DJ Q-Bert, AKA Richard Quitevis, is an artist who has taken the art of Turntablism to new levels over the past decade and a half.  World-renowned for his scratching techniques and definitive styles of music manipulation, his name has become synonymous with the art of the turntable, and its increasingly progressive movement into the foreground of popular culture.

As a member of the legendary DJ crew, Invisible Skratch Piklz, Q-Bert (along with fellow ISP members, D-Styles, Yogafrog, MixMaster Mike, and Shortkut) brought the art of the Scratch to the world in ways it has never seen before.  As Disco Mixing Club (DMC) 1991 USA Champion, and the 1992-1994 DMC World Champion, Q-Bert showed the entire world the possibilities of what could be done with the Technics 1200.

Q-Bert's 1998 album, Wave Twisters, led to the breakthrough animated film, Wave Twisters: Episode 7 Million, Sonic Wars Within The Protons, which told a futuristic tale of an inner-space civilization that uses turntable scratching as their means of communication, and the threat posed to the four elements of hip-hop.  The film broke artistic ground with its mind-bending visuals, completely synchronized with every nuance of Q's original soundtrack. 

In recent years, Q-Bert has been featured in many films, including the documentary, Scratch, and has worked in the realm of technological development, creating new tools for the next generation of Turntablists, musicians, and audio manipulators.  Recently, I was able to contact Q-Bert and ask him a few questions regarding his views on art, technique, and personal philosophy...

Scrawled:  Does being in and around nature affect your creativity?
Q-Bert:  It brings me closer to Earth and the universe, and lets me get into my own self-discovery. 

Scrawled:  I read a Dan The Automator interview in which he called you the 'best DJ in the world.'  I, along with many others out there, would most likely agree with that statement.  How, if at all, does that label affect you as a person and your approach to the art?
Q-Bert:  I absolutely disagree, as I believe everyone is the best in the world, because we are all just extensions of God's different expressions.

Scrawled:  Tell us a little about the turntable you designed, the QFO.
Q-Bert:  Well, I designed it for the reason of being out in Hawaii, and I always wanted something to take with me to the beach or to the woods, etc., where I could get a spiritual inspiration, just as a guitarist, violinist, or drummer could take their instrument and play anywhere.  The QFO is a mixer and turntable all in one, that you just need to plug into a portable power source and you can skratch wherever you'd like!

Scrawled:  Recent advances have seen many innovations, like the QFO and systems like Final Scratch, in the realm of the turntable, which are blurring the lines between digital and analog even further.  What's your view of the role of technology, and how it relates to being an artist?
Q-Bert:  Everything changes and evolves, so it's no surprise.  As for me, I'm loving the rawness of the vinyl, and the warm analog sound you get from records.  I can't have fun on a digital instrument because, as of now, nothing is 100% as accurate as vinyl.

Scrawled:  Have you had a chance to mess around with the DVD turntable?
Q-Bert:  Lots of fun!

Scrawled:  You and your partner, Yogafrog, run Thud Rumble Ltd., a company you describe on your site as being "committed to showcasing and expanding the world of the skratch DJ."  Tell us a little about what you guys are doing to spread the art of scratch around the globe. 
Q-Bert:  Well, let's see... we make sound effects and beats for skratchers to use, we design mixers and turntables, make music for film, videogames, as well as our own films, such as Wave Twisters, instructional videos, and we make our own DVD series, Turntable TV.  We even give seminars like Skratchcon, and there are a bunch of shows I do every year when I tour.  Anything that has to do with being a skratcher, we do our best to provide multi-services for. 

Scrawled:  I remember watching Wave Twisters a few years back, and thinking to myself that it was a huge step into unchartered territory.  Scrawled highlights many art forms, and believes in representing many styles of expression.  What is your philosophy towards blending different artistic genres?
Q-Bert:  It's all about being creative and making kool shit in any way you want to do it -- with no rules.

Scrawled:  Practicing on the turntables takes a lot of discipline and time.  Do you see a parallel with the mindset required to study martial-arts?
Q-Bert:  I do a lot of stretching, I eat the right foods to keep me healthy; I'm learning to breathe and meditate, plus there is a lot of study involved, too, just as a martial artist would study many styles in fighting, we would do the same with searching for music teachings. 

Scrawled:  Please describe the state of mind you're in when you perform and practice.
Q-Bert:  In performing, it's about balance.  There's a set that's memorized, and then there's the freestyle aspect that interweaves itself at the same time, so no two performances are alike.  When I'm practicing, there can be times where I'm forever doing the same thing to just get a certain sound or technique, and then there's times I just freestyle and see what comes out of it.  There's also the routine practice of memorizing a song, plus there are also rudiments and training that goes into practice for other aspects, like juggling and skratch drumming, and I can't forget the different rhythms, styles, and syncopations that I've got to get used to, etc.  It's endless!

Scrawled:  I've read that you study many different philosophies.  What have you read recently that has inspired you?  What are you reading now?
Q-Bert:  I like The Book Of Secrets, by Osho. 

Scrawled:  I peeped your MySpace profile, and saw that you're currently reading David Icke's The Biggest Secret.  I'm a huge paranormal/conspiracy fan myself, and loved that book.  Do you think aliens exist?  And if so, what would you imagine their music would sound like?
Q-Bert:  That is the biggest mystery to me!  I would love to know how their music sounds, but a friend of mine said that if you can imagine it, then it's real.  All multi-dimensional thoughts and dreams are realities somewhere in this universe. 

Scrawled:  So what's on Q-Bert's iPod these days?
Q-Bert:  Everything.  Lots of jazz, though, by the way.

Scrawled:  You're given a chance to punch anyone in the cock/cunt.  Who would it be, and why?
Q-Bert:  Probably one of those Shaolin temple monks who can suck their balls up into their stomachs.  That way, I wouldn't be hurting anyone. 

Scrawled:  If you could sit down to a game of chess with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
Q-Bert:  The person that invented chess, so I could ask him, "How in the fuck did you come up with this shit?  You's a crazy mutha fucka!"

Scrawled:  You put out a lot of instructional videos on the How-To's of scratching and beat manipulation.  Is being a teacher important to you?
Q-Bert:  I feel I'm still a student just trying to pass on what I've learned in order to make people's lives better. 

Scrawled:  What projects are you working on these days?  Any chance we'll see Wave Twisters II down the pike?
Q-Bert:  Ya, I just helped finish up a B-Boy funk compilation made specifically for breakdance-type skratchers, called Breaktionary.  I'm almost done with a great practice skratch record tool called Skratchy Seal's Training Wheels!  It's, like, the best record I've made so far in the skipless realm, since it's great for juggling and skratching, as well.  After that, I'd love to get into another film like Wave Twisters, as soon as I get done with a million other projects that people and my company have me lined up for!

Scrawled:  Scratching must be a subconscious process for you at this point.  Do you scratch in your dreams?
Q-Bert:  When I'm lucky.

Scrawled:  What advice would you give a kid with an artistic inclination who wants to learn to DJ?
Q-Bert:  Follow your heart and your dreams.  Be patient, and your rewards will come.  Then practice, practice, and practice again.

Scrawled:  Lastly, where do you see the art of the turntable DJ 100 years from now?  1000 years?
Q-Bert:  I see turntables on the feet, like a drummer would do; controlling 4 turntables, like a one-man band. 

Scrawled:  Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us!
Q-Bert:  Thank you!

For more on DJ Q-Bert, check out his official site, as well as his MySpace profile. 
 

Photo published with DJ Q-Bert's express permission.