So who is Jad & The Ladyboy?
Myself and a ladyboy based in Bangkok. My ladyboy friend doesn’t have the internet so she/he sends me melody ideas via coconuts she sends across the sea. It means we are very slow at making music, but hopefully worth the wait?
You just released your Mamibian Gold EP with Toy Tonics, can you explain the inspiration behind the EP?
I’ve always been into the ethnic hymn like music. Something hypnotic about the chanting and poly rhythms used that I love. A heap of old afrobeat and afro groove records I was listening to inspired this EP.
Besides your solo project, you’re also a member of several bands, do you approach your solo work differently to working as part of a team?
100%. With Jad & The Ladyboy I’m very able to take the music to weird irrational places and it doesn’t matter. Defintely some magic can happen when you work with a team though, stuff you’d never think of yourself.
What kind of music do you mainly listen to? Favourite album at the moment?
I listen to a bit of everything, I don’t like to pigeonhole myself and listen to one genre of music. I think you’ve got to be open minded and listen to a broad range of different stuff. I do listen to a lot of dance music and house music. One of my favourite records right now is by a guy named Leon Vynehall. I think he’s from Berlin, I’m not sure, I haven’t done my research on him. Big fan of his album that he released this year.
Seems like all the good DJs are from Berlin?
Yeh it is the hotspot. Slowly but surely there’s some cool music coming out of Australia like a lot of Melburne guys that I’m a fan of that are doing a similar sound to my Berlin guys like Fantastic Man, Francis Inferno Orchestra and Tornado Wallce. They’re doing great things, you wouldn’t think they were from Melbourne if you didn’t know. Some good stuff happening here. Berlin’s definitely the frontrunner for sure.
You’ve released with Exploited, Retrofit and now Toy Tonics, is there any imprints on your radar you would love to put tracks out on?
At the start of May I’ll be releasing an EP on Sonar Kollektiv a label i’m a huge fan of so it’s a great achievement for me. But there are so many great labels out there my list would be too big 🙂
Tell us something we shouldn’t know about you?
I live in an amazingly beautiful coastal town which makes me surf more than I make music it might actually end my career if I’m not careful.
Your dream collaboration, either living or past?
That’s really hard but imagine having Curtis Mayfield singing on your tune?!
Can you talk about any plans you may have for the future?
Hopefully getting over to Europe and playing some music over there oh and release more tunes.