Subscribe
AN INTERVIEW WITH BRYAN BURTON-LEWIS, WHO STILL WON’T ANSWER WHAT WE’RE SUPPOSED TO DO BETWEEN 5 AND 10AM
Bryan Burton-Lewis
Who dreamed up with the idea that we needed an All-Night Fuji? And who envisioned that the dance party might possibly carry on past 5am – albeit after an inexplicable 5-hour break – in a distant, mountaintop field at an FRF extension known as Daydreaming? What originally put me on the track of Bryan Burton-Lewis was Tokyo’s red hot electro duo Dexpistols, the team of DJs Daruma and Maar, who, having blown up over the last few years in the Tokyo scene and on Fujirock stages are now getting major international props, the latest of which is headlining The Fader’s “Asia” mixtape (download it free!!!), just released last week. Within the last year, Burton-Lewis convinced Dex to go indie and help him found the Roc Trax Crew, which meant luring them away from major label BMG. But that’s just a little bit of what he’s been up to. Get the rest, including the inside story on Fujirock’s all-night party scene, in our following chat via that network of electronic chips, resistors and cables better known as the Internet:
Q: This is not the first time you’ve been involved with acts and programming at Fujirock. What have you done before, and how is this year going to be different for you?
Bryan Burton-Lewis: I’ve been involved with Fuji Rock from the start (97) when I was organizing all the interpreters for all the artists as well as hosting the official Fuji Rock radio show Mega Rock for FM 802. I then moved on to MC’ing for the Fuji Rock stages, hosting the documentaries, and finally organizing All Night Fuji & Day Dreaming. This year I will be hosting the Fuji TV live broadcast from the site as well as handling my stages and performances of the artists that my company Third Culture manages. I’ve never missed a Fuji Rock!
This year I will host the Fuji TV live TV broad cast every night from the site. I will also organize the All Night Fuji show which I’m really excited about because last years event got canceled due to heavy rains. I’m also responsible for Day Dreaming which is always very chill and fun. On another note, I produce the “Fuji Rock Star” t-shirts witch have tuned into a bit of a collectors item.
In general, I’m really busy every year but that’s the way I like it. Fuji is all about burning the candle form both ends. Every year is a totally new trip for me and I’m always happy to be involved with as much as possible.
Q: Right now, there’s a Saturday late-night set at the Red Marquee listed as “Dexpistols & Roc Trax Crew featuring Zeebra and more.” Who aside from Dexpistols is going to appear in this set? (I mean, Roc Trax Crew has at least 9 acts, they can’t all possibly play in an hour-long set, can they?)
BBL: The Roc Trax Crew will be Dex, Gaines, and M.S.K. on the Tribal Circus stage [i.e. Saturday night in the Red Marquee], MYSS on the All Night Fuji stage [on Friday].
Q: OK, so generally speaking, what can we expect?
BBL: This show is going to be the first ever live performance for the Dexpistols, opening a whole new chapter in their carrier. The show will feature 9 hip-hop rappers on stage including Zeebra, Mr Q, Dabo, Big-O and more! What to expect? Total madness!
DEXPISTOLS: DJs Maar and Daruma
Q: What has Dexpistols been up to since last Fujirock?
BBL: The Dexpistols launched the Roc Trax label and clothing line through Third Culture. We have released 4 CD’s (Lesson 6, M.S.K., MYSS, Re-mixes) this year and are working on a brand new project with Avex at the moment. The first single features Zeebra and will be release in July.
Q: These days are Daruma and/or Maar particularly obsessing over any video games, movies, manga, teen idols, etc?
BBL: You would have to ask them, but I think their glued to the World Cup right now…
Q: I previewed M.S.K.’s debut album online not long after it came out in January (because you can’t buy it where i live). Anyway, I thought it was awesome. Why doesn’t he have a Wikipedia page yet?
BBL: Haven’t gotten around to it. Why don’t you make one for us? (lol) We need all the help we can get!
Q: How did Daydreaming come about? And what are people supposed to do between 5am when Palace of Wonder and Red Marquee close and 10am when Daydreaming starts? (It obviously can’t be sleep!?)
BBL: Both Day Dreaming and All NIght Fuji came about from casual conversations I had with Masa (Mr. Hidaka). He told me about this great space at the top of the Gondola and asked me if I had any ideas for what to do up there. I took one look at the locations and said “let’s have a mini rave!” and he said “go!”.
It’s basically the same story for All Night Fuji. I was up one night with Masa talking about Fuji. As I’m an all-night partier, I was complaining that there was not enough all night content to keep me happy. Masa basically gave me the chance to entertain myself and the stage has become a passion ever since.
Oh, and here’s the answer, a final email addendum from Bryan Burton-Lewis:
BBL: “I was looking at the post and realized that I never really answered your last last question about what to do with the 5 hour blank.
“What to do before 5am and 10am? If you’ve been up hitting it hard until 5am, go to bed! The 10am starts for Day Dreaming is really more for the heads that planned to party all night but got drunk and fell asleep around midnight, only to wake up in the am to realize that they missed the party! No worries! Head up the Gondola for a early morning rave!”