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Resonance: [to Darwin Chamber] So tell us how you got started.
Darwin: Basically, I went over to my sister's friend's house, he had an Amiga 500 and a D-10 keyboard... I was totally mesmerized by it. I asked my parents for money, worked all summer at these shit jobs just to get my first keyboard. Like most musicians know, once you get one you have to buy another piece of gear and keep upgrading. Anyway, I got more and more into it and actually started doing industrial music. I was really into Skinny Puppy, Nitzer Ebb, and all those other industrial bands.
Then my friend took me to my first rave, I think it was Toontown in 1990 or 91. It was a totally new style of music, it wasn't angry, so I started mimicking what I heard. Then, like a lot of musicians I think, everything sounded the same, so I started exploring my own avenues to see what I could come up with. I think that's why the music has gotten so good...
Resonance: What's your process for making songs? I've been listening to Star Climber a lot...
Darwin: Yeah! That's my favorite song. Do you want to know what the story behind Star Climber is? I wrote it two weeks before I had my first UFO experience, it became like the theme for the next year of my life. Its supposed to be an uplifting track; there was this lady I met during all my experiences, and she was so sweet, so that song is sort of about her.
Star Climber was made all with one patch, the computer wasn't even on, so it was all live, I was just pressing down all the pads and playing with the switches, fading it in and out, did it all on the first tape. That's one thing I notice, the less amount of time you spend on a song the better it does.
Resonance: How do work together? Like, when you're making a track who does what?
DJ TRANCE: We work hella well together...
Darwin: Yeah! It depends, if we're going to do two songs we'll say "Okay, you have more control over that song and I'll have more control over this song", just as far as the style, but mostly it just happens.
Resonance: How did you meet?
DJ TRANCE: I met Mark (Darwin Chamber) when he was playing live and I was DJing in 1992, on New Year's Eve in San Diego. We wanted to put a record out together but it took two years for us to do it.
Resonance: [to DJ TRANCE] I assume you started DJing before you started writing music?
DJ TRANCE: I'm 24, I started DJing when I was 14, which was around 1985, I got turntables for Christmas when I was in 9th grade and I used to DJ breakdancing parties and stuff like that... Then when I was in high school I would DJ high school parties; when I was in college I would DJ college parties. When I moved to college in LA I started going to underground parties in 1990. I started DJing techno just for myself, and then I started playing in the scene in 1991 in LA.
Resonance: You grew up in LA?
DJ TRANCE: Yeah, in Dayna Point which is a suburb, about 50 miles south of LA, down by the beach.
Resonance: What do you think the difference is between the music in SF and LA?
Darwin: The music in SF is more free-flowing, less constricting. It's really hard for a DJ to break-in in San Francisco - it's nearly impossible, but they really are open-minded. Being in San Francisco, I went to the good SF parties like Tribal Funk, Gathering, Funky Tekno Tribe and whatnot... Tribal Funk is probably the best party in San Francisco. All the kids are hella happy. When I went to LA I went to a party called FAMILY (Friends And Music - I Love You) and even though I wasn't too hip with LA in general, the town, the kids were exactly the same, totally loving, just like the kids in SF. But as far as the music, I would say there is a distinct difference, it's harder in LA.
DJ TRANCE: I can't say much about San Francisco, I've only played there five or six times and I've never lived there, but LA has a lot of different scenes because there are so many people. There will be a hardcore party, a house party, and a progressive-slash-funky party all in one night. I'd say the big difference is SF doesn't really have a hardcore scene. But the way people dress is fresh in San Francisco, like at 5:00 am all these deadheads would show up - kinda older and all tie-dyed - and it was cool.
Resonance: Bassex records is doing mighty well... you've got six records out now, have you got the next one lined up? Got a couple?
DJ TRANCE: The next release is by Darwin Chamber, it's called "Krystal Klear". After that there will be a Metro that's almost done, with Eric Davenport and Xpando. It'll be number eight, and there's a Metro that was signed to Warp that's almost out, called "Green Line". It was done three months ago and sounds kind of like "Stone Skipping".
Resonance: Who is Xpando?
DJ TRANCE: Xpando is Michael Knapp, he's been doing music since the early 80s and has lots of equipment... he used to do old techno songs that did really well in LA. I hooked up with him and we started Bassex Records and we called the first record "Rebirth", because it was like a rebirth of the scene in LA and the scene was starting to get really good. We kept that name for a few records, and since then Michael has taken over more of Bassex. He handles everything now and I just go in and work on the music - the rest is too stressful.
Resonance: Any plans to sign other artists, or is the label used just to get your own stuff out?
DJ TRANCE: No, no, no, if we find stuff that we like [then we'll release it]. That's what we're doing with the next song - Mike (Xpando) heard Darwin Chamber play at Family in LA and he liked this one certain song, and I did a remix for the other side. But basically the whole label has done way better than we expected... we don't even have a mailing list or anything yet. It started with 200 copies of Bassex #001. I made the initial investment, which wasn't even that much, a little over a year ago and its turned into this really good thing. It's fun and has been pretty underground, I think.
Resonance: Yeah, I think it's important for a scene to have little tiny do-it-yourself labels.
DJ TRANCE: Exactly, I mean it's only four people total: Mike, me, Darwin Chamber, and Eric Davenport.
Resonance: [To Darwin Chamber] Are you going to be releasing more solo stuff?
Darwin: Under Darwin Chamber? Actually I'm kind of winding down this project, I'll probably do a couple more records and a few more shows before the end of the year.
Resonance: What's the song "Krystal Clear" about?
Darwin: Basically, it's about a girl, and she was doing so much speed that I called it "Krystal Klear" hoping she would stop. Then it turned out one of my friends was hooked on speed, and a few other friends kept doing speed, as well. I had basically just had it, so I put out the record hoping the music would be good enough so you wouldn't have to do any drugs. I hope this doesn't sound arrogant, but I think most people go to raves and do drugs to make the music sound good. Then they're really not paying attention to the music, and that's what it should be all about.
Resonance: What does "Darwin Chamber" mean?
Darwin: When I was a little kid I was in a cult; well, actually it was a church. You know when you're young and you're questioning reality and religion...? They were teaching Creation in school and I went up to one of the pastors and asked: "What about the Darwin theory?" He was all, "No, you're going to hell blah blah blah," so I 86'd the church and found my own peace, but I always swore I'd get back at them so I called myself Darwin Chamber. Most or all born-again Christians stick any theory that's not theirs into a little box, like a chamber, so that's how I got it. 
| 001 | Rebirth | Embryo/Party People |
| 002 | Metro | Here for the Love |
| 003 | Rebirth | Pure/Go Off! |
| 004 | Metro | To A Nation Rockin' |
| 005 | DJ TRANCE and Darwin Chamber | Indians and Aliens |
| 006 | Rebirth | Floor Essence/ Pigs and Penguins |
| 007 | Darwin Chamber | Destination |
