Tell us a bit of your history? How did you got involved in electronic music and later on hard-dance? Do you have any musical background?
Steve: I have been involved in music from a very young age having played the clarinet all through my younger years with various bands and orchestra’s. I moved from instruments to turntables in 1998 and have been concentrating on DJ’ing since then under the name Seventy-7. As Seventy-7, I have been pushing the freeform sound around the Australia, supporting almost every major hard dance and hardcore act to play downunder, including the likes of Kevin Energy, Sharkey, Ultra-sonic, Robbie Long and your own Alek Szahala… After writing music with Matt in his studio for a year, I bought my first bit of kit in 2004 and have been hard at producing since.
Matt: Primarily a drummer from the age of 9, I played in pretty much every genre of bands/collectives ranging from punk/metal/jazz/symphony and hip-hop and have played in orchestra’s representing Australia in London for the Queen in 2000. I still play regularly, currently I’m playing in a live electronic metal outfit called The Eleventh Hour, and have some studio time set for later this year to record our first album.
With the dance side of things, I bought my first piece of kit in early 2003 and have been hard at work teaching myself production ever since. Until Steve and I got C.O.A up and running this year, I’ve been producing twisted dark breaks and been performing under my solo live act name ‘Whispa’ and have supported names such as Pendulum, Tipper, Infected Mushroom, Concord Dawn and released an EP last year on Freefall Records, http://www.freefallrecords.com.au/whispa/index.htm. I’ve taken 1year off as Whispa to concentrate on C.O.A.
What kind of gear do you use in your studio?
Steve: We are running 2 studio’s at the moment. In mine I am running Logic on Pc with a Korg Triton Rack and Juno 106 outboard synths. A Powercore with the Access Virus Soft Synth. M-Audio Delta 1010, Dyn Audio BM 5 Monitors with an Alesis Studio AMP.
Matt: My studio consists of Logic on Pc, Genelec 8020a, Motu 828mk2, TLA 5021, DBX 120xp sub-harmonic, Access Virus KC, Novation Rack, Juno 106, Mackie Big Knob, G4 Powerbook and with the latest addition to be an RME Fireface 800.
What do you reckon, who do you think has had the biggest influence in your sound? Do you have any particular music styles or artists that you realy like?
Steve: We have gained influences from all angles of music. We both have a very broad taste in music, from downbeat & lounge artists such as Kruder & Dorfmeister right through to raw as fuck metal such as Fear Factory/Rammstein and Cradle of Filth and everywhere in-between. Being narrow-minded limits your creativity.
In your own words, how would you describe your sound?
C.O.A: The sound of the Australian underground
Hows the scene in your own country? What have been the recent big things in your scene?
C.O.A: Its loads of fun downunder!! We just came back form a trip down to Adelaide, which is about a 3 hour flight away from where we are based in Brisbane. It was great down there, a great bunch of ravers. As you would all know the scene is constantly going through changes, but its easy to focus on all the fun within the scene. The last major party in Brisbane featured the finnish crew. It was an awesome party as I’m sure all the fin boys would say 
What has been the biggest / most hilarious moment in your career so far?
C.O.A: As C.O.A we know this tour will have a heap of shenanigans and stories to follow, for us as individuals?….we don’t have enough space in this interview…hahahah
From all the tracks you´ve produced, what is your favourite one?
C.O.A: Your never 100% happy with any tracks you write as a musician.
From all the people you´ve worked with in the studio, who have you learned the most? Who do you respect the most?
C.O.A: Working with the Ephexis boys was absolutely amazing. These guys are absolute champs and down right nutta’s in the studio. Much respect.
Steve: Sharkey has also been quite willing to lend a studio hand whenever I give him a call with questions.
Any new releases coming soon and/or what are you working on at the moment?
Steve: At the moment Matt is working on an absolute storming freeform weapon. Grunging guitar riffs and belting psy fuzed acid leads. This track dubbed “Cadence” will be featured on our Labels 1st release next year. A collab between Seventy-7 & Ephexis tune “Psymbiosis” is forthcoming on Nu Energy which will also be featured on the new Hardcore Heaven cd. A quite trancey drum n bass tune, with a heavy Mid Section. We are working on a 4/4 remix of the tune at the moment, which is also for the release.
What do you know about Finland and it´s crowds? How do you think it differs from your native crowds?
Matt: We know nothing of the Finnish crowds, but if the Carbon Based boys/RX and Alek are anything to go by, we’ll be right at home. We just hope they are ready for Australia’s premier live freeform act
Do you have any particular to say to the finnish crowds? What will be expected from your massive set?
C.O.A: Explosive live show/devastating tunes
3 favourite tracks of all time?
Steve:
On the harder side of things
1] Eclipse – Devestator
2] Ephexis - Recondition
3] Trixxy – See The Stars
Matt:
1] Leftfield – Africa shox
2] Pantera – Cemetary Gates
3] Rammstein - Sehhnsuct
3 current favourites?
Steve:
1] Ephexis & Oli G – Spatial Innervision
2] AC Slater - Corrupt
3] C.O.A – Magic People
Matt:
1] Alek Szahala - Darkstar
2] Ephexis - Shat Flap
3] C.O.A - Lobbie Rong
Main ambitions for year 2007?
C.O.A: We will be looking at starting our record label next year. The label will be focusing on innovative freeform, moving away from current boundaries which seem to be set around a more trancey uplifting sound. We are hoping to push a lot of Australian stuff on the label, but at this stage I don’t think there are too many producers apart from us, pushing a harder edged sound downunder.
Any last words? Links etc you would like to share with the public?
C.O.A: We are out to put the sound of Australian underground on the map as The Clerics of Anarchy……..
Check Steve’s Myspace www.myspace.com/djseventy7 and Matt’s www.myspace.com/whispalive towards the end of September to get the Link for our C.O.A video!!
