Barry Harris was destined for music greatness. From a childhood filled with music to his time with Chris Cox as the other part of the iconic Thunderpuss 2000 to his reinvention with rock band Sick Seconds, Harris has crossed genres and broken musical barriers for decades.
Contributing Writer Michael Cook sat down with Barry for a chat recently and they spoke about Harris’ beginnings, who is inspiring him musically, and will there ever be a Thunderpuss reunion?
Barry, thanks for taking the time to chat with me. How did you get your start in the world of music?
I’d always been a music junkie since i was a little boy. Piano lessons at 7, guitar lessons at 13, also singing in the High School Choir. I was playing bass in a rock band also when i was 15. Then i came out gay at 16, went to my first dance club after hours in Toronto and discovered dance music. I started DJ’ing in Toronto when I was 23 and always wanted to make my own record. When i was 28, midi/computer music was just starting, along with house music in the late 80’s. I was finally able to make my own record! I went to a midi recording studio in Hamilton every weekend to make my own song. I had a lot of ideas busting to come out! I worked part time DJ’ing and worked at the import record store in Toronto during the week.
Finally by May of 1998, my first record was finished! To make a long story short, it became a huge global hit and I got signed by Atlantic Records out of NYC and around the world by WEA. It went to #18 on the Top 100 U.S. pop chart and Top 5 in Europe. Very exciting times!
Many people know you best from your work with the amazing Chris Cox in Thunderpuss 2000, where much of the music that you both worked on defined many people’s dance floor experiences. What are some of your best memories of those times? And I have to ask, any chance of a reunion?
I didn’t meet Chris until 1990 while I was working on the second Kon Kan L.P. We later became friends over the phone during the mid 90’s while he lived in Tulsa working for Hot Tracks (a DJ subscription service) re editing club music. Chris is very technical, brilliant and skilled with music production. He helped me out a lot in the mid 90’s with computer questions, sequencing etc. He did some remixes as well for me (aka Kon Kan) at the time and he released some of my independent music at the time through his Interhit label in the U.S, along with his then biz partner Jeff Johnson. I eventually moved to Los Angeles to work along with Chris & Jeff. Thunderpuss at first was simply our remix name. We (or should I speak for myself) I never took Thunderpuss all that seriously at first, as I was more interested in songwriting and original producing. Thunderpuss was just another one of our many jobs (DJ, Songwriting, Producing) we were doing, but eventually it became so successful it simply took over! It was certainly a thrilling time. We both have a crazy work ethic and we got a LOT done in 6 1/2 years (Jan ’98 – July ’03). My favourite memories of the time was the musical and creative freedom we had. I could sit down and create almost anything musical within the Thunderpuss realm of remixing. It was really really awesome to be in the ‘drivers seat’ (remixing wise) for a few years. I really enjoyed creating new music for the remixes we did. It was a fun challenge every week!
As for a reunion, I get that question alot. You’d have to ask Chris that question.
So much has changed in music since the heyday of dance music in the 90’s. What do you think has changed the most?
Music has always been changing. It’s constantly been morphing and fragmenting in it’s many styles. Music is often ‘fashion’ of it’s times as well. What has changed the most was the death of vinyl and record stores. Also the death of the ‘record label’. Around 2003, the digital era not only changed the music but also killed the underground ‘indy music scene’. There was a time anyone could make a living by getting a few releases by getting on a cool label like Strictly Rhythm or Nervous Records, but the digital era killed all that and a new era emerged. A cool indy record label itself cold hold a lot of ‘street cred’. The amount of Indy labels that currently hold that much power has certainly diminished.
The death of the record store has changed things alot. The indy record stores (and the indy dance magazines too) changed things alot.
The indy record stores were a great meeting place where all the local DJ’s would meet, chat and discuss what was going on in their world. It was a ‘scene’ in itself! I miss working at the import Toronto record store, though at the time the DJ’s ego’s could often be trying. Also, what changed everything a LOT was dance music now going so commercial and now being on pop radio. That also changed the entire ‘indy’ dance culture. I’m not so sure there really IS an ‘underground’ scene anymore. Everything seems to now be all out in the open including (dare i call it) ‘rave’ and gay culture as well. BTW, i’m not complaining. You can’t stop the world from changing and evolving. This is just my perception, observations and opinion.
What artists out there are you finding to be the most inspiring right now? Anyone you really feel to be under appreciated?
I don’t find any current artists inspiring. Firstly, pop music isn’t about the music anymore, image and ‘celebrity’ seems to be more important first and foremost. I’m not interested in ‘how amazing one looks’. I’m interested in their art and artistic expression. I DO however, respect those with true talents and/or also willing to take risks e.g. Pink, Bruno Mars, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake. These are a few who certainly deserve to be high on the pop culture radar.
You’ve worked with Grammy Winners like Rick Nowells, Oscar winners like Giorgio Moroder, and Tony winners like David Zippell, as well as countless legendary recording artists. Who is out there now that you currently would love to work with?
Of course for me David Bowie will always be #1 on my list. I always wanted to work with Sparks. I’m pretty open to other experiences but no one else immediately currently comes to mind.
You formed the rock band Sick Seconds in 2011. Many would see this as a big departure from the music many of us know you for. What was it like going in the rock direction?
Going in a rock direction for a couple of years felt very natura; I went back to my teen roots. Playing guitar, singing, writing songs and performing them live on stage. It was absolutely ‘freeing and exhilarating’. I kinda go ‘where ever the wind takes me’. I love trying new things i haven’t done before. It was a new & fresh challenge and perhaps even an experiment I had something to say at the time and i wanted to express myself that way in a band for a change! “Shrugs” I don’t know, I DO know i had a great time with it!
What’s next for Barry Harris? I hear you are working on some new dance music with an artist that has yet to be revealed? Anything you can tell me about it?
I’m back again in dance/pop music and perhaps a bit of remixing this year 2014. I’m working with a different partner Ian Nieman in Toronto; he’s an extremely talented songwriter. Who knows what kinda chemistry will come out this time ’round with the two of us in the same room. Time will tell! Guess I’ve gone back to the laboratory once again to experiment and see what happens!!
