With well over 200 productions to his name and countless remixes on many major labels, UK producer/DJ/label manager, Tony Thomas is well established in the dance music scene as one of the main purveyors of tribal, tech and electro house music. Tony is regularly involved in musical collaborations, the main ones being his long standing partnership with Alan Barratt as The Producers, and Red Moon with close friend DJ Hal (Roger Watson). He has DJed all round the world in places like Singapore, Ibiza, London, Madrid, Paris, and many more.
Tony runs three labels, one with tribal partner Mastik Soul, known as Moxi Records, his long standing label New Era, and a new project called Cubic Records. The labels feature many artists from around the world and showcase the very best new up and coming talents that Tony discovers on his travels. This month he heads to Australia for the first time, and caught up with ITM for a few quick questions.
Is this your first visit to Australia? If yes, how/why did this tour come about and why has it taken so long for you to come down here? If no, where did you play, and any memories?
Yes this is my first time here. To be brutally honest nobody was offering me enough money to make it worthwhile me leaving my beautiful girlfriend and kids and travel all that way until now, thanks to DJ Promo!
I know you’re into music, meditation, bonsai and family, please give us a description of what your usual week’s involve?
Most of my time on weekdays is spent trying to keep up with the business side of what I do, as I run 3 labels and am helping promote a few good friends too. Most weekends I’m gigging in most countries but my own! When I have a few weeks without gigs I get into production heavily. Also I have to play for 10 or more radio shows a month. So every week is different for me, there are no “usual” weeks! The only usual thing is that I’m way too busy and just about manage to keep up with it all!
A lot of the gigs on your website are in Europe, do you find you do most gigs in a particular place and why do you think this is?
I must be in tune with the people from these towns more than others I suppose. I just happen to be playing the sound they like at this particular moment in time and they want me back again and again.
A recent set I downloaded from your site takes a more electro direction at the start, then the tribal sounds you are most well known for, kick in towards the end. Do you feel like this is a new direction for you, or natural progression, and if so what inspired it, and will it be indicative of what you play in Melbourne?
I make and play a whole range of house music. The tribal stuff I do seems to be the most popular by far, but I like to experiment with new flavours every time I produce. I’ve been releasing tunes since 1991 and am constantly revising old styles as well as trying to come up with something new. So electro is really an old direction for me, as is acid house, as are most of the styles I make. I’m just always remoulding old ideas.
You’ve said you work fast, in a haphazard fashion (in an interview on Beat Factor) what does this approach bring to the music? - possibly warmer, more spontaneous, less over produced?
It’s different every time. I like to think I make the best out of mistakes when I work. The accidents inspire me more than anything. I don’t like to dwell on stuff for too long when I work as this means it’s going nowhere. If it’s coming fast and spontaneously then the track is working. If I’m having to think too much it’s a dud for sure!
Your music covers a lot of ground, with both techno, house and electro sounds, do you find it hard to explain to people what you do musically, and where you’re coming, now and compared to in the early days?
Not really. It’s just that same old thudding bang bang kick with a load of old noise over the top to the uninitiated, and they know exactly what you mean when you describe it like that!
Are you a man of few words, who likes the music to speak for itself? Tell us a bit about yourself?
Whilst I am alive, I am trying to fill up the time as comfortably as possible by meeting as many people as I can and learning as much as I can, whilst doing all the things I ever wanted to do!
What are you busy working on at the moment?
Preparing for my holiday!
Anything else?
My next holiday.
Tony Thomas plays in Australia for the first time at The Drum Is God party on Friday July 29 at Brown Alley in Melbourne (BUY TICKETS). Don’t miss it!
