While it’s not uncommon for today’s artists to steer away from their musical roots as they’re exposed to life’s adventures, the story doesn’t typically read, ‘self-taught five-year-old piano prodigy turned jazz virtuoso turned South American ‘Rock God’ turned techno DJ’. SIMONE HARLE chats to the Argentinean-born producer/DJ Guti ahead of his appearance at The Collective at Malt this Thursday, December 19.
Guti takes musicality to a whole new level, waiving the diversity flag in the face of accomplished musicians and producers twice his age, with experience spanning several genres and delivery methods.
Born into an exceptionally musical and culturally diverse family, Guti’s chances of missing out on the music gene was zero to none – he was surrounded by orchestral directors, sax players and pianists, setting controls to autopilot for a life in the arts. But listening wasn’t enough for five-year-old Guti. “I remember my cousins and my sisters playing the piano and I was trying to look at what they were doing too and to copy it. Those were good times.”
Guti agreed there aren’t many parents in the world that would encourage a kid to make a life in the music industry, but his knew it was what he wanted. “The musician’s life is really hard; I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” he says. “But if you really love it and you are willing to give your life to it, then it’s a gift and it is beautiful”.
The gift according to Guti is that music keeps on giving, is the opportunity to travel and be engulfed in the EDM revolution, playing the world’s mega festivals to tens of thousands of people. His advice to anyone trying to decipher the difference between listening to and loving music or making a life of it, is worth pondering.
“Again – it’s a really hard life. Most probably you will never make it, but if you love music and give it everything, music will love you back. My advice would be sit and think really deeply about what you love in life and do that”.
Many artists move to music industry hubs around the world to expand on their opportunities. Not to leave a creative stone unturned, Guti’s recent move to Dusseldorf, Germany, was inspired by Desolat label mate, Loco Dice in an effort to find security in techno and learn from his friend. On his move away from Argentina – “it has helped everything. It’s changed my life and made me a man. I’ve grown as a person and as a musician and it’s a step you have to do”.
Intriguingly Guti isn’t familiar with the Australian music scene, when asked if there was anything he wanted to do while here, his response was not uncommon for a tourist listening to urban yarns of Australia’s most deadly. “I do not want to get bitten by a shark, I want to stay away form sharks and avoid anything to do with sharks”. That might be hard Mr Guti considering the industry you have chosen for your life.
If you want to get inside Guti’s head right now, listen to Oscar Peterson’s Trail Of Dreams: A Canadian Suite. Check the link below for a preview of what you might get from a Guti set.
