As an inthemix50 high achiever who’s become a firm fixture of the Australian dance music tapestry, Baby Gee sits very well in both the Queensland and national scene. Having saturated his state’s shores for almost a decade with his unique brand of beats, covering everything from his beloved tech trance to big room electro and jackin’ house, Baby Gee has been a major source of dance music momentum in the Sunshine State. With his trademark smile and Fijian nonchalance, and multiple mix compilations and residencies already behind him and a new Wild Weekends compilation just around the corner, Baby Gee’s future looms brightly.

That Baby Gee is a saucy minx is undeniable – it’s prevalent from his mixes to the firmly permanent grin on his face. Embracing life wholeheartedly, this harks back to his Chinese-Fijian upbringing where the relaxed life of sun, sand and coconuts would forever leave its mark upon him. Age six saw Baby Gee leaving the palm trees of Fiji for the cooler climates of Toowoomba. Thanks to a Systems 6 gig in his later teens, the path of a DJ was suddenly opened up before him. Patiently working his way through the ranks under the guidance of PaulJay, Mr Rush and Custer, it was a good twelve months until Baby Gee was even allowed to touch the needle. Following in the tradition of the apprentice being named by his instructor, the psudeonym of ‘Baby Gee’ was gifted by PaulJay himself. And there was no looking back…

Landed a residency at Monastery Nightclub where his tidy skills propelled the club onto the map, he later took onboard the residency for Fridays at Family where he built his name as one of the country’s best known purveyors of trance. And arousing the passion in the previously trance-defunct state of Queensland, you could argue it was his presence that paved the way for the style to become so firmly entrenched in the Sunshine State. His affection for the techier edge of trance eventually led to collaborations with Central Station Records for the Central Energy compilations. “Rhythm and bass lines are in my soul,” Gee states matter of factly. “I love my tribal rhythms. I love my snare. At the moment, I’m not too impressed with the electro that is flooding the market. There is no soul, no melody, no bass and no rhythm. I want to bring back the funk to house – with what I call ‘chug’,” he notes, referring to the bass-heavy house rhythms you can hear at any of his Monastery resident sets.

Having taken out the coveted position of #3 top spot in Queensland in the poll last year, I ask Baby Gee his thoughts on the Sony inthemix50 for 2008. “To be honest, I don’t think I will be as highly placed as I have been in the past,” Gee reflects. “I haven’t been as available as I have in the past. All of my attention has been focused on the new mix for Wild Weekends [compiled alongside Sydney’s Shamus and the tour. I haven’t had any time to think about it. Of course, I’d love to rate – but I don’t expect to. 2007 ITM50 was off the hook!” Gee emphatically proclaims. “The Staffords and TyDi’s high positions show that Queensland is really dominating the scene – that it’s not just the southern states who have all the talent and the clubs. Queensland has everything – sun, babes and bikinis. We’ve got it all.”

Looking towards the next summer season and onwards, baby Gee plans to continue working his way from behind DJ booth to his latest passion – the production studio. With the successful release of Supaman in 06, Baby Gee’s impetus as producer seemed on the up. “I took a break from the studio last year though,” Gee notes wryly. “I guess last year was my party year. But this year is definitely different,” he states firmly. These days, Gee is either smashing club dancefloors around the country, on planes travelling to interstate gigs or firmly settled in the studio. With a recent collaboration with tyDi, the track Pineapple was born from many stints in tyDi’s studio in the wee hours of the morn. And it’s a subtle remark upon Baby Gee’s Fijian heritage, combining plenty of rhythms and basslines with tyDi’s trademark flowing melodies.

With a fresh focus firmly on producing more tracks, one may well think Baby Gee is maturing out of the ‘Baby’ status. “No way,” Gee defends ardently when I mention this thought. “I will always be a juvenile delinquent DJ; I will always be Baby Gee. It’s just that my love for music is not a new thing anymore. I’m well established now, but I will always be a kid at heart.” With his Wild Weekend tour commencing this week alongside the release of the the compilation, Baby Gee is looking forward to unleashing his tech trance melodies, chug rhythms and house beats across the nation. “Tours can be really hard,” Gee declares. “I’ve really had to keep exercising heaps to maintain my physical and mental strength. Touring can really take it out of you. And between my gigs, flights and the studio – I have no time!”

If Baby Gee is your favourite Australian DJ or producer make sure you vote for him in this year’s Sony inthemix50. Wild Weekends 2008 is out now through Central Station/Sony BMG, catch him alongside Shamus at the following national dates…

Fri 18th Jul – Baby Gee & Shamus @ Bedroom Gold Coast
Sat 19th Jul – Baby Gee @ Port Douglas
Sat Jul 19 Shamus @ Calypso, Coolangatta
Sat 26th Jul – Shamus @ Déjà Vu, Port Douglas
Fri 1st Aug – Baby Gee @ Doors, Mackay
Fri 8th Aug – Baby Gee @ Rise, Perth
Sat 9th Aug – Baby Gee @ Discovery, Darwin
Sat 9th Aug – Shamus @ Academy, Darwin
Fri 22nd Aug – Baby Gee @ Bliss, Ipswich
Sat 23rd Aug – Shamus @ Filter, Shepparton
Fri 5th Sep – Baby Gee @ Wharf Tavern, Mooloolaba
Fri 12th Sep – Baby Gee & Shamus @ Coffs Hotel, Coffs Harbour
Fri 19th Sep – Baby Gee @ Soho, Cairns
Sat 20th Sep – Shamus @ Tonic Lounge, Calourndra
Fri 26th Sep – Baby Gee @ Vibe Geraldton WA
Sat 27th Sep – Baby Gee @ Vibe Rockingam WA
Sun 28th Sep – Baby Gee @ Three Monkeys, WA
Wed 8th Ocobter – Baby Gee @ Lonnies Launceston
Fri 10th October- Baby Gee @ Curly’s – Hobart
Sun 11th October – Baby Gee @ Sicocco’s – Burnie