Often you’ll hear about an aspiring DJ/producer and their ambitions to start their own record label. If you think that’s impressive, turn your eyes to Miles Dyson for just a second: he runs 12 different record labels! Not your average DJ/producer, he’s the manager of a publishing and production company and that’s right, is responsible for overseeing a dozen different record labels. And yep, we reckon that certainly puts him in the running to be the Donald Trump of dance music, a mogul to call our own.
Hailing from Germany, Miles Dyson is a DJ/producer who’s got a whole lot more up his sleeve than your standard selection of remixes and productions. Pushing a sound that spans across breaks, techno and electro, he’s delivered countless remixes which most notably has included his wall-shattering take on 30Hz’ Daddio, which got a severe caning from the Plump DJs when there were here in January. In addition, he’s got what’s practically a dance music empire under his control; he’s even collaborated with Snoop Dogg! Currently blessing our country with his presence for the very first time, Miles sat down with ITM for a chat about eating our national emblem, his dream of swimming with dolphins, what it’s like to be a dance music mogul and or course, his music….
You began DJing at the tender age of 13, and had a club residency by 15. Many kids at that age think about the latest Xbox console rather than decks. What inspired your early start?
The electronic music scene was very small then and we use to go into the oldest club in Germany and listen to that music on weekends so I grew into it. There were always really big names from Germany and Europe playing there every weekend and I was impressed by the DJs and how they were looked up to by people who were like, “oh the DJ”. So I bought some turntables, a mixer and a few records and started from then on.
You were 15 and had a club residency- you weren’t even legally allowed to drink…
What’s the problem? I don’t drink now… No I didn’t look 15, I looked older. I painted on a beard… No I’m kidding.
On top of touring every corner of the world you also manage to run a few successful record labels – how do you do it all?
12 labels to be exact…I don’t know, it just works. It used to be DJing, and then managing; now it takes place simultaneously. I’m even here with my Mac book and I just received a few licensing requests for a few tracks and have to do interviews online and all that… But it works so I’m happy.
What new and exciting things can we expect from the label?Well I’m signing new people every week. I have like 200 releases out on the market at the moment and I have to keep signing new people on all of the time. Most of them come from Russia, from Eastern Europe and they are getting into electronic music, into producing- there are a lot of new talents coming out. Even today I received 15 new tracks I have to listen to. I listen to like 5-10 seconds and say “yes…no…yes…no”. Some are really good.
When you produce do you have a particular vision for each song or do you play with it until it sounds a particular way?
When I start on my own productions, I guess I just go to clubs and listen to what could work and go home and start working that out and change it so much that I usually have a completely new track at the end. So it’s always like that: I want to make something that I have in my head but if it doesn’t work then I’m starting to realise that. But I generally try to produce things that I think will sell well on the market.
Make a profit…
Yeah, it’s all about the money!
Do you pick any remixes you want to do by artist?
No, I’ve been receiving a lot of instrumental tracks and remixing them is so boring. I prefer remixing tracks with vocals.
Is there a song or a remix that you’re particularly proud of?
No. I don’t actually like all of my songs when they are finished as I have to listen to them for 14 hours every day… The same sequences… And when you’re done with it after the whole mastering process and everything is ready for release, I hate them! Sometimes I get on the DJ stand and I know in my head that I have to play something and I think, “oh no please, not again!”
Are there any particular artists you draw inspiration from?
No. I gave up all these idol things. There were artists when I wasn’t that deep into electronic music like Armand Van Helden or the German producers like Dr. Motte who invented The Love Parade in Berlin, who were really good. But basically, artists fail to impress me. They do one good track or two and never do anything again.
Are you going to change that?
I have to change that. I’m working on that. I work for the music, in the music all day just about the music. I love making good music. Germany is not that good for that. Everywhere else but Germany. I really love the UK like that because you have to play filth house, filth electro very good tunes. I love playing filthy tunes there.
With such a massive tour ahead, which destination are you looking forward to the most?
Perth so far has been amazing. I love everything. You can impress me with everything (in Australia). I’m very interested in nature, the people, the culture- you don’t have that much culture! And yeah you have dolphins! Where can I see dolphins? And whale sharks in the north! I want to see them and swim with them; not the white sharks, the whale sharks!
What is one of your craziest touring experiences?
I was in Mexico and I was at a bar and there were girls waiting outside for me and they wanted me to go on the bus with them but all my promoters were like, “oh no, don’t go with them, don’t.”
Yeah because they’re all really men…
Probably! Generally they take good care of me. Sometimes in Brazil it’s scary, there is a lot of crime and even in the rich areas there are shootings every day. So every morning you’d wake up with shootings like “bang, bang, bang, bang” 200 metres away from you. It was amazing- I always have security with me so it’s safer.
When you’re not DJing, managing 12 record labels, getting shot in Brazil or eating Kangaroo meat in Perth, what do you do in your spare time? Do you have any outrageous hobbies or things that interest you besides music ?
Eating wombat sticks…no I’m kidding. I love the kangaroo meat. I want to eat wombat.
I’m going to get you a wombat. Can you eat wombat? Is it legal?
You can eat anything…
Anyway, back to other hobbies – have you got any?
No I don’t have any hobbies. I’m doing music every day. When I’m home in Germany I’m working 16 hours a day. My wife had to move to another city due to her job so I have a lot of time now for producing. It’s not like at 9 or 10 o’clock at night and she’s shouting “come to bed right now…” so I can really work all day long now!
Have a listen to Miles Dyson’s ITM-FM mix, and you can catch him touring nationally…
Friday 7th March: Lot 33, Canberra
Saturday 8th March: The Cross, Sydney
Sunday 9th March: Cottesloe Hotel, Perth
Sunday 9th March: FFour, Melbourne
Friday 14th March: Planet Nightclub, Brisbane
annandin says...
The poor guy played to a crowd of about three people down here in Hobart. Really disappointing to see such a quality DJ get such a horrible turnout.
Unconformed says...
ummm yeah, what ever dude
Mr Rdaza says...
thats terrible. He's an amazing dj and a great producer. But thats the industry we are in.. Not many people have heard of miles dyson and the ones who do are mostly people in the music industry..
Flip_DUSK says...
Yea Hobart doesn't seem to have a scene which appreciates good DJ'S/ Producers. There will definatly be much more support this Friday the 14th at planet night club in Brisbane!!!