Reid Speed [ Play Me Records ] Person Of Interest Interview

Reid Speed [ Play Me Records ]
Person Of Interest Interview

_ [ INTRODUCTION ] _

State your name and what you do.
Reid Speed . DJ/ Producer/ Label Owner/ Bass Boss

Describe your current surroundings and your mood at the moment.
I’m in my studio at home, my cat Moquet is curled up on my lap, coffee is in hand, and its 75 and sunny and beautiful out the window.

What type of communication device are you responding to this interview with?
Mac laptop.

What are you listening to at the moment?
Now playing: Cyberoptics – “Geisha” (upcoming release on Play Me Records).

Let’s begin..

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_ [ LIFE ] _

There are those who equate self-worth with net worth instead of recognizing the difference between the two. What does money mean to you?
Money was invented as a way of controlling people, create debt to force people to work, tied to jobs they dont want, making shit we dont need so a few can be comfortable at the expense of many….I don’t agree with it, but I have to use it in order to participate in society….I’m loving this resurgence of barter systems and local currencies. People taking matters into their own hands proving there are far better ways to navigate life than through capitalism.

Are you pleased with your current position in life?
I’ve never been happier or felt like I’ve accomplished more.

Your job description went from DJ, to producer, and now record label owner. Was this all part of the master plan? What are other goals you’d like to set out and accomplish?
I can’t say there was ever a master plan. I started DJing in high school. By my first year of college I was working. By the time I was done with school, I saw no need to join a workforce I didn’t believe in. I decided to take a leap of faith and do it my way. I’ve been feeling my way through this crazy industry since then with the manifesto, “just get better”. Its driven me from DJing to production, this desire to create and share and never rest. Starting the label only became a real possibility for me with the rise of digital music, which has freed labels from the cost and burden of producing vinyl or actual product. Now the artists have more power than ever before.

What would you be doing if you were not involved in the music industry?
Honestly, I’d probably be dead if it weren’t for music.

Share with us aspects of life in Los Angeles that you like/dislike. How does life in New York differ from LA?
I love bike rides to the beach. I hate traffic. I love hiking and walking on the beach. NY is faster, it’s dirty and uncomfortable, and it pushes you so hard. You have to really want it to make it in NY because if you slip for a second, you are trampled. LA is a lot easier to be in and affords an enjoyable quality of life (as long as you don’t have to sit in traffic).

First thoughts that come to mind when you hear the words Orange County.
Tool Academy?

What are other interests or hobbies you have that friends and family may not be aware of?
I love to read science books while on planes.

Do you play poker? Any stories you’d like to share?
Nope, I don’t gamble.

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_ [ MUSIC / CREATIVITY ] _

Explain the process from conception to the completion of a track.
“IDEA”. Blunt. Kick. Snare Hi hat. Ride. Crash. Clap. Blunt.

BASSLINE. Synth. Sub. Samples. LOVE. HATE. SETTLE. “DONE”.

Where do you draw inspiration from nowadays?
My inspirations come from across space & time… I love current production values employed by the likes of Wolfgang Gartner, Noisia, B. Rich/ Kastle, Excision & Datsik, but I like to vibe on goofyness of Andy Milonakis or Die Antwoord, revel in the pop aesthetics of a Beyonce or Lady Gaga, the sonic brilliance of MUSE or System of a Down, then ponder a Nirvana/ Metallica power chord or 3, a sassy Jay-Z retort, a Wu-Tang diss, a Doors melody, and I never, ever, go anywhere without an amen break…

What type of music production software do you use? Hardware?
Ableton Live, Logic, Massive, Trilogy.

Best time to work?
1:00p.m. – 10:00p.m.

How important is internet presence?
Internet presence is not an option, it’s required. Otherwise, you might not really exist. Even better if you don’t, now you can. Make sense?

I imagine being in the position to dictate how a room full of people feel is god-like. What goes through your mind while you are up there? Describe the emotions felt before, during, and after.
There is no greater pleasure in my life than to stand on stage and rock a crowd. I feel like the fine art of DJing has been subjugated lately, replaced with a cheap clap your hands scream along lowest common denominator pandering. This is not what I do. Although I aim to please the crowd, I have a bit more on my agenda. A good DJ takes the crowd into account, but also has enough power and understanding to be able to test the collective limits and push everyone higher. DJing to me, is like holy communion. Great DJ + Needy Crowd x The Right Music At The Right Time = ECSTASY (heaven).

Describe your dream gig including location, venue (indoor/outdoor), line up, sound rig, and any other detail you’d like to include.
Dream gig would be somewhere massive, like Coachella, minus the heat, equipment would be two Pioneer CDJ 2000s ( so I don’t even need to bring CDs!), DJM 800 mixer, monitor on my right, a wall of bass cabinets at the front of the stage and the back of the area, a great MC up front to keep the vibe moving but never overrun a vocal, and thousands of people WANTING IT..GOING MAD. Maybe then, I would stage dive…..lineup could be anything..the more diverse, the more fun!

Who are some artists you are feeling at the moment?
Really feeling HavocNDeed, Bare & Cyberoptics (all are from my label, Play Me Records), Wolfgang Gartner & Noisia, LA Riots, A-Trak & Travis Barker…

Who would you like to work with (from any genre)?
Kurt Cobain or Jim Morrison…if living, maybe Muse or System of a Down..

Are there any projects you’d like to tease our readers with?
Play Me Records just launched our debut line of shirts (designed by me, with help from Josh Starkey & Malo for the characters), which are exclusively for sale at www.junkytees.com. Also, I will be releasing my debut single for So Sweet Records later this year…..big sounds on that one!

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_ CHOOSE [ ONE ] _

Drum & Bass / Dubstep [ Dub & BASS ]
Los Angeles / New York [ LA ]
Facebook / Myspace [ Friendster? ]
Day Time / Night Time [ Night ]
Winter / Summer [ Summer ]
Records / CD [ CD ]

*Anyone want to buy 5000 Drum & Bass records (holler at me)?

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_ WORD [ ASSOCIATION ] _

Police [ RAID ]
Serrato [ n00b ]
Sushi [ endangered ]
Skinny Jeans [ muffintop ]
MPC-2000 [ Hip-hop ]
Lady Gaga [ Vamp ]
Dipset [ Harlem ]
Jewelry [ Robert Anthony! ]
Cats [ <3 ]
Dogs [ Goofy ]

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_ FILL [ IN ] _

My favorite villain from a movie is:
Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale in American Psycho).

My favorite web sites and blogs are:
Craigslist, WWTDD, Discodust, Discobelle, Beatport, Media Contender, Hipsteroverkill, Squittybubbler.com, Mishka Bloglin, Nerdyframes…..

Jackieo-face.com is:
Sexytime

The most important things in life to me are:
My balls and my word… I don’t break ‘em for nobody.

My web site is:
http://facebook.com/djreidspeed
http://facebook.com/playmerecords

Reid Speed
PLAY ME RECORDS
Making what you’re playing tomorrow, yesterday…

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Thank you for your time.

Reid Speed music:
Reid Speed – Under the Influence
Reid Speed – Resonance
Reid Speed – Life After Dark

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