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INTERVIEW: Bag Raiders

28 July 2015 | 1:12 pm | Tony Kingston

We recently had a chat to Jack Glass from Bag Raiders, ahead of their appearance at the UNDR ctrl 1st birthday party in Sydney on Saturday!

'Nairobi', 'Savannah', 'Vapour Trails', 'Waterfalls'..these are just some of the production gems you most likely have heard by BAG RAIDERS over the past 12 months.

We recently had a chat to Jack Glass from the duo, to find out what's next on their agenda, plus some of their most memorable experiences while on the international touring circuit, ahead of their appearance at the UNDR ctrl 1st Birthday party in Sydney on Saturday.

How's the travelling life going? What have been some of your favourite moments over the past few years being abroad?

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Traveling life is great! Along with studio time, it's the best part of the job for me. New people, places, food, drink, experiences. Sure there's a lot of waiting around in airports and not a lot of sleep, but it's more than balanced out by all the fun stuff. The best experiences in the last few years have been playing more and more in Asia (it's always a good time) and getting to know some cities and clubs in the US quite well, as we're playing there on the reg.

On 1st August, you will be headlining UNDR ctrl's first birthday celebration in Sydney. Are you excited to be back to play this line up heavy party for a good cause, with friends such as Tear Council & Wordlife?

Hells yeah! I actually missed our first Sydney show this tour because I was stuck in Bali with the volcano! So personally I'm psyched to do our thing in front of friends and family and to be able to do it with a whole bunch of homies in the wings is even better.

How many of your new tracks should we try and listen out for during your set?

We'll definitely drop a few. We've been road testing some brand new stuff and, of course, playing some of the new singles when the vibe is right.

Have you been recording much music overseas? Will we see a new album soon?

Yep, we have a whole bank of music saved up ready to drop. The plan is 3 EPs this year then the album at the beginning of 2016. It's been a long time between drinks but hopefully it's worth the wait!

When it comes to partying, who would you say is the most UNDR ctrl within the touring agency and who gets the most OUTTA ctrl?

Dreems is the most OUTTA ctrl, that's not even close. The most UNDR ctrl, hmm, Ima go with Jensen Interceptor because he always looks like he's got a good handle on things. That's one smooth dude right there.

You recently played your first DJ set in Texas, what was that like?

It was rad! We played in El Paso right on the Mexican border and I think a lot of our crowd were from the Mexican side (stick it up your craw Donald Trump you absolute tool). The city itself was really cool and looked amazing. The party was also super fun. Excellent vibes. Plus we slammed a huge BBQ dinner pre-show, always a good idea to "meat up" before a couple of hours of dancing and jumping around like idiots.

At the beginning of this year, you posted a stunning photo on Facebook of you DJing in Jakarta, which featured some really beautiful lighting. What was the name of the club you were playing at and can you tell us a bit more about it?

Oh yeah, that place is called Parc 19. That's our usual spot in Jakarta. We already played the opening, the 1st birthday and the 2nd birthday. They are good dudes. I hope we play all their birthdays for the next 10 years.

You seem to DJ fairly regularly in Bali. What inspires you to continue heading back there?

We go pretty much anywhere people invite us. Bali is a fun crowd, lots of Australians. It's quite different to Jakarta which is nearly 100 per cent Indo. Both are cool though. In Bali the crowd is a lot crazier but I guess playing in Jakarta feels a little more exotic.

With all of these beach visits, surely you have some new favourite cocktails? What do they consist of?

I'm not much of a cocktail man. On the beach I like to drink beer. Preferably beer that tastes like piss and you can drink 8 or 9 without cracking a sweat. Mexican beer works well here.

In October you will be bringing back your live performance at Breakfest Festival in Colombia. It has been quite a long time since you've played live. What changes have you made to the show?

Actually the first live shows are in the US in September. LA, SF and NY only. Our favourite cities in the country! That'll be a cool experience bringing that back, you're right it has been a while. We may tweak the format a little too, we'll see, watch this space! We'll then be playing in Colombia and a couple of other spots in South America in October. I mean, that's always the best fun going down there. I can't wait for that.

When can we expect the live set to return to Australia?

Well, without giving too much away I think there's a chance we could be back at the end of the year.

The two of you have been food enthusiasts for a while now. Can you please tell us a meal you're glad you tried and one you wish you hadn't throughout your overseas adventures?

We ate this guy in Vietnam the other week (below). Holy shit, look at him! That was one to remember. Eating Popeyes fried chicken at the Kuala Lumpur airport was one I'd probably rather not have again.

IMG_5102

Did you end up working out what 'Ube' meant on the back of that truck?

It's purple yam and apparently very popular in the Philippines according to our Philippino friends on Facebook.

What is something you particularly love about being back in Australia and what would you be happy with not seeing ever again?

Usually I'd say the beach, but right now it's cold as fuck! We were in the Sunshine Coast the other day and I nearly froze my balls off. I love seeing friends and family, good coffee everywhere, good food, but I'd be happy to never see another bill again, it ain't cheap here that's for sure!

BAG RAIDERS will be playing alongside Ara Koufax, Set Mo, Wordlife, Tear Council, DREEMS and many more this Saturday at OXJAM presents UNDR ctrl 1st Birthday.

Grab your tickets HERE!

Words by Tony Kingston

Top Photo Credit: Voena / UNDR Ctrl

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