In its 18 months of operation Ear Candy has grown into a Friday night institution for those who are serious about their house, and with the recent addition of a second room featuring hip-hop and old-school funk it’s appeal has only broadened. ITM’s Missy JuJu had a quick chat with James Taylor, Luna, Jilbert and Tim Sea, four of Ear Candy’s newest resident DJs, to find out what they’ve each brought to the table.
ITM: You’re all playing at Ear Candy now. How are you finding the new residency?
James Taylor: Wicked! There’s always a decent up for it crowd there. It’s good fun!
Luna: Quite yummy!
Jilbert: It’s great to be playing at Yu. Nice surroundings, nice crowd, couldn’t really ask for much more.
Tim Sea: I’m diggin the joint, nice atmosphere and surroundings, great people… It’s mad fun to play to a crowd that’s so responsive and down with the boogie…
ITM: What can we expect from your sets at Yu?
JT: A mish- mash of hip hop and funky beats ranging from the late 70’s right through to today.
L: I’m usually on 4-6 so depending on what the crowd is up for it’s either chunky funky tough house or chunky funky soft house.
J: Jack swingin’ percussive house anthems from 1993 and beyond.
TS: I am droppin’ mainly fat assed, old skool hip-hop, party breaks and original funk. Playing that kind of music, I like to work it in a cut and paste, block rockin stylee. If you like that sort of thing expect to dance yo ass off!
ITM: How would you each describe your individual styles?
JT: I play everything from downtempo to hip hop to funky beats to techy breaks, and sometimes some house for good measure.
L: Chunks of funk, tough, dirty house with a twist of electroclash served with wedges of your favourites from the past, present, and future!
J: At Yu you will hear my favourite anthems from all ages, elsewhere you may hear a deep percussive driving house sound.
TS: I play many different sounds and flavas, so my style varies depending on what I’m playing and where I’m at. Maybe 90% class and 10% ass.
ITM: What vinyl would you never leave home without?
JT: Audioweb – Policeman Skank
L: At the moment it’s Chicken Lips – He Not In, Fischerspooner – Emerge (Dave Clark mix), Unknown- Because I Wanna, and Love Rush – Same Old Thing.
J: Cassius – La Mouche.
TS: My original, mint condition collection of circa 1980 Gloria Estefan albums, if all else fails Gloria will save yo!
ITM: What are your most memorable gigs?
JT: 2001-2002 NYE @ The Brookyln Beat Boutique supporting Nubreed and Fatt Dex. I played the final set in the courtyard, it was packed! Even with people who were dancing in the walkway who hadn’t paid for the party, the sun was coming up and everyone was losing the plot!
L: Sublime in August 2002. I’ve never been so nervous in my entire life. All my friends were telling me to chill but I was in my own world. I was concentrating so hard not to throw up from nerves that I didn’t really enjoy it that much until the end of my set.
J: Honky Tonks in Melbourne a few months ago. Jack swingin’ deep shit with Melbournites shakin’ their asses. Deep house at its best.
TS: That’s a hard one… I played the first Field Day in the VIP area and that was a pretty mind-blowing way to start the year. It was awesome, I had never seen so many people partying down to the DJs sounds in the stinking heat, during the day, ever! I think that event single-handedly changed the game as far as dance music culture in Australia is concerned, so I was pretty humbled to be involved in that. Playing with Mr. Scruff, Tim ‘Love’ Lee and Krafty Kuts are also highlights. All the times I have played interstate in Melbourne or Canberra have been off the hook too.
ITM: How do you see the future in Australian dance music?
JT: Hopefully it will go from strength to strength, and hopefully there will be more variety in parties to choose from.
L: The underground resistance will live again! At the moment everyone wants to hear popular tracks or oldies but this phase will move on.
J: Hopefully heading in the right direction. There has been a bit of a slump in interest from punters towards quality house music recently but I see the emergence of new nights hopefully changing things for the better.
TS: I think the scene here has become one of the most healthy in the world. I would certainly like to be around to see it grow further and to contribute to that personally. Mad props are due to all the local and interstate producers and DJs for representing and putting us on the map in a musical sense. I see Australian dance music eventually becoming as widely respected as any of the other great dance music Mecca’s, like the U.K. or the States.
ITM: It’s a hard one, but if you were to list your top three favourite DJ’s who would they be?
JT: DJ Shadow, Adam Freeland, Mark Walton.
L: Derrick Carter, Nick Warren, Felix Da House Cat.
J: Hmmmm…
TS: That is almost impossible… There are so many giants, both past and present. I guess the originators would have to top any list, Francis Grasso, Kool Herc, David Mancuso. I could list forever, but these three were all true trail blazin’ pioneers.
ITM: Finally, name your three favourite candy bars?
JT: Snickers, Violet Crumble, Malteasers.
L: Twix, Dove Chocolate Caramel, Caramello.
J: Kit Kat Chunky Caramel is doing wonders for me at the moment, Chomp (old-skool style), and Hershey Cookies & Creme – support American chocolate!
TS: I don’t eat much candy, but my old faves used to be those Curly Wurly’s, Butter Bars from the states and Twix, I don’t know if any of theses are still around.
Ear Candy happens every Friday night at Yu, 171 Victoria St, Potts Point.
