Interview with DJ Brendon by raveprincess.If you don’t know the name Brendon, you must’ve been hiding under a rock for oooooh – nearly twenty years! That’s right, the man known to the Adelaide dance-scene as the grand-daddy of all DJs and one of anthems favourite sons as been at it for nearly two decades. He’s kept pretty busy with his current residencies at Chemistry, Tonic, Rise, Clubland @ Heaven and a new guest spot at Savvy on Sunday nights, along with the radio show “Clubbers Drive” on Fresh FM Saturday nights and “Prokane”, his production project with pal Phasey. He’s also done more than his fair share of interstate gigs for many years, but has given that up to focus on the town he calls home.
I ask him to describe the Adelaide dance music scene in 2005 and how it’s changed since he first started out. “I think its really moved forward. We now have two dance music dominated radio stations to listen to - Fresh and, to a more commercial extent, Nova. This has really helped Adelaide progress much quicker out in the clubs. The big parties are as big as ever, Enchanted Forest and Two Tribes are proof of that. More internationals are making a stop to play in Adelaide these days instead of us not being included on tours. It has changed immensely since I first began. The house music scene was very small, with only a handful of true DJs playing this style and the small clubs that pushed this sound were really the only places you could hear it.”
Brendon has managed to transcend genres and you’re just as likely to find him playing cruisy house tunes or at a full-on hard dance event. How has he avoided being pigeon-holed? “Throughout the time I have played, different genres have formed and various styles have been created but, in the end, it’s all dance music. I think you’ve got to like what you play - if you don’t, it shows. I like everything I play - whether it be a banging set in front of 2000 people, or a more groovy house style with 200 in the room. When I first started out, I’d play the whole night, between 6-8hrs and right across the board - from soul and hip hop to house and techno, so I’ve always been very comfortable spinning all sorts.”
If he didn’t use his real name, Brendon would probably be known to us as “Eddy Wrecker” or “Dusty Stylus” (he’s still keeping dibs on those names for now!), but he’s also goes under the pseudonym “Prokane”. The project, with his mate Phasey, has been going since 2000 and productions range from slow groove, banging house to D’n’B, and even some rock-influenced stuff. Two tracks were picked up by Ministry/EMI and included on various chillout compilations. “Gonna Get Up” was recently released on the new Fresh Air CD which Brendon describes as “in more of a Fat Boy Slim style breaks number.”
Brendon’s also had a long association with the anthems events and he reckons the best part of digging out his old records and reminiscing with all those fabulous tunes from the 1990’s is great exercise! Of course, it also helps that he’s got a fantastic sample and record collection to play with. We all know that anthems manages to attract a younger generation, as well as us oldies who were there the first time around and I ask Brendon why he thinks the anthems era has such a special place in Adelaide’s heart. “Honestly - that’s one that’s always baffled me! I suppose in the early to mid nineties, we had one of the strongest and upfront scenes in the country. DJs like HMC, GT, ATB, Angu$ and myself were pushing new sounds, Heaven had just opened, Synagogue was taking off and the Arkaba dominated for close to 4 years. Acts like The Prodigy, Carl Cox and Underground Resistance were all coming to town for the very first time.”
Brendon says his favourite anthems track is Do You Wanna Party by DJ Scott, and he specifies the Carl Cox Mix. Must be pretty hard to find sometimes, in amongst the 60-70 crates of records he owns? “Yeah - moving’s a nightmare!” he says. One that he never has trouble finding is one of his most prized possessions - a copy of Big Fun by Innercity, personally signed by Kevin Saunderson.
In all the years of Brendon’s career as a DJ, he must have seen some interesting moments and I ask him to tell us about the funniest. “As you know some DJs can get a little loose while playing, it can go with the territory. A certain DJ who shall remain nameless but who’s a bit of a “madman”, was playing some great house music at a private party with quite a few high profile DJs. Suddenly the music starting making a scraping noise on the needle, and we all turned around to see the slipmat being played! A number of people informed him of this, he said “Oh my God, sorry”...and proceeded to turn the slipmat over and play the other side. Do’h! Definitely needed a new fang in the old tone arm cobra that day!”
Parties, producing, DJ’ing, promoting and so on…and so on…and so on – it must all take a bit of a toll on the old personal life, Brendon? “Well yeah it can be tuff, you do get used to it though. Being a professional pretty much means you live in that late morning time zone. The cool thing is I get the early - mid week off, but usually end up working on other things like music, radio shows, interviews, charts and what not. It’s definitely a lifestyle and not something you can do half-baked. I also have a very understanding lovely lady at home, which helps.”
Although Brendon’s career started out, like so many others, by being in the right place at the right time, he acknowledges that it’s much harder for new DJs to break into the industry now. So - some final words of advice from a man with one of the longest histories in DJ’ing? “Simple, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. If you have a genuine love for spinning music, it will show when you play - its more than just about putting 2 records together. You’ve also got to be a promoter, an agent, a mind reader, a security guy, a music critic, a sound engineer and an ambassador for your club all rolled into one. Being a good drinker helps, which most of us have down pat!”
