LightsoverLA INTERVIEW
What’s up peoples. To follow up my recent post, I recently got the chance to ask Stormy Logan, aka LightsoverLA, a few questions to learn a bit more about the man behind scenes and to see what LightsoverLA is all about. Full interview below! Also, be sure to check out his new label At Dawn We Rage! Enjoy.
How did it all get started? Now, you are the face of LightsoverLA right?
I put out some random remixes every couple months in 2009 but in 2010 I decided to take it to the next level and release as much as I could. In the beginning it was kinda just something to keep my mind off a pretty lame breakup/living situation in my life. Since the inception, I have had different people come and go that wanted to be a part of it but no one ever really put in as much as I did. LightsoverLA has kinda been my baby and I am pretty strict on what I want to do with it so that was probably hard for other people to deal with. I think it just works better for me at this point, and I have other collaborations in the works with other projects.
Alright so for those of us who don’t know, how’d you come up with the name?
I was driving (when I still had a car) down the 202 in Phoenix trying to come up with a name. The name Lights Over Phoenix came into my mind but if you do some google research, you’ll find out that we had some UFO conspiracy stuff go down a few years back. I didn’t really wanna be to related to that whole thing or come off as some UFO nerd so I went with one of my favorite cities, Los Angeles.
Gathering from your very DIY approach to things, it’s obvious that your metal/punk roots are still an important part of your life. How has your musical background influenced your style, sound, or approach to putting together a new track?
Growing up in the metal/punk scene gave me a very DIY approach to the way I am doing everything. I think my background is also a reason I like a lot of the heavier electronic artist out there. I am sure in the future it will come out more in my own writing.
What can we expect to see from LightsoverLA in the near future? I’ve been hearing rumors of some big things in the works.
Touring is my biggest concern right now along with releasing originals. Since I started writing music my main goal was to travel. I have been touring in random bands and working for bands since I was out of highschool and it has brought me all over and I love it. So any promoters looking to book me PLEASE email me at lightsoverla@gmail.com. On top of everything with LightsoverLA I am starting a label with a good friend of mine. We have big plans for the label and we will be announcing more on all that soon so be sure and check http://www.atdawnwerage.com soon!
What’s your typical live set up?
Right now I use a Macbook Pro along with an APC40, the show thing has kinda come up on me pretty fast and I am still figuring out what ways will work for me best. In the future I want to bring a much of a live aspect to the show as I can.
As an Ableton user, what’s your response to the laptop DJ critics?
Get with the times! Haha just kidding. I got mad respect for the dudes that can kill it on turntables/CDJ’s but honestly it just isn’t my thing. You will never see me spinning records or CD’s. I really have no desire to learn or master the art of “DJing”, I love technology plain and simple.
Who have you been listening to recently/this past year? Anyone in particular we should hurry to listen to?
Netsky has been putting out track after track of great drum and bass. His album is probably my favorite record so far this year. I have been listening to this pop/rock band a ton lately called VersaEmerge, they are female fronted and I am total sucker for female vocalists. And unless you have been living under a rock in America you can’t ignore some of the great dubstep coming out lately from Rusko, Excision, Datsik, Nero and 16bit, all those dudes just kill it on so many levels. And of course Deadmau5 who is my biggest inspiration in electronic music.
Any advice for the bedroom producers out there?
Learn as much as you can! There are so many places on the internet to learn how to produce, I am still learning new stuff everyday. And never let anything get you down, the internet is full of dudes that basically troll and talk shit so sometimes it kinda sucks hearing that stuff on a track you put time into…but fuck em I bet 98 percent of those dudes don’t even know how to open a DAW or know what DAW even stands for ;)
Say you get banished to a deserted island, you can only bring 3 albums and 2 other random objects. What would they be and why?
Pantera-Great Southern Trendkill
Pantera has been one of my all time favorite bands since I was
a young kid and I first saw them back in 97. That band changed my life in so many ways and Pantera was a huge part of some of my best
friendships growing up. The day that Dimebag was murdered was one of the worst days of my life but I was lucky enough to see them three times and I will cherish those moments forever.
Paramore-Riot
I get made fun of a lot for this one but Paramore is in my top
5 favorite bands. I think everything they have done is amazing and I
have been a fan since their first record. I think Hailey is one of the most talented females in music and I only see Paramore getting bigger in the future.
Deadmau5-Random Album Title
This record is the record that got me deep into electronic
music. I used to be into random trancey stuff back in the day but I
never really got THAT into it. “Random Album Title” changed all that and I found that record at a pretty lame time in my life and it helped me get through that time. I think on a production level as well very few electronic records come close to how good that record sounds.
Macbook Pro and Verizon WiFi card so I can still look at porn, read blogs and release tracks from the deserted island :)
