The renowned Amsterdam DJ, producer, live performer and label owner with three critically acclaimed albums to his name, Tom Trago steps up to Subculture on Saturday December 5th. Alongside is fellow Dutchman Young Marco, keeping things nicely mixed up and off kilter. Ahead of the weekends takeover we chatted to the guys about their early days, studio kit, label tips, and Amsterdam’s Night Mayor…
Tom Trago:
1. Hi Tom, since you were 15 music has been your life. Tell us how you got so in to it and who were your early musical influences?
Started off playing the piano at home, my mum teaching me this and then when I was 10/11 it wasn’t cool enough anymore and I got into skateboarding and stuff. I then got really influenced by the music in skateboard videos, which at first was like garage punk and later underground hip hop. That’s what kinda got me into DJing. Around my 18th I kinda picked up playing music , piano and producing a lot of hip hop beats.
From there on my discovery from Disco and all other genres from Soul to Afro. I just bought a new piano actually. I am super happy with it. It really cheered up my life, when I wake up and play a little. I am happy it’s back in my life on a daily basis.
2. What did it mean to you when the local luminaries at Rush Hour signed your first track?
Rush Hour released my first ever track, back then it was a really big deal, I couldn’t even believe it that they really wanted to release that because I didn’t judge the quality enough to get it released then. But if I heard it now I can understand why they released it but back then it was a big thing. At an early age it opened me up to the international crowd in a way. I released records from when I was 24/25 onwards so the last 8 years were helped by that.
3. You’re well known for your love of collaborating with musicians, vocalists and producers from Amsterdam and beyond. Hypothetically speaking please name 5 people (dead or alive) who would be on your collaboration wish list?
Peven Everett – I think he’s a dope vocalist. He’s defo on my list.
Defo work with Young Marco again, He’s also on my list.
Quincy Jones – Once, but more as a producer.
Arthur Russel, he died but is defo on the list also. Wild Ideas.
Moodyman, he would be on there.
4. Your Voyage Direct label is often referred to as being more ‘like an extended family of like-minded musicians than a regular imprint.’ Please tell us a bit about the label and what’s lined up for 2016?
The label is all about local music, we’re just trying to support the local scene and show what’s happening here. Maxi Mill is dropping an album in 2016.
We also got some new music coming from William Kouam Djoko…
Also music from Elias Mazian. Young kid on the scene puts out really cool stuff and already put did a release on Voyage.
We did a compilation this year which went down really well. We also pressed up three EPs from that compilation and we’re probably gonna do that again. In spring next year we’re going to do a European Voyage direct tour. In the meantime I will be doing a release on my own label, jus dropping some bombs here and there.
5. On the 10th of September this year Sub Club launched it’s first ever record label – Nautilus Rising. The debut EP features cuts from Lord Of The Isles, Alex Smoke, Stephen Lopkin, and Vince Watson. From your previous experience, do you have any tips for us…
Having a constant output is quite hard sometimes. So lets say you don’t do six releases in three months, and then have noting for four months. For instance put out maybe six a year but on a constant pace. So that every two months there’s something new and hot coming out. To maintain that you have to put in some A&R work and planning. If you don’t do any stuff for like nine months people will forget about you. So it’s quite important to keep it running and fresh!
6. For many children in The Netherlands, the most important day during December is 5th December, (The night of your Subculture gig) when Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) brings them their presents! What did this celebration mean to you as a youngster growing up in Holland? Did you actually double up the celebrations on December 25th too?
We only had Sinterklass in my family and for me as a kid it meant a whole lot of presents. You put your shoe out at night and the next day all you see is presents!!!
7. The Dutch capital is unique in that it has its very own Night Mayor, Mirik Milan. While Amsterdam isn’t a 24 hour city, it does have a pretty lively nightlife. Mirik is very positive about the benefits of the night-time economy and hopes to create a 24 hour area within the city. What does Amsterdam’s liberal outlook on partying mean to you?
Mirik is a good friend of mine. As for 24 hour I am a big pro on this subject, I am totally down with it. It just makes the night a lot more comfortable, so not all clubs close at the same time, and put everyone out on the streets at the same hour. That’s what happens most of the time in many cities and what creates fights and a lot of noise. The way it is now, clubs can decide for themselves. It’s way more open now. I love going to a club really early in the mornings and on Sunday afternoons. This is a super good thing for the city. It’s about to get cultivated now!
8. Can you tell the Subbie techno tourists 5 things that they must do on their next visit to Amsterdam?
Visit the new Trouw, which is called the De School which is opening up the second week of January.
Visit the Eye Film Museum.
If you come in summer you should go to the Westerpark and just hang out…
Visit Foam Film Museum.
9. What are your expectations of returning to Glasgow, and are you looking forward to playing all night b2b with Marco at Harri & Domenic’s Subculture?
Yep I am super thankful to be back again because I have much love of the whole Sub Club Glasgow Crew and we have been partying over days the last few years, Me, Jack (Jackmaster) and his brother. It’s like a close family and it feels like coming home when I come to Glasgow. Especially the Sub Club, I‘ve had great nights there. I am down with the dons, can’t wait to be back and especially with Marco because he’s a good chap.
Young Marco
1. As an Amsterdam native DJ, producer and certified mover n shaker, you’ve been on the forefront of the city’s bustling underground scene for nearly a decade. Tell us how you got so into it and who were your early musical influences?
Well shortly after I moved to Amsterdam I started doing some parties here, which were a disaster mind you, I’m a horrible promoter, but I met a lot of likeminded people through that time, like the guys from Rush Hour, and the red light guys. Antal and Christiaan from Rush Hour, and Tako from Red Light were definitely big influences for me early on. But Amsterdam is pretty small, so you run into a lot of people pretty quickly, and there has always been a very healthy scene here.
2. You were a resident at Trouw for a few years. Tell us a about your time there and how did the club and music scene change during that time?
Well, Trouw, was of course a very special place, I still feel gutted when I ride past the now renovated ugly building. I think for the time it was open, it really became the nucleus of that sense of community in Amsterdam. Plus it created and educated a whole new crowd, which is what I think clubs should be all about. A huge group of kids started going out at Trouw and their favourite DJ is now Prosumer instead of someone horrible, but the closing of Trouw left behind something great actually, that same crowd, there is now a huge group of kids in Amsterdam with a very openminded taste in music. The party’s I used to do that failed miserably would probably sell out in a day these days…thats amazing!
3. Production wise your renowned for your love of drum computers and 90’s new-age synthesisers. Talk us through your studio and your favourite pieces of kit?
Well, my whole studio runs via MPC, thats my sequencer, so if I had to pick a favourite it would be that. I used to use an MPC2000XL and recently switched to 2500 cause I was tired of using Zip Disks, it is 2015! And then I got a bunch of synths and drum-machines and fx, but I don’t really get attached to gear. Most of the stuff I have is all cheap and underrated, no expensive moogs, or ego boosting modulars. I think all my favourite electronic music was made by people with no musical training on the crappiest gear, so I try not to fuss about it too much.
4. How do you see your career developing over the coming years? Are there musical goals you have set yourself outside of dance music?
I don’t have goals, I’m just doing what I do. Play records in the weekends, make music during the week. I think that used to be my goal, and I’m doing that right now.
5. This year, like Sub Club, you started your first ever record label, which launched with a compilation of your own remixes. How difficult was the section and elimination process here?
Not too difficult, I just wanted it to flow like an album or a mix. So it was a decent listen all the way through. Pretty much I just made a mixtape with some remixes I made. Some of them I would hear in a club and go, hey I know this track, and someone would tell me “its your remix asshole!” So if I can’t even keep track of this shit, might be a good idea to bundle em up somehow, for posterity’s sake. ;)
6. The Dutch capital is unique in that it has its very own Night Mayor, Mirik Milan. While Amsterdam isn’t a 24 hour city, it does have a pretty lively nightlife. Mirik is very positive about the benefits of the night-time economy and hopes to create a 24 hour area within the city. What does Amsterdam’s liberal outlook on partying mean to you?
Mirik is doing a great job, and also the current actual mayor has been very progressive. A lot of things have changed for the better the last 10 years. There are already a few clubs with 24 hour licences and they have a really boosted the possibilities in the city. I don’t know about a 24 hour area though, that might attract horde’s of people wanting to go there for the wrong reasons, but who knows…
7. Picture the scene, It’s a cold winters night and we’re travelling through the unearthly Afsluitdijk landscape over the A7 and right across the Ranstad district. What 3 tracks would you play for our journey?
8. What are your expectations of returning to Glasgow, and are you looking forward to playing all night b2b with Tom Trago at Harri & Domenic’s Subculture?
I love Glasgow, I think the mentality is quite similar to Amsterdam. Last time Sub Club was with Olaf from Trouw, which was killer. And Tom is a good friend so thats gonna be fun, hopefully there will be some Buckie in the booth.
Advance tickets for this Saturday’s Subculture are on sale HERE or from RA.