Gossip [&] the Devil

Photo by Twink

“If you happen to be of the other mindset, that judges artistic merit on mass acceptance, then you are probably reading the wrong interview and blog.”

Being that Gossip [&] the Devil is an equal opportunity interview slayer, when Kill Hannah’s new touring guitarist, Michael Maddox (who prefers to be called by his surname), asked me to interview him I couldn’t say no. You might remember the other interview I conducted with then-touring guitarist Gil Baram a few months ago. What the fuck? You ask. Yes, raccoon-eyed girls and guys, Maddox is now on the touring grind with Kill Hannah. (In short: Gil returned to Israel briefly to finish some personal business while Kill Hannah were still on tour; Maddox filled in during that time and has stayed with them since.) Before touring with Kill Hannah, however, Maddox was part of regionally successful acts Jupiter Blue and Miser, both of which met their end due to lack of work ethic and that sad state of affairs when you aren’t getting paid.

I remember handing Maddox my card in the rain outside an open venue in Austin, TX. He claimed he gave a great interview and, after hearing his responses to everything from word association to what the humanities have to offer the next generation I’ll submit the guy is right. I threw him some of the hardest questions I could, and he answered them with tact and above all, honesty.

Raised in Texas before reloacting to LA, he has a Southern grace about his California style. The band circuit has failed him on more than one occasion, yet those experiences have hardly dampened his passion; he instead channeled that drive into a solo project. Taking inspiration from family members and other hardworking bands, Maddox does whatever it takes to keep the music coming, help preserve a culture that likely won’t be appreciated in the near future and urges you to “forge your own path regardless of current trends.”

Age: In Hollywood I’m 29, in any other town, I’m a little older.
Sign: Sagittarius
Occupation: Guitarist
Biggest Influences: Brian May, Ace Frehley, Neal Schon, Steve Vai

Musical Synopsis: I began playing on Christmas morning when I was 12 yrs old.  I took two lessons when I was about 14, but got bored pretty quickly and continued learning by ear. Also a lot of trial and error. I essentially just practiced playing along to records that I grew up listening to. A lot of classic rock that I got from my older brother and dad, as well as some of the heavier stuff like Metallica, Judas Priest, etc. I was obsessed with rock and roll right away, and obviously never really wised up all these years later.

I was playing in the Dallas area for quite a while, and wasn’t getting anywhere. The majority of players I was playing with seemed to want to do it part time, or had so many other priorities that I felt like the only one really breaking my neck to make things happen. I moved to LA with a girlfriend that I was also playing with, that lasted about 3 months, of course. Then I decided to do my own thing.

Julie M. Tate: Have you always been a freelance musician? Have you done your fair share of auditioning for bands?

Michael Maddox: I’ve actually not gone on that many true “cold auditions” per say. I have gotten most of my gigs through mutual friends, recommendations, and reputation. I have really tried hard to only play with people, or in bands that I really enjoyed. It would be very difficult for me to dedicate myself to something that I didn’t believe in, or at  least SOME aspect of the overall picture. The only time I’ve ever gone out for an audition that I didn’t  get, was actually the Kill Hannah audition. I lost the lead guitar slot, but apparently came in a close second, so when Dan Wiese decided to get married, I was asked to fill in for him for a few weeks, which turned into me staying on with the band even after Dan returned.

JMT: One of these gigs included Jupiter Blue, who moved from Chicago to LA. What brought you together with them?

MM: It was actually only the singer [Dickie Chapin] that relocated. I saw an ad online about a band looking for a drummer, and by the description it really sounded like my dream band. I checked out some music, the singer was exactly what I’d been looking for my whole career. I emailed him, and told him that I was a terrible drummer, but if some unfortunate accident happened to their guitarist, i.e., a faulty brake cable or some other random mishap, that I’d be glad to take over. As fate would have it, a week later I got a call that their guitarist was moving back home, and that they had a show in a week. I rehearsed twice with them, played the show, and stayed with them for the next 3 or 4 years until the band ended.

Maddox on the set of Jupiter Blue's video for their single "Anthem for the Jaded"

JMT: And Jupiter Blue has a long and sordid history with your current touring band, Kill Hannah, right?

MM: As I said Dickie is originally from Chicago, Kill Hannah’s hometown. They played a lot of shows together as both bands were getting started, and as a matter of fact he played a show or two with them behind the kit, as he is originally a drummer. An early Kill Hannah drummer named James Connelly, was also the first drummer in Jupiter Blue when I joined in LA. There is a long list of mutual friends in the circle as well. While I was in Jupiter Blue, when we would discuss or argue about why the band wasn’t moving further, or faster, I would always point to two bands that displayed an incredible work ethic: Miser and Kill Hannah. The fact that I eventually went on to work with both bands is more than a little ironic.

“I can honestly say that having support from family is a huge advantage when you’re struggling to survive playing music.”

JMT: You moved back to Texas after your nephew was in a motorcycle accident, giving up what you had in LA. Have you always been close with your family and do they support your dreams?

MM: I am very close with my family, and have always been. My nephew was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident last year, so I decided to move back to Texas to help out with him. It turned out he didn’t really need my help, and is doing fine on his own. So, luckily I got a call from the band Miser to join them, which I did for a bit before moving back to LA.

My parents are still married, which is a rarity these days. They have not always been thrilled with my lifestyle or career choices but have always backed me, and been ecstatic about any successes I’ve achieved. I can honestly say that having support from family is a huge advantage when you’re struggling to survive playing music.

JMT: I’m sure watching your nephew come back from such a potential tragedy was inspiring.

MM: My nephew was and is absolutely an inspiration. It makes it difficult to complain or not see the bright side of any situation when i think about what he struggles with everyday. He hasn’t let being in a wheelchair stop him from having a completely full life, and he stays in excellent shape with his upper body in the hope that when and if stem cell technologies advance he will be a perfect candidate.

Photo by Twink

JMT: Miser, as you explained in your Myspace blog, met its demise because no one was making money. Then you made the curious decision to make a solo record, almost in complete defiance of that sentiment. Where are those songs now, and can we hear them?

MM: I really had come to a place with other musicians in general, where I felt like it didn’t matter how much effort I put into it, it would always be derailed by someone else’s lack of drive. When I decided to do a solo record, it was really just the idea of me saying, “fuck being in a band, I’m going to produce something that didn’t rely on anyone else’s dedication or schedule other than my own.” I have about 10 songs in the works now, I don’t know when I will have the time to continue working on them in the foreseeable future, but I’m really proud of them and would like them to be heard eventually. I’m not interested in pushing them as a product, it really is just sort of a pet project up to this point. It’s been nothing but Kill Hannah for the last few months, and I’m so happy to be in a band that truly works incredibly hard everyday for the same goal. It’s really the ideal band situation I’ve always looked for, so I don’t mind at all putting my pet project on the back burner for a while.

“Hopefully, things will continue to go well…but if not I really don’t have the desire to run out and join another band.”

JMT: Are you looking for a permanent gig to write/record with?

MM: This sort of feeds back into my earlier answer about being fed up with bands in general. When I came to Los Angeles after playing with Miser,  I had no intention of getting back into a band situation, unless it was just a very comfortable fit and was something I could really believe in. I really can’t think of any bands I would have gone out of my way to play with besides Kill Hannah. Hopefully, things will continue to go well with them, but if not I really don’t have the desire to run out and join another band. I would more likely return home to work on my solo material.

JMT: Kill Hannah usually have murderous touring schedules. How’s tour been so far? The shows with She Wants Revenge seemed to have gone great, as well as your current tour with Jet and Papa Roach.

MM: The shows have been absolutely amazing. The tour schedule is very hectic, especially with us filling in the days off from the Papa Roach and Jet tour with our own headlining shows. This is a band that is not afraid to work though, I feel very lucky to be a part of such  a dedicated group of guys. I have to keep reminding myself that these guys have been at it a long time, so whenever I worry that maybe  someone is getting burnt out, that they have already proven themselves time and time again that they are dedicated to the work they do.  I’m just so used to band mates pulling the plug when things get a little rough, so again I feel very lucky to be working with a band  with such a great work ethic.

“I think the key thing in Kill Hannah, right now, is to keep it sounding like Kill Hannah, which means making it  sound the way Mat Devine hears in his head.”

JMT: Kill Hannah really are about growing their product, enhancing it and making it thicker, tighter and more productive. How do you help enhance Kill Hannah’s sound?

MM: I think the key thing in Kill Hannah, right now, is to keep it sounding like Kill Hannah, which means making it  sound the way Mat Devine hears in his head. I’ll take certain liberties with things like effects,  and occasionally I will throw in a few little things musically, but to be honest I usually hear about  it after the show. *laughs*  Other players have come in and not really fit the sound, so the way to do  it is to give them what they want now, and as time goes on, and they learn to trust my style things will  evolve organically.

Maddox with Kill Hannah, September 2009 (Photo by R. E. Barbash)

JMT: Are you neurotic? In Kill Hannah you have to be neurotic.

MM: Oh my god, do you think I’m neurotic? Why would you think I’m neurotic? Do I seem neurotic? I have to do something about this neurosis, what should I do? Does that answer your question?

JMT: What’s the first word that comes to mind when faced with the following words or phrases:

MM:

Miser: jager
Jupiter Blue: under utilized potential
Kill Hannah: hard working
Eyeliner: war paint
Profits: never heard of it.
Record Label President: never heard of us
Faygo: ridiculous

“It’s a real shame that kids today don’t  take the same interest generally in the details of the music they care about.”

JMT: Did you have a big record collection as a kid? Did it save your life?

MM: Oh yeah. I bought EVERYTHING. I was the guy that would buy all types of music,  just to get turned on to new things. I love owning entire catalogs from artists like Queen, or Zeppelin. I have about four huge racks of cd’s with a ton of vinyl and cassettes as well. I used to read every liner note,  every credit on every record that I bought while growing up. It’s a real shame that kids today don’t  take the same interest generally in the details of the music they care about. It’s interesting to me, that growing up, I only knew about 2 or 3 kids that were into the same movies, albums, and bands that I was. As I’ve gotten older, I seem to have gravitated towards like minded people, and now have a huge group of friends that were/are exactly like I was as a kid. Of course, we’ve all taken those influences and lived different lives through them, which is important. It’s exciting to find that common ground in a new friend though.

JMT: We’re in the Information Age and great works of art are reduced to entries on Wikipedia. Given your pursuit of your dreams both on your own and with others, do you believe the humanities are an important part in preserving our culture?

MM: I’m going to be really honest here, because it’s something that I think about a lot. I think that in a few years, nothing is going to be “special” to the next generation. The incredible sense of entitlement, in addition to instant information and technology at their  fingertips, means that future generations will have no interest in cultivating anything original or artistic. Anything we can do as artists to keep  the sacredness of music, literature, and art alive is paramount. Every 12-year-old has a recording studio on their new laptop, that is light years beyond what The Beatles used to record Sgt. Pepper. Having said that, music has never been more stale and unoriginal. There is a correlation there. Stop buying new software that gives you fifty new drums sounds. Stop thinking that by owning Pro Tools, you are an artist. Stop thinking that getting new gear means you are becoming a better player.  We have to stop collecting technology as a bragging right, and go back to working on the craft of UTILIZING what we have in new and exciting ways.

Maddox and I happy to be alive in Lawrence, KS, October 2009

JMT: Do you think an artist’s job is important to the whole, or do you think an artist is self-serving first and foremost?

MM: I believe that to be a “true artist” you have to shun convention, and forge your own path regardless of current trends or  or what the current cultural momentum is. This is in direct contrast to being a “successful artist” in our world today. It’s not only  easier, but it’s been proven that almost the ONLY way to be a success, is to create carbon copies of the previous model and  water it down until it’s devoid of any real creativity. There is a way to take the things that influenced you as a younger person, and push it into new directions. Think outside the box, but reference what shaped you to become the person you are today. It’s a pretty exclusive group that seem to be able to do this. Marilyn Manson, Lady Gaga, Trent Reznor, Wayne Coyne and even Mat Devine are a few that come to mind, that possess this trait. This is all just my opinion, of course. If you happen to be of the other mindset, that judges artistic merit on mass acceptance, then you are probably reading the wrong interview and blog.

(Kill Hannah are currently on tour with Jet and Papa Roach. Check their Myspace or killhannah.com for details on this and their upcoming New Heart For Xmas show held annually in Chicago!)

“…a song I haven’t sung since I was a little brat in Connecticut,” sings Kill Hannah’s Mat Devine on their latest effort, Wake Up the Sleepers.

He’s right.

Sleepers is no doubt Kill Hannah’s most honest and ambitious album to date, the “album we’ve always wanted to make,” according to the band. More than their major label efforts, For Never and Ever and Until There’s Nothing Left of Us, this album stays truer to the original “Kill Hannah sound” that decorated the band’s first albums: an infectious blending of sludge and sleaze, glitter, dance beats, space cadet effects and afro-Cuban drum parts. Somewhere inside this album lies the aural cocktail that’s been eluding them since the release of American Jet Set in 1999, and they’ve attempted every trick in the book to re-discover it, including guest appearances by everyone from Benji Madden to Amanda Palmer.

One must take risks in producing such an ambitious effort, and Kill Hannah has not fallen short in that regard.  In doing so, however, they must be prepared for those risks to turn people off. Several of Kill Hannah’s influences have learned this the hard way, notably U2 (Pop) and The Smashing Pumpkins (Machina/The Machines of God).

Key track “Escape Artistry” is “All That He Wants (American Jet Set)” updated for 2009 and “Living in Misery,” is every bit as grandiose as Devine’s dreams—an epic, hopeful ballad featuring larger-than-life Twitter-er and sometime musician Palmer, a children’s choir and the chorus, “We are living in misery, but we have to hold on.”  With throwaway lyrics and a beat meant to move you, “Tokyo (Dance In The Dust)” takes influence from friends Shiny Toy Guns and their hit “Le Disko,” despite the questionable and unnecessary T-O-K-Y-O chant let loose toward the end of the song.

Self-produced and pieced together in four different studios around Chicago and in Canada, the album alternates from hopeful to hopeless, lovesick to love-heals-all-things. The fact a few of the songs were written years apart from one another explains some of the manic-depressive mood swings. Fan favorite “New York City Speed” was an internet demo leaked years ago, while rock-love song “Acid Rain” was written during the Until There’s Nothing Left of Us sessions. These songs act as the glue holding the album together and bind new with old, attempting to keep the band’s promise to “unite all the Kill Hannah fans from the last 10 years, and do everything in our ability to continue to earn [their] loyalty.”

The mixing on the album feels just as scattered—tracks like “Mouth 2 Mouth,” “Escape Artistry” and “Strobelights” sound like they belong on one album, while “Living in Misery” and “Laika” on another. Complete downer “Promise Me” samples a string orchestra and features live tympani drums, but the subtleties are such it barely seems to break through demo waters. The song has potential to be a heart-rending, moody ballad, but comes across as neglected next to the slick production of “New York City Speed” and “Radio.”

Dan Wiese performed virtually all of the guitar work (aside from a couple guest turns), due to the departure of Jonny Radtke (who makes a sole appearance on “Acid Rain”). He gives the album a depth missing in previous KH efforts, layered in distortion and effects, a mad concoction of thick sound. Wiese’s vibe is more indie than metal, and instead of sprawling solos you get sonic landscapes crafted from the belly of this effect scientist’s laboratory.  The guitars are dripping with whatever Wiese can pull from his pedal board, adding a refreshing touch to a tried-and-true formula.

Drummer Elias Mallin plays on his first record with the band and adds the touch of metal flair with a thunder of double bass and added rhythmic complexity.  His contribution is especially noticeable with improvements on old favorites (“Welcome to Chicago Motherfucker”) and the occasional stray from the 4/4 time supported by bassist Greg Corner.

Devine lets his voice loose, stripping away the Pro Tools and letting his elfin, strained moans and shrieks come to life on their own terms. It’s one of his finest performances vocally and lyrically as he tries to tackle subjects only hinted at on previous albums. While his trademark turns of phrase are evident (“…and so we say goodbye, with thunder in our eyes…”) he also takes the blame (“Promise Me”), gives a free-style confessional (“Why I Have My Grandma’s Sad Eyes”) and tells his detractors to fuck off (“Radio”).

While Wake Up the Sleepers has some cringe-worthy moments (the T-O-K-Y-O chant) it has some triumphant ones as well (the chorus to “Strobe Lights”).  By far my biggest complaint about the record is song order. While likely intended to be schizophrenic and experimental it comes across as sloppy and disagreeable. The album jumps and jars so often I finally gave up and made my own playlist, which I’ll post below.

Regardless of the collective opinion, Kill Hannah make no apologies and have again made an album unlike any of their contemporaries. They are busy living, creating, and taking risks—rather than catering to a specific audience or delivering a disc put together by a label.  They are honesty warriors making the music they want to make. From their ambitious Chicago roots Kill Hannah’s message has always centered on hope and the unbeatable desire to press ever onward.

They’ve faced obstacles that have destroyed other bands; their suffering supplements their art. Through fire, trial, struggle and change emerges “a renewed sense of fearlessness and freedom during the writing and recording process that we haven’t felt since our independent DIY days in Chicago. We took a lot of chances, because this is the album that we want to be remembered by,” said Devine.

They danced with major labels and painted their faces; now Kill Hannah seem eager to jump into the bare grit of the sweat-soaked crowd, the sleepless that have always been awake, wearing trademark sniper hearts on their sleeves.

Julie M. T.’s recommended song order:

1. Mouth 2 Mouth
2. Snowblinded
3. Why I Have My Grandma’s Sad Eyes
4. Radio
5. Escape Artistry
6. New York City Speed
7. Strobe Lights
8. Tokyo (Dance in the Dust)
9. Laika
10. Vultures (Be There For Me)
11. Acid Rain
12. Promise Me
13. Living in Misery
14. (Bonus) Welcome to Chicago Motherfucker

(Visit killhannah.com for numerous Wake Up the Sleepers packages, or buy the album on Itunes here. Kill Hannah are currently on tour with Jet and Papa Roach. Check their Myspace for details.)

John Bourke - photo courtsey of Matthew Isaac

A few weeks ago I touched on the idea that it takes very little to be called an “artist” anymore. In a world where you can learn virtually anything with the click of a button, the margin to distinguish between amateur and professional is quickly getting smaller. DJing in particular is an art full of misconceptions. While I would never call myself a DJ by any means (my play lists are as manic-depressive as I am), because of my network of friends I have a small working knowledge of what’s required to keep a party moving forward into the waiting arms of dawn. In this case one is required to own a mental Rolodex of songs spanning decades and a near spider-sense of anticipation for the sweating mass in front of you. Both DJ and dancer have a sort of symbiotic relationship—because they move you sustain momentum, and if they aren’t moving then you aren’t doing your job.

John Bourke is a 26 year-old DJ and producer based in Oklahoma City. He’s also one-half of the sleazy, electro-punk duo Trash Yourself (alongside another Oklahoma native, Heidi Cannon). Although he’s considerably younger than powerhouse DJs such as Tommie Sunshine and DJ AM, that hasn’t stopped him from playing some of the hottest parties of the year, including SXSW in Austin and Debonair Social Club’s 4-year anniversary with Dark Wave Disco in Chicago. Even mega-companies such as Warner Brothers and Capcom have licensed his services.

Not bad for a boy from a state where there isn’t much support for the electro/house scene. Consequentially there isn’t much competition either, and what talent you’ll find has banded together under the name Dance Robots Dance, a self-proclaimed “international DJ collective based out of the unlikely state of Oklahoma.” DRD hosts a hugely successful dance party called Robotic every Wednesday at Kamps in Oklahoma City. While it might not seem so superficially, this is a lesson every artist would do well to learn: If you can’t find a home for the art you create, then build one.

I spoke with John shortly after he’d finished producing a few tracks for the upcoming Kill Hannah album, Wake Up the Sleepers, and discussed Trash Yourself, what makes a “good” DJ, his influences and getting the hell out of Oklahoma.

“Oklahoma isn’t a great place to network for dance music.”

Julie M. Tate: Since the majority of us only spend time on the dance floor and not behind the tables we only have one side of the party. What prompted you to start remixing/producing?

John Bourke: Just loved the music. Pretty much as simple as that. I loved electronic sounds and wanted to figure out how to make them.

JMT: Describe your first DJ set.

JB: Man, I can’t even remember. I did some Live PA and band stuff before DJing. But the first one I can remember was at this club Sanctuary in OKC that (DJ and Rise Up Productions founder) Unadave was running. I was playing breaks at the time with (Sanctuary resident) DJ Phenom. We had been producing music and then he invited me to DJ with him. I didn’t really know the mixer that I was using but I made my way through it with maybe a bad mix or two.

JMT: As far as DJ’s go, you’re not necessarily “unknown.” Warner Brothers has licensed your music for the Matrix DVD box set and Capcom has licensed your music for Final Fight: Streetwise. Do you make certain songs to cater to outlets like this and others for the dance floor, or do corporations generally come to you?

JB: Anything I have done licensing-wise was in a situation where they approached me to license a song. I haven’t ever really made music specifically with film or TV in mind—I’ve just been lucky enough where someone thought it fit their format and sent me an email.

JMT: With acts like the Shiny Toy Guns and the infamous Flaming Lips, Oklahoma has seen its share of talent succeed outside these southern walls. For electronic/experimental acts do you think it’s wise to aim for the outside market or try and build around a relatively untapped market here in this state?

JB: Well, its sounds so cliché now but with the internet you can really do anything from anywhere. Oklahoma is a great place to live and write but there’s a plateau here—you can’t network and meet people that are excited to help you build your career. You really have to get out of here every once in a while to network. Oklahoma isn’t a great place to network for dance music.

!Trash Yourself live at Debonair Social Club, 2009. Photo courtesy of darkroomdemons.com

JMT: Did it take long to “come up” in the scene here? Although you’ve been DJing for eight years, your band Trash Yourself is still relatively new. Was it easier because of said market or more difficult because it isn’t as promoted in Oklahoma?

JB: We still haven’t ever played a Trash Yourself show in Oklahoma City. Kinda weird I guess. We play all over the country, but there hasn’t been an occasion here that’s been appropriate I guess. We usually only do really crazy electro parties or large events like massive raves. It’s almost easier in a sense for people in other cities to dig on what you do.

JMT: Trash Yourself has gained recognition from SXSW to playing the 4-year anniversary at Chicago’s Debonair Social Club. How do gigs like those generally come about? They aren’t exactly low profile.

JB: A lot of it is just traveling and talking to people. There is a lot to be said for meeting people face to face. We kind of have a good rep from throwing parties in OKC. A lot of people know me from that. Hopefully people enjoy the music also and that’s why they call on me to play their party.

“It is important to be surrounded by people that know more than you at your craft.”

JMT: You’ve co-authored songs for the Shiny Toy Guns and currently have wrapped up production on some songs for the new Kill Hannah album coming out in September. How was that experience?

JB: Chicago was great! I had a lot of fun with all the guys. The studio we worked in was amazing. It was a legit major studio. (Chicago Recording Company) Smashing Pumpkins recorded their albums there so we were in the rooms that songs like “1979” and “Tonight, Tonight” were recorded in. It was very inspiring, I learned a lot from the experience. I hung out with Shiny Toy Guns in LA when they were recording their last album at NRG studios. That was pretty rad too. It is important to be surrounded by people that know more than you at your craft. That’s one thing that’s been hard about living in Oklahoma—there isn’t much of an artist community for musicians.

JMT: How does producing other artist’s music differ from producing your own? Aren’t you working on the debut record for Trash Yourself?

JB: Well for the Kill Hannah project. The singer Mat (Devine, lead vocalist) had the songs written but only had demo mixes. There were just really roughly made on a keyboard with few tracks, and a rough vocal. My job was to recreate the parts but with updated sound and feel. So it was more polishing everything, detailing, and adding textures rather than writing. I tried to keep the integrity of what Kill Hannah wanted. Greg (Corner, bassist) sat in on several sessions with me so that I knew it was going in the right direction. With Trash Yourself, I just kinda do whatever the hell loud noisy music I want.

(For a preview of John’s work in the studio with Kill Hannah, download the track “New York City Speed” from their upcoming album Wake Up the Sleepers HERE. You can also download John’s remix of “Crazy Angel” from the album Until There’s Nothing Left of Us, HERE. Links used with permission.)

!Trash Yourself with Greg Corner of Kill Hannah, 2009. Photo courtsey of darkroomdemons.com

JMT: You’ve worked on more than one occasion with wunderkind the Toxic Avenger, a self-proclaimed fan of Weezer and The Smiths. His history also includes playing in various punk and hardcore bands throughout the years. Do any of your influences fall outside the electro/dance scene?

JB: Yeah, definitely. My roots are industrial from when I was like 15 or so. I was a big NIN fan. Unfortunately I don’t have much time to listen to music other than dance music right now. I did just get the M83 album Saturdays = Youth, which I love. Chad (Petree, guitarist/vocalist) from Shiny Toy Guns made me get it. I suggest all of you do too. My next project will probably be a band that falls somewhere in between Cut Copy and M83.

“…maybe you don’t have to be on MTV anymore. There are other ways to gain fans now.”

JMT: The DJ/house culture has been around for years and sometimes is responsible for launching a sub-par song into the mainstream. That being said, do you feel the scene could get/needs more recognition or is it doing fine with the momentum thus far?

JB: I think with people like the Crookers blowing up and having their remix of Day N Nite played everywhere, things are going pretty good. That’s an example of what a remix can do. That remix was everywhere. It got so big it eventually made the original popular about a year later. When I was in Chicago Crookers played at a theater there and had over 3,000 people come out. Other major rock acts weren’t getting that many people there. Just shows that maybe you don’t have to be on MTV anymore. There are other ways to gain fans now.

JMT: Speaking of the popularity of remixing, so-called “DJ Schools” like DubSpot in NYC have reportedly seen a major increase in enrollment, in part due to the recession and partly due to the fact it’s “hip” at the moment to be a DJ. I think the mainstream consensus is if you own a CD collection you can DJ as well. Do you believe someone can be “taught” to be a good DJ?

JB: Teaching helps, but I don’t think its at all necessary. If you want to learn something you will learn. It is really as simple as that. There are so many videos on Youtube, and magazines that teach you anything anymore. Almost everything I know about engineering audio is from the internet and mags at Barnes and Noble. There’s no secrets anymore. This is the Information Age.

JMT: While you still regularly hold down DJ sets at Robotic in OKC, are you trying to make a move as well? Heidi splits time between NYC and OKC, and Fellow Robotic DJ Joshua Distance has already made the move to Austin, TX.

JB: I’m definitely ready to move. I need a change of pace. Either LA or NYC…or both. I just have a few things I’m trying to take care of here first. I fly a lot though, so I’ll always be making stops in OKC.

(John Bourke is currently on tour. For a list of tour dates click below or visit any of the following sites: !Trash Yourself on Myspace, John Bourke on Myspace or John Bourke on Twitter)

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