2020 Vision
Billinudgel Hotel | 1pm –11pm | $38
Back in 1993 Tsuyoshi Suzuki landed in London, setting up the legendary trance label Matsuri Productions. His regular event, Return to the Source, was hugely successful and travelled the world. He produced music for Issey Miyake’s Tokyo/Paris collection in ’98 and his electro rock band Joujouka started in the same year. He moved his base of operations to Tokyo in 2000 and started to organise a global genre-less party called Tokio Drome, held at the Liquid Room venue in Tokyo, and set up the electro-rock label Madskippers. He is Tokyo’s number one dance and electro trailblazer – hailed as one of Japan’s finest – and he’s headlining 2020 Vision at Billinudgel. He shared some of his story with The Echo.
How did you get into DJing?
I’ve been in an alternative new wave rock band since my teenage time, and Nick Taylor, who is my best friend, took me to a DJ Kudo event in Tokyo when I was 22 years old, and that had a profound effect on my life – it sent a shock through me!
Who are your early influences?
The first that come to mind are YMO, Kraftwerk , Ultravox and Gary Numan…
What single night out has been the most memorable for you as a DJ? And as an attendee?
There are many good memories from my experiences – one of the best was Eclipse, in Australia in Nov 2012!
What are you into at the moment? Where have you been playing?
Really into ‘90s stuff nowadays, and I’ve just come back from a tour of Israel last week.
What is it about DJing, compared to producing your own music, which makes it interesting for you?
DJing is to make people dance, and to make a psychedelic atmosphere and a creative field for the ceremony of human being. Producing music is just for me, to develop my creativity.
What advice would you give to aspiring DJs?
It’s not easy to do it, but try to read what they want from the dance floor as much you can… please don’t make track lists beforehand… DJing is about improvisation and interactive action.
If you could eternally be stuck in one year’s music scene, which year would it be?
Definitely ‘90s!
What is your opinion regarding the difference between old school DJing where everything was restricted to vinyl, and modern DJing, where most tracks are MP3 files?
Is this about the difference between vinyl and MP3 files? If so, it’s better to discuss the difference between vinyl and WAV files isn’t it? LOL!
What makes the local dance scene in the Byron Shire different to other places around the world?
I used to play there, many times, and I had amazing times there – but I haven’t been there for ages… so I don’t know much about the local Byron scene nowadays, but I’m guessing there is still a great psychedelic scene.
What’s new and coming up for you?
There are many tracks to be released, which I’ve worked on with many different producers: UNI, Etnica, Filteria, Sun Project, Skizologic, Ubar Tmar and many more…
Also my label Matsuri Digital will be released. Matsuri will be old classics, stuff from the ‘90s – and many compilations and singles soon. You can check it out on www.matsuri-digital.com for more details.
Tsuyoshi Suzuki plays 2020 Vision at Billinudgel Hotel on New Year’s Day. Tickets $38 from eventbrite.com.au