Considered by most Bostonians as the most outgoing, socially comfortable, and diplomatic member of the crew, Ammon EP is indeed the physical manifestation of trance culture’s most espoused ideals. His ability to build bridges between seemingly incongruous crews coupled with his magnanimous and generous attitude towards all life has to offer, it is Ammon whose become – and with good reason – the face of Changmian/SonicBeating Productions.
Ammon began his long path to the current on the island of Nantucket, throwing illegal beach parties with friends Jamin Murphy, Pete Herner and Sandy "Blacksmith" as early as 1997. The stories of GMS playing there in the legendary "summer of ‘98" are matched only by some of the stories Ammon has lived through with the Boston Crew since. After moving into a Boston industrial space in 2000 and enrolling in Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music; Ammon took up a DJ residency at Cambridge’s Phoenix Landing. The night was called "Resurrection" and it established Ammon as one of the finest trance DJ’s in Boston. Be he playing ripping full-on goa trance or his own smooth house-driven beats, Ammon’s ability to shift from one genre to the next was a tell tale sign that his career as a DJ/musician was just beginning. From there, Ammon began being booked at shows across New England and down the East Coast. A weekly residency in Portland, Maine soon followed as well as new musical projects featuring live drummers and assorted electronic percussion. After Berklee, Ammon went on to play sets at Changmian’s "Samsara," "Anitya," and even took a radio residency with Boston trance icon, Johnny Marquis. When Ammon met Nick Binary to start Sonic Beating Productions in 2002, the two realized it was a match made in heaven. Both had the technical and musical skills needed to throw great parties, run a sound system, and play amazing DJ sets – but what Nick lacked in social comfort and diplomatic abilities, Ammon made up for with his constantly outgoing and ever-talkative style. With these two at the helm, it was inevitable that "Psyforia" would take off so quickly.
Since that day, the two have been the best of friends, roomates and production partners. Nick has entrusted Ammon on numerous occasions to single-handedly run the Sound Pump at gigs from New York to Montreal; and Ammon has used his silky smooth delivery to attract artists from around the globe to perform at Psyforia. With a system in place, Ammon has been able to pursue his dreams of opening a record label and producing his own tracks – which he has done under the name of Soul Trance Records. Today, Ammon is one of the most well-rounded (and busy) members of the crew – playing in four or five side projects – from Copal to PsyLab – and holding down a full-time job as a finish carpenter. Ammon has both transcended and simultaneously embraced his blue-collar roots, becoming a sought after musical talent as well as one of the finest tradesman in the Boston community. You’ll see him at any party in the Boston area – be he talking up a storm about the latest CD compilation, whirling a custom-made psy-hula-hoop around his waist, shoulders, and neck; or grinding it out on a 2" 4140 alloy TGP steel pole – Ammon is a presence and force which Boston would be hard-pressed to live without.
- written by Dave Henshaw
