The website nuskoolbreaks.co.uk started in 1999 and quickly became the web’s focal point for music lovers, DJs and promoters to come together and share their love for a burgeoning new genre – breakbeat. In 2004, NSB Radio was formed as an off-shoot of the website and now boasts live DJs 24/7 & shows than span all across Europe, Russia, USA, Brazil, India, Japan, and Australia. In 2008 and 2009, NSB has won ‘Best Radio Station’ from the Breakspoll Awards, making it the premier place to hear cutting edge sounds on the internet. Internet radio has allowed home studios to broadcast around the world and NSB lets listeners interact with live DJs via chat, so the listener can be intimately involved in the show.

Perth has jumped on board in a big way, with 7 DJs presenting shows that play almost every style of electronic music. The NSB Radio Perth Showcase at Ambar nightclub on July 24th will see all of these artists play their unique styles in a club setting. I talked to Philly Blunt and Mono Lisa who’s show Force Majeure is one of those broadcast out of Perth.

Do you get a buzz doing internet radio?

Philly: I’ve been having great fun doing the show. We usually have a few mates around, share some pizzas and beers. It’s been a great chance to have a mix midweek and also to catch up with friends and have a laugh.

Lisa: Mixing it up in my loungeroom with my mates putting their 2 cents into the chatroom is great fun! I also love the opportunity of a regular catchup with Phil and our other DJ mates so we can listen to cool new tunes and actually have a bit of a practice! And chatting with peeps on the other side of the world is awesome – we have some regular listeners now who always tune in and laugh at our aussie antics.

Do you find it strange when the audience is communicating via a chatroom rather than busting moves on a dancefloor in front of you?

Philly: It’s definitely different, but not strange. It’s great having the chatroom so you get some feedback, because without it you wouldn’t know if people were liking your stuff. Lots of mates from all over the world jump in and catch up – as well as heaps of others from all corners of the globe.

DJs usually communicate purely through their tunes. Do you guys enjoy getting on the mic during your show?

Philly: I used to hate getting on the mic, but after a bit of practice (and a few beers), I don’t really care anymore. We’ve also noticed a lot of other shows don’t seem to speak much, so Lisa and I made a decision to chat heaps, announce tracks and have special segments. Every week we do a classic tune of the week and we also end our show on a locally produced tune, which helps promote local artists and also lets listeners know where we’re from and what’s going on down here.

The NSB Perth Showcase is coming up. Are you pleased that Perth DJs are having a big say in the future of NSB Radio?

Philly: I think it’s great, we have such a strong breaks scene in Australia, and especially in Perth, we should be sharing that with the world. It’s also helping the station too, as this event is primarily a fundraiser (and profile raiser) for NSB. Through my dealings with Ambar for my other nights, Bootleg and Force Majeure, I was lucky enough to be able to secure a date for the showcase. I thought this was too good an opportunity to pass up so I went for it, hoping everyone else would be happy, which they were. Also, Karl Sav will be doing a mix CD to give away on the night, comprised completely of Perth producers.

Lisa: I’m definitely looking forward to it – I love stepping up to the decks at Ambar. It’s the home of breaks in Perth after all and the crowd always seems to put a lot of faith into the DJs and are usually willing to go in whatever direction you want to take them.

You do the poster designs for your nights too, Philly?

Philly: I do the design for all my nights which I find a lot of fun – and sometimes a fair bit stressful too. I studied graphic design but have concentrated on music so haven’t done much work in that field, so I use these opportunities to do some design work. It’s also cheaper than paying someone to do it, and I get full creative control, ha ha!

You guys have put a lot of work into the Perth scene and developing Force Majuere as a brand. Where do you see it heading in the future?

Lisa: We’ve been involved in the breaks scene (in particular) in Perth for a long time. We saw a gap in the Perth market for a night which was dedicated to the harder edged sounds of breaks and house and decided to jump on the opportunity and fill it! We’ve been working together for almost a year and our fourth show is coming up (featuring The Impossibles). Beyond that we have some really exciting things in the works but our aim is always to put on a quality party, and bring the sounds that are a bit tougher than usual!

The NSB Radio Perth Showcase hits Ambar nightclub this Friday July 24th.