Mr. Bootsauce began his career back in 2014 going on to feature on labels including Viva!, Large Music, Dufflebag, Kolour and more. His infectious grooves, and retro vibes are his trademark sounds and with a brand new release on Miguel Migs’ Salted Music what better opportunity to catch up and for him to drop a guest mix?
A little weird right? Growing up, I played in various rock/cover/original bands ever since I was 12-13. I knew I wanted to explore a little more so I studied a lot of jazz since I was a huge fan of fusion music such as legends like Uzeb to Chick Corea. The 90s were a hot time for amazing new music, so when I was really deep in my teenage years, house music was ALWAYS a stone throw away, as Montreal was (and still is) incredibly diverse - it’s always been viewed as a hotbed (other than New York) for really top-shelf disco music dating all the way back in the 70s.
The underground parties and raves were really alive and kickin’ back then and I remember going to a party downtown where local hero Fred Everything was playing. The music was incredibly unique, not to mention the vibe. I was definitely hooked and I KNEW one day I would get involved with house music in some capacity. You can say that the love affair started around then. I’ve had my fair share of noodling in the genre as a producer, but it wasn’t really until about 10 years later (and relocating to Los Angeles) which gave me the push to explore more in the world of house.
First and foremost, I look out for the vibe of the records a label puts out. I’ve carefully crafted or gravitated towards a sound either in my music or my playing, so finding some of these labels were a natural progression.
A close second would be the relationship with the A&R or label owner - which most of the aforementioned labels I have a great relationship with. In this day and age, anyone can start a label even from their smartphone it seems, so the barrier to entry is fairly low. What I look out for are the quality and details of the releases. I feel it’s important if the label owner has had SOME level of pedigree from the underground, especially with this kind of music.
Montreal has a lot of selectors and producers for sure. Legends such as Fred Everything, Jojo Flores, just to name a few. So I started listening to local legends then started to explore not too far in New York with titans such as Masters at Work, Todd Terry, Kerri Chandler, Danny Tenaglia, etc. The Chicago sound soon followed with guys like Frankie Knuckles, Mike Dunn, Jesse Saunders & Terry Hunter. When I moved out west, you had a whole other sound that was interesting - from the likes of Miguel Migs, Jay-J, etc. All these guys provided some interesting perspectives in my journey into house music, thats for sure.
It’s pretty much the same. Montreal is literally a melting pot for arts and culture. A true cosmopolitan city with so much diversity. This was pretty much in my DNA growing up. Coming to Los Angeles really showed the level of how much diversity you can have, aside the fact that you have the BEST of the BEST gathering in one place. I feel like a kid in a candy store when you can find ANY kind of music on any day of the week here. Looking for an after hours on a Tuesday? I’m sure you can find it somewhere. Inspiration is literally everywhere.
Definitely more on the deep house side of things, but very much in tune with the soul/funk accents. Let’s just put it this way - if I can get someone to move/nod/bob their heads while listening to my music, I feel like I’ve done my job. I’m all about the pocket/groove.
Although I’ve played a lot of live shows as a performer (drummer), I’ve always gravitated towards being a producer. I can be the biggest nerd when it comes to gear and sound design, but I can carry a deep conversation on the importance of writing a GOOD timeless song. Which is something we’re all trying to achieve right?
However, I really do love being on stage to perform. It’s a chance to really connect with people who dig your music. To me that’s what it’s all about, but it’s important to keep the tools sharp in the studio, because in the end you’re perpetually crafting your “business card” for people to listen to and then hopefully see you perform. So yeah, I think I would see myself more as a producer, but only by a small margin. I love doing both a lot.
In light of this pandemic, I think it’s safe to say where WERE my fav places to DJ (laughs). Off the top of my head, I have to say my favorite place would be Unity, which is now a semi-regular party that me and my better half (Christi Mills) throw right in the heart of Hollywood. We used to have a weekly party for 4 years and the vibe we had week-in / week-out was something I’ll always remember. Once this pandemic is over with, we plan on throwing a few more parties, that’s for sure.
Otherwise, I can say that I’m really fortunate to have played at house meccas such as the legendary King King in Hollywood, as well as Sound, The Standard, Air Conditioned Lounge in San Diego, and many other underground locations in Southern California.
This varies, just like any producer would say. Most of my inspiration comes from listening to what some of my friends are working on. I'm fortunate to know some REALLY good producers who really push me to keep creating. Other than that, I can easily say that I have a wide range of musical preferences. I can go from rock to jazz to metal to funk. I find inspiration in every one of these genres.
I also LOVE to work on edits or re-works that I usually give away for free on my soundcloud or youtube channel. There are some tunes that I just prefer to leave alone (for example, ALL of Prince’s tunes), but there are some elements from bands that I love to incorporate in my own music. For example, on my “Do It Right” EP, 2 of the tunes “But I Know” and “If I Speak” are vocals I cut myself which are borrowed from one of my favorite bands, Faith No More. Sometimes, just a spoken word vocal inspires a whole tune to write itself - especially for house music.
I used to have a full-fledged studio in my North Hollywood home, but in recent years I’ve felt like I needed to downsize. Besides, with the advent of technology these days, you don't need MUCH to really create. Again, I know some really talented producers and top-line songwriters use their smartphone as their only tool. This was always a sign.
However, for the past 2 years, me and my girlfriend Christi jumped all-in to building a studio in a fully renovated RV so we can create on the road whether it's by the ocean or in a forest. This has been a dream from a road trip we took back in 2015, and we made it a reality in 2018. So this is where I make a lot of my music (same for Christi). The adventures are what fuel the music as well, so that’s a bonus. The setup is fairly simple as MOST of my tools are “in the box”.
Inspiration hits from all angles right? However, I really do enjoy just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks. The Maschine or the AKAI Force helps me do that. Sometimes I love to start with a sample or a chord progression and build from there. I like to sometimes challenge myself on some months where I make myself come up with an idea a day. It doesn’t matter if it’s horrible or beyond horrible. I can easily say that some of my releases have a lot of recycled parts of horrible ideas, so I always have them chronicled for later use. It’s definitely a process, but it works for me 90% of the time. However, there have been some moments when the music just writes itself. Those are magical (laughs).
Again, this was based off a Maschine jam way back in 2016 which was part of my self-inflicted “Beat challenge” where I think I had about 20 beats created that month. Some were incredibly primitive but a lot of them were barely polished so that it would give me an idea of a structure. I posted a video on Instagram from my home studio playing the track idea at the time, and a lot of people were like “Hey, what’s that track? Where can I get it?”. So that started the process for an EP where that track would be the main one.
My dear talented friend, Louis Hale, who’s a fantastic spoken word poet, listened to the track and instantly felt inspired. We scheduled for a session and he belted out these amazing spoken hooks that were perfect. He studied a lot of parts where some ad-libs would be inserted as well and he delivered it like a boss. You can easily say that the song wrote itself from there, especially when I initially heard him say “That’s That Boom” with the cadence of the track. Brilliant, and perfect for a raw sounding track like that.
The other tracks are “Step Inside”, which complements the EP’s track with it’s deep underground feel. “Right Here” was another idea I had lying around that I felt would be perfect for Salted’s sound. Really took my time to find that vocal though, but in the end, the whole EP was well rounded for a release. Hey, if a legend like Miguel Migs gave his stamp of approval, I’m running with it!
Jarred’s really great. All of his productions are top-notch and he’s got some of the best selectors playing his cuts.
This is the first time we’ve ever worked together. We vibed instantly and he really did a wonderful job on the remix for the “That’s That Boom” track. I was really honored to have him on remix duties when Miguel Migs introduced us so we can complete the EP in style.
Like the great Eddie Van Halen’s dad used to tell him in Dutch: “Keep pedaling”.
Just like anything else, you’ve got to love what you’re doing or else what’s the point, right? Art is subjective, so there’s no “right” way to do it. Sure there are some roadmaps that help any artist (myself included), but at the end of the day you have to create something that YOU feel good about. Keep practicing and getting outside your comfort zone. Change your routine if you have one. Listen to Bulgarian polka death metal if you have to. Anything that will give you another perspective. The more you have of those, the more fluid it becomes - but I think this also applies to anything in life too! (laughs)
The one that I’ve played more than others has to be “On Even Keel” which was also released on Salted back in 2017. It’s got that funky supersonic groover feel topped with the legendary Robert Owens on vocals. A close second to this would be “Say Baby” which was released on Good For You Records. I cut the vocals myself which were taken from Primus’ “Tommy The Cat”. Every time I drop that record at a club, someone always mutters “Wait, is that from a Primus tune?” (laughs).
Very grateful for EVERYTHING in my music journey so far, but in the world of house music, I can wholeheartedly say that I’ve rubbed elbows with some of the best - some of which are my influences. Having releases on labels such as Salted, Large, Dufflebag, Good For You, and many others is something I’m really proud of so far.
However, one of the proudest things I’ve done is co-create a weekly house music party called UNITY with my better half, Christi Mills (who’s also a very seasoned DJ) for 4 years right in the heart of Hollywood. In a super fast-paced town like LA, where everything is LITERALLY changing by the week, running a weekly for 2 years is considered a huge accomplishment, let alone 4 years. In those times, we had some of the best artists and legends play our event. People like Fred Everything, Colette, Terry Hunter, GIOM, Jask, Jesse Saunders and so many more.
A “full-circle” moment for me was when we booked Fred Everything in 2016. Here we were, in Los Angeles, with the first house music DJ I’ve ever experienced from my hometown, playing a party I co-created. What was even more special that night was that Queen Latifah (yes, THE Queen Latifah) came by to check out the vibes. So wild!
I’ve always loved the flawless productions from Miguel Migs. Pretty much anything that he makes sets the bar. He’s got quite an audience and he’s been so incredibly consistent - it’s amazing. Other cats I’m really enjoying listening to are Josh Butler, Chromeo, as well as Oliver, who are not exactly in the house world, but their productions have set the bar so high for me it’s unreal. I think I can easily say that their work gets me smiling every time, guaranteed. Their sonics and sheer quality of songwriting is just mind-blowing to me.
I also absolutely love what Disclosure has been putting out as well. These are guys who crossed over to the pop/radio side all by staying true to their roots and bringing in real house music into their sound. They aren’t afraid to show it either. I see this as an amazing thing since there’s STILL a lot of younger people who don’t know or appreciate where real house music came from. Kudos to them for continuing to carry the torch.
It’s been good and bad, I think. Good in the sense that I have a little more time to actually work and finish music since everyone is on lockdown. On the flipside, it’s bad because not many clubs or events are happening - but yes there are some podcasts or live streams that are keeping the dream alive. I’m just happy to see that people are still digging for music and it’s important as an artist to keep releasing music. Last I checked, everyone’s radar is still working - it’s just that some of them might be lazy to check it (laughs).
Other than traveling and staying creative in our RV studio (especially during this pandemic) I’ll always be working on new music, but I’m starting to explore some avenues of live performance nowadays. I always wanted to bring an element from my drumming into future gigs. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE to DJ, and there are many creative ways to cut records on the fly - but I really want to explore some standalone elements of electronic music so it’s more of a “show”. So we’ll see how that goes!
Other than than that I have a few remixes and edits on the way on labels such as Viva Recordings, Deep End, Candy Talk and others.
Where can people follow you?
A little weird right? Growing up, I played in various rock/cover/original bands ever since I was 12-13. I knew I wanted to explore a little more so I studied a lot of jazz since I was a huge fan of fusion music such as legends like Uzeb to Chick Corea. The 90s were a hot time for amazing new music, so when I was really deep in my teenage years, house music was ALWAYS a stone throw away, as Montreal was (and still is) incredibly diverse - it’s always been viewed as a hotbed (other than New York) for really top-shelf disco music dating all the way back in the 70s.
The underground parties and raves were really alive and kickin’ back then and I remember going to a party downtown where local hero Fred Everything was playing. The music was incredibly unique, not to mention the vibe. I was definitely hooked and I KNEW one day I would get involved with house music in some capacity. You can say that the love affair started around then. I’ve had my fair share of noodling in the genre as a producer, but it wasn’t really until about 10 years later (and relocating to Los Angeles) which gave me the push to explore more in the world of house.
First and foremost, I look out for the vibe of the records a label puts out. I’ve carefully crafted or gravitated towards a sound either in my music or my playing, so finding some of these labels were a natural progression.
A close second would be the relationship with the A&R or label owner - which most of the aforementioned labels I have a great relationship with. In this day and age, anyone can start a label even from their smartphone it seems, so the barrier to entry is fairly low. What I look out for are the quality and details of the releases. I feel it’s important if the label owner has had SOME level of pedigree from the underground, especially with this kind of music.
Montreal has a lot of selectors and producers for sure. Legends such as Fred Everything, Jojo Flores, just to name a few. So I started listening to local legends then started to explore not too far in New York with titans such as Masters at Work, Todd Terry, Kerri Chandler, Danny Tenaglia, etc. The Chicago sound soon followed with guys like Frankie Knuckles, Mike Dunn, Jesse Saunders & Terry Hunter. When I moved out west, you had a whole other sound that was interesting - from the likes of Miguel Migs, Jay-J, etc. All these guys provided some interesting perspectives in my journey into house music, thats for sure.
It’s pretty much the same. Montreal is literally a melting pot for arts and culture. A true cosmopolitan city with so much diversity. This was pretty much in my DNA growing up. Coming to Los Angeles really showed the level of how much diversity you can have, aside the fact that you have the BEST of the BEST gathering in one place. I feel like a kid in a candy store when you can find ANY kind of music on any day of the week here. Looking for an after hours on a Tuesday? I’m sure you can find it somewhere. Inspiration is literally everywhere.
Definitely more on the deep house side of things, but very much in tune with the soul/funk accents. Let’s just put it this way - if I can get someone to move/nod/bob their heads while listening to my music, I feel like I’ve done my job. I’m all about the pocket/groove.
Although I’ve played a lot of live shows as a performer (drummer), I’ve always gravitated towards being a producer. I can be the biggest nerd when it comes to gear and sound design, but I can carry a deep conversation on the importance of writing a GOOD timeless song. Which is something we’re all trying to achieve right?
However, I really do love being on stage to perform. It’s a chance to really connect with people who dig your music. To me that’s what it’s all about, but it’s important to keep the tools sharp in the studio, because in the end you’re perpetually crafting your “business card” for people to listen to and then hopefully see you perform. So yeah, I think I would see myself more as a producer, but only by a small margin. I love doing both a lot.
In light of this pandemic, I think it’s safe to say where WERE my fav places to DJ (laughs). Off the top of my head, I have to say my favorite place would be Unity, which is now a semi-regular party that me and my better half (Christi Mills) throw right in the heart of Hollywood. We used to have a weekly party for 4 years and the vibe we had week-in / week-out was something I’ll always remember. Once this pandemic is over with, we plan on throwing a few more parties, that’s for sure.
Otherwise, I can say that I’m really fortunate to have played at house meccas such as the legendary King King in Hollywood, as well as Sound, The Standard, Air Conditioned Lounge in San Diego, and many other underground locations in Southern California.
This varies, just like any producer would say. Most of my inspiration comes from listening to what some of my friends are working on. I'm fortunate to know some REALLY good producers who really push me to keep creating. Other than that, I can easily say that I have a wide range of musical preferences. I can go from rock to jazz to metal to funk. I find inspiration in every one of these genres.
I also LOVE to work on edits or re-works that I usually give away for free on my soundcloud or youtube channel. There are some tunes that I just prefer to leave alone (for example, ALL of Prince’s tunes), but there are some elements from bands that I love to incorporate in my own music. For example, on my “Do It Right” EP, 2 of the tunes “But I Know” and “If I Speak” are vocals I cut myself which are borrowed from one of my favorite bands, Faith No More. Sometimes, just a spoken word vocal inspires a whole tune to write itself - especially for house music.
I used to have a full-fledged studio in my North Hollywood home, but in recent years I’ve felt like I needed to downsize. Besides, with the advent of technology these days, you don't need MUCH to really create. Again, I know some really talented producers and top-line songwriters use their smartphone as their only tool. This was always a sign.
However, for the past 2 years, me and my girlfriend Christi jumped all-in to building a studio in a fully renovated RV so we can create on the road whether it's by the ocean or in a forest. This has been a dream from a road trip we took back in 2015, and we made it a reality in 2018. So this is where I make a lot of my music (same for Christi). The adventures are what fuel the music as well, so that’s a bonus. The setup is fairly simple as MOST of my tools are “in the box”.
Inspiration hits from all angles right? However, I really do enjoy just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks. The Maschine or the AKAI Force helps me do that. Sometimes I love to start with a sample or a chord progression and build from there. I like to sometimes challenge myself on some months where I make myself come up with an idea a day. It doesn’t matter if it’s horrible or beyond horrible. I can easily say that some of my releases have a lot of recycled parts of horrible ideas, so I always have them chronicled for later use. It’s definitely a process, but it works for me 90% of the time. However, there have been some moments when the music just writes itself. Those are magical (laughs).
Again, this was based off a Maschine jam way back in 2016 which was part of my self-inflicted “Beat challenge” where I think I had about 20 beats created that month. Some were incredibly primitive but a lot of them were barely polished so that it would give me an idea of a structure. I posted a video on Instagram from my home studio playing the track idea at the time, and a lot of people were like “Hey, what’s that track? Where can I get it?”. So that started the process for an EP where that track would be the main one.
My dear talented friend, Louis Hale, who’s a fantastic spoken word poet, listened to the track and instantly felt inspired. We scheduled for a session and he belted out these amazing spoken hooks that were perfect. He studied a lot of parts where some ad-libs would be inserted as well and he delivered it like a boss. You can easily say that the song wrote itself from there, especially when I initially heard him say “That’s That Boom” with the cadence of the track. Brilliant, and perfect for a raw sounding track like that.
The other tracks are “Step Inside”, which complements the EP’s track with it’s deep underground feel. “Right Here” was another idea I had lying around that I felt would be perfect for Salted’s sound. Really took my time to find that vocal though, but in the end, the whole EP was well rounded for a release. Hey, if a legend like Miguel Migs gave his stamp of approval, I’m running with it!
Jarred’s really great. All of his productions are top-notch and he’s got some of the best selectors playing his cuts.
This is the first time we’ve ever worked together. We vibed instantly and he really did a wonderful job on the remix for the “That’s That Boom” track. I was really honored to have him on remix duties when Miguel Migs introduced us so we can complete the EP in style.
Like the great Eddie Van Halen’s dad used to tell him in Dutch: “Keep pedaling”.
Just like anything else, you’ve got to love what you’re doing or else what’s the point, right? Art is subjective, so there’s no “right” way to do it. Sure there are some roadmaps that help any artist (myself included), but at the end of the day you have to create something that YOU feel good about. Keep practicing and getting outside your comfort zone. Change your routine if you have one. Listen to Bulgarian polka death metal if you have to. Anything that will give you another perspective. The more you have of those, the more fluid it becomes - but I think this also applies to anything in life too! (laughs)
The one that I’ve played more than others has to be “On Even Keel” which was also released on Salted back in 2017. It’s got that funky supersonic groover feel topped with the legendary Robert Owens on vocals. A close second to this would be “Say Baby” which was released on Good For You Records. I cut the vocals myself which were taken from Primus’ “Tommy The Cat”. Every time I drop that record at a club, someone always mutters “Wait, is that from a Primus tune?” (laughs).
Very grateful for EVERYTHING in my music journey so far, but in the world of house music, I can wholeheartedly say that I’ve rubbed elbows with some of the best - some of which are my influences. Having releases on labels such as Salted, Large, Dufflebag, Good For You, and many others is something I’m really proud of so far.
However, one of the proudest things I’ve done is co-create a weekly house music party called UNITY with my better half, Christi Mills (who’s also a very seasoned DJ) for 4 years right in the heart of Hollywood. In a super fast-paced town like LA, where everything is LITERALLY changing by the week, running a weekly for 2 years is considered a huge accomplishment, let alone 4 years. In those times, we had some of the best artists and legends play our event. People like Fred Everything, Colette, Terry Hunter, GIOM, Jask, Jesse Saunders and so many more.
A “full-circle” moment for me was when we booked Fred Everything in 2016. Here we were, in Los Angeles, with the first house music DJ I’ve ever experienced from my hometown, playing a party I co-created. What was even more special that night was that Queen Latifah (yes, THE Queen Latifah) came by to check out the vibes. So wild!
I’ve always loved the flawless productions from Miguel Migs. Pretty much anything that he makes sets the bar. He’s got quite an audience and he’s been so incredibly consistent - it’s amazing. Other cats I’m really enjoying listening to are Josh Butler, Chromeo, as well as Oliver, who are not exactly in the house world, but their productions have set the bar so high for me it’s unreal. I think I can easily say that their work gets me smiling every time, guaranteed. Their sonics and sheer quality of songwriting is just mind-blowing to me.
I also absolutely love what Disclosure has been putting out as well. These are guys who crossed over to the pop/radio side all by staying true to their roots and bringing in real house music into their sound. They aren’t afraid to show it either. I see this as an amazing thing since there’s STILL a lot of younger people who don’t know or appreciate where real house music came from. Kudos to them for continuing to carry the torch.
It’s been good and bad, I think. Good in the sense that I have a little more time to actually work and finish music since everyone is on lockdown. On the flipside, it’s bad because not many clubs or events are happening - but yes there are some podcasts or live streams that are keeping the dream alive. I’m just happy to see that people are still digging for music and it’s important as an artist to keep releasing music. Last I checked, everyone’s radar is still working - it’s just that some of them might be lazy to check it (laughs).
Other than traveling and staying creative in our RV studio (especially during this pandemic) I’ll always be working on new music, but I’m starting to explore some avenues of live performance nowadays. I always wanted to bring an element from my drumming into future gigs. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE to DJ, and there are many creative ways to cut records on the fly - but I really want to explore some standalone elements of electronic music so it’s more of a “show”. So we’ll see how that goes!
Other than than that I have a few remixes and edits on the way on labels such as Viva Recordings, Deep End, Candy Talk and others.
Where can people follow you?