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Continue readingThe first year of Sacred Acre music festival brought a musical experience unlike any other to the small town of Ninilchik, Alaska. Acts from around the world and those from surrounding areas in Alaska came together to give festivalgoers an experience they will never forget.
Clint Samples is a DJ currently residing in Anchorage, Alaska. He has over 20 years of experience and has a true passion for electronic music. During his multiple sets at Sacred Acre music festival, he played a wide array of different genres, smoothly blending sounds and keeping the energy going all weekend. Party Guru Press got the opportunity to have a conversation with Clint Samples about his history in the electronic music world, as well as his thoughts on the first year of Sacred Acre. Check out our conversation below:
Party Guru Press:
We’re here with Clint Samples at Sacred Acre music festival and are very excited to be here. So first off, is there any meaning behind the name Clint Samples?
Clint Samples:
So it’s kind of like a meta-joke on thievery, sampling, and music. It was actually a painter’s name. There was a touring exhibit at the museum in Anchorage one time. A good friend and I were walking through, and like, I’d kind of grown tired of my 1999 DJ name, DJ Paradox – I started when I was 15, and time-space stuff was big on my mind then- I found this incredible watercolor exhibit, and we were reading the guy’s name, Clint samples, and I was like there it is! I’m gonna steal the guy’s name. That’s about stealing. That’s the story.
Party Guru Press:
Sampling the name Clint Samples, that’s awesome! Can I also ask, what actually got you into the electronic music world?
Clint Samples:
Man, that goes back. Honestly, like there are some early films, and then there’s my dad. He exposed me to the orb, and the Crystal Method, and, like, a lot of really early electronic music. Then when I was 14, I went to a party that was supposedly a laser show. So this is what got me into Raving. So my buddy and I get brought to his brother’s “laser show”, and we have no idea what we’re in for. We get up to this balcony, and his brother says, “You cannot leave this balcony”. We’re 14, and he thought, you know, it’d be responsible to just unleash these children up on the balcony and tell them they can’t go anywhere else. That didn’t work. And it was like I walked into a place that I didn’t know existed. I was like, there’s a concert for electronic music? There are concerts for electronic music?! Like what is this? I didn’t even know what the word rave was at the time. The following years that was like the rest of my life. I dove in really hard. At 15, I started playing records, and I’m 37 now.
Party Guru Press:
Wow, so you’ve played a few shows, then.
Clint Samples:
(Laughs) Ya, just a couple.
Party Guru Press:
Are you living in Alaska now?
Clint Samples:
Yeah, I live in Anchorage.
Party Guru Press:
Very cool. Is it exciting to see this level of production for electronic music out here, where it’s not usually that common?
Clint Samples:
Absolutely. I think it might be the first time anyone in this state has even heard a 21-inch subwoofer. It is a real pleasure to play on that Void system. The production quality of this event is absolutely raising the bar, and I think it’s incredibly important to showcase the state for what it is and for people like yourself to get to see and experience it.
Party Guru Press:
We just saw your first set of the festival, and it was fantastic! I see on the schedule that you’re also playing a late-night set tomorrow. Do you tailor your sets differently if they are daytime sets or late-night sets? Do you try to create a different feeling depending on when you play?
Clint Samples:
Most definitely. Whether the stage’s size or the time of day, the intention is super important. The late night one is going to be deeper, it’s going to be prettier, and it’s gonna carry people through that dark part of the night where things can get a little heavy.
Party Guru Press:
Speaking of the different stages, we are currently outside of the Abyss stage, which I’ve personally watched you construct over the past two days. Does it feel more rewarding, and do you feel more connected to the crowd in an area that you’ve personally created?
Clint Samples:
Absolutely! It definitely feels more like home. Being a part of the production, from rolling up the truck to building the stage in any form. I’ve done it at other places, other stages, other domes, and other more standard style stages, and really being in it from day one is a really good feeling. I like to be a part of every aspect of it.
Getting to speak to Clint Samples was a great experience for Party Guru Press. Even after 20 years of performing, Clint Samples has a genuine passion for the electronic music community. He cares about each and every person who comes to watch him perform. From building stages, to curating sets, to making people feel included and happy in the darkest times, Clint Samples is a genuine person and an exemplary DJ.
I got a chance to catch up with SLASHA before he embarked on a stop to Kansas City to show what he’s been cooking recently. Fresh off signing with “WASTELVND Records“, and expanding his brand across states, he’s someone that is bound to blow up overnight. This seemed like the perfect chance to spend some time with him to pick his brain.
Originally known as “Slimee”, “SLASHA” has had huge endorsements from big names in the dub-step scene. Most notably from SNAILS when he came through for his headlining Red Rocks show. The rebranding was to have something that provided more uniqueness and better represented the energy that he is aiming for. Not a lot of artists are confident enough to make these changes, but this is why I couldn’t have asked for a better person to interview in our Colorado music scene.
Party Guru Press: I first want to thank you for your time to sit down and answer a few questions. What were the short-sight consequences of rebranding from “Slimee”?
SLASHA: It was unfortunate, but it has only made my craft stronger. Having someone in the scene with a similar name posed the problem of sticking out. I believe that it would’ve been easy for me to see it as a step backward, but it only provided me with time to look back and really handle everything more calculated. In moments like this, as long as you’re prepared for those short-term consequences, you can achieve your dreams.
Party Guru Press: It is pretty amazing what you’ve accomplished after the rebranding, as far as breaking the mold of just being a part of the local scene and pushing outside of your comfort zone. What has been your biggest performance to date?
SLASHA: I was fortunate enough to play a stage at “Paradiso” in Washington, which happened to be one of the larger-scale music festivals that year. It was absolutely insane, but that ties back to following your dreams to accomplish them.
Party Guru Press: I noticed that you’ve been pushing out music like crazy, with “Dark Side” being the most recently released on the 14th through “WASTELVND Records“, what is the inspiration for your style of music?
SLASHA: I initially got into producing in high school, but then I got very big into Illenium, which led me into EDM music. I was blown away when I started going to my first shows with how hype the crowd could get off of just one track. This led me into wanting to find a way to create that same energy throughout the whole set. This is where I really got into producing heavy hitters.
Party Guru Press: Where do you see the future taking you?
SLASHA: I really hope that I’ll get a chance to play at my favorite music festivals, Lost Lands and Bass Canyon. That is my main goal at this current point, so I’m gonna keep on pushing till we get there.
Party Guru Press: I’m sure with how focused you’ve been on your craft, that you’ll accomplish that with no problem. Is there any advice that you would like to pass on to anyone who’s trying to break into the scene or is just starting?
SLASHA: It’s insane what you can accomplish if you keep on pushing no matter what roadblocks you may face. It’s very surreal what you can control by working hard and never losing track of where you want to go. It’s not an overnight process, but you can take it day by day by working hard.
Party Guru Press: Besides Kansas City, do you have any upcoming shows that should be on everyone’s radar?
SLASHA: I’m actually playing the Black Box on April 27th for the WASTELVND takeover, and I’ll be performing a lot of new mixes with my most recent releases.
Party Guru Press: I’m sure we’ll be seeing you there and thanks again for your time, we’re very excited to see what the future has in store for you!
Slasha showcased where hard work can take you as he was able to open up about the challenges that he’s recently overcome to get onto the map. It’s refreshing that we have faces like this in our music scene that acknowledge that it’s a process. For mostly everyone, it is not an overnight thing, which helps represent how hard work and dedication are needed to pursue this craft. Check out Slasha at the Black Box to see first-hand what he has been pushing himself for.
Photos provided from Zaya Casi
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