When any piece of art survives 20 years, it’s worth celebrating.
That’s how Claude VonStroke (born Barclay Crenshaw) is feeling about his debut album, Beware of the Bird, which turns 20 this year. It’s damn near legal drinking age; that means a new way to drink up old material in a fresh glass.
VonStroke’s record label Wrong Number Records is releasing an expanded deluxe edition. It includes remixes from Detroit techno co-founder Kevin Saunderson, ghetto-tech/booty pioneer DJ Assault, DJ Sneak and others.
On top of that, they’ll give Beware of the Bird its first-ever full vinyl pressing as a birthday present, available today (Oct. 23).
“I feel really lucky,” says VonStroke. “I got what I wanted, which was not something I thought I would get. What I wanted is to not have a boss and be creative and just do my own thing and not be, like, beholden to anyone. Just be independent, and nobody owns me.”
Consider those boxes checked for VonStroke because he’s truly done it on his own terms. He founded Wrong Number Records after selling his other wildly successful record label, Dirtybird. A decade ago, it was hailed as one of the most influential in electronic music.
Beware…and Beyond
Beware of the Bird is propelled by “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?,” his slinky tech-house anthem that has persisted all these years later. It’s still a staple on the dance floor and, most importantly, still sounds fresh. He was just 32 when he made that record, and “it still works,” says VonStroke.
“These were fun ideas,” recalls VonStroke. “It makes me think that I was more adventurous back then because I didn’t know anything. It’s more fun when you don’t know anything.”
Now at 55, VonStroke knows plenty. He’s feeling the years spent in the DJ booth, speaking to me after a physical therapy session to work on a nagging pain in his hip.
He’s seen the trends ebb and flow. He’s worked his way up from small clubs to massive venues, including major hometown stints performing at Movement.
And he’s watched as the craft he’s spent decades to perfect has become more and more accessible to a new generation with new ideas.
“DJing used to be hard, and now it’s easy, so a lot more people can do it well,” says VonStroke. “DJing has become much more about song selection because they have just made it so easy with the technology.”
Thanks to his experience, it’s also much more about following his instincts instead of what’s cool right now.
“I’m still here. People are still listening to my tunes,” says VonStroke.
Ryan Patrick Hooper is the host of In the Groove on 101.9 WDET Detroit Public Radio (weekdays from noon to 3 p.m.).
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