At a time when the dance scenes dominated by heavy beats, we tend to be lacking some of our funky grooves to soul and jazz. Just when we are almost loosing our grooves, our lifesaver DJ Mo’ Funk is here to save our soul. Although he may be classified as an up and comer, but really is he an up and comer when he already had accomplished many things that other DJ’s wishes it could happen to them, like collecting records when you are 14yrs old, write and reviews for one of Australians largest dance magazine and websites, a host on a well known community radio station and roaming all the clubs in Sydney. well I have caught up with mo funk to see what he has to say.
You started collecting records at such a young age, when you were just a teenager, what drove you to do so back then?
- To put it simply; not enough exposure to the music I was into. I grew up in the time when grunge and punk was the music of choice. Hip Hop and electronic stuff was rarely heard, I got a lot of shit for liking it in fact. It was funny buying records in the beginning, I’d rock up to record shops in my school uniform with enough change to buy one record, but I’d spend all afternoon digging.
What type of music were you collecting as a teenager, and has it changed since?
I wanted to get into the whole djing thing because of scratching so it started off as hip hop, and finding good l.p’s. I went through a whole “I can’t play these out so I may as well sell them to get some tunes that I can play out” phase when I began doing parties and bars in year 12. This was a time I sorely regret because I sold a tonne of awesome l.p’s and singles Id never find again. As wild, 99.3 and dance fm blossomed, so did my love for house music. I’ve always been a sucker for party tunes, so the genre’s that were developed from this extended my musical tastes. Today, im still digging like crazy, but the introduction of sites like stompy and beatport keeps me digging online more than in the stores.
You have such an amazing taste in music which fuses from nu-jazz to soul, funk, hip-hop to breaks and house. Do you find these type of sounds hard to play at certain clubs or venues at times?
Well it depends where I am at, at bars it’s more on the chillout side of things, and it’s great that despite its considered background music, im still able to play the music im passionate about and that I actually want to play. In clubs, depending on where it is, you often have to sacrifice your dignity and drop cheesy tunes to please the crowd, but I try to minimize it as much as possible; I won’t play music unless I actually like it. But the bigger and better known clubs are great because you have the freedom to do what you do, and that’s the time when I can seriously get down.
In 2001 you started DJing professionally at Gas night club, since then you have branched out all over Sydney is this what you prefer to do? Or would you like to score a residency at a particular venue?
I prefer to be the roaming kind. Im not that fussed on ever getting a weekly residency thing, I’m comfortable with the whole monthly or guest residency slots. It has allowed me to play to the widest scope of crowds possible, and because of this, I’ve developed great relationships with promoters and clubs. Im never the one to stop and rely on my name to get gigs, Im always out on the grind letting people know who I am and what I do.
Congratulations on becoming the NSW champ for the Heineken Thirst National DJ competition, what was the experience like especially being judged by some of the worlds leading DJs like Erick Morillo and Roger Sanchez?
Well Eric Morillo’s reasoning for me not winning the Australian comp was that I didn’t’t play music suitable for the event…That comment sort of sums up the entire competition; it was never run as professional as it seemed and some of the competitors weren’t even able to play their planned sets! It was treated more as filler, and a comp of this stature not to be decided on skill and rather what big tunes you can “mix” is ridiculous. Heineken has done hardly anything for me, the winner, or the other state winners since, Im still waiting on my beer Heineken! Hopefully they will learn from their mistakes for next year’s event. I was happy enough for the way it went down, as the first time in the history of the competition there was a tie between myself and jimmy b (the eventual winner)
What was it like to play back to back with Fergie for two hours at home nightclub?
Yeah, Fergie, you would never think that me, of all dj’s doing a back to back thing with Fergie, but it went down great on the sublime experience night when Armin Van Buuren was also there. Fergie is a party animal no doubt, so his mixing was strange and dodgy at times, that room was the deep house section that used to be up on the terrace and it was fun to be mixing a few with someone as well known and respected in the dance scene.
You’ve just completed 2 new mix cd’s which are available to be streamed exclusively on ITM-FM – tell us a bit about the sound and style of these mixes compared to your usual DJ sets?
Yes well, if you know me as a party breaks kind of dude, then you will be in for a treat. “Laidback … Nextdaze” is the 2nd chillout mix I’ve done, some downtempo beats to relax and kick back to. “The house of Mo’funk” is exactly as the title says, the sounds that make up what I do on the house side of things.
With such an overwhelming success in your career so far, are you looking forward to further success or are you comfortable with where you are now?
There’s always more to be done and to accomplish. Im in it for the love of the music, it’s taken me years to get things happening, ever since I was digging crates at 14. I’m still considered an up & comer, which is fine by me, because I still burn most djs out there anyway, so when I eventually do reach major status, my game will be world class, there would be nothing more sweeter than to travel and do the thing you love doing.
You co-host the inthemix radio show with ITM’s editor Tim Hardaker, what has been your favourite moment on air?
It’s always a blast each and every week to do the show with Tim, he’s a dear friend and we seem to always keep it interesting. The most fun was probably when the Cuban Brothers made a visit on the first sunset show earlier in the year. Those guys are hilarious in a drunk, out of control, wild way. It ended up being really good radio. DJ Godfather was incredible too, it was just Tim and I in the studio watching this technical freak go at the decks, pure brilliance!
Listen to Mo’Funk’s mixes on ITM-FM
http://www.inthemix.com.au/fm/24053/
http://www.inthemix.com.au/fm/24054/
Also catch him co-host the inthemix radio show on Fbi 94.5 FM with Tim Hardaker on Friday nights 6-8pm.
andreala says...
I love Mo'Funk's mixes... Is there a way to get a copy for my ipod?