Since my interview was taken down I havent really had anything to post on, so im re-posting this, and then i'll finish my string of posts re: Record Labels...
MELEE BEATS:
INTERVIEW: 1. So, first off, when was it you started dabbling in the art of producing. Also what software / hardware was it you first used?
I started in the Fall of 1998; I was introduced to FLStudio (then called Fruity Loops) by my half-brother. It wasn’t very good at the time, you could only program drum loops, but it kept me entertained for quite a while, and I kind of grew with the program.
2. As ive read before, melee beats is the disco of 70's, the synthesis of the 80's and 90's house! Which of those is your favourite era, and, which do you think stands out more in your productions?
Disco, funk, and soul are my favorite, but that’s only what I like to listen to. I love to dance to 80s, and I like to tie it all together with house/electronic beats. I think a lot of each comes through, but predominately there’s a lot of 80s sequencing and sounds. They all correlate somehow, though!
3. Is there anybody, from your childhood to now, that you would love to collaborate with, in any form?
Quincy Jones – his work on the Michael Jackson albums is phenomenal. Or Stevie Wonder for sure.
4. What is on Melee Beats' current playlist at the moment, and, what is the last record/single/mp3 you purchased?
I picked up the CRS/Pusha T remix of N.E.R.D.’s “Everyone Nose” and have been rotating that heavily. It is a little slow for some people, but I think the beat is phenomenal and Lupe Fiasco comes through with an awesome verse. Besides that, the new Soulwax remixes that are coming out are fantastic, MGMT, and DJ Kue’s new remixes are all getting heavy rotation.
5. Who do you think is going to be big in the not so distant future?
Well, we’ve encountered a LOT of gimmicks associated with productions acts, and an onslaught of new-French electro/fidget/whatever. Many people will say that’s the current hot thing, but I honestly think it is declining. It is being overdone and overexaggerated, just like filtered disco was towards the end of its run. I think the electronic crossover bands like Soulwax, !!!, and LCD Soundsystem will lead the next wave of music. It is very hard to say what is currently on the cutting edge, but there will definitely be a shift coming. I have a hard time keeping up!
6. Finally, do you have anything in line for after the release of 'Triumph'?
I am working with my longtime friend and performance DJ Kue for a new club-oriented album that is really going to take people by surprise. There are some restrictions placed upon the Melee Beats title that make it difficult to do some of the things I’m doing on this album; all I can say is that it will be a very, very innovative and listenable club record! I’ve also finished three tracks off of my next album “Hot Damage,” which could be out in the first quarter of 09...
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