Getting a shout out in Seinfeld is no easy feat, especially when it is something along the lines of “Everybody loves the Drake”...well that was until the gang learnt that the Drake gave the TV that they bought for him and his partner to her and then when they broke up, she gave the TV to goodwill (that’s Charity, not the Ministry of Sound DJ)…then everybody hated the Drake…but that’s another story entirely. It seems that regardless of his apparent disillusionment towards gift etiquette, Canberra still loves the Drake as much as ever.
Jeff Drake is a true ‘missionary’. He is a bearded prophet, kinda like the musical equivalent of Jesus, that travels the land spreading his trashy 3 deck gospel to sweaty kids in hot rooms…and he loves being on top.
Born in New Zealand with only two syllables to his name, it wasn’t easy for Jeff to get where he is today. Luckily he escaped the land of bubbling mud springs and smutty livestock at a very early age or else he may never have picked up some ‘Deeks and a muxer’ and started on down the vinyl highway to superstardom.
Locally, he needs about as much introduction as Paris Hilton but for those that were sharing a 6×2 with David Hicks or for the last 3 years, he was voted #1 in the ACT section of last years ITM Top 50 DJ Poll, why you ask? What makes a true champion? Is it how many schooners of Jagermeister they can consume on a flight from Australia to the UK? Is it being able to eat 40 weetbix the morning after having your stomach pumped? To find out just how many bikkies Jeff does consume among other things, I found him hunched in the corner of the alley behind academy clutching a tequila bottle…at 3 in the morning on a Tuesday.
“What kind of a $&**^ question is that? Who the #$@%^ do you think you are asking the number 1 DJ a question like that?!?!? Next question. No wait – I think I’ts cause of my down to earth nature. I just do what I do which is try to rock it everywhere I play. I love what I do and I love the records I play and am excited about gigs and DJing and partying and clubs and girls and boys and sex and debauchery and tequila so maybe that connects with people who take the time to vote”
After the win, Jeff secured a residency at the Chinese Laundry in Sydney then embarked apon a race across the world. Unfortunately he gave up as soon as he hit the United Kingdom, probably to lay low after, in true rock star fashion leaving so many dead hookers in trashed hotel rooms (Cameron Smith was later found alive and well)…but lets hear it from the man himself.
“I moved to London for the experience and for a bit of a break. I am really interested in travel and seeing and experiencing different things, but working as a DJ and also running an event management company hasn’t really allowed for many extended trips or holidays. With this in mind I really just made myself take a break and move away for a few months, allowing myself to just live overseas and do a little bit of travelling. I found my way to the Berlin Love Parade and few other amazing destinations which was great. While in London I also got to hang out with a lot of people I have met through DJing and also meet people that I have had working relationships with for many years but never actually met face to face. Hanging out in Southampton with JZ and his dad and getting the guided tour of his hood and meeting his lifesize storm troopers and stuff was a lot of fun.”
Jeff is also the cheeky half of local promotion team Friction, who have flooded the Canberra Scene with quality dance music for the best part of a decade. Their Friday nights at Academy have been a popular venue for the Jager-swilling youth of Canberra to congregate en mass as Jeff slurs.
“Friday nights in Canberra pretty much are the bastard love child of Friction and Academy. Promoters (Friction) who are more interesting in partying and listening to acts they love than money (not to mention being the most likely to be thrown out for their appalling behavior) combined with a venue (Academy) that has more production, sound and décor than it knows what to do with, sexy staff and a general inability to keep alcohol out of the DJ booth has really resulted in a trashy and loose weekly party for anyone into a good time. The crowd we get ever week is fucking amazing and so up for it. Everyone just ‘gets involved’.
Ever since Friction started we have always looked forward and tried to never stand still with what we do and working with a venue like Academy on pushes this attribute and approach further. Many of the hottest acts that visit Canberra today were introduced by Friction – think Sneaky Sound System; electro heros Bang Gang, the debut of Dirty Laundry. As for the future – expect more! More exciting talent, more bottles of Jaeger, more tequila, more of Chris Fraser’s dark side; more Drake egomania; more Azzopardi one night love affairs with the bar tab; more cheeky big slim action…”
With a few solid productions under his Chrome Drake Belt in 2005, Jeff promised himself that this year he would spend more time in the studio and less time in the Betty Ford Clinic. 2005’s ‘Jagermonster’ and ‘Tequila Mockingbird’ (are we sensing a theme here people?) received support from artists like James Zabiela and Nick Warren, although this year could prove to be more fruitful with one track in particular currently moistening the loins of House jockeys across the land.
“Rollover Rockstar, the collaboration between myself and Nash T with Big Slim on vocals is due for release on Vicious Vinyl later this year. The tune has been receiving massive support from top Aussie DJs like Mark Dynamix, John Course, Grant Smillie which has been excellent, as well as also featuring on the just released Chinese Laundry CD compilation which is pretty cool as well.
The tune itself is simply a pisstake of lame rock band Jet. They can pay out on DJs all they want and good for them, but a little reminder of all the try hard wannabe rock gods won’t do them any harm. ;)”
As the sun rises, Jeff senses that it is only hours until the doors to Liquorland start to open so I end the interview with 5 questions that may give us more of an insight into what makes Jeff tick, other than alcohol of course.
Who are the main contenders this year and why?
Nationally – I am going to take a risk and say Kid Kenobi. He has been robbed the past three years but I think with a bit of luck this could be his year. As for Canberra – Chris Fraser and Milkbar Nick both completely left their integrity in the gutter and have been shamelessly begging for votes and pimping themselves like the man whores they are so I think they will both do well. From what I have seen Chris and Nick have been the two most inform Canberra DJs this year and I think they both deserve to top the ACT.
Being one of the busiest DJ’s Canberra has seen, how do you keep your interest in what you do?
Staying interested has never been a problem really. My problem has been being a little too interested, hence why to take a holiday I had to put 15,000kms between myself and my records. When there is great music around, great venues to play in like Laundry, Family and Academy and great crowds to play for, finding motivation is never a problem.
What would be your stand-out moment of the last 12 months?
Probably playing at the Establishment 5th Birthday at Tank last year. This party was insane! Between the poser models trying to be seen and the celebs trying to look famous, there were actually a lot really cool people there who really know how to party and the outcome was an over the top extravaganza that fast got waaaaay out of control!! I was playing in the electro mashup room with Sneaky and Ajax and was meant to play a two hour set. This quickly turned in 6 hours with no end in site! When Mr Sydney Playboy himself Justin Hemmes’ is crawling around the DJ booth, top shelf alcohol is flowing, crazy girls everywhere and a whole punch general looseness, how can it not be a highlight!
What does Jeff Drake do in his spare time away from the turntables?
Jeff likes to speak in third person and has recently been receiving spider walking lessons from the Spider Walking Grandmaster Mr S.O.C. And if there is any time left after that, I kinda like simple stuff like reading, dining out, good wine, good coffee. Standard stuff really.
What top five tunes of the last 12 months sums up Jeff Drake the best?
That is a tough one – so many tuuuuuuuunes. Tunes that have become trademarks in my sets over the past 12 months are:
Jeff Drake & Nash T: Rollover Rockstar
Til West & DJ Delicious: Same Man
Digitalism: Zdarlight
James Zabiela: Robophobia
Mish Mash: Speechless
Who will win this year, will it be Jeff again? Take a close look, he sure looks like the actual number one itself…and that’s gotta count for something.
