Designer Drugs doesn’t care if they sound controversial. They’re a DJ dou based out of Manhattan and currently on tour bringing house/electronica music all around the world. Known for their trance music, nutty productions and crazy music collaborations, the DJ/producers are full of a unique sense of style that they’ve brought to some of the top clubs in the country including Webster Hall, Voyager and U Street Music Hall. This past Wednesday, Michael Vincent Patrick, the touring half of DD, (the other one is currently in med. school) came to spin at Waterford’s newest venue Blue Moon 504. And let me just tell you, it was a rowdy night to say the least.
Thanks to our boys at Phantom Status, I met up with MVP himself right before the show to discuss the important things in life: music, music and a bit more of music. Read the transcript of our interview below:
SH: So how did Designer Drugs come to be?
MVP: Well Theo (other member of DD) and I met back in high school and immediately clicked over music. But it wasn’t until about three years ago did we form DD.
SH: Was DJing always your dream?
MVP: When I was younger I was very much into the punk rock scene. I played guitar and wanted to form a band but I got hit by a car skateboarding and then playing guitar wasn’t really an option anymore. At about 13, 14 years old I bought some equipment and began spinning. I was all about drums and base at this time so it was great. And then I met Theo and eventually we formed Designer Drugs.
SH: I’m sure you get this every interview but where does the name Designer Drugs come from?
MVP: (laughs) Always. Well, back in middle school I was flipping through a “drug-free” pamphlet and came across the word “Designer Drugs.” The name stuck in my head for a while and so when Theo and I were trying to brand ourselves we came up with this.
SH: Has the name negatively affected you?
MVP: Not really and hopefully it won’t in the future
SH: So when did your love for music flourish? Any big influences?
MVP: I don’t really come from a musical family but I grew up loving it. I wouldn’t really say I have “big influences” but when I was about 17 I played the album Mystics of Funk by Groove Rider. It was so good I felt like I could see the sounds; It changed my life.
SH: So recently when you’re not listening to house, what’s playing?
MVP: I love all different kinds of music. I love Classical, Beethoven is one of my favorites. Currently i’ve been listening to My Bloody Valentine, Nirvana, Jesus and Mary, Air and The Horrors.
SH: How did you guys start becoming more well known?
MVP: We began emailing our music to blogs and people just started becoming interested in what we were making.
SH: That’s awesome. So you’ve played at some of the top clubs in the country, how does it make you feel? Any moments where you were like “wow, its all happening”?
MVP: Theres been a few of those (laughs) I remember back when we were playing at the BFD Festival in San Francisco, there were about 5,000 people and Theo and I just looked at each other and smiled.
SH: So you must miss Theo, being that he’s at medical school. Has it been difficult making music and traveling without a companion by your side?
MVP: Its been much tougher. Theo’s been responsible for writing most of the music lately and I’ve been making most of the beats. He’s also hilarious and I miss laughing at his jokes.
SH: So how does that work, how do you decide what music to remix?
MVP: Usually artists will come to us asking to remix their songs. We usually except, especially if money is involved.
SH: How did you come up with your new album? Tell me a bit about it, I hear good things.
MVP: Thank you, well Its called “Hard Core, Soft Core.” Its coming out in a few months. Its very heavy, kinda dark stuff. Much darker than our other albums.
SH: Do you consider yourself dark?
MVP: Kinda, yeah, i’m pretty mellow, but we’re in a recession, I think the world is ending and the apocalypse is coming so…
SH: So you toured all summer, played about 15 shows this month and are touring the rest of the fall. Where are you planning on taking the rest of your music? Where do you hope to be in the future?
MVP: Really, I’m just taking it step by step right now. Playing music and liking it.
SH: When you’re not touring, what are you doing?
MVP: I’ve been touring for the past two years. I was home for about 4 days of all last month..
SH: Well, if you weren’t touring…
MVP: If I weren’t touring (thinking for a while)… Well I love art galleries. If I have time I try to stop at different museums while traveling. I make sure to exercise a lot and eat healthy and relax in my spare time.
SH: Maybe you’ll have some time for that in the future.
MVP: Yeah, that’d be cool. I’d also like to build a house in Barcelona if I get some more money. I love the Gothic city.
SH: Anyway, do you have any final remarks/advise for the UCF student and KnightNews.com reader?
MVP: Umm… just work hard or else you most likely won’t succeed.
