Chris Marshall aka Crizzly of San Antonio, TX, has been taking the nation by storm with his insanely funked-out, high-energy dubstep remixes of well-known hip-hop songs. He had a moment to speak with us from his new apartment in Austin about Chinese food, how much he sucks at producing, and crunk juice.
Insomniac: Alright, well my first question for you is... Crizzly, why are you so crunk?!
Crizzly: Cuz that’s how my mama raised me!
I: Why is your mama so crunk?
C: She’s not very crunk. I mean, none of my family is very crunk at all. I just kind of inherited it. Or--I don't know how I inherited it, but it just happened overnight. One night I drank some crunk juice and had a terrible hangover, and ever since then I started typin’ in all caps and speakin’ like Lil Jon.
I: What was the first dubstep track that converted you to the world of BASS?
C: Probably something that Rusko made--But I honestly hated Rusko at first because I listened to a lot of electro, or like, french electro, and that stuff all sounded like it was made with guitars or heavy distortion. It sounded more like--not necessarily organic ‘cause none of it’s organic--but it sounded more real. And then Rusko came along and was makin’ this--You could tell it was made on a laptop or a computer, and it just sounded all electronic-y sounding, and I was like, “Meh, it doesn’t sound real enough,” but then I guess I just started listening to him more and more.
But I guess when I saw him live the first couple times--
I: You were down?
C: I was blown away. I was just like, “Whoa, that’s cool." When he kept doing, like, hip hop stuff, I really appreciated that.
I: I was just listening to an old song of his this morning, “Do You Wanna Have a Party,” and I was thinking it kind of sounds like a predecessor to the Crizzly sound.
C: That was definitely one of my favorite ones. It’s really goofy-sounding. I like that older Rusko sound that’s just kind of not as serious-sounding. But my favorite ones from him would probably be--well, of course, “Pro Nails"-- “Do You Wanna Have a Party” is up there--His “Whatcha Say” remix is definitely my favorite. And “California Love"--that’s just kind of game changing.
I: Who are you thinking of remixing next? Or do you already have some releases in the works?
C: Oh, yeah, I definitely have a lot of releases. I’m working on a Slim Thug remix. I actually hit up the producer for one of his tracks, and he sent me all the stems, so I have the acapella and the chorus, and I mostly want to fuck with the chorus because it’s super hard.
But I’m really bad at talking about songs that I’m working on because a lot of things I don’t actually finish. But I want to finish everything. I would remix every song in the world if I could. But I’m really slow at working. I need to get my work ethic up there like Skrillex or something because he kicks ass. I’m so jealous of how fast he works. Same with Figure.
I: So fast, right?
C: Yeah, I suck. I’m just--I really don’t consider myself that good of a producer. I just take a lot of time to get it to where I want it to be, but I’m really not that good. I just spend a lot of time on it.
I: What percentage of songs that you start in Ableton would you say actually end up being released?
C: Actually it’s safe to say that I’ve finished at least 90%.
I: That’s good!
C: Yeah because I mean, if I’m working on it, it’s an idea that hit me, and I was like, “I've got to fuckin’ do that.” And then I’ll just work on it for one night, but then I’ll sit on it for a month and be like, “I don’t know what to do next.” But I usually finish it. And I usually just work on one song at a time. I’m just really bad at working.
I: That’s the funniest thing to say about yourself, but I bet your fans will be like, “Fuck yeah...Crizzly doesn’t even work hard and he still kicks ass!”
C: [Laughs.] Well, I’m definitely working on working to work harder. That’s my goal for 2012: to get shit on a roll to where I can pop out tunes. But right now--I mean, I’ve had a new laptop for a while. I just installed a lot of new plug-ins, and I’m kind of just organizing. And I’m trying to move into Austin. I’m trying to get a studio that I can work out of and get everything situated. But up until this point, I’ve basically just been remixing songs on my shitty white Macbook in my bedroom, while my grandma’s trying to sleep, and she hits the ceiling with a broom telling me to shut up. It feels good to have my own place now, so I’m just gonna start working on more tunes.
I: How long ago were you able to stop having any type of job or classes?
C: Well, I didn’t go to school in January, so I guess like a year ago. And then I quit my job in February, and I just--I was doing alright, and I was planning on moving in the summer, but I really wasn't stable enough. But then after the summer it just felt natural to just--"Okay I'm ready." You know? "Let's do it." I did it as soon as I could. They had a spot open at this apartment, and I was just like, “DONE. I'm movin'. I gotta get outta here. I'm ready.”
I: What is the wildest thing that happened during the Young Gunz tour?
C: Shit, I don't know. It was pretty wild watching Protohype take off his shirt in San Francisco. We had just eaten Chinese food, and I thought I liked Chinese food, but I'm starting to realize that I really don't like Chinese food because it's super greasy and deep fried and just not good to eat before shows when you're sweating and actually jumping around, but he had just eaten some Chinese food, as well as myself, but he was jumping around, and he took off his shirt because he was so hot, and he said he almost threw up. And that was pretty wild. But he put on a really good show that night.
I: What was it like playing to that packed room at Escape from Wonderland?
C: Oh man, that was--I wouldn't say it was packed, but it was pretty packed for 6pm, and I was definitely surprised. And what really sucks is that so far, every time I've played in front of a huge crowd, I always run into technical difficulties, like where it just doesn't go as smoothly as possible, or like--little hiccoughs. Not huge monumental things but just little things.
I: What happened specifically?
C: Just setting up or--because the bass there was so strong next to me that my whole controller was just sliding off the table, so I had to keep moving it back, and then at the same time my controller was messed up because I had taken it to Hawai'i--which is another time when something happened: it was raining at a water park, and there was a huge crowd in front of me, and I was just trying to put on the best show I could but while also trying to shield the controller from the rain, and while it was raining on it, it was glitching and getting on my new laptop. So I was just kind of stressed out from that.
I mean everything's gone fine. It's just that sometimes shit happens. But I'm sure one day I'll play in front of a large crowd where I don't even have to worry about a single thing, and I'm drinking champagne or something. That'll be a good day.
I: What is your software of your choice?
C: Traktor.
I: For DJing, Traktor. For producing?
C: Oh, for producing, Ableton. Definitely.
I: What is your process? which synths do you use? What is your process of summoning up those crazy ass basslines?
C: Well I mean, of course I use Massive because... who doesn't? But I don't really know--I mean, I kind of just jumped in like a year ago and just tried to make noises, and it turned out to be decent enough to, you know, just--BASS. Massive is pretty much the only thing I use. I mean that's all I've got to talk about. And everyone knows what Massive is if you produce.
But I just looked into Razor because my friends were showing it to me, and it was definitely awesome-looking. I think it's cleaner than Massive. Massive sounds all gritty and kind of messy at times, but I feel like Razor might be the thing I need to make it sound clearer--or crisper. I've really got to expand my synths. But that’s another thing. Like I said, I got a lot of new VSTs and stuff recently, so I'm ready to open up my sound to new things and just experiment mostly. Because I rarely experiment whenever I open up Ableton.
I: My next question comes from looking at all those hilarious photos that you've put up...just throwing your logo on top of a big booty or throwing it onto these hilarious images. So my question is: what was your plan of attack as you began marketing yourself as a producer?
C: Well I'd say there was no plan, but there's always a plan. It might not have been super clear at the beginning, but it gets clearer and clearer. Like at first I was producing whatever the fuck I wanted, but right now I feel like I'm on the hip hop game pretty good, and I feel like I could go really far with that. I feel like if I'm going to pick something, I think hip hop is one of the broadest things you could possibly pick because it, like, defines the past decade. So I could pretty much just go back in time and do whatever I want and remix stuff or just remix current stuff at the same time. But I think my initial niche that I wanted to find myself in was just, like, remixes and just being able to play songs that make people dance even if they didn't know who I was. So even if there wasn't like a sell-out crowd and everyone was just blown out of their mind dancing--like if there was just ten people there--I could play some cool songs that they already knew, plus add my own style to it. But as far as marketing goes, I mean, yeah, it’s just [speaking ironically] tagging onto remixes, you know, just jumping on someone else’s hard earned marketing also helps too because I kind of just, like, take away from them a little bit [still speaking ironically], but whatever, I don't give a fuck... ;)
I: [Laughing] That’s a legitimate way to go!
C: [Jokingly] Yeah, but like, you might find a little girl searching on the internet for Willow Smith, and she’ll find my remix, and then she’ll go to my show once she hits puberty, you know? And that’s another fan.
I: [Laughs hysterically.] Do you think that you might create your own label one day? I know you haven’t released anything on labels thus far. Are you thinking of just starting your own one day?
C: Yeah I mean, that’s a possibility, but I really don't like labels in the first place. I mean, I think I would start a collective before I would start a label. I want to get people together, and selling music isn't a top priority for me. I'd rather just have a website where people can go to and just buy merch or buy brand stuff or just keep up with a few artists that I really like, like Texas-based artists or something. But as far as labels, I'd rather work with a label for now, you know, just like use their resources, instead of doing my own. I'm definitely not anywhere close to starting a label.
I: What artists would you first want to recruit and bring onto your collective?
C: Well you never know who will be comin’ up, but it’d definitely be a lot of Texas-based stuff like Slater Z from Houston and AFK from Dallas and Run DMT from Austin. And I like Heros and Villains, but I mean they're already with Mad Decent so whatever. But yeah they're definitely one of my biggest inspirations.
I: Do you think you’ve somehow changed the music scene in San Antonio or in Texas overall?
C: Texas maybe a little bit, but definitely San Antonio because--I mean, before I started making music, I was a promoter. And not even a promoter for a club, just promoting music in general. Like just trying to get people to come to some random shows. I mean, I'd play rock venues at first. But yeah I mean, it’s been a long few years working in San Antonio, and it's definitely paid off. It's not anywhere far yet, but it's like there's actually something now. I'd say two, maybe three, solid weeklies going. I mean, I'd say two solid weeklies. We still don't really have any weeklies here. Like, they come up and they fizzle down and out. Nothing really lasts. But I feel like the weekly that I started has been something that really fueled the scene. And I don't want to take credit for everything. I mean it’s been a lot of other individuals, but it's like, seriously nothing's happened in San Antonio for a decade, which really sucks. Ever since that rave act/law thing.
I: What’s that weekly called?
C: "Lifted." Every goddamn Wednesday! It's called "Lifted" because we’re on a rooftop. We got a really good crew going of resident DJs. We've got this girl on the decks, usually to open. She is, like, moombahton. She's super, super good at moombahton. She's actually my neighbor too. She just started DJing and she's kicking ass. I mean, if you ask anyone in the moombahton scene, they'd probably know who she is. Who else? And then Vegas Banger goes on. Same with Fat Girl. He's the bar manager, and he plays some of the dubstep. But then it’s me every week, which is pretty fun. I don't always play dubstep. I play, like, anything. It's probably my favorite place to play because I'm not expected to play all my crazy dubstep tracks. I can just play, like, whatever sounds awesome in a club--even though it's not a club. It’s just a little tiny place for San Antonio to come together, and it's definitely been my favorite place to play all year.
I: Yeah, because you get to have that free format and not have to live up to that image that’s been going around the whole country.
C: Yeah, yeah definitely, and because all my friends are there. It's basically just like a house party, and I get to be the DJ at the peak of the night. And free liquor and alcohol and stuff. [Jokingly] Don’t tell my mom.
I: [Laughing] I will not tell your mom. Over the course of your career, Crizzly, how do you hope to influence the world? And this doesn't have to be some, like, beauty pageant answer. It can just be like, “Throw bass in the world’s face!”
C: Well, I think... as, such as... in the world, such as, like... such as, in the Americas, such as... [Imitating Ms. South Carolina in Miss Teen USA pageant 2007]
I: [Laughs hysterically.] My final question comes from a slogan we have within our Bassrush brand, which is “Dedicated to Bass,” and I want to know, how dedicated to bass are you?
C: Let’s see. I’ve got to give a beauty pageant answer for this one, right?
I: Please.
C: Man... I would do anything for her love...
I: [Laughing] That’s so romantic.
C: It is romantic. I went the romantic route.
I: Well, I very much appreciate you talking with us, and we’ll see you when you’re playing your next show with Insomniac!
Check out Crizzly's latest mixtape on Facebook
