Ahead of his landmark events for the 100th edition of Tytanium Sessions we caught up for a word with Sean Tyas for a good chinwag ahead of a very busy summer...
This month was a landmark one for Sean Tyas after his radio show ‘Tytanium Sessions’ hit its 100th episode. With such a number Sean took the idea of taking his show on the road for three massive events over the past weekend gone in Miami, New York and Montreal. For those in attendance I have no doubt you were in for a real treat with Sean’s productions of late really stepping up a gear. He’s itching to get back into the studio to polish off tracks for his forthcoming artist album which we think may well be due before the end of the year. He recently covered a classic track from Gun’s & Roses re-creating the epic guitar riff himself for ‘Solo’. His new label has some juicy releases coming up with two from him that should get the pulses racing. With summer here and a bombardment of productions on the way there was no better time to catch a word, so that’s just what we did.
i:Vibes: It’s a pleasure to catch up with you again Sean, it’s been a few months since we last caught up with you. How has 2011 been for Sean Tyas so far?
Sean: By far & away the busiest, especially in the studio. I am already roughly halfway finished with my first artist album, 7 tracks completed with plenty more already started. My label, Tytanium Recordings, launches with it’s first release on the 11th of July, and I have been going pretty crazy the last 4 months planning out my Tytanium Sessions Episode 100 events, in addition to making sure the show goes up every single week in various formats. To spice it up a bit, I have just had my second daughter, Kyla, now 3 months old. So to say it’s a zoo at the Tyas household is a huge understatement.
i:Vibes: Are you ready for another busy summer season on the road?
Sean: Yes, but I think the most hardcore travel logistics are already behind me for the summer (luckily). I was home for about 4 full days in May, so that was crazy, and June about half the month away, finishing it out now. What I’m really ready for is hardcore studio time upon return.
i:Vibes: Any particular events you are most looking forward to this summer?
Sean: The ones this weekend, all 3 Tytanium Sessions 100 events in Montreal, Miami, & NYC, and then Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas. 4 days in a row of what I hope is going to be a taste of what is to come.
i:Vibes: You’ve taken your radio show to the next level recently with the 100th edition being followed with three huge shows in Montreal, Miami and New York. Why did you decided to take the show on the road for the 100th edition?
Sean: It’s a milestone number, actually two zeros look like two boobs, and everyone like’s boobs. So it seemed logical really. Honestly, after building the shows up til now during over two years’ time, I really wanted to see what a Tytanium Sessions would “look” like. Instead of doing an episode in the studio, not being able to feed off the dance floor energy, this is going to feel a whole lot different, especially in NYC, where we have the vocal performances of David Berkeley, Betsie Larkin, & Michele Karmin.
i:Vibes: Does it seem like 6 years since the very first Tytanium show hit the airwaves?
Sean: Actually it’s only been over two. I’ve had other shows which I did monthly on various stations like Digitally Imported & ETN under names like Frequency Fridays, Phased Out Phriday, and the Wednesday Whistle, But Tytanium is the streamlined polished up result of stepping back, and re-focusing on one name, one concept, one brand.
i:Vibes: Have you been please with the progress of the show and what have you planned for the next landmark edition?
Sean: For the next big landmark, I haven’t yet decided if that should be 150 or the obvious 200, the events will be more globally spread. I have sights LOCKED onto doing ones in Argentina and UK as well when it comes.
i:Vibes: Any plans for a sequel compilation after the inaugural ‘Trytanium Sessions’ release earlier this year?
Sean: Absolutely, will be starting to assemble that not long after the TS100 events and the official label launch.
i:Vibes: Onto your productions it’s been a good year so far with some corker’s to date. First off you recently covered a classic from Gun’s & Roses with ‘Solo’. Where did the idea come from to do a trance mix of it?
Sean: Honestly it started a while back as a bootleg remix where I did use the actual sample from the original Sweet Child of Mine, as a challenge thrown down by my father asking if I thought I could do something with that. Eventually after enough requests for a release I had to think about how I could legally release it. Ends up I simply recreated the guitar completely using a synth (and most people cant even tell that it isn’t the sample!), this freeing me up to release it.
i:Vibes: Did you have any fears that people would not like it taking on such an epic hook line? We love it!
Sean: Never, who doesn’t like Sweet Child of Mine? Timeless.
i:Vibes: Do you know if you Gun’s & Roses guys like the mix?
Sean: Haha, I’m pretty sure none of them would, maybe Slash would, as really it’s only his particular element in the track.
i:Vibes: Any plans to tackle another big rock tune in the near future?
Sean: Always, I LOVE making rock into dancefloor material. It’s got such great texture to start off with.
i:Vibes: You have recently just launched your own imprint ‘Trytanium Recordings’. What’s the advantage of having your own label to put the music on, more freedom with the beats?
Sean: And to get releases out quick and in a timely fashion. Also a major point is to help further push and develop the whole Tytanium concept.
i:Vibes: The first up on your label is a banging vocal trance track ‘Believe’. What draw you to using the vocal of David Berkeley and how was it working with him?
Sean: I had heard his voice a few months back on a track or two and looked him up. He was an absolute professional and also completely humble and open to new ideas from my side. He is a folk singer normally so it was interesting to crash our world’s into one another and hear the result.
i:Vibes: Is there any vocalist you would especially like to hook up with for a track in the future?
Sean: I’d love to do something with Trent Reznor, Ville Vallo, or Brandon Flowers. Amazing vocal textures on these guys! You notice I only name male singers. Females are amazing too, for example I have just done a track with Lofi Sugar and she was FANTASTIC and knocked the project out of the park, but in a genre that is primarily female focused, I like how the male vocal tracks, when done right, really tend to stand out.
i:Vibes: I always like to ask artists with vocal tracks, do you start off with just the vocal and build the music around it or is it the other way around?
Sean: Other way usually. I send the vocal “playback instrumental” to the singer/writer and they work with that as the blueprint.
i:Vibes: You seem to capture so much emotion with ‘Believe’. What was the reaction when you play this one out live?
Sean: So far it’s been amazing. Usually the first few times you start playing a particular vocal that no one knows yet, its relatively anticlimactic because NO ONE will know the words yet and they can’t sing along, so they sort of just stand there listening, or dancing but not at 100% because they are really paying attention. Now at this point the people know Believe pretty well and are starting to sing along to it. Awesome feeling once that gets rolling.
i:Vibes: Your next single is due out very soon with another bass cab killer ‘By the Way’. How did you come up with that immense bass line?
Sean: It’s all about matching up your kick drum with the right bass tone. Like any building, if you get the foundation right, your structure will be solid.
i:Vibes: Who have you got on the remix duties for the latest new one?
Sean: Paul Webster has put his techy bangin’ spin onto it for this release.
i:Vibes: What’s next on the Sean Tyas production chain; have you any exclusives in the pipeline you can share with us?
Sean: All the album projects actually. The one that’s a non vocal I am MOST excited about right now is the collaboration track I have done with Bjorn Akesson of Sweden. It’s just pure pure trance music. My favourite melody of anything I have worked on thus far.
i:Vibes: What artists have impressed you with their tunes over the past few months?
Sean: As usual, Eric Prydz & Giuseppe Ottaviani. The melody masters of each of their respective genres.
i:Vibes: Any hot tips for new upcoming artists, there are a hell of a lot of new talented producers coming through onto the scene now?
Sean: Yep, a good one actually. Stop wasting your time making mashups, and work on originals, remixes, & occasionally reworks.
i:Vibes: What’s the most bizarre request you’ve had when behind the decks?
Sean: Do you play any hip hop?
Finally, we like to round up here with what we call the 'Quick Five'...
i:Vibes: What’s your favourite album at the moment?
Sean: Not even sure.
i:Vibes: Do you have any pets?
Sean: Maximus & Maddox
i:Vibes: What’s your perfect hot beverage?
Sean: Coffee
i:Vibes: What country would you like to play in that you haven’t already?
Sean: South Africa
i:Vibes: What’s your most treasured gadget at the moment?
Sean: iPhone & Macbook Pro
i:Vibes: Thanks for taking the time to chat us Sean! We look forward to hearing your new tunes over this summer and hope to catch you at a few to!