RS: What's the first record you ever heard that made you want to dance?
Barry: It's probably "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It" by Donna Summer.
RS: Have you ever thought but updating "I Beg Your Pardon" with a 2004 remix? Now that I've said it, I realize that's a stupid question because you did that with "Beg For It."
Barry: Right, I kind of did in it in a way.
RS: Well since "I Beg Your Pardon" has been revisited and remixed a couple of times, have you ever thought about revisiting "Liberty!" or "Harry Houdini?"
Barry: Nope, I have no interest to go back there anymore, I've just kind of moved on. I certainly did for quite some time, but I'm finally over it.
RS: What song would you have like to have a shot at but never did?
Barry: "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer. Remember back in 1996 when Atlantic got a whole bunch of remixers and did a special remix package, I can't remember what it was called. I came up with this daydream idea to get four or five of the main gay remixers in the same room remixing the same track, and they all contribute their own style to it. They don't do different mixes, they all do one mix.
RS: And so they all work together?
Barry: Yes. Even if they aren't all in the same room, they send the tracks back and forth with their contribution, if it's possible. It's probably inhumanly possible because everyone's egos are just too huge and they wouldn't be able to compromise, but I think that would be a really amazing idea because it's such an epic song. But it has to be the whole L.P. version from beginning to end, like the Suite version with "One Of A Kind" and "Heaven Knows," and everyone has to work together on it. That's what I think would be awesome!
RS: Going back to Donna Summer, as Thunderpuss you actually produced tracks for her and not just remixing. What was that experience like?
Barry: That was pretty cool, I mean my favorite hero of all time is Giorgio Moroder her legendary long time producer....(well David Bowie a super hero to me too). She was gracious and sweet and i was flattered and honored to work with her. Yes Virginia...there WAS another big global gay dance ICON pre Madonna.
RS: Your website is quite incredible, how much of a hand do you have with designing and updating it?
Barry: Thank you. Kai Tsar a web designer in Amsterdam designed it. I would like to have it redone and make things move faster and I think
it's time for new pictures but I don't think I'll do it for a while
yet.
RS: What role do you think the internet has had with your success as a producer / remixer?
Barry: Oh a lot. Literally in the past five or six years it's all global communication with everything. Mailing lists, websites and interviews is all good information and promotion. Even if people are at work and just spend five minutes websurfing, its all going around. It's such a global thing, to be able answer fan mail now from Brazil and everywhere else.
RS: What's the strangest place you got eMail from that just totally blew you away?
Barry: I think India is the first thing that comes to mind.
