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| Billy Nasty is like the Dennis Hopper of techno. He is a long-time player, integral to the international techno scene, and a DJ by trade. But Nasty keeps part of himself under wraps beneath his calm demeanor. Or so he says, "There's something about Dennis Hopper's craziness that I like. He's someone I admire because he's crazy in a controlled way. I try to keep the crazy moments to when I am in front of my friends, just in case anybody misreads it." |
| As of late, Billy Nasty, otherwise known as William Nastry, the London DJ consistently charted in DJ Magazine's top 100 who was at the helm of the late Theramin management, as well as touring the world, has been focusing on his labels and feeling thankful for the international touring he is doing. He still remembers how it started, "I am 34 now, I bought turn tables when I was 16, and I've been traveling the world for 14 years now. It's a really important part of what I do, It sometimes scares me if I wasn't doing this. Before I became a DJ I used to have tons of dead-end jobs as a messenger, hair dresser, and shop lifter. It wasn't until I found my role in life, working at the record shop (Zoom), and labels (Tortured and Electrix) and starting to travel the world, that now I feel I've got a purpose and before that I didn't have a plan. A man without a plan is just going around in circles. I feel privileged and as I'm getting older, I'm starting to appreciate and enjoy what I'm doing more and more. I think djing and starting to travel was a big turning point and that has molded me into the person I am now." |
| So, just who has Billy Nasty become? Nasty founded two now established labels; Tortured for techno, and Electrix for electro, and with his passion for helping artists, one aspect to his personality is the role he plays in pushing new talent through various avenues. Says Nasty, "We support up-and-coming techno artists, but now a decade later, we're all established. With the label and agency we work with Carola, Umek, Valentino, Leibing, and others. When I look at what we've done I'm really proud of what we've achieved. We're all like soldiers willing to die for the cause. All fighting for the same side." Yet, Nasty is slightly different: "I don't see myself as an artist, I'm a dj. I used to make records when I was younger, but now I haven't go the time, and other people make records for me and my labels, rather than me for other people's labels." |
| But coming into his success was a path followed over time, which Nasty recalls, "Nine years ago we were the first people to discover Marco and Beyer, and they were obscure little teenagers from Sweden and from Italy and I'm approaching them and saying, "Look I don't know if you know who I am but my name's Billy Nasty, I'm a DJ from London, and I'm really into your production. Would you like to do something for tortured?" As we got more people on the label everyone knew who we were and we were quite flattered at the time. We had something good going and we still have got a good look going. I still do get enjoyment out of encouraging and kick-starting people with a special spark out there. I also find it quite hard, because I'm getting demos from all over the world and it's time consuming, and it's a tiny percentage of the stuff that gets sent to the PO box that's actually any good. But I look at the thirty releases that I've put out on tortured and I think 2 or 3 of them have come uninvited. So I listen to a lot and some is good and some is bad. I try to do a lot if I think they've got the special spot." And just who are those people with special spots? "There's Marco Nastic from Slavia, and Agoria and Vitalic. On an electro level, Anthony Rother is the leader, then Carl Finlow, Transparent Sam. I want the labels to become the 'who's who' of techno, and Electrix to be the 'who's who' of electro." |
| Over the last few years the press has focused on the revival of electro music and it can be seen that what is being popularized within techno has an 80's influence. Billy says, "Music and fashion go around in circles. A lot of people my age were growing up and buying records in the 80's. I like it, and it's very similar to techno, when it's mixed up properly, it's great. I'm quite excited about the electro revival but I'm also quite aware that a lot of the press in England that I've been reading, is more looking at the electroclash thing, like fischerspooner. Whereas, I like proper electro like Mister Velcro Fastiner and Anthony Rother. Even though I love the music, it's my second love behind techno, I'm still a bit skeptical about how much people like it. Because techno is faceless, to add these electro artists with a lot of attitude and vocals and image; I think was needed, because I think people needed to see artists again." |
| In recognizing the world of today where re-combinations from past and present are fused, I wondered what Nasty's idea of the future was, what his idea of music in the future was. "What I want the future to be and what it will become are two completely different things. It's never exactly what you think, I would like to continue living life the way I do - traveling and encouraging other people - trying to support techno and electro. In England, years ago, everything split into different scenes, and I feel like the music is starting to come together again. Now, house is harder and more electronic, techno is more funky, and electro is becoming more mixable and more house-like, so the music is coming back together. I think the area between what's house, techno, and electro is blurring more and more. I like that and I always throughout my career tried to encourage and support new types of music." |
| In terms of Nasty's hectic tour schedule, situated within the global era, I thought perhaps it may have altered his perceptions, and wonderfully the effects were grounding and politicizing. Says Nasty, "Touring the world gives you a much better idea, than if all of us just relied on what CNN or BBC World told you. Then you'd be a pretty fucked up person. I like traveling the world and meeting different people, playing different clubs all the time, and I've got friends all over the world. I think it makes you a wiser person when you travel, instead of being told what you should think about, you make up your own mind. I've been to Bogota and San Paulo, Rio, Belgrade, and living in London England it makes me aware that there are many different angles to the story. So, traveling does make you a slightly more broad-minded person." |
| In terms of politics, economics is another realm and in the light of commodification of the arts, techno is being affected as well. Nasty thinks, "Big companies sponsoring techno events is a good look, because techno in it's nature is pretty underground, and even though you don't want to sell it out, I think a lot of people need financial help. But I wouldn't want to turn up at the club to DJ and there's Marlboro plastered everywhere. We need their help but we should dictate how much of the help it needs and not go too mad. Most of the sponsorship is at clubs, it's not really DJs or artists. In these days with international DJs fees and flights, sometimes they are a necessary evil. I don't really want to switch the telly on, or listen to it all the time, but I kind of acknowledge that the small clubs can't afford to bring in international DJs, and every now and then they might need some help." In reality, Most DJs don't know where their money is coming from, "I just turn up like an emergency plumber and I've got a job to do, and I do that. It's impossible for you to know the politics and reputation of every club you're playing when you travel the world. I try not to get obsessed with things like that - deal with my side and let the promoters deal with theirs." |
| However, even for DJs, a career not inherently political, it can be hard not to get involved in the political and economic view points. Nasty reflects, "Sometimes you think it's a bit mad, when you're going to Eastern Europe and the money you're getting for two hours work is the equivalent to what most people work there for a month or two. That's hard to get my head around. I don't want to come across as being flash. It's what I do. A DJ will do all right, but a DJ will never get paid more than what the club promoter is earning. It's like you get this working class guilt, when you are in an area where the people are actually poor and you're getting loads of money to play records, sometimes that affects you. But at the end of the day, that's what I do. I've got two daughters and a girlfriend at home, and if I didn't money to play records, then we wouldn't be able to live." |
| Decisively grounded, honorable in his honesty, Billy Nasty deserves to be doing well. He is currently excited about the new Advent EP coming out on his label Electrix, amongst others. In addition he is doing his own Mix CD, "I haven't decided to do it for Trustthedj or maybe on Tortured, with one electro, one techno; so it shows people both sides of what I'm doing. We release about 7 on tortured and another 7 on electrix, we try to go on one a month. I'm doing more and more electro sets, it's electro with a twist, and trying to take it on the next level." |
| :::Billy Nasty in Toronto, Sets light on the subject of Techno, World Politics and His Vision::: |
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| By Amanda Connon Unda |