November Profile:Aeon Crew: Universal Mind Productions Site: http://www.umprod.com Contact: aeon@umprod.com Real Audio: LISTEN to Wicked!

How did you get started ?
My friend Burl really turned me on to dance music and parties he had done with Kynd Family, Feelgood, Eye 2 Eye, and a bunch of other people. Back then he used to live in what ever warehouse they were throwing parties at and couch surfing in between. I was doing the same in Denton and Irving at the same time.

It's kind of hard to put a finger on exactly when I got started, I would say some time in the summer of '96. I was working for Raid-5 doing all kinds of odd jobs. Don Gentry had just established D1 productions. He and I had done a couple little things here and there, mainly house parties. I was picking up the whole DJ thing but was kind of slow at it, I was getting the technical aspect of it but I guess I couldn't find the music that inspired me.

Then I went to jail in Denton for 4 months. Don came and saw me a couple of times and let me know what was going on in the free world. But it was here in the Denton County Jail that I would make a connection that would start a landfall. You see, there was this frat boy in my tank who was telling me about some land there in Denton where some of the locals had rallies and keggers that went all night. He gave me some brief directions and told me the guy's name that owned the land.

Needless to say when I got out we checked out the land, it was perfect. Right by the airport, it just needed some touch ups and it was great. These parties really launched D1 Productions (now D1 Creations) and Full Circle. It was there in Denton that I started spinning out. About that time I moved in with my friend (and partner in crime) James Meadows, aka Nobody. Man, he played this sick twisted sound that just rocked my ass, he called it Goa, I was hooked. James gave me my first Goa record it was Geomantic by Prana, I had found the sound that inspired me. I started collecting and playing it as much as possible. It didn't seem to get a great crowd response, but I was playing from my heart, so I didn't really care.

It was then that we went over to a friend's house one day to meet this guy from San Francisco who played the same music as us, his name was Shawn. I later found out he was born 6 hours before me under the same full moon in the same hospital with the same name and we played the same music, how about that for coincidence. The first thing he said to James and I was "Where's the Trance scene around here?" We let him know that he was pretty much looking at it. Being a follower of Moon Tribe and allot of the old California desert parties, and a good friend of Dutch, who he helped throw the first Area 51 party, Shawn couldn't let a full moon go by without the ground rumbling sound of Psy-Trance and Goa beneath it. So we started Astral Tribe.

For a couple of years every time you looked up and saw a full moon we were somewhere rockin' out. We never handed out fliers, We just did it by word of mouth, we started getting a great following, not your average rave culture rejects, but people who really dug the music, it was great. At the same time I was still working for Raid-5 and when ever they would set up sound, Shawn and I were always there to do a sound check. We would tag off our entire new trance, man there is no way better to hear Goa then on a couple thousand watts.

We were getting more exposure and getting booked in side rooms at the complex and the old Industry building. It was at one of our full moon parties that I met David Green; he had seen us at the Texas Electronica Festival and had been following us. He was very down with allot of the things that we were doing like the development of a Trance scene in Dallas, But he hated that we always got shafted in small back rooms and puny sound systems. Universal Mind Productions started as an online Record/CD store, we kept all the stock in the study of his small one bedroom apartment. The sales were supposed to help in funding parties and such, but wound up just supplying our ever-growing need for better music. Then there was Space Rodeo, David's first party. It was off the hook. I wound up playing Drum & Bass outside at Decibel, it was something different for me but I really enjoyed it. Nick Taylor ripped it up, as did A.B. Definitely an unforgettable night. As the record store got bigger and the web site got better, Goa trance seamed to be getting a good name in Dallas. We were getting booked out to play allot more and getting a better response from the crowds, I think it has something to do with conditioning. We were also getting allot of respect from seasoned DJ's and promoters realizing what we had accomplished.

Then there was Resonant Moon, probably one of the best sets James and I ever played. We did a full on 2x4, and let me tell you with Psy-Trance this is no picnic. But we had a great time, and so did the crowd. The only regrets from that night would be that Sid Shanti didn't play earlier, he was incredible. And a great guy as well. I hope to see him back in Dallas again some day.

Universal Mind Productions last event was Massiv. We had the center area; we brought back Jamin Murphy who did deco at Resonant Moon, and A.B. as well as Quirk. Once again Universal Mind Productions pulled all the stops and gave a great performance.

Who inspires you musically and why?
I have a wide variety of musical inspiration. Mark Foster would definitely be one of the greatest. He was the first person to give me support and tried to show me the ropes. James Meadows, of course, always there to help me along the way, as I am to him. The H.D.C. all around founding fathers. Incredible musicians Sid Shanti - nuff said. David Green, he has one of the best music collections I have ever seen. He has a great ear for what sounds good. Uhm, aka Brian Aldridge, every time I hear him play he "roksdafukout!!!" Kynd, the essentials of schoolin' suckahs. Turn@round, for musical, and spiritual guidance. Tim aka Jirah, incredible DJ, and live artist, he just got signed with U.S.T.A. and we are all proud of him. Sounds great! Burl, because he's just burley, and he's got a face like Charles Bronson, straight out Greenbay, Wisconsin... And of course Shawn, probably one of my greatest inspirations, he opened up a world to me that to this day I am thankful for. There are many others, but these are the essentials of my inspiration.

How much have you changed musically since you started?
Well seeing as how I started playing East Coast Hip-Hop when I first started, I guess I have changed allot. But then again before I played Goa, I played house, and I've been playing allot more house lately, so I guess I haven't changed that much at all. I guess the only thing that has changed is my technical abilities, on the decks, and in the studio, as well as my understanding of synth, midi, recording and editing. Don't get me wrong, I might play house. But I am definitely a Psy-Trance heathen…

Name two of your favorite tracks.
Etnica - Vimana
Unconscious Collective - Fluorostani Transcendance

What do you think of the current state of the Dallas Scene?
I hope for the best.

When is your next gig?
Universol, Sun Ray, and Myself, are playing at Eclipse Sol on Monday the 5th. It's located right by Liquid on lower Greenville. Also Ump-Day is on the 21st, Click HERE for info.