Tommie Sunshine Flies Solo

Tommie Sunshine -- famed music producer and DJ -- has always been a maverick. So it was no surprise when we chatted about his new EP he ended up speaking more on the state of the music industry and current world topics than his new tunes. He professed, “Whenever I do an interview, I always try to use it as a forum to talk about what’s really important and my views.” Today however marks Tommie’s release for his latest single EP, Tokyo Pollution (The Brooklyn Fire Trilogy) -- offering up three unique treatments of the title track. It also includes remixes by up-and-coming producers Il Diablo, Bit Thief, Kitch 'n Sync, Figure, NONEWYORK, and JAYOU -- all of whom Tommie sees as future tastemakers.

I knew our conversation would be interesting, yet I didn’t foresee it lasting almost an hour and half filled with dips and turns of Tommie’s colorful life, ranging from his affinity for artist Matthew Barney and Twitter to why he thinks electronic music “will always be a subculture. It’s not a part of America. The holy trinity of music in America is rock n’ roll, hip-hop, and country. America has never allowed electronic music to enter into the mainstream.” He added, “I’m trying to guide people to open up their minds with my music. Tokyo Pollution hope will do so. Electronic music is who I am.”

Having been sober now for four years, coupled with a monogamous relationship, Tommie’s viewpoint on DJing and the “party” has definitely shifted, yet he noted, “I always thought music was beyond the drugs and the weekend.” Tommie hasn’t stopped DJing however and can still be found on many a dance floor playing an array of radical tracks—his 120-plus catalog of remixes by artists such as Shiny Toy Guns, Kill Hannah, Good Charlotte, Fischerspooner, and Major Lazer are undoubtedly steadfast. His Brooklyn studio where he works alongside longtime partner Mark Verbos is still blessed with what he calls “ a revolving door of work. I just finished up a remix for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs track ‘Heads Will Roll’ off their new album.” At the end of our chat, I asked Tommie to fill me on a new band he thinks will hit it big. “The Limousines, without a doubt. I cried the first time I heard one of their songs.” I guess we’ll all have to give that one a try.


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