CC: Explain the current situation between Clockwork and RL Grime. Which project is getting more attention? How do you balance the two?
HS: I’ve been doing Clockwork since ’09 and RL Grime came about in the Winter of 2010. That was when I was in New York. I was meeting new dudes; I was becoming really good friends with Shlohmo and the whole WeDidIt clique. And so just hanging around them, I got inspired to not make the Clockwork stuff anymore, so I took some time off from that and just worked on RL Grime stuff. But now at this point, I’m kinda splitting my time evenly. I usually dedicate a day for Clockwork and a day for RL Grime.
CC: Is that hard? Do you ever find yourself in a Clockwork zone making an RL Grime sound? Or is it more like flicking a switch that is easy for you?
HS: It’s not that hard. Once I get in the mindset of doing it, the inspiration comes. It’s actually been cool because both projects have kind of inspired each other to some extent.
Although many artists take on multiple projects, not all are as successful as Steinway’s endeavours. He played drums for 8 years in high school before yearning for deeper music knowledge. During his Freshman year in Boston, Henry began self-teaching himself piano through various online resources. Steinway
then
moved onto NYU where he majored in music business, specializing in music theory. With so much diverse learning, it’s not hard to understand why Henry couldn’t be confined to just one genre.
CC: Where do you get your motivation from? Do you like performing or production more?
HS: It changes a lot. If I am inspired at home, then I like production more; but I really do like playing out and just seeing the reactions to whatever I’m making. So it changes a lot but I really do love both sides of it.
CC: Does it ever get old?
HS: Not really, I just finished off this tour with Dillon (Francis) and Baauer and we were playing every night for two and a half weeks. I thought maybe my set would get old or something but it just pushed me to change it up every night; so it ended up being more interesting for both me and the audience. I basically try to make it as not monotonous as possible.
CC: Do you use a MIDI controller on stage?
HS: I use a MIDI controller on stage, yeah. I mean I started out on turntables in high school with no computer or anything so I’m lucky I started out like that because the switch to Serato went super smooth.
RL now runs an unusual setup of Serato Internal with a controller. “I don’t know too many people that do it but I’ve been liking it so far”. Grime finds that he has more control with his custom setup which allows for more creative input during shows, ultimately allowing him to make it different every time. This type of originality explains why RL Grime can leave such a lasting impact on those in the crowd.
CC: What’s the most embarrassing song in your library? Guiltiest?
HS: I think the most embarrassing song is ‘Levels’ (Clockwork Remix) [laughs]. And the most guilty, I mean, I probably have like six ‘Call Me Maybe’ remixes that I’ve downloaded just in case I’m ever DJ’ing a Bar Mitzvah or something.
Every time someone asks what RL Grime is, I just say it’s like danceable hip-hop.
We quickly go over Steinway’s crowded label situation with Dim Mak and Mad Decent (“They’re both really dope. All the guys are super nice”) before moving onto his dreams, goals, and future plans.
HS: I just want to keep grinding and eventually have a headline tour. That’s the dream... you know, like sell out a headline tour. I have a lot of stuff coming up now though: January and February, I’m going to be in Europe and Australia; and then some big things going on with me and another guy that I don’t know if I can mention yet; then I’m going back to Australia in May. So really just trying to get outside the US and see what other markets are out there.
CC: How involved in the marketing side of the business are you?
HS: I was much more involved with it when I started out because it was basically just me, but since I’ve signed with my management, who are like my two best friends, we’ve kind of all worked together. I’ve been able to now focus more on music and they’ve been able to focus on marketing and branding and stuff like that.
www.djmag.ca 19
I’m really happy with the team behind me right now; I think everything is in a good place right now.
We cheers and sip back the last of our drinks before Henry is whisked away by management, it’s time to shine.
And shine he did.
Back in the green room after RL’s set, I can almost feel the energy off him. The show just finished and we’re all reeling in from the fun and excitement, especially Henry. You can tell he loves this. Despite only a few hundred in the crowd, RL Grime did not disappoint his namesake. The low- ceilinged venue quickly got grimy with an energy-packed set. Opener Ryan Hemsworth was entertaining during Henry’s set, making his way around and across the stage interacting with both RL and fans alike, making for a very lively stage which had about 40 people on it by the end of the night, reminiscent of boiler room style sets. It was a great show from a talented artist. But if only these walls could talk.
Literally from bedroom production to international recognition, Henry Steinway is progressing and transgressing music genres at a blazing pace. While the trap heads revel for his next RL Grime release and house aficionados marvel in the Clockwork sound, the rest of the world has yet to catch up to this multi-talented producer. And they might never get the chance if he keeps moving at this rate.
Coming up for Steinway: A New Clockwork EP named “Surge” will be dropping on Dim Mak featuring 2 tracks. One of them is Steinway’s first time working with a vocalist (a well-known female he assures). A New RL Grime EP is coming out on a well known label. “I’m trying to make this a little more diverse by stepping away from the general/typical trap stuff.” If you haven’t already, check out RL Grime’s remix of Benny Benassi’s legendary club track Satisfaction, which dropped on Ultra last month.
words by CORY CONTINI @CoryConz
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