Hamilton based drum and bass act, MACE, tells us about his passion and balancing being a student while opening for world-class acts like Alix Perez.
Who are you and what do you do?
So, I'm Mace and I am a Drum and Bass Artist who is situated in Hamilton, NZ. What that entails is a lot of music production and playing out at shows for the masses who enjoy the music.
How long have you been DJ’ing?
I'm unsure exactly when I began DJing but I started just after the first lockdown back in 2020, sold my old computer and my PS4 so I could afford my first piece of equipment which was a Traktor s3 4 channel mixer and that I guess got the ball rolling. In terms of production, I've been doing that since July 2021.
The thing that sticks out to me when you perform is your smile. Tell me about the passion you feel when on stage.
Oh man, the love I have for being able to do what I do is mental. Being able to perform at shows and not only play music you love, but also music from your friends and yourself is just wicked. Being able to showcase your creative endeavours and the result of all that hard work is the ultimate satisfaction and I'm sure any artist will say the same thing.
What was your favourite gig you’ve played at?
My favourite gig has got to be my most recent show [opening for Alix Perez]. The reason is that these shows were where my style had really come into its own embodiment of me. I was also fortunate enough to play a lot of fresh music out and have a few unreleased bits from some peers that I really look up to in the scene, which is always a cool aspect. I'll never forget how fun my first ever gig was though, just having so many of mates there to support that first step into the career and to be able to play a show for the first ever time and be overwhelmed with emotions is something i'll never forget; and hopefully something that I will be able to experience again.
Was there a moment you decided to take DJ more seriously?
I think from the get go I realised that this is what I wanted to do, I think it was always there deep in the subconscious and it wasn't until I really began DJ'ing that it showed itself, i think it's because as a kid i've always had this need to be good at things and take things seriously, obviously for fun reasons too, i was never that try hard kid in cross country training or anything, i just always hyper fixated on things that drew my attention. The moment that really stands out to me, that I guess solidified it entirely, was the Shogun Audio show in Hamilton a couple weeks ago, I was extremely fortunate enough to be able to hang out and connect with Pola and Bryson, Monroe, Duskee, and Pete the label manger. This experience gave me a lot of confidence and showed me that the people I'll end up sharing stages with, are some of the most humble and down to earth individuals I'll ever meet. And I think that really drove it home that this is what I wanted in life.
How do you balance your passion and being a full-time student?
I'm still trying to figure that out, and I think that's the beauty in it. I've recently changed degrees to a philosophy major which has helped immensely, although it's hard, the workload is a lot less than that of a science degree and a lot more fun. The change also gave me a restructure of self, helping to break a lot of boundaries in terms of anxiety and stress around education and learning. Helping to understand perspective, opinions and what goes on in the mind, has slotted itself in nicely with making music and the philosophies that surround that field.
What is your dream festival to play at?
Gotta be Boomtown in the UK, I recently saw videos of Alix Perez’s set and the estimate was that about 50000 + people were in attendance for the set and I think that would be one of the most insane experiences any Drum and Bass artist would hope for.
Tell me about some of the struggles you have faced putting yourself out there?
One struggle is the admin that social media has, sadly the expectation is to have a bomb insta page with videos of gigs and dope photos, but in order to succeed in getting it out to the masses, you need to be zoned in all the time, and the tax that it can have on mental health is not exactly ideal. In terms of physical struggles, I haven't faced anything directly, I'm sure there's people out there chatting nonsense to their friends about some aspect of my career that they have a problem with and I'm completely fine with that, because I'll never hear it. All I know is that I work hard and keep my eyes fixed on what I need to do.
Who has inspired you to be yourself and stay true to your truth?
Gotta be Alix Perez. That man is the embodiment of sticking to your art and do what you as an individual enjoy, and it's shown in every body of work he has produced. He will never not inspire me to be great.
What do you want to see more of in the youth of New Zealand?
Don’t feel forced to stick to the normal customs that society has laid down for you, i.e. University.
Don’t feel like you have to impress your parents, because they'll always understand and be proud of you, if there is something to show for it.
Do what makes you happy, if you don't like that average supermarket job, leave. Find something that you are driven by, moved emotionally by, something that you'll sacrifice everyone you know for and go get it.
Stay true to yourself, the sadness I see is that there isn't enough people staying true to themselves, but i guess for a society to function the way it does, we need those types of people, so that the artists and the ones with the drive to go against the grain can shine, because the rock in the middle of flowing river is also noticed.
Why will you be successful?
I have no other option. I currently work at an office job and it drains me. I feel that if I got a job doing something like that for my whole life, I'll never be able to be happy, and that to me is paramount in my life. I think this is what plays into my ultimate fear of succumbing to a normal life. I understand that some people really enjoy that, but for me personally I just can't do it. I have finally found something that I truly love and I will never let it go until I'm considered in the conversations with the likes of Alix Perez, and even then I won't stop because this is all I have.
What has been the greatest piece of advice you’ve received?
Not so much advice but rather a shift in perspective was when Alix Perez told me that he still hasn't reached his peak. And that to me at the time was incredibly baffling because in my eyes he is Greatest Of All Time, so to hear him say that was confusing at the time. But now, one year on, I finally understand what he means, your peak is an unobtainable thing in both art and in life, and that ambiguity is a large factor in my drive.
What is your message to everybody else who has not started towards their dreams?
Do it. You are the only person in the way of succeeding, everyone you admire has done it and they are just as human as you, who started the exact same way as you. Use whatever is stopping you as a driving factor, and show everyone who doubted you that they were wrong. Don't be that person who grows old and regrets the choices that lead you away from what you wanted. Be the person who grows old and enjoys every single second of their experiences, because the right path was chosen. And don't give a f*** what people think about your choice.
What is the quote of the day?
This is a section of a conversation from the movie Whiplash and it really opened my eyes to what being great meant to me.
“Is there a line where you go too far and you discourage the next Charlie Parker from ever becoming the next Charlie Parker?”
“No, because the next Charlie Parker will never be discouraged”.
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