Pismo

There is a lot that can be and will be said about a man who Chases The Sun; a musician who lives the philosophy that Perceptions InSide Mentally Orbit; a man who has taken this acronym and formulated a style that transcends modern-day Hip-Hop. Thaddeus Smith III also known as PISMO reigns among the limit-pushing Geminis that have forever changed the cords of musical reinvention and timelessness. Among these vials of supernatural genius: Curtis Mayfield. Miles Davis. Gladys Knight. Prince. James Brown. A Tribe Called Quest. The Notorious B.I.G. Tupac Shakur. It is not by coincidence that Pismos music is a crystallization of these forms. Pismo, who hails from Stockton, California, grew up enveloped and intrigued by a wide array of music and art: funk, soul, gospel, jazz, R&B, classical, rock, graffiti, and street dancing. Having entered Hip-Hop culture in the 70s/early 80s, when Hip-Hop was still a virgin and was purely about the four elements: DJing, Emceeing, Graffiti, and Dance; Pismos music exudes that storytelling, raw instrumental innocence. The artist founded his first hip hop group Burnt Batch in Stockton, California, in the latter part of 1991. In 1992, Pismo relocated to the SF/Oakland Bay Area attending college at CSUH. He dropped out of college in 1994 due to what he states, "a failed attempt to institutionalize me," and used his last financial aid check to buy two turntables and a mixer. In 1996 he started his label Shou Records and released the underground EP "Universal" on a very small scale, but garnered much attention. In 1998-99 the second album, The Produce Aisle, was well received worldwide in places such as Japan, Canada and Australia to name a few. With smooth, jazzy, conceptual songs, The Produce Aisle, was considered by URB Magazine to be one of the most slept-on albums of the year. In the year of 2001, after completing a wide variety of different projects, Pismo released his 12-inch maxi-single "The Game" from the forthcoming album entitled High Definition. After touring Japan in the 2002 Elevation Tour and hitting up Canada and parts of the US, he relocated once again to New York City where he is presently working on an array of collaborations and new releases. The crafty, resourceful musician has garnered respect and daps from a number of heads in publishing world. Heres what some of the critics had to say: Pismo The Game (Shou Records) -The Game is a beautifully produced jazzy number with a killer guitar loop - Big Daddy(UK) -I first learned of Pismo from a group of graphic designers in San Fran. Then he pops up at Living Legends Festival. Known for his lyrical and musical skill, its time to lift the lid on the Bays best-kept secrets. -Oaklands Urbanview -Bold. Vibrant. The title track, The Game, is a tight number with clap-like snares and another reason why we love hip hop so much. - Stealth Magazine(Australia) -Burnt Batch is headed by MC-producer extraordinaire Pismo, who works with confidence and competence, and without the usual prefab, tired, keep-it-real rhetoric or the arrogant delusions of grandeur. -San Francisco Guardian -.Pismo, a indie hip-hop maven. -Creativity Magazine(NYC) Pismo has not limited himself in his craft and has given new definition to taking lemons and making lemonade. He is one of the few artists who creates music on several scales which includes producing and recording for a number of reputable corporations in the film, televison and radio world. He has also spread his talent by working and collaborating with other well know artist such as Wu-Tang Clan, Miho Hatori(Cibo Matto), Stephanie McKay, Delouie Avant(Goodfellas), C-Knowledge(Digable Planets), LEON(The Temptations), James Genus, Hieroglyphics, JK and a host of others. There are a number of reasons to keep ones eye on Pismo, but I think its clear in his newest ode to Cali why you shouldnt take your eye off of him: He chases the sun Written by: Dinkinish O'Connor HERES SOME MORE FACTS ABOUT THE ARTIST NAMED PISMO: pismo@shourecords.com Discography: BURNT BATCH - "Universal" EP - 1996 BURNT BATCH - "Artform" (12-inch) - 1998 BURNT BATCH - The Produce Aisle (LP) - 1999 PISMO - "The Game" (12-inch) - 2001 PISMO - "Hello" (12-inch) - 2005 PISMO - "Within Transition" (Full Length Album - Japan Edition) - 2006 PISMO - "Within Transition" (Full Length Album - US Edition) - 2006 Internet work: GROOVE MONKEE - CartoonNetwork.com(WPT) (produced and mixed) - 2000 MONKEY SEA- CartoonNetwork.com(WPT) (produced and mixed) - 2000 STREETBALL SPOT - Sneakerfan.com(Adidas) (produced and mixed) - 2000 DJ SPOT - Sneakerfan.com (Adidas) (produced and mixed) 2000 Film, Television and Radio work: A Spoonful of Sugar (2003) Showtime Original (original music & score) EBC America (Ruckers Tournament) (2005) - ESPN - (original music & scoring) Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005) - Warner Brothers - (rap) The Real World - Austin, Texas (2005) - MTV - (music) The Seventh Dog (2005) - (music) The Gift of Life (2006) - Sponsered by Johnson & Johnson - (original music & score) The Black Donnelys (2007) - Stephanie McKay/ Tell It Like It Is - (produced & co-writer) Commercials: Zima, Dell ,Chevrolet, Lincoln/ Mercury, McDonalds, Weight Watchers, Proline, Gogurt, FEMA, Boost Mobile, Orkin, Slim-Fast, Poise, Crest, Reeses, Macy's, Pringles, Huggies, Time Warner, Goodyear Appearances on: DJ KOU (ITF Champ Japan 1999) - Table Invasion - (rap) 2000 VARIOUS BLENDS - Levitude - (rap) 2000 SHINGO2 - "Streets of Tokyo" (12-inch Japan Limited Edition) - (rap) 2000 BAS-1 - "Highly Effective People" (12-inch) - (cuts) 2001 BAS- 1 - BAS-1 for the Mentally Astute-Theory of a Throwup - (cuts & rap) 2001 RED ROOT - "Two Girlz Remix" - (produced, mixed and vocals) 2001 THE 9TH CREATION Bubble Gum (Shou records re-issue & remix) 2002 DOMINANT MAMMALS (engineered & keyboards) 2003 DJ TONK Aquarian Soul (rap) 2003 ALL PURPOSE DJS Pound 4 Pound (rap) 2003 DJ TONK - Move On - (CD Single) (rap) 2004 DJ TONK LOVE (rap) 2004 CROWN CITY ROCKERS Earthtones (produced and mixed) 2004 KIRBY DOMINANT Radio Shock (CD & 12-inch single) (produced, mixed & vocals) 2004 KEEPROOTS Black Coffee - (rap) 2005 SOURCE MAGAZINE(FRANCE)-DJ BATTLE- March Issue-16 Titres De Rap US/ "Sex Power & Love" - (co-produced and rap) 2005 LEON & THE PEOPLES - The Road Less Traveled - (produced) 2005 DJ TONK - "Somehow" - (12 inch USA/ Kajmere) - (rap) 2005 A-Plus - PLEEMIX V.1(Hiero Imperium) - "Production Products" - (produced & rap) 2005 Oakland Faders - Scion CD Sampler V.12 - "Radio Shock" - (produced) 2005 The Kajmere Sound v.1 -DJ Tonk feat. PISMO "Somehow" - (rap) 2006 DJ TONK - California - (rap) 2006 Stephanie McKay - EP - (produced, arranged & co-writer) - 2006 Nomak Remix - PISMO feat. Shing02 - VELODROME(Japan Limited) - 2006 KIRBY DOMINANT - STARR: The Contemplations of a Dominator - (production & vocals) - 2007 Kenya - (writer & produced) - 2007 Himuki - Get Down(12inch & Album) - (rap) - 2007 Nomak - Geishas In The Day - (rap) - 2007 Nomak - One Fist - (rap) - 2007 Old Souls feat Vast Aire & PISMO - My Way - (rap) - 2007