more than a brief nightmare, this fucked up planet had to tumble through on its way towards the nearest black hole. Why should anybody care about what music we made? Why, of all that, the tiny fraction ever pressed on vinyl records? Why should it matter, how these records were bought, way past the official shelf life, by people who didn't have anything better to do at the time and then, gasp, posted about the experience on a message board that's been dead for more than a decade?
If this sounds like hot shit, why doesn't anybody collect or "dig" for the most memorable threads and fill up the space in between with the basic knowledge needed for civilians to be able and follow? To be safe, better first run those "most memorable threads" by a non-biased group to see if there's really anything of interest. Maybe this doesn't leave much meat on a cancerous bone but with records drying up and procreation having turned out as a shit idea, hopefully for even the most desperate and hormonally challenged amongst the dumbest of fuckers, perhaps someone will make this their new hobby.
*edit: hmmm... simultaneous post on the "other" forum by an alcoholic ex-record shop owner who seems like the perfect candidate. Brush that homeless beard to a shine Johnny and walk towards glory, even if it's just a hole in the wall.
PS: Should have called me for rare Kung Fu flix, bet you didn't even have the Crippled Masters or Kung F**k in your collection, been digging for og vhs rears since 1986
woah
I thought me and my other alter ego wore the king douchebag crown of soulstrut but this post take the douchecake
i have nothing but respect fo you and your reish african game
Hi everyone - hope you are all doing awesome! Was thinking about Soul Strut this morning so wanted to come over here and say hello to whomever is left here and specifically to Raj who built a really amazing (and legit life changing) thing here with this board. Thanks so much Raj, you and work are truly appreciated!
And to all the people who came by here and spent time, I hope you all go forward into the future with peace and love. This was a wonderful community and was profoundly enriching in so many ways and I am proud to have been a part of it.
Here's to what's to come down the road!
dollar_binI heartily endorse this product and/or event 2,326 Posts
I'd also love to see something new emerge from Teh Strut before it dies. I don't know what that means or looks like. Maybe it's just a sick mixtape swap or record auction before we say goodbye.
I think this would be a great idea, it might get a few old-timers out-of-the-woodwork and would be a nice way to remember why we all came here - sharing music. If it gets announced now(ish), I think even the least punctual could have something ready by October.
I am down, I've actually got a little tape project half done anyway...
Thanks to Steen Rock for lacing me with his amazing Direct to Tape uh, tape, inspiring me to look into the insane ease and low cost of making your own little custom cassette releases.
My first post in over a decade. Just hopped on here to go back through the archives and saw this post. Soulstrut literally changed my life. Thanks for everything Raj, you legitimately made an enormous impact on the music world. Some may not even recognize or fully acknowledge it...but
Also... the Strut 200 continues to reveal new dimensions to me (though while I understand Sayer being on there, it hasn't blown my mind yet). I got a new dedicated music player (mainly cause I hate doing that stuff with touchscreens) and have been going through my digital stuff filling it up. That pile is turning up some stuff I'd ignored before.
Raj's work on stuff like that, beyond just keeping the site up, shouldn't be overlooked.
Hey all, just had to come in and say a tremendous thank you to Raj and everyone who's been here since the early days (and hola to the newer folks). This place gave me a ton of knowledge, friends I still have to this day and some legendary jokes/moments I will never forget.
Appreciate you all, and Raj in particular, thank you for providing this space for so many of us for so long.
What's up everybody? Happy New Year! After much deliberation, I have decided to close the site on its 25th birthday (October 31, 2024). I realize this place is way past its "sell by" date, but there have been a few moments where I thought I could spend time to revitalize the community and get back in the game. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that will happen anytime soon with other real world movez taking higher priority. I would like to thank all of you (especially those who stuck around during in the lean years post 2012). It means a lot. I'll will try my best to post memories and give the site a proper send off... maybe do one last mix or two. Godspeed everyone!
- Raj
Thank you Raj!
Does the “lean years” also include the community member “DIGGADIGGA” and his digging adventures
Hi Raj, also from my side a BIG THANK YOU! I discovered the site a few years ago and it was and is a big inspiration for me. I discovered a awful lot of new (to me) stuff her.
Thank you. This forum has made a deep and lasting impact on my life. And it goes way beyond the countless laughs and tales in the threads. Like-minded smart people with a shared passion for music and records found a home here.
For several years, the Chicago strut fam would have irregular lunch meetups at Gaylord’s, a now defunct Indian buffet restaurant in the Loop. Over heaping plates of tandoori chicken and endless amounts of naan, we would share records and bits of our lives. Dante, Chris, dCastillo, James, pickwick33, dreas, Charissa, terry_clubbup, and meatyogre were basically the core Gaylord’s crew. Motown67 would occasionally come to Chicago from Oakland to visit his mom, and would join our merry gang. all strutters were welcome - probably even vitamin, though if he and motown67 showed up at the same lunch it would have been explosive. By the end, James would pronounce “I’m full as a tick,” and we would all go back to our lives.
Nigel/Trew had a night at the Uptown Lounge in those days where we staged a soulstrut takeover in one of our first IRL meetups. I was glad that my handle was not too different from my real name, because some of the introductions got a little awkward. I still laugh when I think about Ben introducing himself sheepishly as “SexyBNyce.” And I still get a little choked up when I think about breakself - who was there that night and is one of the OG stutters who is no longer with us. He was one of the kindest, most knowledgeable record dudes ever, and I have a lasting memory of him breakdancing to the intro to Nina Simone’s version of Funkier than a Mosquitos Tweeter that night in the Uptown Lounge.
So many real world offshoots from the community in this forum - lunch with ako in Ames, dinner/rap show with ASMA in Montreal, coffee with Oliver in Seattle at the pop conference, bambouche’s wedding (with Cosmo and Ayers’ monthly The Rub as the after party!)… the list goes on. The lasting connections beyond the forum are the greatest tribute to the strength of this community.
Thank you Raj for making and maintaining this unforgettable space.
Soulstrut por vida! JRoot
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
Been gone from here a while, but I wanted to sign back in if only just to say thanks to Raj and to everyone else who made this such a vibrant place for such a long time through their contributions. I stumbled upon the Strut back in 2002 and it was a real education in more ways than one. After I moved to Germany in 2011, my priorities and my interests shifted a little and I stopped coming round so much but I still used to stick my head around the door from time to time. Sad to think it won't be around this time next year, but a quarter century is a damn good run. Everything must change.
Comments
joelkbo@gmail.com
joelkbo IG
As a related note, the story of Sween sending his Stark Reality heatrock (wasn't that the origin of the term "Sween" meaning "a thousand dollars?") back to Matthew Africa's family after MA's passing is some of the realest shit ever.
One day I'm going to give my kids your book to read. Just saying.
Don’t forget the 45
Yeah, no problem, thing for me is that I regret that I had the obligatory joint with my man and as an infrequent inhaler/total lightweight, I was completely skullfucked the one and only time I met you. Couldn't even find the Cat Zoo!
I think this would be a great idea, it might get a few old-timers out-of-the-woodwork and would be a nice way to remember why we all came here - sharing music. If it gets announced now(ish), I think even the least punctual could have something ready by October.
haha - no it was a great evening. the streets are so lovely in the summer like that - memorable. especially without the kids!
went on to my fucking restaurant, which was
woah
I thought me and my other alter ego wore the king douchebag crown of soulstrut but this post take the douchecake
i have nothing but respect fo you and your reish african game
sorry to see you've become so fatalistic.
i beg to differ on many levels
peace
thanks RAJ MAHAL
it's a sad day to see the strut finally bite the dust
PS
my son collectro funk 45
Here's to what's to come down the road!
I am down, I've actually got a little tape project half done anyway...
Thanks to Steen Rock for lacing me with his amazing Direct to Tape uh, tape, inspiring me to look into the insane ease and low cost of making your own little custom cassette releases.
I can't thank Raj and the cadre of duders that lead me to teh breakz, and beyond. God bless America, and all the ships at sea.
Raj's work on stuff like that, beyond just keeping the site up, shouldn't be overlooked.
Thank you Raj!
Does the “lean years” also include the community member “DIGGADIGGA” and his digging adventures
Thank you. This forum has made a deep and lasting impact on my life. And it goes way beyond the countless laughs and tales in the threads. Like-minded smart people with a shared passion for music and records found a home here.
JRoot