Graeme Duffy, better known by his moniker PhaseOne, has taken the bass music scene by storm over the past several years and shows no signs of stopping. Often combining metal and dubstep, PhaseOne creates a symphony of filth. It’s easy to see why labels like Firepower and Never Say Die have taken such an interest in the Aussie bass prodigy.
Graeme’s sound should come as no surprise, given his background. He started his musical journey in metal bands, first performing throughout Sydney, which inevitably led to his experimentation with electronic music and dubstep.
As listeners, we cherish the the drum solos, guitar riffs, and heavy metal accents PhaseOne serves up. It reminds us of an earlier time, a time of our own transition into EDM. Through EDM, music production has become more personal in a sense, allowing artists to have complete control and editing ability over the sound of the content they’re creating.
“It’s easier in a lot of ways because I have full control of what I’m doing and don’t have to worry about how anyone feels about a song up until I give it to my manager to listen to.”
One would assume, with all of his musical talent and busy touring schedule, PhaseOne has made producing and DJing a full-time gig by now, right? As it happens, when he is not behind the decks or in the production studio, Graeme works in a TV broadcasting studio back in Sydney. “It’s important to have a backup,” he says, “If this doesn’t work out, then I still have something to fall back on. That’s a lot of what all of this touring I plan on doing in the next few years is about, seeing if this can be a full time gig or not.” With the support he’s gained from Firepower and Never Say Die, and the relationships he’s made in the bass music scene as a whole, it’s hard to imagine NOT seeing PhaseOne a headliner for the foreseeable future.
On the final leg of his first tour through the United States, we probed PhaseOne for insight into his favorite and least favorite moments. Imagine yourself touring through the U.S., which states would you like the best, what additional connections would you make on your journey through?
“I know a lot of people out here, especially when I played in LA. I open for most of the big names when they come through Sydney, so I always play tour guide when they’re in town, so now they’re playing tour guide for me!”
These kinds of connections are the ones that will keep PhaseOne coming back for years to come. Throughout the interview, Graeme implied that, while this may be his first US tour, it would certainly not be his last. With three years on his visa to tour, we should definitely expect to see on many lineups to come.
We are happy to point out that since our interview with Graeme, he has released a new collaboration with dubstep powerhouse Megalodon. We are to expect more collaborations coming up in the weeks to come, but for now, we’ll just leave this here for you to soak up, and allow you to reflect on Graeme Duffy, the hard-working artist behind PhaseOne.
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