ADJF 8ball Interview: Bonz

[Cupe]

1. Where did the name come from?

It started from the african word 'Ubuntu' which my aunty named me when i was a baby. Ubuntu has no direct translation to english but means something like

'the humanity of others'.

The childhood nickname then formed into the western name Bonz, which then stuck throughout my family. No simple explanation there.

2. How long have you been playing & how did it all begin; What factors came together for you to take an interest in DJ'ing/Producing?

As a kid i was infactuated with music, all genres. It began with me as an inquisitive child snatching my parents precious 70's and 80's vinyls trying to mimick the hiphop legends and all DJ's alike. To add to this I then went on to play guitar in a school band. I felt like i needed to be involved in every type of genre i liked. By then I was listening to the likes of KRS-ONE to bands like Sunk Loto and Korn.

By the age of around 16 i got my first pair of Numark vinyl decks. For me it was a case of all the gear and no idea..Eventually mixing my favourite hiphop tunes to copying riffs from metal bands on the guitar wasnt satisfying me. I decided to lay down the guitar and move onto producing which at this time for me was looking at some weird program on the computer and making funny sounds.

So around 2011 me and a friend installed a copy of fruityloops on his computer.

Slowly i progressed and started off producing hiphop for a friend and I. We both MC'd at the time and hiphop/rap now became everything.

Constantly producing and writing lyrics hoping for this duo act we had going to take off. Back then the music sharing scene belonged to Soundclick and there was hardly anyone using it.

Eventually the production side of hiphop just wasnt enough. The love for the music was there but producing hiphop became a little basic and monotonous for me. So I gave up producing/MC'ing.

Reggae then came into my life and I hit a period of listening to nothing but. Reggae is still a massive part of my life from the music to the understanding.

Come the age of 18 I attended my first dance music festival. I was blown away at what i was hearing...

Then after years of pounding my ears with this fast loud dynamic electro music around mid 2011 i decided on giving it a try. That thirst for changing/adding to what i was hearing came back. I couldnt make an EDM track to save my life... In terms of production I was still stuck on hiphop. It was only until 2012 I felt like I was starting to get somewhere with it. I made my first electro track and was so afraid to share it with the world i kept it to myself and close mates. I then found a love for other EDM genres starting with Dubstep. I felt like it was the next step from Electro for me. The sounds of Dubstep were so out of this world that at first I couldnt get my head around it but I knew I couldnt stop listening to it. Later on I was obsessed with EDM and decided to put more time into my production and eventually built up the courage to share it around.

3. What do you spin? How would you describe your sound and what sort of style/DJ's influence you?

I dont particularly DJ as much as i'd like to anymore. But pretty much Electro, Dubstep/Drumstep, DNB, Glitchhop/Midtempo, House, Reggae and still a little Hiphop.

I cant get off the grimey sound..Most of the time i like it/make it as heavy/dirty as possible, but of course theres limits..

I cant really name specific DJ's that influence me, there would be to many to name. Although i love hearing new up and coming artists.

4. What are your weapons of choice?

I cannot live without my monitor speakers. Im addicted to my idea of the perfect sound and my Yamaha HS80m's just do it for me.

I also use an Akai MPK25 which is the most robust midi keyboard ive ever used.

Basic but that's how i like it.

5. If you could change 1 thing along your way up to where you are now, what would it be and why?

I wish i found EDM sooner because experience means alot. I also wish I played the drums.

No regrets though!

6. If you could put yourself as the resident DJ in any scene, where would you choose and why?

I would love to be in some run down old warehouse posted in the back on some milk crates spinnin the grimiest shit youve ever heard.

Dont really know why.

7. What other Australian DJ's/Producers do you rate?

Difficult question. But to narrow it down to AUS i would have to say MindBuffer. They're sound design is ridiculous.

8. What was the first album you ever bought?

Hard to remember but it was most likely one of the Funkmaster Flex Mixtapes.

[Gandy]

ive been waiting for this since i became a fan of bonz, awesome stuff

[Bonz]

haha gandos you legend.

thankyou for the interview Cupe! sorry it took so long.

[Cupe]

No probs chief

[AlexJ]

good read.

big ups bonz

[Bonz]

cheers Alex! appreciate it bruhz

[legunner]

Legend Bonz