Hello, I'm Lorin :) I make music called Bassnectar - lately i've been working nonstop to remix my record collection into new versions for an experiment called the Freestyle Sessions in Colorado! What's on your mind? An me askything...

Weird, i was just replying to someone asking about my collabs with G Jones and Tom Morello, and then my computer started acting weird, so here is the response:

YES! Greg and i are working constantly on new music together! we are both super busy now with summer, but its constantly ongoing

Tom Morello and I have had a lot of fun as well. He hit me up in like 2015? to help work on his new album, we ended up writing a track together which involved an insane amount of back and forth. it was an amazing process. He was working with some other DJs on more electronic music, and i was like DUDE... lets make a song like Rage Against the Machine which has never been made before, and we did ...it slotttters.

then we spent over a year working with vocalists, and ended up working with Big Boi [OutKast] and Killer Mike [Run The Jewels] - it is HEAVY DUTY!!!

but waiting on Tom Morello to release it, he is working on a whole album so im just chillin :)

HAHA my manager just texted me "ive never seen so many questions about somebodies hair"

ok im gonna get started early if that's cool! anytime i'm doing a live Q&A it gets a bit strange cuz im just typing nonstop for an hour and i start making typos like crazy, so im gonna try and get ahead of the curve now:

If you weren't making music, what would be your 9-5?

i think either a high school history teacher or a guidance counselor... OR! i would love to do preschool or kindegarten, i got my teachers degree when i graduated [was busy with a minor in education, minor in electornic music, and a major in Community Studies] and just wanted to work with music and social change, and inspire/protect/guide people who needed friendship and support.... id also love to write novels...like stories or something

oh wow, i already responded to you in another question! you ask good questions :)

With Bass Center 2016 being absolutely MASSIVE with 25k+ attendance each day and camping, why the move to Hampton this year with less than half the capacity and without camping?

In the final moments of Basslights 2015 you called the Coliseum “one of your favorite buildings in America”. Why?

this is a LONG answer, and it involved a lot of really crazy background stuff [multiple insane camping festival sites that fell through last minute and a ton of different ideas which were all being juggled] ... and essentially Hampton Coliseum really wanted me to come back, and it seemed like a great opportunity, and also i wanted to try something a bit more intimate and left field in Colorado... having pulled off the biggest show of my career in 2016 in Colorado [and not only big, but AMAZING... the crowd was so incredibly loving and kind, the vibe was SO next level, the camp ground was SO lovely, the fans left the site SO clean, it was amazing] i wasnt thinking "yes! bigger is better! now i gotta come back and play to a hundred thousand people!!" AHHH... i dont want to take over the world

as it happens we have this AMAZING camp ground in Colorado which we are working on something for 2018... its just all SO much work to pull this stuff off... so while we are working on that, i got to put together something im arguably even more inspired by:

FREESTYLE SESSIONS!!!

this is something i hope to do all over, and basically turn the Creativity Knob up to max... getting to just dj in a freestyle context [like what would i play at a house party] mixed with all the magic of how our shows have evolved... its super inspiring

we are setting up the room differently than a show [diminishing the stage, creating a space which feels omni directional] and i have been working OVERTIME to dig up so many old gems and throw backs and basically remixing constantly...ive remixed HUNDREDS of old classics from my record collection... its just gonna me a free for all musical orgy of some of my favorite music, as well as tons of left field stuff, and even new music ive never played before - plus any other track i wanna drop ;)

Lorin, how many times have you seen Bassnectar?

i have never caught a show, and i would love to be able to catch one, one of these days...

Saw your show at Electric Forest this past wknd. "It's Just a Ride" was the most powerful moment of the wknd for me - it left me in tears, and it's still giving me chills. Thank you for imploring us to choose love! I noticed before your show, they were playing John Lennon‘s "Imagine". I was curious if that was intentional, given his prominence in the "Just a Ride" montage?

hi! thanks!!!!

I try and plan the 'tweener music' between each set or before each set [every once in a while it doesnt happen and some sound tech will blast surf rock, which is also cool] but like last weekend i made a mix of Minecraft music, and mixed it into Imagine, and a few other doozies :)

i ahve tons of little micro-sets of old records i like to give to the sound tech to play before the set begins

and YES YES YES! you should watch ZEITGEIST MOVIE!!!! ITS FREE AND ONLINE! Its amazing!

that part sampled is from the end of the 1st version [i think there are 3 full length episodes/versions]

within the first version, the bit about religion is what i found most touching, but also it gets philosophical at the end :)

very important stuff :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrHeg77LF4Y

Thank you for doing this AMA and for being so personal in communication with your fanbase!! We appreciate the self-written letters on your website and the Twitter DM's from time to time :)

1. What kind of zany happenings in the crowd have caught your eye while performing up on stage? Curious how things are from your perspective at an event.
2. Will we ever see another Bassnectar tour in the future? This would be a blessing to all of us commonly stuck at home due to life/work/school/responsibility etc.

Thank you! :)

1. when you say 'zany' do you mean insane? or explicit? perverted? righteous? stupefying? unbelievable? awesome? its an absolutely INSANE view, but honestly i am very busy up there, and every set is over in the blink of an eye. its like multitasking and sprinting and hyperventilating and day dreaming in FAST FORWARD while the world slips into slow motion...very trippy! its always nice to see smiles and its awesome to watch the crowd heave and churn as one unified being

2. the question of a Bassnectar Tour...thats a long answer. I gotta say our tours evolved into something so special and unpredictable, and for many years both state of the art and WAY ahead of its time [aka eons before 'dubstep' or 'edm'] ...we basically started touring as a rock band in like 2005... before that for about 10 years most of what i did was grass roots and self booked. in the 90's i did not have a manager or agent, and i was mostly focused on making events happen [we did free outdoor fullmoon events everymonth on the beach or in the woods] and making music for fun, not really to DJ. when i would play a set it was super organic, and never on a stage or anything... at the turn of the century burningman was exploding as an out of this world canvas for me to paint on [as was Shambhala in Canada] and i started booking myself to fly out to play art parties in art wharehouses all over... i would play 150+ shows a year, mostly in small clubs or wharehouses. in 2003 i think i was in France, Germany, England, Ireland, Spain, New Zeland, Australia, Japan, and all over the states, but it was SUPER fucking low key and ULTRA underground.... by 2005 we started playing in rock clubs in the states, touring with a small crew as a rock band would [sound guy, tour manager, lighting dude, etc] and id be doing a pizza parlor in Arkasa on a Tuesday, some weird rock club in Tennessee on a Wednesday, off to Mississippi for a Thursday night in like a dorm room, etc etc... and then that just got more and more intense for 10 years straight

the last time we did an actual TOUR was 2014 when we played Madison Square Garden and at that point it was SUCH an undertaking, and so exhausting and so expensive [its unbelievably expensive to haul 4 or 5 semi trucks full of gear with 2 massive tour busses, and 25 crew members, plus plus plus alll over the place, and set up a show, run a show, tear down an show and COMMUTE] 5 or 6 times a week... it was just loco

maybe i will do it again, but the way i have it dialed now is WAY more fun, and WAY more inspiring....

and honeslty a lot of my focus this year is about taking off the bassnectar suit and exploring life off grid as a human... then when i come back on grid its super full power and stunning as an experience...and again insnaely inspiring

:)

How do you come up with setlist?

its a pretty complex process for me, and insanely time consuming. i have multiple interfaces like spreadsheets [where every song in my collection is listed with notes about it, tempo, melodic information, other random notes] and text files with massive brainstorms, i make a brainstorm in writing before any set, and i have these saved for over ten years [sometimes before a big event like bass center, when i'm playing three consecutive nights and doing zero repeats, i need to go in hella deep and reference 'what did i play last time at bass center? what did i play last time in colorado? what did i play last weekend? what do i wanna play NEXT weekend in new york' etc] and so it starts to spread out into this fuckin INSANE matrix of overwhelming possibility!!!! then that's just the pregame daydreaming. then i go insane with Ableton... i countless grips of tracks and loops and samples all cut up in various ways, color coded, etc, and i start mixing and matching, and creating new stuff, and getting distracted, and blah blah blach....

eventually i will end up with a massive Ableton session, bursting with possibility, and i spend a large amount of the set strategizing and subtractively editing the incoming possibilities [like nah...i dont wanna play that now, or nahhhh i am not gonna play that tonight after all]... so i can often have a 5 hour set prepared for a one hour time slot.

in general the week before any set i am totally Charlie in this clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nTpsv9PNqo

Love hearing about your process. I've caught a bunch of your shows and the flow you bring to each set is what keeps me coming back for more.

Also, A+ reference there..what's your favorite Always Sunny episode?

literally one of my favorite tv shows ever. sadly/pathetically i have to admit i have watched every episode at least 5 times... i am hardcore addicted to it... once it came onto netflix i would just watch it on tour to put myself to sleep, and it made some crazy dreams

favorite episode is probably the same one: Charlie when he freaks out on Pepe Silvia, cuz that's totally me in the studio :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrHeg77LF4Y

Hey Lorin! Really, really, really thankful that I have this chance to reach out to you after missing my last opportunity. To quickly preface, I’m 23. Up until age 21 my life was a constant whirlwind of misunderstanding, disconnection, and an absolutely morbid yearning to remove myself from this world permanently. Your philosophy and intention allowed me to find my own path, and these things truly opened my mind, tipping the balance for the better, allowing me to overcome the dark years of my life, a constant struggle with suicide. I am excessively excited to continue having a similar impact on other people as you did for me. 

I feel that what I’ve needed for a long time has been the opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart. You will always be in my heart, and know that every single day I strive to fill the hearts of others with joy, to be there for others in times of need, and to set an example that will live on through others.

As far as this post goes, it seems I have to ask a question. What's one of the most beautiful moments of your life so far? I'd love to know.

THAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!! :)

i have experienced deeply moving and cathartic experiences of growth and change...painful upheavals, frightening chaos, isolation, confusion, deep fear...and also beauty, sunrise, mystery, awe, connection... i think it moves in cycles

and we all get to play a part in each other's stories, to whatever degree we wish [which is why Random Acts of Kindness is so fun and important]....its why i never understand when someone says "im bored" its like...youre what?

every single moment of life is a chance to breathe in the beauty, the mystery, the awe of life... we are miracles, even at the WORST times, the most painful and awful, its still such a crazy coincidence that you were even born at all... its a CRAZY FUCKING MINDBAFFLING COINCIDENCE THAT YOUR PARENTS WERE EVEN BORN! much less survived everything under the sun, and made it to the point where there created you and now YOU have all these insanely complex nuances and ideas and opportunities and experiences...how can someone be bored

and beyond bored, how can someone be self destructive? there are so many constant opportunities to give that even in the darkest of times, you can still make a new friend, you can still marvel at nature, you can still give countless gifts of kindness to others...

i have had a lot of people reach out to me about suicide, well over hundreds, so probably several thousand, in the last few years. I've known several dear friends who have gone through with it or attempted it, and I am not trained to counsel about it, its so tender and sensitive. I used to work with this service called 211, which was like 911, but a national service for suicide prevention, but i would just direct people there and sometimes i would call three ways, but i feel and felt like i had no business really professionally counselling [not yet at least]

so instead of that, i chose to just reflect kindness and and try to be as encouraging as i can be [nobody is perfect and its not always easy] but as with politics, i just drifted to a place more general and deep: human connection... i want to reflect that and i am overjoyed that you received that transmission

hopefully as you move forward in life you too can reflect compassion and kindness and tender sensitivity toward others... reaching out and making friends and looking out for fellow humans who need a helping hand: thats what lifes about :)

Hi Lorin, my question: a lot of time I find there to be philosophical messages in your shows (first that comes to mind is Grand Rapids 2015 Ex Machina clip, a movie that focuses heavily on the philosophical Problem About Mary regarding AI and the philosophy of mind & consciousness) and was wondering if you have any favorite philosophers, philosophical works, and other quirky philosophical puzzles you think about?

Thanks! P.S. Glad you appreciate David Foster Wallace like I do :)

i love Einstein... i read a book he wrote called "Thoughts & Ideas By Albert Einstein" and if you mix that with Ray Kurzweil's "The Age of Spiritual Machines" and the whimsy of Tom Robbins... thats kind of the philosophy which is echoing around in my brain :)

Thoughts & Ideas By Albert Einstein

I believe you mean "Ideas and Opinions" by Einstein :)

Link for anybody interested!

you're right! i have a copy which says "Thoughts & IDeas By" and it has one picture of him, and then i dound "Ideas & Opinions By" and its the same text, differnt cover :)

Like many show writers, do you already have plans for the "Final Gathering"?

ill die first :)

and i plan to die when i am 123 years old [peacefully with a smile of gratitude on my tattered face] so we have a ways to go

When is the next mixtape coming out?!?! Mixtape 13 wasn't a "real" mixtape like your old ones were, and the Night Owl Radio one was more of a podcast and radio show. I want Immersive Music part 3 or a massive Reflective mixtape!!! Please and thank you :D.

Much love from Ohio.

the technical answer is that technology is changing and i can't tell where someone is allowed to post a "real" mixtape... to me mixtapes are CHALK FULL of samples, just like DJ sets are, and you just mix music the fuck up hella freestyle and have fun. but now you can't really post that anywhere without getting takedowns, so... find a place to post them and ill post them :)

otherwise im just making mixtapes live each night when i play a set

every single one is super creative and freestyle and i'm editing or remixing or remastering EVERY track i play

alot of times ill do an edit and someone will say "this sounds just like the original" and im like SMH... dude slap the 2 versions into a sequencer and A-B compare them

i put IMMENSE work and time into crafting custom designs on any song i play, always working to make the heaviest, warmest, deepest version possible... so live sets have really become my new playground for mixtapes :)

i guess that wasnt very technical :)

Can you speak a little deeper into what your inspiration was for 'Was Will Be' ..?..

this song is super duper spiritual, and I know it goes deeper for you than what you explained on the EP cover.

i love that you ask that!

so musically, the inspiration was to recreate the vibe from Expanded, Breathless, and my Plugged In remix... something like "into the sun" but in that halftime drum & bass vibe. i was working on this for about a year, and actually it was gonna be TKO at one point...as odd as that may sound.

but the music is and was so uplifting, and i always make temporary "work in progress" song titles for my tracks... i started calling it Was Will Be, which is kind of a nod to Present Past & Future...to feeling a sense of timelessness... and that is very humbling and euphoric and mesmerizing at the same time

because i realize im just a tiny blip or spark on the wheel of time, which spins infinitely, but my spark is just a split second during one of its revolutions... so anyways, i could wax poetic about that forever, but ... speaking of which i was gonna CALL the song "Forever" at one point.... then i started sending it out to vocalists... Lupe Fiasco, Zion I, Rye Rye, all kinds of people made really interesting concepts to it, but the one Mimi came up with was so haunting

she and i love to work together on concepts and lyrics, and although the song has very few lyrics, its super powerful to me

there are basically 3 phrases:

Feel It

Healing

Forever

and i just had to rinse that over and over and have her sing it all different ways and try each way over the various melodies of the song

i get goosebumps every time i hear the track

i played it the first time ever this past weekend, and it was my favorite moment of the set, i felt overwhelmed and i inhaled really suddenly and tons of my own hair went into my mouth and i could barely see or breathe but was just like singing the lyrics in my mind and getting teary eyed haahaha :)

LORIN!!!! I've always wondered, what sort of diet do you follow? are you a vegetarian or vegan? What is your guilty pleasure in terms of unhealthy food that you like to indulge in every so often?

i grew up in a commune and my parents ran a health food store, then in high school i started smoking weed and eating junk food, then when i was 17 or 18 i became a vegetarian, more for political reasons, and started going back into ultra health food, i quit smoking pot, i lost any interest in getting faded or high [except i LOVE strong green tea, and i like a good glass of wine at the right time]

mornings i like 2 poached eggs, steamed spinach, and brutally strong green tea

lunch is mellow and whatever, salad, or something basic

dinner ideally is wild rice, ginger, organic chicken, steamed greens

but i also do eat out quite a lot while travelling, and like to try new foods :)

i love health food :)

Pineapples on pizza yes or no?

Pineapples in EF sets, yes.

pineapples have too much sugar i dont even eat much fruit anymore, and i focus on green vegetables

for pizza, i am more traditional, but not tryna feel anything sweet on it!!!!

i try and save all my sugar intake to allow for some heavy duty Cabernet Sauvignon - about one glass a day :)

Do you ever get tired/embarrassed/frustrated with your hardcore fan base and some of the shenanigans that they pull?

honestly i LOVE the enthusiasm of the bassnectar community. i have never seen anything like it in my life and i am so proud and honored by what has so organically developed and evolved.

There are elements of the punk rock scene and even the death metal scene from my high school days, where nerds and rejects and outcasts and people who don't belong find a home, find common threads.

there are elements of Insane Clown Posse, The Grateful Dead, and Phish, where totally different people from totally different walks of life find common themes of passion and joy and develop a family which gathers to celebrate those common themes.

there are elements of my own day dreams of art colonies and cultish communes where strangers and artist collaborate and interact in some kind of Science Fiction utopia to make reality into a interactive work of art.

But all the while the people are so genuine and gentle and respectful and diverse.

As with any large, anarchic group of people, there is a spectrum of behavior... and i have always encouraged people to be INCLUSIVE and ACCEPTING so any random person can show up and act like a clown but in general i am constantly humbled by how kind and loving everyone is

An din comparison to the PHONY mass-marketed mainstream fan bases out there, this is so genuine... its made of humans, who like you and me, are imprefect and constantly growing and learning

i know anyone reading this has made stupid mistakes, thought stupid thoughts, tried dumb things, and lived to tell about it... that's life

but it's FAKE NEWS to say bassnectar fans are anything but ultra amazing, dedicated, beautiful... that comes from jealous haters, or wannabees..that comes from someone who wishes life was different and tries to tear down something else which is beautiful. and i have love for those people, but no patience for their fake news.

For any random story about this or that conflict, there are THOUSANDS of stories of random acts of kindness, of loving friendships which have formed, of deep and meaningful experiences

and that's beautiful :)

compared to any fanbase of a sports team, or any group at a college or university, or any fanbase of a musical act, it's a non issue, if you have been a member of the community you know this is special.

and just as with anything [Burningman, high school, Phish, Metallica, hip hop, college football, casions in Las Vegas, taverns in Holland, traffic jams in New York City, beaches in Miami, movie theatres in Colorado, shopping malls in Seattle, forests in vancouver, whatever] as with anything there is a myriad of behavior

there are REALLY nice people, there are outspoken people, there are shy people, there are inexperienced newbies, and tired old veterans, there are high octane OVERLY INSPIRED enthusiasts, and there are poeple who are moving on to new things

so as with any community YOU HAVE THE POWER to influence, and when you see newcomers, greet them with love, and when you see negativity, either extinguish it with love, or leave the scenario

one thing i can say is if you want to feel happier:

spend less time online

spend less time posting statuses of yourself

spend less time trying to broadcast

spend less time complaining about negative things

spend less time trying to call someone out for mistakes they made

spend less time listening to those who have no credibility

spend more time tuning into sources of thought or information who have EARNED credibility, who are authentic and trustworthy

spend more time interacting with live humans who live their lives in ways YOU want to live yours

be friends with people who have personalities which are like WHAT YOU WANT TO BECOME

spend more time giving and less time taking

and buckle up for a long, strange, beautiful ride :)

Hi Lorin! Huge fan, can't wait to see you at Bisco & I was at Basslantic City which was also fucking amazing.

I was just wondering with how long you have been producing.

1. How many GB/TB of unreleased music do you have? (Rough Estimate?)

2. Has the evolution of technology made it easier for you to create the music that you do? (Compared to 10+ years ago)

3. How have I seen you 5 times live and you have never once dropped "Loco Ono"? When was the last time you played that in a set?

Can't thank you enough for the AMA

hey dude :) thank you! unfinished miusical ideas? TONS on my PC i have enough to make several albums, but its just too messy to finish anything... its like wandering through an old photo album or getting lunch with a best friend you havent seen in years, its overwhelming

technology: yes, god bless its heart

Loco Ono: that's strange, because i drop one of 4 versions pretty often. the original is very noisy and bezerk, i collaborated with Stylust Beats on a heavy lower octave version which i play alot, and JCO made a groovy version i just played last weekend :)

almost every track i play is subkect to heavy sampling though, so i love to sample the vocals from one track, or the instrumental from another, or the sound effects from another, etc :)

Why were you not on the Shambhala 20th anniversary lineup this year?

we had other plans but i've played 12 or 13 of them, and am DEAR FRIENDS with dozens of the humans who work on that each year, we will be back again and again in the future...there is no place like Shambhala, no place like the Kootenays :)

Do you have a hobby or interest non music related that you aren't super vocal about? For example, is there a secret knittingnectar or pastrychefnectar we don't know of? Also, gotta say thank you for bringing an amazing community together. I honestly believe the combination of the music and overwhelming support from the people I've met through this community have changed my life and made me a better person. Much love!

haha well, in terms of "my life outside of bassnectar" that is an entire universe i am VERY excited to explore! in 2015 I kind of had an American Beauty Moment... i felt like i had "been in a coma for about 20 years, and im just now waking up"...

i felt like i had been in a daze for 10 years and the world blurred past, and although i had lived every bassnectar dream and then some, i hadn't had much life outside of music. i am a total workaholic, and i eat, sleep and breathe bassnectar as a 'creative art project'...

i realized that 'bassnectar' was like a superman suit, and that i was just a mild mannered human, like Clark Kent. When i strapped on the suit i could fly through these crazy worlds, but i hadnt taked the suit off in ten years.

i didnt want to retire or give up or stop, i wanted to respect the power and integrity of the art... but i wanted to ALSO explore life as a human being

so instead of "turning down the intensity on bassnectar" i decided to leave it as it naturally is: pulsing with intensity!!! but to just spend less time of each year wearing the suit.

So if my life is a pie chart, each year 98% of the pie chart was Bassnectar, and 2% was left over for everything else. I made a goal to transform that to a 50/50 balance, so 50% of the time i could wear the suit, and during those times, it can blast as full on an intense as ever, but when i take it off, i can just be simple mild-mannered Clark Kent, and in those moments, i have no desire to broadcast my personality on social media or anything, i like to unplug

i love spending time with my family, who i love beyond words. i love spending time with dear friends, many of whom I have known for 20 years. i love learning and thinking. i love playing Pente. i loooove nature, and i love walking and exploring. i love meeting new people without introducing myself, just being kind to an old sweet gramma at a cafe, or a tired looking waiter at a restaurant... i love visiting with my neighbors, or studying and learning new things...i love thinking constructively, and creatively, and i love debate...i debate with myself or my friends a lot, because its a great way to improve you persepctive, by enriching it and scientifically testing your beliefs... i do it for fun, i watch documentaries..

i love playing Skyrim and Minecraft.

my dad said "there are only 2 things to do today: Relax and Be Kind" and i love that

he also said that aside from all the ever-changing advice you get from the world the 3 most important things each day for self care are getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and excercise... so i focus on that as well

then again, although i took off a ton of time this winter, i was buried in the studio almost every day

i'm working on countless collaborations year round, im always messing around with old 'never-finished albums' on my old computers

im lovviiiiiing NAUX FAUX, which is a downtempo project i have with my friend Craig, i love working on music with Dorfex Bos, i love just jamming on new sounds and ideas for a few hours, then deleting the project and startin over again :)

lately, any time i hang with Dylan [ill Gates] instead of making music we just goof off, talk about life and the world, make each other laugh, record a bunch of noises and talk about music from a Present Past and Future approach, where nothing lasts, but everything is kind of existing in multiple states of existence

where was i?

oh yah...hobbies and interests...

:)

A lot of your hardcore fans will point new listeners towards a mixtape or a live show instead of a Bassnectar album.

Do you think the music that is put out on albums is a good representation of what Bassnectar is or is only a piece of the puzzle?

as long as its not setlists or clips on youtube im fine ;)

i would say come to Freestyle Sessions or Bass Center if you are really curious, because those events are created from scratch, and we are all obsessing over every tint detail, living and breathing EVERY detail with so much love and imagination

if you find yourself on a forum with bozos debating a setlist, that sounds like the most boring life ever, so keep them away from that nonsense :)

For those of us that can't make it out to Colorado in time for Freestyle, what can we expect at Bass Center X?? Any NYE clues? 😋

Bass Center is without a doubt the creative pinnacle of the year for my entire team!!!! It wasn't always like that but after last year, it really became a chance for me to take the deepest dive possible into 'bassnectar' and reinvent it live while ripping into the past and flinging it into the future. its like the quintessential "ok i am involved in every tiny aspect of this event" so i just obsessssssssss over it

i'm talking OBSESSIVE. COM. PULSIVE. so im basically just terrorizing my team for a year about this event. and ironically, lots goes right, lots goes 'wrong' and lots of stuff which goes not as planned ends up better than planned... this year our chocolate didnt show up and got melted, but we got a great new twist on it through the chocolate making team for next year

but im getting distracted.. bass center: yeah so i am like working nonstop hours with the lighting team, designing how to approach the room into the exact visual experience we want, going into the greeters, and the team who works the door, working on the lines, making the outside 'line' area blend into a larger kind of event carnival, maybe kind of like a Grateful Dead lot of the 1990's meets an ICP show, meets a free outdoor day party in Golden Gate Park... so we are working on every tiny element, plus we have musical guests who i am just RABID about

and taking over Labor Day weekend [likely will not happen again] is unique because its 3 nights of intensive activity, and we are basically planning shenanigans from Friday Morning through to Sunday Morning...

then in terms of the music...for anyone who is like "why dont you tour anymore" ...those three nights are like fucking tour.

when i used to tour I would have an A set and a B set, and i would alternate each night, back and forth. there would be some creative flexibility from set to set, but for the most part the 'tracklist' of A set was very similar. and the "B" set was very similar

for Bass Center, across three nights, I will conjur up 3 totally distinct sets which feel like the full throttle tour sets, which a totally unique and independant of each other, with all my favorite music, remixed into new versions, going NUTSO on the request line, and basically taking every request that comes in...with a twist :)

i was just really excited about last year's event...beyond excited by it. and i am SO fucking amped to return to Hampton Coliseum again, that room CRUSHES... the floor is so massive, and we are making the stands wrap around so you can spend the whole night running in circles if you wish :)

but actually fuck all that, dont expect anything, just come join us and dive in deep :)

Lorin! HUGE FAN <3. 2 questions, what inspired freestyle sessions? And do you plan on having sessions in other locations?

yah my dream would be to do these on turn tables or CD-Js [not in the cheaty-ass 'Just PRess Play and stand on a table relishing the glory of EDM' way] but like SUPER DEEP way...i started DJing on CDJs in 1997 or 1998 i believe.. Denons and Pioneer. i had been using vinyl before but i realized i could remic my own vrsions of vinyl, or play my own music by burning a CD and didnt need to wait for a vinyl press, etc.. at the time that was very revolutionary, as vinyl DJs were confined to only what had been pressed to wax. so i was goin NUTSO in the alte nineties playing insnaely creative sets with tons of exclusive mashups and versions, and multiple times had some yahoo troll wingnut trying to yell at me that i should GTFO unless i played vinyl... anyhow...

so yah, eventually i would like to play these all with 4 or 5 turntables and do them in various cities in small rooms with no lights or anything, just bump crazy music in the dark :)

for this first one, i've just been focusing on the music nonstop: i have spent every week since february remixing old tunes, remastering my record collection, recording vinyl into the computer, recreating the drums and bassline, adding tons of effects and layers, or sampling the FVCK out of old classics... then just nonstop editing and re-cutting and customizing... every style, genre, tempo...

most of this music is deep and complex but not exactly what i would play at mainstage Bonaroo or in the peak moments of Electric Forest or whatever... its deeper

its what would i play if it was just you and me on a road trip, or if it was just us and a dozen friends drinking wine in a tree house, or if it was just us a 5 dozen friends going APESHIT at a house party and swinging from the curtains, ... just playing anything and everything under the sun, and focusing on the fun...

its not that i dont have fun usually, i definitely do! but the full on bassnectar sets like at bass center, that stuff is SO high octane and so over the top and immersive and overwhelming...its like drowning in lava or having massive tsunami waves crash down on your brain

freestyle is more like playing hide and seek in the dark with your best friends at summer camp, under a full moon, on Jupiter, with a few alien buddies joining along, while sipping mango juice, and then realiziing you are an alien and you were born on Jupiter, and all the kids you're playing hide and seek with are aliens from earth, so you are not actually an alien, you are a JUPITERIAN!!!!!

:)

Have been tuned in for a little over a decade now and have gotten to witness your projects beautiful metamorphosis. As more people have also tuned in, the events your team has organized in the past 5 years or so have generally tended to be much larger in scale and less frequent; necessitating people “comin from miles around” to share in the experience.

 

What would your sentiments be regarding community members organizing small “Bass Center” inspired events, where local Bassheads, visual artists, VJs, musicians, and DJs can share their love for the project by working together to curate their best version of a “Bassnectar” event?

i mean, any DIY events people want to produce amongst their friends: thats the beautiful anarchy of life... i hope its as raw and fun as the death metal and punk rock shows i used to organize in the public library basement when i was 16

:)

but as for people actually trying to emulate, or brand, or immitate, ...i think people can do better than that. don't try and create a bassnectar or bass center event.. create a YOU event.

dont grow your hair out and try and play music that sounds like bassnectar [grow your hair out and play music that sounds like YOU]..dont play rippoff 'tribute sets' for a band or music project that is still very active... make something new and fresh and meaningful

again, i dont mean that negatively, i am trying to encourage you that it will be more enjoyable and authentic and meaningful if you make it about YOU

everything is reflective. so obviously if you are influenced by 'bassnectar' thats great.. i bet you are influenced by a lot of things and a lot of music... stir that all up in a pot and let that be YOU

DIY art is where its at :)

The question everyone wants answered- What's your perfect sandwich?

i really love avocado more than bread :)

but i prefer wild rice, roasted organic chicken, and steamed dino kale :)

but thats not a sandwhich

and no...i do not like pineapple, esp on pizza :)

if you were to go back in time to experience one historical event what would it be and why?

i love history! i am fascinated by it!!!! read A People's History of The United States by Howard Zinn watch "Untold History" with Oliver Stone on Netflix

pay attention because so much has gone down and then been forgotten about and HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF :)

as for being a time traveller, i would rather just be deeply awake and grateful in the moment :)

If you had one question for Richard D James what question would you ask him?

Oh, and thanks for showing Ohio some love this year!

id just thank him for everything he has done, that man is a VISIONARY :)