"I did take General Midi to see Romeo & Juliet in Bristol several years ago"
toasted, nicely toasted... Tim Galvin If I were to use a current media event as an analogy to describe NICK THAYER (pronounced Tay-ya), it would definitely be that he is the Georgia of Australian dance artists, going against the global superpower of the current electro house trend while carrying the fl ag for breakbeat independence. He is also ‘pro bush’, but we’ll leave that one for Zoo magazine. “I must’ve been reading the wrong timetable," he laughs. "Seriously though, although I don’t find that sound hugely inspiring on the whole, there are a couple of tracks here and there that find I really like, and so I’ll play them. I’ve always just played records that I like, and there aren’t that many records from that scene that I really like.” Nick has recently been busy showcasing his trademark bumper funk symphony in the guise of a long awaited artist album. “It has been hectic over the past few months,” he confirms. “I cut right back on touring so I could concentrate on finishing my album Just Let It Go. It is pretty much there now, just a little spit polish to finalise it all. It feels great to actually be in sight of the finish line. It is certainly a mixed bunch - just trying to glue everything together into something coherent has been an effort!” Nick honed his skills over in the UK, where he rubbed shoulders with some of the planets broken beat elite such as the Stanton Warriors, Plumps DJs and General Midi (who we will get too later). “I spent a lot of time at Fabric when I was about 18 and living in London for a few months, so even just to not have to wait in that freezing queue was perks enough. Actually getting to play there a couple of times was a dream, and a lovely ‘full-circle’ moment. The funny thing is though, in those sorts of places, no matter who you are your name just gets lost amongst everything else that goes on, there is just SO much happening.” A Nick Thayer set is always a grand experience: only ten fake aerial explosions and a miming child model away from opening ceremony prodigious proportions.“I’ve always had the same general approach to DJing, which is that if I like a tune, I’ll endeavour to find a way to fit it in to whatever else I’m playing. I spend a lot of time these days editing out bits of tunes that I don’t like, which seems to make the whole set much tighter too. I recently switched to Serato which I am loving! The fl exibility is out of this world, and so that has certainly energised the way I’m DJing.” His new album comes off the back of a few massive singles like the enormous bass-bin behemoth Toasted, which has been at the front of many a CD wallet across the global breaks fraternity. “There are plenty of club ready cuts like that, and some branching out too. I’ve done my best to make an album that makes sense when you put it on in the car, or the iPod or whatever. The thing I find myself drawn to when I like other acts or bands is musicality over studio trickery, so I’ve tried to refl ect as much of that as I can in the music on this album.” Among his many achievements we can also add ‘renaissance man’, as his biography lists a quote from General Midi that states that he is “the only DJ in the world who’s taken me to the ballet.”“Hah. Well, at the very least, it is true," Nick says. "I did take General Midi to see Romeo & Juliet in Bristol several years ago. That was before I even met my wife, who dances with Aus Ballet. I grew up around a lot of that stuff and I go as often as I can.” It would be true to say that Mr Thayer is truly a well-rounded man of the arts who promises to deliver Canberran audiences something special in his upcoming show.“(I have) plenty of new music. I’ve got all the stuff from my album to play, plus loads of re-edits, remixes and a few surprises too. I’m getting really excited about doing some touring again now, having been couped up in the studio so long.” Nick Thayer plays alongside Infusion, Grafton Primary, G.L.O.V.E.S, James Dela Cruz, Danielsan, Typhonic and many more at the InTheMix 50 party at the ANU Bar on Saturday September 13. Tickets on sale from Landspeed, Stocks and inthemix.com.au .