ANTHONY TEDDER

1. Can you tell us where you are from and how you first got introduced to EDM?

Anthony – Born and raised Houstonian. I was introduced to dance music by The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, and other 90s dance acts. I didn’t know what I was listening to. I just knew I loved it. It was in college, many years later, that I got into the scene and culture of dance music. The typical suspects like Pretty Lights, Skrillex, deadmaus, Pendulum, Calvin Harris, Rusko, Kaskade, Daft Punk (again), and so many more coursing through my iTunes playlists.

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2. What were the pivotal moments when you decided to join the music workforce?

Anthony – I was fumbling my way through a bachelor’s program in college. I often say, “I changed my major a hundred times,” but I never really picked one. I never found anything that I was passionate about while in school-not in some pretentious or rebellious “fuck the system” way.

I just couldn’t be motivated by school. I only graduated high school because I didn’t have to study. There’s some context. Okay, now the pivotal moments. I was 20 years old and had never been exposed to dance culture or really any live music culture because my parents weren’t concert enthusiasts, and none of my friends were really into anything other than what was on the radio. My first obsession with music was hip-hop, but that’s a conversation for another day.

I noticed that many of my friends from High School were going to raves, and I was super curious. I was hooked when I came across raving and saw how open, kind, and welcoming the scene was. The music was sick, the people were cool, the shows were exciting. I knew 1 needed to be a part of it, so l started shelling out fliers and hard-copy tickets for the local promoter. It snowballed quickly from “I want to go to shows for free” to “This is what I want to do for a living.” At the time, I didn’t know it would lead to management.

I thought I just wanted to throw parties and have fun. Well, being a promoter isn’t a math equation. It is not Book Artist + Sell Tickets = Rich Forever. It’s really hard work gaining the trust of a community. It took me years to consistently throw good parties that people cared about. Along the way, I decided, hey, if I’m going to work in music forever, I had better know what I like and am good at. So, I started blogging, learning graphic design, video editing, and managing local and regional talent, which was the real start of everything.

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3. We see that you are quite involved in Radish Management, BEACON, and INTER/SECT. Could you tell us more about these companies and your role in them?

Anthony – Yeah, of course. So, I started RADISH in 2014 with a sparkle in my eye and a dream of becoming “one of the best managers in the business.”

Hahaha, it’s corny, but it’s true. Somehow, through the last 10+ years, l’ve been able to make something for myself and this company. It’s been a wild ride, but our clients have eclipsed a billion streams, countless syncs in TV/Film/Video Games, and played some of the biggest clubs, festivals, and stages worldwide. I don’t often take a bird’s eye view of my accomplishments, but it felt good to type that. We’ve done some good work, but truthfully, we’re just getting started, and I cannot wait for what the future holds. BEACON is my latest passion project and something vital for our scene in North America.

Simply put, it’s a Drum & Bass label striving to help cement DNB’s place in American dance music culture through releasing music, throwing parties, and fostering our community of enthusiasts. By Christmas, we’ll have released 11 records and thrown our first party, and we have big plans for more music and shows in 2025.

INTER/SECT is another DNB-centric project I started with my friends when I moved back to Texas from my first stint in Los Angeles. Similar goals to BEACON (on a smaller scale minus the label,) but I/S is about bridging the gap or the INTERSECTION of Drum & Bass and the Zeitgeist of modern Bass Music. Whether that’s full-on Drum & Bass, Halftime, Breaks, Garage, or otherwise, we are here for it. I’ve sort of phased out of this because I moved back to LA, but the team in Texas has everything they need to continue to succeed with the brand.

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4. What are your future goals and aspirations with these companies and for yourself?

Anthony – Future goals are always interesting for me because I operate best on the basis of low expectations, hard work, and gratitude, but I want to see a few things in my time in this business.

– I want to see Radish clients headline Red Rocks, The Gorge, Brooklyn Mirage, etc. I want to see my clients headline the bucket list venues.

– I want BEACON to be that guiding light for people to be exposed to DNB in a welcoming and positive way. I want our community to share their love for Drum & Bass with no strings attached or barriers to overcome. This music is for all of us. Everyone is welcome!

– I want INTER/SECT to live on and carry the spirit of discovery we all intended for it to have.

– For myself, I just want to have a positive impact. I want to continue growing, changing, losing, winning, achieving, scrapping, and fighting. I find the adversity exciting and the victories fulfilling, and I want to keep upping the ante.

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