Interviews

J  A  D  E

It's all about the rhythm over a deep bassline - Jade Interview

Plastician

Bring The Terror Rhythm - Interview with Plastician

Borgore

"Pineapple Juice" - Interview with Borgore[YoutubeVideo-Audio]

"Pineapple Juice" - Magazine Format - PDF Download

OPTIV

"Machines That Make Noises" - Interview With Optiv

BARE

"Step Into My Cave" - Download Interview

NC-17

INTERVIEW WITH NC-17 - 'WHATEVER IS CLEVER' (Peter)

Name and date of birth?
"Ruben Reyes, 1980 September 21st"

For anyone who doesn't know you on a personal level, how would you
describe yourself in a sentence or two?
"I think I’m a pretty easy-going guy, I’m really friendly, I like to talk to
people and defo down to meet new people, I don’t think I make any enemies, I’m pretty nice to everybody and just pretty easy going and chill"

What was the very first event you MC'd at? 
"The actual first event I can’t really remember, but the first rave I MC’d at was
actually in Toronto at an old school jungle party. They used to call it ‘Ganja
Smile‘ and I don’t even remember the year, but I was probably like 17-18, so
that was like 12-13 years ago. I was with my buddy MC Antix and he
kinda hooked me up and thats where I got my first gig I guess."
How did that experience go for you?
"It was pretty good, I only got to spit a few bars, but I mean it was still
something and at the time I was just excited to be rhyming."
What was the very first event you DJ'd at? 
"Oh man, I can’t even remember. Probably in a buddies basement haha, or at a
house party or something."
You MC’d before you DJ’d right?
"Yep."

Have you ventured into producing yet? - if yes, what genre(s)?
If no, is there a specific reason why you have chosen not to branch into
that particular area?
"Yea, I started producing probably about 2 years ago,
but I kind of grew out of it. It was first drum n bass and then it was dubstep.
Actually, it wasn’t really I grew out of it, it was more just that I got really busy.
Once the Dj’ing took off it was like Dj, work and girlfriend, don’t really
have time for anything else. Plus promoting and throwing my own parties
and selling tickets, that’s like a double full time job for me."
What initially tuned you into drum n bass/dubstep/drumstep? Was
there a specific artist or song that sealed the deal for you?
"Well with drum n bass originally, my friend had showed it to me back in I think
it was ’96 - ’97. It was more underground and in warehouses, you know like I
would have to go meet up with a guy at Nathan Phillips Square and get this
cracker, and then go to this corner, and then left and like 20 paces and yea,
it was more like just strictly underground and old school, so I just kinda
checked it out that way. From then I was just kinda like drawn to it and went
that way for a very long time, and then dubstep has only been recent within the
last like 3 years."

Currently, who is your favourite dnb artists? dub artists? Why?
"For drum n bass, I’d like to say modified motion, dub zero, my boy stickbubbly.
Those are my top 3 I’d say. High contrast is really good, he’s got some really
chill stuff, Danny byrd is really good too, Camo & Krooked aswell, there’s a lot of
just really good guys out there. With dubstep, I’m personally really feeling
Document One, Dodge and Fuski and Roksonix."

If you HAD to choose one, and couldn't
weigh them equally, which one would you choose: Dubstep, Drum n Bass or
drumstep? What's your reasoning behind your decision?

"It’s kinda hard to say and put drum n bass on hold because I started out in drum
n bass, but I mean as far as my Dj career has gone...I may have started

out dnb but it’s dubstep that’s gotten me to where I am, but I don’t know cause
I like to throw everything in my sets cause I like everything and I hope
everyone else does as well."
Is there any specific artist you feel is completely under-rated atm
and deserves more exposure?
"Well definitely my boy stickbubbly, he deserves a lot of recognition. He’s
definitely one of the most under-rated producers that people should really take
the time to get to know."

If you could take an estimate, what producer would you say plays a
dominant role in your sets, as in, out of all your sets EVER played, what
artists tracks have you found yourself including the most?
"I’d say Flux Pavilion, Doctor p and any of the guys from the circus camp."

If you can remember, how long had you been
practicing dj'ing before your first public event?

"Prolly a year or so i would say"

How did that experience go for you?
"Well, I started playing drums when I was like 9-10 years old, so Dj’ing kinda
came naturally to me, cause it’s drums right, so it’s like timing and just
y’know mixing, so I picked up Dj’ing really quickly off my buddy and probably
within the first year I was just playing little shows and stuff here and there,
nothing big. It took me a while to get where I am, so at least 9 years of Dj’ing
to get where I am today haha."
From your personal experiences, what would you say music
represents to you as a whole? Do you feel music elicits or expresses an
emotional response?
"Just life to me...music’s my life, it’s my passion...just I love it. I love
everything about it and how everything about it is different, how you’re not
just subjected to just one genre or subjected to just one class, music can be
anything and I just like the whole variety aspect of that. I guess there could
be hidden meanings behind every track, but everyone is different and everyone
perceives things differently, it’s all how you interpret it. I can’t really say
this track makes me happy and it should make everyone feel happy, cause someone
might actually be depressed from that track, but y’know everything is
different."

What would you say is the most memorable event you have ever performed at?
as well as attended. Why?
"In terms of MC’ing, Rusko at Sound Academy was really good, it was a sold out
house and the vibe was crazy. Skrillex and Nero this year was amazing too,
mc’ing for Nero right before Skrillex was insane. Dj’ing wise, there was a
couple of really good gigs, but djing after Rusko @ the koolhaus was amazing and
having the crowd chanting my name after was pretty surreal, also Zeds Dead at
Beta has to be one of the best the lights are amazing and it’s really
bass-heavy, you have to experience dubstep at Beta." 

Do you ever still find yourself being nervous before a show?
"I don’t really get nervous, I get more anxious if anything. It’s more the anticipation
of going on like a “Okay let’s go, I’m ready to do this” kind of thing and
getting hyped. I’ve just been doing it for so long now that I can’t really get
nervous anymore."
What are your future goals or plans? How do you plan on
accomplishing these successfully?
"Definitely get back into the production, that’s one of my main goals and I’d be
using logic. This is definitely one of my goals because I feel that DJ’ing can
only take you so far, but to get your sounds out there to the whole world and
put your own tunes out there is key. Then maybe go to the U.S and do some tours
and stuff like that, go international hopefully one day."
Everyone has messed up at least ONCE in their career during a
live performance, we're all human. Can you remember a time where you
found yourself in this situation, and how did you go about over-coming it
personally, and did it bother you what other's had to say, if they said anything? 

What advice would you give another artist if they found themselves 
in this predicament.
"Well I’ve had a bunch of times where it’s technical difficulties, so it’s out of
your reach and control and you just kind of sit there and you’re like what the fuck?!
and then sometimes people come up to you and there like ‘yo that was a wicked
set‘ and I’m like really?! Did you hear it..were you even listening? But at the end,
I’m just like ‘oh thanks cool‘ haha. Im a perfectionist and just try to do my best and
give 110% everytime, In past experiences though...I don’t know, new years last year
was really bad, I thought it was really bad at least. I played at the social with the
Killabitz and people seemed to like it and said it was good, but I don’t know if it was
cause they were really hammered cause it’s new years right, but I don’t know,
they had these CDJ’s 800s and I hate 800’s and I couldn’t really mix that day and at
the end of it I was like fuck it I don’t even care and then I just ended up getting
really drunk cause it was new years so why not? That’s probably the one that I can
remember in terms of being most recent. As for advice, don’t rush your mixes,
just listen to your ear when mixing if that’s how you mix and if you start train
wrecking or whatever, just take a deep breath, chill out, and coordinate and
strategize your next tune and just kinda go from there and hopefully you’re okay.
Everyone has there off day though, nobodies perfect, we’re not all Andy C haha."

What's your favourite hotspot in Toronto?
"I really like to play at the MOD club. It’s a nice space, those battling seizure
robot lights just fucking do it for me and a really big stage, definitely one of
my favourite places to play."
So, you're very well known for not holding back during your sets
and unleashing the 'bass heaters' that seem to ALWAYS get the crowd to
act insanely wild. Have you ever found yourself in a position where the
manager or other figure of authority, like in many cases, put a limit to
what is expected of you to play? Did you comply? (why or why not) and
what was the outcome. What's your personal opinion on this matter as it
happens to pretty much every single Dj at one point or another?
"Sometimes they may say tone it down a bit. Do I comply with it? Well it really
all depends on whether or not you want to get booked again or not. Normally,
I’m always playing with my boys and stuff like that and they’re places that I
have played before, so it’s not too big of a problem. People usually know who I
am and how I play and what I do, so the way I look at it is don’t book me if you
don’t want me to come and kill it. I don’t like to downplay myself or my
abilities for the sake of whatever. I like to just come and smash it, have a
good time and I’m always open to everyone else smashing it, let’s just fuckin
mash it up and have a good time."
What's your opinion on the dubstep scene in Toronto over the past
2 years? It has undoubtedly exploded drastically and is reaching out to
audiences more than ever, what specific changes are you proud of, and
what changes are you not so happy with?
"I love everything about the dubstep scene in Toronto, I think it’s great. I
think there is a lot of good artists coming out and I think the skies are the
limits for Toronto and any other city that’s coming out with the dubstep. The
people are really nice, I’ve never really encountered that top 40 hip-hop
thuggish kind of attitude, not personally anyways, I mean there can always be
the bad seed in the crowd and koodos to Toronto for killin it. It’s just
starting to blow up and I feel it’s definitely going to get that much
bigger."

When is the next time your fans can watch you spin? 
"May 20th @ TBA (Georgetown)
HEADLINING DUBSTEP SHOW

May 21st @ Arnold's Funland (Oakville)
ZEE'S BDAY BONANZA

May 25 @ Bassmentality (Toronto)
BARE (USA)

June 10 @ Arnold's Funland (Oakville)
LOCAL DUBSTEP AND DNB NIGHT

June 11 @ The Phoenix (Toronto)
BORGORE + SKISM

June 17th @ TBA (Georgetown)
HEADLINING DUBSTEP SHOW

June 18 @ The Basment (Toronto)
MODIFIED MOTION + CAPITAL J

July 15 @ Outback Camping (Port Burwell)
SPECTRUM FESTIVAL 

July 21 @ Trasheteria (Peterborough)
HEADLINING DUBSTEP SET 

July 23 @ The Phoenix (Toronto)
NERO + MORE

Aug 5 @ Club Absynth  (Hamilton)
HEADLINING DUBSTEP SET

Aug 12 - 14 @ WEMF (South Algonquin)
RUSKO / SKRILLEX / ANDY C / PENDULUM / DOCTOR P / FLUX PAVILION / NOISIA / CALVIN HARRIS / FRICTION / CASPA / ZEDS DEAD / LOADSTAR + MUCH MORE

Sept 8/9 + MORE @ TBA
HEADLINING GUELPH UNIVERSITY TOUR FROSH WEEK"

How did you initially come up with the name 'HYDEE'? Although it
was a long time ago, can you remember what some of the
possibilities/candidates for names were before you decided on hydee?
"Funny thing, my buddy and I were talking on the phone a long time ago and we
used to smoke a lot of weed and he said I grabbed from bomb hydee and I’m like
what the fuck is Hydee and he said y’know hydee, as in hyrdo, dont you know?
And I’m like dude, that’s fuckin awesome, so I’m just
like whatever I was starting to MC and I smoked alot of weed and kinda just used
that name and then I just kind of spelt it that way and that’s just kinda how it came
into play...and I don’t even smoke weed anymore, but it really has no meaning
other than the sense that it’s just my name. I honestly can’t remember any of the
names I had in mind before that, it was way way too long ago haha and I’m pretty
sure Hydee was one, if not the first one I came up with."

Do you think dubstep is well on its way to becoming a mainstream
genre, and if it ever did, figuratively speaking, would you be happy with
this or do you prefer to remain underground like dnb?
"I think it’s already starting to become a little bit mainstream, in the sense
that anything that is trendy in kids that are young, or is impressionable at
the time tends to do that. Like right now it’s “dubstep! dubstep! I love
dubstep!”, but y’know everything goes in waves and I think eventually dubstep
will kinda just take a backslide and then maybe, who knows, drum n bass or
electro or some crazy new thing I don’t know....1 million bpm tunes comes up
haha, I dont know. Drum n bass has definitely taken a backslide in the rise,
mainly in the past 5 years. Nobody even knew what dubstep was 10 years ago and
drum n bass was hard in the scene."

What's your approach/strategy when choosing a track list for a 
show/mix/etc?
"Usually I never plan my sets, I like to just play whatever because the way I see
it is that I have a lot of buddies that do plan their sets and stuff, but
although you can plan your set, you can never plan your night or the crowd
because if you plan your set and the crowds not feeling it and that is ‘the set‘ for
the night, then that kinda sucks you know what I mean? Like nobodies having a
good time and you’re like what the fuck? Whatever the crowds feelin, whatever
I’m feeling, I feed off of them and they feed off me, so usually I like to just bang
it out and whatever I’m feelin at the time."
Have you had the chance or opportunity to MC/DJ out of Ontario? If so,
where and when.
"Once in the states, in like Buffalo, or not even Buffalo it was some shit hole
haha and it was such a long time ago but I’ve traveled across Canada a couple
times and done a few shows in Calgary, Edmonton, Whistler and Vancouver."


You already have your Hydee T-shirts, but are you planning to do any other gear
 in the future?
"Hmm, good question I hadn’t even thought about it. I kinda want to come up 
with a new design and I would like to get a branded logo, or just the ‘Hydee‘ 
font. Just to have the logo itself is really convenient in terms of flyers if they
see that branded name that way they can put the name to the face. Eventually
I would like to get something like that, so maybe I’ll go back to the drawing
board soon."
Last words and Shoutouts from Hydee:
"Check out and ‘like’ my group on facebook
 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hydee/109507019133370 and big up to my 
boys from the business Stickbubbly, Chilton, Everest and  Zee and big ups 
all my boys from Embrace for giving me the opportunity and believing in me, 
Adam Gill, Jon C, Ewan, Noah, Duckie and everyone else at embrace 
headquarters, also to all my fans, family and supporters i love you guys. 
Big ups to everyone doing really well in the scene like Zeds Dead and 
Killabitz, all those guys are doing amazing. The whole Bassmentality crew, 
Cody lk, David King, the amazingly talented photographer the super maniak 
and my boy andrija, also alexander ordanis for some amazing video footage, 
all my boys in the UK Modified MOtion, Crissy Criss and DUbba Jonny and 
everyone checking out this shit :) Watch out for my mate SKEPTICKS coming 
out HARD in the dub scene, his shit is gonna blow your mind Respect Toronto"

- HYDEE