Roadkill

Out of the least likely places can come the most impressive arrivals. Take the Crystal Method for example. Emerging from the desert waste and neon glitz of the Las Vegas strip in 1994, UNLV buddies Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland, weaned on a steady diet of Zeppelin and Floyd, created a Method that not only had a mad beat you could dance to, but also recognizable melodies you could hum in the shower. In a genre often defined by waves of redundant breakbeats and stillborn one-hit wonders, the Crystal Method have been dubbed America's Great White Techno Hope.

"On one hand that's definitely flattering," says Kirkland, "and then on the other hand it's just ridiculous, you know? We understand that our record company and the media have to not only describe our music, but also our entire vibe. Our hope is that if we have some success then hopefully it'll open doors for some other talented people in our area."

The success is already there. The duo's blistering live show is infamous for its chaotic creativity and the instant audience rapport they promote. Unlike most techno/electronica groups, the Crystal Method's live set embraces the audience, boxes their ears a bit, and then gleefully slobbers on them.

"When we were first asked to play live back in '95," continues Kirkland, "we checked out a lot of the techno bands who were coming through Los Angeles, and one of the things we missed was that kind of intimate interaction that takes place at a lot of concerts. You couldn't really make a connection with the band, you couldn't tell what they were doing, you couldn't tell who was playing what, and more times than not, you couldn't even see them behind the wall of equipment and the wall of smoke. So Ken and I decided that we would set everything up right at the front of the stage, and have fun and not let ourselves get bored or boring.

"It gives people that feeling that we're actually participating in the whole event instead of just standing there... pushing buttons."

- Marc Savlov