Few days ago, we wrote briefly about a new friend from the States called Illustrated. Its very nice that we had the opportunity for an extend interview with him concerning his background and future plans. We would like to special thanks Illustrated for this interview. We expect more news and music by Illustrated  in the near future.

* the track bellow from the remix competition here http://soundtrackloops.com/illustrated-remix-contest/

Q1 Could you tell us something about yourself and your artistic background please.
I grew up with music around me my entire life. My parents are both music majors, and as great of musicians as they are I wouldn’t ever listen to anything they had to say. It use to drive my mom crazy. I just have always had my own way of doing things.  But if there was one thing my mom got across to me at some point in my life was when she told me “you don’t have a song unless you have a great melody”. Thats always stuck with me in everything that I have written.

When I was a kid though I use to want to be a professional baseball player believe it or not. Around 10 or 11 I stopped playing and my dad bought me a bass guitar for Xmas. Soon after I discovered bands like  Blink 182, and Nofx which completely changed my life in a matter of minutes. I started loving punk music and played in various bands all the way up until last year. It wasn’t really until a year or so ago I started getting really into EDM, and Dubstep. When my band broke up in August, I was at a complete cross roads on what I was going to do. I knew I couldn’t be in a band anymore. If I have learned anything in my life its that you really can only rely on yourself. So one day  I was like alright I am moving to LA, I am going to learn Ableton, and I am doing music on my own from now on. I am going to start my own project, I am going to call it “ILLUSTRATED”, and if its works it works, and if fails it fails. But at least I know its because of me, and not a band member. I have been producing on Ableton for about 5 months now, my debut EP “Mental Drug” is out and it feels like I have been making this genre my whole life. The transition has been the most natural thing ever for me. I love it, I am completely obsessed.

Q2 Do you work on your own, what collaborations do you participate in (label, musical partners, etc)?
A few of the tracks on “Mental Drug” i collaborated with my friend Tony (Sound Remedy). I randomly found him on craigslist. Long story short he really helped me jump start ILLUSTRATED. We come from completely two different musical genres, but when we write music together its like magic. That sounds so lame, but seriously it just works. I am sure we will do another track(s) sometime in the future. I currently released my EP through my friend Jason Donnolley’s label “Solar Sound Records”. We have a couple song ideas we have been bouncing around that I am sure we will finish up in the near future. Right now we are focusing on a remix contest he is putting on for my single, “Subtle Hints”. FL studio, and his companies “Peace Love Productions, and Sound Track Loops” are sponsoring it. The winner will receive free software from them. I will have those details very soon.

Q3 in Europe with surprise we see a tremendous growth of dubstep in the USA, what are the specific reasons in your opinion and what the future brings to the scene?
Dubstep to me is the electronic version of metal, and punk. I think thats why I love it. its fast, the energy is insane, and people go crazy to it.   At these festivals you’ve got all these people dressed in crazy outfits, no one judges or cares and for that day or night its like everyone is together. Its a really cool movement going on. I think if anything destroys it its going to be all the bros starting to mosh at the dubstep shows. I saw Nero two nights ago, and during the most epic transition ever these meat heads start a pit. I know i said its like the electronic version of metal but come on do that shit at a rock how where its supposed to be.

Q4 What equipment do you use, what is your work process?
I produce in Ableton, use Massive,Ohmicide, and various plug ins to make my sounds. Nine times out of ten I have a melody in my head, and a basic  song idea that I roughly arrange on guitar. After that I will sit on Ableton for hours, and hammer it out. I am the worst at getting really excited about an idea late at night. I will think its the best thing I have ever written and wake up and hate it. Thats just the process for me though I will try a million different things out. I like to think I have a pretty good idea for what works and what doesn’t so I will tweek a song until I think its the absolute best I can possibly make it. A song on the EP called “Super Natural” I probably changed 200 times, and spent a month on. That track drove me fucking crazy, but I am really proud of how it came out.

Q5 What are your next gigs and where can we preview your works online?
I actually just started working on my live set today. Since I have launched this project the only thing I have been concerned about is producing solid material so that I could start playing live to showcase my production. I am booked a few months from now for an event in TX , but I will start playing before that by summer. You can hear/find any of my stuff at:
Facebook.com/illustratedmusic
Soundcloud.com/illustratedmusic
Youtube.com/illustratedofficial
Twitter.com/illustrated

Q6 Any plans for the future you want to announce here…?
Lots and lots of music, shows, merch, and me rambling on my social networks. I have a couple other things in the works that I am not ready to address yet, but they are exciting.

Q7 How about some namedropping, do you want to recommend some artists that inspire you?
Check out my friend Jason Donnolley(DJ PUZZLE) and his companies: Peace Love Productions,Sound Track Loops, and Solar Sound Records, and my friend Tony of Sound Remedy. Both great producers that I will always continue to work with in some way. I am also really inspired by a rock producer here in LA named John Feldmann. He’s not an EDM producer by any means but his programming, and production are flawless. Before I die I will do a song with Feldmann. One more thing, make sure and check out/follow two up and coming blogs  “Goose Party”, and “Dank Vibes” based out of TX. Those guys have had my back since day one.
Dankvibes.com (@Dankvibes)
Goosepart.com (@gooseparty)