Hey DJ! Friday Q&A: Bassnectar

(Bassnectar photo by joshuabrott.com)

Name: Lorin Ashton (aka Bassnectar)

Home base: San Francisco Bay Area

Style of music you spin: Omnitempo maximalism

Name of the last track you couldn’t get out of your head: One of my new
projects, working title is "DisIntegration"...to reduce to particles. I dream about it all night long.

City producing the hottest new music right now: Cities produce music?

Dream DJ partner: Stephen Colbert

Favorite DJ experience: Letting the bassline drop when the sound system is perfect.

Worst DJ experience:Years ago in New York City, I simultaneously hiccupped and regurgitated, lodging a jalapeño in my sinuses... For three hours I was helplessly sputtering and coughing and crying, and basically a flood of nasal output. I was sitting on the curb, and a fellow began chanting over me and blowing smoke on my head and trying to give me an exorcism. It started at 10 p.m., and my set was at midnight. I missed the first hour, and came on at 1 a.m. in a very bewildered state. Come to think of it, this wasn't necessarily a "bad" experience.

One request you’ll never play: Anything I don't like. But I'm pretty open (especially if the request is in advance...I love requests for mashups and remixes).

Most clichéd single that DJs are currently spinning: I am SO disinterested in "current" "latest" "newest" and "hottest" when it comes to "DJing" I would rather imagine "What would Frank Zappa play if he was spinning at a chess tournament for Karl Marx, Dave Chappelle, and Mother Theresa"? (But I'm betting the most clichéd single is some electro house pop anthem that is very cheeky and escapist. ...yawn.)

The type of beverage you prefer fans to bring your way when you’re on deck: Oh man, I really do not make a habit of accepting beverages from "fans" strange things have been known to happen :)

Musical mantra: No rules, no limits, all directions.

Question we didn’t ask you but you often ask yourself: How dare I?

Next time we can see you spin:
Saturday, May 17, at The Fillmore. It's a special project featuring some of my favorite bands from the area (Beats Antique, Heavyweight Dub Champion, Zion I) as well as a discussion panel on plugging in to activism with Davey D from KPFA, Laurel from Students for a Free Tibet, Allie Star from Art in Action, and Ashel, etc. Come join us!