Australian DJ/Producer Bass Kleph Enjoys His New Life in the U.S., Releases New Music and Talks About His Chemical Brothers Connection
Interview Jacquari Harris
JMG: I like your accent. Are you originally from Australia?
Bass Kleph: Yes, I’m originally from Sydney, where I am right now, actually. I’m over here on tour.
When did you start DJing?
I’ve been in music since I was about 8 years old. I started playing drums back then and was a drummer in a couple of rock bands before becoming a DJ. So, I was all about rock-n-roll when I started. That went really well for me. It was my full time gig. But I sort of fell in love with dance music at the same time, and when the band broke up, I was like, you know what I want to follow this. I want to keep doing this dance music stuff. I sold all my drums, symbols, cases, all of my touring equipment and bought more studio gear and went hard and went for it. I loved it. It wasn’t big or popular back then, but I just loved it.
How long ago was that?
That would have been about 2001.
What was it about dance music that made you want to transition from rock music?
It’s funny actually. When we were recording our album with the band, we would record all the instruments separately. So the drums go down first, then the bass, then the guitars and you do the vocals last. And the first day we’re recording everything and it’s all about the drummers. It’s all about my instrument, they record it really well and it’s nice and loud on the speakers, and I’m psyched for the album. Then they put the bass down, and then guitars and the vocals. This is a normal thing in rock (music). The drums get quieter and quieter, and they get pushed further to the back the more you put (other) instruments on them. And I was like man, it’s kind of hard to hear myself now. Then I go hear dance music and the drums are so loud and they’re right at the front. I heard Chemical Brothers, Squarepusher and Prodigy with big break beats that are massive and so well produced and such an important part of the music and I’m thinking, “This is my sound, this is my style and I need to find out more about this.”
So, when you were listening to Chemical Brothers and Prodigy, were there any other artists that were influencing you at the time?
Yeah, initially I got into anything with a break beat. Beaing a drummer and being so young, house didn’t grab me, I thought it was too simple, and now I play it all the time. But back then I loved anything with break beat, drum and bass and I started out as a breaks DJ for about the first four or five years, I think. I did really well with that. I had releases on Finger Lickin’ Records. But I moved through a few genres, too. I moved on to more “baseliney” stuff, then to more deeper house, tech house. And then a bit of progressive and now doing electro and progressive, but combining it all together.
Describe your DJ style?
My style is electro-house with kind of a tribal, sort of tech twist to it as well. I used to do a bit of tech house, and more traditional house before, but I’ve combined a lot of that with what I do now.
Tell me about your new single, “Going Crazy.”
Sonically, it’s getting back to the electro and progressive side. At the time I wrote that I had just been through a bad breakup and that made me more and more want to have the chords in my tracks again so I can express more emotions and more than just a drum beat in a song. The track is about going through this breakup and not knowing what was going on at all. My ex would tell me it’s all in my head sort of thing, or that she wasn’t doing anything wrong. And I’m like, what do you mean, you’re not doing anything wrong. It’s very wrong. You’ve got me going crazy.
You have your own vocals featured on this track. A lot of times when DJs have vocals on a song, it’s by another artist. Why did you decide to add your own vocals? Do you really like your own voice?
Uh, no. This is only the second time I’ve released a track with my voice on it. I’ve sung on tracks a bunch of times, but usually only as a guide vocal. And then I’d get a real singer to come and replace it later. But with these two tracks, I had a couple of people trying and it didn’t come out that well. So, I played it to other people on my team and they’re like, you know what, I still like you vocals the best on it. So, everyone was voting for me, so I was like, let’s do it, let’s put out mine.
You recently released the 13th episode of your Klephtomania podcast. What can listeners expect when they hear it for the first time?
It’s a monthly radio show and it’s packed full of all of my favorite tunes for the month, and sometimes a few flashbacks as well. It’s mostly electro and progressive. Although, I do have a section in the middle where I play the deeper stuff too. Some of my tech and deep house roots, I usually play three or four tracks in there because there’s always so much good music every month. Plus, a few vocal tracks, a few instruments. It gives you a good example of what I play in the club each month as well. I do a top three countdown. I talk through the show as well and give a little news about what I’m up to and keep it really snappy.
You’re next single “Raise Up Lights” is out on Jan. 6 on Megaton Records. What can you tell me about this track?
(I’m) really excited for that one. I’ve been wanting to work with that label for a while. I’m stoked to be with them. But with that track, I’ve been road testing it for a while. The reaction has been awesome. I was just on tour with Tommy Trash and Wolfgang Gartner, and we were playing every night for about 25 shows. I was finishing that track at the time, so I could test it every night and see how the crowd reacts to it. I would change one thing here and there and I just did that every day until it was really rocking and I could iron out the creases. It’s a great experience to be able to do that.
Where are some of your favorite places to play?
Hmmm…My favorite places are probably Australia and America. It’s great being back over here touring and doing all of my shows again at all the clubs I used to play and catching up with the crew. But I moved to America because the shows are just amazing over there as well. I love living in LA and touring around the States. It’s unreal and such a good vibe from the crowd. They have so much good energy. Clubs are massive and everything is on a really big scale. So much excitement and buzz like everything is brand new right now.
Do you have any specific festivals or clubs that standout that you really like?
In LA, I really love Avalon. I really like Mansion in Miami as well. Then there’s Echostage in D.C.
For more information on Bass Kleph, visit basskleph.com
The post Bass Kleph – 01.14 Interview appeared first on JMG Magazine: Houston's Premiere Entertainment Guide.