Is This Australia’s Highest DJ?

Images: DJ Eddy/The General Store

At 1720 metres above sea level and close to the summit of Mount Hotham, the General Store is one of highest pubs in Australia. DJ Eddy has been playing Hotham and ‘the Genny’ since the locals can remember, making him the highest DJ in Australia. He’s definitely the highest that djs while playing with a leaf blower and making vegemite toast.

His long running Monday night residency has become local legend that started when, tired of seeing mediocre cover bands like Midnight Oil tribute Head Injuries and Hot Red Peppers, Eddy asked a local publican if he could spin some rare funk and hip-hop records. The rest is Hotham history.

The General claims to be like St Kilda’s famed Esplanade ‘Espie’ Hotel up a mountain and attracts a mix of seasonal workers, families, Melbourne’s old school moneyed set, cashed up bogans, and international skiers. Holding the dancefloor all together late at night is Eddy.

The thought of djing an alpine resort for a season could be paradise or hell (have you been to the Espie lately?) but Eddy relishes the opportunity of being able to ski all day and play records all night.

Noisey: What’s with the leaf blower?
DJ Eddy: I love leaf blowers and it gets super hot and moist in the club so I have my leaf blower and let them all have it in the face. This pre dates Diplo’s club cannon by many years. The crowd loves it and makes the room look like a Steel Panther or Van Halen film clip. It’s also great for wind flippin’ tees up so bras pop out to play and boobs stay at the correct operating temperature.

How did you end up playing with a toaster on stage? Is it only vegemite?
I love toast, we all love toast. When it’s 1 am and we have been making party and dancing a slice of Vegemite toast can save the night. Once in a winter solstice I’ll chuck in a jam or peanut butter portion, but it’s rare.

What music goes well on the mountain?
I play a bag of mixed sweets. From hip-hop, some psytrance, trap, baile funk, moombhaton, deep 90s dance, to ragamuffin. I’m in love with music and I get heckled for dropping weird shit but most times it just adds to the crazed D floor antics.

What crowd do you get?
Everyone from crazed snowplough drivers to dunny cleaners to towies to CEOs come and get wild in here and that’s the best bit and the hard bit. Freaks will come up when I’m dropping heavy raggamuffin dancehall and ask for Katy Perry or Pantera. I’ve seen party heads aged from 18 to 80 all getting buck wild together. This is rad but it’s hard to please them all. In one night I had a jumping lady say that I’m the best DJ she’s ever seen and a guy 10-minutes later say "You are shit mate. Stay on the fucking genre you gaylord". But that’s rad it gets me well into my music soup.

How do you go with pro skiers and snow boarders?
Like any pro riders be it skate, BMX or horse, some are ace fun and some are spuds.

What are the Snowgies Awards?
The Snowgies are like the Hotham Logies but way looser. Awards include the coveted best dish pig, best/most heavy wipe-outs, the gold mattress for most sex partners and the cattlemen’s hut award which is named after which person you would most like to be with if your lost in a blizzard and need to spend time in a hut.

How is your trophy cabinet looking?
I’m not going to blow my trumpet on my trophy cabinet but it’s between 14 and 16 best DJ trophies. The cabinet collapsed.

What drugs are up on the mountain?
Lots of crew love some weed post sliding as it melts you into the couch and sooths the muscles. All the other chemi gear and drugs I’m avoiding. I'm just doing red back spider eggs right now. It keeps me sharp and a full body stone so I can DJ late.

Does the snow conditions affect the party conditions?
Rain our most hated thing on the mountain will make the snowfreaks come out and party as they don’t care if they sleep in because they wont miss any fresh snow. A big snowstorm will also bring them out. Actually it’s on every night at Planet Hoth.

What is the vibe between weekend tourists and seasonal workers?
Folks who run up the Hume highway from Melbourne or fly in get along well with the locals. We are a destination mountain so folks come for a week and party with us. There can be tussles but it’s solved with snow.

Are the seasonal workers all shagging each other?
All the seasonal workers know they will run away once the snow melts so one week is along term hook up. I give out frangers at DJ Eddy shows because it keeps the alpine babies in check and the itchy threats at bay.

There is a certain romanticism that comes with alpine resorts. Do many people get carried away with amour and friskiness?
I’ve seen some wild snow sex scenes. In saunas it can make you sick. It’s too hot and too moist and folk pass out after humping in the steam room. I live in a converted sauna with a little window in it. One night I saw blue lights and noise out my peep window so I got up and saw a chick riding a guy who was laying on the foldout couch with the remote watching History of War.

Is there a ‘what happens on the mountain stays on the mountain’ attitude from bands and punters?
Yeah the snow freaks tend to do things up here that they would not on the lowlands or in the valleys. But they keep it in their secret pouch of alpine secrets.

Catch DJ Eddy every Monday at General Store on Mount Hotham.