Five Things with Marley Sherman

My dad used to play trumpet and keys in bands around Sydney, and Mum used to work in nightclubs, so there was always lots of music on in the house. On Friday nights, we would listen to records and dance around the lounge room – apparently De La Soul was a big hit with me and my brother.

2.Inspirations

Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd and James Brown would be my top three favourite musicians. It’s hard to describe, I just feel their music. I saw Roy Ayers perform live early last year and it was mind-blowing; he played all my favourite songs. Special mentions to Pete Rock and St Germain.

3.Your Band

After turning 18, I got more into electronic music, which eventually led to me DJing at parties with a couple of mates. Since playing my first club gig at Chinese Laundry last year, I’ve played for S.A.S.H, Something Else, This and of course Mantra Collective! I also work in the dispatch section of Store DJ Sydney, by far the best day job I’ve had.

4.The Music You Make And Play

I’m all about the house music; deep and druggy, with the right amount of funk to keep it rolling, and groovy enough to dance to. I’m definitely a sucker for some 909 action, so expect to hear plenty of hi-hats in my sets.

5.Music, Right Here, Right Now

I think the music scene in Sydney is actually pretty damn good considering how hard the government seems to be trying to shut it down. If anything, it’s made everyone in the scene friendlier, and it’s exciting getting to DJ at the same gigs as friends. More often than not, the locals outshine the internationals. As for dance music, I’m really happy where the underground is going at the moment, especially in Europe.