ROAD TO MOVEMENT SERIES
This week’s mix by Augustus Williams is the 4th and final part of the Road to Movement 4-part series – it is my pleasure to have him on as a guest and I hope you enjoy his feature! Monday he mentioned some ways he was preparing for his Movement 2022 set, some tips for first-time festival attendees, memorable Movement moments, and some other details – check it out!
This year is a very special one for Augustus – as it is his debut festival set at the Detroit stage on Saturday from 7:30-8:30pm. Family, friends, and longtime supporters are going to be filling the space around the stage for this well-deserved moment.
Augustus is known for his punchy live techno sets, never being without his gear and Techno Snob merch. A kind soul, he has risen up in the techno scene and worked hard to get to where he is today. I am thankful to be able to have him on as a guest, and I hope you enjoy his feature!
In his interview, we talk more in depth about his involvement in Techno Snob, his musical journey, must have gear, how he reads a crowd, the recent Official Movement Pre-Party in Iowa he played at, changes he’s noticed in the scene recently, pre/post gig rituals, his dream vacation destination, his gig after Movement, and more.
His mix is live now on SoundCloud, and his Recipe by Request is also available in the Recipe tab on the site.
detroit.dance: Talk about your musical journey – where did you start and how did you get to where you are now?
Augustus: Everything that has happened to me as far as music is concerned has been all organic. I wasn’t in a band and never played any instruments, I just met some kids who were playing some records. I picked up one of their records and started playing them too and that was it. Scan 7 was the first live act that I saw in Pontiac, the first time I had ever seen someone using a drum machine. I saved up some money and picked up a couple pieces of gear and started experimenting. I ran into a lot of different producers along the way that I learned from but basically I have been all self-taught. I didn’t know anything about the music scene and never went to any of the 90s parties. I came in blindly and have just been going with the flow and doing my best.
detroit.dance: When you produce, what is your process and what gear is a must-have for you in the studio?
Augustus: That’s a tough one because I have a lot of stuff. Honestly the most efficient piece of gear for me is just a drum machine. It’s vital. The techno I go for is more on the rhythmic side and I do a lot of improv or things on the fly. I never have a thought out set most of the time. The drum machine can be played like an instrument if you use it right. It’s definitely my bread and butter. You can make beautiful music with just that. Another must have is my Elektron. I have seven of them and I use them in various combinations and different ways and swap them out.
detroit.dance: You recently played at the Official Movement Pre-Party in Iowa – how was that?
Augustus: Oh, that was great. They’re wonderful hosts out there. They have always been. The cool thing was that more than 90% of the people had Techno Snob gear on already. It was strange but also very welcoming to see everyone supporting us like that. I had a great time, Drunken King killed it, the people in the crowd were great. It was in a small about 1000 sq ft warehouse, a little sweatbox. It was in a smaller town so it was the highlight of their weekend. It felt so great to be out there playing again, I haven’t played out of Detroit very much in the last year but I’m hoping that will change.
detroit.dance: Do you have any gigs coming up after Movement that you’d like to mention?
Augustus: Yes, I’ll be playing in a live act I do with a friend of mine Aaron McKay (INDSCY4) and we go by OE812 at Tec-Troit on June 10th and 11th.
detroit.dance: What do you feed off of when you are reading the crowd at a show?
Augustus: Energy. This Movement set is going to be a little different for me though because it’s outside and a bigger space. I try to focus on what I’m doing and I don’t look at people a lot, but when I do I look at their feet and hips to see how they are moving. The other thing that’s important to me is where the previous DJ left the crowd at. You’ll catch me in the crowd 20 or 30 minutes before the other DJ is done playing to see where the vibe is going so I can calculate what I am going to continue with. How do I keep this going? How do I change it up? That’s what I pay attention to when I’m gauging a crowd.
detroit.dance: Do you have any pre/post gig rituals?
Augustus: Before I play I make sure that I eat enough. That’s it really, nothing crazy, at least not yet. Fresh socks. Kiss my son before I leave. Do a little prayer in my head. That’s about it.
detroit.dance: Talk a little bit about Techno Snob – what it is and your involvement with it.
Augustus: Techno Snob I got with in 2012, it started as a t-shirt company that Brian Reza came up with, and he asked me to wear a shirt at a set. From there, we grew a friendship and Scott Luchs joined later as a partner. We now are not only a t-shirt company but we are a hospitality service and talent/booking company. We throw shows from time to time too. I do the A&R. It’s been a really great journey with the team and I look forward to the future.
What people don’t know about the term “Techno Snob” is that it doesn’t mean you only listen to techno, it means that you are knowledgeable on the history of techno and where it came from, the roots, and the subgenres.
detroit.dance: So you’ve been DJing and making your way in the Detroit electronic music community for about 20 years now – can you describe any changes to the culture that you have seen over the years?
Augustus: In the last 5 years there’s been a lot more women coming into the scene which is cool to see. In general most women go into the house or tech house scene, but there’s been a lot coming into techno. I wasn’t used to seeing that. Shout out to all my ladies killing it. Rebecca Goldberg, RIP to K-Hand who was doing her thing too, Ariel (DJ Holographic), AZA who is also on Techno Snob, Something Blue… so many. It’s been a big and welcome change. There’s also been a lot of younger groups coming out – 5th Dimension Detroit, Warehouse Systems, the new venue Spotlite, all of these fresh things happening during the COVID pandemic within our community and it’s amazing to see. I’m looking forward to seeing how things are going to go now that things are back to full speed.
detroit.dance: What do you do for work?
Augustus: I work for Amazon.
detroit.dance: What are some hobbies that you have besides DJing?
Augustus: I love cooking, playing video games, hanging out with my son doing puzzles and painting, gardening with my mom in the summertime. Things like that. I try to spend as much time as I can with my friends because you never know what’s going to happen.
detroit.dance: What is your dream vacation destination?
Augustus: Tokyo, Japan. It’s where all the video games and technology are – I love technology. I love all their crazy foods. They have gourmet 7-11’s that are supposed to be top notch so I need to check those out.
Keep up with Augustus on his socials:
Techno Snob: