This year Good Vibrations promises to be massive, particularly with the appearance of DJ Craze. As a three time consecutive World DMC Champion DJ, Craze knows how to turn the tables and make the party go supernova. This February, he won’t disappoint.
What makes for good technique on the turn-tables? You just gotta know how to work the records, work the mixer. Your technique – the way you cut, the way you mix, the way you juggle, the way you come off, your presence – there’s a lot of factors in winning the world title.
How many turn-tables have you mixed with at the one time? I’ve tried the whole four-deck thing. I don’t really feel comfortable doing it, I think that’s more for just straight mixing. I like to do a lot of trick-mixing and a lot of record manipulation and stuff like that. So, two turn-tables and a mixer, I’m good with that.
When you hit Good Vibrations this, summer, what can the crowds expect? I’ll be doing a little bit of dub step, I’ll be doing a little bit of routine, little bit of showboating, turn-tables kind of stuff, and definitely a little bit of hip hop. A little bit of everything.
Do you have an all-time best festival story? Just rockin’ out, the last day of the 2008 Parklife tour. The last day, I was completely sober, I’d had enough of the drinking, and I had one of the best sets of the night. The promoters came up to me and they were just like ‘That was amazing!’ and I was like ‘Word, that was me sober!’ It was great, because I remember looking behind me and it was Justice on one side and M.I.A was on the other side checking me out and I was just like ‘Woah, this is great!’. And there was like thousands of people going off, and that was amazing.
On the flipside to that, do you have an all-time festival horror story? Yeah, the same tour. I heard something wrong. Well, I didn’t hear nothing wrong, my testosterone was kicking in and somebody dissed my boys onstage, so I went to my stage and dissed the boys who dissed my boys, and it was crazy. I dissed an Australian hop hop band, and we almost got into it. So that was a horror story. I did apologise and it was the liquor talking but words were exchanged that shouldn’t have been exchanged.
Do you think there’s anything unique in the Australian festivals, in particular? Australian people just go off. Especially at the festivals, they’re just up for seeing something fresh, they’re up for partying and getting crazy and the vibes are always really good.
What are three things that you think a punter should bring when they come to see you at Good Vibrations? Earplugs, bring some earplugs. Bring some hydration, bring some water cause you’ll be jumping up and down a lot and if it’s the daytime, and bring some sunblock.
If you had unlimited funds and you could organize a festival anywhere in the world, where would it be and who would headline? Definitely in Miami, and I would headline.
Who else would appear on the bill? Who else would it be? Definitely have Jack Beatz up in there, definitely have A-Trak up in there, Chromeo, for some smooth laid-back stuff, Outkast, maybe The Roots. DJs, lets have Diplo, lets have Switch, lets have Rusko, I could go on for days.
The music industry in particular, that’s such a different beast to the actual music makers themselves. What are your opinions on the music industry at the moment? I think the music industry is hurt right now. It’s not what it used to be, it’s not selling what it used to sell. It’s not what it used to be, and I don’t know how I feel about that because I’m starting a label, so I’m kind of worried about that. But, I don’t know, I think music should be free. I think music and water should be free.
So what kind of steps are you taking in your label to ensure that you’re producing a label that you’re happy with? The number one thing for me is putting out music that you believe in and putting out fresh, new music and music that can withstand the test of time. So that’s all I’m looking at, as a label owner; seeing what I can do to make music more exciting for people.
DJ Craze will be appearing at Good Vibrations at The Claremont Showgrounds on Sunday February 14. For further info about the festival’s lineup and to purchase tickets visit www.gvf.com.au.
Scott-Patrick Mitchell
