Inxec Interview

Welcome to BBM Christopher, or should we say INXEC, how the devil are you?

Slightly jaded and some dehydrated…just got back from Moscow which was absolutely amazing but at a cost to my health I fear, but other than that, mint!

What does the name stand for? What’s the story behind it?

I never explain everything completely but as for the story, well, it was a dark dark night and…

What inspired you to your techno calling? How did you get started?

I think as with most artists it started as a hobby and a reflection of the music I was going out to listen to, though in the beginning I was a big trance head and going to Gatecrasher every week to listen to all the biggies of that time. Then this guy warmed up for Paul Van Dyke called Ashley Casselle, who played a totally different sound to what I had heard up until then. This was a massive inspiration for me and kind of moulded my style and locked me into what I wanted to get out of this, from then on it was all I did with my spare time trying to recreate the music I had heard and continued to hear from this southern geezer. I owe a lot to that to Ashley, he opened my eyes to something more than a a stomping epic breakdown clanky euro trance track.

What are you currently listening to? What was the first record you bought? Which song do you wish you had had a hand in?

Right now I am listening to my close friend hoovering and moaning how knackered his 20 quid vacuum cleaner is, but when I am not being droned out by the daily cleaning chores of Mark Chambers I am listening to the Martyn’s Ghost people album, its dope and very creative, absolutely love it! The first record I paid for…I think it was the Timo Mass remix of Green Velvet ‘FLASH’. Up until then I’d been all Nirvana CD’s and taping shit off the radio. And the record I’d wish I had a hand in would be Derude ‘Sandstorm’ because it’s awful. My hand in it would have been to simply remove the hands of the producer. Job done.

As an innovator in house and techno, how do you think the scene has developed in sound and public perception over the years?

In my opinion it goes through fads as does most things in life, not just music. It’s a product which as with any product has to be reinvented to keep selling and attracting consumer attention. The public are always divided, as always some like it, and some of us even love it, but then others hate it. It’s choice, people have different tastes and I can’t really say I focus too much on what people are thinking. Right now for instance the whole stripped back vocal house with those plunky basses and deep chords and catchy arpeggios is massive!

There’s a big buzz out there and its probably attracting a lot more new listeners that would have shunned “dance” music before this. But on the flip I recently went to a night at a big London club to see two of the leading acts right now, but it was full of over-tanned, ear-jewelled people who where there simply because it was where to be. It still gives me nightmares.

How is the scene and sound responding to the revolutionary changes in technology? Has the iPad called for the death of the traditional decks?

Things move forward, same goes here. I think with artists like Richie Hawtin always pushing to find the next big tech advancement its hard for others not to follow, the man’s a genius. I don’t really like his music anymore but I respect what he has done for the scene over the years. And because of his push for the use of digital codec equipment and basic gadgetry it’s opened doors to parts of the world that until couldn’t get that Hot Creations record because there was no vinyl store in a little town in Chile. This alone has helped myself and every other international artist (not just electronic either) to gain fans and gigs in the fore-mentioned smaller parts of the globe.

You’ve played to audiences all round the world. Which country has the craziest fans? How do the Australian audiences compare to the rest of the global scene?

Australians. Last time I was there I didn’t sleep for a very long time. Be it I was ‘a lot younger’, but I do recall coming away from there thinking “I need a few years before I do that again”

What’s the weirdest thing a fan has ever given you?

A miniature model of their house. It had a working door bell to boot. Needless to say it lasted about five minutes once it got into my suitcase.

And finally any wisdom you could give to budding DJ’s/producers wishing to follow in your footsteps?

I have a big stride so you need to be tall, these days you can get leg lengthening surgery so go get that, then you need to go find your sound, I can’t find it for you cause I’m still not really sure what mine is. After you have done all this, ask yourself: “AM I HAPPY WITH WHO I AM?” in several different languages. Job done.

Inxec will be playing at Paved Way’s secret warehouse party in Sydney on Sat 12th November. For more info click HERE

By James Stapleton