TiAmos is undoubtedly an icon in the hallways of Brisbane’s underground mediums. Feted as a hero in the harder side of electronica though his heart lies in the melodies and basslines of trance, TiAmos is recognized as the muse for setting many a hesitant foot behind the decks and onto the path of electronica. Radio show producer, trance DJ, promoter, and motivator, you can also find Tiamos wandering the vestibules of Butterbeats Record Store. With a mind particularly tuned towards scientific channels, music remains just as much a satisfying and formulaic outlet as does pondering over physics. In the leadup to his support set for 4Strings at Planet Nightclub this Friday evening, TiAmos sits down with inthemix and chats drag queens, organs, and the production values and performance ethos of a good DJ.

For a DJ who doesn’t mind the harder BPMs of the beats scale, how did the name Tiamos first come about?

I was dubbed thee TiAmos about twelve years ago by three young Drag-Queens (yes. It’s crazy. I know). As friends with this gaggle of hens , they didn’t like my old DJ name, so they christened me “TiAmos” during a vodka laden night.

What was it initially about trance that first captured your musical soul?

I used to enjoy doing chord patterns on the organ during my spare time, and this progressed to the good ‘ol Amiga 600 using Octamed around 1991. I was able to fire off samples at a programmed pitch and next thing you know – I’ve got five or so strings going in harmony. I then discovered someone called Paul van Dyk around 1994, and – well – the rest is history!

How did you first find yourself behind the decks? What keeps you there?

My first turntable was around 1987 – nothing like a Technics 1200 – but some belt driven Sony model. I would go to the record store once every few weeks, and began falling in love with my 7” & 12” singles, it started with contemporary rock then moved on from there into more electronic offerings. What keeps me there is the smiles on the faces I play to and the shaking of hands from the crowd enjoying what they’re going off to.

TiAmos is a bit of a local legend as one who guides the younger generation in their newly found path, or as one who has steered the community through many phases, yet you still manage to remain relatively unknown in the greater Trance community. What do you attribute this towards?

I’m more interested in the production values and performance ethos than the fame and glory. I guess this makes me humble. The joy of being a DJ is that you can be someone who gives things direction yet no one will know your face. Having been involved in radio, touring, production, promotions, event management etc, I’ve become aware of what makes the punters tick, and am happy to pass this knowledge on.

Are there any pearls of wisdom you would like to pass onto other DJ hopefuls?

I get asked by a lot of people how to become a DJ. I simply reply “Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice…. “ well – you get my point. It’s not a hard skill to learn – just keep at it and learn one thing at a time

You have been a bit of a stalwart in Brisbane for some time now. What past clubs have had a hand in inspiring you to follow your DJing path?

Rather than clubs, I’d have to say it was the three or so years I was the producer of a radio show. Managing artists to ensure they’re on time for air play puts you in a fairly critical position. Looking after six sources of audio, five people and three phone lines, I really proved to myself I could keep an eye on several things at once. Club wise, it was in the early days of Rockafella’s when it was The Temple Of Techno. It became a club synonymous for holding awesome events in an intimate surrounding. The days of Resonate will be with me forever.

What sort of labels and albums have stood out as especially inspirational to you over time?

Labels start off with a good 10-12 quality releases, then drop off into some hit ’n ’miss entomology. I prefer to hunt for a specific genre when it comes to programming and will listen to hundreds of tunes to find perhaps a handful that I’ll play. Some call it driving trance, other refer to it as banging and the rest, well, they just love it! If they’re at about 145bpm, not too much euphoria, but definitely a good thump about it – they’ll will make it’s way into my collection.

How important is it to foster the dance community? How do you go about supporting the industry?

The industry is going through an interesting period – perhaps its the analog to digital conversion on a mass scale? I support things from the ground up. If the product is strong and appeals to a certain market, chances are I’ll get behind it.

What do you think is the greatest indication of a thriving industry: for example, that it has loads of local DJs putting on events or whether how many internationals/ interstate guests are coming through?

I’m a big believer in quality and consistency over quantity with repetition. There are local nights that have kicked on for many years now and have stood the test of time as they have recognition in providing a quality product. I prefer a local night as the locals know what makes their crowd boogie.

Do you think trance is dying in Brisbane? If so – how did this come about? If not – why not?

Trance can’t be dying – of the DJ Top 10 in the world, seven are trance. Trance, like hardcore, will never truly ‘die’. I think it’s many other factors that prevents trance from being a main genre for Brisbane

What are your thoughts on festivals v club nights?

Festivals that go through till 5am are all but vanished now which is unfortunate. The younger generation is now being fed a diet of “it’s 3am kids, you’ve got to be in bed before sunrise”. Club nights are wonderful and some can be rather diverse, but you have to make up your mind where you want to see 5am out.

What clubs stand out to you as being particularly supportive of the industry?

Planet is stepping out of its zone with several different genre orientated nights over the last year or so, and good on them!. So is Rockafellas as well with the hard dance night.

You will be supporting 4Strings when he comes to Brisbane on Friday February 5. What can the audience expect to hear from you on the dance floor?

The driving trance sound that you’ve come to expect from me, starting from about 140bpm and working our way up to 150bpm or so. It’ll take you up, spin you about, make you reach for some lasers, then put you on the glide slope for a nice, soft landing.

Elevations presents 4Strings @ Planet Nightclub on Friday night with supports from TiAmos, Tranceducer, Fez, Hektic, Parto, Kazuki, Angus Gibbins, Daztronik and Morale