From the archives: This post is from our original site, MyCityLife, back on 11 October 2019
For someone who’s rubbing shoulders with the likes of DJ MK, Anwar Hadid, Calvin Harris, and even celeb chef Gordon Ramsey (yes!), the DJ/producer and now record label boss Generik, is really just a down to earth dude who’s looking forward to coming home to Australia to catch up with mates for VB and his mum’s spaghetti. With a busy schedule ahead we were lucky enough to have the pleasure to have a chat with Generik about his new single “Bunny” dropping Friday, October 18th and coming home to play at Festival X in Australia this November. Generiks got the recipe to bring the revelry.
In an elevator pitch kind of stuff, can you describe your style of house/EDM?
I’d like to say fun, summer, happy. yeah, I’m going to go with that fun, summer and happy!
If your music was an image, what would it look like?
Well, my new single is called “Bunny” (that’s coming out October 18th). The artwork for that is me dressed in a bunny suit in a jacuzzi… That’s going to sum it up. It sums up the type of fun, sums up the song, sums up the vibe and I think that’s the way to go.
What is your creative process for creating a really good dance anthem?
I love to listen to music. I listen to a lot of music and then I get inspiration from what I hear and what I see, and then I just like to go lock myself away in the studio and just come up with ideas. Some of those ideas may never see the light of day, some will become songs that I’ll put out and some I won’t but I still really like them. The creative process is more finding out what comes out of you. I find the best way to do that for me is just sitting down and nutting away at the song. Also, I love to collaborate with people. I think it’s a really good way to sort of hone your skills in the craft and have a lot of fun, making songs in the process.
Now I’m a lover of nineties R&B and your track Tony samples, Toni Braxton’s “Man Enough For Me”. So tell us, are you going to be doing more samples of 90’s R&B or anything like that?
Yeah, definitely! Absolutely, 90’s R&B there’s just sooo many good vocals! My new single Bunny samples Bunny Sigler. I’m doing this whole series at the moment, songs that’s more sample-based. I’ve found that I’ve been really enjoying making sampled based music rather than completely original tracks working with songwriters. I did that a lot of that with my first productions, and now I’m having fun just absolutely ripping out other people’s vocals, fucking with it and just having a lot of fun.
What are all the ingredients to bring an explosive party vibe?
I think it’s personality and the energy, when I’m DJing I really vibe off the crowd, I love to interact with the crowd. I like to see the smiling faces and see what people are really enjoying and go from there. What I see as a DJ, when I see what works on the dance floor, really helps to translate to what I like to work on in the studio. I want to be able to create that vibe that I have when I’m having fun and when the crowd’s having a ball and that’s the way I’ve been approaching my songwriting.
You’ve been touring with some of the best-known DJs taking up residencies in Ibiza, Las Vegas, and Bali. I’m guessing that you’ve got some pretty epic stories or have had some pretty amazing experience, so spill the tea!
Always the way, everyone wants to know what goes on behind the scenes! (laughs) . I’ve been so incredibly lucky to be playing and having residencies in Vegas and in Ibiza, I got to play at Creamfields this year in the UK on the main stage which is all so incredible. I got to play at Sunnyhills Festival in Kosovo, which is a place I never thought my music would take me. That was probably one of my favourite gigs I’ve ever done, the crowd was absolutely amazing man! Dancing with Anwar Hadid in Kosovo was quite a bizarre experience… Other than that, I kinda have a bit of a friendship going with Gordon Ramsay. He comes to a lot of my shows in Vegas and he is absolutely hilarious and an absolute legend and we have a good time together, for sure.
Do you think you could get him on some tracks with him just swearing at people?
Ohhh I would love that. I have really thought about that. His insults are just soooo good. I might have to hit ’em up.
You recently started your own label and it’s called “You Do You”. Is that the approach that you’re going to be using with the DJ’s and producers that you’ll be signing up, allowing them to have creative reign over the process?
That, that is the exact concept behind it, nailed it in one sentence. The whole idea of that it’s sort of genre-less in the sense of, it’s not just going to be strictly house music, it’s going to be all different types. I want “You Do You” to be somewhere that lets people send their demo’s and send their songs and not feel like they’re gonna get pigeonholed into doing one type of thing, that there is that artistic diversity there where you can just go create something and just put it out. A lot of the times sending demos to record labels, it’s very hard for new young talent to breakthrough. A lot of the bigger labels are always looking at the songs from the people that they know. It’s a real chance to give some new kids some airtime and I love playing new music. I love discovering new music and that’s the whole idea behind “You Do You”.
Are there any Australian DJs that you’ve got your eye on at the moment?
Yes, yes, definitely. There are these two kids from far North Queensland called Sevader. They make really good tech house stuff. They sent me some demos a couple of years ago and they are really on fire! Their diversity is just incredible. The way that they’re making music is really, really, really cool. There’s a bunch of others to come, I’m not going to put them out there juuuuust yet.
I’m going to ask you a generic question now, who is your muse or your inspiration/mentor?
I love MK (Marc Kinchen), I love his music. I love the fact that he’s been doing it since the ’90s and still been able to remain relevant over such a long period (of time) and that his music has stood the test of time. Making great house music for three decades and still on top of the game, like completely and he’s become a good friend of mine. I get to play with him at Festival X, which is really exciting. MK, he’s right up there!
I get the vibe that there is a lot of exciting things to come from you as well. Can you give us a bit of a hint on what’s on the cards for Generik?
Well, October 18th my next single “Bunny” comes out. Then I come back to Australia for Festival X at the end of November, which I’m super excited about, I haven’t been in Australia since January so I miss it like crazy and can’t wait to come home and play there. After Festival X I’m doing a bit of an Asia Tour, playing in Jakarta Warehouse Project, which is another magic festival, which I can’t wait to play. I’ve got New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas. Then I’m coming back to Australia to do a bit more touring all around the country for the places I don’t get to get to with Festival X and do a few more club shows. Then I’ve got a bunch of more music coming out that I can’t say when just yet (which is always the way). Then there’s a whole bunch of new releases coming on “You Do You” in early 2020, which I’m also very excited about.
Where in particular are you looking forward to coming back to Australia?
Oh, I can’t wait to have my mum’s Spaghetti Bolognese. I miss that a lot and going down to the pub with the boys and having a nice cold VB. They don’t have VB in America, so I’m missing the VB! Yeah, one of the small things I miss so much is a cold VB. I also can’t wait to get Bondi again to go to Icebergs. I love a good long lunch, have some oysters, a bottle of rose and just sit there on the balcony, having a good time. Also, I can’t wait to go out in Australia. The clubbing scene there is so much fun. It’s so different from being in Vegas every weekend, so I’m really looking forward to going clubbing again.
Yeah. Do you know who the current prime minister is?
Is it ScoMo? I think, is it Scott Morrison?
It is, it’s still him!
I only know that because I’ve heard people say ScoMo and that’s it, I actually have no idea.
I like to ask that one to people who have been away from Australia for a while, it’s like oh hey we have ANOTHER prime minister this time.
It seems like there’s a new one every year so it’s kinda hard to keep up.
It is! Well, we’re really looking forward to checking out your gig at Festival X. It’s going to be a really exciting festival!
Thanks very much for your time, I really appreciate it, I’ll see you at Festival X for a VB!
