Musician, producer & tech wiz
Name or alias and residence
Dizzy fka Dizmond aka WRX. Sydney.
Please list the projects you have been involved with past & present
The bands and projects I’ve actually released something proper with are Taipan, Oily Boys, Orion, Low Life, and WRX. I’m also involved in another band I can’t name for some reason, but look out!
Please describe the genres in which you work within
I only really mention genres these days when I’m being lazy, talking about some dumb scene shit or have to play the promo game. It’s too confusing. Listen and you’ll get the gist!
In what ways do you feel you have evolved as a musician or creative, how has your practice changed over time?
I’m not from an arty or musical family, so I started playing guitar pretty late compared to other people I know. My parents would always give me a hard time about playing in bands growing up, so it was a bit of a slog at the start, but fun too. Jamming with other people real early on helped a lot, and raging after… All that disgusting rock dog shit… I don’t think I would have had the patience or motivation as a kid if that wasn’t part of it. Get in a band as early as you can would be my advice if someone was just starting out.
In terms of how it’s all changed, I guess I’ve figured out a bit more than just how to write guitar parts now. Like I know more about drums since getting a drum machine – so there’s a bit of evolution for ya. I didn’t even know what all the different drum sounds were called after almost a decade of playing in bands. Been at synths and samplers for a little while now too, and still learning. Synths are a whole world in themselves – it’s wild. Respect to people who’ve got that all figured out. Production is also something I’ve picked up as I’ve gone along. That helps heaps with band stuff too.
What inspires your practice and where do your interests derive from?
I just like jamming and not knowing how something’s gonna end up. I’ve been working full time forever, but I always try to set aside a couple hours every week to work on new tunes. I don’t think about it too much, or try to plan too far ahead. If I don’t find myself having fun experimenting or coming up with ideas within the first five or ten minutes of a sesh, I get up and do something else – but usually it works out. Most of what I end up with isn’t conscious and only makes sense to me afterwards. Sometimes it cracks me up like “where did that come from??” – but I have to go with it, and sometimes it makes so much sense it’s crazy. Anyway, if I think I pulled it off, I just chip away til it’s done – if it can be done.
That all goes for guitar music too, it’s just a little different because there’s other people involved. Bringing in ideas for bands is cool, but jamming is always the most rewarding and inspiring, especially when everyone’s coming through with their own style. There’s always a bit of conflict too, but that’s just part of the chemistry. If it’s a crab vibe, you can always try again another day… or just fuck it off for good! There’s more to life.
What instrument/machine/hardware do you most like working with?
Guitar’s my main thing, but with the electronic stuff I’m really into my MPC 2000XL at the moment.
Please list specific models & the functions that you enjoy the most on this machine/instrument/hardware:
It’s good at getting all my other hardware to work together when writing. I don’t know how to read or write music notation and all that, so it’s the next best thing when you think about it. The pads are cool too, and I also like how some drum hits sound when you resample them. It’s just good for how I like to work as well… Like sampling each drum hit from scratch when I start on a track, usually from records or other machines. Mix and match, chop chop chop. Time consuming, but all part of the ritual.
Could you describe the challenges you face as an artist
Well, look the world is your office when you’re a creative, and it’s a nice place to do showbidness, so you won’t hear me complaining…
But nah, all the usual shit of course. With songwriting though, finishing stuff is always the hardest part I reckon. Better to jump ship sometimes and move on.
In your career what has been the most significant moment to date?
That disgusting Valve Bar show Oily Boys played was a good moment in showbidness.
What do you listen to at home, in the car or on public transport?
Been pumping a lot of later era Marvin Gaye recently, but I dunno… heaps of other shit too. The speakers in my Sprinter are from the eighties though. Before bass was invented. Makes me wanna cry.
Do you care to share any particular anecdotes?
Here’s a bunch of photos off my phone from the past year.
Would you be interested in collaboration in the future and if so who would be on your radar?
I got a couple things tee’d up with Mitch/3NDLES5 from a while back. I’ve hit other people up, but it hasn’t worked out for whatever reason. Me and Rory McPike discussed a possible split and remix scenario, but I still gotta get on that because I’ve been keeping my head down jamming my own stuff at the moment – possibly for an EP or single. I’m open to collaboration with almost anyone, it’s just a matter of finding time since I got so much on my plate already with bands and work. Too many schemes.
What are you hoping to achieve in the next 5 years?
I don’t think that far ahead, but a few WRX records in the crate that I could DJ with would be pretty nice.
Do you see any similarities between your projects and the approach you take to songwriting?
Songs and tracks that come together the quickest are always the best. Mixing always sucks. I’m not sure if all the different stuff I do makes sense to people yet as a coherent thing, but I reckon it will one day. Or maybe it won’t. Doesn’t matter. It’s all pretty together in my head as one thing with lots of sparks and offshoots.
Is Disinfect still running? Can you describe the ethos behind Disinfect?
On and off. It’ll be good to put something out later on in the year and maybe do some merch too, so buy that shit!
No real ethos. I just like putting things out for people I wanna support – especially stuff that I think is sick that doesn’t get any shine because, even in the “DIY community”, it’s still aaaall about the clout game. I’ve been lucky and grateful for the support I’ve had with things I’m involved in, but plenty of talented people who’ve paid their dues get no love because they don’t ride anyone’s dick, don’t come from a cool place or tick the right boxes. It is what it is though. That’s showbiz baby!
You’re a private person, why do you choose to remain in the shadows? Do you prefer to keep your opinions and personal philosophies close to you rather than openly communicate them or is this something you express in your music?
The shadows! I try to stay in my own lane, but I don’t think I’m that private. You know me, I’m always talking shit with mates! I’m just not that online at the moment. Too much noise. No disrespect to anyone on their hustle or whatever… I’ve dabbled, but it didn’t take… But no doubt I’ll eventually have to get back on it proper because it’s the only way to get your stuff out there anymore. Sucks.
Do you see musical technology and advancement as important in modern songwriting or do you prefer to look to analogue formats?
I’ve never been fussed about what people make music with. If I like it, I like it. I’ve tried lots of different ways including computers. What I have at the moment is a bunch of hardware and physical instruments because that’s what works for me. It took me a few years to figure out the right combination of gear to put together the way that I have – and I’m still learning all the time, so things could change at any moment.
Music technology is neutral to me, but a good thing I gotta say about the more digital stuff is that it’s a lot more accessible. It’s mad that kids can make whole songs on their school laptops or phones, and it’s cool how people were making grime tracks on playstations and whatever else back in the day too. Use what you have!
Verna Bloom Electronics 