Mikel Fair of 303infinity may have never appeared on MTV, and his new record hasn't made it onto the Billboard charts. But as a musician, he's already a huge success. Earning thousands of dollars from his MP3.com artist page, he held the top download position for two weeks straight. Born in Germany, raised in the United States, and spending summers in the Mediterranean, Mikel has cleverly blended the Euro-dance scene with American epic trance. The resulting sound is quickly becoming a global phenomenon, and his MP3.com success is unprecedented. ZDNet has the exclusive Mikel Fair interview, and we offer you a glimpse into the world of 303infinity.

What are the origins of 303infinity?
Well, it's just me in the band, but I have numerous guest stars on some of the albums. I have five records - two feature me solo, and another one I did with a guy named DJ Ninja. The other two have like ten other artists on them. Currently, my MP3.com site features Music For Your Mind Volume Two, and that's my most recent album. I monitor the MP3.com site, and I update it every day. Music For Your Mind Volume Two is actually a compilation that features 11 different artists and me from MP3.com. We're all on the same CD - it's really cool.

How long ago did you start making music as 303infinity?
I started in 1998. That's when I was living in Miami. I was working for Compaq as a technical support manager. I was then transferred to the Houston corporate office in October of 1999. At that point I was working and doing 303infinity at the same time. When it got to the point when the music was profitable, I quit working at Compaq.

Where did the name come from?
The TB-303 is the synthesizer that's used for making a lot of funky bass sounds. If you listen to my music, often there is a flowing, liquid bass sound in the background. It's been very popular - I mean, it's even been used by Fatboy Slim. I use it a lot, although I try not to overuse it, because I really love the sound. I actually own one, and the synthesizer has been out of production for over ten years. You can't even get them - I had to buy mine used. It's really a classic piece of gear.

And what about the "infinity"?
The infinity, well, you know, it sounds cool. [laughs] No, I felt that by marketing my music on the Internet, as opposed to using a traditional record label, my possibilities would be endless. 303infinity: the height I can go to, the exposure I can get, the sales I can get. It's really endless how far you can go with the Internet. Every day there are thousands of new users, every day there's more exposure. That's infinity.

When did you first post on MP3.com?
It was in July of 1999. As a matter of fact, I debuted in July, and then I moved to Texas three months later. I wasn't making a lot of money at the time, as they had not started the Payback for Playback program. I only had the Trancending Reality record online, and it wasn't really a big part of my money-making life. 303infinity was more a hobby at that time. It didn't start to escalate until January, when I released Audio Fantasy.

Next: The issue of Payback for Playback