TF Archives

Tahl: Melbournes Newest Rising Star

Author: michelle pirovich
Tuesday, May 14, 2002
A two track promo cd landed on my desk the other day, along with a most colourfully written bio. It was from an up and coming drum and bass producer who goes by the name of Tahl. Tahl is a rising star who was raised by a hive of European wasps, and thanks to an episode of Father Ted, which starred a tough jungle loving priest, gave Tahl the inspiration to follow his dreams and show the world what he can bring to drum and bass.

The name Tahl means 'morning dew' and the two tracks that Tahl has been handing out to industry peoples, 'Wait faster' and 'Slow ice Pick', are really quite fitting. Both tracks have that great rolling bass interlaced with lots of wonderful ear pleasing treats that are just perfect for those sunrise sets at any outdoor festival.

The crew here at Tranzfusion love to promote new talent. So connecting through cyberspace, Tahl and I had a little chat and discussed how it feels to be a rising star, the problems faced when raised by insects and his love for all things drum and bass.

You had a tough childhood, but did the kids at school respect you knowing that your parents were a hive of European wasps-
I had a tough childhood, you cannot imagine. Being brought up by European wasps made me extremely belligerent. I didn't have a stinger though. So my sharp tongue became the stinger that I sting people with. My tongue is very long n sharp so I can sting people who r quite far off.
No I didn't get respect. My parents were southern european wasps who came out just after the second world war. It was a bad time.

Tahl, great artist name, is it the name your mum gave you-
My dad gave it to me. Its hebrew because I am a kyke. And it means 'Morning dew.' How poetic is that-

What did you listen to as a lad-
First thing I can remember loving was the Eric Clapton cover of who 'Shot the sheriff.' At 9 it was Michael Jackson. Then from like 12 on I was into realness and Michael Jackson was just commercial crap. Now I listen to him again and I love it. 'Don't stop till you get enough.' It's this kind of mistake that has taught me that concerns about realness and authenticity are childish and only hold you back.

How did the whole producing thing begin for you-
I decided at 15 that I was gonna be a musician. I got a sampler in feb 99 so that's when I started writing tracks. Before then I wrote beats on a friends amiga 500

How old are you, really-
A million! Ha ha ha, but seriously a million and 6! Ha yeah. ok, I am 24.

Why drum and bass, why not NRG and Hard House-
Why drum n bass- Because of the funky fast intricate beat and the creativity. Why not nrg or hard house- Because those genres are just too hard to make. They require subtlety and class in measures that I just do not have.

How do you describe your style when playing live-
I describe it as very good and unique. There are possibilities with the new hardware that is being made, that other people are ignoring. A lot of my playing live is rearranging my studio work. But there are some things I do live which could not be sequenced and which are totally worth having in music. Rehearsing to play live has become an important part of my writing technique

Getting a foot in the door isn't easy but you claim to be a media whore (and we like that). What steps are you willing to take for everyone to know who Tahl is-
I was thinking of murdering some people and writing my website address on the bodies in texta. But the police would easily track me down. I'd remix or produce for Madonna or any commercial act like that right now if I could. To me making music is all for the ego. Its all about getting people to tell me how good I am. I'll license stuff to adds about hatchback cars. I'll license my music to action movies. The next gig I organize and the next track I finish and distribute to radio I am gon
Tags