Backbeat residents Tha Beatslappaz have been making waves recently – not only in Perth but on the international front as well. One half of the duo, Ian G, has a chat with ITM’s Jendog, to tell us all about it.

Hey Ian, thanks for having a chat with me today. So I guess first off, how has 2007 been treating Tha Beatslappaz so far?

Probably one of the best years we’ve had so far. Last year we built up the momentum and this year I think we really are pushing to what we’re working towards together.

Amongst all of that good vibe is the fact that your track ‘Rogan Josh’ got picked up by the iBreaks record label. Talk us through how that happened?

Yeah [it was] the first tune we ever wrote together. We offered to do the radio show for JMekka over in London there. During that time we sent him all the material we had and it just so happened that he liked that one. The original track that we sent him, he preferred it a bit different, so we got in the studio again this year and redid it for 2007, cos it was already two years old. [We] added some bits and pieces here, and there you go, the final track was released.

You mention in there the radio show, which you guys do every fortnight. What kinds of things have you been bringing into that?

A representation of our styles. Both me and Andrew have very varied style when we play separately, but when we’re together we sort of blend the two together to our own sound, and that’s what we’ve been pushing forward. Also, being alongside Gully who we all know has a plethora of breakbeat behind him.

For those who haven’t heard, how would you describe your sound?

It’s breakbeat music. I hate to be pigeonholed and I hate to pigeonhole other DJs. We’ll just encompass everything from the breakbeat sound and put it together, you know. However it comes out that’s what it sounds like.

So do you think over the time of you guys being together, your sound has evolved and changed, and you haven’t just stuck to the one genre?

Yeah definitely. I mean, like any DJ, as time goes by your style does evolve and change, with trends so to speak. We like to take a bit of everything and stick it in there and just have fun really.

Being a duo, do creative differences ever come into play?

No, never (laughs).

Good answer. Do you think it’s important to maintain some of your individual style, when you’re away from Andrew?

I really enjoy working with Andrew. I mean, a duo brings so much more of a benefit to whatever you’re working towards, whether it be individually or as a group. I’ll mess around by myself sometimes, but it’s only so I have something to put forward to the duo, not so much for my own personal benefit.

And who are some of your favourite DJ’s and producers?

Personally, I’ve always been a big fan of the Plump DJs. I thought they’ve always stuck to their own, haven’t followed trends and continued to push their own sound, which has made them very successful. Others; Rennie Pilgrem, early Rennie Pilgrem I should say, early Koma & Bones, early Adam Freeland, Marine Parade releases – [it’s] all stuff that has shaped my record buying influences during the early years of breakbeat. Together I think we both recently enjoyed Breakfastaz, and Andrew is a big fan of Danny Elfman, as a musical composer.

Some fine producers there. Do you think production is a natural progression for DJs?

Without a doubt. If you’re a DJ you want to immerse yourself in the whole music scene, and to make your own music is very much the natural way to go.

So, what’s next for Tha Beatslappaz?

Just to play as many gigs as we can, pushing our sound out there. Sign autographs here and there (smiles). Working hard, trying to get a few new tracks under the belt, and pushing them out to the labels locally or overseas. It’s just working towards that goal of exposing as many people as we can to our sound.

You can catch Tha Beatslappaz at Destination? Superstar, June 22nd at Ambar.