Mat the Alien wins the “Favourite Local DJ” category in Whistler’s Pique Newsmagazine every year since they started the contest. He arrived here from England (or outer space) in 1995 and eagerly hopped into the typical local routine: “I snowboarded every day in the winter and mountain biked every day in the summer.” In the evenings Mat would wow and amaze the Whistler nightlife scene with his otherworldly turntable skills and ability to start a party, keep it going, then blow the roof off.
Word spread and spread, and now Mat the Alien is one of Canada’s most sought-after DJs. His style encompasses all genres but consistently hammers audiences with heavy beats and bass lines punctuated with mind-boggling record scratching. He’s performed everywhere from Moscow to Torino to Halifax to Guatemala but like any good Extra-Terrestrial he always comes home: “Really Good Tuesdays” is his weekly night at Whistler’s Maxx Fish nightclub. As he gears up for a busy summer of playing music festivals The Insider caught up with Mat to talk about what spots in Whistler he considers, “Really Good.”
Favourite Thing about the Whistler Music Scene: The crowds are really fun, people from all over the world– Japan, Australia, Europe, America – and every six months we get a new batch of locals arriving. Everyone is always excited and not agro. People just want to dance and listen to new music. I bring in guest DJs from all over the place and they always bug out on how crazy it is for a Tuesday night.
Favourite Bike Park Run: I helped build the first trails in the Bike Park back in the day. I used to ride it a lot but then i had a lung injury so now i mostly ride the trails in the valley. I like Binty’s and Industrial Disease are really good.
Favourite Drink: If i am at the club i stick to Monster or some Heineken, then i can still play. When i am not working i like Caesars and dark beer. If I am traveling I like to try out local beers.
Favourite Coffee Shop: Moguls. It’s right near where I work. It’s convenient and open late-night.
Go-To Breakfast Joint: Elements. When musicians come to town to play our nights they always say it is one of the best breakfasts they’ve had anywhere. (Editor’s note: Sadly, Elements has since closed)
Best Lunch Spot: I like the GLC. I like the vibe there and the friendly staff. They make a good Caesar. GLC and Dusty’s are the best for Apres.
Favourite Dinner: Sushi Village. When I first moved here from England I thought sushi was a bit dodgy but I got used to it pretty fast. Spicy tofu is excellent.
Best Place to Relax: I used to go to Lakeside Park a lot. It is close and easy to get to. I also like going for a hike around the trails in the Cheakamus area.
Any new music we should hit up? What just came out this week is an 38-minute EP from Phantasm, a guy from Edmonton. It’s multi-genre based music and it just came out on my own label, Really Good Music. I’ve been playing it a lot. Check it out.
What’s the Trick to Rocking a Party? It’s different all the time but what we do on Tuesdays is try to make a gradual build-up. Not too crazy early on. We try to make a nice progression of music throughout the night that builds up to a frenzy.
Listen to sounds from his label on Soundcloud or check out this video of Mat beat juggling (making new material with two of the same record) in someone’s record shop.
