Following this fundraiser, you’ll be playing the old Alpha Dynacord system from back in the BOA/ SONIC days, in a new space: Moskito. Tonight will probably bring back some memories. Looking forward to that system and the new space?
Jonny White: Yes… totally looking forward to it. It’s funny because we’ll be working with the old crew, the new owners of Moskito also owned Paeez, where this kinda of all started for us - Kenny, Nitin, Teeloo, Jazz (our agent) and myself. We did Fridays at Paeez for a REALLY long fucking time it seemed, back before things took off. It was our home every Friday and probably the only place in Toronto you could find really forward thinking, and at that time, really risqué music for Toronto. Man do you know what we were getting paid at that place? I think our deal with them was $150 (for the four of us) and free Tequila. Seriously… we were drinking our money’s worth that’s for sure. It was $150 for Me, Kenny, Teeloo and sometimes Nitin, and we did it for YEARS. Teeloo bailed first, I wasn’t far behind, but Kenny hung in there. He was like “I get it all now!”
Kenny Glasgow: {laughs} I also remember how much I really enjoyed playing on that Alpha Dynacord system years back at Boa and Sonic night clubs, it’s gonna be nice to hear how the system handles compared to some of the bigger and newer sound systems we’ve had the opportunity to play on, and it will also be great to see what our former employers and good friends have been up to in our absence {laughs}.
I remember listening to your essential mix at home by myself after a night of partying, grinning from ear to ear because “the boys had made it”. You were literally playing local gigs in Toronto one minute and jet setting the next, playing on almost every corner of the map. What’s that been like?
Jonny White: It’s been a whirlwind. It’s funny because I’ve been doing these kind of interviews and been asked shit like that for the last 3 years, but I haven’t actually seen you in 3 years dude… it has been a long time we’ve been gone. You know I was touring a bit on my own before the Art Department thing, but NOTHING like this obviously. But its been amazing, we’ve got a little crew in almost every little city we go to it seems, we’ve met lots of new friends and amazing people along the way. I mean it’s nice to get to a place like this. A place you don’t ever think you are gonna get to. It’s not like you are ever even striving to get HERE. You think maybe you’ll achieve half of the success that we have, if you’re lucky. I remember when I was trying to figure out how I was going to make a
career out of this. I figured I needed about 20 cities on earth that were willing to pay me about 2k per show and would hire me twice a year to make some kind of a living... that or carry on as some sort of artist/ promoter/ hustler.
Your current fall tour alone has seen you travel between (amongst others) New York City, Russia, Brazil, Hungary, as well as your first trip to Asia. How was the Art Department sound received in places like Hong Kong?
Jonny White: Surprisingly, or not surprisingly, I’m not sure, {laughs}, but the people in Asia go fucking crazy. I have a feeling that they’re like that for anything they are into, you know? They are an excitable people when it comes to any sort of art and especially when it’s foreign. Japan was really cool, but the show in Hong Kong was off the hook. Of all the places we’ve been that’s the place where we’ve experienced the most culture shock. I remember the first night we were there, in my room on the 43rd floor of this crazy hotel, looking out over the
city and all you can see is just an ocean of buildings as far as the eye can see in every direction, and they all have blinking red lights so it was
like a scene out of Total Recall... or “Lost In Translation” I guess. The sound goes over well there, especially in Hong Kong, I think they had the highest attendance ever at the club we played there for Small & Tall. Ended up doing an impromptu boat party the next day as well, and we got to see Hong Kong from the water, which is amazing.