![\"jimfive_EDIT\"](\"https:\/\/media.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/aznightlife\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/26233705\/jimfive_EDIT.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nby: Amanda Savage<\/a><\/p>\n Local legends is a new weekly feature that will spot-light the people responsible for the sounds of Scottsdale. This week, ex-drummer for Authority Zero and now electronic music producer, Jim Wilcox, talks alter egos, EDM, punk rock, dubstep, NERO and cheeseburgers.<\/p>\n AFM: Let\u2019s start with some ice breakers, what are you doing right now?<\/strong> AFM: What\u2019s the last song you listened to, besides your own?<\/strong> AFM:<\/strong> What city are you living in?<\/strong> AFM: What\u2019s your favorite place to eat? Or favorite local menu item, or both!<\/strong> I think I could say The Casino El Camino in Austin would be one of my favorites. I\u2019m a HUGE hot sauce fan and this place makes a hot sauce burger. They marinate hamburger meat in different hot sauces (mild, medium, suicide etc.) for like 24 hours or something before they cook it. They are so amazing! my mouth is watering right now just thinking about it!<\/p>\n AFM:<\/strong> Best place to have a beer? Or cocktail if that\u2019s more your thing?<\/strong> AFM:\u00a0 Let\u2019s get into some music questions, who are some of your favorite producers at the moment? <\/strong><\/p>\n Locally, I\u2019m a fan of\u00a0 Ravaza, He\u2019s super funky and traditional, when you listen to his stuff your ass moves, plain and simple. Tranzit for his grimy electro house style and always positive attitude and Miss Sparks cause we simply need more girls writing and producing original tracks, she knows whats up. Honestly this list could go on and on. There are quite a few great producers in this town. AFM: If you could tour with three other DJs, who would they be?<\/strong> AFM: What\u2019s your dream venue to play at?<\/strong> AFM: So you produce music now and I know you played drums for Authority Zero. How did you transition from that to producing electronic music?<\/strong> I\u2019ve always had a big soft spot for electronic music, Prodigy\u2019s record \u201cExperience\u201d is a record I think I bought like four times cause I wore it out listening to it to much (thankful for digital these days). The Chemical Brothers, DJ Shadow, UNKLE, it\u2019s all there in my past.<\/p>\n I grew up in a very diverse family of music, my parents were into all the classic rock, my bother was into Hip-Hop and everyone around me was into the rave scene. I\u2019m extremely thankful for that and I think it was only fitting for me to become a drummer and explore my rock roots with Authority Zero. Simply on the fact that it was another journey for me musically. Authority Zero gave me quite a big push with what I\u2019m doing now because of the constant song writing and being in the studio. I learned a lot from being with them and definitely perfected my fundamental music theory and song writing skills. Another thing would be the endless hours I spent in a van traveling and writing music on my computer, thanks everyone!<\/p>\n AFM: How does your start as a drummer in a more punk rock scene influence your electronic music style?<\/strong> Being a drummer for so long has made me have to pay attention to not only the music but to everything that is going on in the song, and this helps when you are writing. Most people I\u2019ve met tend to write drums first in a song, but I\u2019m the opposite. I\u2019ll sit with a key board and play with some ARPS, or leads until I hear a rhythm that I\u2019m \u201cfeeling.\u201d My music shapes my drums and then my drums come full circle and make sure my music is sounding how I was hearing it in my head. I feel like my style of writing is a little unorthodox, but then again, there are no rules in art. Whatever gets you to the point of writing a song that you love is all that matters.<\/p>\n AFM: I feel like the electronic music scene and the punk rock scene are nearly opposite. From your experience how would you compare the two?<\/strong> What I\u2019ve noticed about the EDM scene is mainly the positivity. People really just get together to dance and have a good time. They let the music take control, vibe out, and forget about their cares and worries. The punk scene is the same, but it\u2019s more aggressive. You\u2019ve got people there to get fucked-up, people who just want to listen, people who want to get crazy in the mosh- pit and then there are the \u2018all-of-the-abovers,\u2019 ha! People at Authority shows would always tell me it was a way for them to get rid of there shitty week at work, but since I\u2019ve been around people in the EDM, I hear the same things.<\/p>\n It simply comes down to what your \u2018pleasure\u2019 is in my opinion. I personally, love it all. I can be in a club and vibe out on some amazing DJs or just like last night, go watch one of my favorite punk rock bands and feel just as satisfied. As far as missing anything I would say the only thing I really miss is killing those drums for 10,000 people. Those festival shows we are always amazing and so much fun, but hey, I\u2019ll get there again and trust me, the minute an opportunity arises for me to play the drums life with one of my DJ sets, you better believe I will!<\/p>\n AFM: What about the music you create? Would you say that you have a distinct sound? Is it something that just happened or something you chose and aspired for? <\/strong>
\nRight now I\u2019m sitting on my couch going through emails and streaming my Sound Clound wall for new sounds from the people I follow. I do this in the mornings, I\u2019m always listening. If I\u2019m not doing this I\u2019m usually playing around on my turntables or my S4 (native instruments controller).<\/p>\n
\n\u201cLast Night In Brooklyn\u201d by Innerpartysystem. I\u2019ve been a big IPS fan ever since my boy John showed them to me years ago and recently had there keyboardist (Iamwuki) out for an EDM event in phoenix. It was really fun!<\/p>\n
\nAt the moment I\u2019m living in Tempe. But I\u2019m moving to Denver in a couple of months. I\u2019ve lived in Phoenix my whole life but I feel like it\u2019s time for a change; a new scene, new people, old friends and new influences.
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\nMan thats a tall order of a question ha ha! Being that I spent 12 years of my life traveling playing drums all around the world I\u2019ve had the honor of eating some absolutely amazing food! One thing I realized in my travels though is that I LOVE cheeseburgers!<\/p>\n
\nWell this is a tough one as well. I would have to say my favorite beer and my favorite place to have a beer are two different things. My favorite beer is a Double IPA made by the Standing Stone Brewery in Ashland, Ore. My favorite place to have a beer is simple: anywhere that has a good environment and good local beers on tap. I don\u2019t think I have a specific place in mind but I would say, around Tempe,\u00a0 I love Four Peaks Brewery.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nOn a national level I follow Tommy Trash pretty close, along with A-Trak, Zomboy, Schoolboy, Subfocus, and Protohype. Those are the people I\u2019ve been\u00a0 hooked on lately, but I\u2019m listening every day and exploring constantly,\u00a0 so I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll have more tomorrow, ha!<\/p>\n
\nThat\u2019s a good one. Well I would have to say NERO because I just simply want to be around them daily for a few months. I\u2019m sure that experience would change me. Bassnectar, because he seems like that rad guy you would have as a best friend for life, ya know? He\u2019s out going, humble, and simply a lover of music. I would say A-trak because that guy\u2019s music selection is so wide that I just feel it would constantly keep things interesting on the tour.<\/p>\n
\nI want to play the Beta in Denver. Not because it\u2019s a huge venue or anything, in fact, I would love to play there even if it was empty. My reasoning is because of the Function One sound system. A lot of people don\u2019t pay attention to what the sound system is as much as I do. But, oh man! Function One is the absolute best, and I just want to rock a room with that system in it!<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nI\u2019m really happy you asked. What a lot of people don\u2019t know is, previous to even being a drummer I used to sit in my room at 14 -16 years-old,\u00a0 and attempt to remix songs like Billy Joel\u2019s \u201cFor The Longest Time.\u201d At the time I was using Sonic Foundry Acid 3.0. I also used to play around allot on the Playstation using Mtv\u2019s Music Generator! Oh man the memories! Now that I think about it I actually made a 4 song CD with that game, I wonder if i can find it somewhere.<\/p>\n
\nIn my opinion drums are the core, the backbone and the most important piece to a song, even if there are no drums. Its our job as drummers to make sure we are backing-up our band mates. We need to help that guitar lead stand out by playing more simply, or really getting down on that baseline to make people feel what your bass player is putting out. Even keeping your rhythms in line with your vocalist so when they want to really accent something you are there to help them do so.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nTo be honest I\u2019ve never really analyzed why they seem so different and I think they might be closer then we think. If we sit and think about it they could be quite similar. Mainly because they are both a scene based around a genre of music. I believe scenes are created for a love of that music, and the people coming together to enjoy that music.Now the ideals and beliefs that come with that music can shape the scene\u2019s very differently of course, but the initial growth is pretty similar.<\/p>\n
\nI wouldn\u2019t necessarily call my sound \u201cdistinct\u201d only because with the size of the dusbtep scene these days, it\u2019s pretty hard to be really distinct. I will say my sound is my own though. I write what I feel and if I\u2019m not feeling it, I\u2019ll trash an entire song. To me music is about emotion, and emotion is what drives us on our daily journey through life. Good, bad, whatever; it\u2019s our emotions that push us as people to react how we do to any situation daily. My sound simply fits me for that reason.<\/p>\n