Interview: Body Copy Brings the Heat
- Tucker Cargile
- Sep 7, 2020
- 4 min read
Recently I have gotten more into remixes of songs that I love and hearing these altered versions always makes for an interesting listen. One artist that I have started to listen to more is Body Copy, a Nashville based electronic music artist, who boasts upbeat remixes and unique sounds. His remixes of Channel Tres’ “Controller” and Charli XCX’s “pink diamond” stand out, although his fairly recent EP, Something Halo, with legendary producer Felix Snow brings groovy vibes when we need them most.
I caught up with the artist a few weeks back to discuss living in Nashville, new music, his adorable dog, and much more. Get to know Body Copy through this interview and check him out on Soundcloud and Spotify.
I’ve been wondering about your name, where did the name ‘Body Copy’ come from?
I think I originally stumbled upon the term body copy when reading about advertising several years ago. It refers to the main text or copy of an ad or article but I just thought it sounded cool. Taken out of the context of its original meaning Body Copy had a sort of sci-fi vibe to it and also sounded a bit dark and mysterious. I thought it was a good fit for the type of music I was making so I just rolled with it!
Are you originally from Nashville? If not, what brought you there?
No, I grew up in southwest Virginia and then went to college in North Carolina. I studied music performance in school with upright/electric bass being my primary instrument. I originally moved to Nashville in 2014 to pursue playing with bands and doing recording sessions as a bass player. This has been how I've made most of my living for the last 6 years. I always worked a bit in music production but it wasn't until 2017 when I founded the Body Copy project that I started releasing my own original tracks.
If someone is checking you out for the first time, what would you want them to listen to first?
I tend to point people to whatever my most recent release is. I feel the Elements EP and This Time EP represent my current sound well. They are definitely more dance floor oriented so if I know the person likes vocals I'll usually point to some of my remixes.
You recently posted Channel Tres and Diplo playing your remix of “Controller”, SO SICK!! Are you a fan of Channel Tres?
Glad you dig the remix! Yeah I'm a big fan of Channel Tres' production and writing. I first heard "Controller" on Spotify back in 2018 and then about a year later a friend of mine mentioned he had a contact at the label Godmode who had released the Channel Tres EP. I ended up getting access to the original stems of the song and got to do my take of it. I really enjoyed working on that one and it was dope to hear it in the mix with Channel Tres and Diplo.
What was your collaboration with Felix Snow like?
I've known Felix for several years now. We first connected when he moved to Nashville and I played bass as a part of one of his projects. Since then we've occasionally gotten together when one of us got a new synth or drum machine and we would just mess around and make a track. Over time we had several tunes that we were both digging so we decided to round it off with a few more for a full EP. Some of those songs are over a year or two old! During quarantine we worked remotely on the last few songs by just passing Ableton sessions back and forth. I've got lots of love and respect for that dude!
How much do you miss playing shows?
I miss it a ton. I definitely get bummed out when I think about the uncertainty of the future for the live music industry but I'm hopeful all of us performers can get back to it sometime in 2021.
What does your typical day look like?
I'm a creature of habit so I do have a bit of a routine. Typically the mornings I spend taking my dog out and doing some form of exercise. After that I usually try to spend time reading or listening to new music before hopping into emails or any other stuff I need to get done. I've been lucky to be able to carve out a large chunk of each day (especially during quarantine) to work on writing a lot of new music.
What’s your dog's name? What breed?
His name is Lou, Lou Reed. He's a rescue pup and is a mix of hound, border collie, and australian shepherd. He lives for the frisbee.
You don’t collaborate with vocalists very much, is this something you want to do? If so, who?
Most of my vocal collabs in the past have been in the form of remixes however I am currently working on a few new original collaborations. I've been writing with a vocalist named Soren Bryce as well as Austin Fillmore. Once those are finished I'm planning on releasing them before the end of the year.
Favorite spot in Nashville?
I would say the place I go the most is a taco spot called Mas Tacos. Even during the quarantine I've probably gotten taken out from there more than any other place.
Short term goals? Long term goals?
Short term, I'm working on getting releases planned out for the rest of 2020. It's looking like 3-5 new singles and possibly some remixes. Long term, much of it depends on where this pandemic leads the world but I'd like to be filling out my touring schedule as a DJ as well as putting together a "live" show with synths, drum machines, etc.
Comments