Written by Shawn Wallace

Washington, D.C. is known for being one of the most powerful cities in the world, but there is more to the US capital than politics. This is also the home to a powerhouse duo that have become leaders of the dance industry while living among national monuments to former leaders of their adopted country. Who else could this be than the team of Ali "Dubfire" Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi, better known as Deep Dish.

These two prolific producers have done more to advance the realm of their selected musical genre through working artists such as P. Diddy, Madonna, Depeche Mode, and the legendary Rolling Stones than many have done in their entire musical careers. They were even awarded with a Grammy in 2002 for their remix of the Dido track "Thank You." During their career, they have worn many hats ranging from DJ to producer to label heads while running their highly-successful Yoshitoshi imprint as well as spinoffs Shinichi and Yo! In addition, they have put out several landmark albums, including Junk Science, Yoshiesque I and II, and editions in the Global Underground series from Toronto and Moscow.

Their latest release George Is On continues in the long tradition of hits with the lead single "Flashdance" becoming the top selling dance track on iTunes for the year of 2004 as a promo before the album was even released. "Flashdance" was the first new release by the in-demand duo in six years and features newly-discovered vocalist Anousheh. The album also includes additional vocals featuring Richard Morel, who has been a frequent collaborator, Steve Nicks of Fleetwood Mac fame as she joins DD to resurrect the seminal track "Dreams", and Dubfireís own debut on "In Love With A Friend".

Here's what the duo themselves had to say about all this....

SW: What do you think makes the collaboration between you work so well?

DD: The fact that we are complete opposites!

How well does George Is On reflect the combining of your styles?

In many ways but in as many ways, we're still just beginning to carve out our true sound as Deep Dish, the artists.

For anyone, who may not have heard the album or been lucky enough to catch you live, how would you describe the sound of the album?

I couldn't begin to describe it - it's an amalgamation of a variety of styles. For us, there are only two categories of music: good and bad.

How does George Is On differ from past releases or singles you have out?

It's a step forward in our evolutionary journey as artists-we're trying to write and produce in a more traditional song-based structure and wrapping it all around today's cutting edge studio techniques.

How was the response during the tour in support of George Is On? Any good tour stories to share?

It's been a wild ride-just the amount of requests that we've been getting to play our own tunes has been very flattering.

What is next on the horizon for Deep Dish?

Another artist album and compilation as well as solo projects and compilations from Sharam and I.

Will you be doing any more touring during the rest of the year?

Have a look at our DJ schedule! LOL!

What do you think is the fresh, new sound? What is making dancefloors jump currently?

The electro-house stuff coming out of Germany and primarily thru the Get Physical Music camp, DJ Simi from Italy will be namechecked next year for his dirty and fresh new take on the tribal formula, and alot of the rock/dance hybrids we've been hearing lately. There isn't an actual sound, rather particular trax that have been inspiring us lately and moving our floors.

What do you think is the next frontier for the dance music industry?

In terms of production, newer technology leading to more experimentation, further enhancements to equipment and software such as the Pioneer CDJ and DVJ lines and Ableton's Live software. And in terms of selling all this music, hopefully we'll have better, more widespread and more standardized music distribution so that musicians, especially up and comers, can earn a living without having to make DJing there primary source of income.

What do you prefer Vinyl or CD? And why?

Are you serious? I thought vinyl was dead?

How does it feel to have made the Top 10 of the annual DJ Magazine voting?

Feels good but it's by no means an indication of ours or anyone else's abilities as a DJ and entertainer so we don't pay too much attention to it. There's lots of bedroom DJs out there who, if they had the luxury of chance, would probably leave a trail of dust behind pretty much anyone on that list, including us!

Thanks guys!

For more info visit DeepDish.com

Below is a reprint of Deep Dish's second interview for Stop (pop culture weekly), Frka (youth culture monthly) and X-Press magazine (national DJ/club-zine), Slovenia. Interview by Gregor Zalokar.

01. Obvious question: which George was hitting your nerves when you were selecting album title? + What is George on? Was that Mr. President of USA? Is that your statement against his work in past years (In this context I also understand the citing of Stephen Hawking on the booklet of your album)? Has this anything to do with his "war against terrorism" in Iraq and everywhere around the globe?
THE TERM ‘GEORGE IS ON’ REFERS AVIATION ACTUALLY-IT IS WHEN THE SUTO-PILOT FEATURE ON AN AIRCRAFT IS SWITCHED ON. IT CAN BE A MEATPHOR FOR SOMEONE’S LIFE BEING ON ‘AUTO-PILIOT’ FOR INSTANCE. IT HAS NO POLITICAL CONNOTATION.

02. You’ve already collaborated with Madonna. Since she’s back on track with new single and album is also coming out next week – are you in talks for some remix or other type of co-operation with her? If you have any opinion, what do you think of her new single Hang Up and teaming-up with the producer Stuart Price.
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE NO PLANS OF US WORKING TOGETHER IN ANY CAPACITY. WE REALLY LIKE THE NEW SINGLE AND THE FACT THAT MADONNA HAS ALWAYS EMBRACED HER DANCE MUSIC ROOTS AND HER COLLABORATION WITH STUART IS FURTHER INDICATION OF THAT.

03. You’ve teamed up with Stevie Nicks (from Fleetwood Mac) on Dreams. Why her and why this song (I guess there is some personal story behind it)?
IT WASN’T INTENTIONAL. WE WERE WRITING A SONG TO THE BACKING TRACK AND ONE OF THE VOCALIST WHO WE WORKED WITH ON THE ALBUM JUST STARTED SINGING THE VOCAL TO ‘DREAMS’ ON TOP AND WE THOUGHT IT SOUNDED GREAT AND RECORDED IT. WE THEN SENT IT TO STEVIE’S CAMP TO GET HER BLESSING AND TO OUR SURPRISE, SHE WAS UP FOR DOING THE VOCAL HERSELF AND REINTRODUCING THE TRACK TO A WHOLE NEW GENERATION.

04. Maybe it’s just me but I was very surprised (in the best possible way!) when I’ve listened to your new album for the first time. The sounds and structures of songs are quite different, more pop-rock oriented than those in your sets. Have you deliberately created album for listening, not just for dancing? What is new in the way you’ve produced this album in comparison to previous records?
OUR ALBUMS ARE NOT AIMED AT THE DANCEFLOOR, WE ACCOMPLISH THAT WITH THE MIX COMPILATIONS THAT WE DO. WITH ARTIST ALBUMS, YOU’RE TRYING TO EXPRESS YOURSELF AS AN ARTIST MAKING ORIGINAL MUSIC AND WETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR HEADS IS NOT NECESSARILY DANCE MUSIC BUT POP/ROCK/ELECTRONICA.

05. Last weekend I’ve heard interresting Raul Rincon’s remiks of song Sacramento and the deejay, that was playing it, told me it’s possible that you’ve put out new EP. Is Sacramento your next single, will you create video for this song and is there any trouth in the EP information?
YES AND YESJ SACREMENTO IS BEING RELEASED AS PART OF AN EP (THE ‘SACRAMENTO EP’) SO WHILE IT’S NOT OFFICIALLY A SINGLE, IT IS BEING RELEASED NOW WITH REMIXES FROM RAUL, MOVE YA! + STEVE LAVERS, CARLOS LEGAZ + SPIDER AND AUDIOFLY.

06. Another interresting remix is Sebastian Ingrosso’s banging version of Say Hello. Recently I’ve talked about it with Paul van Dyk who is known to edit his own versions of records which he puts in his mixes. How much of artistic freedom do you give to remixers of your tracks and who and how is choosing the remixers (you or publisher)?
WELL, DON’T FORGET STEVE ANGELLO AS SEBASTION AND STEVE DID THE MIX TOGETHER. WITH REMIXERS, WE TRY TO PICK PEOPLE WHO SORT OF FLIE THE FLAG OF THEIR PARTICULAR GENRE-WE LIKE TO HAVE SOMEONE DO A TRANCE MIX, TRIBAL MIX, DRIVING HOUSE MIX AND A BREAKS MIX FOR EACH SINGLE. AND WE ALSO LIKE TO SPOTLIGHT EMERGING TALENT, NOT JUST THE FLAVOR OF THE MOMENT. IN TERMS OF ARTISTIC FREEDOM, THEY HAVE FREE REIGN BUT WE HAVE FINAL APPROVAL OF ALL MIXES SO IF IT JUST ISN’T WORKING, IT OBVIOUSLY WON’T BE APPROVED AND RELEASED.

07.We did phoner two years ago and we also spoke about some of your "celebrity projects" (J.Lo, Madonna, Dido, P. Diddy, Versace). Have you in between met any new interresting popstar, created music for some fashion show, TV-commercial or even a movie (maybe is there some funny story)? Is producing film music something you are interrested in?
HMMM, NOT REALLY. WE HAVEN’T REALLY HAD THE TIME TO DO THAT AS WE’VE BEEN MORE FOCUSED ON OUR OWN CAREER RATHER THAN ANY GIMMICKY COLLABORATIONS OR MINGLING WITH CELEBRITY CULTURE.

08. How did Flashing for Money happened? Was this some of your personal experiments for live gigs that became massive hit or did someone else combined both records and you afterwards allowed him to be published officialy?
THAT REMIX/MASHUP WAS DONE BY A MONTREAL-BASED PRODUCER/DJ NAMED SULTAN. IT WAS JUST SOMETHING HE DID TO PLAY OUT AND WHEN WE HEARD IT, WE KNEW THAT IT WAS SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT AND SPECIAL.

09. How did you dicover your vocalist Anousheh (I still get goosebumps everytime I hear her voice in both hit singles)? +Who’s "guilt" is that she sounds totally different on Flashdance and Say Hello? Is that becouse of different production technique or style of singing?
WE DISCOVERED HER SINGING WITH A BAND ON A LOCAL TV PROGRAM. WE TRACKED HER DOWN AND FOUND THAT SHE LIVED ABOUT AND HOUR AWAY SO WE DECIDED TO COLLABORATE AS WE WERE INTO HER VOCAL STYLE AND THE FACT THAT SHE WRITES HER OWN LYRICS WHICH ARE A BIT ABSTRACT AND PERFECTLY SUITED TO OUR TASTES.

10 . Which are the "redeeming qualities of ilegal music downloaders" you are mentioning in the booklet of album? Was this just sarcasm or are there some real benefits of their doing (at least for you).
WELL, THERE ARE CERTAIN PARTS OF THE WORLD WHERE IT ISN’T THAT EASY TO HAVE ACCESS TO MUSIC, EXPECIALLY DANCE MUSIC, SO IN THAT SENSE, ILLEGAL DOWNLOADING ENDS UP INADVERTANTLY PROMOTING THE MUSIC, THE ARTISTS OR THE DJS AND CREATES PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THEM. THAT CREATES A DANCE MUSIC CULTURE IN THAT REGION AND ULTIMATELY THE BIG AND SMALL DJS START MAKING THEIR WAY OVER THERE FOR GIGS.

11. Would you, please, remind me on best (or most interresting) of your recent and coming remixes for other artists. With which are you most satisfied with? (I’m sure you are 100% behind everything you create and publish but everyone has his favourite piece of work).
WE HAVEN’T DONE MANY REMIXES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS BUT WE WERE ESPECIALLY HAPPY WITH OUR MIXES FOR DAVID GUETTA AND PAUL VAN DYK.

Thank you for all the great music moments you’ve already brought to us and I also wish you a lot of succes in your personal and professional life in the future.
THANKS FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT AND SEE YOU IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.