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                                                               INTERVIEW

Hey Freshro, thanks for mix! Please tell us where you are from and how long you have been
living there?

I was born in east L.A and grew up in a suburb 30 miles east of L.A known as the San Gabriel
valley. Pretty much been in that area my whole life.


What sort of influence would you say California has had on your musical tastes? You seem to
have a big hip hop influence from listening to your EP on Rong.

Growing up in California had a little to do with my musical taste. When I was a kid I was a skater in
the mid seventies in an area which had no skaters. Most of the time we had to drive to different
areas just to skate the parks. That is were I really got into rock and started buying records. In my
neighborhood there were mostly mexicans and some black families nearby. At school I hung
around a lot of black kids, that is how I got my funk and hip hop from. Disco was big in the mexican
community but I was one of those guys that skated and did not like disco like all the other skaters.
It took a long summer vacation to Guadalajara , Mexico to be converted by my cousin who djed.
That was in ‘79 when I was in 8th grade. It was one of my favorite summers of all time. I learned
how to dj, became a drunk and changed the path of my life that year. In the early 80s I really got into
popping and the electro funk music, that is when I joined a crew with an emcee, dancers and a
couple of artists. Me being the dj the next thing to do was buy a drum machine and start
programming beats for the emcees to rap over, a couple years later we recorded are first record
which was an electro disco hiphop track under the name Mc Clock and the Scratchzone Symphony.
That was my first experience at a recording studio which led to working with rappers for over 20
years.


How did you connect with the Rong record label?

I recorded " San Dimas 3001" and put it on myspace. I then asked a couple of people to listen to it
thru myspace and Rong wrote me back and asked if I had anything else. I then recorded "Arrow
highway" and uploaded it along with the 2 hip hop tracks that they really liked also. A couple days
later they asked me if I wanted to put out those songs on Rong and I said sure.


Have you got any more releases lined up?

I have an album that is due to come out soon with Rong. I have a single that may be coming out on
Adult Contemporary and maybe I will start recording again.


How long have been working on the album and what can we expect style wise?


The album has been finished for over a year. I worked with a lot of emcees, singers and friends
that I’ve worked with over the years, but this time it was my project and they had little input. It has
some good hiphop,downtempo,disco and funk tracks. Everything sounds different on the album.
Hopefully people accept the versatility.


Are your productions mainly computer and sample based? Like what did you use to make the
new LP?


I do all my pre production on my akai mpc 60 for drums and a korg triton for keys. Later I take it to
my friend’s studio and start adding guitars and changing sounds with his different effects
modules. My friend also plays the guitar and bass which is very helpful. I used to use a lot of
samples for my hiphop but now I stay away from it. The studio uses a harddrive recorder with the
sawtooth plus program. I have been recording there for 20 years, so I get free studio time because
I have been referring singers and rappers to the studio for years.


Do you set out with a certain idea of what kind of tracks you want to make or how would you
describe your method of putting tracks together?


Most of the time I have a basic foundation of a track and go in the studio and end up with
something totally different once I start adding guitars and stuff. It is very hard for me to produce
without a vocalist. Some of the tracks I do are tracks that are recycled. They once had a rap over
them or vocalist. I usually love a sound or vibe of the track and the rapper or singer just never really
liked the finish product ,so I keep the parts I really like and redo it.


Are any contemporary producers or djs influencing your style?

I wish I could do tracks like some of the new producers, there are some very good ones out there.
Djing I have been pretty much doing the same thing for years. I am glad that people like Harvey ,
Rub n Tug, Prins Thomas are really opening up peoples minds on how a dj should really play.


What 5 tunes are rocking your boat at the moment?


"Who lit dat shit' by Izm Da Mad Soul

"Coconut" by Harry Nilson

"Ipso Factor "by Camboche

"Neurotic erotic adventure" by Neurotic Drum Band

"Captain of her Heart" by Double


If you could choose any couple of old tracks to remix what you go for?


I don’t know, I have never done a remix. I used to put my beats under hiphop accapellas, I guess
that would be considered a remix


Are you involved with any parties and what parties should not be missed if one is out in your
neck of the woods?

I do a couple parties a year in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta , Mexico . In L.A the sarcastic disco
parties are good.


Except music, what else is Freshro into?

I,m a true B-Boy, I love Boobs, bass and beer. I also love watching skateboarding, snowboarding
and breaking … to out of shape to actually do it myself.


What makes you smile?

Good tunes, my nephews, good times.


Would you like to give a shout out to anyone?

Everyone at Rong, Penuckle, Izm, Valida, Rocky, Shawn, Aaron Arce, Topshelf Records, Adult
Contemporay, Tony, Ritesh, Harvey , J.e.n, Scotty Coats, Garth, Double fisted, Milhouse, Nikki,
Everardo, Popo and the Vallarta crew and everyone who is down.


Thanks my man!


Tracklisting:

1.untitled demo-Freshro
2.staccato-unknown
3.little dreamer-peter green
4.fever-the james cotton band
5.the cows-word of apples
6.unkown-the sarr band
7.invisible college-gatto frito
8.morte-forme
9.phreek-ray mang
10.this is it-kenny loggins(mad mats edit)
11.number one-chaz jankel
12.untitled demo-FreshRo
13. disco fly-william stuckey