From the moment we set foot at our first Trouble & Bass party, we were hooked. It was their three-year anniversary blowout at Le Poisson Rouge last September, a party that was packed to capacity with a line of people outside, hoping to get in on the madness. With the help of featured guests Skream and Benga (who crowd-surfed, much to the audience’s delight), the Trouble & Bass Crew had the crowd going from start to finish. It was a truly fantastic introduction to Trouble & Bass, a night that AC Slater remembers as “the definition of a good T&B vibe”.
Luca Venezia (Drop the Lime), started throwing parties under the Trouble & Bass moniker during his college years at Bard, but it wasn’t until 2006 that he started the incarnation of Trouble & Bass that we know today. After a six month stint in Berlin, Luca returned to New York and teamed up with Vivian Host (Star Eyes), Math Head and Zack Shadetek to fill a void in the New York City music scene. “At that time, genres like bassline, dubstep, and grime weren’t really being played in New York, especially not at the same party,” Vivian says of the musical climate of the time. Luca adds, “we started as a party in basement warehouse spots in Brooklyn and eventually progressed into a band of DJs and a label.” In 2007, Patrick Rood (The Captain) was brought on board after the departure of Math Head and Zack Shadetek, and about a year later, Aaron Clevenger (AC Slater) clicked with the crew at a gig in Brooklyn, rounding out the foursome.
Luca’s vision was “to bring the energy, the fun, and dancing back into New York nightlife.” Mission accomplished. Nearly four years later, Trouble & Bass has thrown dozens of parties that have featured massive DJs and producers from around the globe, but events are just the tip of the iceberg. Trouble & Bass also consists of a record label, has a publishing deal in the works, and an upcoming clothing line that will be produced exclusively through Mishka. Put more formally by Patrick, who counts ‘label manager’ among his many roles in the crew, “Trouble & Bass is a multi faceted company that specializes in the advancement of music through the artillery of heavy bass.”
And there you have it. Trouble & Bass has several exciting projects lined up for the summer – Supra 1 recently released their first single, “Still Believe”, and next week, 77 Klash will release his long-awaited EP, Shadow of Death, produced by Drop the Lime and AC Slater. Drop the Lime’s new single, Sex Sax, is set for a June 22 release, along with a music video produced and directed by The Captain. AC Slater’s Calm Down Trilogy EP is coming out in August, and features a double pack Serato vinyl designed by Dust La Rock (Fool’s Gold).
After the jump, read our interview with the Trouble & Bass crew, CLICK HERE for a collection of our Trouble & Bass photo galleries from the past year, and for your listening pleasure, we’ve included the Trouble & Bass crew’s collective Smashcast below (subscribe/download HERE).
Smashcast 006: Trouble & Bass Crew
Don’t miss the Trouble & Bass crew tomorrow night as they take over Canal Rubber at Santos Party House with Calvertron, Rico Tubbs, Class Actress, Dominique Unique Young and JDH (Fixed). Advance tickets HERE.
