Bay Area Rebound: A Conversation With Gavin Hardkiss

Bay Area Rebound: A Conversation With Gavin Hardkiss

22 September, 2008 | 10.44AM

• Written by: Eighth Dimension
• Filed under: Music News: gavin hardkiss, hawke

There aren’t many people in the San Francisco dance music scene who have had as much influence and history as Gavin Hardkiss.

Since ‘The Magick Sounds Of The Underground’ 12” was released in 1992 Gavin, under his Hawke guise, and his brothers Hardkiss have unleashed a slew of psychedelic disco tunes on receptive dancefloors worldwide.

Following his 2005 Hawke album ‘Love Won Another’ Gavin left his adopted San Francisco home and traveled around California, continuing to work on music and contemplate his sound.

Now, in Autumn 2008, Gavin’s finally returned to the Bay Area that shaped him and has released his latest collection of tunes ‘The Knight Of The Hawke Fields’ on Florida-based label EIGHT-TRACKS.

Interestingly, he’s chosen to release this under the name Gavin Hardkiss for the first time.

We were able to track down Gavin and ask him a few questions about this release, his return to San Francisco, and his many years as a DJ.

Why have you decided to release this new EP as Gavin Hardkiss after years of music under the name Hawke?

I’ve been DJ’ing as Gavin Hardkiss since the early ‘90s.

My style shifts over time but I’ve always enjoyed making people dance to new sounds.

I started making records in the early ‘90s as Hawke. 

Over time, those records became more album-centric, more song-oriented collaborative experiments with musicians and other producers. 

Ambitious stuff that often takes time to refine.  Some songs take years to finish and drive me crazy. 

It became quite obvious that I have a dual personality and that I should embrace it.

Last year I started making minimal techno tracks that fit in with the sounds that I was playing at Tickle Torture, my DJ residency at Kava Lounge in San Diego. 

It’s pure electronic music that I can make on my laptop in my underwear when I can’t find sleep.

‘The Knight Of The Hawke Fields’ is a mysterious and evocative title for your EP. Is there any meaning or a story behind it?

I was chatting with a friend’s parents who were visiting from Ireland. 

They have a son also named Gavin.  I asked them why they named him that and they told me that in ancient times, around the time of King Arthur and the Round Table, Gavin or Gawyn was The Knight of the Hawk Fields. 

I said that I liked that and that I would give that name to my next record.

For the last few years you’ve been traveling nomadically around California and have recently returned to San Francisco. Have you noticed any changes to the city where you made your mark since you’ve been gone? Any musical changes?

Since I’ve been back, I’ve made it out to some rock shows but I haven’t been to any DJ/electronic events yet. 

There seem to be a lot of new venues and a lot of things going on. 

Bon Jovi said it best: “It’s all the same, only the names will change.”

San Francisco is a rocking city.  Always has been and always will be. 

I’m looking forward to checking out Justin Martin and Dirty Bird. 

I think they’ve pushed the San Fran funky sound into new territory.

How has a Gavin Hardkiss DJ set evolved in the midst of all the recent technological and stylistic upheavals? Does it make you miss the ‘90s or excited about the future? Or both?

I’m always excited about the future.  Someone once said ‘’may you live in interesting times” - I think it was Prince. 

No...he said “Life’s a parade.” It’s a fucking carnival out there.

I don’t miss the ‘90s at all but I’m stuck with a lot of vinyl to prove that I was there. 

I’m still most comfortable DJ’ing with vinyl.  I’m having fun with Serato at home but I’m too lazy to set it up at gigs. 

CDs are OK but I scratch them up more than I was led to believe.

What’s on the horizon for Gavin Hardkiss and Hawke?

A new Hawke album is on the horizon. 

I’m getting more comfortable with my singing voice.  People responded well to ‘Fly Fly Fly Away’ on my last album. 

I have a lot to say on this new album.  The new one will be hyper-naive.  Vulnerable like a 15-year old pubescent locked in his room day dreaming about a world of love and flesh.

An even newer Gavin Hardkiss release on EIGHT-TRACKS is in the works, too.  It’s called ‘4 Nudes in a Bubble Bath’ and samples Hawke’s ‘3 Nudes in a Purple Garden’.  I’m rubbing off on myself.

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