For decades, the synchronized existence between man and machine in serene synergy has continually been tested. From the oppressive industrial factories on the U.S west coast to the rise of supposed ‘souless’ music in the UK jazz funk underground, it is evident that in passing times, machines have either enslaved or aroused suspicion amongst it’s masters. Admittedly, along with the destructive nature of technology, the benefits were also loudly revealed. Taylor’s vision of an efficient human conveyor belt was quickly challenged and overthrown while the emergence of electro music in the jazz underground steadily gained the appreciation it deserved. In Germany, the music of Kraftwerk left a permanent blueprint on the world, while in the US; true pioneers like Afrika Bambatta and Juan Atkins assumed their place in the breach. Clearly it didn’t take long for the world to become intrigued by this exciting sound; a sound which can be warm and foreboding at times, given the right wires are crossed. Funnily enough, Australia has only in recent years fully opened up its arms to electro, following the revival of fashion fads and the exposure provided by the ever astute media. While Berlin resignedly wipes off her eyeliner, Melbourne is just beginning to gain momentum. However, it should be noted that electro has always had a quiet presence in this country – it has just become much more prominent now. Interestingly enough, this prominence has been due to a legion of loyal wide eyed slaves to the bleep who attentively push forward the sounds of electro. DJs Toupee and Gltich are fellow slaves to the bleep and because of their love for sharing music, an electro devotee can now venture out any night of the week in Melbourne and hear the humming of that familiar sound – now with its robotic roots firmly planted in our backyard. With much anticipation, ITM’s palu chats to the lovely Toupee and Glitch.
Hey Nic, Emma, How are you both? What have you been up to? How has the year been for you?
T: Really good thanks. Just about to head off to Derrick May at Honkytonks which is very exciting. Apart from that, it’s been a very busy year, I’ve just playing out at nights working at the record store and getting a few projects happening.
G: Pretty busy actually. Electro has really taken off in Melbourne. I’ve been doing the Meccanoid parties which have been quite popular which is great to see. Lots of things happening during the week that I’m musically involved with which is cool as well.
Nic, you moved from Adelaide to Canberra, and then from Canberra to Melbourne. What was the transition like? Are they very different scenes?
T: When I was over in Adelaide, it was the beginnings of house, acid house, hip house and all that sort of stuff. I guess I’m pretty ancient, I mean I was clubbing before HMC was even HMC, he used to play at this dodgy gay club in Adelaide that I used to go to. And then I moved to Canberra in 90 where it was the beginning of rave culture over there. And then I moved to Melbourne in 96 where everything was firmly established but the whole super club mentality started happening. Different styles became more popular as times changed. It’s not necessarily that every place was different but the primes were different as well.
Was music something you were both always interested in?
T: Yes, definitely. I was really lucky. My parents taught me to play instruments when I was kid. So yeah my love for music got brought out when I was about 4 or 5
G: I used to be into classical when I was young. I used to play the violin. When I came to Melbourne I got more into the outdoor parties, kind of went crazy with the big outdoor festivals running around in the forest and that sort of stuff. I like to call that the trouble era. So I guess I started from the dance floor really.
There are so many facets to electro and it comes from so many different sources and styles. How would you define your particular sound?
T: I guess it depends, where it is, when it is and what it is. For instance at Revolver, Quirk and I might play Anthony Rother downbeat electro, intellectual electro type of stuff and then perhaps build it up through the night into fun electric disco stuff, so like Morgan Geist and then maybe some minimal techno. But then at Meccanoid, I have a particular sound in place because I think all the residents have fallen in a good way into being able to bounce off each others strength. It’s almost like a superhero thing, where everyone has their own personality. So at Meccanoid I’m definitely the one who plays the gothic dark moody electro. But take me out of that context and put me somewhere else and I can play something different. It’s fun to develop a personality in that way.
G: I hate to describe music, it’s so hard. But I’d say my sound is definitely on the electro sounds side of things. I dig the bleepy minimal stuff too. Also more rocktro kind of music, that’s my special name for it.
What can punters expect from a collaborative Gitch and Toupee performance?
G: Well I’ve got very similar taste in music to Nic. It would depend on the mood and the night. We both kind of go for the dark electro and we play different sorts of sounds at other places. Nic can play a bit more 80’s retro stuff and I’ll play maybe more female vocals and a bit of a tough sound sometimes.
Emma, admittedly you’re a bit newer to this, how did you come to discover your interest for electro sounds?
G: Well I just used to collect weird records just for myself. I used to love browsing the five dollar boxes for dark mysterious records. And yeah, I got offered a gig actually so I thought; oh I better learn to mix. And so I guess, I kind of came across it by accident really.
For a while now, there was the whole 80’s synth pop electroclash trend which evidently also spills into the fashion. People seem to have very different opinions about it. Just wondering if you guys tend to follow these trends and embrace or do you work against it?
T: Well let me put it this way, four years ago; I couldn’t find somewhere to go or hear electro. There was maybe one club in Melbourne that had an occasional electro night like maybe once a year, and I’m assuming it would be the same for most cities in most countries around the world. Until, for whatever reason, this revival of electro as a fresh sound it was really difficult to get anywhere where you could hear it. So in that sense, I’m completely for it. I’m completely for the fact that now I can go out five nights a week and hear electro if I want. And I’ll be very sad when and if the fashion dies down and it becomes hard for me to go out and hear nice music again. Because you know, every so often it’s fun to do things that are fashionable and frivolous and embrace the good things that they have to offer. Also amongst that, people who do music with integrity and soul who relate to that music will find it easier to get ears that’ll listen. So I find it an amazing time for us and I’m so thankful.
G: Well I think the recent electro trends wasn’t really big when we started getting into it that’s why we started a night because there was no where to hear electro. And when we started it, people were going ‘Yeah I’ve been dying for a night to go out to, to listen to this type of music’. So in that sense, there wasn’t really much of that happening when we started off. And then we went overseas and there was heaps of that style of music being played but then they were kind of over it by then. So in terms of the fashion thing, electro clash is more of a fashion fad. While the real type of electro has been there for much longer. The fashion aspect of it will definitely spill more into popular culture but I think the people who have been into electro sounds have always been into it.
Emma can you tell us a bit about your club night Meccanoid?
G: Well Meccanoid has been running for about 20 months. We started it because people were beginning to get into this type of thing, and now there are heaps of weekly nights with this type of music and also a lot of the gay nights play electro too. They tend to be a bit more open minded I think. It’s very androgynous the music, and a bit sexy as well I guess.
Hows the electro scene in Melbourne these days?
G: Its fantastic at the moment but I think it’s still got a long way to go. There are other fashions which are pertinent here, RnB and that type of stuff as well so I don’t believe it’s gone its full cycle yet here. I don’t see it getting mainstream either, I don’t think real electro is that mainstream. There’s Ladytron and stuff but we don’t play it. I think it’s more of a personality thing rather than a fashion.
T: It’s absolutely incredible. I don’t mean to brag, but I reckon it’s the best electro scene in Australia at the moment with the amount of enthusiasm and the amount of DJs and live acts. I actually wish it was as big everywhere else too.
Nic are you still doing much with Artifical these days?
T: No not really. She’s doing her own thing now but the time we spent writing music together was really good for me. I got a lot out of working with her and frankly, she’s got some of the most amazing equipment in Australia. And so, to even have access to play around with that from time to time was really lovely. And if we both had the time and if our music careers were going in the same direction, we could both work together again. I think at the moment, the stuff I’d want to write and the stuff she’d want to write wouldn’t quite be the same anymore which is fine.
Are you working on any projects of your own?
T: I’ve got a band. It’s kind of an indie pop electronic band. They call it indietronic these days think. So it’s like pop songs and vocals, guitars and we’re using lots of equipment and synths and stuff. And hopefully we’ll have a release out on my label soon. I’m running a label with a friend of mine and it’s a very broad spectrum label taking in all sorts of sounds. It’s going great at the moment. We haven’t got anything out yet but we’re just in the finalising stages of the first release at the moment.
Emma, what sort of tunes and artists are you digging at the moment?
G: Legowelt is a definite must. I don’t really follow artists in particular, I follow tracks. I mean everyone brings out crap tracks as well. I like a bit of Hong Kong Counterfeit. I also dig labels like Bpitch, Lasergun and Bunker.
Any big plans for 2004?
G: Yes! We’re hopefully getting some international acts for Meccanoid. We’ll hopefully get bigger and better with more nights. We’re probably looking at a bigger venue as well. What we do is a visual type of thing as well, its not just the music, we have films and the décor and graphic design is all done by us as well so it’s the whole aesthetics rather than just tracks.
Peaches once said she wanted to fuck people up the ass with her music. What does your music aim to do? By the way there’s no pressure to come up with some catchphrase
T: ooh that’s a hard one. I don’t think I can come up with some witty catchphrase, but I guess I just see music as a language and a means of communication. I honestly believe in music as a form of communicating, whether it’s with the person you’re writing with or the people you’re playing to. I just don’t see the point of writing something to sound like a hit or writing something you need to fit into a genre. That’s not me at all. If someone can feel there’s something genuinely being said, then that’s the best music for me and that’s the best music I like to hear. I guess that’s why I do really like the most beautiful electro and all the Detroit guys so much, because of the soul that goes into what they do. We can just feel this need for the music to be said. And I guess that’s what I like to think I’m trying to do.
Catch DJ Toupee and Glitch at People Get Real at The Church 12th December in Canberra
