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Pulse Radio sat down with Roman Sergey aka Manifesto to hear all about his career as a DJ, event organiser/promotor, and Record label owner. We chat about how he first got started to make a breakthrough for the Psy -trance scene in Johannesburg; his record label – Mansion Recordings; and his driven passion for the industry and how it has evolved.
Roman started his career as a DJ at the tender age of 17. He grew up listening to alternative music, with artists like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and The Cure to name a few, and soon found an interest into Techno and other genres within the electronic music scene. What drew him to Trance music was more the sacred part of it. He attended his first festival back in 2000, and being an outdoor person, had an urge to get out of the dirty warehouses and bring people away from the city to experience underground music in the great outdoors. He has now built a reputation and a successful career as an event planner/organiser/DJ/Record label owner and promoter for the Johannesburg scene and has worked alongside international acts such as Freedom fighters, Biogenesis, and Captain Hook. You can expect creative mixes with powerful progressive bass-lines, with tribal kicks coming through his psychedelic melodies.
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Roman started off with intimate parties at the Psychedelic Mansion, and from then, decided to take it further and step it up a notch with his first big outdoor being the Tswaing Crater Gathering back in 2009. His intention was to bring together the psychedelic aspect of the décor, music, dancers, and visuals that he recognized from overseas festivals, as well as Cape Town. Roman says “This was an incredible risk, but we managed to pull it off with over 1000 people attending. From then on, it grew with each year bringing in 150 more people.”
This marked a new era for the outdoor psychedelic music festival in Johannesburg. The immense passion he had for throwing parties finally let him to developed Orbit Productions which is a collective of everything he does, but brands everything separately as individual entities:
The psychedelic mansion
Tswaing crater gathering
One festival
Revolution NYE
Moksha
Taste
“I love music, I love dancing, and I love expressing myself through music and seeing people going on a journey and taking them to places they have never been.” – R.S
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Roman is not only an inspiration to others, but says he has been fortunate in his journey to have influential, like-minded individuals in his career from the very beginning. He mentions that Christopher Dowding and Caren Dickson have been big vital players, creative wise. He says “They create what you see and are big influences on what we do.” Other powerful players from the beginning have been Karen de Waal, Andre Van Wyk, and Kalahari Chris. Roman continues to say “They have supported me through times when I was investing in me, always believing in my vision.”
In 2007, you started the Psychedelic Mansion parties. What was your vision back then? In those days the scene was very small, so to get the perfect venue, you needed something that didn’t cost too much. It was feasible to do from my home base, place where I stayed. It was very manageable to do events of 200/300 people. My cost was much smaller. Originally when I started, my vision was to have a place of my own, like my own farm, space, sound. In those days we weren’t dependent on making much money at the door, so if something fails, I wouldn’t be that bad in trouble. So I started small, and the mansion was a great stepping stone to create a family. The mansion will always be a home for the psy family.
Tell us about Mansion Records? Mansion records started as a non-profit organization to help create a platform to establish upcoming artists in JHB to help get their sound through to the audience this side. I wanted to showcase their local talent. These artists were making all these tunes with no one to feature it for.
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How do you go about selecting a venue for a party? This has always been a tricky part. I’ll take drives out to places, ask around, gut feeling will take you there. I lived in Mpumalanga for 5 years and discovered the venue locations and sacred sites like the – Adam’s calendar. There were so many magical places. So by 2011 I was driven to have a festival so far out that people can experience the true outdoors and appreciate how it actually is to get out of the city far away, and be there for 4 days to enjoy nature to its fullest. It wanted to create different platforms of dance floors and genres, coming together and sharing the same conscience of being one. It was a collective mind set having one fest on the 11-11-11.
I like the Crater venue in Soshanguve so much, because it is a pure African location. It has the wild bushveld, it is close to a rural area, and has the meteorite site. This is where foreigners can see the true essence of South Africa. How did you come up with the name Manifesto? When I was DJing vinyl back in day, one of my favourite labels was called Manifesto. I also believe in the power of manifestation. To start a party you need a manifesto. I am a manifesto.
What are the obstacles you have faced in your career journey, and how have you overcome them? Believing, staying strong, and focusing what’s important to keep going forward. Obstacles that come your way are just challenges. There have been too many good incidents in my life for one hiccup to make me stop. I have been very fortunate in my journey. I cleverly plan my parties. 1 out of 100 might lose money. When I did have a downfall is when I got over-inspired and did too much. You want to give back and show what’s there to offer - new beautiful ideas, but you need that driving force to make it happen.
I am definately passionate about what I am doing. I will live on bread and peanut butter for a month just to make sure my next event is a success, and will bring in international artists rather than buy a new car. Passion is my driving force, life is short, it’s important to express yourself and make life as enjoyable as possible.
Johannesburg outdoor festivals bring in something different from Cape Town or overseas. They offer an Alternative floor as well as the main Psy floor. What are your views on this? The Alternative floor brings something special to the parties. It brings in a new crowd, showcasing the trance and catering for all needs. It makes for a more festive feeling, and is also great to have a breather into something more charming. It should be music and people that both complement each other.
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Top 3 Dj’s at the moment? Freedom Fighters, Major 7, Ace Ventura.
Who would you like to collaborate with in the future? I would love to work with Ace Ventura.
Ideas for the future festivals? I would love to do a shebeen run for Crater, as well as feature Hot air balloon rides at upcoming parties. I am also keen on a theme park at parties.
Thank you for your time Roman. It was great chatting with you, and look forward to what you have planned for us in the future. Catch Manifesto at his next gig at Twilight Open air festival this weekend!