Assassin: More for Dancing like our R&B.
Lion: Then, the last, which some people call "conscious," and more like Rasta man music, but you can dance to it. Calypso is the father and soca is the son. Calypso's home is Trinidad but all the Caribbean islands have a version of it.
(Employment legislation and laws governing entertainment establishments make it illegal for most foreigners to DJ part time. )
Lion: DJing in Taiwan is often illegal, if we wanted to base our thing here we had to be legal.
Assassin: So we started a company.
Lion: In Taiwan we are the first foreign registered label. The accountant would ask the government what the rules were, and then they would have to work out what to do and the process ended up going on for a year and a half.
(The trio had to set up a company in Hong Kong then register a branch office in Taiwan. The paper work was stamped and in May the production company became a legal entity.)
Lion: The studio was set up at the same time. We want to promote Caribbean music in Asia [and] we want to attract Taiwanese artists and to give them a place to work.
Back in the US after a monthlong stint at Luxy, Johnny Fiasco, Luxy's first Sabbatical resident is positive about the club's bold programing move.
Vinyl Word: Did you dig Taiwan?
Johnny Fiasco: Honestly, I think that city has been a well-kept secret. I have played there three times in two years and I've had a great time ... every time. What was nice, is this time I was actually able to absorb more of the local culture and really get to know some of the friends I've met in the past.
VW: What did you get up to in the studio?
JF: I was asked to do one recording at first, but I decided that one was not going to really go where I wanted it to. The first track is more of a 7am deep and lush vibe ... very sensual. The second is going to represent a more avant-garde style of tech and house mixed with some serious prime time grooves ... with a little native tongue as well.
VW: Did you use any inspiration from Taiwan for the tracks?
JF: Yes I did. It was nice to see so many sunrises ... it really struck a chord in me. I'm a sucker for the sun coming and going and that's why I decided to do more than one project (this is where the deeper ... moody track came in). When you're anywhere but home for an extended amount of time (26 days) every day does become a slower version of what you're normally used to (and sometimes immune to). So you really appreciate all the little things we take for granted.
VW: How do you feel about the response to your Sabbatical?
JF: I thought it was great. Every week the turnout got bigger and better and I really tried to mix my DJ sets to give it enough variation of music every week. I'm not about playing the same old choons every week. So this was a great exercise in playing the role of a club DJ... not the parachuting two-hour DJ set and then see ya!
VW: Do you think the Sabbatical has the potential to raise the level of music produced in Taiwan?
JF: I think there is enough talent in Taiwan to make some noise for sure. This is a great way to really shed some light on it, as well as motivating them
[producers] to find the time to do it. You need the strength in numbers ya know.
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