Phoenix: How did you get started, where did it all begin?
DJ BAHLER: I remember it like it was yesterday. I was an angsty teenager in high school browsing the interwebs for the coolest new emo tracks. I got hold of a mixtape of Alkaline Trio "rares and b-sides" and on it was something really interesting: a strange blend of one of their songs with a Thrice song I loved. This track was by my still-favorite mashup group the Legion of Doom. Before hearing their material my only conception of mashups involved Jay Z on top of everything ever. Once the Legion of Doom stopped putting out stuff I felt the need to fill the void by making my own alternative rock and screamo mashups. Those mashups will never be heard by anyone. As my tastes began to gravitate more towards electro and indie bands I began mashing things more along those lines.
Phoenix: Whats your current major, and why did you choose it?
DJ BAHLER: I'm currently a Biology major at UCSD finishing up my last year. I chose biology because I've always been interested in medicine and basically how the body works. I'm actually currently enrolled in a recombinant DNA lab course where we are trying to isolate certain genes from one organism and have them be expressed in another; I just can't get away from making mashups.
Phoenix: If you were to have a college tour starting tomorrow, what top 5 schools would you like to hit?
DJ BAHLER: I'd start off with UCSD, then UCLA, U Penn, University of Florida, and the U Conn territory.
Phoenix: If you could tour with anyone, who are top 3 you’d like to play with?
DJ BAHLER: Starfucker, the Hood Internet, and Passion Pit.
Phoenix: Whos your biggest influence in music making and just general tunes?
DJ BAHLER: Considering I sample pretty much everything I would say that nearly every musician is an influence, except country artists. They do not influence my actions.
Phoenix: Whats one artist right now you are totally hooked on?
DJ BAHLER: I've been really addicted to GAYNGS lately. If you haven't heard of them they're definitely worth checking out. It's a super group that has around 25 musicians, including Ryan Olsen, Justin Vernon from Bon Iver, P.O.S, and a bunch of other awesome folks. Also, their name is pronounced like "gangs"...which is not the way I was initially pronouncing it...
Phoenix: Whats coming up for you in the next 6 months?
DJ BAHLER: I actually plan on calming down for a bit to focus on school but there will be a mixtape out probably in about six months with an interesting concept that I can't say much about yet. However, it will be featuring help from a few of my friends in the mashup scene such as Powerhawk, DJ Fergie Ferg, and Manilla Killa. Also, there may be some chiptune releases from me in the near future.
Phoenix: What do you do when you are not studying and mashing?
DJ BAHLER: My hobbies include playing hacky sack and racquetball, waiting for the Arrested Development movie to come out, and playing the piccolo.
Phoenix: Whats your favorite dinosaur?
DJ BAHLER: This may be the hardest question you've asked me, way to put me on the spot. Well, off the top of my head I would probably have to go with a toss up between the Micropachycephalosaurus and the Piatnitzkysaurus.