THE MAN, TWO CAN
Two Can, in the role as Producer has worked with some of the biggest names in Electronic Music, as a DJ he has remixed some of the biggest songs ever to be released onto the EDM charts. Now is his time to lend his talents to the title of Artist. Unilateral is the debut EP from this talented Aussie that was working his magic in the US until Covid hit. The Unilateral EP includes collaborations with long term friend FATHERDUDE, Triple J favourite Trace Decay and rising UK star Jai Amore and will take the listener on an uplifting journey from start to finish. With plans to head back to the states shortly we jumped at the chance to talk to Two Can about the devastation of the Music Industry in Australia due to Covid and lack of support by the government, the ‘Gate Keepers’ of music and the EP.
Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for Music Festivals Australia and Music Kingdom Australia
No problems! I'm honored to be sharing my thoughts with you!
For those that haven’t heard your music before, how do you describe your sound?
Great question, I would have to say it's the spawn of electronic music, influenced by the indie electronica, the likes of ‘MGMT, Phoenix, Empire of the Sun and Passion Pit’, but it's also infused by modern pop electronic music! I also would say though, I find it hard to settle on making one specific archetype of electronic music, because I genuinely have too much fun producing multiple genres, and experimenting in the studio!
Tell us about the new independently released EP ‘Unilateral’? What can fans expect?
‘Unilateral’ shares a bunch of feel good indie electronic records which incorporates a bunch of analog synths and counter melodies, live bass guitar, distorted tom drums, clean production on the drums, guitar parts, and a bunch of soulful vocals to mix all those elements together! This EP was also quite a bit different from how I usually have worked in the past. I was living in LA before COVID for 18 months, so my music would be always made with the artist I'm working with in the studio together. Whereas now because of COVID and having to discover a new way to collaborate, we have had to do it on zoom, which I think has its pros and cons!
Unilateral Cover Art
Are any of the songs particularly special to you? Either through their lyrics and meaning or in terms of making them?
I would say ‘In My Head’ would be the most personal. Not really the lyrics necessarily, but because it is a very strong friendship between me and FATHERDUDE. Back when I just started making music as Two Can back in 2014, FATHERDUDE and I released a song titled ‘Double Edge’, at the time we both had under 500 followers each. The song Double Edge hit over a million plays on SoundCloud and really kind of solidified our careers a lot, as from that song we started getting interest from managers, labels etc. It’s awesome that 7 years later we can come up with a record from different parts of the world, and still be just as proud of it as the first song we made together!
You are known for remixes you have created of big songs, are you looking forward to the remixes that will no doubt come from your songs?
Absoluteeeeely. I find remixes such a refreshing process. It really helps the remixer tap into a fan base that maybe they wouldn’t have been exposed to previously, but it gives them a chance to really dig into their creative styles and create something completely unique to their style.
Will you tour the EP in Australia?
I don’t think so sadly. It's not that I don’t want to, but given how difficult Covid has been for the Australian Industry, I've had to make the choice to move overseas to continue a viable path in the industry. Australia has really left us behind, it's sad. It really is. My agents here had to find a new job, because there was no revenue coming in from bookings, and it really made me reflect on what I need to do to pursue music professionally, and earn a bit of money.
As has been widely reported, Australia’s Job Keeper payment may have helped many businesses, but most artists and arts workers were ineligible. Electronic music is the fifth-most-popular music genre globally, yet In Australia the career advancement options for producers like me are limited at the best of times. Covid has cut the local industry off at the knees, so the only rational response for musicians is to seek greener pastures.
A recent article in the Courier Mail (Australian music artists leave lockdown for US, Europe 8 August ’21) made the point that with no gigs at home, an exodus of fully vaccinated Australian Artists, Music Technicians and Crew is now underway as the risk of Covid recedes. Now with the just released EP Unilateral, I am planning to join that trend as soon as my US Visa is approved.
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Covid has cut the local industry off at the knees”
Do you enjoy touring or is it just part of the job?
I absolutely love touring. That being said, I can’t deny, for someone like me who is quite introverted and enjoys being in the studio, it can get a bit overwhelming. People often ask what it's like being on the road for long periods of time, and I usually tell them, it's like being hungover for a week straight, and still having to be the life of the party every day, and also sit on flights and waiting in airports all through the day. It is worth it though, to play that new record you have worked so hard on for the first time and see the reactions from the crowd!
Not only are you a successful artist in your own right, but you also own your own studio ‘Sunset Parade’. Do you find it difficult swapping the artist hat for the label owner hat?
The label is my newest endeavor I started in Lockdown. I realized since I was releasing music so often and creating new songs, why not start a label to put an official name to your self releases. I have big plans to pursue my label, when I move back to LA later this year. I want to start signing up and coming artists, give them a platform to be heard, but also give them the attention I wanted when I was younger in my career. I have signed music now with Universal (where I'm signed for publishing) Warner Australia, Sony, Virgin, EMI, Atlantic and many more, so I have had the experience of dealing with labels from both the good and bad.
Having your own label must provide an easy platform for you to release your own music with full control of its destiny, does this add an extra layer of pressure or expectation?
I find that it actually creates a lot more freedom! A very hard part of the music process, is the gatekeeping that comes from it. I'll give you an example of how it really works, so try put yourself in this position below: Firstly, you create a song that you're loving, and would love to work with a vocalist on or you sing on. You hit up some friends who are singers, and get some vocals back, you get three idea’s back and only one is great. You have to tell the others who you worked with that it isn’t great and you won’t be pursuing that idea. Once you have done that, you start mixing the vocals you got sent back and combining it with your production to make it fit. Once you have mixed it and got it ready, usually after spending around $500-$2000 for mixing, you need to get it mastered which can sometimes cost up to a few hundred dollars. Then once you have done all of that, that's when it really starts. You start sending it to labels, you start sending it to contacts you have. You start getting a bunch of rejection and that has an impact on your mood. Through all the rejection though, you get one person interested, but they want this and that changed before they will consider signing it. You do those changes and they still don’t like it. Then eventually you get it done, then once you start sending the final out which is already signed, then you have to get into the Spotify Editorial Playlists, then Triple J etc. There are so many gatekeepers when working on music, that even cutting down on one of the gatekeepers to release music, really helps the overall workflow of the process!!!
“There are so many gatekeepers when working on music”
As there would be both good and bad points in each, which role do you prefer? Artist, DJ or Producer?
Absolutely without a question, producer. I honestly never really wanted to become a DJ, I genuinely was just addicted to the studio and making music. I am a pretty introverted quiet person as is, and music was a great way for me to express myself without being the loudest guy in the room. I started producing in high school at 16 so now 10 years later, my love for it hasn’t really changed.
How did you get your start in music?
I actually was in grade 10 at school, and I was doing a subject at school called ‘Jazz Performance’ as I was a guitar fanatic. One of the assignments was to record some songs we had to learn and then get it printed to CD as a project. The in house studio engineer who was recording us, was using Logic, and I was good mates with him. I remember being fascinated by the fact you could record guitar parts with mistakes in it, and then edit them on the project and no one would know you made any mistakes lol! I asked him if he knew where I could get this program and he told me the school had one extra copy. He gave it to me illegally. Thinking back on this, he could probably lose his job over that! From then on though, that started my never ending curiosity with production!
Who do you credit as your musical influences?
I was extremely influenced by blues guitar, people like BB King, Eric Clapton were my first pieces on guitar I really mastered!
Where was your first gig? Was it a success or flop?
My first gig was in 2014 at Bendigo Star Bar, and there was 4 people there hahaha, I would say a complete flop! Funny thing though, I came back in 2017 to play to a sold out venue, so I think playing to no one was worth it for the light at the end of the tunnel.
You have worked with the who’s who of the industry including David Guetta, Martin Garrix and The Chainsmokers, who is still on your list of people you would like to Collab with?
Right now I really would like to cross musical genres, and create something completely out of the ordinary. Think like how Linkin Park and Jay Z collaborated and came up with such a good result. Obviously I'm not in either of Linkin Park or Jay Z’s genre, but combining say, electronic music with some African chant vocals or something like that, would be really cool to me. I find a lot of enjoyment in discovering unique music!
What’s been the highlight in your career so far personally? And why?
The highlight would be when we toured with Dua Lipa. It's crazy that she was only playing to a few hundred people in 2016 but in 2021 she is selling out stadiums! I think that's always going to be something I'll remember.
Who in your crew or team deserves a shout out but never gets one? And what is it they do that keeps your world turning?
This ones easy for me, for sure my publisher Smiley Cleary. He has been so helpful to navigate through the publishing world, and generally acting as a mentor in the industry to guide me to the right opportunities. Smiley is the CEO of Peppermint Blue Publishing (Universal Music Australia) where I’m signed to currently.
Where to from here for Two Can? What can we expect from you in 2022?
I will be moving back to the US on my visa, so I expect a bunch of touring next year, I have a single coming out in January on Neon Records distributed by Universal Music Australia, I also have some records I’m working on with lets just say some of the biggest pop acts in the world, who have won multiple Grammys etc! So I’m extremely excited for the future to come, and finally put Covid behind us!!!!!!
Thanks for having me Music Festivals Australia, it's been uber fun!
Interview by Michelle Symes
October 2021