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Mike Callander - Making housework a pleasure

Author: Michelle Pirovich
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
Having your face rearranged by "an angry gangsta" is an experience none of us wish to endure, but when it happened to 23 year old Melbourne DJ and Producer, Mike Callander earlier this year, it proved to be an incident that resulted in self realisation and awareness.

"I took a month off DJing after I had my face rearranged and I learned a valuable lesson about how much I love every minute of playing records and working in the industry. When I couldn't do it, I nearly went out of my mind! I finished a degree in Political Science earlier this year, and I have absolutely no inclination, whatsoever, to make use of it! Except of course, at those witty dinner table conversations that we all prepare for, but rarely experience… It's nice to be back in the saddle."

Despite the unwanted violence and degree, 2003 has been a great year for Mike,

"It has been the best of my life! I am living and breathing the music I love, both in my day job and in my spare time… I couldn't ask for more."

Admired for his distinctive funky tek sound, Mike was the instigator of Melbourne's infamous club night 'Fokus', which sadly closed its doors early this year.

"The Final Fokus party at the Prince of Wales in April was the culmination of two years of hard yakka. Two years spent staging club nights and parties, pushing a certain kind of techno to a town that seemed to be waiting for something special. I think we gave that "something special" to all the punters who rocked up on the last night."

Taking his knowledge with him, Mike not only has weekly residencies here in Melbourne, but also regular gigs in Asia, which for Mike have been both humbling and exciting experiences.

"When I played in Kuala Lumpur in August, they treated me like I was Carl Cox! It was a very humbling and exciting experience, and I was touched that people half way across the world had taken an interest in my music."

When people take that much interest in your music it only seems logical that you give your all right back, as Mike explains.

"It's always exciting to play for a new and different audience, because they have different expectations of the music in general, and of the artist's performance. Under these circumstances I remind myself that people have spent good money to support and promote my music so I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform well. Rather than enjoying the moment, and settling into my set, I try to treat it like the most important thing I'll ever do. The result is that before any gig I become a nervous wreck, which is a good thing because nervous energy always keeps me on my toes. I don't really enjoy playing until after the fact, but the rush is an amazing feeling that I can't explain."

As the Asian dance scene remains thankfully intimate,

"The corruption within the Government Authorities makes it very difficult to throw a big party without spending big dollars to keep the cops away."

Mike is feeling positive about where Melbourne's dance scene is at.

"Although it seems like the scene has been turned on its head, we are still surrounded by an uncanny amount of extremely talented DJs and producers who are so committed to their craft that it wouldn't matter to them if no one ever heard what they did! This is a good sign for Melbourne's creative output over the next couple of years, because anyone who is still plugging away at it is doing it for the art, not for the fame and fortune. There will always be cheesy music and crap DJs, but at the end of the day I think I'll always find a small part of the broader scene that maintains my interest."

Mike is also contributing to the creative melting pot via his producing and has a new label set for release next year.

"The new label, which doesn't have a name yet, is all about releasing music that is suitable for listening at home, as well as on the dance floor. This is definitely not to say that all of the tracks will be wallpaper music, but we are gonna tr
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