Interview: Kid's Table
DJ Name: Mu-Gen
Label: the-key
Residencies: New Guernica, The Espy, The Laundry & Eurotrash
Years in the industry: 11
Soundcloud: [click here]
Favourite catch phrase: 'I play music, get sweaty and make the sexy time'
KT: For everyone out there looking to get into deejayin'; how did you first start and what was your 'big break'?
Mu-Gen: First started a while back playing tech-house in the side room of seven, I was more into playing hip hop at the time but my only hook up was with some techno promoters hen seven first opened. Took about 2 years before I could start playing what I actually wanted to after getting a bit of a reputation and getting to know the right people.
KT: What advice can you give to aspiring deejays out there that want to make their hobby into a career?
Mu-Gen: If you truly want it as a long term career than make sure you stay true to the style/styles you are currently into, always keep evolving and trying to learn more. What helps you 'get somewhere' in this industry is respect of talent, so don't put all your eggs in the basket of having the latest music and big guest-list, and instead learn more about the art of dj'ing. Eleven years on I still practice my scratching, mixing and messing around with combining different genres. I think one of the main reasons I have lasted so long is that I have always evolved and never out priced myself. I have never asked too much money to do gigs once I started getting a bit of a name. Once you do that you will scare some promoters off for good.
KT: What had been your favourite gig/venue to play at and why?
Mu-Gen: Most deff it would have to be Meredith Music Festival. I have been lucky enough to play the main DJ set on the Saturday night twice now. Once in '07 and also last year. I go to tons of effort when I play a show like that and make sure it's a special set. Hands down the most accepting crowd I have played to. They get down to anything, allowing me to play surf rock to hip hop to dance and more.. Rad balls time every time!
KT: Who has been the biggest influence in your career so far?
Mu-Gen: So many. Early days it would have to be people like DJ Shadow, Manchild, Cash Money and Dexter. Then as I evolved into the dance scene it included people like Diplo, Spank Rock, Douster and locally people like Paz and Scattermish. Today I'm not sure who my biggest influence would be. I have been going back through a lot of old mix tapes of mine lately re-discovering what was really working in the past and trying to evolve the same sound with new songs. So I guess what I'm looking to most at the moment would be myself.
KT: What projects are you working on at the moment?
Mu-Gen: At the moment I have a ton of projects in the works. I'm making songs for a rapper from Miami called Oddyssey. Also working on two EP's for myself. One is very different from my usual style and is a more rounded sound with everything from hip hop to big beat to a synthy lo-fi dance sound. Also working with a couple of local female vocalists to produce some pop music. Also putting finishing touches on my set for the red bull 3style competition later this month. Finally I have been setting up a new label for myself for the past six months also name 'the-key'. Already have a few signings and it will be fully operational in the next month or two. It's a bit of a different turn for me as I'm trying to incorporate live music on the label alongside electronica. I'm leaving the dance sound to the ever growing number of local labels popping up.
KT: For anyone who hasn't caught you live yet; what can they expect to see?
Mu-Gen: I'm very much into playing a mash up type vibe at the moment. I have also been really heavy into practicing my turntablism skills again. So I guess what people can expect to hear is someone who is passionate about the art of dj'ing putting lots of styles together in a creative/skilled party set.
KT: What's the first song that pops into your head when you think 'Getting Tropical' and why?
Mu-Gen: Antillas (Prins Thomas Diskomiks mix) - El Guincho. I think there are too many people making drum heavy dance music with some tropical samples and calling it tropical. This El Guincho song hits my meaning of tropical on the head. Sounds like a real band playing by the beach while I'm sipping pina coladas.
Mix Breakdown:
Mu-Gen: I wanted to do something different for this mix rather than what people have been hearing from me in the past. This mix is the music I listen to in my iPod or while cooking a meal at home. It's very much influenced by dance music in its structure but only tips over the 120bpm barrier in the last ten mins. I'm very influenced by nu-wave, bass, hip hop and r&b at the moment and I think it really shows in this mix and my current production. I have included a few of my new unreleased songs also as a teaser. Deff's one for the car not for pre-drinks on a Saturday night.
Track List:
1. Intro - Mu-Gen
2. Bitches Talkin' - Frank Ocean
3. Songs For Women - Frank Ocean
4. Rico Ft. Frank Ocean - MellowHype
5. Das Geheimnis - Siriusmo
6. Don't Stop Till You Get Enough - Derrick Laro and Trinity
7. Glass Table Girls - The Weekend
8. Stunts - Flying Lotus
9. Earpod - Mu-gen
10. Chickentown - Andy Milonakis (Produced by Savage Skulls)
11. Novacane - Frank Ocean
12. Fancy Forty - Lunice
13. Purp Walk - Lunice
14. You (The Hood Internet - Lil B vs. Golda Panda vocal edit) - Gold Panda
15. Dirty Chopsticks - Hodgy Beats vs. Flying Lotus
16. Maaitie Maai - RednoseDistrict
17. The Wilhelm Scream - James Blake
18. Apple Juice - Krazy Baldhead
19. Hip Pop - Lunice
20. Brown Bag ('04 FTA) - Mike G
21. Triangle Walks (Un Mono Azul Remix) - Fever Ray
22. Lovecrimes - Frank Ocean
23. Aaron - Paul Kalkbrenner
24. Same Dream China - Gold Panda
25. Stick Up Ft. Earl Sweatshirt - Mike G
26. Hollywood - George Ienton
27. Prayers For Rain - The Cure
28. Orgasm - Meg Ryan
Interview: Kid's Table
