Dean Williams is a sweetheart and cutie pie that makes wicked electronic music with Steve Mason under the name Original Recipe. These guys have been making music for about 10 years, but rarely play Toronto and can be difficult to track down. When Ryan McLaren finally got a chance to talk to Dean, he’d just gotten back from Thailand.<!--more-->

What’ve you been up to Dean? I can’t even remember the last time I saw you out and about. I think it might’ve been the Three Ring Circuits show at Wavelength a year and a half ago. What’ve you been up to?

This record (Original Recipe - Noisette, out January 23rd) has been the main musical thing I’ve been working on for the past year or so. It’s been a lot of fun but I think I’m ready to reintegrate with society and maybe see the sun a bit.

I heard you just got back from Florence or Australia or something? How was the trip?

I just got back from Thailand a week ago, and it was a pretty mind-bending experience. I’ve been bitten by the travel bug, by which I mean “scabies". My elbows are still really itchy.

But, when a whole country is collectively happier than anyone you know back home, it makes you think that they must know something you don’t (besides how to speak Thai). Also, you know where they make really great Thai food? Yeah, Thailand. What a country. In Thailand, pad thai orders you! You can have all manner of things done to you in Thailand for around 3 dollars. I’ve seen things that would put hair from your chest on your knuckles. They have great posture as well, as a nation.

I saw your girlfriend in a Special K commercial. Does she actually eat that stuff? Does she make you eat it? Oh, wait, are you guys still dating? Is this an awkward question?

Hey, I married her actually. We got married in July. Being married is pretty cool; it’s like a never-ending sleepover party, but your sheets are brand new. Actually, just about everything is brand new. I have a couple really nice spatulas; which I highly recommend. You really don’t want to cut corners on your spatula. A nice rigid silicone spatula (I recommend Kitchen Aid) can make the difference been a canapé and a can’t-apé. She doesn’t make me eat Special K, but when I’m sweating to the oldies or jazzercising I find that it fills me up, without filling out my red stirrup pants too much, if you catch my drift.

You been in a number of bands, including Quasimojo, that are either heavily electronic or have that influence. What makes Original Recipe different?

The name. Also: our outfits. I think the music is slightly less serious as well; it’s more about having a good time, with some nice cheeses of the world, tinkling piano on the hi-fi, a snifter of some digestif, and four-way swinging with your Swedish neighbours. In a well-appointed but modernly minimal row house. You know.

You’ve only played a couple shows, right? Is this more of a hobby than a “serious” project? What’s your motivation with this band?

Well, actually - we’ve been working together on and off since 1997 if you can believe it. I suggest you believe it. We get along and just get each other musically. I can scrunch up my face and wave my hands around and say “make it sound like that” and Steve understands what I mean. That’s pretty hard to recreate with other people. It’s just been a pretty stretched-out, sporadic project - Steve lives in San Francisco so working together, rehearsing, and playing shows becomes something that requires a bit more planning. We’ve played maybe 10 shows over 10 years. We’ve recorded upwards of 40 songs in that time, but this is the first proper release of material since 1999.

What pearls of wisdom would you like the kids of tomorrow to take to heart?

If I could offer one word of advice to young people, it would be one of these two: BE ADEQUITE.

by Ryan McLaren