RENDRD Radar: Rapid Fire with Bass Legacy

We connected with local bass music producer Bass Legacy, otherwise known as Dan O’Brien, for 10 quick-fire questions about life outside of DJing, , with great advice on where you should head for those late-night Vancouver munchies. Read the full interview below:

RENDRD: How did you end up living in Kitsilano?

Dan: I'm from Vancouver originally. I’ve never really moved around at all so I’m one of those rare, born-and-raised Vancouverites.

What got you into producing your own music?

When I was DJing, I would love to mash a few different songs up to really get the crowd hyped. Using that as a base, I posted those mashups on Soundcloud and started to hear them [being played out] in other DJ’s sets. Understanding that idea of what the crowd wanted inspired me to pick up Logic and produce, mainly trap and bass house at first. Now I’ve settled into Ableton and try to make a whole range of tunes, from experiment trap to 90’s style hip hop.

What would you call your music?

It's a mix of LOTS of heavy bass, a sprinkle of complex percussion, melodic grooves along with a few twists and turns to really get the dancefloor moving.

First concert?

It was the Vans Warped Tour @ Thunderbird Stadium [Shoutout UBC!]. Super impulsive, just saw it in the paper one day, thought it would be something to do, and made my way there. It turned out to be super fun - even though I wasn’t that into the Warped Tour style. What it did was give me the idea of how the energy of music can really get people going.

What shows on Netflix are you watching lately?

Black Mirror at the moment, as well as - not on Netflix but still a killer show - Westworld. Both of those shows with give you a mind-bending perspective on the world. In general, I really enjoy being surprised by a great plot twist and these shows definitely provide that.

What’s one crazy, non-music related talent you have that people might not know?

It’s not super crazy, but I was a natural athlete when I was younger. I played baseball for 10 years and soccer for around 9 years, also training in fencing and badminton.

One of your worst DJ shows you’ve ever had?

It has to be at Lola’s Bar in Kits. I just played that tune by Flux Pavilion, Bass Cannon, and it shook the place so hard that the glasses behind the bar fell off. So the manager of the club made me go back there and pick them up. Instead of DJing, I was picking up broken glass off a dirty wet floor - and I didn’t even get paid for that gig!

Favourite Vancouver place to satisfy a late-night snack craving?

Due to the sheer number of times I’ve been there after clubbing, it has to be Fire Pizza on Commercial. Used to be the go-to after a hard night out - a large glass of water and 2 slices of meat lovers :)

After 7 years of working on music and performing, do you have any advice for someone starting their own career in music or the arts?

Go out often, since you never know when the connections will be made. And put in the time and effort to create original productions. It's always better to play out your own stuff then other folks, and it feels amazing to see the crowd go wild over something you put your heart into.

Any upcoming shows that we should be watching out for?

No shows, but the production just wrapped for a commercial that I did the music for - it should be out around Christmas time so keep your ears open! If you contact my manager Chris (searamanagement@gmail.com ) I’m accepting bookings for shows. And for any producers interested in collaborating, definitely send me a message through social media or Soundcloud. In the meantime, I’ll going to keep focusing my time in the studio and getting better at making original productions. Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a great day!

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