Before seeing their show on Friday, I was very excited to have an interview with both local Londoners OVERWERK and Andy's iLL. These guys are two of the newest and hottest names coming out in electro house and dubstep. The whole entire night, the energy of the show and the crowd was massive. It made the venue feel like it was filled with thousands of people even if it was just over a hundred. I managed to grab a couple of minutes with both main acts before to ask them a couple questions about upcoming music and such…
Earmilk: Hey guys, so you have both worked together before right? On a couple of songs?
Andy's iLL: Yes we have, "Stop Drop and Roll" and "Death Electro".
EM: Have you guys ever thought about working together again in the future?
A: Well, we've always talked about doing an EP and we just started on another track that didn't really roll.
Overwerk: I think I've just been really busy to be honest, we'll eventually make it roll.
A: I think I've just been really lazy is what he means to say.
O: We're working on it.
EM: Are you guys working on anything right now that you could hint to your fans?
A: Well after just getting signed to Dim Mak I've just been focusing on the album. I need to make two ten-song LPs and I have about 10 tracks right now that aren't released so that's really been my main focus. I'm not too busy, just kinda been working on shows on the album so its going good.
O: I've been working on my EP, I've probably made like 15 songs already for it that I've scraped. I have 4 tracks pretty much finished and then I have some other tracks that I'll be releasing as singles that I'm commissioned to make.
EM: Do you guys have any big remixes coming up soon?
O: I was thinking about doing the "Care Bear Countdown" but im not really sure.
A: Do it! That would be your style Ed! For me, well I have a remix done for my good friends La Musique D'Ordinateur, in France, as well as a remix on Haezer's Money EP.
EM: So Andy, I've noticed that a lot more of your sounds have become more heavier, there's almost a metal aura in some? Do you think you're trying to become more heavy dubstep?
A: I think it's really whatever comes out, whatever I make will go whichever way really, I'm not aiming it in any direction. I think if anything my shit's turned less metal. It has more of a fantasy metal vibe. There's a lot of just minor chords and it's gotten to a point where it's less metal but it's really whatever comes out. I don't think though that I'll ever stop completely making hard shit because that's what makes my heart happy.
EM: Here to Overwerk, I've noticed that your older work, for instance your big mix "Less Go Overwerk It" is a lot more electro while your recent work is a lot more on the dubstep side. Do you think you're turning more into that area? [A: I have something to add after this]
O: I think people associate wobbly basslines with dubstep but I haven't made a dubstep track yet. I think I make all electro house. My latest track was a moombah track and it had like a 110 bbm *laughs* so that's like the slowest thing to dubstep I've gotten close to. It's the music that I'm listening to that inspires me and I like pretty heavy stuff. I think I just wasn't good enough to make the music I wanted back in the day so I think I'm just getting better at it.
A: I was talking to Will from The Girls Can Hear Us and he retweeted me saying "I love how Ed's getting harder it makes me happy." Shit is getting harder which I love and it's awesome. I love power, whenever you get something on the dance floor that builds up and has that satisfying drop were your hearts just like "This Is Awesome!" That gets me charged.
O: Music that punches you in the face and chest is the best type of music, that's why I'm excited about tonight! *laughs*
EM: Who would you say you look up to the most as an artist?
O: I wouldn't say he inspires me the most but I look up to Deadmau5 the most. I think Deadmau5 has been making the same type of music constantly since day 1. Keeping to his style of progressive house. He really introduced electro music to the mainstream public and made it huge. He's also one of Canada's biggest electronic artists so I look up to Deadmau5 for standing up for the music he likes and introducing it to the people.
A: I love Drivepilot, Drivepilot inspired me to create hard shit. But the guy that got me into electro was Steve Aoki with his essential mix when he did his BBC thing, that was the best mix I've ever heard. But for production wise and making my shit better it would be you Ed. *Ed sniffles* You made my shit harder and taught me a lot about production I didn't know *Ed and Andy hug*
EM: Do you guys have any upcoming shows?
O: I have some big shows in the works, but I cannot say which ones and where they are…yet.
A: I have a show in Calgary which is my first agent booked gig. Oct 28, at the big FOUR Building with Markus Schulz and Cold Blank, can't wait to meet them. After that there's not much going on until the album comes out and then spring time when I'll be getting on all the Dim Mak stages which is going to be awesome.
EM: If you could meet any living artist who would you meet?
A: I would easily say Bob Rifo from the Bloody Beetroots. They started me on everything that I do! Bob Rifo no doubt.
O: I think I would have to say the Bag Raiders, they inspired me a lot when I first started making music.
EM: Do you guys have anything you'd want to say to your fans?
A: I always love meeting and talking to people because to me I'm just this little piece of shit from like London Ontario [O: It's true] and like I love talking to fans because they get so jacked on what I do. It pumps me up as much as it pumps them up, I mean I'll talk to anybody because I love music and I love what I do.
O: To my fans that are just listeners, I'm glad that you've been listening to my music and I appreciate all the support. Some people will go out of their way to send me messages and do awesome things, I think I have awesome fans. To my fans inspiring to be musicians themselves, I would say stay true to who you are and have integrity and always stand up to the music you believe in [A: Yeah!]
EM: Finally to wrap things up, what percent of milk do you usually drink?
O: 2% lactose free, I like the creaminess of 2% but I'm lactose-intolerant. Sometimes I just take it like a man and eat that lactose up like ice cream. [A: What the fuck?]
A: I don't drink milk, I drink slurpies and coke, that's it. I'm the most unhealthy person in the world. *laughs* And Taco Bell. It's actually on my rider, I put slurpies and Taco Bell so when I go to a show they have to buy me Taco Bell and slurpies. Unhealthy as fuck but I'm happy as shit, so!
Check this track out by the duo!
Download: Andy's iLL and OVERWERK – Stop, Drop and Roll
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