Mugasha Aux

The Music Conference Asia (MC Asia) 2009 will kick off this week in Kuala Lumpur with the first event Music Factory : The Beginning. Held for the first time ever, this knowledge sharing and industry networking event will consist of a music and mentoring workshop followed by an appreciation after party. It aims to raise the standards of the dance music industry in Asia.

Canadian DJ and producer DJ Preach is actively involved with this event that is co-organised by record label In Charge and Be Yourself Music. There is a remix and music video competition for his track “Spark” and he will also personally be judging the entries for both categories. Preach will also be speaking at the workshop on topics including “DJ-ing As A professional Career: The Marketing Strategy” and “A&R, Artist Development and Music Label Promotions.” The event will provide participants with industry insider information and strategies essential to budding DJs, producers, label owners, and event organisers.

Beyond the Music Conference, Preach is very serious about developing the dance music scene in Asia. Realising the vast potential, he has moved to Indonesia and will continue to focus his efforts in this region over the next few years. His aim is to not only promote EDM talent from this part of the globe (that mostly remain overshadowed by European counterparts), but to also steer them in the right direction through proper marketing and promotion strategies. And he emphasizes heavily on originality and finding your own sound.

With all this involvement, we caught up with DJ Preach for a quick 5 minute session in this Radio KUL Extra exclusive interview.

DJ Preach

Preach! It’s good to be speaking with you again. Thank you for allowing us to be part of Transatlantic back in January. How have things been since?
It was great to have you guys on the show, thanks for collaborating! I have been really busy every since, of course because of music but also family matters. My wife delivered our first child and that was an amazing experience. Fatherhood is by far the most exciting experience of my life. Wherever I have to travel in my life from now, I always keep thinking of who I leave behind that it give me the energy to keep going and work for the future of my owns.

Your track “American Dirt” with Matthew Ryan is amazing. How has the response been to it and how did this collaboration come about?
It’s been pretty amazing, I don’t know if you have seen my website but we had tremendous support from Armin, Ferry, Marco V, Sander Van Doorn and many … the list goes on and on. My best friend Marco G worked on a remix that I have been rocking on the dance floors ever since. I’m glad this record worked out well because it was a first big one for me. I never did a real single with a singer, I mostly produced techno-trance-progressive tunes without vocals.

The Raver Remix of that track got a lot of great feedback. And we love it too. How did this remix come about?
Raver is a wonderful Spanish talent that I had the chance to meet in Spain during a couple of big nights over there during my touring last year. He showed me some of his remixes and I got instantly hooked. Nowadays you see a lot of amazing talent that never get any recognition and that’s a shame. I want to support local more and more, a lot of them deserve it and unfortunately if they don’t have the right marketing they never get anbody’s attention.

There’s even an American Dirt World Tour now. What’s the theme of this tour and where will this tour take you?
With my moving to Indonesia I have been refusing a lot of offers in Canada and Europe. It’s already been really hard to rebuild all the studios and of course the house where we live. So much to do and yet so little time in day. I had to postpone my 3 weeks tour in Canada, USA and Sud America. I will most probably go for it early next year. At the moment I’m focusing on building my profile in Asia as I really want to discover and conquer all of it. Other parts of the world are still on the list but to be honest I will give most attention to Asia next couple of years.

You will be in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November for Music Conference Asia. And there’s a remix competition for this conference that you’re very much involved in. Tell us more about your involvement.
I have been in touch for a while now with the guys at Global Sound Masters in Malaysia and we both share so much interest. When they started discussing about the Music Conference Asi,a I was right away excited about the project and I decided to produce an anthem for it. The music and video remix competition came instinctively as the main focus of this conference, (the idea) was to give a chance to the locals to get international recognition.

Who came up with the competition and what are you looking for when judging the entries for both the video and remix categories?
We came up together with the idea and after proposing the whole project to In Charge and Be Yourself Music they got instantly on board with us. I will be judging all the remixes with Marco V, Matthew Ryan and Be Yourself Music so there will be no discrimination of styles. Every genre is accepted but it’s obvious that the most original product will stand out of the mass. I’m looking for something for the dance floor, but also something that really has it’s own flavour… please don’t come up with a Deadmau5 sounding track!

What can the winner of both categories expect?
Amazing cash prizes but also an international release for the number one winner. Same goes with the video remix, it will be broadcasted all over MTV Asia.

Your track “Spark” was selected as the official anthem for this first ever Music Conference Asia. How does this make you feel!
I made it for the conference so I think I really had the whole project in mind when I produced it. I’m feeling flattered to be a part of this but you know, it’s hard work and at the end it’s for the love of music.

Will Matthew Ryan be joining us in Kuala Lumpur as well?
I offered Matthew but I don’t know if he’s gonna make it. USA is pretty far away from Malaysia.

What’s currently playing on your iPod?
Depeche Mode, Pink Floyd, Jesus and Mary Chain, The Orb, Future Sound of London and actually some other surprising artists like Norah Jones and John Coltraine… I like a lot of styles.

Who are your current favourite 3 DJs or producers at the moment and why?
Marco G, his new productions are really off the hook at the moment. Amazing progressive house. Also Ali Wilson who is a real interesting producer at the moment with banging techno trance, slow like progressive but kicking hard like techno. Strong dancefloor killers. Last I would say Eddie Halliwell which I really appreciated working with the last 2 to 3 years. I played some of my best gigs ever with him in Godkitchen, Goodgreef and other big nights in the UK. People can check out the videos on my website.

How do you maintain such great presence on stage?
I don’t know if I’m great but I like to be energetic on stage. I just get into the mixing and the music so it comes naturally… maybe beer helps too!

Which record have been your favourite this year so far and why?
I really loved the remix of Sander Van Doorn of The Killers ‘Spaceman’. Firstly I’m a big fan of The Killers and this remix just makes people MAD every night I play it. I go with the flow when I play records, and this one is a sure shot!

And lastly any message to fans reading this and eagerly expecting your arrival.
Come and join me at the Music Conference Asia, I will be giving a presentation workshop on how to become internationally known. I will give some tips on music production of course but my main focus will be on marketing strategies and other tips that will definitely get you back home with great ideas for the coming years! See ya!

Catch an exclusive guestmix by DJ Preach on Radio KUL 113 with Simon Lee and Alvin. The first hour will be mixed by Simon Lee and Alvin, followed by guestmixes from Marcel Woods and DJ Preach. Available on Friday, 20th November 2009 onwards on Mugasha.

DJ Preach “American Dirt” and “Return To The Source” are out now.

More info :

Follow Simon Lee and Alvin on Twitter and Facebook and find out more about Radio KUL at their official website.