Well after stumbling across Streetlab on Halloween somewhere in The Village fiddling with controllers I decided to congratulate them on their fantastic remix of The Chemical Brother's Galvanize. You know just to sound cool and "in-the-know." I heard that remix like a million blogyears ago and I felt somewhat embarrassed that I hadn't followed up on their productions or anything, so the following day, when my hang over passed, I did some myspace investigation only to find that they have been busy busy.... Soon after we got to interweb-chatting and the fellas at Streetlab were kind enough to give me an exclusive interview as well an advanced copy of their forthcoming EP. Here's the goods.
Q: When I saw you guys play out I noticed a ton of nobs and buttons. I'm assuming you were using Ableton, though i didn't notice a laptop. Give me a quick run down of you Live setup.
Coz: We have a laptop, but like to keep it at our feet so that no one can see Windows Media Player playing our whole set. We also don't even have a Mac - so we figured - yea, def hide the laptop and just play our whole 'set' off Windows Media. All those knobs and buttons are just to trick you into thinking we are actually 'performing' our songs....
Ryan: It is easy not to mess up when nothing really does anything. Really it is just about us looking cool. I guess if we wanted to we could have control over all the parts to each song and remix all the parts live, but that would probably be too much work...
Q: As I understand there are two of you in Streetlab. Tell me about your dynamic when you guys produce. Who likes to do play the synths? Do you sample other music? Who is that singing on NY Sound?
Coz: We haven't sampled yet for any of our original songs. A lot of our remixes though started out as sampled ideas - and then just developed into being a remix of the original song. We don't know who is singing in 'NYSound' - the voice just started coming thru the monitors while we were working on the song in the studio. Luckily I was recording and captured it all. We took it as a sign...it was kind of a supernatural experience actually...
Ryan: It really depends. We are both always trying out new stuff running this thing thru that thing etc..and sometimes sounds just come out of nowhere and mysteriously record themselves. We run Ableton on about 4 machines and just go with the flow. One being the master and then the other stations synched up to create ideas.
Q: I know when I play out I almost always get stupid drunk. It gets messy behind the booth.... I sometimes wish I DJ'd as part of a duo so my teammate could takeover. Have either of you gotten so plastered and forgotten what nob controls what?
Coz: This is why we avoid the booth! We have our own rig that we bring with us. No need to shuffle the DJ around for us. This allows us to better keep track of our drinks vs the DJs drinks. You know how that can be. In terms of forgetting whats what with the knobs/buttons etc - see the answer to the question #1.
Ryan: No shots = Control. So far so good. My irish % can handle all the guiness I can intake however I purposely avoid shots before playing cause they are bad news.
Q: What is your drink of choice when your performing? I like vodka-cran.
Coz: Guiness, always. I want a tap on our rig for each song change...
Ryan: Guiness or Harp if they got it but no one ever does.
Q: What was the best show you've ever played? What club/venue are you dying to play out at?
Coz: Ruff Club has recently been the most fun.
Ryan: Dying to play Coachella, WMC, and SXSW
Q: Do either of you have guilty pleasure artists that you listen to when you think no one is watching? I'll start, I really dig The Pussycat Dolls.
Coz: (scans thru his iTunes, I mean Windows Media player...) 311 - the song 'Amber'. I don't think im guilty tho - its a good song. Maybe some Hall & Oats...
Ryan: Hmmm I don't know. Sometimes I will get cheesy songs in my head and have to wash them out but I can't think of anything that I like that I wouldn't want my friends hearing....oh the latest was some song of the Trailer Park Boys movie by The Tragically Hip, Not a bad band but not really my style. I don't think that counts really, I will have to get back to you.
Q: Do you guys like to go to shows, concerts, festivals, and what not? What was the most amazing show you have ever witnessed? Mine is a three-way tie between Radiohead at Bonnaroo in 2006, Daft Punk at Coney Island in 2007, and The Chemical Brothers @ Hammerstein Ballroom in 2007. Radiohead has a slight edge since I was candy-flippin.
Coz: Radiohead (At that island in Montreal). Ive seen RH 3 or so times, and they are just SO on point, i swear they are better live than on record. BRMC also put on a great show - a great 3-piece, raw, straight up no-BS rock. NIN - u will leave exhausted - which means it was a good show :)
Ryan: I would have to say it is between these (The Chemical Brothers at Woodstock 99, NIN at MSG cause we got a private show and I caught a drumstick, STP in 97, BRMC, Daft at Coney was killer, Radiohead outside in Montreal, Pantera 2000 something, Soulwax @ Studio B, Deftones @ The Chance in the 90's, there is more but those stand out the most right now...
The Lightning Round!!
True or False... Disco rules!
Coz: false
Ryan: True
True or False... Trance blows!
Coz: true
Ryan: False
True or False... Wendy's is better than Burger King.
Coz: TRUE.
Ryan: False
True or False... NYC crowds are the best.
Coz: is there a 'NYC' crowd?? or just a lead?
Ryan: (asks magical 8-ball): Ask Again Later
Sarah Palin... 1-10 scale. GO!
Coz: uhhhhhhh the MILF factor u mean? If she doesnt talk: 7
Ryan: 2012 baby
Pirates or Ninjas?
Coz: Pirates - they dont need to be quiet or in the shadows - cause they just dont give a fuck.
Ryan: Ninjas cause they ain't skeevy
Yoga or Pilates?
Coz: Yoga. Pilates is like the "im cooler and different than you" form of Yoga. SO sceney...
Ryan: Both, Pilates first then Yoga. Actually about to do some right now...
LOTR or Star Wars?
Coz: LOTR - Star Wars = LAME! (argue me, come on)
Ryan: LOTR. Star Wars got killed with those last three episodes
And the most important question of them all...
Bassline or melody? There is a right answer.
Coz: Melody. A bassline could be a melody...its how u deliver it.
Ryan: Melody for sure.
Streetlab - NY Sound
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