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LISTEN TO MIX: download listen
GARTH INTERVIEW
Hey Garth. Thanks again for the amazing mix ... great to hear a mix like this from you. What
was the inspiration?
I made it last year for a radio show I was doing at the time. I pulled the show after 6 months so the
mix was just lying around gathering dust. It’s heady, melancholy music. All the songs were taken
from vinyl LP's. No beat matching. Sometimes it's just good to keep a mood going for an hour
without an album's meandering directions. Could be a good suicide mix, an ode to love, come
down session, whatever. It’s out of my hands now!
Really been enjoying the Golden Goose records - very different I think from a lot of stuff out
there at the moment. How's the label doing?
That’s nice to hear. We try and push the envelope a bit with obscure or under-appreciated
rock/disco bits. We just signed a p&d deal with Groove Distribution so that will take the pressure
off a bit. It’s certainly not a money making venture. I am happy just to break even and do my part to
help keep vinyl alive. I have yet to buy or play a cd in a club and hope I never have to.
You run the label with James Glass, you are both responsible for the edits too?
Yeah it's a joint project. I ran Grayhound for 10 years on my own back when a vinyl label could
actually turn a profit. So this one's just for kicks.
Are you in the studio a lot and what projects are you working on?
After a few years off from the studio I decided to dip my toe in the water again.
First I was asked to remix Halo Varga's 'Future' for Siesta. So I went over to Anthony Mansfield’s
studio and we completely reinvented it. Also Andy Butler from Hercules & Love Affair had
expressed an interest in working with me last year so he had me remix a new track called
'Creature'. Again Anthony was my co-producer. We also have an original piece coming in the fall
on his Hector Works label... 'Pancho's Revenge'. I had Ilya Santana (Eskimo) do a remix and we
got San Francisco 's Beat Broker on board too so that will be a strong package.
And Italian label Opilec Music has undertaken a huge remix project of 70's SF cult synth punk
band 'The Units'. Two songs get the King & Hound re-edit treatment and there are mixes from
Danielle Baldelli, Alexander Robotnick and a slew of others. We're excited about that one. James
Glass and I had edited 'High Pressure Days' for Golden Goose a couple years back and it came to
the attention of The Units' lead singer Scott Ryser. Fortunately he loved the edit and got in touch. I
guess it was the spark that got this whole project started
Lastly Adam Freeland tells me I’m his #1 DJ. So the latest to get the Garth & Mansfield remix
treatment is a track of his called 'Silent Speaking' which should appear on his Marine Parade label
soon.
I heard this story about your studio being in the same building as Anthony Mansfield and some
other well known artists from San Francisco . Is that true and how's the vibe?
It’s actually Anthony’s studio that he time shares with 40 thieves. I just come in as his guest.
Moulton studios has been a hub in San Francisco for years. It’s Chris Lum's baby. Miguel Migs
has always had a room there. Dirty Bird, Fred Everything, Charles Webster, Jay J, Mustafa, Ben
Cook - they've all been there at one point. It's a revolving door! Everyone goes into their room and
works but it's friendly like the city in general. There's no fronting or back stabbing in this town thank
god.
You joined Harvey recently for some gigs in Japan . What was that like?
Well I hooked him up with my manager there, Seiji Hitomi who I knew would do his Japan come
back tour justice. By all accounts it exceeded expectations. 13 gigs in 15 days. There was some
serious Harvey mania going down. I had my tour going on simultaneously so only coincided for a
few dates at the end before I headed off to Indonesia on my own. But it was an honor and a bloody
good crack to be a part of it all. The last date in Japan I played 4 hours at Eleven warming up for
Harvey where he took over for another 6 before crowd surfing to an insatiable crowd at 8am! For
those that don't know Eleven is the latest incarnation of Japan ’s favorite club Yellow that had
closed it's doors a couple of years back much to everyone's dismay. So... shit eating grins all
around that night as you can imagine.
Do you guys still see each other often?
Usually under the proverbial disco ball but with time for a meal and a laugh before hand.
What 5 records did you listen too today?
'Magick', 'Runaway Love', 'Just as long as I got you', 'I'm in love with a German film star' and 'I want
candy' with my 7 year old daughter.
What was the first thing you thought of when you climbed out of bed today?
Christ... is it 7 o'clock already?
Would like to give a shout out to anyone?
Sure. James Glass and Anthony Mansfield (without whom...)
Thanks Garth!!
http://www.facebook.com/garth.grayhound
www.myspace.com/garthgrayhound.
www.grayhound.net
http://www.soundcloud.com/grayhound
