EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: 5 Minutes With… Greg Gow

Greg Gow’s debut album, Lost Days is out on 14 April via Social Experiment Records. The long anticipated release has been described as “a milestone marker for the ever impressive Social Experiments Records.” We chatted to the Toronto-based DJ and producer ahead of the forthcoming LP.

Hi there, how are you and what are you up to today?

Just working away at promoting the DIGI-Sampler and new album Lost Days.

To those not familiar with you, how would you describe your sound?

Warm techno soul heavily influenced by Detroit.

What are the 5 albums that have influenced you the most?

Aril Brikha ‎– Deeparture In Time – Transmit
Mr Fingers ‎– Amnesia – Jack Trax
Inner City ‎– Big Fun – Virgin
Floorplan ‎– Victorious – Mplant
A Tribe Called Quest ‎– People’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm

Which other artists are you into at the moment and why?

Well there are many…but to mention a few:
Mark Broom & Truncate – they both deliver proper main line techno bangin’, with a soulful component. Ben Sims, Art Department, Laurent Garnier, Ben Klock and Derrick May for inspirational DJ sets; Conforce and Luke Hess for their deep goodness; E Dancer AKA Kevin Sanderson and Robert Hood AKA Floorplan – their music is always on point.

Are there any key pieces of equipment that you are using to define your sound?

I am big fan of Roland JX-3P, Juno 106, and Dave Smith’s Poly Evolver. These synths never get old.
But I don’t have one synth that defines my sound.

What would you say some of the challenges artists face today in the music industry?

Finding good music and not accepting top tens and picks of the weeks on online music shops, social media promotion, and learning how to really DJ. By that I mean: not using a computer, playing a DJ set longer than and and learning how to take an audience on a journey, as opposed to saying “Here are 10 records I am currently into.”

Where do you gather songwriting inspiration?

I get inspired by day to day things in life. It could be something going on personally; a concert, DJ or movie I take in; a trip or travelling to a new place.

Take us through your songwriting process. Are there any particular steps you take when putting your music together?

Well I order 5 large pizzas, then I have 3 extra-large coffees….. I’m not sharing the method to my madness. Next question!

What’s the best gig you have ever done and why?

Well, it’s a tie. Club Air, Tokyo in 2011 – the people were amazing, and up from the first track to the very end. No Name Events in Buga, Colombia in 2015 – this event was open air. I played 6.5 hrs and the peeps just crazier and crazier as the night went into morning, and I got to play right across the board, from House to Techno.

And the worst?

Probably one of my first shows in Toronto back in the day, at this sketchy-ass bar in Scarborough which is a suburb of Toronto. The spot was called Romeo’s. All I wanted to do is play house classics, but I got constantly harassed to play Reggae the whole night. WTF BAAHHHHHHHHH!

If you weren’t a musician what would you be?

Not sure. Hmmm, maybe a spy for CIA or for British MI6 agent.

If you could perform alongside any other band or artist, living or dead, who would it be?

Well, I have had the honour of playing with some of my favorite artists such Laurent Garnier, Mr. Derrick May, and Carl Craig. Some others I would find interesting include The Roots, Tikiman, Deetron and Aril Brikha.

Do you have any particular gigs or festivals that you dream about playing?

I would love to go back to Tokyo. It’s like being dropped into the future. Also, doing some Social Experiment showcases with Art Department, Nitin and Kenny Glasgow. I would love to play Awakenings in Amsterdam and Fabric in London, plus some clubs in France, especially Rex Club.

Do you have any information regarding upcoming releases, projects or gigs in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?

On my own label, Restructured, the next releases include Damian Walker, Thoughts EP on 27 March, and Till Kruger, Spline EP on 9 June.

UPCOMING EVENTS AND RELEASES – GREG GOW:

Apr 07 – Album Launch Event in Toronto @ One Loft
Apr 14 – Full Lost Days Album Double Vinyl on Social Experiment
Jul 05 – Dreams Festival, Toronto, Canada

Listen to a sample of “Beyond Time” from Lost Days: