Kaz James: meet the prolific Australian producer behind the Another Record Label

Kaz James is an Australian producer of Greek and Italian descent. Among his productions are hits like Paradise, Through Your Love, Stronger and Not in Love. In 2021, Kaz launched his own record label, Another Record Label.

His recent single, Footprints, was supported by the likes of Pete Tong, Danny Howard, Laurent Garnier, Black Coffee, Guy Gerber, Claptone, Nora En Pure and Dennis Ferrer.

We spoke to him, ahead of a Brazil tour scheduled for October, when he plays in São Paulo and Santa Catarina (Warung).

Please tell your story to the Brazilian audiences that may not know you yet. How was your beginning in Dance Music?

From memory I would say my first introduction to dance music started from watching music videos as a young kid on television in the 80s. I remember religiously waking up early on Saturday Mornings to watch a music show called ‘Rage’ which was Australia’s version of MTV.

I remember watching bands like KLF, Blackbox and C&C Music Factory and thought they were the coolest thing I had ever seen. I loved all the dance routines. I would practice copying all the dance moves all the time in front of the TV.

Also, at the time my auntie was going to all the nightclubs in Melbourne and was playing a lot of disco and dance music around the house. I’m remember her playing Patrick Hernandez “Born to Be Alive” and running around the house singing the lyrics out loud with her.

When I turned 14, I started going to the underage discos, and I was instantly mesmerized by the DJ. At the time, the only place I had ever seen a real DJ was in music video clips. I thought DJing was so cool. I would go back each week and spend hours just sitting behind the DJs watching them play vinyl, totally fascinated by what they were doing.

My stepfather was a jazz musician, so Jazz music was a big part of my childhood growing up. There was always Jazz music being played at the house. I learned the trumpet growing up, but I really couldn’t relate to the music I was being taught. I just had no connection to it. Mainly because of the environment I was growing up in, in the 90s I couldn’t connect with it lyrically.

I appreciate it now because I learnt music but at the time, I hated it and just found it so boring. All I wanted to listen to was dance music. Because that’s what all my friends and all the kids in my neighbourhood listened to. I grew up in a very ethnic suburb in Melbourne full of Italian and Greek immigrant families.

The European influence really contributed to the music we listened to. There was always someone’s relative going to Europe and coming back with the hottest new dance record or the coolest Italo disco tune.

When I was 16, I finally saved up enough money to buy turntables. I had been practicing and messing around on my friend’s equipment, but when I finally got my own turntables and a mixer, shit got serious.

I was in my room day and night practicing like a maniac. I was obsessed! I would go to the club and watch the other DJ’s tricks and moves then go home and practice what I had seen the night before. It wasn’t long before I started playing at all the local underage parties myself.

I grew up in a working-class family. My mother worked her ass off to pay for me to go to a good high school. So, when I finally finished school and I told her I wanted to be a DJ, she was heartbroken. She was hoping for a more proper job. You got to remember that back then DJs
were kind of considered losers.

It wasn’t seen as a real job, more of a hobby. You basically played your friends birthday in their garage. That was the stereotypical view of a DJ in the year 2000. This was all pre internet so there were only maybe a handful of DJs’ that were really making a proper living playing records that I only knew about from reading magazines.

I remember sitting down with my stepfather having a conversation about my Mother’s concerns about my career choice of wanting to become a DJ. I remember saying to him. “I really want to become an international DJ and produce records”

He said to me, “what do you have to do, to do that?” I said, “go to London”. He said, “alright, what are you waiting for? Get on with it”. In his mind he thought I would be back in one month and give up and get a normal job. After London I eventually made my way to Ibiza where I managed to hustle myself a few gigs here are there and ended up playing on the terrace at Pacha.

There I got to meet a lot of people in the industry who helped me get more and more shows across Europe. I would basically go back to Melbourne after the summer in Europe, save as much money as possible, then go back to Europe and try and play and get as much exposure as possible.

Eventually it all payed off in November 2003 when I signed a record deal with Universal records and had a worldwide number 1 record called “I Like the Way (You Move)” under the name Bodyrockers.

What were first influences at the time you started learning and playing electronic music?

In terms of DJing I was influenced by many DJs for different reasons. Growing up I loved Erick Morillo. The way he would play three records at once and worked the crowd into a frenzy was very inspiring. I also loved the way Frankie Knuckles played. The way he used to mix records without touching the vinyl and only used the pitch control to speed up and slow down the records was something to aspire to.

Laurent Garnier was and still is a real influence for me. His flawless technical style of mixing lots of genres without losing the energy of the dancefloor is something that I’ve really never seen anyone else perfect. I learnt a lot watching Derrick Carter. He plays records that feel like a steam train is constantly coming at you…but in a really sexy way. It’s a really unique, energetic but effortless groove.

I was also heavily influenced by the other local DJs I played with in Melbourne. I was the youngest of them all at the time and for some reason they liked me and supported me, so I would really listen and take note of what they were saying and what they were playing, which labels were cool like Soulfuric, Subliminal, Classic etc.

Also, Steve and Rob at my local record store, Rhythm and Soul, had amazing musical taste and would really look after me and teach me about records when I was really young. Big thanks to John Course, Mark John, and DJ Jorj for the musical guidance.

On top of that, Pete Tong has always been a big influence on my career. Over the years he has always been very supportive and steered me it the right direction musically and as a DJ. To be honest also in life in general. He’s always been there to give me a kick in the ass when I need it.

As resident in Fteliá Pacha Mykonos, after 6 years running a residency at Scorpios Mykonos, can you explain the importance of a club residency for artists?

I think as an artist, a residency is important because it keeps you on your toes. You need to be constantly evolving as an artist and it really helps you to define your sound and your audience. A residency can really define you as an artist.

You need to be prepared to deliver a class performance week after week. One that is different or better than the week before because a lot of the time you have the same people coming to see you and they expect something new and exciting each week. So, it really pushes you to reach your highest potential.

How is the Fteliá Pacha Mykonos residency going?

The new residency at Ftelia Pacha has been getting better week after week. The crowd is predominantly music lovers who are definitely more focused on hearing quality music, which is a real bonus for me.

As I envisioned my brand ‘Another’ to be all about pushing cutting edge music and booking DJs that you wouldn’t necessarily hear in Mykonos. I’ve had guests like Marvin and Guy, Laolu and DJ Holographic to name a few.

We also have really solid residents like Maglia and Nick Morgan who is signed to Another Record label. It’s been a really inspiring summer, I’ve really enjoyed playing each week.

Now we’d like to learn more about Another Record Label. Tell us all

The label is fairly new and launched in November 2021. The first release was a collaboration by Nick Morgan and myself called “Not in Love”. The record was super successful especially for a first release.

The labels second release in my new single “Footprints” which is also doing the business. It has turned out to be massive follow up for the label as it’s currently one of the biggest songs in the clubs this summer. Footprints is being played by everyone from Black Coffee, Keinemusik, Hotsince82, Laurent Garnier, DJ Tennis, Pete Tong to Carl Cox to name a few. I still can’t believe how well it is doing! It was just meant to be a low-key, cool underground club record, but it really has become somewhat of a monster.

Another Record Label’s next release will be out end of October. The record is called “In Your Head” by Nick Morgan. It’s an amazing club record that really blows your head off when it drops on the dance floor. It’s definitely a record that all DJ’s need in their sets.

Speaking about your career as music producer, what can you share about coming releases?

My next release is called “White Rabbit”. It’s an official collaboration release with Jefferson Airplane, which I’m overly excited about. Obviously, they are one of the greatest bands of this century. I made the record with Nick Morgan over two years ago and we really never thought that the band would agree to letting us put it out. But here we are now!

It’s coming out in October on Pete Tong’s Sony record label ‘Three Six Zero’. Which I can’t wait! I’ve been playing it in all my sets for two years now and people have been constantly asking me how to get a copy so I’m super excited to get this track out finally! I’m also super close to finishing my album that I’ve been working on for a few years now. It will come out early next year so stay tuned! I’m really happy how it’s sounding. Really looking forward to sharing this one with you all. It’s been a long time coming.

How was the lockdown experience for you, what’s the vibe getting back playing live and touring after 2 years with no events?

To be totally honest I really enjoyed lockdown. I was stuck in LA, which was actually a great place to be during that time. So I got super lucky. I got to experience and do things that I would have never been able to do.

The thing is when you decide that you want to be in the entertainment industry and when you become successful, you basically give up normality.

So, it was super cool to actually stay put in one place for a long time and just chill and have some sort of routine whether it was just cooking every night or going on hikes. It was really nice!

Back on your career as DJ & producer, how is the schedule for 2022? Ant Brazil trip planned?

I’m coming back to Brazil in October this year which I’m super happy about. I’m playing in Sao Paulo as well as one of my favourite clubs in the world, Warung Beach Club in Florianopolis.

I love playing in Brazil, it really does hold a special place in my heart. The people, the vibe, the energy is something you can’t find anywhere else in the world.

It really is an extremely special place. I have been very blessed to have been able to play there as much as I have. I can’t wait to be back!

Last: we always ask for advice for the new talents hustling to get careers off the ground. Any knowledge you can share with them?

Don’t get caught up with all the bullshit around you. You do you. There’s so many DJ’s out there praising themselves for no reason. LET THE MUSIC DO THE TALKING! Be humble!

Focus on you and be ready to learn. The more people you work with, the more you learn. In the studio and on stage.

Stay positive and believe in yourself. Easier said than done, but that’s how careers work, they take time. Sometimes they are up and sometimes they are down. That’s what a career is.

I read that Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. I either win or I learn.” That’s always stuck with me.

You can access Kaz James cover in magazine format here!

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