Soundtracksforthem

photo credit: Starkey’s Website

Starkey is a global supplier of hearing aids and products for hearing loss. A leading hearing aid manufacturer, Starkey offers the Destiny line of hearing…no wait, that’s not quite right. Starkey is a Philidelphia based DJ and producer whose out put and tune selection is bedding down into yet another name game for all those who like standing around at gigs hacking into each other’s ear.

Wonky, bouncement or street bass – you can join the poll over at Mashit. Mr PCP is putting him on in a few weekends over in McGruders on June 1st (don’t lose yourself in those stairwells now…), and he promises some lazer bass action himself. You can grab the flyer for the gig here and he’s got some linkage to shows showcasing the street bass sound he’s likely to dole out on the night himself. This studio mix was done for Xlr8r magazine – if you want to be my friend then please get me a subscription.

Starkey Exclusive Mix For Xlr8r magazine.

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The usual quickie interview sits after the jump…

Who is Starkey?

Starkey is a moniker of Paul J. Geissinger. Starkey is the Mayor of Starkville, which is entirely inhabited by Starkbots. Starkey makes street bass and is a member of the Seclusiasis and Trouble & Bass camps. You can get Starkey releases on Werk, Offshore, Starksound, Ruff, Dead Homies, LoDubs, Slit Jockey & more.

What were the first records that really made you go, “WOW” ?

Had to be Tricky, Portishead, Alpha… etc… Bristol trip-hop sound was the first electronic music I really got into. “Poems”…. “Lyrics of Fury”…. dark bass heavy music with a hiphop influence and good vocals.

Describe the sound of a Starkey Set.

Really depends on the club and crowd… but I prefer to play a mixture of upbeat and halftime music. I got music A.D.D…. so i got to keep it fresh and moving. Right now my sets are an amalgamation of all the different bass heavy musics coming from around the globe. Genres don’t mean much…. could come from grime and dubstep or house.

Where are you from originally ? Where are you based now ?

Philly. Philly.

How/when did you first begin playing music ?

Started playing piano when I was 4/5 years old. Then sang and played various instruments during school. Studied production in college and went on from there. I started making music and performing as Starkey in 2004.

Which current artists/records do you really love ?

Dev79, Drop the Lime, Mathhead, BD1982 and the rest of the Seclusiasis and Trouble & Bass camps of course. But besides that, currently I’m really feeling L-Vis1990, DZ, Vex’d, Zomby, Darkstar, Rusko, Kanji Kinetic, Rustie, Wonder, Joker, Drums of Death, Kotchy, etc, etc… too many to mention.

What, for you, is the most important thing about music ?

It’s necessary for me really. When I don’t get in the studio for an extended period of time, I crave working on tunes. It’s just an expression of your daily life, what you’re feeling that day, ….basically whatever you want to say at that point in time.

What’s the most memorable DJ set you’ve ever played ?

hmmmm… that’s hard. There’s been some really good ones. Trouble & Bass…… Various in Portland a month or so ago was pretty sick, crowd were just having it. 7YG v Do IT at Corsica Studios last year…. was great hearing my tunes on that system. Live PA at the laptop battle championship in 2005 when i won, that was a really good time.

Which of your remixes are you most proud of and why ?

hmmm… another hard one, since I do so many remixes. i think it might have to be the “shoulder lean” remix which ended up coming out under the name “Bounce”… just because it was when I really started getting into doing bootleg hiphop remixes. It just grew from there really.

What’s the best night in your home town right now?

Philly’s weird…. most of the parties we throw have to revolve around hiphop, unless they are underground. But that being said, when we do them, “Open Fire”, is the best party in Philly. It’s the only place you’ll get that true street bass sound.