by Vince Patricola

In the assembly of sound, there are few skilled players like Detroit’s own DJ, producer, label head and vinyl distributor Norm Talley that can do it all like he does at such a high level. His passionate, welcoming and confident, yet chill nature will make you understand why the D is so special within five minutes of talking with him.

Talley is a founding member of Beatdown Sounds with longtime friends and seasoned scene vets Delano Smith and Mike “Agent X” Clark. In the early 2000s they released a triple album featuring Detroit artists like Eddie Fowlkes, Alton Miller, Rick Wilhite,Theo Parrish along with a few remix EPs featuring Carl Craig, Mike Huckaby, Marcellus Pittman, DJ Minx, Piranhahead, Reggie Dokes and more on Third Ear Recordings.

The Beatdown Brothers had their own tracks, remixes and careers touring as DJs, but this release kicked them into another gear and set up things nicely for this century.

Talley founded his own fierce label Upstairs Asylum Recordings (UAR) featuring both compilations of friends and up and coming artists. He also has solo projects on labels like NDATL, FXHE, City Boy, Classic, Sushitech, Soiree International, Mixmode and many more.

Behind the decks he is one of the smoothest and technically perfect blenders in the game. In the mix, he stands still with full concentration, but the dance floor fully feels and hears what he’s cooking up. As the night goes on the Normtinis flow and a cigarette may dangle precariously off his lip but no beat will fall out of place. As a selector, truly one of the finest.

With years of experience touring the world, label contacts and thousands of fans in his orbit he decided during the pandemic to start pressing and distributing his own label works which eventually led to putting out and distributing for other producers as well. This was a service that Detroit artists, record shops and DJs around the world sorely needed. His all thriller, no filler vinyl stock complete with his stamp of approval makes for good sales days.

VP: Thank you Norm for taking the time for this interview! Please tell us how you arrived at the decision to become a record distributor?

NT: Well actually I dont think it was an actual decision but more like a supply and demand type of situation. If you were a person looking for a certain record and I knew where you could get it from I would just connect the dots.

VP: You are providing a truly essential service to the music world. Have there been any top of mind success stories that you can share?

 

NT: Success is a work in progress and always under construction!!! 24/7

VP: What is coming from Upstairs Asylum Records after Movement?

 

NT: There are a few projects on the table from some Detroit artists and a few international artists to round out 2025. A couple releases in the Classic Rewind Series (Cosmic Waves remix EP) (Detroit2Step remix EP) as well as a couple V/A releases “Detroit On The Move Vol.1 an Vol.2”  and an album from myself “Norm-O-Logy”

VP: Do you have a favorite release?

 

NT: That’s a tuff one as there are 20 releases now, so it’s difficult to nail it down to one. but I will say that the U.N.I.T.Y series Vol.1,2 and 3 are pretty solid double albums with a wide variety of artists and vibes for all occasions.

VP: Are you going to go on tour over the summer?

 

NT: I do have some dates lined up stateside (USA) as well as here in Detroit.

VP: Would you name a few up and coming Detroit artists we should keep an eye out for?

 

NT: Lots of younger cats doing their thing production wise and putting in work, so to name a few that I’m hip to are Marcus Harris, Carlos Foster(DJ Ryte Nou), Max Watts, Deon Jamar, Julion D’Angelo just to name a few. They are DJs and producers which is a good look for the future of the Detroit music industry.

VP: How can people keep up with all your releases & activities?

 

NT: I’m on social media for activities. If vinyl is your thing I have a monthly mailer that I send out with new releases in stock ready to ship worldwide! To get on the list send an email to:  normtalley@gmail.com

Here’s a fun personal pic of myself with Norm behind the decks. It was taken on Mudgie’s patio for DEQ 7 record release and  impromptu celebrity mix off back in 2016.