The Hungarian invasion begins
Tommyboy, Agebeat welcome to DMCWORLD. So Hungary in the house – take us back to where this musical journey began. How did you get into music in the first place growing up?
Tommyboy : “Music was always very special in our life. Started with old tapes, vinyls from my brothers collection, anything from Barry White to Fleetwood Mac. Then discovering Black music, from Kool and the Gang to Gang Starr, all the hip&hop, R&B, Soul & Funk. I was a big collector of vinyls, travelled to London, Frankfurt, New York to find the hottest, unreleased, special vinyls, booties. The collection (over 15 000 Records) is still in the studio to keep it warm while we’re producing.”
When did you first meet and how did the whole idea of becoming producing partners happen?
“We met three years ago, after Agebeat sent a demo to us. I was doing A&R for PornoStar Records. Got connected, he joined our studio, changed his system from PC to Mac and moved to Budapest from his hometown Dunaujvaros. I made my ‘Old School’ house productions, he was more into trance and progressive. We sometimes sit in the studio have fun mixing up our ideas. It was very hybrid, but still funky. Our first track ‘Spinning Around’ (six weeks No.1 Beatport House) was a joke, we made it in two hours. We had huge feedback after playing it out, so we thought of releasing it under Alias.”
Tell us about the Hungarian club scene, how big is dance music in your home country in 2012?
“Hungary used to be a big and lovely country for dance and underground music. Most of the top DJs were praying to come to play in Hungary in the golden years. We had all musical styles in our country, from drum & bass to techno, house and trip hop. A very cool place to grow up in. Radios were playing a huge selection of alternative music at that time. The house scene was fantastic, that must be the reason there are so many young, and talented Hungarian producers today; Muzzaik, Belocca, Jay Lumen, Lauer & Canard, Soneec and so on, all at the top of their games.”
What was your first break into the music industry?
“Must be my Hungarian DMC Championship I won in 1998. As a team, we actually entered the World Championship at Ministry of Sound alongside Qbert and others.”
A journalist one said describing your music, “take an old skill vinyl and modernise the shit out of it” – well how would you describe your musical style?
“It’s actually right. Me as a samplerist and Agebeat making the musical lines. We have to always watch out for the right percentage. We focus to make the production phat, easily playable on any sound system.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
“We’re mostly playing our own stuff on Ableton Live, tweak it, sampler it, filter it – the way we do it in the studio. New tracks and remixes going straight away into our DJ Sets, we make specials tools and acapellas and included them in our DJ sets. Last weekends tunes were :
Crazibiza – Banana Pop
Milk & Sugar – Via Con Me (Crazibiza Remix)
Crazibiza & Olav Basoski – On the Run
Darryl Green feat Shena – The Tears in My Eyes ( Crazibiza Remix )
Crazibiza – Take Control (Babysitters & Jazzy Rossco Remix)
Dj Dan – House All Night (Crazibiza Remix )
Lookback – Sudo (Crazibiza Remix)
Sean Finn – Show me Love ( Crazibiza Remix )
Tanja La Croix – It’s Like That (Crazibiza Remix)
Deadmau5 feat. Billy Newton-Davis – All I Ever Want (Crazibiza Remix)
2011 was a monster of a year for you, your tracks appeared on comps from the likes of Ministry of Sound, Hed Kandi, Space Ibiza and Pacha Ibiza. What was your tune of 2011 and why?
“We still play two of our remixes we made last year. Muzzaik – ‘Feelin’ and Mike Newman’s – ‘Lady’. Still sounds fresh, we can’t get bored with them. We just make tracks for the dancefloor, we like to see people having fun while we’re playing music.”
What is the greatest tune you have ever played to a dancefloor?
“Oops, hard question. we would have to make a long list…But, Mr Fingers – ‘Can You Feel It’ must be near the top of them.”
We know you love the likes of Kylie, George Benson and Madonna, so if we came back to yours after the club, what is the Crazibiza Back To Mine 10 you play us to carry on the party?
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
Tears for Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Hall & Oates – Can’t Go For That
Patrick Cowley – Menergy
New Order – Blue Monday
Fleetwood Mac – Little Lies
Double 99 – RIP Groove
Chic – All American Girl
Simple Minds – Don’t You
Kool & The Gang – Summer Madness
What are the release plans for Crazibiza 2012…
“We actually don’t know, as we are making 2- 3 remixes a week lately. There are many of our productions lined up from last year and early this year. Should be at least a dozen new stuff out any time from now.”
Who are the big producers around the world you are giving high fives to at the moment?
“We are keeping our eyes on all musical genres, so we respect many of the fresh blood producers, and also the ones that have already made history. From Skrillex, Nicky Romero to Lifelike, Maceo Plex, Martin Dawson – we could make a long list again.”
Dead or alive – what 5 musicians would you invite around for a Goulash at yours…
Nile Rogers
Patrick Cowley
Jacques Le Cont
Daft Punk
will.i.am
Best club you have ever rocked?
“We just started Crazibiza Live last summer, but one of our very first shows was Bedroom Beach in Bulgaria would be the one.”
Tell us about your studio set up…
“We have 2 iMac27, Micro Korg, Akai APC40 sampler, what we also use for live. We love Ableton, sometimes we touch Logic for specials.”
It may not be good for our image, but Crazibiza really love…
“Family Guy.“
What remix are you most proudest of?
“We are proud of all our remixes. One of them we workest hardest on was Joey Negro’s – Must Be The Music’ on Z Records.”
And finally….what are the big Summer gigs you are looking forward to…
“We are really looking forward to travel to places we never played before. This summer we are visiting Hong Kong, Dubai, Bali, Ibiza, and some US cities. Also we are keen and happy to get back to the clubs we played last year.”
http://crazibiza.com
http://www.myspace.com/crazibiza
http://www.soundcloud.com/crazibiza
