Well, it’s that time of the week again readers. The time we sit down (via the internet) with one of the artists we like, and ask some of the questions we think of when we listen to them. Today’s artist is producer and artist E-603. Some awesome guy wrote this great write up on him a week ago, and now we get a chance to ask the artist some questions about his career and new material.
What made you pick the name E-603?
I was in High School and I started producing music and I didn't know what to produce it under. The artist name DJ Tanner was already taken so I went the more cryptic route and named myself E-603. The "E" for Ethan and the 603 for my area code and the only area code in New Hampshire. Where I grew up. Even though I don't live in NH anymore my cell still has the 603 area code, which is rad.
What made you start doing mash-up?
Well I was producing these very electronic, chip-tune sounding tracks and cutting hip-hop vocals over them. I actually made an allusion to this at the end of my song "Lights Out" off of Torn Up. Sometimes the sampling was very spastic and glitchy. Eventually I make a 5 song EP that was entirely made of samples. I guess I just stuck with just using samples after that.
What’s the coolest thing about being an artist?
I really appreciate that people enjoy what I create and what I really like spending my time doing. That is probably the coolest part to me.
Have you ever met any of the artists you’ve used in a mashup?
Yeah, I have met several of them. If I see someone I recognize or sample odds are I am not going to run right up to them. It’s pretty rad when people are totally down with you sampling them though. One the night I released Torn Up I explained to Matt from Matt & Kim how I sampled them with Biggie.
What has been your favorite city to perform in?
I am not sure. It totally depends of the event that I am playing. Sometimes crowds and people really surprise you and make for a really wild show when you didn't expect it. I really like Montreal though, I have played there a couple times and I just really like that city.
Have you been recognized in public much since you started to perform?
I get recognized every now and then. I used to get recognized in Boston more than I do in NYC now. Every now someone will stop me at the bank or something and chat me up. Which is really strange because I don't think I look anything like my press photos.
What made you pick the album name SmokeShow?
A couple different things. It is another word for babe, and it kind of gives me the idea of a wacky and wild show/performance. I guess I also like how it sounds and I thought it was very suiting to the Album.
I hear you’re doing some work with other artists right now. Can you tell us more about that?
I am doing work on other Artist's songs for remixes right now but soon I will be producing more original tracks with other artists helping out with them, singers and such. I really am kind of a independent person so if someone isn't on the same page as me it really doesn't work out well. So we will see how it ends up.
Did you think when you started you would get as popular as you are?
No absolutely not. I wouldn't say I am very popular now but when I made Something For Everyone I thought only my friends were going to listen to it. I had no idea people were going to get into it and really want to hear more.
Where do you come up with your album art?
I usually just kind of think it up and then I talk to a really good friend of mine, Erik Lund. He helps me bring the idea to an actual reality. Sometimes I will think of an idea and it will be garbage once Erik makes it. The process of making the Torn Up album art was a bit more involved. We actually made a small fake wall and wallpapered it. Then cut the words Torn Up out of it and lit it from the back with a fog machine then took a bunch of pictures and I was really surprised with how rad it ended up. The SMOKESHOW album art had much more of a digital genesis, but I think it is just as rad.
Are there any other DJs or performers on the scene right now that you aspire to be?
I am not sure. A lot of people do what I do and I am not really trying to be like any of them. I just create what I want and wherever that brings me is alright by me.
How soon can we expect some new material?
I am going to release a remix album within the next 5 weeks. It will have about 10 remixes, each song will have its own kind of style. I have one that is a sexy R&B Miguel remix. One that is like a dark Moombahton song called "Murder Room" that I remixed for Pepper Rabbit. The rest are pretty much just dance music. I also have a "Live in NYC" Live set that I will release shortly after that. So April should be a busy month.
As I mentioned before in the other post I have linked above, you can download his whole discography on his website. Also check it out for news and show info.
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