Taste Test: Morgan Page

Taste Test: Morgan Page

22 December, 2010 | 4.59AM

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News: morgan page, taste test

When A&R types need a club remix for a pop single, there’s one very dog-eared card in the middle of their Rolodexes that they flip to time and again: Morgan Page. While he originally made his name with house tracks for the likes of Bedrock, Nordic Trax and Satoshi Tomiie’s SAW, in recent years he’s found even greater recognition with his remixes for Madonna, La Roux, Tegan and Sara, Katy Perry, Alanis Morissette, and Stevie Nicks, among dozens more high-profile names.

No wonder, then, that Page finds himself up once again for a Grammy nomination. His remix of Nadia Ali’s “Fantasy” goes up against Andy Caldwell’s remix of Wolfgang Gartner’s “Funk Nasty,” Mike Rizzo’s remix of Sergio Mendes’ “Orpheus,” David Guetta’s remix of Madonna’s “Revolver,” and Axwell & Dirty South’s remix of the Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition” in the strangely named category of Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical—one of the few Grammy opportunities available to electronic musicians.

We asked Page about his Grammy nod and subjected him to our “Taste Test” questionnaire; read on to find out how he stays focused on his own music after more than 126 remixes for other people—and why one clubber once confused him for a stripper.

We’ll start with a softball question: how does it feel to be nominated for a Grammy yet again?

It’s especially great this time around because this nomination recognizes my work as a remixer rather than the original artist. The artist can’t actually win the Grammy in this category, even though it’s their song that is nominated.

You’ve really made your name as a remixer; what is it about remixing that you like so much, and how would you describe your approach to remixing other artists’ work?

I like to give songs new life: a different beat, chords, or arrangement.
It’s always a challenge, but after 126 remixes, I’ve learned to work quickly and get my ideas down fast. My approach mainly revolves around the vocal and building everything around it. The notes and the syncopation drive everything else.

What suggestions would you give for other aspiring remixers?

Keep your track counts low, pre-produce your stems so it’s easier to slice and dice, work with templates, and use Mixed In Key for easy key and tempo scanning.

Does spending so much time and effort on other people’s music ever make it difficult for you to focus on your own work?

Yes—it’s a balance, and this year and moving forward I will be devoting more time to releasing singles between albums, and doing much less remix work. I love remixes and it’s hard to say no, but I always give priority to the originals. Your originals drive your entire career and typically have a longer shelf life.

Do you ever turn down remix commissions because the original doesn’t inspire you enough? Or can you always find something to work with, if you look hard enough?

All the time. There needs to be a hook or a vocal I can at least cut up. I will often add new hooks to remixes—a good example of this is the “Keep Faith” remix where I added a cut-up vocal line that follows the chorus.

On to the “Taste Test”! What was the first record you remember having as a child?

Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come Soundtrack.

What was the first record you bought with your own money?

My first 12” was Photek’s “The Hidden Camera”

Which style or genre of music was your first great love?

Deep house.

How have your musical tastes changed since you were a teenager?

They’ve become more aggressive and big-room. All the rules I formed for what is “cool and underground” have been thrown out the window at some point. Never say never or always.

What was the last record you bought, on any format?

The new Deadmau5 album.

How many tracks/records do you typically acquire every week-both promos & purchases?

20-30 songs.

What format do you DJ with?

Ableton.

Name your three favorite tracks at the moment:

Deadmau5, “Everything Before” [mau5trap]

Tom Piper & Tommy Trash, “All My Friends (MyBack Remix)” [Hussle]

Daft Punk, “Solar Sailer”

Three favorite classic tracks:

Daft Punk, “Around The World”

Groove Armada, “My Friend”

The Timewriter, “Jigsaw Pieces” [Plastic City]

Which track (by another musician) do you wish that you had made?

”Steppin Out” by Kaskade - a personal favorite of mine.

What’s your favorite record from this year that isn’t electronic dance music?

Florence & The Machine, Cosmic Love.

Current reading or last good book read?

Born To Run.

Favorite iPhone app:

Skype.

Favorite video game:

Halo.

Favorite piece of gear:

Dave Smith Prophet 08.

Preferred headphones:

Seinheiser HD25s for DJing, Ultrasones for the studio.

Favorite clothing designer:

G-Star.

Favorite city/country/club to perform in?

Right now, the United States. Denver is one of the best cities to play.

What country would you be thrilled to play in, just for the food?

Thailand or Japan.

Strangest thing you’ve ever eaten while on tour:

Dragonfruit.

Strangest thing a fan has ever given you:

Somebody gave me a $20 bill like I was a stripper or something a few years back.

Frequent flyer survival tip:

Drown out crying babies and loudmouths with a combination of custom molded in-ear monitors and Bose Noise Reduction Headphones. If you are flying without Noise Reduction headphones, you are crazy or some sort of masochist.

Weirdest rumor you’ve ever heard about yourself:

That I’m a woman. But hey, I can’t blame people—I work with a lot of
vocalists, and sometimes the “featuring” part of the credit is left out.

Morgan Page’s I’ve Had Friends Chart

Morgan Page

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