Interview with Adam Freeland

UK DJ and Producer Chats Cope, Dance Music and Fish Tacos

Jun 26, 2009

UK DJ/Producer Adam Freeland sits down to chat with Suite 101 about new album Cope, touring, his show and favorite new music.

Grammy nominated Adam Freeland released his latest full length album Cope at the beginning of June.

Blending rock with dance, the album is an exciting fusion that’s getting due international attention.

Freeland took time from his heavy schedule to sit with Suite 101 and discuss Cope, working with high-profile rock and alternative musicians during the creation of this genre-defying disc, and of all things, fish tacos.

Suite 101: The whole album is great. I especially love the song “Best Fish Tacos In Encinada” but where does the song title come from?

Freeland: Thanks. Its a fish taco stand round the corner from my place in LA . They are so addictive; they pretty much fuelled the album making process so we gave them an ode on the record.

Cope = Dance Music??

Suite 101: Cope experiments with very different sounds for an ‘electronic’ album. Why mix rock with dance – aren’t the two genres at vastly different ends of the spectrum – what was your motivation in making this record?

Freeland: You said it was an 'electronic' album not me. I just make the music I want to hear. I love shoegaze drone rock, I love electronic dancefloor mayhem. I want to hear them combined. So I did it.

Suite 101: You’ve been touring and spinning for years. Why the interest now in touring with / as part of a band?

Freeland: I have yes. Actually I started the live band in 2002. This is our second album and second era of touring round the world. But as far as to why, that was the plan since I was a kid long before I was a DJ. Still love DJing though. They are both very different dynamics. Its fun touring the world with your mates though.

Suite 101: What differences have you found in the atmosphere and crowds when playing live with the new band as opposed to spinning a DJ set?

Freeland: We have been focusing on playing venues rather than night clubs so it’s hard to directly compare. What we put out there is a different vibe from what I do as a DJ.

Tommy Lee and The Pixies Cope

Suite 101: When people think of dance music, the names Tommy Lee or the Pixies never come up. What made you want to include them on this record and how was it to work with these artists who come at music from a whole different background?

Freeland:There's you assuming this is supposed to be dance music again :). If I wanted to just do straight up 'dance music' I would just be DJing producing/ remixing. Tommy is a good friend I've know for a while and the only drummer I knew when I moved to LA and just so happened to be one of the best rock drummers of all time. So that was a no brainer.

I was a huge Pixies fan since being a kid so when my manager told me he was friends with Joey and he was up for it, there was no choice but to make it happen. Its fun working with someone who doesn't necessarily come from my world. It’s my job as the producer to bring it in and make it work in the context.

Suite 101: What can one expect from your show? What will concert-goers be talking about the next day?

Freeland: Were a tight 3 piece. Drums bass synths and samples. We play like we are playing to 20,000 and just go nuts. There's defiantly a heavy electronic backbone to the show but our drummer Hayden pretty much sounds like an explosion every time he hits the snare drum. They’ll probably be saying we had strange haircuts.

Freeland:Today I've listening to the Spinerette album on loop. It’s really strong. Been really enjoying The Mountains album Choral for proper space out drones, and School of Seven Bells is my daily alarm clock. There are some great moments on the Moderat album, Prinz Tomas frequently gets me on evenings in. Electronic producers Woolfy and also Danger's recent stuff is dope.

Cope was released on June 9, 2009 via Marine Parade. Freeland is currently on a short summer North American tour.

The copyright of the article Interview with Adam Freeland in Electronica (Music) is owned by James W. Coates. Permission to republish Interview with Adam Freeland in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.