In this NSW x Poducer episode, we sit down with Denver-based dubstep producer CØNTRA, whose path spans Suzuki violin, metal guitar, and 16+ years of bass music exploration. From growing up in the California redwoods to relocating to Denver, CØNTRA shares how nature, travel, and rave culture shaped his sound and artistic identity.
The conversation gets real as he opens up about OCD, anxiety, sobriety, gym routines, cold plunges, and how mental health shapes his creativity.
We dive into the Denver scene, Submission’s role in his career, and what it actually feels like to go from fan in the crowd to artist on the agency roster. We also explore his philosophy on creativity (inspired in part by Rick Rubin’s “antenna” concept), the myth of originality, why vocals are almost always part of his tunes, and how he’s still figuring out what a “signature sound” means in modern bass music.
The Podcast for Producers
📲 Follow CØNTRA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contra.slaps
https://soundcloud.com/contraslaps
Follow Poducer:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poducerpodcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoducerPodcast
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@poducerpodcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28RT0Mv5mMFr2ozrO2dav
Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/poducer/id1327594929
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/poducerpodcast
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
02:28 – California Roots & Nature Influence
04:08 – California to Denver: Finding Bass Culture
07:40 – Denver’s Influence & Musical Training
10:15 – Rave Culture, Early DJing
13:42 – DAWs, Workflow & Life Philosophy
16:00 – Creativity Philosophy (Rick Rubin, Originality & Influence)
22:03 – World Bass, Sampling & Collaboration
24:11 – Travel & Identity
27:45 – Playing “64” (Unreleased)
32:29 – Inspiration & Range: The Widdler Effect
36:06 – Touring Life & Joining Submission
39:44 – OCD, Anxiety & Mental Health Journey
53:18 – The Widdler Remix
56:50 – Songwriting, Instruments & Live Violin
1:00:04 – Artist Shoutouts
1:05:12 – Shoutouts
1:06:44 – Where to Find CØNTRA + Outro
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In this NSW x Poducer episode, we sit down with Denver-based dubstep producer CØNTRA, whose path spans Suzuki violin, metal guitar, and 16+ years of bass music exploration. From growing up in the California redwoods to relocating to Denver, CØNTRA shares how nature, travel, and rave culture shaped his sound and artistic identity.
The conversation gets real as he opens up about OCD, anxiety, sobriety, gym routines, cold plunges, and how mental health shapes his creativity.
We dive into the Denver scene, Submission’s role in his career, and what it actually feels like to go from fan in the crowd to artist on the agency roster. We also explore his philosophy on creativity (inspired in part by Rick Rubin’s “antenna” concept), the myth of originality, why vocals are almost always part of his tunes, and how he’s still figuring out what a “signature sound” means in modern bass music.
The Podcast for Producers
📲 Follow CØNTRA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contra.slaps
https://soundcloud.com/contraslaps
Follow Poducer:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poducerpodcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoducerPodcast
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@poducerpodcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28RT0Mv5mMFr2ozrO2dav
Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/poducer/id1327594929
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/poducerpodcast
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
02:28 – California Roots & Nature Influence
04:08 – California to Denver: Finding Bass Culture
07:40 – Denver’s Influence & Musical Training
10:15 – Rave Culture, Early DJing
13:42 – DAWs, Workflow & Life Philosophy
16:00 – Creativity Philosophy (Rick Rubin, Originality & Influence)
22:03 – World Bass, Sampling & Collaboration
24:11 – Travel & Identity
27:45 – Playing “64” (Unreleased)
32:29 – Inspiration & Range: The Widdler Effect
36:06 – Touring Life & Joining Submission
39:44 – OCD, Anxiety & Mental Health Journey
53:18 – The Widdler Remix
56:50 – Songwriting, Instruments & Live Violin
1:00:04 – Artist Shoutouts
1:05:12 – Shoutouts
1:06:44 – Where to Find CØNTRA + Outro
Greg Corner — Kill Hannah, Darkwave Disco & Chicago’s Underground Music Scene
Poducer
1 hour 47 minutes 16 seconds
3 months ago
Greg Corner — Kill Hannah, Darkwave Disco & Chicago’s Underground Music Scene
In this episode of Poducer, we sit down with Chicago creatives Greg Corner — bassist, DJ, promoter, and co-founder of the legendary Darkwave Disco parties. From playing bass with Kill Hannah to booking breakout artists at JBTV, Greg has lived through multiple eras of Chicago music and helped shape the city’s underground into a global influence.
He shares the journey from sneaking into raves and punk shows to sharing stages with icons, why the “bloghouse” years created a blueprint for today’s DJ culture, and what it really takes to build a scene. We dive into his philosophy on curation, taste, and trust, plus the challenges of breaking artists in a city that often celebrates its own only after they’ve left.
Greg also gives his perspective on the future: how AI could flood dance music, why bands may be poised for a comeback, and why real fans — not algorithms — still decide which art lasts.
🎧 Follow Greg Corner: https://www.instagram.com/gregcorner
🎙️ Follow Poducer: https://linktr.ee/poducerpodcast
00:00 – Intro
01:22 – Darkwave Disco & Chicago’s Bloghouse Era
06:00 – From Metal to Electronic: Skrillex, Justice & Bass Culture
11:20 – Joining Kill Hannah & Blending Rock with Electronic Influences
22:31 – Life on a Major Label in the 2000s
28:20 – JBTV & Discovering Bands Before They Blew Up
36:43 – Why Music Became a Rich Kids’ Pastime
41:05 – AI, Dance Music, and the Future of Live Bands
46:16 – Culture Over Headliners: Throwing Parties in Chicago
48:46 – Daft Punk, French Touch & Chicago House Legacy
55:36 – Bands Writing Together vs. Bedroom Producers
1:12:32 – From Tracks to Songs: How EDM Went Mainstream
1:13:21 – DIY Culture vs. Capitalist Festivals
1:15:07 – Touring the World with Kill Hannah
1:20:22 – Behind the Scenes with Kesha’s Comeback
1:36:12 – Best Concert Ever: Rage Against the Machine at Metro
1:42:43 – Closing Thoughts & Shoutouts
Poducer
In this NSW x Poducer episode, we sit down with Denver-based dubstep producer CØNTRA, whose path spans Suzuki violin, metal guitar, and 16+ years of bass music exploration. From growing up in the California redwoods to relocating to Denver, CØNTRA shares how nature, travel, and rave culture shaped his sound and artistic identity.
The conversation gets real as he opens up about OCD, anxiety, sobriety, gym routines, cold plunges, and how mental health shapes his creativity.
We dive into the Denver scene, Submission’s role in his career, and what it actually feels like to go from fan in the crowd to artist on the agency roster. We also explore his philosophy on creativity (inspired in part by Rick Rubin’s “antenna” concept), the myth of originality, why vocals are almost always part of his tunes, and how he’s still figuring out what a “signature sound” means in modern bass music.
The Podcast for Producers
📲 Follow CØNTRA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contra.slaps
https://soundcloud.com/contraslaps
Follow Poducer:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poducerpodcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoducerPodcast
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@poducerpodcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28RT0Mv5mMFr2ozrO2dav
Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/poducer/id1327594929
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/poducerpodcast
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
02:28 – California Roots & Nature Influence
04:08 – California to Denver: Finding Bass Culture
07:40 – Denver’s Influence & Musical Training
10:15 – Rave Culture, Early DJing
13:42 – DAWs, Workflow & Life Philosophy
16:00 – Creativity Philosophy (Rick Rubin, Originality & Influence)
22:03 – World Bass, Sampling & Collaboration
24:11 – Travel & Identity
27:45 – Playing “64” (Unreleased)
32:29 – Inspiration & Range: The Widdler Effect
36:06 – Touring Life & Joining Submission
39:44 – OCD, Anxiety & Mental Health Journey
53:18 – The Widdler Remix
56:50 – Songwriting, Instruments & Live Violin
1:00:04 – Artist Shoutouts
1:05:12 – Shoutouts
1:06:44 – Where to Find CØNTRA + Outro
