Gettin' Sweet on Bassnectar

© Bassnectar

Bassnectar shakes his lovely mane.

With the release of his seventh album, Cozza Frenzy, Bassnectar takes his high-energy act back on the road. He's still bringing the same heavy drum and bass-filled vibes cross-country, blowing up speakers in major cities throughout the U.S. and Canada. I recently caught up with the king of the bass drop during his day off in Charleston, South Carolina.

When was the defining moment you decided to become a mixmaster?

I never made such a decision. But, I have wanted to make music since I heard Nirvana and Metallica and felt the explosion inside my head.

What was the first track you ever mixed or experimented with?

In high school, my band had a rehearsal studio one block away from campus, where we raged DAILY. My first experiences ‘remixing' were simply taking an absurd track - something mainstream like Madonna, or cool like the Bangles – and then covering it in a death metal remix-style. We did that to every genre, and it was a lot of fun. I never thought, "Oh, now I'm remixing," I thought, "Let's do a black metal cover of Green Day, and pass the 6-foot bong!"

How has the response been since the release of Cozza Frenzy? What are some new techniques you have embraced while making music this time around?

The response has been great! I don't think it is groundbreaking music, it is just a nice groove, and I think a lot of people enjoy it. That is a pretty cool feeling! New techniques: stress-less!

What is your favorite trend in the electronic music scene right now? Any specific genre or popular styles you've been dipping into lately more than others?

In terms of my favorite style, I haven't been more interested in anything different since '97-‘98: half-tempo drum and bass. I just f*cking love jungle music and D-n-B, and although it's great that people want to make it at 175 all day long, I like it at 87 BPM. OH GOD, it is so sick like that!

But frankly, anything is better in context and in relation to other things. For example, comedy is not just about the punch line, it's about the setup, the delivery, the context, the comedian, so many things. The same goes with my style. For instance, dubstep to me sounds way better coming out of another style and just DROPPING IT ON YOUR SWEET UNSUSPECTING HEAD than it does after eight hours of getting pounded by it. That is to say, I love all styles, and I enjoy the interplay between them.

Which artists have you produced the best collaborations with? Who would you like to work with in the future?

The best collaborative experiences were with Sayr and ill.Gates, just ‘cuz of the friendship involved. But, I love collaboration across the board. Maga Bo is particularly interesting, as is Filastine.

How does it feel to be a part of one of the most progressive, expressive forms of arts & entertainment today? Is there another generation/decade in time you'd rather exist in?

I'm pretty happy right here and now.

Tour versus fest season. Which do you prefer?

It's like dining out versus potluck, I cannot choose.

What's your most standout Bassnectar moment or show memory?

The night we were arrested for stealing a cop car, breaking into Mike Tyson's mansion and stealing his pet tiger, I pulled out my own front tooth, married a stripper, and locked my best friend on the roof of a hotel in Vegas.

...Wait, no, I think that might have just been a movie I saw.

What is your most prized possession while on the road?

My 20-inch box fan. I cannot sleep without it.

This summer, you were placed in the headline slot at one of the country's most popular music fests, Lollapalooza. How did it feel to be asked to be one of three artists at Perry's to represent today's electro scene?

Perry Farrell and I go way back, so it was a total thrill and honor. They let me custom design the DJ booth on that stage, into a circular, rotating double-stationed piece of art, and it was SO MUCH F*CKING FUN!

You skipped out on last year's Winter Music Conference. Can fans expect your return for the 25th Anniversary of WMC this spring?

I'm not sure about 2010, I am pretty sure we will be on tour again nonstop. 25 years, eh? DAYUM!

Everyone wants to know more about your monstrous mane (or at least I do). When's the last time you cut your hair and what determines whether you rage it out or go with a conservative bun?

I stopped wanting to cut my hair when I was 12 because I am afraid of scissors, and there's really nothing more to the story. It is easier to wear it down, partly ‘cuz I don't have to mess with it, and partly ‘cuz it provides a mask when I feel shy. I wear it up when I can, but sometimes I get "limp bun," and if I have to spend all freakin' night tying it back up, then I just say f*ck it and leave it down.