14 FAKTS INTERVIEW WITHLONGSTOCKING

Q: Please introduce yourself

I'm Denni Longstocking. Originally from the LA area, then East Coast FL for a stint, eventually settling into the PNW, specifically Seattle, WA. I produce dance music without genre limitations, and you can catch me DJing said productions to our beloved athletes of the gods from time to time.  

Q: One person you'd dream to have a coffee with?

I'm going to go with living because the seemingly infinite amount of people who have passed is dizzying. The first person that comes to mind is Chaka Kahn. She is super human and I'd love to hear her stories before fame. Like when she began a teenage all girl group called the Crystalettes, her friendship with fellow Chicagoan Fred Hampton which led her to join the Blank Panthers while still in her teens. She is the real deal and still performing with a voice of gold.  

Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Teleportation would be not just convenient but give me so much life time back. Hopefully, I can take at least one other with me though. 

Q: If given the opportunity to create a film score, which movie would you choose and why?

Most of the movies with musical scores I love, I couldn't touch them. It would be, to me,  sacrilegious creatively. I'd go with something oscure and borderlining a B movie, so as not to taint any masterpieces. Maybe a Swayze film like Roadhouse or Russ Meyer's film Beyond The Valley of the Dolls. 

Q: Who has been the most influential in your music career? And who has been the most influential in your personal life?

For my music career, I'd say George Michael, Tina Turner, Mark Mothersbaugh, Wendy Carlos and Kraftwerk to name a few. As for my personal life, I'd say Martha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Carl Jung to name a couple.  

Q: Could you share with us your journey – the good and bad experiences that have brought you to where you are today?

Grew up a feral city kid. A breaker and skater in the 80s (still skate), skater/surfer/punk/raver in the 90s, then a long swamp of sadness that was my 20s and 30s. It took transitioning to save myself and I've been back in the world creating music like I used to, but with a much stronger sense of self. That's a long story though and I'm still deep in it. I'll have more perspective as my life story wraps up I'm sure.  

Q: Everyone goes through ups and downs, what’s one habit you adopt to push through the downs?

I simplify my daily life and focus on the necessities: Sleep, adequate meals and activity, not over isolating, hydrating, breathing etc... the necessities only.

Q: What is one pro work ethic that you would recommend to the readers/listeners?

Early on I made a point to not move onto another track unless I had finished and fallen in love with the track I was currently working on. While this was frustrating at first, it forced me to not shy away from production issues and made my production output steady since day one. I don't need that restriction now, but it went a long way for me years ago.

Q: How has your music style evolved over the years?

My mixdowns are much better than they used to be. I also get track mixdowns where they need to be quicker than I used to. People tell me my style has really been honed in and I have a distinct style that is recognizable. I'll take their word for it and keep doing me which ends up sounding more like me. I'm glad that signature, or combo of, carries through other genres though. I'd hate for the details that define me to get lost traversing other dance styles. 

Q: If you were to venture into another music genre, which one would you choose and why?

My music, even if just dance, often has an intentionally cinematic sound because I take a cinematic approach. Tackling movie scores would be an ultimate dream come true. Do you hear me Monkeypaw Productions!? Help this Feral One live their dream! Ha!

Q: Could you name 3 tracks that got you into electronic music and why?

Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock, because I heard it on the playground watching kids battle and it blew my mind. It complimented breaking so perfectly to me, which was really blowing up then.

Devo - Whip It, because they just turned music on its head. It was shameless and proudly different, and a sound unique all in its own. It gave me an appreciation of the importance of doing wildly different things to discover what will be the sounds of tomorrow.

The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds, because it showed me meaty beats can be delivered with a gentle femme touch and feel. It spoke to a part of me I denied then and for many years afterwards.

Q: Can you recommend a hidden gem in your home country that would be perfect for a rave?

There's quite a bit of old Seattle under what is now modern Seattle. I would love to literally go way underground into the ancient remnants of lost Seattle.

Q: Could you tell us about your upcoming releases and plans for the year?

My third album, Creating Space [Feral One Records], just dropped. It has 17 tracks and spans 12 dance genres. I then have an upbeat gem on the Seattle Volume 2 compilation, coming out on Feral One Records as well, in late August. There is a good chance Feral One Records may find a space for live shows in Seattle soon.  

Q: Can you share a fun fact about yourself that most of your listeners are probably unaware of?

My life is a series of random obsessions but some themes remain, like music, surfing and skating. Before getting back into music, I was spending much of my free time shaping surfboards. I still have a pretty stacked quiver all shaped and glassed by myself. It's enough to cover most conditions you'll encounter in the cold PNW surf.