interview: the aston shuffle

The Aston Shuffle have had a great couple of years. Coming out of Canberra in 2006, they started off remixing tracks and managed to take over the Australian club scene in the span of a year. They began this year alongside David Guetta, went on a flaming single tour and are close to releasing their debut album Seventeen Past Midnight. I spoke to Vance Musgrove about a few of these things, and it’s easy to se that these boys are working hard, and having the best time doing it.

So just to kick things off, what got you guys together? Especially somewhere like Canberra, where the dance scene is tiny.
You’re exactly right! At the time, the dance scene was pretty nonexistent. There probably wasn’t even a scene, Canberra is unique in that way. Everyone knows everyone, everyone goes to the same parties, it doesn’t matter what ‘scene’ you’re in. Dance music hadn’t really hit the mainstream phenomenon like it is now. For example in Melbourne, there are enough people so that they can stick to their own music. The Drum ‘n’ Bass guys can do their own thing, the trance guys can do their own thing, you know, its pretty separated. In Canberra, there were only a few record stores that everyone goes to, at parties you’d get a variety of DJs for one night, so yeah, everyone just meets everyone.

How did you manage such a big shift, what with the music scene evolving, and festivals becoming a massive vogue, do you think you’ve adjusted your production style to suit this change?
Well yeah, playing festivals is extremely different, and you think a) this is amazing, and I never want to do anything else and b) this is so different, it’s a completely different feeling. The emphasis has shifted from club nights and gigs, festivals are becoming more mainstream, and accessible, which means the music suits the crowd.

You have some pretty good shows coming up, Groovin’ The Moo, Splendor, how do you deal with the craziness?
It is pretty crazy, difficult, what with the traveling, the sleep deprivation, touring is really tiring, and it’s our last live show for the single tour this weekend, and yeah it’s starting to catch up. I supposed you just roll with it, and have the best time. While you’re playing you sort of forget about how tired you are, there are just so many people and it’s pretty great.

With the ‘Your Love’ phenomenon, I know it comes in this massive package with great remixes, how was it having that take off?
To be honest, that was certainly not the track we expected to take off like that. It was certainly a surprise, and we really didn’t know how to react to it. Probably the only bad thing about it was that it happened so long ago, before the album. It would be awesome if that was happening now, to build up hype for Seventeen Past Midnight. But you know, looking back on how it all just took off, it’s amazing. It definitely wasn’t the track I would have put money on, definitely not the reaction we expected to get.

You’ve collaborated with so many excellent DJs and producers, especially Steve Aoki, that must have been mad. As lame as it sounds, who would your dream collaboration be with?
We’ve been getting asked that a lot actually, and it’s hard to say. When it comes to collaboration, it’s really fifty-fifty, you do your part and then the rest is up to studio time, and building a rapport with them. You know how your 50% is going to turn out, but yeah, it’s hard to say who I would really want to work with. But actually, Soulwax would be great. Hey Soulwax, we want to work with you!

Could you tell me a standout moment from any specific show or festival?Anything that makes you go, hot damn, I LOVE my job?
That is actually the perfect counterpoint to your earlier questions about how we cope with the touring and exhaustion, it’s just sort of like, really why am I complaining about? What do I have to complain about really? Every show has just been amazing on the single tour, but Sydney Shore was really a defining moment. There were a lot of nerves and tension the whole week leading up to it, we were playing a lot of new material, and then we got out there, and it was literally, thousands of people just absolutely loving it. And they hadn’t even heard 60% of what we were playing. So yeah, really, I have nothing to complain about.

What is the one song that always makes it on to an Aston Shuffle DJ set?
When it comes to DJ sets, there are a few songs, a few favorites that turn up. You know, after a few drinks you just sort of pick up on how the crowd is and how you feel. But there are definitely a few old ones, like Who Made Who, After Dawn, and a couple others that pop up. But it’s never set in stone that we play a certain track at a certain time, it really is just how we feel at the time.

The Aston Shuffle’s debut album, Seventeen Past Midnight, is out today! Click here to check it out on iTunes!