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Dom Sweeten – A.K.A -Defective Audio /OD404 Interview By SparX – Hard As Nails Records

Posted by Sparxs on November 20, 2009 · Leave a Comment 

So dom you are one of the best known artists on our scene – how does that feel?
Thanks for the compliment, it feels great to be doing what I love. It’s always good to be acknowledged in your work but in this area it is especially hard to get the exposure sometimes, I have been lucky in many areas but also feel it is the benefit of hard work and plugging away while sticking to my own style.
How many years now have you been engineering for?-Was it always hardhouse / nrg?
I only opened my current studio up for regular engineering in 2006/7 but have always engineered my own material from the outset, starting with OD404 in 1995 and the soon to follow Defective Audio and Base Graffiti material. It was a natural progression from my early DJ years and from when I was in a band. Over the years I have engineered for quite a few different people and have constantly had people in to work with on collaborations or remixes.

I am maybe best known for my hard house but have always worked on a huge range of dance music styles, most recently my productions under my current breaks alias – Freeflow45 with current releases on iBreaks and Bombtraxx as well as some cool remixes.

What’s the best night you have played at?

I have played at some awesome nights, some of which have been especially memorable for different reasons.

I played at a party that was held from a narrow boat beside a disused quarry where I DJ’ed for about 12 hours non stop. The decks were inside the boat with the side open and I remember playing things like Joey Beltram’s Energy Flash and early Prodigy tracks. This and most of the free parties I used to play at have all been second to none due to the outdoor vibe and having the sun rise up over the party in the early hours the next morning. It can’t be beaten.

Do you think the standard of music production has got better or worse since the introduction of easier to use music programs?

It’s hard to say if music production has got better or worse, it is now more accessible to a larger number of people. Software now enables the writer to use a minimal amount of gear to get the job done. This of course has meant that anyone can put a track together and even start a label releasing material that no longer has to go through the same selective process as it used to.

I do think there is a huge amount of badly produced music around but there is in contrast so much more out there in general, including some amazing music by artists that would not have otherwise had the opportunity to release anything.

Production by the talented people in the industry in general though has progressed massively, to such a high polished level now that in a way I feel lacks the raw energy that it used to.

Whats your favourite thing about the music business and the thing you hate about it?

My favorite thing has always been the way I am able to continue what is a passion to write music and a good excuse to buy loads of toys.

I don’t hate anything about it, it’s good to stay positive about things.

Any advice to up coming djs and producers?

Just try to stick to what you like and craft your own style, keep promoting yourself as no one will do it for you and never sign contracts unless you understand them.

I have always been open to all styles and types of music and never assume one particular style is wrong or bad.

Do you remember the first tune you ever made?

That’s a hard one, I used to play in bands before I was a DJ and progressed to jamming with keyboards off the back of this doing psychedelic dub stuff. I started to write more dance music based material in 1993/4. I found some early dance productions the other day while sifting through some old DAT tapes, most were written using just a Boss Drum machine, a TB-303 and an SH-101 keyboard synced together.

When did you have your first release out?

My first released dance track was an early ep as OD404 that was mixed and finished at Lab4’s studio in 1995. It was pressed to dub plate as a limited edition press that was only given to selected DJ’s at the time. After that, it was the launch of Kaktai records that was the host to my other first productions like Prankster, Prozak, Break and Ezi, all of which came under my OD404 alias.

Ever enjoyed Bhangra?

Maybe, without knowing it!! I have heard some crazy Bhangra before though that has a very Techno edge to it. It’s not something that you associate with dance music much but there is actually more of a crossover that first thought.

If you were going to be re-incarnated as an animal and you had a chioce – what would you want to be?

My dog, Jirugi, she is an English Bullterrier. She has a perfect life. She sleeps, eats and generally does what she likes. She has even taken to having an umbrella held over her when she takes a dump in the rain!!

Whats the most random thing you have ever sampled?

When I had my studio in Brighton, it overlooked a busy street with loads of cafes and pubs. One summer afternoon I was working on a track with the window open when a children’s street parade came up the street below. I stuck my microphone out of the window and sampled the drumming and shouting. It made it into the track too!!
Favourite food?
Thai – without a doubt, with Greek a close second. I have a massive fetish for olives and chillis and always annoy my wife by munching on them straight from the fridge.
What V.S.T are you giving the biggest bashing right now?

A few, all for different reasons. I’m getting back into my hardware at the moment though – just bought myself a Yamaha CS-15.

Any thank you’s or shout outs you want to give to anyone?

Simone for being, well, the one! and all the people who follow and support my productions.

Where can we we you perform next?

NYE – Storm

Any new releases you have out?

I have some Spinball material due out in Jan 2010 which is the digital release of the recent SpinCD002.

I also have a breaks track, just released, Freeflow45 – Tuff Unit which is out now on a compilation called NSB Uncovered. This is available through most download sites and promotes a mixture of upcoming and established artists in the breaks scene.

Any new mixes we can hear?

Sorry no but check out www.404studio for up to date info on most of my work.
-And thats it from Dom Sweetem!
Dont forget to Check out Defective Audio And SparX ‘Fusion’ Zone from Hard As Nails Records available late January/Early Febuary on Hard As Nails Nailgun 003 ‘Harder Than Passing Your First Drugs Test’ CD
Sample -

And dont forget to check out the Hard As Nails Clothing Store for designs for DJ’s and clubbers this Christmas!

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