Group Hugs & Minty Mojitos With JPOD

Cover photo courtesy of: Daniel Zetterstrom  |  Location: What The Festival

Do you like to party? Do you love going to music festivals? Do you love listening to music that gives you a heartbeat in your pants?

If you answered HECK YEAH to all of the above, then throw on your best festy outfit and grab your pals cause Betty and Kora, Twisted Productions Inc. and Danio Management are throwing one massive fricken party! Saturday April 23 at the Harbour Event Centre we have Stickybuds, JPOD the beat chef, Fort Knox Five ft Qdup throwing it down for all you beautiful people and you won’t wanna miss it. Grab your tickets here.

To get your pant-peeing excitement levels set to high, we’re rolling out interview with all the headliners this week, and first up is the one and only beat chef, JPOD!

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Your festival mojitos have become somewhat legendary, what are some of your cocktail secret weapons?

Fresh mint is really what it’s all about. There are so many flavors that can be enhanced with fresh mint. Mojitos traditionally call for rum but I typically prefer gin and lately have been experimenting with tequila versions which are quite stimulating! Of course, if you don’t have ice then you don’t have a delicious cocktail.

It’s your 12th Shambhala this year, and you’ve just become a new father, congrats! What’s the projected outlook for a JPOD headlining slot at Maizey’s first Shambs in 2035?

I’ve still got plenty of bounce in my step. If my knees haven’t collapsed and my music still appeals to the teenagers then maybe I’ll get the chance to be the most embarrassing DJ to one awesome girl.

You are a staple on the music festival circuit here, and around the world! Tell us about some of your favourites from B.C and across the globe.

What The Festival‘s pool party is ridiculous hilarity to the max. I had as much fun in the pool as I did playing music. Then there’s the legendary Australian festival mondays. Earth Frequency and Rainbow Serpent are notable for it, but most Aussie festivals generally continue throughout Monday which fosters an especially ragged bunch of wackos that are in it to win it. As such I always try to soak in as much of the raw ruckus as possible. But what can compare to my annual festival highlight? Bliss Coast is the height of joyous merrymaking in a carnival of sunshine and smiles wrapped in the best hug music can buy.

What crunchy, minty, bouncy beats are you cooking up right now for the summer?

After a reasonably lengthy hiatus to have a kid and focus on other projects over the winter I have just jumped back into music-making for the last few days. I’m neck deep in new inspirations and I’m excited to hear what comes out! Last night I was so motivated after hearing a Pentatonix song that I smashed out a super solid remix in just a matter of hours. I’ll be sharing it on a loud system near you!

You have been DJing, touring, and producing music for many years now. What were your goals starting out with JPOD and how much have they changed?

There was a time when I remember thinking that I could probably become a successful and appreciated artist if I set myself to it. That was when I was still in high school, pre 1996. Regardless I chose to passionately pursue music as a hobby and just hope for the best. It’s good to remember that I never could have imagined what would happen. Now my goals are to find a good balance in music, work, travel and family life. They all take a lot of time but thankfully I remain highly motivated to do it all!

Has it surprised you how much your music and it’s positivity unifies crowds and brings people together? Is that something you anticipated when starting out?

I definitely did not anticipate being such a beacon of positivity. I’ve always been pretty picky about what I like and won’t easily make concessions when it comes to choosing what to play. So it’s all due to my naturally uplifting and positive taste in music. I gravitate towards what makes me do the happy dance and obviously that brings together a lot of other people too.

What are your thoughts on creating a festival vibe in Vancouver at the Harbour Event Centre?

I would hope that no venue, indoors or outdoors is immune to music that makes you want to smile and dance. Such a fun combination of things shouldn’t be limited anywhere! I love thinking that people will come expecting something more relaxed and light-hearted than a typical indoor event. And hopefully people that aren’t used to that kind of thing get a chance to experience it too and walk away a happier person than they were before.

Last time we spoke, you had TWO official licenses for being cool. Are you operating your cool-ness without a license or are you still fully covered?

I would like to think that my beard carries a permanent license to be cool within its frosted tips of gracious gumption.