Ryan was a special guest DJ on Riders of the Plastic Groove –Orange County’s longest-running electronic music show— on KUCI 88.9 fm in Irvine. After his set, he stepped into the studio to have a chat with Gary Liu AKA DJ Membraneous B. Sausage. The following is a transcription of their interview from a cassette recording that was later shared on YouTube. Scroll down for the video.
Membraneous: You’re listening to the show that we refer to as Riders of the Plastic Groove, but tonight we get another special edition as it is the Membraneous B. Sausage Sneak Attack. I am your host, Membranous, and my side right now is Mr. Ryan Lum. He is the DJ that you just heard spinning for approximately the last hour and 15 minutes or so. In addition that, he is also a member of the band Love Spirals Downwards, who record for the Projekt Record label. Why don’t you say a few word for us?
Ryan: Yo! What’s up? Hey, you listening G, out there in HB? You better be! He didn’t come down tonight, sick boy. [Referring to Daniel Bremmer aka DJ 9-5 Superspy]
Membraneous: Thanks for coming down, by the way.
Ryan: Oh, thanks, Gary.
Membraneous: Playing for us, it’s been really fun. It’s been a good set, just wanted to express that sentiment real quick.
Ryan: This is fun. Like, you know, it was cool! I wish more people were around to dance, it’s cool.
Membraneous: Yeah, it’s just us dancing by ourselves here.
Ryan: It’s just me, dancing by myself!
Membraneous: Doing cartwheels in the studio and whatnot.
Ryan: I was spinning on my back, did you see that? I got about eight revolutions at one time.
Membraneous: Yeah, I saw that. I saw he did a flip while he was in the middle of a mix, but like, you all in radio land didn’t get the privilege of seeing that happen unfortunately.
Ryan: Yeah, I’m 6’5”, so it was quite a sight.
Membraneous: Now as we mentioned, you are — of course — one of two members of Love Spirals Downwards, the other being, uh, vocalist Suzanne Perry. You two have been working together for a number of years, right?
Ryan: Yeah.
Membraneous: How long would you say?
Ryan: Since ’91, that’s when we started recording our first album. We’re on our fourth now, it’s called Flux, and if Gary didn’t mention, it’s on Projekt — our label — and it’s in all stores.
Membraneous: I think I mentioned it about three times, actually.
Ryan: And we’re called Love Spirals Downwards, too, in case he didn’t mention that.
Membraneous: On Projekt. Flux. (Giggles) Um, this album seems to mark a little bit of a new direction for you, uh… Seems a little more electronically influenced, in particular drum and base styles of music come into play. When did you start being more influence by that style of music — or electronic music in general?
Ryan: I was always — I mean, not ‘always’ — but for the whole decade of the nineties I’ve been going to, you know, electronic tech clubs,I don’t wanna call them raves, but you know, stuff like that. I’m used to house, trance, all that — even though it’s not my fave, definitely not my fave — but you know when I first heard drum n bass, I dunno, it was when LTJ Bukem’s Logical Progressions 1 came out, I guess it was 3 years ago or so– that was a life changing CD. I dunno… It kinda ended our shoegazer sound we had, that Slowdive, Cocteau Twins thing that we had on our previous album, Ever, For this latest album, Flux, its pretty much a drum n bass, sort of at time downtempo, record. It’s all pop though, it’s got vocals, guitar, but it’s very inspired by drum n bass music.
Membraneous: Well, it seems to me that music itself has changed in that kinda direction. If you look at it, the whole shoegazer scene has kinda faded away and like, drum and bass is being brought to the forefront, so you guys are just on top of it, it seems like.
Ryan: Right on!
Membraneous: Did you get an interesting reaction to this shift? Did anyone seem surprised by it?
Ryan: I was surprised by how few people seemed shocked by it! I guess people that liked our sound before –if they truly liked it– they liked our new sound, too. It still has all the mood and feeling as our old music does, it just has more drums, so as long as you’re not beatophobic — and there are those out there, trust me, I’ve met a few people who just can’t like our album because of the beats. They said, ‘Just get rid of the drums and I’ll like it,’ and I go, ‘It’ll be really boring then!’ So, assuming you’re not the beatophobic type, yeah, most people have gone along with it. I’m surprised by how many people think it’s our best record. I think it’s our best record.
Membraneous: That’s a good thing. Yeah, we played a track off it earlier, and before the night it out we’ll play another track off that soy all can get a feel for it out there, and go running to your local music distributor and go ahead and snag that right up!If I may ask, how long have you been DJing?
Ryan: Not long, actually. It’s something I just started last year. I’ve always wanted to, I finally said, ‘I’m just gonna do it!” Ya know?’
Membraneous: Right.
Ryan: It’s cool to go from music into DJing. Usually you see it the other way around with DJs making music. I think it’s cool to already know about music, how to make music, how to play instruments, you know? Something DJs usually don’t know how to do. They just sample most of the time — there is exceptions — I think it’s cool to go from a music standpoint and then go over to DJing. It’s easier, too, I think. DJing is not quite as tough as making an album.
Membraneous: So coming in as a musician to DJing is a less jarring transition?
Ryan: Yeah, fewer things to learn. I mean, it is a really skillful art. I respect people who do it well and I’m still learning a lot.
Membraneous: Aren’t we all? We’ll always be learning, it’s an endless thing.
Ryan: That’s one reason why I wanted to do it. It’s something that I did’t do before, there’s a lot to learn, and it’s cool Im experiencing music in ways I wasn’t able to before, so it’s been a good thing.
Membraneous: Its a big jamboree, all around. I want to thank you, once again for coming down and playing with us. I’t’s been a very fun evening.
Ryan: I’ve had fun, too. Thanks Gary, I’m glad you asked me to come down, and thank you — and thank KUCI — for all the support they’ve given us for our album, Flux.
Membraneous: Kudos, all around! Is there a particular track you want me play off the album now?
Ryan: Let’s see… Let’s go for… God, this is always so tough, because I like the whole album, you know?
Membraneous: Of course!
Ryan: Let’s go for an instrumental. Track 5, “Nova.” This is a good mix of my Bukem influence and my, um, shoegazer guitar thing, so that’s why I like this one a lot.
You can listen to the audio interview via YouTube: