If life throws a curveball at me, I’d be… hitting it dead on.

If I weren’t a DJ, I’d be a… star shining behind a superstar.

The last time I was happy, it was… when my fan page nearly crossed the 3,000 mark.

The last time I was thrashed, I was… getting my tooth pulled.

I’d die in peace if I get to meet… Hatsune Miku.

Jumpstart: The F. Vodka Champions’ Lounge takes place on September 23, 10pm at TAB.
 

What are some of the biggest misconceptions and myths about DJing?
Well it seems to be every boy`s dream to become a DJ, get rich, snag the girls and travel around the world. But it’s a lot more than that. The good thing about playing music is that you constantly have to find new music. You simply don`t want to repeat yourself too much—therefore you stay open towards the music of other people. It is very much about experience and being able to project a feeling to the audience through music. At the end of the day, it looks like child`s play even though there is a lot of work behind it.

What music did you listen to as a teenager and how has it affected the music you make?
It started with the record collection of our parents; they had a lot of classical music. A friend’s father owned an incredible jazz collection where we were happy to discover great things like the whole CTI catalogue—everything from Herbie Hancock to AC Jobim. And we are into 60s and 70s rock history too and love bands like the Doors, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Then the big black jazz-funk-soul universe come along and what a fantastic world that was and still is .We remember the first time we heard "Summer Madness" by Kool & The Gang—that had such a strong effect on us. Artists like Serge Gainsbourg, stranger stuff from Brian Eno and of course cosmic music influenced us. And when the dub reggae thing came along that opened a lot of doors too.

As music connoisseurs, what attracts you to a particular track?
It is more the feel of the track that hits us. We will then listen in more detail and would find a defined reason but in the beginning you just feel it.

How do you craft setlists?
Well honestly there is no real setlist—the key is to know your tracks very well—then you are able to place them at the right time with full effect. Now, there is such a wave of new music being released all the time that it is rather important to cut your selection down to a minimum. And then again the more you play, the better you can test the reaction of the audience to the tracks. Music always sounds completely different, or has another effect, in a club than in your studio or at home.

Greatest non-musical influences?
Probably films from the likes of Jim Jarmusch, Sofia Coppola, David Lynch, as well as classics like Chinatown, Apocalypse Now and Blade Runner. Art, photos, books and graphic design. And just life in its permanent up and downs. But it’s important to filter, pick out the positive and chuck the crap.

Chill out with Kruder & Dorfmeister at Avalon GP Season Pre-Race Party on September 24, 9pm. Avalon, Marina Bay Sands, Crystal Pavilion South, 2 Bayfront Ave., 6597-8309. $88-203.

When and why did you start collecting beer bottles?
I grew up around my father’s Tiger Beer memorabilia so I was naturally attached to beer and collecting things. Collecting beer bottles actually took off by chance when I realized that a friend had the same dormant interest. That was in 2007. Before, I was only keeping uncommon beers I bought in supermarkets. I think our enthusiasm really rubbed off on each other. It’s like postage stamps and currency notes; collecting beer bottles is my way of learning about other countries.

How many beers were around when you first began collecting?
I never really counted, and it’s hard to say because I bought more than 20 different beers a month, for about eight to nine months. It also coincided with a time when uncommon beers were getting popular, so many new beers were streaming in each month. I’m still quite fascinated by that, and this was before beer festivals and events were widely organized.

When did this beer boom begin?
It probably started about two to three years ago when the number of microbreweries surged. I remember seeing a lot of publicity about it and quite quickly the number of importers and imported beers grew. I think people started to embrace new beer styles and competition increased, even among the already established brands.

With so many beers in the market now, what excites you in the way of new finds?
Limited edition brews, or those from countries not in my collection. However, I get most excited when I find something new from the most unassuming of places, like in a hawker center, a convenience store or a small café outside of town. I still enthusiastically text my friend each time something like that happens. It makes you wonder how the beer got there and who it’s being sold to. It keeps me going.

What’s the greatest length you’ve gone to in securing a bottle of beer?
If you’re asking in terms of distance, it’d have to be Syria. Effort wise, it would be in India in 2009 when I crossed into Nepal unknowingly. Citizens of the two countries don’t need passports to cross each other’s border, so the jeep I was in drove through the checkpoints thinking I was a Nepali. I arrived lost and spent 15 minutes explaining myself to the border guard. He eventually sent me on a rickshaw back to India, but not before escorting me to his friend’s liquor store to buy Nepali beers. I ended up with four bottles, haha!

If you could collaborate with anyone living or dead… I would love to be insulted by John Lydon.

My greatest non-musical influence is… Richard Avedon.

Three records that never fail to cheer me up are… Etta James’s “At Last,” Refused’s “The Shape Of Punk To Come” and Wendy Carlos’s “Switched on Bach.” They are all classics and hybrids.

The single that never fails to make me dance… James Brown’s “Get Up Offa That Thing.”

Any special remixes or exclusives for Avalon punters… Who knows?

Catch The Bloody Beetroots for Avalon at Large Go! on September 23.

The artist that never fails to simultaneously make me cry and dance is… Michael Jackson.

I would like to collaborate with… DJ AM.

The musical acts that need more hype and love are... Swollen Members, Slightly Stoopid, Pepper and Tech9ine.

My greatest non-musical influence is… Oprah.

My style icon is… Gwen Stefani.

If my mixes were a man... he would be bipolar with extreme ADD and multiple personalities.

At the end of my set... hopefully everyone will leave with someone and get laid.

Check out DJ Tina T’s hi-octane set on September 24-25 at the Johnnie Walker Jet Black Party Series.

Golf is a pursuit that seems saner than what you got up to in the past. Is that a sign of mellowing or true rebellion?
True rebellion. What is more anti-Alice than golf? Plus, golf is already a vicious game, I’m just trying to make it more violent. I think it should be a blood sport.

Where do you find inspiration when it comes to writing songs?
People in general are the greatest and never-ending source of inspiration and material.

You have collaborated with many of the biggest names in music, but is there anyone else living or dead that you would love to collaborate with?
Pete Townsend, Burt Bacharach, Paul McCartney and Jeff Beck.

If you were ever bored, what are three tracks to listen to that can pump up your dreary day?
“I Get Around” by The Beach Boys, “September” by Earth, Wind And Fire and “A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles.

Favorite lullaby?
“When You Wish Upon A Star” because it reminds me of my childhood with Walt Disney.

Favorite stories?
Grimms’ Fairy Tales because they allow me to use my childish imagination and I never grew up.

What are some of the biggest myths about you?
I never killed a chicken on stage and I hate Satan.

Biggest lie you ever told the media?
That I was extremely talented... no seriously, in the beginning I said “Don’t worry about me, I won’t be around very long!” That was 45 years ago.

It’s your first gig in Singapore, what can we expect from you?
An all-out Alice Cooper Halloween Party type of show. Twenty-six songs, classics, new ones, full blast no-holds-barred Alice!

Don’t miss Alice Cooper‘s No More Mr Nice Guy gig on Oct 5, at The Coliseum. We will also be giving away tickets to this gig next week so follow us on Twitter & Facebook for more details!

All Lines Flow Out was started because of my curiosity about how waterways functioned within Singapore. I have always observed and been fascinated by people having activities in the longkangs.

I have always wondered why the government romanticizes a canal into a river. Why must they blind us from seeing a longkang for what it actually is? It’s not like we have a great mountain as our chief water source.

My fondest childhood memories are based on growing up in Kampong Mata Ikan, Changi. I remember my grandmother making white paint from seashells. The entire process was quite cool but the paint flaked off easily.

I didn’t like the experience of studying in a boarding school in Surrey because it wasn’t nice at all to be constantly reminded that you are a Chinese.

You don’t even need to be insulted to feel the difference.

Through that experience, I learnt how minorities feel in Singapore and also about the physical and psychological differences that society foists on us.

Personal heroes tend to disappoint me.

What I discovered in Venice was that everyone, including established names, is struggling with their craft and it’s really important to learn how to enjoy our struggles.

Art directing for a film is the most miserable experience because you don’t stop working. Even the camera crew has more breaks than me.

In Singapore, most art spaces have a bad flow which prevents you from fully enjoying and discovering a work.

Another problem in the local art scene is the glut of group shows with flimsy themes and artists told to create work that fits in.

When Li Lin and I started working together in 2010, we were afraid that it would be a strain on our marriage, but we eventually realized that it’s important to work with someone you trust.

I was taking photographs of big yachts to supplement my income, when China’s America Cup organizers asked me if I was keen to take part in the trials to make the team.

Don’t believe the hype, the human imagination is limited.

Sailing for China in the America’s Cup was a way of exorcising the bad feelings and fears about the sport which I harboured.

Sports brings fleeting happiness and is reflective about the madness of life but art has the power to freeze a moment and allows you to be contemplative.

Very early in my life, I made up my mind to be an atheist.

I have alektorophobia because I was attacked by a chicken when I was a kid. In fact, I am more afraid of the feathers on the rotan than the actual caning. I don’t eat chicken and even chicken shaped mock meat gets me all nervy.

As a child: My mother noticed that I listened very carefully to music, so she bought me my first record.
First job: Delivering newspapers.
Rule for life: Be honest with myself and other people.
Happiest moment: When my children were born.
Can’t live without: A turntable.
Hum this tune in the shower: Flash.  
People always assume I’m: serious and shy.
Best gig I have ever been to: Leeds Festival.
Would like to be remembered as: Somebody who is a champion in music.
In 20 years: I’ll still be doing what I’m doing.
What do you like about Thailand? Weather, people and records.

What have you been doing since your previous exhibition, Nocturne?
I had a chance to do a number of entertaining projects, like making a film and music with Superzaaap!, in addition to my photography.

How did this exhibition start?
I used to party a lot and one day I started to feel like I’d had enough of it. Now I’m not as hardcore a drinker as before and that change has let me stop and focus more on myself. I grew up mostly listening to calmer musical genres like classical. But when I got a little older, society drew me into the electronic world. I’d like to come back myself, so I came up with the idea of capturing everything in black and white without using any help from a computer.

So, you’ve only just taken all of these photos?
Yes, they are all new. The photos that were shown on the first floor illustrate the concept of ‘Stop and Think.’ As I’ve said, the exhibition started when I stopped partying all the time and came back to focus on the more peaceful side within me. These photos are of ordinary places and things that I see every day. Something in each of made me pause and think, though, and I try to capture that beauty in my work. I focus in on the details of each object. For the second floor, I took pictures everywhere I went. I spent one and a half months working on them.

So, which is your favorite? Artistic black and white shots or party photos?
It’s hard to say which my favorite is. Both of them are kind of my babies. The “party photography” project though has already grown up, while the black and white photography is still a newborn and needs a lot of attention. So, for now I’m choosing to focus my time and energy exclusively on the latter.

Were you worried that Nocturne fans would be disappointed?
My previous Nocturne is fun and, honestly, everyone has their own fan base. I don’t worry about that too much. But now that it’s only me, I feel nervous on grand opening day as I’m not sure if anyone will come to see my exhibition.

What next?
I don’t have a concrete idea in my head about where to go next, but I know I’ll continue with both the party photos and the black and white images.

Medium and technique: Acrylic on canvas

How did this exhibition start?
I got this idea from everything I see around the world. Bruised represents any experience, human or otherwise. There are a lot of disasters happening over the world these days. It makes me stop and think that our world experience is fundamentally wounded and bruised. So, I interpreted that world in this series of paintings.

How does this exhibition evolve from your previous exhibition?
The only thing that is the same is that I chose to use acrylic colors and canvas, but the technique is different. As the concept is “bruised,” I added a lot of water to dilute the intensity of the pigment, which gives the colors themselves an injured look. The presentation is also more like a story. One painting can recall some memory from the past and has the ending in itself.

What’s the story behind this painting, Love?
Love has many dimensions. It could start with happiness and end in tragedy. Both from my own experience and the experiences of my friends and family, I know that heartbreak isn’t something we forget. It’s like we have a scar on our body. So I came up with the picture of a boy and a girl with these bruises all over their bodies. When you look into the paintings, it makes you feel as if you are experiencing these memories for yourself.