Sat 27 Jan 2007 In: Hall of Fame View at Wayback View at NDHA
Karl Moser Karl Moser has been an Auckland LGBT event disc-spinner for over a decade, and now Karl, 40, is back on Ponsonby Road doing the job he's addicted to. How long have you been DJing, and how did you get started? Over 20 years now. I started in commercial radio as a DJ and studio engineer, and spent ten years there. Along the way I discovered dance music and started writing house tracks, which naturally led to DJing in bars, clubs and dance parties. After 10 years I gave up radio, but am so addicted to producing and djing I don't think I'll ever be able to give it up. What do you enjoy most about DJing? A good proportion of my set is tracks I've made in the studio and it's a really satisfying feeling to have an idea in your head, work hard on it, and then see an audience's reaction to it on a dance floor… scary but satisfying. Knowing that a significant part of a person having a ‘great night' can be attributed to what you play is a huge responsibility, but a very fulfilling one. How's Witch bar going? Witch is going very well. I'm lucky to be working with two of the best DJ's in town, Becs Robinson is fantastic on Thursday nights, I do my thing on Fridays, and Sam Holloway steps in on Saturdays. The staff are a real pleasure to work with and our regulars are a happy friendly, and very attractive bunch… I'm loving it there to be honest - can you tell? Ha ha! Any more DJing gigs lined up for the near future? Loved your sounds at the Jack party! Well thanks… I loved playing at the Jack party. What a great crowd. Next big gig for me is Wigs on the Waterfront (Sunday 4th February), which I'm really looking forward to. Fun in the sun with the whole Whanau. Can't wait. More is in the wings but I can't say anything yet… I'll keep you informed though! What kind of music do you play? I have several styles I make and play, but they all loosely fall under the banner of house music. Some of it is really vocal, some very tribal drummy, some techno, some electro, and in the case of Witch - jazzy smooth sophisticated house. I play depending on the event and the time of night and crowd etc… The set I play 10pm at Witch is not necessarily the same as I'd play at 5 in the morning at a dance party. I'm heavily influenced by funk, soul, disco, and tribal and techno so that gives some indication of my “sound” What's your background? Are you an Aucklander by birth? I was born in Whangarei so started out a small town boy. I moved to Auckland in the late 80s, so I now feel more like an aucklander than anything. Mum was an opera singer so music has been there since I was a wee baby, before in fact. When did you come out as gay, and what was it like for you at the time? I came out in the mid 80's right around the time of law reform. It was a scary yet exhilarating time. There was a unity of spirit and purpose in the gay world then that I haven't seen much since. I went from feeling like the only gay in the village (to me at least) to feeling part of a large activist family. I was an Alfies boy. Bevan Keys, Steven Green, and Alex Taylor were all djing at our bars and clubs, so the music was excellent… And then just as we were getting used to our new found freedom along came HIV… so yes a very interesting time to come out really. What do you think is the most pressing issue currently facing the NZ GLBT population? HIV…Apathy…Becoming Boring… that's 3…if I had to pick one…HIV. What's your relationship status? Single…but taking applications from likely suitors :-) Favourite TV programmes? Top Gear (cars), West Wing, Commander In Chief (politics), Ugly Betty is good. And Extreme Makeover Home Edition… I always get a tear in my eye! Favourite movies? Maestro, The Unusual Suspects, Hang the DJ Favourite websites? YouTube, MySpace, GayNZ.com (of course), TradeMe (I'm addicted) and various DJ/producer resource sites… Who in the world (including NZ) would you most like to have dinner with and why? Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan. Two gay men credited with inventing what is now known as house music in the first nightclubs in the mid/late 70's. I'd want to know from their perspective how it all came about and what they think about it all now. If you could have one wish granted what would it be? To live forever and win a Grammy. Oh, and world Peace! GayNZ.com - 27th January 2007