When the Coronavirus shut us down, clubs and festivals ceased, and everyone was essentially forced inside with no definitive end in sight, DJ Times wondered: How is our tribe coping? How are DJs getting by?
So, we sent out our “Coronavirus Questionnaire” to DJ/producers from all musical genres to find out. During this period, DJ Times will continue presenting the questionnaire responses from talented music-makers from all over the world. Here’s our latest entry, this time from L.A., the British bass producer, Tisoki (aka Brandon Edwards).
Tisoki, Los Angeles, Calif., Monstercat
How did you spend most of your pandemic time? Working on my debut album. I figured, since shows are non-existent, I could really focus on the music I actually wanted to make, as opposed to pleasing a dance-oriented crowd. I’ve also taken on a few different projects for other artists to help bring their vision to life.
Have things changed over time? Honestly, when I wasn’t on the road touring like every week, I would spend the majority of my time at home anyway, so aside from not touring, things have kinda stayed the same, obviously with the addition of wearing masks and being safe in public.
Did you lose important gigs, or income-producing work? Unfortunately, I lost the second half of my solo USA headline tour. I’ve been touring full-time for near a decade, but 2020 was the year we decided to do our own headline run and it was cut directly in half. I think one of the most important things you gotta do in that situation is just re-evaluate everything else you’re doing, especially since the smoke of constant travel and social interaction has dissipated.
Are you doing anything now that can or will produce music-related income? Have you learned anything in the downtime? For the entire length of my career, I’ve made sure to not solely rely on one income source, whether that be touring, ghost-production, streaming revenue, sync/publishing, remix fees, sample packs, etc. I think the pandemic just made me shift my focus from touring to these other aspects even more. The whole situation just reiterated the fact that none of us should rely on anything, but thankfully, I haven’t really been too affected due to the stoppage of touring.
What are you doing now that’s ultimately constructive to your music life/career? For example, any releases during this period? I’ve made sure to be a bit more active on social media. That was definitely something I had neglected before, whilst being swept up in a busy tour schedule. Along with working on the album, I’ve been trying to learn new nerdy production stuff to just better my overall craft. Recent releases include “Rolls Royce,” a collab with Grabbitz on Monstercat, “Promise,” featuring Lil Lotus on Dim Mak, and “Taking Over,” a collab with Bear Grillz featuring Sam Nelson on Dim Mak.
What’s in your studio? I keep it pretty simple. It’s just a standard rackmount desk, a pair of Barefoot speakers, a KOMPLETE MIDI keyboard, Apollo Twin interface and a Dyson air purifier – no more stuffy noses!
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve realized during this period of social distancing? I realized how much I dislike random people being close to me. Having personal space – pandemic aside – was always a big social lust for me and, honestly, I wish the six-feet-apart thing stays forever. I also realized that hand sanitizer should always be available everywhere as much as it currently is. The world is dirty out there.
Have you done anything online recently? A few things here and there, but I’ve tried to keep it to a minimum not to burn out. I’ve done a few live-streams with promoters/companies I really respect and trust, and I’ve seen a lot of others get into Patreon/Twitch. But that just isn’t for me. Huge respect to anyone doing that, though.
Any advice on staying sane & relatively positive through this situation? Just to remember that whatever is going on in the outside world, the second you get home and close your door, you can make your life be whatever you want it to be. There’s so much media scare, and watching the news or reading things on social media is terrifying. But I think people need to realize that if you need a break from the buzz of everything, then it shouldn’t be frowned upon and, ultimately, it’s your own life, you can do whatever you want.
To check out more Life in Lockdown interviews, click here.
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