What do you do?
I'm Operations Manager at Niche Productions. I handle the day to day running of one of Australia's busiest boutique promoters and agencies covering everything from marketing and promotions and publicity, to logistics and finance and some other stuff. Outside of that I DJ and present a radio show called Soul Glow on Sydney community radio 2SER.
Why do you do it?
Truckloads of cash and infinite kudos. No, seriously, I'm a fan of music foremost, and feel like I have some sort of responsibility to the music I love to share it with people or help it be presented in a certain way. Basically to do what I can to maximise its exposure.
What do you love about the city you live in?
I was born in Melbourne but Sydney is my home. Sydney is beautiful and I think knowing its disorganisation as far as not being a planned city is concerned, it has all of these great little pockets you can go to to experience different cultures. To an extent it's pretty segregated, which is not cool, but it means there's always somewhere new to explore.
Where did you go for your last holiday?
I'm in Vietnam by the time you're reading this! I guess Port Douglas was my last holiday but it's been so long between Mai Tais, let me tell you. Port Douglas is an amazing part of the world. Can't believe it's on our doorstep. There's a fish up there that I swear the tour guide told me was called Ras Clart.
What's your favourite item of clothing? Why?
I've recently gotten into a brand of clothing called Mr Simple from Melbourne. They have some fine ass threads for a long torsoed man like me. I like Grand Scheme, too. But yeah, my Mr Simple jeans are probably it because my wife says they look good, so I don't need any more reason than that. New fashion is fucked though, because everything is tight and it takes a long time to get your phone out of your pants.
What was your favourite TV show when you were a kid?
Ren and Stimpy. Best use of soap as ice cream bar, ever.
If you could travel back in time for a day, where would you go?
I'd go back to 1999, start my label on my first day in the music industry and actually sell some fucking records.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us?
Probably pizza. Or that meatball dish with the pulsed chorizo and basil sauce that's become so popular in my house. Forgeddaboutit.
What's the best lesson you've ever learned?
If you don't lie, you never have to remember anything. And call your mum regularly.
Tell us one thing about yourself that nobody else knows...
I'm a loudmouth and I wear my heart on my sleeve, so everyone knows everything about me. I'm surprised I haven't written what underwear I am wearing yet. YET.
Are you happy with your work/life balance?
No, not really. But how realistic is it to think I could just listen to music all day and cook for my wife and nap and write press releases? My work offers me some incredible opportunities and it always crosses over between work and life, so I can't complain.
How do you define success?
Now nothing ever came for nothing
You have to give them all that you've got
But you just have a warm ambition
And scarface you were straight to the top
Now you've got your success
Success!
We're gonna put your power to the test
Success!
Success!
And now you've got the world at best
With all your success
-Paul Engemann, 'Success'
What's your spirit animal?
I'm a Leo star sign. I love crocodiles. I once heard a woman with a brain tumour's totem animal (which was a tiger) ate her brain tumour out of her head one night when she was asleep. COOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.
Huw Araniego-Ellis - scenestr of the day
