Get To Know: Ralph Myerz

Ralph Myerz, a DJ and producer from Norway, was Empty Lighthouse's most recent interview for the "Get To Know" feature. Ralph is the leader of Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band.

The band came together way back in the late 90's, and since have been producing electronic beats with a number of LP and record releases.

After 2008, the percussionist of the band left, leaving Ralph to focus more on his individual productions.

Read further and find out more about the electronic music producer and leading front man of the Norwegian electronica group, Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band.

EMPTY LIGHTOUSE: Who do you consider your musical influences?
RALPH MYERZ: George Clinton, Ant Banks, DJ Quik and Erick Sermon for the funk genre. Marvin Gaye, Minnie Riperton and Bobby Womack for the soul genre. Mike Banks, Derrick May, Robert Hood, Basic Channel and Jeff Mills for the techno genre.

Moodyman, Kenny Hawkes, Frankie Knuckles and Doc L Junior for the house genre.

Black Moon, A Tribe Called Quest, DJ Premier, Da Youngfellaz, Above the Law, Kokane, Snoop and Kurupt for the hip-hop genre.

Idjut Boys, Bjorn Torske, Erot, Dimitri From Paris and The Treatment for more modern takes on disco, and Monica Zetterlund, Mad Professor, Lee Scratch Perry, Major Harris, KLF and Global Communications for everything perfect.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: In spare time, who are some bands and artists you list to?
RALPH MYERZ: Mostly the above mentioned, but, I play Mad Professor every Monday morning to get a good start on the week, continuing to DJ Quick on Tuesdays. Wednesday its always a whole morning filled with Minnie Riperton albums. Thursday is almost weekend, and sometimes it is the beginning of the weekend, so that means that the only decent way to start Thursdays is to play some Frankie Knuckles followed by some Bjorn Troske tracks.

Friday! Well, then its definitely some Treatment and maybe even some Pincer Movement going on. Also, I have my Wine and Riperton, Dieter Rieth and Todd Rundergren and Space and Donald Byrd and Maynard Ferguson and Bertrand Burgalat, with a glass of red wine.

Saturday is all in day and that means those awesome Burrial Mix 10" are in full effect together with some new Kahuun, Click N Press mixed with Joey Fatts, Kenny Larkin and 3AM Eternal. Sunday is all 76:14.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: If you could collaborate with anyone in the industry, who would it be and why?
RALPH MYERZ: I always really wanted to work with George Clinton and Snoop Dogg, and I've been beyong lucky to actually get to work with those legends.

That is still very stranged to me that it actually happened, very happy for that.

Besides from that I would not mind recording an album with Bjorn Torske, DJ Quik, Q-Tip, Premier, Rakim, Magnet, Egil Olsen and Kjetl Moster, and get it mixed by Mad Professor and Hector Delgado.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: What has been your most memorable touring experience or memory?
RALPH MYERZ: There was this one time when David Bowie was supposed to play a huge gig in France. I still don't know how that happened, but this girl at the Oslo show threw a lollipop on stage and hit him in his eye. So hard that the lollipop got stuck there. You probably don't believe me at this point in the story, so Google it, it's beyond crazy.

Anyways, after that incident, I think David Bowie got some problems with his heart and he cancelled some shows. A few weeks before the lollipop incident, apparently he saw me and my band at this other festival and thought it was quite decent, so somehow his people got us his then cancelled slot in front of 80,000 people.

Saturday night at this amazing festival in France, and that was beyond crazy for us to play for that many people so early in our career.

It really helped us a lot in France and other places as well, so, shout out to David Bowie and his crew, and maybe a super small micro nano cynical shout out to the mysterious ninja lollipop girl, although I wish no harm for Mr.

Bowie ever.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you want to bring with you?
RALPH MYERZ: My girlfriend and my two amazing kids. I love you!

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: What are your upcoming plans in regards to touring, recording and releases?
RALPH MYERZ: Working on a tour together with Da Youngfellaz and Click N Press, presenting the new album. We will do an enhanced DJ gig with lots of extra vocal stuff and guests.

There will be synths! Also, I am busy with the new album I'm doing for Paper Recordings.

That will be a more disco oriented thing with lots of echo, reverb and percussive dance floor action. After that, I am finishing a very mellow album for Klik Records in Greece with some amazing vocalists, its called SlowMellowMuzik4LateSummerNitez.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: Anything else you would like to add?
RALPH MYERZ: Everybody should be nice to each other, and also listen to some good albums, and drink red wine every Friday.