Barker had the opportunity to catch up with Dave after the Scion Tour, a whirlwind of dates across the country with his partner Matt Nordstrom as Nadastrom, alongside Tittsworth, Ayres, and Haul. Check out his opinions on set diversity, appearing in Honolulu, and also a hint at a Nadastrom album in the works!
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Barker: So buddy, how’s life treating you these days with all the traveling you’ve been doing?
Nada: Oh man, can’t complain! Haha. The tours have been amazing. Super inspiring. Eye opening experiences in every possible way, not just in music. You learn a lot from being on the road. It’s all about finding that balance in everything you do in life.
Barker: You hail from D.C./Bmore, is that where you are from and started building your Dj/Production skills?
Nada: Yup. I’m a dj first and foremost, and that dictates how I make my records. I was running the nightclub circuits in both Baltimore and DC, holding down what would be the two most important residencies in my early DJ career: KRUNK (DC based party run by Tittsworth) and TAXLO (Baltimore based party run by Cullen Stalin & Simon Phoenix). This is where I learned to be a real working DJ and where I would pull all my music influences for production. After grinding in the local club scene for a while, my best bro Tittsworth finally kicked me in the ass to start producing music and he released my debut “Kick Out The Jams” EP on his T&A label with DJ Ayres of The Rub in Brooklyn in 2007. After releasing that EP I never looked back. I continue to step my production game up. I have my Nadastrom partner Matt Nordstrom to thank for that! Haha. But yeah, two of my main inpsirations and influences in production are Matt Nordstrom and Tittsworth.
Barker: So ive been listening to a lot of your tunes lately and I love the fact that you aren’t keeping them all in one particular genre… was this a conscious decision or did it kind of just work out that way?
Nada: I just kind of worked out that way. A good friend once told me “Don’t ever worry about how you sound. You’re always gonna sound like you.” When making records, I usually just vibe out on an idea and try my best to translate it. It can go any direction though, heavy, deep, weird, or poppy. The more experienced you are, the more flexible you can be in the direction of your music.
Barker: So you just got done with the Scion tour W/ Nadastrom, Tittsworth, Dj Ayers, and Dj Haul, how was that? Did you guys pull the 80’s Guns N Roses style shit and just go Ape…. trashing rooms, breaking anything in your way, and well we’ll just leave it at that! Hahaha
Nada: HAHA! I think we labeled it the NO PANTS tour. It was wild as hell. One of the best tours I’ve ever been on. Crowds were wild, especially in Kansas City and Salt Lake City. Underdog towns won for sure. I’m talking about hands in the air all night, people dancing on top of things, people falling, puking, having sex in bathrooms, tons of alcohol and drugs and god knows what else. We managed to make it out alive thank god. The best thing about this tour was the flow of the night. Us 5 DJs took over the entire night and we did it right. Couldn’t have asked for a better crew on that tour. Would DEFINITELY do it all over again!
Barker: Where was the wildest city you played at on the Scion tour?
Nada: Again, it’s a tie between Salt Lake City and Kansas City. The crowd was hungry for the music and it showed.
Barker: Well I know this isn’t the tour, but watch out because we know how to do it over here on the Islands! Haha
Nada: Haha! I’m sure you guys do. Does this mean we’re gonna drink bottles of tequila and go parasailing then swim with dolphins followed by a romantic evening at a gun shooting range?! If so count me in.
Barker: Your latest EP Apocalypse I must say is bad ass and super dark, were you just pissed off while writing this or were you super happy and just said fuck it lets chop some heads off?
Nada: I get this question asked a lot, haha! I’d say it’s more of the latter. I originally was going to call it the “FIGHT/FUCK” EP because I wanted to make records that make people want to fight or fuck or both. The Apocalypse Theme was a track that was inspired by the actual Baltimore club music scene in Baltimore. Particularly the legendary club Paradox. I wanted to write some inner city shit and it totally didn’t come out that way, haha! I came up from the hardcore punk scene so guess my past will get the best of me sometimes. But yeah, basically I just wanted to write some knucklehead music.
Barker: So between Nadastrom’s schedule, Dave Nada, and your production work, you are obviously a really busy man! Does being ½ of Nadastrom affect your solo work at all?
Nada: Most definitely, and in the most positive way. I’ve become a better producer and DJ because of Nadastrom and my partner Matt. He’s a musical madman.
Barker: Obviously the whole Fidget, electro, dub, and bassline sound has taken the dance music community by storm. Do you feel that it has the legs to last or are you like me and think that it will stay, but progress into something different?
Nada: It’s already progressed into something else. I think that’s the beauty of the internet. Everyone pulls from everyone else and in the end influences each other. Whether it’s bassline music, electro or baltimore club. Things change. I don’t ever try to limit myself musically, I don’t think anyone should. In the end I feel like everyone benefits, djs, producers, party people, and music fans.
Barker: All right last one. So man you ready to soak up some sun and throw down in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, with the most beautiful crew on the planet? Hahaha, Just kidding…. Were pretty ugly!
Nada: HAHA! Ugly is how I roll son! Looking foward to rocking with you guys and turning the dancefloor out. I’ve got some crazy shit in store for everyone.
Barker: Ok so I lied, can you give us a hint of something you have up your sleeves for the near future… just tease our readers a little bit!
Nada: Let’s just say Nadastrom has been working on a new album and Hawaii will definitely get a strong taste of that. I’ve also got some hidden unreleased solo stuff that I have strictly for the club. It’s on.
Without further ado, here is Dave’s exclusive mix for Cynamatik!
Dave Nada – December 2009 Cynamatik Mix
Tracklisting:
-armand van helden- necessary evil
-jackbeats ft. mc dynamite – what
-mike mumbles – wut wut pt.2
-dave nada – apocalypse theme
-major lazer – when you hear the bassline
-darko & dave nada- give me a break
-dj tameil – pull the trigger
-kw griff – swift’s revenge
-pd – fiesta
-solo – rawmania
-sabo & cassady – esa loca cumbia
-nadastrom – save us (john roman nigerian dub)
-luciano – los ninos fueras
-nadastrom – ghetto pass (la riots remix)
-will eastman – feelin (nadastrom remix)
-jinder – youth blood (12th planet and flinch remix)
-drop the lime ft. carrie wild – set me free (reso remix)
