Artist Interview – Grayz

,Artist Interview – Grayz

We meet Grayz, as part of our ‘Kao Na’ artist interview series.

9 is a lucky number in Thailand. 9 also means forward stepping or progress. Kao Na or 9 forward.

1.) First things first, what is your favourite Thai meal?
It’s gotta be Crab yellow Curry (Poo Pad Pong Kari). That or Prawn Krapaow.

2.) Tell us more about you.
I’m Graham, also known as Grayz. I suppose I am a music fanatic and an occasional DJ/Producer. I am also a record collector. I have been doing this for a while. I have enjoyed many eras of underground music on the rave and pirate radio circuit. I have been playing genres ranging from Jungle, Garage, early Grime and Broken Beats through the late 90’s and 2000’s.

Fast forward to present day, when I am not away working, I predominantly live in Bangkok. I am usually chilling and making music while I am here (Bangkok).  Also, you can catch me playing Deep, Soulful, Afro House, Nu- Jazz, and Broken Beat here and there in Thailand, and of course, monthly on UMT.

3.) How did you start DJing?
Listening to Old Skool Jungle, House, and Garage pirate radio stations and rave tape packs as a kid really influenced me to want to get behind the decks. Get behind the decks and play the music I love to people. 

4.) What genres do you play?
Deep, Soulful, Afro House and Broken Beats.

5.) Who or what are your music influences?
Many genres from old Funk & Soul, Reggae & Dub, old Garage to upfront Afro House, Nu Jazz and Broken Beat.

Artist and Dj wise, the likes of Karizma, Kerri Chandler, Masters at Work, Altered Natives, Phil Asher, DJ Gregory, Atjazz, Vimal Pawa, Kismet, Lord Byron Mak10 and definitely the Bugz in the Attic Guys, AfroForce, etc.

6.) Favourite place to party in Thailand?
Ko Lanta.

7.) Are you making your own music? / Do you have any tracks out?
A good while back, I released music on Altered Natives’ “eye4eye records” as well as a label called “Bass Machine”. More recently, a US House label called “Pasqua Records”

I was producing dubs for pirate radio pretty heavily in the Grime & post UK funky era before having a break from music for a while,

Having recently gotten back in the studio, I have been working on new music which I suppose could be called Deep / Afro-House (it gets charted as that anyway) with the main focus in my production being on weighty bass & percussion.

Recent bits have been getting support from Defected Records’ Simon Dunmore, Sam Divine, Continental GT, DJ Pope & Mak10,

I have something nice forthcoming on Funky Gangster and Q Narongwate’s “Ballloom records” and something else on “Pasqua”. So, watch out for them 

8.) What is your all-time favourite track?
Maybe Nuyorican Soul – The Nervous Track or Peshay – Piano Tune. Both classics man!
Nuyorican Soul – The Nervous Track

9.) Finally, what are your thoughts on the launch of ozonebeach.club?
I’m loving it. It’s gonna be a great platform for a wide range of actual music fanatics, and not just fashion DJs. Gotta big up the management for all the hard work and preperation and of course the rest of the UMT family.
Feel free to hit me up in any of these here.

Please rate the UMT project:

[5/5]

Tune in to hear Grayz on the third Saturday of every month @ 18.00 ICT [GMT+7]