[ No. 10 ]

DJing Downunder

by Cyclone Wehner

There is a tendency for Australians to hero worship those international DJs who seem to be changing the direction of popular music before our very ears. These days it's increasingly rare to find a foreign DJ who isn't also a remixer, producer, label boss, recording artist and even live act. But, perhaps against the odds, Australian DJs are making similar power moves.

The dilemma for those within the national dance music industry has always been that it's simply too hard for Aussies to break out. It's that old 'tyranny of distance' bull. Our DJs are too far removed from the strongholds of Europe and the USA to make a quick impact. To add to it, Australian clubbers allow cultural cringe to dictate their musical preferences.

Fortunately, the situation is gradually changing. As a matter of fact, among the ranks of Australian DJs there are a few budding superstars such as Melbourne's own Paul Main, whose recent collaboration with soulstress Renee Geyer, "I Need Love", has been picked up by New York's prestigious Strictly Rhythm label (today also home to Ultra Nate). This country's club circuit can also celebrate the rise of Pee Wee Ferris, Nathan G, Nick Skitz, HMC and Groove Terminator.

Increasingly, though, Melbourne's own electronica scene is being recognised as a hub of potential. This city's ever self-sufficient DJs are thinking in terms of the larger picture. It's not easy to turn yourself into an industrial machine -- especially when you're doing other work to fund the damn recording in the first place.

Still, nobody in the know would ever claim that such entrepreneurial activity is exactly a new phenomenon. Indeed, the likes of Ollie Olsen, Voiteck and Frankston's Vicious Vinyl collective have been fighting to be heard in their own backyard for years. Sadly, these internationally successful players often haven't met with the same clamorous fanfare reserved for their counterparts overseas. In short, it's been difficult for some to establish a multi-faceted profile.

Because of this country's relatively small population, the market for underground club music is small. To make things worse, the major labels continue to be obsessed with hideously outdated acts who are nothing more than throwbacks to Australia's pub-rock era. The music industry is not generally inclined to support dance artists -- aside from the inevitable Euro-pop wannabes. Traditionally, this has meant that there are fewer outlets for quality club acts to release product. It's a good thing that smaller corporations (like Mushroom) are moving into a potential market. Nevertheless, it says a lot that even local remixers can barely cover the cost of studio time with their fee.

An incremental shift has meant that local identities are now being feted at home by a more receptive public. The catalyst has been community radio, which is becoming more of a force in the popular consciousness as young audiences turn away from stagnant commercial channels that still play classic Cold Chisel.

Mind, it doesn't help anyone that, somewhat paradoxically, a few local identities seem to be adverse to any sort of media coverage. A feature on local DJs involves a succession of unreturned calls. Frankly, it's often a whole lot easier to deal with the internationals, who may, admittedly, have the luxury of employing personal publicists to ensure the media machine runs smoothly. At any rate, such lack of self-promotion can't help the scene expand. Be that as it may, some individuals prefer to maintain their underground credibility to the point that any kind of mass exposure is viewed as selling out. Go figure.

It's quite a revelation that a number of those Australian DJs offered the opportunity to mix albums for DanceNet's "DJ Excursions" series never took it up.

Of course, one of the best alternative vehicles for building a profile is, in fact, the mix-CD. In the past couple of years, Mds' DanceNet subsidiary has stimulated a new appreciation of Australian DJs with "DJ Excursions". It may not exactly be the first of its kind, but these well-received volumes couldn't have been more timely. As Melbourne's Jayse Knipe, known for his eclectic tech-house sets, points out, 'We hadn't built a market here for ourselves. We'd built one for everybody else who comes in from overseas.'

Knipe is currently promoting the double Ministry Of Sound Tour CD, for which he has overseen half (Ministry's Paul Jackson handled the second). It's all a little ironic since Knipe recently turned down the offer of a residency at the Ministry in the UK, because he can't afford to pay his way. This otherwise disappointing experience has spurred him on. Knipe now wants to create more of a 'marketing angle' for himself. And he figures the way to do this is to move into production.

Without doubt, Melbourne's most autonomous DJ is Voiteck -- whose three-year-old label, Truck Musik, embodies the Polish-born maverick's DIY philosophy to a tee. He has licensed his work to indies like the UK-based Primate, Germany's Harthouse and America's Plug Research. These days Voiteck is also the Australian producer whom the international DJs (like Richie Hawtin) most often cite as the one to watch. Voiteck values his underground status but superstardom has no appeal to him. 'I'm active below the surface,' he says in typical Voiteck-speak. 'I won't compromise. People can only expect me to keep evolving as an artist -- that is why I do it. Otherwise I'd stop doing it.'

Voitek laments that there are not enough outlets (especially for vinyl) to release all he produces. In other words, the domestic market simply can't sustain his prolific nature. What's more, he sometimes wonders if Australia is even the right territory for his more full-on techno. 'I'm right into electronic warfare,' he says. 'I don't know too many people in Australia who are into that. I like things a bit rougher, more experimental, with basically less rules.' For this reason, Voiteck looks to Europe -- as electronically incorrect as that may seem to some. He is currently considering pitching his Truck weight behind two Continental acts. To put it bluntly, their music is more up his alley than a lot of local stuff. Voiteck himself will be travelling next year. 'I will take the live rig and basically bombard Europe.'

And yet, regardless of what Voiteck may believe, the global arena is not necessarily more open. A couple of years ago Our House found British success with Floorspace, which Paul Oakenfold released on his Perfecto label. Despite a public fall-out over artistic integrity, they are now talking of releasing their Floorspace 1998 Remix through the very same UK outlet. Ho hum.