Krafty Kuts: Thanks to everyone who came down to the shows on the weekend in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Have had 3 great shows already, the audiences seem to get better every time I come back. Fire away!
pringles: Krafty, what is your favorite venue in Australia?
Krafty Kuts: My favourite would be the Metro in Sydney. That or the amphitheatre in Perth.
Kittins Sister: A lot of people say breaks are biggest in Australia, but a lot of people don’t agree – as it doesn’t really have such a bit producers scene, or even a lot of weekly breakbeat club nights in some cities. Where do you think the best place for breaks is around the world?
Krafty Kuts: Audience wise, Australia. But it’s beginning to pickup everywhere! Canada, Turkey, everywhere. In England it’s huge, every major city has a big party. The audience in Australia give the best reactions though, with open air venues in summer. Where else can you play to 10,000 people in warm weather outside? It’s a good feeling.
atishew: You run the Against the Grain record label with Skool of Thought. You guys released the Freestylers album last year, which had a pretty massive hit with ‘Push Up’, which went Top 10 in Australia I believe. Was that a milestone for the label? What do you have coming up with the label in the future?
Krafty Kuts: It was a big milestone! I think that the distribution in Australia was good, and there was a lot of hype behind the Freestylers. We got some gold discs from Shock (distributor), and as a label we were very proud of how it went. It got the right accolades because it was a great crossover track. We have stuff just as good in the pipeline in the future! Myself, Skool of Thought, Breakfastaz and Splitloop all have good stuff on the way for the label!
Kittins Sister: What do you think of the Plumps new album? What has been the highlight album/track for you so far in 2005?
Krafty Kuts: I think the Plumps album is good. I don’t think its maybe as good as some of their past stuff. It’s kind of like a mix CD though, with a lot of their own tracks on it. It’s got a good collection of tracks on there though – the Plumps at their best! Dancefloor track of the year so far for me has been Freestylers & Pendulum – Fasten Your Seatbelts. My personal fav is Slyde – Vibrate To This, which isn’t out yet.
jetgrrl: I hear that you’re into fishing. Do you get much of a chance to get out on a boat when you’re in Australia?
Krafty Kuts: Yep! I’m going fishing up in Cairns next week, and if the weather wasn’t so bloody windy I would have tried to get out in Sydney! I’m not an avid fisherman who is addicted to it, but I find it a good respite from a busy tour.
atishew: When you’re traveling or touring with other guys from the Finger Lickin’ label, which one is the most boring to sit next to on the plane?
Krafty Kuts: I don’t really like to say! It’s quite an awkward question… none of them are boring, they’re all tops.
CheapThrills: How old were you when you first started DJing?
Krafty Kuts: 17.
SickaFish: Was the reason Freestylers went under the name Raw as Fuck on your Against the Grain label because of licensing issues with their previous publisher?
Krafty Kuts: There was a little bit of that. They hadn’t officially left Freskanova, and they wanted to reinvent themselves. They wanted to get away from the sound everyone knew them for with a fresh approach. It got to a point where everyone knew it was the Freestylers, and the RAW name was a bit hard to promote on radio and what not.
Kittins Sister: Before you were a DJ what was your day job? If you weren’t in music now, what do you think your job would be?
Krafty Kuts: I would be a soccer coach! Before I was DJing I was many strange things – a trifle taster (I got rather large doing that!) and a wood machinist making fireplaces.
atishew: It’s been almost 2 years since you released ‘Tricka Technology’ with A Skillz. Do you guys have plans to work on any new material in the immediate future?
Krafty Kuts: Yes, he’s doing 2 or 3 tracks on my new album and you can expect some very funky stuff. Not hip-hop though, it’s a Krafty Kuts breaks album.
pringles: What are your plans after your whirlwind tour of Australia finishes in Perth?
Krafty Kuts: I’m going to take a couple of days off in Perth with Liam. We’re going up North of Perth. Then when I get back home I’ve got some dates in Ibiza.
Rollah Jay: Can I just say your Melbourne gig on Friday was awesome! When do you think the album will be finished? I’m hanging to get my hands on it…
Krafty Kuts: I hope to finish it before the end of the year. I’m just waiting on a lot of vocalists. I want it to be special so I’m not rushing it. I have a deadline, the end of this year, and I will have a 12” out before Christmas. The LP will probably be out in February.
jetgrrl: Is this your biggest Australian tour yet, as far as the number of shows you’re doing? How is it playing more and more non-capital cities on each tour, like Cairns, Byron Bay, Jindabyne, etc?
Krafty Kuts: Tthis is the biggest tour in terms of venue sizes, but not dates. You can overdo it though, I think I did 15 or 14 one time!
Tom_Tracid: When you first started DJing what DJs did you look up to?
Krafty Kuts: Cash Money and Jazzy Jeff were massive inspirations, simply because they were musically and technically very good. From an entertaining point of view Fatboy Slim is great.
shannonwelk: I caught you last year in Jindabyne with Kid Kenobi, what did you think of the show and are you looking forward to this Wednesday’s show?
Krafty Kuts: I was flabbergasted at that! Obviously you don’t have a great deal of ski resorts in Australia and I didn’t expect 1,500 people to turn up to something like that! It was amazing, I was gobsmacked. Cannot wait for this week – unfortunately I can’t go skiing this time.
atishew: How much time do you usually spend away from your home in Brighton touring? What new countries have you been touring over the past year or so?
Krafty Kuts: I usually spend no more than 3 to 4 weeks away, expect for Christmas. New places – this year I’ve been to Turkey, Romania, later this year I’m going to Brazil, Israel, Dubai and South Africa. Have done Canada and America and lots of countries in Europe. Have done about 30 countries this year already!
pringles: In your opinion who do you think the best new act, who should we keep an ear out for?
Krafty Kuts: There’s quite a few, Splitloop, Breakfastaz, Circuit Breaker from Germany, and also Slyde are going to shock people with their new stuff. Timo Maas is doing a lot of breaks stuff, it’s really musical and I’m impressed by it, although he isn’t new so to speak. Mantra Breaks from Italy is bringing out some astonishing stuff too.
jetgrrl: A few years back it seemed like Krafty Kuts was in Australia pretty much once every six months. As a fan that didn’t bother me too much at all, but for some people it seemed like Krafty overload – did you make a conscious effort not to visit so regularly after that?
Krafty Kuts: Yep. I would say twice a year, theoretically, is not an overload. In England I have residencies where I play once a month, like at Fabric, and no one complains.
CheapThrills: When you’re on tour in Australia do you spend much time in our normal clubs? If so, what do you think of them? Especially in Perth? (That’s where I am)
Krafty Kuts: I have a lot of respect for Aussie DJs. On Saturday night I went to Yu and saw one of the best funky house DJs. John Wall is also technically a great DJ. Sometimes it’s a little bit hard, because I spend almost all my life in clubs! But if I’m invited and people are going I’ll make a conscious effort to head along!
mickeylieu: If you could play anywhere in the world, where would that be, and why?
Krafty Kuts: That’s a hard question – I would say South America! Simply because the women are pretty beautiful out there.
SickaFish: Have you ever released anything under a different name that is totally different to breaks? I seem to recall you may have collaborated as Atari Playboys – The Funk Is In Your Area, but have you ever done any electro, techno or music of a totally different nature to what your known for?
Krafty Kuts: No, the only alias I’ve done is the Atari Playboys. That track is going to be on my album, it’s being rejigged as a breaks number!
Alphab0x: What do you love most about Melbourne?
Krafty Kuts: It’s a very cosmopolitan city – I’ve seen the most amazing sunset every in my entire life there. It’s amazing for shopping and it’s got great food. It’s a more relaxed way of life, very different to Sydney. I’d never have expected going from playing Revolver 5 years ago to playing QBH the weekend just gone!
shannonwelk: Have you heard of our Big Day Out festivals? Is this the sort of show that would interest you if the opportunity came up for you to play?
Krafty Kuts: It’s something that’s been talked about a lot the past couple of years, but unfortunately it’s never coincided with what I’m doing. Field Day and Break Fest and other things all coincide around the same time and fit in. BDO runs late January through to February, and only a certain number of DJs do the tour. If I was to do the tour I’d rather do a live thing.
SickaFish: Back when you we’re fresh on the block as a DJ did you ever promote your own parties? Have you worked in the music industry on any other levels rather than DJing/producer and label owner?
Krafty Kuts: I started off with one of my best mates from Black Grass (Mex), we used to promote a night at Worthing. It began as us just competing against each other to play the best records, it grew and taught me to become a better DJ.
pringles: Krafty, do you get many groupies?
Krafty Kuts: Haha, thousands! No, the same as anyone else I guess, haha. I wish I’d get more! Just joking.
CheapThrills: Do you have certain people that always travel with you, like roadies to help you set-up/carry gear? Do you like to use you’re own gear at a gig or do you just use in-house gear?
Krafty Kuts: No, the only person who I try to insist on coming with me [in Australia] is Ming from Fuzzy. He’s such a wonderful friend, an amazing guy to be around. He makes sure that things go well, and he makes sure I get time to fish.
pringles: Krafty, how many records and CDs do you own, and how many do you buy week to week?
Krafty Kuts: I’ve got a record collection of about 10,000, CDs a couple a thousand. I probably get about 50 records a week sent, I’d buy about 5 records a week and a couple of CDs as well. I always buy in record stores, not on the internet, and I treat my records like I treat a good woman!
Tom_Tracid: Trance currently tops the DJ polls with Tiesto, PVD and Armin can you see them being nudged down the list by other genre DJs in the close future?
Krafty Kuts: Totally, I think trance only has 1 way it can go – down! Not saying it’s a bad form of music, just not my thing. It’s mainstream and popular and I don’t really understand the hype around it, there are a lot of DJs out there who are better like James Zabiela. The guys who are up there are there because it’s popular, not because they are the best DJs.
SickaFish: Who is the craziest fan you have ever had an encounter with?
Krafty Kuts: In Canberra last year this woman came up to me, grabbed me literally by my collar, dragged me into the women’s toilets and said “I’ve been watching you, I’ve been to every gig you’ve played in Australia so far!” She frightened me because she was rather big and scary and she was saying some odd things. She said she was some promoter from New York and wanted to make me famous. Sometimes it can be overwhelming!
pringles: Krafty, do you believe music piracy has a great impact on electronic music and your earning?
Krafty Kuts: I certainly do! It’s something that really upsets me to be honest. By getting music for free it’s like stealing. If someone did a painting and everyone could get it on the internet and print it out, would that be fair? It’s happening now with movies too. I think there should be a cheaper way to buy music as CDs are overpriced. There just needs to be a governing body who overlook it all. Free music from a person who has spent hours working on it, it just isn’t fair.
sariecat: How do you feel about the vinyl vs CD debate?
Krafty Kuts: I’m right in the middle of it, I play half and half. With a CD you can make a track and then play it straight away in the club. Records feel better to play out, although with the Pioneer decks you can scratch with them. Vinyl does sound better, CDs just sound a bit thin though. I find it amazing with CDs that you can have fresh music immediately.
CuZnMatt: What are the chances of the Insane Bangers being reissued? I hear there are rumors of an Insane Bangers II?
Krafty Kuts: There is Insane Bangers II. It will be out in about 6 weeks! Regarding a repress of the first one, that’s down to whoever put it out. If the demand is high enough I’m sure there’ll be a repress. If you look on the net you should be able to find it.
shannonwelk: Who were and are your breaks influences and what’s your vibe on George Clinton? Is he someone whose music you could fit into your mixes?
Krafty Kuts: George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic – have been a big fan of since I was a kid! My breaks influences, there’s loads. Plumps and Stantons are in a league of their own. Same with JDS. i can only aspire to be as talented.
KennKo: Do you ever find it difficult travelling around so much?
Krafty Kuts: Yeah, it is really difficult sometimes. You can get the flu or the cold. Last year when I toured I had conjunctivitis in Perth and I couldn’t see a thing! You feel disappointed if you can’t perform your best. I’ve never turned around and said I’m not playing because I don’t feel well though (touch wood).
Tom_Tracid: Where do you see the breakbeat scene in 10 years compared with now?
Krafty Kuts: That is a very difficult question! It’s hard to say, it will definitely grow. It will probably split, into areas like techy, housey, aggressive, funky. It’s all still together though. As a DJ I find it makes it even better as it makes it more diverse. That’s what makes it the best form of music out there! What other style can you get that is such a combination of genres? In 10 years it will have found its place like house music.
Krafty Kuts: Says I’ve got a lot more exciting gigs and cities to visit! A big thanks to everyone out there who make my tours here so special. I hope my album can live up to expectations. Keep breaks alive!
