Tracks

Interview

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Welcome among the FOEMers Tut. Right now I am listening to “That Sweetness” track of yours. I think it suits well to this interview. So lets start with the first question for this evening, and tell us where does your artistname come from? Are you a relative with the real Tut?

King Tut: Well, I have always been into Egyptology and given the fact that King Tut’s tomb is one of the very few that was discovered intact, I liked the name.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Well, as the tomb that was discovered intact, we hope that your music will be discovered and studied by a lot of fans. We will try to help them a little bit so we will put you to describe your musical roots!

King Tut: I owe it to my grandpa and how he taught me songs he composed on the piano and bought me my first real music instrument : Yamaha 650 or something, then I practiced more piano in college and fondled around with music software like acid but didn’t really make good stuff until I got into Reason.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: So the musical spirit traveled in your family since the old ancient roots of the past times of Egypt. And now you are spreading it in Arizona and all over the world. We hope we helped you a little bit. Tell us, how did you come to producing?

King Tut: I just loved dance songs and I wished I could make my own so I was pretty happy when I made some funny cheesy songs out of loops in acid back in 1999/2000, then I learned that I should think about composing bringing in a personal touch from playing the piano back in the day.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: I’ve seen an interesting arrangement in your room so now I’m asking, you are also a DJ?

King Tut: Yes, I got into Djing 3 years ago and I am more of a DJ now than a producer L . I think I am losing my inspiration and getting to be very harsh on my production so I am taking a break from production right now and getting more into Djing everything: electronic, hip hop, lounge, rock !!!!

FOEM/Christ Saddler: You make me sad with this news. And I’m sure it’s not only me like this. But I hope you will not give up for a long time and you will try to revive that inspiration. Do you also make LivePA´s? If yes, which equipment do you use?

King Tut: My DJ set up is : Dual Pioneer CDJ 800s (amazing scratch response and the constant key pitch change within +/- 10% is incredible!) mixing with Rane TTM-54 (as close as you can get to the top notch by far TTM-56) and running through Pioneer EFX-500 (very nice and accurate beat matched effects, I just don’t know how they do it!! )

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Well, a pretty nice set up for a DJ. Do you work together with other artists also? E.g. Remixes?

King Tut: Yes, I have remixed other artists and friends and local MC’s.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Do you also play in a band or something?

King Tut: No, I have played the piano live at restaurants before but I have never been in a band.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: In which groups in the internet are you active? Boards? (maybe it looks like I’m hurrying you but it’s just because your song is getting very rhythmic now...yeap, I’m still listening That Sweetness :-P )

King Tut: Not many, I drop by FEOM every once in a while and I am also on www.myspace.com/djmoe

FOEM/Christ Saddler: And what do you like about FOEM?

King Tut: A very unique collection of talented artists from all over the world producing a dope synergy. I see it growing with adding more international artists and perhaps pushing EY CDs to record stores.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Well...from my point of view these prophecies will come real, not sure when but I like to think positive, hehe. Tell me, what are your musical aims?

King Tut: I wanna be involved with music somehow for years and years to come.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Well, nice and positive thoughts about your future. Does this means that you want to make producing as your job?

King Tut:  I wish !!! I actually wish that my production was a lot more frequent but I get to be very hard on myself  which makes it hard to develop ideas from my head out to a track. Plus I am too consumed with my engineering job LOL

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Yeah, I know what an engineering job means :D It happens to me also but I’m trying to trick it a little bit. When you sent your last promo to a label, what was their reaction? Which label was it?

King Tut: I only sent songs to FEOM because I was invited by my good friend Jerrzy. I think the reaction was pretty positive.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Here at FOEM you get only what you deserve and it seems that the listeners considered that you deserve a positive feedback. But lets speak a little about other music styles also. What do you think of the contemporary popular music which is played by normal radio stations?

King Tut: I admit that as much as I like unique and brilliant indy songs, I also like commercial songs that push the envelope or have something catchy.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: And which dj did you influence the most? Tiesto? :D Or what DJ from the first positions of the Top 100 do you like?

King Tut: I like how Sasha innovates and uses unique set up that no one else has.
 
FOEM/Christ Saddler: I prefer not to comment your last answer. I’m not so much into that kind of music genre. Have you ever been to Amsterdam? what was your experience there?

King Tut: But of course J I have been there 3 times, last time when I was 16 but last year I was  at schipol  on my way to go home (Egypt). I remember that I had a great time when I was 16 playing around with my Deutch cousins and would love to go back again.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Well, who knows, maybe you will be invited to play at some parties in Amsterdam soon. Now I realized that we talked about netlabels but I didn’t asked you one question: What do you think about the uprising of netlabels and the conflict between them and the commercial music industry?

King Tut: Picture the digital revolution and how successful  itunes is. It’s all around us and there is no escape. We have to evolve and get with the program J  

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Interesting answer... now lets stick back to the interview and my weird questions and tell me what's one thing you're a fan of that people might not expect?

King Tut: Well, playing warcraft online perhaps or maybe fried shrimp !!

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Hihi...who doesn’t like fried shrimps :D Now one more; tell us a place where you wouldn't play/mix never ever, not even dead.

King Tut: Well it’s funny cause I lost my gig and now I am looking for a new one so I am looking around and found some hole in the wall bars that I probably won’t admit to having played there, kinda like getting drunk and waking up to someone you would never admit you hooked up with LOL

FOEM/Christ Saddler: It seems that you aren’t getting bored at all :-) What have you read recently (book, play, film, etc.) that moved or surprised you?

King Tut: I always get inspired by the only game I play on PC online: warcraft the frozen throne, many of my songs are inspired by the game and by classic Egyptian music.

FOEM/Christ Saddler:  Besides music and other things in your life what do you like to do as a healthy man? Do you practice any sports? extreme sports? if not what would you like to do?

King Tut: I lift weights, play tennis and swim.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: And now my final question... coming back to your musical roots, tell me, being a musician or a DJ can be tough and frustrating and many musicians and DJs 'burn out' after a number of years. How do you plan to sustain your efforts over  the coming years and avoid that 'burn out'?

King Tut: I am living that burn out right now!! Just try to listen to different genres of music and open your mind to everything, ya can’t just flat out hate a genre just because. There is always something to learn and appreciate in every form of music and hopefully that will keep us going and get over the burn outs. I think about myself as being a producer playing live tracks when I DJ and listen for the phrases and all so producing, playing, DJing they are all connected.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: These were my questions you King All Mighty Tut. While leaving this pyramid of music and thoughts I must say that no matter where you will go, the sky will always be the sky, human is human and music will be only music. Have good luck and much fun in your life! FOEM supports you as much as possible.