theaussieword.com catches up with Hood Rich.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry? I went to a music festival called Groovin The Moo when I was about 15 years old and was like wow…. this is the coolest thing. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do exactly, I just knew I wanted to work in the music industry. A few years later, some friends and I started throwing small outdoor parties on the beach or in the bush. Around the same time I started messing around with Ableton. I sucked at making music for a very long time and ended up working in a nightclub for a while where I’d book artists, do some graphic design and other bits. Eventually I met enough people, my music was getting better, and I finally scored a few small remixes which has kinda snowballed into everything that’s going on now.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music? It’s hard to say exactly. I guess the quest to make something that I can be really proud of and records that I can look back on in a few years and feel like I accomplished something great.
What are your biggest goals you hope to accomplish as an artist? My biggest goal is to really just have a fulfilling life in music. I’m not too concerned about being the best or having millions of streams or anything. I just love music so much that my goal is to have a life of working in the music industry. I’d love to play the festival circuit around the world or get a Beatport number one record, but those things are the most important to me.
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour? I’m currently on tour which is pretty dank! I’ll hopefully have an EP dropping before the end of the year too–I just heard back from one of my favourite labels who want to sign a couple of my records which is pretty cool.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music? Generally I write house music that’s meant for the club but with my latest record I would describe it as both a club jam and a casual listening record. I’m not really sure how to best describe my music, but I always try to make it a little weird, dark, and interesting in whatever way possible.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs? I’ll usually have an idea or direction before I hit the studio. Basically, I’ll try to get as close to that idea as possible. If I’m not feeling very inspired then I usually spend a session just making weird sounds or finding samples and saving them. These days I try to only start a song if I have some kind of idea or direction, otherwise I usually end up wasting my time and not really vibing with the track.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? Life’s a party and to have a good time.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far? I’ve had a lot of my music hero’s play my tunes lately, which has been very cool. I’ve also spent the past two years living off my music exclusively and that’s been exciting.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring? Artists that can create an entire movement behind them are very inspiring to me. The most obvious ones are people like AC Slater and Claude VonStroke.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why? I love traveling constantly and getting the chance to catch up with my friends all the time. My least favorite part would probably be juggling a work life balance. I also run a live music venue with one of my close friends so sometimes it can be really stressful to be on the road and writing music while also trying to run the venue.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists. Lo99, Stace Cadet, Double Agent, Benson, Dom Dolla, Torren Foot, Airwolf, SODF, and heaps more.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye? I think things will always be changing, and it’s really just about the ability to adapt.
How do you plan on cracking the international market? I try to make the best records I possibly can and hopefully bigger, more international labels will start paying attention and releasing my tunes.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list? Green Velvet, Shiba San, Kyle Watson, Justin Martin, German Brigante, Claude VonStroke, and heaps more!
What advice do you give for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps? Music speaks volumes and be a nice person that people want to be around.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your fans? I want to be open with my fans! Feel free to message me on social media before a show, I’m always down to catch a beer before a gig.