‘The intention was simple really. We set out for it to demolish any dancefloor in its path’
If Crazy Pills could take animal form it would probably be a pack of dogs. Dogs On Crazy Pills, swiftly moving as a pack.
We get behind the confounding/unpredictable/blistering/un-putdownable beast that is the Crazy Pills ep with one of the masterminds behind it: Tricky Pat.
Hello Tricky Pat. Can you give us some background on you and Brandon?
Greetings and salutations!
We are both from the Northeast area of the United States. I’m from Burlington, Vermont, and Brandon resides in the nearby State of Maine.
I love this ep, it’s a melting pot… when did it come about?
Thanks a bunch, really glad you dig it. To be honest, Brandon and I actually made most of these tunes a little while back, as we both have been on a bit of a hiatus from D&B pursuing other aspects of music, career, and family life.
Free Love Digi just released a various artist project called Versus LP, in which we had a tune on, as well as Fade. I think this may have sparked his interest in putting out some of our music.
You knew Fade though…
I linked up with Fade initially on Myspace many years ago. He had just released a tune called ‘Dorsal’ with Eiton on Melting Pot Records. Very techno-influenced, and right up my alley. We chatted it up on AIM and began to exchange music from there. This eventually lead to a collaboration tune called ‘Incoming’ which I believe we’ll be giving away soon to help promote the EP.
Stay tuned…
Would you say you are ‘D&B’ as such or more ‘genre crushing’ maybe?
Tempo was really the only rule we kept to when making music.
I’d say it’s ‘D&B’, but we aimed to steer clear of falling into any type subgenre, as it limits expectations and creativity. I have been into this style of music since I bought my first Jungle record in 1994, and have seen it change and spread out in so many directions.
It would be extremely hard for me to stick to one type of it, let alone a bit boring.
They say variety is the spice of life, and I like it spicy.
Can you take us through ‘Memory Shot’? I know acid ravers who would kill for this tune, wow.
This tune is one of our earlier productions, full on for all the ravers out there. The intention was simple really. We set out for it to demolish any dancefloor in its path. Strictly for the hardcore.
You know the score.
And can you take us through the title tune?
Life has a way of getting pretty CRAZY from time to time. We all have our own issues and certain ways of dealing with them. Personally, music has always been a great escape outlet for me. The idea behind this was simply to express those feelings. This tune probably speaks best for itself.
Where can we find you guys playing out? What do you draw? Mind is reeling.
My day jobs and family keep me around my hometown here in Vermont mostly, having an occasional residency around the way at various venues and am open to bookings.
Brandon has a really cool music project going on with his wife Hannah called Crunk Witch.
Best name ever.
They kind of defy an exact genre of music, but are full of flavor and put on a ridiculously fun live show. Find them on youtube for a little taste.
OK, this: I feel like you have a lot of fun with the characteristics of sound, making them become living beings almost. The tunes really live and breathe, like the filtering in ‘Shake The Lake’: it sort of ‘smiles’. Freaky.
Yeah, that’s a good way to put it for sure. It’s easy to get lost in each sound when you continuously hear them over and over again, all the while building structure, and bringing the tune to life.
‘Shake The Lake’ is actually an ode to Lake Champlain, in which Burlington borders. We have a creature similar to the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland named Champ. I’m a big fan of the mystery and ideas of cryptozoology.
Also, Senator Bernie Sanders, a local here, is SHAKING up our government and running for President in 2016 #feelthebern
‘Now Get Em’ actually made the hairs on my neck stand up… it’s proper confrontational: I would not like to meet it/its family in a dark street!
Initially ‘Get Em’ was going to be submitted as a remix for a big contest so we set out to make something completely different in order to be heard and have some sort of chance at winning.
In the midst of it all we both realized we were onto something pretty dope, so we scrapped the remix idea and just focused on making a major stomping banger.
As I stated earlier, these tunes were made some time ago, this one being before the term “Drumstep” existed. We actually joked around with each other calling it “Quarter-Time” as it wasn’t quite a “Halftime” tune, but could still be mixed with practically any ‘D&B’ style music.
The influence and ideas behind it were mainly being drawn from the energy and vibes of early Dubstep. Add some twists and turns and a few choice vocal cuts, and whoomp, there it is.
Do you read much, what sort of stuff?
Currently I am reading all about Religious Cults.
I am fascinated with their inner workings and the ideas behind them. I have a good handful of books on deck as well, which include sci-fi, biographies, graphic novels, cookbooks and so on.
Hopefully I will begin to tackle them sometime this summer. Not sure where to start next, but here’s a little list of my recent purchases.
Urban Archaeology – Twenty-One Years of Mo’Wax
Breverton’s Phantasmagoria by Terry Breverton
In The Dust Of This Planet by Eugene Thacker
The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon
Cooked Raw by Matthew Kenney
My New Roots by Sarah Britton
The Emperor Of Scent by Chandler Burr
Fragrant by Mandy Aftel
Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer
The Bees by Laline Paull
Building Stories by Chris Ware
Who did the brill artwork?
If I’m not mistaken, Fade’s wife Julia did the artwork.
I think it’s quite fitting.
What tune is in your head right now?
David Bowie ‘Moonage Daydream’.
OK thanks TP, any shouts?
Big Shouts and much Love to my amazing daughter Kylie and beautiful girlfriend Carly. All my Family. All my Friends. DJDeals.com. My work peeps at Pingala, Pitchfork, Flatbread, and Lunaroma. Local crews Nexus, 2K Deep, Basscamp, Junglist Lounge, and all my DJ heads inside the place to be. Many thanks to Fade for giving these tunes a good home.
Label affiliations: FADED MUSIC, Free Love Digi, Eternia, Temper D, Westbay, Nerve, Abducted, Order In Kaos, Culture Assault, Venom Inc, Influenza Minus, Zardonic, Fish, Apparatus and Dead Cat…
Also to all my favorite producers over the years. Too many to list here, but thanks for constant inspiration and for keeping DRUM AND BASS continuously moving forward.