Doc Brown’s lifetime passion for music is both unmistakable in his productions and undeniable in his performances. Having experimented with MIDI programming and sequencing as a teenager, it wasn’t until moving to Miami–and getting his hands on his first set of 1200s–that he was able to link creating electronic music in the studio to his natural ability to rock a party.
Showcasing a melodic style firmly rooted in the underground, his unique sound has crossover appeal and is demanded not only by well-informed dancefloors but international tastemakers. Doc’s bassline driven productions have come on a laundry list of notable labels: recent releases on Cube Trax, Whartone, HoTL, Insomniac & Lapsus Music have gathered industry acclaim while previous releases on Go Deeva, Mutants, Phunk Traxx, Fresco Records, Baroque and Human Garden have all scored charting positions on Beatport. After dropping an unreleased demo at Elrow in Peru, tech-house heroes Chus & Ceballos immediately signed & released Doc’s biggest tune to date “Totally” on Stereo Productions.
With an ongoing Groove Cruise residency and performances at BPM Festival & EDC under his belt, Doc can be found rocking his signature sound at pool parties from Miami to Vegas and club dates worldwide. Working tirelessly to build a reputation on talent, hard work and determination, Doc Brown has a wealth of new music on the way & is definitely one to watch in the coming months!
WWD: Hey Doc, thanks for taking the time to speak to us. For those who might not know, tell us a little about your introduction to the music industry, how did it all start out for you?
I’ve loved & played music my entire life—I actually went to college for music and worked for a record label for a few years. I always DJ’d for fun and messed around writing dance tracks, but then three things happened for me in pretty quick succession. The first was placing in the top 10 of a production competition put on by Stereo Productions and Club Space. I spent a lot of Sunday mornings at Space listening to the best DJs in the world—including Chus & Ceballos—and it was there I started to believe I could make DJing & MIDI programming more than just a hobby…so even though I didn’t win, it kinda felt like I did. Shortly thereafter, I ended up winning a DJ contest to spin on the Groove Cruise and another DJ/production competition the following year to perform at EDC. At that point, I figured it might be worth a shot to give this whole thing a go.
WWD: What’s the single biggest change you’ve seen in your time working in music, and has it been a welcome or unwelcome one?
From a DJ/producer perspective it’s just that everything has gotten so much…well…easier. As technology advances certain skills become obsolete; and we all end up being able do things we weren’t able to before. In 2019, literally anyone can be a DJ or producer—but no matter what anyone says, I just don’t see it as a bad thing. The cream of a larger crop invariably is a higher quality cream. A lower barrier to entry just means there is a lot more of everything—both good and bad— but sifting through records to find new music has always been exciting for me so the volume doesn’t really bother me all that much. There is so much good new music being released every week…I honestly love it!
WWD: What’s the biggest mistake you see young up and coming DJs and producers making?
New or old, I think the biggest mistake any artist can make is trying to be like someone else. It’s tempting to follow someone else’s blueprint for success, but if you go that route there’s no way to differentiate yourself. With that said, it’s really important to work with people that see your unique vision and realize there are long-term benefits from a partnership. It’s a longer path to do it your own way, so patience is key—it takes time to develop your artistic voice, build a fanbase, and then find the right team of people who are on board with your plan. From what I’ve seen, the people that try & rush it usually have pretty short career arcs.
WWD: Tell us about some of your upcoming releases, what should we be looking out for?
The first one to look out for would be a 3-track EP coming out on Vanilla Ace’s new WyldCard label November 15. I think it does a good job of blending accessibility with a traditional afterhours vibe, which is perfectly in line with the label—they’ve been putting out some amazing tunes! The other upcoming release that I’m super excited about is a 2-tracker on Roger Sanchez’s Undr The Radr. When writing the lead track on this one, “Need Jesus,” early on in the process I knew I wanted to get it to Roger…and whenever you have a plan and it all works out just as you dreamed up that obviously feels great.
WWD: Do you have a motto, or go to phrase that sticks in your head when you’re making music? For you, what makes it all worthwhile?
I try not to think too much when I’m writing, but increasingly I’m trying to make tracks that are more than just a DJ tool—so I’ve been asking myself, “What will people remember about this song when they leave the club?” I love spending time in the studio & I think it’s important to love the process of what you do rather than the outcome, because ultimately that’s what keeps you fulfilled. Making music has made me a better person—being forced out my comfort zone, dealing with the highs and lows but keeping a level head, setting goals and achieving them, relationship building, working tediously through problems until you find a solution—these are keys not only to making music, but life in general.
WWD: You’re a long time resident of Groove Cruise… what effect do you think having everyone in such close proximity for events like that has on the rave?
I love the intimacy of the Groove Cruise. There’s really nothing quite like it. You get this feeling like it’s one giant house party, except the people you keep passing in the hallway and sitting down to eat by are some of the biggest DJs in the world. They do a great job of booking artists who welcome this kind of interactivity so it really just takes the whole vibe to another level. Full credit due not only to the folks at Whet Travel that put it together but also to the #GCFAM; I’ve always said that the people make the party and the Groove Cruise is supremely illustrative of that.
WWD: You’re playing EDC Orlando in a few weeks, what’s your take on how the festival has managed to successfully transition from an essentially EDM focused party, to one that takes in a much wider variety of genres?
Insomniac puts on a great show. The production and lineup caliber are top notch, and the crowds are generally wide-ranging in demographic from first-time partygoers to seasoned dance music veterans. And although there used to be far less underground music at the festivals, the Factory93 brand is currently thriving and based on sheer attendance numbers is probably doing more to introduce people to underground electronic music in the United States than anything else…and exposure is always a good thing!
WWD: What’s been the biggest record in your sets this year?
Aside from my own tracks (which I tend to lean on heavily), Wheats’ “The Pressure” has been absolutely massive for me.
WWD: And who’s one underrated artist we should all be checking out?
There are so many it’s hard to choose just one, but Alex Twitchy’s name comes immediately to mind. Came on my radar with a massive tune “Will You Have” in late 2018 and has been dropping bombs all year!
WWD: Thanks Doc!