KnoxEDM Podcast 03 – Gregory Alan

Welcome to the final KEDM podcast of February. This week we have a final dose of techno, by way of Gregory Alan. Greg has an exceptional taste and knowledge of music, honing in on the darker sounds of tech-house, minimal, and techno, with a heavy nod toward the melodic elements of progressive house. His musical roots lie in the new wave, post-punk, and skater punk sounds of bands like Joy Division, The Smiths, and Black Flag. He has played all over Knoxville, amongst other nearby cities, satisfying crowds of club-goers looking for something a little less abrasive. Take it from me, this guy is no slouch of a partier either, and has been known to drop some epic sets into the day-breaking hours of the morning. Without further ado, Knoxville-EDM presents Gregory Alan for third podcast.

How long have you been DJing? How did you get involved in electronic music, and the scene in general?

I started listening to electronic music in about 1998. I was working in a club as a bouncer and got interested in what the dj’s were playing. This was in the days of the Underground and the Boiler Room the hedonism that went along with it. It was great. I had no idea what genres were at the time I just liked what I was hearing. I was into punk rock for many years, and this music (electronic) moved me and spoke to me, which I found to be strange because there are so little words in electronic music. I did not start dj’ing until many years later (2004)when I was in in the USMC living in San Diego. I had just seen Deep Dish play a 8hr set in LA one night and decided it was time to be a part of the music and not just listen to it.

What styles do you prefer? What are some artists and labels you’re especially interested in right now?

I have always liked very deep music. I like it when a song can draw you in emotionally and get you moving, whether its house, techno, minimal, etc. I have also been drawn to the darker elements of electronic music. Heavy dark basslines, dark ominous melodies, you get the picture. It always seems like I will get into a producer for a couple of months and then find someone else but lately I have really liked Maetrik, Gaiser, Matthew Dear, and of course Pig & Dan.

What are your top five performances/shows that you’ve played that were really memorable, and why?

Top shows I have played? Only one really sticks out in my mind, the show I did with Will, Steve, and Brad T back in march of 2009. I put a ton of money into this show, had no idea what I was doing, but I had an absolute blast and Im pretty sure everyone else did too.

What is your opinion about the local/regional Knoxville scene? What struggles have you overcome? Where do you see it going in the future?

My opinion of the Knoxville scene is that its growing, and starting to grow in a way it should and needs to grow. Struggles are pretty much finding places that are consistent, but that seems to be changing. I would like to see everyone working together. I think many are starting to realize that this is a community of dj’s, producers, fans, etc. We aren’t going anywhere, and we all want to see it grow and get bigger. There has been a lot of negativity in the past but there is no longer room for that, not in my life. I feel like it is going in a positive direction and people are getting more involved, which is good.

What’s in store for 2010? Any big projects, productions, or plans that we should know about?

I wish I could say I had a bunch of bomb-ass tracks I was going to release but I dont. I guess it is something I will have to work on. That and just dj’ing shows here and there for people who want to listen, there are a couple of you out there who like me…I think? :)

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