Let me introduce you to KREAP

Welcome to another interview in our section Let me 'introduce you to. From Melbourne, Australia, we bring you to KREAP!

Noizebusters: Would you mind introducing yourself to the readers and how would you describe your music?
KREAP: hi readers, i'm Ben Crea aka Kreap aka Djeep & Starplayerz (with Tony Crea) & some other aliases from so long ago i have forgotten the names(sorry)

NB: What are your influences/music background and what or who might have played a role in shaping your sound?
K: well my dad & his band were my first influences and the main reason i got into music from such a young age. I grew up with a big beatles influence and i loved the beach boys and ELO. as a kid i thought the xanadu soundtrack was incredible. I was just always very receptive to a well written melody i think and later i began to focus more on the sound and energy of certain tracks. I got into hip hop around 1984 and italo disco and electro through my uncle which made a big impression on me. I was singing on some tv commercials as a young kid and was introduced to drum machines in downtime and we got one at home as well. i was programming beats on machines around the age of 8. my dad bought me a mattel drum machine with the pads and i was really hooked on this since. I'd have to say jackie has been a big influence on me jackie over the last 5 or so years & lately guys like DJ EQ and the guys on the stardust roster. Armand Van Helden, DJ Sneak , Daft Punk, Icube, DJ Falcon, etienne de crecy, Alan Braxe, Mr Oizo & many more all are my favorite producers.

NB: Do you prefer writing original tracks or remixing and why?
K: No i dont have a preference for either. Whenever I work on a remix i feel like ive just produced a new song. Alot of what i remix is vocal based and i very rarely listen to the original version just so i can focus on the way the song flows from the melody in the vocal. Its like someone came to me with a song and played it on an acoustic guitar and asked if i can help them produce it. I enjoy being a producer in general and the only change from remixes to originals is i am a writer and producer but both have essentially the same work flow and buzz from making music.

NB: Are you involved in any other projects or do you produce music only as KREAP?
K: Yes there is the Djeep project still with my cousin Tony Crea for our old label Cosmetic Records. I'm messing around with a couple of things with Oskar from stardust records & Jackie is always one of my collaborators and occasional contributor for bits and pieces, same go's with Loop from syncdrifters (both very close friends of mine from Warsaw). I'll hopefuly be doing some collabs with DJEQ in the near future as well.

NB: What would you say is your biggest music achievement/highlight so far?
K: Its all been 1 big ass blurry messed up highlight for 20 years. I think signing a bootleg remix for foster the people for Sony and then wining that remix contest on indaba music was a double fantasy come true. kinda epic to get paid twice for 1 job. Its Bi - Winning.

NB: Who would you dream of sharing the stage with?
K: Jeannie from i dream of Jeannie......... to be quite honest i have little desire to be on a stage, i'm a studio boffin type dude and not really looking for that kind of instant reaction from a crowd. If it was all very planned and well rehearsed and easily reproduced live i would consider it. but the majority of work i do is not a live medium. It would be a bit of a lie to go out and press play on a sequencer and make a few tweaks on a synth here and there. I would like to share a stage with people who are rehearsed, on time for the sound check and ready to kick some ass.

NB: Have you always been into electronic music or did you ever play in other kind of band?
K: yeah i had desired to have a band and made some early steps to get one going but didnt really have much luck with it. i still write songs and hope to record some alternative projects to Kreap. Probably Jeff Lynne sounding stuff because i kinda lean towards his style of songwriting.

NB: What would you say is the most memorable on-stage/backstage moment and why?
K: I did some spontaneous stuff back at a club called F4 in melbourne for a new years eve gig. Backstage once i met Thomas Bangelter and chatted to him over the course of the evening watching Doc Martin dj his ass off. Homework was one of the biggest albums in the world at the time and he didnt speak much english but he tried hard to communicate. He reminded me a lot of the gentlemen i knew at the french consulate, very polite and a very cool guy.

NB: What are you currently working on? Should we expect to listen to a KREAP release during 2011-2012?
K: I'm currently remixing for Oskar's new EP , DJEQ, Faker, Makdett , Marcy Playground, Foster the People, Metric & ill have EP's for Stardust Records and Mikitasky as well. Possibly some more remixes for Sony Canada & USA and EMI Canada & Australia as well but i'm not sure of the time bracket. Depends how much sleep ill get between now and 2012....

NB: Are you signed on any label at the moment?
K: Stardust & Mikitasky are releasing my original EP's and singles. Also an e.p for a label called Punchout which is part of Homebreakin records.

NB: What other plans do you have for 2011-2012?
K: Well one exciting project will be in Toronto working with my good friend John Wozniak from Marcy Playground in his new studio. This will be very much a hybrid kind of project with us co writing and producing some songs. But there will be a string of collabs , remixes, tracks and crazy antics to follow. stay tuned!

NB: What are you listening to lately? Any tracks/artists you recommend?
 K: I'm really impressed with the new stuff stardust sent me to listen to so i recommend keeping an eye out for that. I love jackies tracks and play these often. DJEQ has lots of good music id like to mention as well. so so much. i listen to heaps of old disco,funk, soul, italo, electro , pop, rock, jazz mainly using the power of the web to discover stuff i never found in record stores here in australia or in my cousins record collection (because its so god damn big).

NB: Something else you’d like to mention and we forgot to ask?
K: not really, thanks for featuring me on your blog and all the best!

Helena Beat - Foster The People (Kreap's Disco Poison Mix) "A Fish Shell Remix" Sony Music by KREAP Jack 5's - Dancing Machine (Kreap's Vintage Redux) by KREAP Makdett - Some Lovin (Kreap's Sexy Disco Dub) by KREAP Sex & Candy - Marcy Playground (Kreap's Disco Superfly Mix) Woz Records/EMI by KREAP No Sugar - Joey Negro & Gramophonedzie (Kreap Double Disco Hammer Mix) by KREAP OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! by KREAP