The Forum Sydney - What's On

SURGEON

Saturday 23rd of October 2010
On Saturday October 23rd legendary British Techno producer, SURGEON makes his first appearance on Australian soil in 10 years.Surgeon is without doubt one of the biggest names in international techno. In the 10 years since his last visit to Australia Surgeon has not only cemented his place as one of global techno’s elite but has also developed as one of the true innovators of electronic dance music. With a spectacular catalogue of releases, remixes and collaborations, Surgeon has consistently reinvented and redefined the terrain of techno music, perhaps best articulated in his recent DJ mix for the FABRIC series. Commenting on the broad range of musical styles in the Fabric mix, Surgeon states, "To me, this is all techno. That’s the way I think of it; I don’t subdivide genres, the beats are just slightly different places in the bar. They all have different feels and textures, but I don’t differentiate. I just like all this music, so I want to mix it together."On Saturday October 23rd, this prolific DJ, producer and musical visionary returns to play Sydney’s premier club night for innovative and forward thinking music, INDEX. With support from local innovators SUB BASS SNARL, BIZ and VICTIM, you can be assured a night of amazing music from the past and present will be delivered. The Forum has been handpicked for this event and extra special attention will be given to the already massive sound system by our resident bass technician Paul Hijack. Global opinion has it that to witness a Surgeon’s live performance is a must for any dance music enthusiast. It is an extremely rare opportunity to get it in our own city. Don’t miss out.Surgeon BiographySurgeon is a true artist at heart with an echoing passion for the collective culture of techno music. Nowadays, electronic artists tend to retreat into a stylistic corner but not Surgeon, he dares to draw the bigger picture. After releasing outstanding productions on such renowned labels as Tresor, Counterbalance and Warp Records, Surgeon has established a significant presence as a DJ, writer and producer. Yet, it’s not easy to categorize Surgeon because he’s a unique and special artist who sets out to not only achieve greatness, but does so in the humblest fashion.A native of Northamptonshire England, Surgeon (aka Anthony Child) was exposed from an early age to the UK’s rich variety of electronic musical influences, and from this early age, he responded. In fact, his entrée into techno was found in his father’s room listening to Japanese composer, Isao Tomita’s version of Debussy and music by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.A significant relocation to Birmingham in 1989 to study audio-visual design marked the beginning of Surgeon’s personal evolution into becoming what he was meant to be. He played in a jazz/rock/fusion band called Blim, and learned to DJ from friend Paul Damage. An avid opportunist, Surgeon and some friends pioneered the opening of Birmingham’s first techno club (House of God) at the beginning of 1993. After paying his DJ'ing dues at House of God, Surgeon’s desire to be a part of the electronic music world grew into a pressing desire to produce and write. Surgeon's entry into production was also noteworthy; urged on by producer Mick Harris (Child is a fan of Harris' Scorn project), the former Napalm Death drummer locked Child in his tiny studio, imploring him to "go mad." The result, the eponymous debut EP, was released on Downwards Records.That same year, Surgeon met Karl O’Connor (aka Regis) in Birmingham and in doing so discovered a worthy collaborator. In 2001, they formed an indelible duo as, the British Murder Boys (BMB) project. BMB sustained working together for over 12 years and rightfully achieved disrupting the traditional techno genre meanwhile heavily influencing the 90’s British electronic music scene. Together, they experimented, took risks, and defined the word “progress” by moving techno music into new dimensions.Surgeon’s individual work is reflective of this same distinguishable style. As a complement to his production work, he’s also an in-demand DJ with a busy work schedule spread across Europe, the United States Brazil and Japan. And he’s noted forbeing one of the first DJs to use Ableton Live and Final Scratch for his sets. It’s clear; Surgeon is intrepid wearing his own shoes meanwhile approaching the life of an artist with an avid dose of humility. Possibly, this can be the answer to his evident success.When he steps into studio to write a new track, create a remix, or assemble tracks for a set, his formula is to work in a pure and focused state of mind. He creates an imaginary bubble around himself to be faced directly into the music. This focused and aware state of mind is the only way Surgeon knows how to make music.Further evidence of Surgeon’s multi-dimensional production skills can be seen on his ambitious collective of remixes. By evoking unconventional techno framework, Anthony has remixed luminaries such as: Dave Clarke, The Advent, Luke Slater, Thom Yorke, Mogwai, Faust, Coil, Matmos and The Maccabees etc. His unique interpretation of these tracks rapidly propels his music into a distinct recognizable sound.Since Surgeon’s initial introduction with his 1994 release, “Magneze,” he continues to use techno as a vehicle to carry an artistic message. Oblivious to current trends (although often helping to set them), his work continues to be deep and expressive but still carries through in a club environment.Surgeon has ventured into new waters, collaborating with Ben Sims to create the Frequency 7 project. The two mystic, imaginary individuals, merged together to create something special. They mix, DJ and create intriguing sounds. Surgeon sees his future in dance music with collaborations with other talented artists and at this pivotal moment in his career, the timing of Frequency 7 couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time. Hence, Surgeon forges onward into the electronic music universe in his writing and remixing productions and DJ’ing. His tracks and remixes are humble, effective and elegant. His music clearly represents a high-quality outlet for avant-garde productions,collaborations and highly anticipated DJ sets. Surgeon’s music is about sharing art, inspiration and creativity.www.dj-surgeon.comwww.discogs.com/artist/Surgeon