Astronomy Class

Sydney’s Astronomy Class are a blossoming enterprise. The trio of Ozi Batla, Chasm and Sir Robbo have recently released their second album; Pursuit Of Happiness. It’s a wonderfully consistent effort, building on the dub and reggae foundations established through Exit Strategy. They have also just completed the Where You At? tour, packing out shows around the country. Batla and Chasm told me what’s what.

How did you three meet and form Astronomy Class?
Chasm: Robbo and Ozi met at a night Robbo co-ran called ‘Frigid’. This is also where myself and Robbo first met, we were both playing in different bands, ‘Tooth’ and ‘Ukiyo-e’. I also first linked with Ozi through Robbo, back when i had just started making beats and was looking for someone to rap on them.

Pursuit Of Happiness is a much more positive title than Exit Strategy. What has changed since the last album?
Ozi Batla: I don’t know if it’s a more positive title, just a different perspective. The pursuit of happiness relates to the Declaration of Independence, “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. It’s about what we need to make us happy, and that’s the primary theme running through the album. So of course there’s tracks about the obstacles to our happiness as well.

In Dishing Dirt you mention the ‘Ass Class legacy.’ Can you tell me a more about this idea?
OB: Every artist, maybe every person, wants to leave a legacy. Having children is a legacy, doing memorable deeds, making art that remains meaningful long after it is made. As musicians, we want to make music that not only reminds people of a certain era, but also crosses generations and reaches people long into the future.

You fellas have a wonderful knack for choosing quality female vocalists. How did the collaborations with Vida Sunshine and Kween G eventuate?
We got to know Vida on tour with Jake Savona. We did a national tour together and she was performing at all the shows with Jake. Vida often jumped up with us at those shows for freestyles and we were all really feeling her raps and singing voice. So when it came to this album, we all agreed that we wanted her to feature throughout the record, I think her style suits us perfectly – soul reggae hip hop! Kween G we haven’t known for so long, basically we just got to know each other through the local scene here in Sydney.

Ash Grunwald is another impressive feature on All I Want. Did you always imagine the styles would blend so well or was it a chemistry that emerged whilst recording?
C: Ozi definitely had the vision with this track. Ozi really had the whole concept and idea for the track and gave us an example of the kind of feel he wanted from the vocal. I have to admit at first I wasn’t sure it would work but when I heard what Ash had put down I was totally sold! I love the tune, it’s an original little ditty! Ash also is a top fella and it was great to get him down to the studio for the recording. He can really shred on his axe too, damn!

Elefant Traks seems to have the recording side of things on lock with the professionalism of Mike Burnham at Tardis Studios. How long have you been doing things through him and how did you guys originally hookup?
C: I originally met Mike through a friend when I was looking to mix my first Chasm EP. I went down to Tardis and mixed a bunch of tracks including Point A Pen – the first tune I ever did with OB. Ever since, myself and Assclass have been going back to Tardis to get that certain sound Mike has going on there. With his 70’s Neve mixing desk and all analogue outboard, you can really attain that nice warm 70’s feel. Putting the tracks together on a sampler and computer, it is definitely great to get away from the digital and run the music through analogue equipment. So from 2004-2009 we’ve been mixing and recording albums there.

Can you describe how you came to view music in a vocational sense on Work?
OB: “If you’re blind to your skills then that’s a damn waste”. Everyone has something that they can do better than others, something that fulfills them. Hip hop, rhyming and writing was that something for me. I always knew the written word was my major skill, and both my parents were journalists so I was immersed in it from an early age. I kind of fell into being an MC, and then the adrenalin rush of being on stage got me hooked.

“…Violence and aggression at shows is a major turn-off for me and discourages women from coming to events – and who wants that?”

In Award Show, Ozi and The Tongue take some sharp jabs at the Arias, have you received any backlash at all over the namedropping?
OB: No backlash yet, we’re still hoping for some because that would mean they had heard the album.

Pull The Track Up tells some pretty familiar tales of city nightlife, were there any particular experiences which compelled you to write the song?
OB: Yeah all three verses were based in truth, from a mixture gigs I either played or attended last year. It’s about the cycle of violence and how everyone, from the band to the punters to the security guards to the cops have to show some responsibility in keeping the dance “peace.” Violence and aggression at shows is a major turn-off for me and discourages women from coming to events – and who wants that?

Mary Jane is a track which exhibits a previously lesser-known side of Astronomy Class. How often do you see Mary? So to speak…
OB: I can only speak for myself, I’ve had a long relationship with Mary Jane, not always good, often times great. I wanted to write realistically about the topic, not just a typical “praise the weed” tune. As Greg Nice says on the hook, “too much of anything makes you an addict”, and that’s the crux of it right there.

What inspiration do you source from a film like Do The Right Thing which you have previously referenced and now sampled?
OB: I’m a huge Spike Lee fan and have been since I was a teenager. His movies for me were like the visual embodiment of Chuck D’s lyrics. It made me yearn for this mystical borough called Brooklyn and filled in the blanks from all the New York rap I was listening to. I still think he was one of the smartest, most challenging film-makers of our era.

Ozi how long ago did you begin to experiment with vocalising and how did you discover the talent?
OB: I started rapping when I was a teenager but didn’t really get fully into it until 1996 when I was at university. A friend introduced me to DJ ALF and he and I forged a partnership that lasted for years – jungle, drum n bass, hip hop, George Benson, reggae – he played anything and I rapped over it. In many ways our unwillingness to stick to one genre helped me create my own style and gave me an appreciation of all good music.

The issue of illegal immigration has found its way to the fore of politics in Australia once more. Ozi, as an outspoken critic of policies both past and present, how do you feel about Prime Minister Rudd’s approach to processing the string of boats seeking asylum locally?
OB: I feel that the Rudd government have been weak in their stance on refugees. The boat people referred to by all and sundry as “illegal immigrants” are legitimate refugees until found to be otherwise – 95% are found to be legitimate. It’s not a question of what we want, we have an obligation to accept refugees – and a moral one if we are going to involve ourselves in wars like Iraq and Afghanistan. Rudd’s too scared of the national mood on the issue, which was inflamed by Howard, and I don’t really believe that’s what people in the party want. That’s just weakness.

Are we ever going to hear a collaboration between Astronomy Class and labelmate Mista Savona?
C: Hey I would love to make that happen, good idea! We should get on to that, now you mention it…there’s been no talk of it but it’d be HEAVY if we made it happen, that’s for sure.

What other projects do you guys have on the boil currently?
I’m currently working on my next Chasm album, it is a collaboration with Vida-Sunshyne. I know Sir Robbo and Ozi are both looking to start work on solo joints too.

www.myspace.com/astronomyclass