(Doof Records - Netherlands) Live & DJ! First USA Appearance!
Troy Leidich was born and raised in the USA and began his musical career as a successful saxophone player. With a student exchange program he found himself in Amsterdam, making electro and dance music with a bunch of crazy Dutch people. Since he was familiar with the psychedelic crowd in Amsterdam he started traveling around Europe looking for trance festivals. Troy started making trance music in 1996 together with Bonky and in 1997 together with Ramamurti. With him they founded the legendary band: Fungus Of Light. Today, he makes his own groovy psychedelic music as Rev, and has a sideproject with Zebra-N, ccL.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Troy Leidich of REV by Lauryn. (June 7th, 2009)
1. Can you introduce yourself and describe your musical interests and inspirations for the Rev project?
Hi, I'm Troy and musically I'm into a bit of everything these days. My inspiration comes from that and generally everyday life and all that's going on around me.
2. Tell us how saxophone and an exchange student program led you to psytrance.
I've always been into music from early on and played for the saxophone for 10 years before getting into electronic music. I had met a Dutch guy in the States through an exchange program and stayed in touch and decided to got to Holland to see the music scene there. I was quite lucky and through him was invited to some studios to work on some projects and learn how it's all working. A bit later I discovered the trance scene in Amsterdam and it wasn't long after that some friends from there took me to an open air party in Germany which got me hooked to this music and atmosphere around it.
3. Tell us a bit about your early collaborations with Bonky and the Fungus of Light project. How has your style evolved since that time (1996-1997)? What kinds of programs and tools were you using at that time?
I had met Onno,Bonky, in Amsterdam and been to a few parties with him and we decided to give it a go and try doing something together. We made a few tracks under the name Aerial and managed to get them played on a few parties, which gave us a lot of inspiration to go on with trance music. Around the same time I met Ramamurti. He invited me around to his studio and it just clicked. Over dinner with mushroom pizza we thought our name and music had to have some mushroom like quality... out came Fungus of Light. We were still working with Atari and Cubase in those days and the studio was only hardware orientated. Onno went on to the Bonky thing as I progressed with FOL, and we would get together regularly to help each other out and to try new things. We had a lot of fun in those days. Going solo however helped a lot in my development to get to the sound I wanted and the chance to experiment more.
4. Describe briefly the creative process involved in producing a Rev track.
Sometimes it starts with a kick, bass and a few loops. Other times i hear a good samples and build it from there, depending on the key and tones in the samples.
From there just expand it... It's always different.
5. What is your current release schedule? When will we see a Rev full-length release or individual tracks on compilations?
Usually it was 1 or 2 tracks a year on various compilations.This last year it's been a bit more... I've just been a lot more in the studio lately and it's great that there's interest in releasing my new stuff. There's gonna be a Rev release coming on one of the new Hadra compilations, plus a ccL and Rev release coming up on a few Bom Shanka compilations. Everything for my album on Doof Records is ready now, I'm just waiting for the go ahead from Doof to set it in motion. Usually it takes 6-8 weeks.
6. You released an album in 2006 as Ccl along with Zebra-N. How does Ccl sound differ from Rev? Any plans for this project in the future?
Well at the time we were working with a different soundcard. No, seriously, Paul really has his own idea how a track should sound and flow. There's a lot more drumming and deeper bass, a bit more tribal I'd say. Paul's taken a break from music for a bit, but we still get together once in a while to do something. At the moment we'll be releasing a track or two, but no real plans of a new album. You never know...
7. What have you heard recently about psytrance in America? Any expectations for Gaian Mind?
I heard there's a lot happening, but that it's spread out and that it's still growing there. From friends I've heard really good things about the Gaian Mind, so I'm excited to be a part of it. This is my first time, so not sure what to expect. A good time I guess...
8. What do you think of the recent wave of Psytrance over the past two years? Where do you predict the trend will lead or evolve into?
There's a wave? where? Gonna get my surfboard... hope it evolves into more waves, don't you?
9. You have recently released compilation tracks with Shotu, Zirkin, Apex, and B55 . Who was your favorite producer to work with and why? Anyone you would like to collaborate with in the near future?
All of them. It's just fun sitting with someone... It gets you out of your own loop for a while and you can learn a new thing or two. I wouldn't mind working with the Dixie Chicks though... They know how a song should sound, no gimmicks, just a tight versed track you can hum on your way to work or anything you're doing really..
10. Last words?
Have fun and don't get too cereal.