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January 18, 2008 10:36 am
Can someone please give Hump the Grinder a reality show? Like, immediately? It’s not for him—Hump’s a background guy, the man behind the super-stylists who take part in Hair Wars. The stylists are the ones Hump figures ought to be stars, because, in a way, they already are. Can you build a three-tier wedding cake out of human hair, on top of someone’s head? Veronica Moyé can. Here’s the pitch: More than 20 years ago, DJ David Humphries, a/k/a Hump the Grinder, decided to celebrate the local Detroit scene of whacked-out ‘dos by throwing a “Fantasy Hair” party. That party begat more parties, which in turn begat Hair Wars, Hump the Grinder’s touring showcase of extreme coiffure. We’ve watched amateur singers strangle Celine Dion songs; we’ve watched amateur human beings eat bugs for money. We’ve tuned in for makeovers of automobiles, bathrooms, and Midwestern housewives. Wouldn’t you rather watch “Hair Wars”? Think “Iron Chef,” only with hair. Or, if you prefer, think “Project Hairway.” Until someone at Bravo gets on board, alas, the only way to see top fantasy hair stylists strut their stuff is to go to a Hair Wars event, and this weekend, the show comes home to Motown, with “Dream to the Extreme.” Here, Hump the Grinder spares some prep time to explain how he helped make Motor City the Hair Capital of the World.
Are people often surprised to find out that the man who invented Hair Wars does not, in fact, do hair?
They’re always surprised. They’re also surprised when they come to a Hair Wars show and realize that it’s not a competition. Folks scream and holler at the styles they like, but we’re not about prizes. Some people early on gave Hair Wars the name, but really, it’s just a showcase, a way for all these talented people to have fun and get their work out in front of the public.
Given that you were never a stylist yourself, what inspired you to create an event that’s all about hair?
The first thing people need to understand is that I’m from Detroit. And the next thing people need to understand is that Detroit’s always had its own thing going on when it comes to hair. Don’t ask me why, but for whatever reason, a woman in Detroit can get away with wearing some crazy style to her job at the bank, and instead of the manager telling her to get back home with that, people will be asking her for the stylist’s name, like, she’ll be handing out business cards from the teller window. What I’m saying is, there’s a culture. And back when I was deejaying, it was my job to promote a good party. I knew that hair would bring the people in. And it did.
Cards on the table: I’m from Detroit. And I’ve never seen anyone walking around with, say, a scale-model barbecue on her head.
No, no, Hair Wars is about the extreme, it’s about the most. But I bet you have seen women with their hair built up really high, and a lot of color and a lot of flavor going on. The thing about Detroit is, there’s a hair budget. You know? Out in places like L.A., New York, Chicago, people don’t set aside the money the way they do here. They’ve got other priorities. But in Detroit, wherever that money comes from, however much there is, there’s a budget for hair. It’s been that way, and it still is that way.
Why?
Because it’s acceptable. Detroit’s a majority black city, right? And if you want to go back to the history, the black people who came to Detroit from the South, they were the cutting edge, migrating up here to work in the auto industry. We’ve always been trendsetters. Cars, music, it’s all related. One of these days, I’m going to do a Hair Wars show that puts it all together.
Obviously, you’re a Detroit partisan, but you’ve staged Hair Wars shows all over the country. How do the stylists from other cities compare?
Well, we’ve been doing the Hair Wars for a while now. We’ve gone on TV shows and sold instructional DVDs, and the Detroit stylists go to all the trade fairs and show people how it’s done, and so a lot of other talented people have gotten exposed, you know? This thing has gotten so big, I mean, when we take Hair Wars on the road, some of the stylists who’ve been around awhile, people will be stopping them for autographs. If we could just get some real corporate backing, the possibilities are limitless.
You’ve said before that you think fantasy hair stylists ought to be stars. That’s not necessarily an intuitive position; I mean, they’re not performers.
But they are. You come to a Hair Wars show, you’ll see—there’s music, there’s skits and choreography, and the whole time, the stylists are up there, creating something nobody’s ever seen before. And anyway, look, years and years ago fashion designers were people hanging out in the background, too. If a fashion designer can be a star, why can’t a hair stylist? Like I said, the possibilities are limitless. Merchandise, television shows, you name it. The mainstream is coming, just you wait.
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