Many choose the more obvious path of DJing when starting out and worry about the studio later. What pushed you into production?
I’ve always done music of some sort or the other since I was about 5, I started writing electronically after a number of failed band attempts in 1999, it was a god-send for me- I couldn’t believe it’d taken me so long to find such an awesome method of writing. After a while I did feel compelled to start DJing after getting frustrated with going out to clubs to hear mates spin my tunes, but got bored very quickly so I started nutting out how to play live. Back then there was no info or “how to” vids on youtube and no Ableton. I think the “dark art” aspect of it really appealed to me at the time.
Your sound bridges the gap between progressive, trance and psy and fits just as well at an outdoor party as it does in club environment. Is a boundary-less approach to production your primary goal?
Absolutely. I’ve never written with a goal towards creating a track in a particular genre, which really works for me. Having a range of styles has allowed me to play live sets to a hugely varied audience. A lot of the people I have played to, especially in the younger scene have never seen a live set before so it’s a great feeling when you look out and see them really getting into it.
Tell us how Beat Geek Records came together and what the label’s philosophy is?
BeatGeek Records stems from my show on Kiss FM which I’ve been doing for over 3 years now. The show is about supporting local talent and broadcasting the music of Melbourne’s thriving production scene and I’m always on the look-out for new material. The label is the next incarnation, inspired by the sheer quality of music that’s coming out of Melbourne; we want to be part of supporting and helping to cultivate this brilliant community. We’re in final preparations at the moment and will be launching our first release in the next few weeks. It will be available on all the major download sites and from our website (
www.beatgeekrecords.com) .
What studio heads do you admire and draw inspiration from?
Internationally I’m loving some of Martin Roth’s new stuff, it’s really a stand-out progression for him. Locally Jamie Stevens is a real stand out. I think the real contenders for the faces of the next generation would have to be the L.I.M.E. boys (Kalus and Steve B / Vinyl Pusher) and the Hong-Kong Blondes (Timothy Allan and Mike Davis / Vicious). These guys are really pushing the envelope to a wide audience.
Live dance acts can range from the brilliant, to the downright pitiful with. Who sets the bar high, in your opinion?
Infusion. I’ve seen so many live acts in my time and these guys just rock it for me. There’s not an ounce of Melbourne bias in there either as the first time I saw them way-back-when I thought they were international. I stood in the dance-floor like a stunned mullet for the whole set. Tom COSM is also another who has to be seen to be believed.
As well as yourself and Beat Geek consists of Luko, Kalus, Steve May and Timothy Allen make up the label’s stable of artists. What does each individual bring to the label?
These guys have been the cream of my show for a few years now, they’ll be making contributions for the first releases that will be coming out on BeatGeek. As I mentioned earlier I think Kalus and Tim are both part of 2 pretty special acts and it’s great to have been able to secure their talents for BeatGeek. We’ll also be seeing a lot more local and international talent coming on board in the coming months. It’s a very exciting time for us.
