Prior to the release of his hit single I Like That alongside Static Revenger, RICHARD VISSION wasn’t exactly what you would call a household name in Australia. In a similar case to artists like Ian Carey and The Bloody Beetroots, the industry has proven that all it takes is one track to open up a whole new world of opportunity for a musician – although there is no such thing as overnight success, explains the Canadian born artist.
“I spend a lot of time in the studio, sometimes up to seven days a week. I don’t have a window in there either because if I could see the sunshine outside I wouldn’t get any work done.”
The hit single provided a platform for Vission to share his music with the world, but the process by which it came about was not meant to actualise a top ten hit. “I don’t think that there is a real recipe for commercial success,” he says. “The only thing that I can say is that if you think you can have a top ten hit without a chorus then you are out of your mind. My biggest thing is that a song has to work on the dance floor – there is no use making dance music if it’s not going to rock the floor.”
Vission’s résumé isn’t something to be sneezed at either, with an impressive list of previous work including a successful collaboration with the Material Girl herself.
“Madonna was actually a fan of my remixes and I got a call from her manager one day and he asked me to remix one of her records. Here I was thinking ‘wow, I get to work with the biggest artist in the world’ and then he told me that the song I was doing was American Pie,” he says with a laugh. “It was a fairly bittersweet moment. I said I would do it if I could make a dub version with no vocals as well and they said yes.”
The pointy breasted wonder isn’t the only superstar that Vission has twiddled knobs for. He’s laid down quality arrangements for U2, Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas and Timbaland to name but a few, but the LA-based producer isn’t done yet, with more A list artists in his sights.
“U2 were at the top of my list – they had basically been the soundtrack to my life growing up, so to work with them was awesome,” he says. “There are a few people left that I would love to add to my list like Coldplay, and I know it sounds weird but Mick Jagger as well. I just love his vocals.”
Club-wise, Vission finds himself enjoying a new beginning, able to introduce himself to new international audiences, many of whom have never enjoyed the Vission experience before. “My style is still the same – I always play music that I like. It’s always a bit of house, progressive and electro.”
Catch Richard Vission live at Academy on Friday August 6.
