January 2010

PART II of the compelling series. NYC can catch Carl Craig performing a live soundtrack for Andy Warhol film screenings at the Unsound Festival on Fri. Feb. 5.

When music producer Carl Craig approach me about chronicling his car-buying process, I knew there was more to the story. Craig, clearly, enjoys the idea of driving, and his daily driver to the studio plays a formative roll in what happens there. In many ways, his growing taste for European luxury was cultivated as his fame and fortune has grown. His favorite car is a reflection of what he has achieved.

Like many Detroiters, he was raised under the influence of the Big Three. He was from a Ford family. His father drove the “biggest, baddest Ford.” Carl’s first driving experience was in his sister’s Ford Escort.

A BMW 525i in the style of Craig's first BMW

But when he laid eyes on his brother’s a BMW 318i, Carl was impressed with the German performance and pedigree. As music money started to flow, he opted for his first major purchase, a BMW 525. “I held onto it for so long” he said. “I was iffy about splurging. It was still a baby step.”

Next up for Carl was the lease of BMW 7-series—the car he felt best fit his persona, which includes an affinity for grotesquely beautiful sound equipment.

“If you do research on the EMT turntables, they are very rare,” Carl explained. “They’re not the prettiest looking things, but they sound amazing. I collect studio gear. The 7-series is ugly in it’s own way.”

The authoritative perception drew him to the 7-Series, and he thrived on the psychological rush he had driving the powerful sedan. Carl drives fast and the big beefy BMW engine was up his ally. “When you are coming to the studio, (the 7 shows) you’re serious about what you. (It says) I’m the boss. I’m the boss of a couple companies.”

As Carl’s 7 series lease drew to a close late last year, he began to refine his purchase ideas, and he identified other factors that might influence the purchase decision of a music man — like a premium sound system. “When I’m testing a song out I listen in the car to judge how it sounds, and if it’s balanced. I’m not just listening to it in the studio. I listen for the balance in the car.” As his list grew, Lexus’s Mark Levinson sound system was at the top of the list.

After a long talk with fellow Detroit producer Mike Banks, he began to consider buying an American ride—like the Ford Shelby Mustang or the Chevy Camaro, as an homage to the Detroit industry. Carl is known for his support of all things cultural in the city, serving on a local arts council, so this argument held sway. He also said he favors the bold look of the cars with the muscle car aesthetic. “The flow of the design of the American car, I think it influences rap; it influences all black music,” Carl said.

But the design language of the European car appears to resonate most strongly with him. “I like design that would be considered exotic. I like Pininfarina. I like things that are sleek. I like things that are unique, but harder to acquire.”

Switching to a tone of jest, he continued, “We all feel the aesthetic, the lust of the fact that when you have a car, you can get laid. The car solves all your social issues. It gets what you desire.” However, Carl countered that he doesn’t think his car has changed his social life one way or another — it’s simply one of his favorite interests, outside of music that he enjoys discussing among his circle of friends.

And so his search continued on, as he began to visit area dealerships, test driving all the shiny new cars, until he narrowed down his criteria further, in between weekly trips overseas to DJ, spending time with his family, producing new tracks, mentoring young producers and collaborating with international orchestras. Such is the life of Carl Craig.

Read Carl Craig Shop for a New Car: Vol. 3 to find out what Carl ultimately settled on, and how even a Grammy-nominated producer has to think about price tags when buying big ticket items.

Carl Craig Shops for a New Car: Vol. 1

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