Interview- End: The DJ

Grave Concerns E-zine has partnered up with End: the DJ and is an official sponsor of  The Chrome Elemental Tour (Relapse) for 2009. Just back from a bittersweet event  as the legendary Savage Garden in Toronto, Canada which closed after 15 years, we had a chance to talk with End: The DJ about that event and more about what we can expect from End: the DJ. He is known for his non-stop mix sets keeping the music AND the people on the dancefloor! Don't miss the latest, upcoming & exclusive Xmorph remixes that End: gets to share at a city near you during The Chrome Elemental Tour. END: is also a member of Komor Kommando live- coming soon!

On Jan 3rd 2009, you did a night at the Savage Garden, in Toronto, Canada. Can you describe how things went?  Were there any particular tracks you played that people went crazy out on the dance floor?

Each month, Savage Garden has a monthly night, Revolution Vs. Machine produced by DJ Shok, that I was very interested in.  But it was a bittersweet booking.  As it turned out, it was Savage Garden’s last night open.  As such, there were so many people, I’m told the entrance line went out to about two blocks.  It was insane.  The energy was already heightened for me as I had been curious about Toronto for quite some time due to Savage Garden being a legendary venue- 15 years is a long life for any nightclub.  It was indeed the End of an era (pun intended) and I am very honoured to have been there. 

Could you tell us how you became interested in your style of DJ’ing?

In the way of style of music, it’s the styles of electronic club music I’ve always loved, I just merely mix my love of them together.  I always thought it possible, but I just love putting a certain ‘ying & yang’ stamp to it.  Move your feet while losing your mind.  It’s hard to completely describe…

Do you remember the first electronic band or music you listened to and how it made you feel?

In my youth, I started off with New Wave & Synthpop.  Musically, as much as I love all things light & dark, my most deepest, cherished & distinctive moments of listening to music came from the electronic dance parties years ago.  Underworld, Orbital, Paul Van Dyk- they really moved me and others to some sort of altered state of emotion (without additives, thank you) that I really feel you can do with the darker side of club music, yet in a more reflective way.  And it wasn’t until I heard Sebastian Komor’s music (Icon of Coil, Moonitor & Monofader), [:SITD:] and Assemblage23 that I realized this can be done & mixed with a heavier, darker yet just as deep method.  I will admit, I am primarily into deep substantial rhythms followed by heavy floor moving beats.  A killer one-two punch I always try to build towards in my sets. 

Do you have a favorite song that you have remixed?

A very, very good question- that’s tough, but I know it’s something Seb has produced.  He was my favorite producer before I was even fortunate enough to know him. My favorite works that I current play out today are from Ginger Snap5 and E.I.D.

What goes into preparing for a night that you are going to spin at?

I like to take everything in once I am there.  I never know what I’m going to be playing out until I’m there.  Maybe how I’d LIKE to start out, but that’s about it.  The atmosphere, the club, the people…I just soak everything in and then when I’m behind the decks, people are basically hearing how I’m reacting to what I’ve taken in.  For better or worse, heh

For you, how you go about creating a new mix? How do you want to make sure there is a connection to the song, to the dance-floor?

I like the choice of using ‘connection’, because that’s exactly right.  I never simply play what I want, it’s a compromise of a certain tone you want to set along with the artists that I feel people should hear more of, those I love hearing from & working with.

You just released your first mix album, The Chrome Elemental, and it is available as a free download, why did you go with this format?

There are too many dark electronic music labels that think that the concept of a mix album is dead.  Seb & I wanted to prove them wrong.  It goes back into what I was stating before about how this heavier music can command as much attention as other styles of electronic club music.  A live music experience & a club music night- a true nightclub, not a bar night or pool hall or lounge, much as I love those nights as well- they are two entirely different worlds.  One is not better than the other, it’s just that my focus at this time is in the club environment, where the Industrial Dance & Cyber culture lives & breathes.  I’m certainly not the first DJ who feels this way, definitely not the last- so Seb and I decided to just put the mix album out there for free as an experiment- one that has proven to be VERY successful for the artists & club music equally.  Interestingly enough, now there are a couple of labels wanting to discuss my next mix album release.  We’ll see what happens…

What do you think makes your stomping beats so appealing?

Hedonism, Unadulterated, and Hedonism.  It just brings it out of you.  Admit it…

Appealing?  Thanks. That’s all due to the artists who I am lucky enough to help promote by playing out their work.  They are amazing.  I’m simply sharing my love of their work to everyone else.  That and the fact that I am intentionally focused to clubs and the dance floors.  There’s a place & night for everything- Industrial rock, metal, Darkwave- but I am focused on the dance aspect, so it’s all about beats: EBM, Industrial dance, Rhythmic Noize and so forth.

How long has it taken for you to build up your reputation as a DJ?

The funny thing is- I mixed as a hobby, off & on.  When I was producing shows & events in the Mid-Southern U.S. for a time, I was coerced into being a DJ for the venue I was working for by the owner around Spring/Summer of 2005.  It just grew from there. 

 What was 2008 like for you as End: the DJ and what are your hopes for 2009?

2008,oy.  There are ups & downs, and then there’s last year.  It was very life changing, very eye opening.  The acquaintances & friends I thought I had turned out to be very self-servicing and the ones they warned me away from have become a sort of lovable dysfunctional family that has been truly supportive of all my music endeavours. It is kind of funny how things turn out. Thru it all, my old friends and my friends in music have been there for me, and 2009 seems to be taking off for all of them.  It’s great karma It’s been, I am very excited for them, and as a result, very excited about what I’m doing.  Seb’s Komor Kommando project has also been a pleasant shock. People are really loving his work and I’m all too happy about the upcoming tour with that.

How important is it to be an industrial DJ at this time? How do you motivate people to support the underground? How are you changing minds of club goers?

Any Industrial DJ- be it in clubs, online radio, college radio- is as essential now as they have ever been with getting the artists’ music heard.  DJs that are also event producers & promoters I respect, because they are shouldering the responsibilities of not only getting the music heard, but keeping the social scene in their area thriving on top of that.  With clubs, I am trying to help change their perspective on dark underground dance.  The best clubs right now are already embracing all electronic music together, making their venue truly global

Can you tell us more about the person that you are behind the mask?

To start out in a cliché way, music is seriously my life and my vice.  It has ruined past relationships because most people really don’t understand that.  For others, music is an escape or a passion, a business or a hobby; but for me, it really is what made me who I am, what I look forward to waking up…the nightclub is my home, my home a way station to the next night.  In contrast as a balance, outside of that, I’m rather introverted- I love films, poetry and just experiencing people & places in the moments between music nights, so I am always in thought and feeling very strongly about even the little things.

I thought I heard you were from San Diego, anything special for the show there? You heard correctly- my home will always be San Diego, no matter where I go, especially, the Hillcrest & Mission Beach areas.  My heart will always be at the Pacific coast and San Diego is where it all started. It has been many years since I’ve been back- seems like a lifetime- so to be able to DJ there feels very surreal.  I am uncertain on how the underground scenes are doing there, but I plan to give it my all on January 31.

Is there any one that you were like to thank for giving you encouragement to keep doing what you have been doing, if it wasn’t for who or what, where would you be today?

I have a handful of old friends who I have known for most of my life and so they are as family.  I have no other family I truly claim other than my mother.  They have all been very supportive even though we mostly lead very different lives.  They are with me thru my ups & downs, my accomplishments & my major faults.  Everyone I know thru music, mainly the artists I keep in touch with, we have this kind of tribal bond now, even though most of them I have not been around in person.  Seb, Well, if it wasn’t for his music, I would probably not be a DJ today.  After meeting him & now being a close friend, it’s been enough to keep my faith in people & music to keep me going past all of life’s interesting twists & turns. 

Thanks End: The DJ for talking with Grave Concerns E-zine today. 

Check out End: The DJ: https://www.myspace.com/human_nature

 Download the remix album here: https://www.megaupload.com/?d=CD5ZCAIV

 Live Dates 2009:
3 Jan: Revolution Vs. Machine @ Savage Garden- Toronto ON
25 Jan: Asylum- Knoxville TN
30 Jan: Club Sanctuary- Tucson AZ
31 Jan: Club Sabbat- San Diego CA
07 Feb: Vector Industrial Night- Las Vegas NV
14 Feb: Cafe 331- Jacksonville FL
13 Mar: Infect 4- Fort Myers FL
27 Mar: HAZMAT- Charlotte NC *New Residency*
09 May: Passeport (Kinetik Pre-Party)- Montreal QC
17 May: Kinetik Music Festival (w/ Icon of Coil)- Montreal