Doc Brown Socials
Interviewed by GBS , March.18..2021
Click here for more
US producer, DJ and now label owner: Doc Brown has pushed the limits of tech house with his dark, twisted, hypnotic productions and legendary DJ sets.
Q: How would you describe your home country's scene in your point of view?
I think the scene is thriving to be honest. There are a lot of young artists having success in the tech-house scene, and the techno scene is being well-curated. Many festivals, prior to the pandemic, were increasing in size…and I see that continuing in the future. I think the true European-style underground clubs currently only exist within a few pockets in the USA, so I see a lot of potential for growth there as the music reaches more people.
Q: What was your all-time favorite show from the past? And why?
That’s really tough to choose as I’ve had many memorable experiences, but I’d say one that stands out was my set on Groove Cruise as part of the Stereo Productions showcase. It was actually the opening set of the Stereo lineup but with 24-hour programming it directly followed the headliner of the preceding party, Blackgummy. I obviously had to give a re-think to my approach as to what a traditional ‘opening set’ would be and played a more transitional set starting with darker techno vibes while slowly bringing down the tempo and shifting into more rolling, groovy selections. It was one of those sets that just unfolded perfectly with an insane crowd reaction, as well as kudos from the maestros Chus & Ceballos themselves…which was (and still is) very special to me
Q: Recommend a hidden gem in your home country that you've always wanted to throw a rave in
When I lived in New York city I worked in the Cable Building—in the late 1800s the basement of that building housed the enormous gears that pulled cable cars up & down Broadway. One day the maintenance supervisors invited a few of us to go take a look down there & it was dope! You could still see where the gears wore the walls, there was coal from the old boilers coating the floor & there was even an empty pull-tab beercan just sitting there…likely untouched for decades. Ever since then I was fascinated with old disused urban spaces & one of the most famous ones is the old abandoned City Hall subway station. A nice little renegade party there would be insane!
Q: What are your challenges as being an Artist during this long pandemic?
I think the challenges were twofold. Firstly, there was a sudden disappearance of all gig-related income…and any income to be made outside the house, really. And secondly although I have the radio show and a regular production/release schedule, the ability to directly connect with fans through the experience of music was cut off. Luckily I was able to shift gears, and starting a show on Twitch was a great way to solve both problems!
Q: What's the Purpose and Message behind the sound you play and produce?
I just like to make music where people can lose themselves in the groove and dance. Something about the repetitive sounds, grooves and melodies put me in a transcendental state of pure bliss—where nothing else matters and all that exists is joy. There is a connection that is shared amongst real music lovers who know what that feeling is. My goal is to turn as many people on to that feeling as possible, and hopefully develop and foster that connection amongst those that are listening to me. Sharing the experience of music can be healing and cathartic and I believe strongly that it’s important for people to have that experience.
Q: One person you'd dream to have a coffee with?
I think I’d probably like to have a coffee with my grandfather. To be honest, I don’t even know if he drank coffee…he passed away before I was born, but he’s the only member of my nuclear family I never met. He was my father’s father, and I’m a lot like my dad so I’m sure it would be interesting.
Q: If you were to have a super power, what would it be and why?
When I was younger, I used to watch a TV show called ‘Small World’ where the main character could freeze time by touching her index fingers together. I always fantasized about how much I could accomplish if I could do that—and now as an artist and label manager I definitely feel that stronger than ever!
Q: If you had the chance of doing a film score from the past, what movie would you choose and why?
When it comes to music, I definitely like a little dramatic tension and some darker vibes, so I’d have to perhaps say ‘The Godfather’. I’ve seen the trilogy (most the first two) an obscene amount of times and the music is just so…perfectly fitting. It really does a good job of illustrating how powerful a score can be. To be honest it’s hard for me to imagine it without its current score but if I was given an opportunity like that I would certainly take it!
Q: If you weren't a DJ and Music Producer right now what would you be pursuing instead?
I actually came closer than I’d like to admit to becoming a lawyer after I graduated music school and couldn’t find a job. I took all the tests and even had begun speaking with admissions departments at a few different schools because I really didn’t know what else to do. I started researching loans and reaching out to people for recommendation letters to attach to my applications. One of the them was my former boss at a previous record label internship—and she ended up offering me a job! I’ve worked in music ever since…
Q: Fun fact about yourself that most of your listeners don't know
Hmmmm…maybe that I have a roughly 50% hearing loss in both ears? It’s something I’ve had since birth so I honestly don’t know any different and it’s not something I talk about or bring up often because I don’t really ever think about it. The tests show it most affects the lower frequencies, so perhaps that’s why I’ve always had a taste for bass-heavy music like reggae, hip-hop & dance!
Q: Tell us about your upcoming plan and releases for this year
For sure, I have a bunch of collaborations I’ve recently finishing that will all be coming out—projects with Vanilla Ace, Lizzie Curious, Jerome Robins & MC Flipside each. I’m really excited about all of them; collaboration has been a great experience for me during this lockdown phase. I’ve also just finished a remix for Dennis Beutler for Kuenstenklatch’s label which has a nice vocal as well. Other than that, the idea is to keep the livestreams going…and hopefully transition one of the two nights into an IRL event that will also be streamed. The label will also be putting out a mix of records from artists both established and new—I honestly can’t wait to share all this new music.
Q: Who do you want us to interview next from ?
Be sure to check out what Vanilla Ace is doing with WyldCard records...it's one of the few tech-house imprints out there making some serious noise without leaning heavily on big names. He's doing a great job shining a light on up-and-coming talent; I've honestly discovered so many new great artists based on the music he is signing!
