San Fransisco, USA, Kickflip

Breakbeat.ca Featured Artists:

SWITCHFOCUS

Record Label Affiliations: Kickflip (SF, USA), www.eastmusicgroup.com

Christmas Special Interview
Interviewed by Somsay.

SwitchFocus

Names: Mico Mil and Alex Meu
Ages: 27
Heigths: 6' , 6'3"
Weights: 150 160
Average Heartrate (BPM): 135 , 135
Heartrate when mixing (BPM): 135, 135
Fingernail length: 2mm
Bedtime: Dude...
Colour of Hair: Brigular.

All-time Favorite Breakbeat Choon:
MM: I think that might have to be that one Propellerheads song, Spy Break. Favourite Models: MM: KRKv6 , Event ASP8, dynaudio BM6A. AM: the krks are kinda weak


Interview

How long have you dudes been Djing and producing?
MM: about 10 years total, playing shows since 2001.

Describe your taste in breaks (what kind of breaks do you buy/play/produce)?
MM: I love all types of breaks. Nice organic, rolling breaks that sound like they were played on a real drumset. Super synthetic choppy clicky halfpulse glitch breaks. Ultra heavy sounding, 1 ton stomp beats. Lightning fast grinding power-metal breaks.

AM:  We love all types of breaks.

What/Who got you started (as a Producer)?
MM: Playing in bands where everyone wanted to do a solo all the time, ecspecially Meu, but thats ok cause he played lead guitar. Electronic production allowed us to be every member in the band. It was just what the doctor ordered.

AM: Yeah, that, combined with going to underground warehouse parties... Watching live PAs. like Woody Mcbride and Skylab2000

What is the breaks scene like in San Fran?
MM: Its hittin. There are alot of really good dj's.

AM: yeah...

Where is you favourite place to perform so far?
MM:  Probably in San Fran. Alot of friends, really diverse crowd, people yelling things like "run for president" while other people are headbangin. Actually In the middle of an intersection in Vancouver was pretty ill also.

AM: Yeah that one was my favorite, young and old mixed into one crowd. Heavy dancing.

Got any good groupie stories (come on we know you got some)?
MM: Nope.

AM:  I have a girlfriend... I've also been attacked by a swarm of bees.... I guess they weren't groupies though.

Did you ever wear fun fur (be honest)?
AM:I wore funny stripped shirts, crazy big pants and had an array of "party accessories" but never ever wore fun fur.

AM: Fun fur?

MM: Im not sure what fun fur is either, but this one time someone lent me a blue bear suit and I was feeling it maximally. Good thing you asked though, I was just reminded of my plans to create a yellow bear suit.

How often do you mix (how many hours/week)?
MM: Its totally random, sometimes 70 and sometimes 0.

AM: When im excited its like 16 hour days.

List some of your favorite breakbeat producers (past/present):
AM: I dip in every so often to see where the sound is headed. Electronically, I prefer vocal house and it usually just the vocals... Boris Dlugosch is the dopest house producer ive heard by far. Bassment jaxx are ill too. It seems that limiting yourself to one style of music like "breakbeats" is the first step to stagnation and boredom.

MM: New Latineers, The Barkays.

Who is your favorite breakbeat producer right now and why?
AM: Mico; (laughter) Its true though. That one song you made "back to back to back back to work" oh man... I just heard the ride bell in there, that stuff is sinister minister dude...

What happened in the usa when that anti rave thing hit?
MM: Parties moved into clubs and became all about drinking. True rave parties became a rarity. When we get booked for a rave party we get excited,
truley excited, dont we dude.

AM: Yeah, cause thats where we came from.

Did it affect you guys with gigs?
MM: Well yeah, cause the vibe changed, it just wasnt the same in the club.

AM: It has affected me at my core. My tracks are different. But it seems that it's coming around again. We've been playing more real raves recently, which is awesome.

Do you look forward to coming to Montreal?
MM: Yep sure do. We love going to canada.

AM: Oui/yes

What does your set up consist of?
MM: Laptops, mixer, and our Switches

Someone told me you guys made those switch boards, is that true?
MM: Yes.

AM: Yeah, I inhaled quite a bit of solder fumes during the process.

How does it feel to rock a party with your live set up?
AM: It feels good. We've been all about the live pa from the start.

MM: yeah

Who do you plan on teaming up with in the near future?
MM: Various vocalists for sure. Some local girls that can sing like no other and... some very special suprize guest appearances at shows, you wont believe it.

Do Canadians buy a lot of your records or do you sell more overseas?
AM: Canadians are more eager to buy our records than anyone else, coming in second only to Japan.

MM: Well, he means aside from the americans.

So you two met up when you guys where in grade 6 at gym class and have been rockin it since—don’t you guys ever fight?
MM: Yeah. We used to engage in elaborate hyper-complex mind-numbing arguments. This one time Alex dumped a bowl of cereal on the floor in my room.

AM: I thought we settled this...

Alex your from Romania…ever think about trying to get out there to play?
MM: He better, or wait , right.

AM: Im on it.

Can you play when you are COMPLETELY wasted?
MM: Nope, sure cant.

AM: If were gonna play wasted we might as well stay home.

MM: But we've never actually tried playing completely wasted.

Do you ever get nervous while you are Playing infront of a massive American crowd? Come on tell the truth…
MM: We used to but then it sort of faded away.

AM: Not nervous really, but hyper excited yeah. Shaky.

Do you play strictly breakbeat or do you mix in other genres?
MM: We think we mix in lots of other genres, but then in the end it all comes out as breaks, of one kind or another. But then again, I think everything is breaks.

AM: sure is, everything else is machine cycle pattern music.

MM: That actually sounds pretty dope right about now "machine cycle pattern music".

What movie stars do you look like? Or do you guys think that they look like you?  
AM: I can't tell you who he [mico] looks like cuz he doesn't want me to. Theres no telling what would happen if I do

MM: Thanks

AM: Don't mention it

Did you ever go to a music school or take classes to learn an instrument?
MM: Nope.

AM: No... Wait actually, I had this guy teach me a few Anthrax songs on the guitar. I was like 12. Long live Heavy Metal

Do you have any advice for aspiring DJs/Producers?
MM: Stay with it. Its all about the time you put in.

AM:  I'd like to hear something new.

Shout outs?
MM: Astralwerks, All Over Twist, Deviant, Area609, Coldtrax.

AM: I'd like to shout out to everything.

WWW Links:
www.switchfocus.com
www.eastmusicgroup.com

Make sure to checkout their website to listen to their orginal tracks!