We Asked Edd Fisher About His First Time

The first time I saw Edd Fisher was last year as the underdog at the Red Bull Music Academy stage at Splendour in the Grass. He transformed an almost empty motionless room into a frantically delicious dancehall only two spins in. He then proceeded to serve up one of the tastiest sets I saw the whole weekend, top shelf house and disco rarities and a hint of the familiar that would sent us head over heels. Of course to our friends in Melbourne this comes as no surprise. Edd is a Golden Boy regular of the underground scene, known for a wealth of taste-defining projects, including his weekly radio show Tomorrowland on PBS 106.7FM and the Wax'o Paradiso parties. Then there's the notorious Roof to Reel sessions, keeping Melbourne's music fans dosed with a healthy combination of Vitamin D and music for the soul over the past three summers.

Incredibly, Edd Fisher is set to play in Sydney for the first time at our next THUMP event thanks to our generous friends at REKORDERLIG, supporting the legendary Beat Spacek and Anomie at The Imperial Spice Cellar basement. To mark the occasion, we thought we would quiz Mr Fisher about his other first times.

THUMP: What was your first Vinyl?
I can't remember the first record I bought, it must not have been anything of great consequence. It was probably just to put a point on the board! I came late to DJing and vinyl.

First influence?
That would have to be Miles Davis. For about six months in my early teens I listened to Kind Of Blue from start to finish every night in bed with the lights out until I fell asleep.

First party you went to/can remember?
I remember going to a Guy Fawkes party growing up in the UK when I was very young. There was a big bonfire and fireworks. The smells sights and sounds of the fire are still very vivid. It was very beautiful.

First party you threw? Did it rule or suck?
My 13th birthday spa party! It ruled.

First radio show you worked on?
Tomorrowland my existing show on PBS106.7FM. Im still working on it It! It just celebrated 200 shows!

I know you graduated Jazz Composition at WAAPA. Was composition your first love? If not what was, music wise?
Jazz and the Trumpet were my first loves. I set out to pursue performance and since then it has led through composition into DJing and now hopefully production.

Why did you make the switch to DJing?
I gave up trumpet after music school and it was a year before taking up DJing. Having the history of recorded music at your fingertips gives you an extensive pallet of sounds to work with which I wasn't used too. It was a massive learning curve for me musically and exciting hearing new genres I'd never payed attention to before.

There is another side of djing which is sometimes not recognized by musicians. DJs are experts in disseminating music through the population and understanding how music is digested. They are often also guiding the direction that it's headed. Where a strong relationship between DJs and musicians exist there is often a thriving and creative scene. It seemed like a new challenge and I felt I could be able to bridge that gap with my music background.

First Boiler Room? We hear it was kinda sprung on you.
I was sitting at one of my favourite Italian restaurants about half way through a bowl of pasta with my girlfriend at the time. I got the call explaining that a flight had been delayed from Sydney and could I be at the Mercat within an hour to play. It certainly threw a curve ball into date night. She was kind to let me go!

And last but not least, as it's your very first time to play in Sydney - what can THUMP audiences expect?
Hopefully a carefully woven and coherent musical tapestry.

Edd Fisher, the expert of funk, house and disco dissemination is in action along side Beat Spacek and Anomie in Sydney this Friday May 8th at the Imperial Spice Cellar Basement courtesy of THUMP and Rekorderlig Cider. Put your name down on the guestlist here: http://party.vice.com/thump