This week’s guest isn’t only a friend but is by far one of the most talented music curators of the past couple of decades. Jason Bentley has created soundscapes that are etched in all of our minds from his shows on KCRW radio to his work on The Matrix Films soundtracks.
Jason has not only identified the greatest talent in the field of electronic music but has been integral in establishing it as a music genre. Additionally, Jason is a talented DJ himself having performed in some of the largest festivals in the world, including Coachella. In this episode, we explore his growth from curator to creator.
Key Takeaways
[1:35] Nick welcomes Jason and after catching up on the days when they used to be office neighbors, asks him to talk a bit about his path from A&R to DJing and how he tumbled into working The Matrix soundtrack.
[6:35] Jason was always a leader when it came to electronic music and introduced Nick to Daft Punk. He touches on the advocacy work he had to do to promote the democratizing of dance and electronic music.
[8:49] Remixing, producing is something Jason always did at a more executive level, and finally — enabled by the pandemic — he taught himself Ableton Live! He talks about the feeling of ownership he loves about creation.
[11:30] Studio production and live DJ stage gig are very different aspects of a performance, from sonic range to storytelling, Jason explains the different styles and music that those two approaches entail.
[13:30] Jason opens up on what led him to hang up his headphones — a move that by his own admission may be really bold or completely idiotic but that ultimately felt like the right thing to do at the right time.
[19:44] Nick and Jason discuss Jason’s weekly Saturday night show Metropolis — which Nick invites people to listen to without fear, it’s more of a beautiful soundscape — Jason talks about the process of creating that show each week and the quantity of material he receives from which to build his weekly story.
[23:05] Jason’s pride point is currently in controlling the ebb and flow and the storytelling of his music as well as the mixing.
[25:36] Six-and-a-half months of live-streaming a radio show was quite the experiment; Jason talks about his experience of continuing his work during COVID-19 lockdown — smoke machines, neon lights, and lasers on Instagram! He talks about being pulled off the live stream periodically by bots looking to flag major label intellectual property (he notes it never happened for underground import stuff).
[30:15] Breaking away from radio to give himself space to create, becoming a father, and starting a record label… Nick wonders what Jason’s year would have been WITHOUT the pandemic.
[32:00] “There is no creativity that should go to waste” Jason talks about the importance of believing in your art and understanding that it has value. From the first single on his label with his friend Latroit to shooting a music video, Jason speaks to just trusting himself.
[40:27] What is Jason currently listening to?
[42:57] Nick thanks Jason Bentley for coming on the show and sharing so much of his personal and creative journey.
Thanks for listening! Tune in next week and don’t forget to take a minute to review the podcast. In this incredibly competitive podcasting world, every piece of feedback helps.
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Find out more about today’s guests, Jason Bentley
Find out more about your host, Nick Terzo
Mentioned in this episode:
KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic and Metropolis
Jason Bentley’s Music Room on Spotify
People:
Projects:
KCRW’s Metropolis
