Are you producing? If so, care to tell us a little bit about what you are working on and who you're working with?
Over the past year the majority of my time and energy has been focused on production, composition, arranging, sampling and learning.
I've been primarily doing a lot of jazzy, down tempo & trip hop / hip-hop cuts as well as breaks and drum & bass. I like the feeling of versatility and I don't want to place any restrictions or limitations on what I'm capable of creating by defining myself through one particular style or sound. I'm at a point in my life where making good music is a higher priority than maintaining a DJ residency.
Most of my work thus far has been solo but I'm always looking for vocalists and other like-minded producers and musicians to share ideas and work with.
Do you think Dallas has a big audience for Garage? Do you think it will grow even more?
Thanks to efforts from DJ's and crews such as Tuff Breaks, Groovology, Posh and many other local DJ's and enthusiasts, Dallas has become renowned for our representation and support for Garage music. Regardless of how it has progressed and transitioned, there will always be an audience for the sound that gained a considerable following in Dallas.
I think it has grown as much as it possibly could have in the UK as well as here in the states, and now that sound that has developed into something more raw, darker, with heavy emphasis on the microphone. There are several terms that identify these emerging sounds, but are most commonly referred to and categorized as grime or sub-low.
Describe the sound you're pushing forward to the Dallas massive.
Instead of pushing a particular sound through mixing records, I'm currently pushing myself to release an EP of original material, which will feature a diverse range of styles from Trip Hop to Drum & Bass. I'm currently in the post-production phase and hope to have it released in the spring.
There's a lot of confusion in terms of what to call this underground style. Names like dubstep, grime, sublow, 8 bar are being thrown around - yet they're sometimes interchangeable with each other. What's your take on this?
As the way people make and hear music become more specific, every variation of style within musical genres seem to incite a unique way of defining that sound. I think a lot of people have different ideas when they hear words that describe a musical genre. These days I'd like to either call it music or noise, but sometimes we have to be more specific when describing sound and music. I know that's a pretty vague and obscure response to the question. I hope my response made sense to somebody that's reading this.
Who/what inspires you musically and why?
There are countless musicians and producers who have been an inspiration to me throughout my life. It's always been my dream to inspire others through music that I create. When I'm given a message, I sit down and write until it manifests.
Do you listen to any non electronic dance music? If so, what do you listen to?
Most definitely! Variety is the spice of life and music is as diverse as the people that create it. I can appreciate most any form of music that is composed, written, produced and arranged well. I'm a big fan of Reggae, Dancehall, older Jazz and Blues, Flamenco and classical Latin music. All of which influence my style of production and prepossess my general taste in electronic dance music.
What was your favorite event to play at? And why?
There are so many, it's hard to list just one…
My first residency where I became established as a DJ here in Dallas was Thursday nights at Red inside Club Clearview from 1999 through 2001. I had a great time with Po$h Fridays at Crave last year. Last, but not least, I have to mention how much I enjoyed having the opportunity to play a guest spot on Edge Club as well as having the honor of being in rotation for the closing night of Groovology back in December.
What do you think of the current state of the Dallas scene? And what do you think we can do to improve it?
Change is ever-present in life and in every community, but everything is always as it should be. Balance is essential and improving anything in life begins within oneself.
Is there anything you see that other musicians do that annoys you?
I consider myself a pretty easy-going guy so it's hard to annoy me. I will say this, however... Confidence is key, but over-inflated egos are unbecoming of anyone, musician or not.
Any upcoming gigs you'd like to list?
Between working a graveyard shift and dedicating as much time as possible to my production efforts, there isn't much time left for playing out. After my original production work is officially released and I secure a more normal work schedule, I'll be coming out of my cave more often. Until then, you can catch a set from me at Crave on March 5th where I'll be rotating some classic Garage tunes, some current dubs and a few original pre-releases.
Do you want to thank anyone?
"I've gotta thank God for the music!" Everyone that ever gave me a chance and those who have shown their support and appreciation for what we all as collective artists have done in the past and what we will continue doing. Special thanks go to my close friends, my brother, Brett aka MeThoD and the late Rich Soul (RIP).
Do you have anything else to add?
Stay true to the cause and don't be afraid to live the dream.
