1. Growing Up
Michael Jackson! I had the jacket, the records, the VHS tapes, the posters and the collector cards. I was obsessed! My mum made me the whole outfit to do a performance at my grandparents’ church when I was about six or seven – I killed it, I threw my hat into the crowd and grabbed my dick.
2. Inspirations
In music – Quincy Jones, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, James Blake, Jamie xx, Cajmere, Daft Punk, Gonzales, and I really do think Kanye West is a genius even though he feels the need to say it all the time… these are the obvious, I suppose. Overall my inspiration comes from a lot of places; art, fashion, architecture – I think if you surround yourself with amazing things and inspirations you’re more likely to make amazing things.
3. Your Crew
The Bang Gang is my family, my beginning and my end. Ajax is still my brother along with Dangerous Dan, Jaime Doom, Gus da Hoodrat, my studio partner in crime Kim Moyes, Sneaky Sound System, Flight Facilities, Cassian, the Survivor crew in Melbourne, Wordlife, Harvard Bass, Jens Moelle, the Bromance crew in Paris, Riton. That’s my crew that got me into music and keep me in it. Apart from them, I just hang out with my girlfriend.
4. The Music You Make
Generally house I guess – that’s the base of it and it goes in and around from there. I love the vibe and sound of Chicago house, so that is a major inspiration, but I also grew up listening to rap and R&B so that’s always in the back of my mind.
5. Music, Right Here, Right Now
Honestly, music right here and now is at a strange place. If I wanted to go out in Sydney I couldn’t because the scene is fucked. Apart from the odd Motorik party there is nothing! Melbourne has Survivor!, Revolver and the House de Frost weekly – I really feel Sydney is lacking. EDM is horrible but every cloud has a silver lining and you can see the origins of proper house music coming back in a big way.
Beni plays Cakes at World Bar on Saturday December 28 and Ministry of Sound Classics at Ivy on Wednesday January 1.Love On The Run / Summer’s Goneout now digitally.
