"I would love to play that Coachella side party but I leave to Australia that day " are the words Victor Ramos, better known to the world of house and techno as Harvard Bass, tells me after having to turn down a dj gig between Coachella weekend. The festival is famous for these sponsored side parties many of the big brands throw for VIP's all over the desert. As Victor points out, he would miss out on the great parties that week. But how did the music of a 26 year old San Ysidro native ever make it to Australia?

Harvard Bass is the creation of South San Diego native Victor Ramos. He is a house and techno artist that sometimes is not as mentioned or well known locally in the border region but has had four years of touring the globe nonstop. Australia, Europe, Japan, Canada, USA, Costa Rica, Mexico and many other places have booked and paid him to play. No Joke. His production and collaborations with other house/techno artists have put him on the map and made him a very well respected dj/producer worldwide. He continues to do it somewhat under the radar from the Tijuana buzz band musicians that have been all over Hipster media in the last few months. The difference is that Harvard Bass does not make music that can be identified as from a particular region or part of a wave of musicians from a city or scene.

Also, while many of those bands have been in popular hipster blogs he has been making his money from gig to gig all over the world. His music is part of a global underground movement of music that people listen to in clubs and festivals. The latest craze is called EDM ( Electronic Dance Music )

but Harvard Bass is hesitant to call his music EDM " EDM is very commercial and is a fad that will pass soon. I make Techno and House music , it has been around for years. I am not trying to make my sound more main stream to cash in on a fad and be forgotten about. I am trying to stay in this game for good."

I caught up to Harvard Bass and asked him a few questions about music, his future, Tijuana, Xolos and girls.

TT : I know you grew up in San Ysidro for most of your life, what kind of relationship do you have with the city of Tijuana now that you have become a pretty well known Dj/Producer?

HB: " I live in LA now. I grew up right on the border, I have family in Tijuana, I still go to Colonia Libertad to get my haircuts. (Laughs) I have my Xolos Seasons tickets but it is hard to go sometimes, I am not always around. I saw the Xolos win the championship at a bar in Connecticut. I had a gig out there that day and was upset that I could not partake in the festivities going on in TJ.

(Laughs) I was the only Mexican customer in the place, probably the only Xolo Fan too. I bought all the Mexican guys working in the place shots to celebrate that Xolo win. I love TJ! I had my start playing there years ago."

TT: "What are your favorite spots to eat in Tijuana?"

HB: "I love Mariscos and Tacos! Mariscos la Cacho and Cevicheria Nais in Downtown. they are my favorites. I also just discovered one of my favorite taco spot in TJ.

It's right in the red light district. Coahuila street on the corner. Don't ask how I got there but those tacos are amazing. (Laughs)"

TT : "What are you favorite/least favorite things about your job as a world traveling dj and what is the biggest crowd you have ever played in front of?"

HB: "I'm ok with traveling and touring but i do hate going through security at airports and not being able to take in the city since I'm usually there for twelve hours or so. I love that i get to meet so many people around the world and different artists. My biggest crowd had to had been at Electric Daisy Carnival in Los Angeles. They told me the crowd was 25k. It was an amazing crowd but to tell you the truth, there is nothing better than the intimate crowd. It's great to play a festivals but for some reason I prefer to play at a small club.

I like to be close to fans and its great to vibe out with them too."

TT: "You have played in over 20 different countries on this earth, where are the prettiest girls?"

HB: "I don't know about that one. Tough! It's hard to decide when you are single. I love them all. (Laughs) I just did some shows in Mexico City and Ciudad Juarez and was amazed by the beautiful girls out there.

The week after I played in San Jose, Costa Rica and the girls there were also beautiful. Europe, Canada, Australia you name it, girls are all pretty around the world. I can't complain. (Laughs)"

TT: "What's cooking for you in the 2013?"

HB: "It has been a great year so far. Dubfire of Deep Dish did a remix of my song Plex that went number one on Beatport. which I was really happy about. I did a release on a Mexican label called Sicario that is also doing well. I Have a new single called, " Cream" on Canadian Label

Turbo out that I am in the process of shooting a video for. It will also be coming out as an EP

in april so look out for that! I will be going to Scotland and Barcelona late this month and there is another Australia tour in April and it also looks like I will do my second tour of Asia in late April. I am also planning a show in Tijuana in April before I head out to Australia so check www.harvardbass.com for more details coming later this month."

VIDEO : Bart B More & Harvard Bass | The Funky One

*Follow Tony Tee on Twitter @tonyteefiesta

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