6 Questions: with… Ionik of Traveller Records

Via mailing lists, RSS news feeds, and word of mouth, I find out bout new 7″ records dropping half a dozen times a week. Sometimes I’ll know the artist or label and therefore know it needs checking out, or other times it just sounds cool or looks interesting and I am inticed to delve deeper. A recent excavation unearthed a gem hailing from Finland: Traveller Records. The relevant communication links were opened and before I knew it Masa (aka Ionik) from Traveller Records had sent me a couple of 7″ records. The needle dropped and so did my jaw, “this is the shit!”. Two hot hip-hop joints that have been lauded by the likes of Jon Kennedy, the boys at Fat Beats Records, and the good man Quantic. I grabbed a few words from Masa for this, the latest, 6 Questions…

1. Who Are You? Masa aka Ionik, owner of Traveller Records and a tireless fan of all things made of wax with a pinch of soul.

2. What do you do? Spin records, organize parties, snipe records at eBay, turn down requests, enjoy my new apartment, plus eat mostly this thing “lihis” which is kinda like meat pie but more exotic. I wish we had more snooker coverage on tv.

3. Why do you do it? I just LOVE good music.

4. So what’s new? We just got the Sun Rise Above single out, that’s going to be our last 7-inch. Next up is a two-part 12″ from Detroit that’s looking to be big. It’s our first step into more soulful side of things, that’s all I can say right now. Also in the works is a compilation that’s looking really promising right now, it should be out in late August. Another joint from Detroit also in the lab, so watch the skies people!

5. Who are you listening to at the moment? Mid sixties reggae, seventies soul, New Jersey garage, hip hop from back in the day, and I’m a big fan of late seventies/early eighties US boogie/disco/modern soul scene - the type of stuff that will get me to play louder than the club owners ever want! I just re-discovered my drum ‘n bass jewels recently, summer is here folks.

6. What’s your best nugget of wisdom? If not, why the f*ck not?

Sun Rise Above - Free Your Mind
>> download track
>> buy records @ Traveller Records MySpace page
This download link will expire on 22nd June.

Sounds like big things are going down in Finland! Thanks to Masa for taking the time to participate, much appreciated. Be sure to check out Traveller Records on MySpace and give Masa a shout at travellerrecords@hotmail.com if you have any questions or want to get your grubby fingers on some music!

Useful links:

• Traveller Records MySpace
• Download - Sun Rise Above - Free Your Mind

6 Questions: with… Unkle Ho

If you know your Aussie hip-hop you’ll have no doubt tasted the fruits produced by this rather creative chap. Unkle Ho actually produces for The Herd, the group that brought us such tracks as Scallops, Burn Down The Parliament, and their cover of the classic I Was Only 19. Both The Herd and Unkle Ho are signed to Aussie label Elefant Traks, one that I am loving more and more as each day passes. The material released on Elefant Traks is not bound to any rules or constraints, full creativity is encouraged and I believe this helps the artists to flourish and deliver a more developed and well rounded end result. This is entirely the case with Unkle Ho’s latest release Circus Maximus, but enough from me, let’s see what he has to say for himself in this, another edition of, 6 Questions…

1. Who Are You? Unkle Ho, gypsy beats producer from Sydney, Australia.

2. What do you do? Produce music as Unkle Ho and also for 8 headed hip hop beast The Herd. I also help run Elefant Traks, the label that Unkle Ho and The Herd are released on.

3. Why do you do it? Started doing it for fun and haven’t looked back. Hopefully when I’m an old man my crippling arthritis won’t stop me from tinkering on music machines.

4. So what’s new? Well funny that you should mention that, my second album Circus Maximus is now out in shops. People can listen to what I’ve been up to in the two years since the first one.

5. Who are you listening to at the moment? Lots of things, Waiting For Guiness’ new album is great, this Russian band called Billy’s Band, local Aussie band called Because of Ghosts and some top shelf dancehall from Mista Savona.

6. What’s your best nugget of wisdom? Hmm, one who cuts his own wood is twice warmed…

Unkle Ho - Big Bad Rag
>> download track
>> buy Circus Maximus @ Amazon
This download link will expire on 11th June.

Usual etiquette applies; check out Unkle Ho on MySpace, get him added to your friends, then go buy the album! Seriously though, it is a brilliant album. I think I might even create a genre to cater for it… gyp-hop, cos those gypsy beats are banging! Thanks goes out to Unkle Ho for sparing his time to participate.

Useful Links:

• Unkle Ho MySpace page
• Elefant Traks MySpace page
• Unkle Ho website
• Elefant Traks website
• Download - Unkle Ho - Big Bad Rag
• Buy Circus Maximus @ Amazon

6 Questions: with… Flow Dynamics

I’ve given you plenty of time to catch your breath since the last 6 Questions, so here is another one! Still on a funky tip, this time it is the turn of Aussie producer Flow Dynamics. Hot off the release of his debut album, this is your chance to learn a little bit more about the fella…

1. Who are you? Dave McKinney aka Flow Dynamics aka Soul Harmonics. Based in Australia.

2. What do you do? Flow Dynamics is my beats, breaks, funk, hip hop kinda project, and Soul Harmonics is my soulful house and nujazz outfit. I spend a lot of time in the studio, making tunes, and having a lot of fun. Music makes me happy. I like working with different artists doing collaborations and writing songs for different singers. I tend to play a lot of the instruments myself as much as possible, (bass, drums, keys etc) and if my playing sounds really crap then I’ll enlist the help of my music friends to bring their goodness to the mix! I’ve got my own studio at home, so I record everything live and then chop it up and muck around. I love the combination of live instruments chopped up and processed in the studio. I’m also getting right into DJing with serato and using ableton live to make things interesting out on the road. I also work as a marine biologist when I’m not making beats. Gotta pay the bills! I do a lot of coral taxonomy, which is basically swimming around with a scuba tank on identifying coral species. It is very complex, and keeps me busy, but I like the balance between science and music. Keeps me refreshed and inspired for making tunes.

3. Why do you do it? Music wakes me up night. Keeps me up at night. Gets me up in the morning. I just love music. There is so much good music around, and so much music to be made. Back in 1992 I was at uni studying science, and had nothing to do with making music at all. I went and lived in Brazil for a year, as my brother had just got back from a student exchange there. He told me about how amazing it was, so I hit it for a year to check it out. After a year in Brazil, in such an incredibly musical place, where even an old grandma can play a killer samba on the table top, the music bug bit me for life. I got back home to Australia with a pile of Brazilian vinyl in my suitcase and went back to uni, It was then that I suddenly realised that music was what I wanted to do with my life. I started playing drums, and playing percussion in a traditional Brazilian percussion group with a bunch of Brazilians, and got into capoeira and all that. Then started playing in different bands and started listening to a lot of funk and soul. From there it was dj-ing around the place and playing live electronic gigs around Australia as Rhibosome. After that, it was onto my current Flow Dynamics and Soul Harmonics projects.

4. So what’s new? The Flow Dynamics album has just been released on Freestyle Records in UK, Europe, US, and Japan, and in Australia on Invada Records. You can also catch a new release featuring Soul Harmonics on French soulful house label Jaffa Music. Touring to UK, Europe & Australia in September October. The Soul Harmonics full length album is also finished and will be coming out soon, plus I have a pile of upcoming remixes for Fort Knox Five, Flevans, Beatfanatic etc.

5. Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m into a lot of different music. Especially heavy funk, soul music, hip hop, afrobeat, nujazz, soulful house, drum & bass, broken beats, downtempo, afro latin, jazz, and Brazilian grooves. You can check a pile of my charts here: http://www.flowdynamics.com.au/charts/heavy.htm - Here’s a few rekkids I’m digging right now;

Speedometer - Four Flights Up (Freestyle Records)
Lanu - Disinformation (Tru Thoughts)
Askillz vs Beat Vandals - Sunshine (Bombstrikes)
Featurecast - Avenue Rock (Good Groove)
Joss Stone / Yam Who Remix - Tell Me Bout It (Giant Step)
The Snugs - Strugglin’ - Omegaman Remix (Good Groove)
DJ Day - What Planet (Milkcrate)
Rhythmagic Orchestra - African Mailman (Impossible Ark)
Zeca Pagodinho - Quando Eu Contar
Jazz Liberatorz - Ease My Mind (Kif)
Peter King - Omo Lewa (Flow Dynamics edit) (Forthcoming)
Bamboos ft. Ohmega Watts Get in the Scene (Tru Thoughts)
Marva Whitney - I am what I am (Freestyle Records)
Flevans - Apostles (Jack To Phono)
MItchell Dewbury Band - Beyond the Rains (Mr Bongo)
Mr President - Love & Happiness (Pusher)
Drum Lessons - Strings of Life (Sonar K)
Lack of Afro - Wait a Minute (Record Kicks)
Phiro Y Sus Carribes - Comenzos (Soundway 45)
DJ Graham B - It’s Alright Now (Freestyle)
Sound Stylistics - Shake & Hip Drop (Freestyle 7″)
Sharon Jones - I’m Not Gonna Cry (Daptone)
Mark Murphy - Stolen Moments -Nicola Conte Remix (Verve)
DJ Vadim Talk To Me (BBE)

6. What’s your best nugget of wisdom? Whatever it is that you do, do it with LOVE! It IS what makes the world go round. Spread that Love!

DJ Regal - Shock Ya Mind (Flow Dynamics remix)
>> download track
>> buy Flow Dynamics @ Freestyle Records
This download link will expire on 30th May.

There you have it, everything you ever wanted to know about Flow Dynamics… and then a little bit more! Thanks to the man himself for taking the time to participate, appreciated as always. Usual routine; like what you hear? Act on it. Add Flow Dynamics to your MySpace friends and make sure you cop that album!

Useful links:

• Flow Dynamics website
• Flow Dynamics MySpace page
• Soul Harmonics MySpace page
• Download - DJ Regal - Shock Ya Body (Flow Dynamics remix)
• Freestyle Records website

6 Questions: with… Lack of Afro

Been a short while since the last 6 Questions feature, but hey… I’ve got a fresh one! This time it is the turn of Adam Gibbons, aka British funk maestro Lack of Afro. Anyone thinking that funk died in the seventies wants to get their head tested, it’s strong as ever, just gotta go that extra mile and search it out sometimes. So, without further delay, here’s the low-down…

1. Who are you? Adam Gibbons, aka Lack of Afro. Born and raised in Exeter in the South West of England, I now live and work in London.

2. What do you do? I’m a producer and musician. My music tends to be heavy on the beat and is a combination of samples and live playing. Track creation nearly always starts with a sample that I can hear potential in – it can be anything from drums to horns or even the sound of an audience at a live gig, whatever. It’s all about what triggers off an idea or what has the right feel.

I then play in other parts myself, sometimes bass, keys or drums - sometimes guitar or saxes. Live playing is something I’m passionate about because it adds that ‘human’ element which is sometimes lacking in sample based music. That’s where the soul is - in the live playing. If I’m after something a bit different then I ask other musicians in to see what they can add to the track. Collaborations are something I’d like to do a lot more of in the future; I’m a bit like a sponge that way, soaking up as many influences as possible…!

3. Why do you do it? Music is engrained in me so I’ve never had to really think about what I do too much. It’s just there - I can’t really explain it. If you’re a musician or producer then it never really leaves you, it’s with you wherever you go. My Dad is a massive soul fan, so I grew up listening to a lot of Motown and stuff on Stax and Atlantic, as well as a lot of mod stuff. I think my style of production owes a lot to that era. It’s not polished, it’s just all about the vibe!

I take great satisfaction knowing that people are enjoying my music. Whether it’s in a club environment or through something like MySpace, it’s extremely rewarding when someone drops you a message to say that they’re into what you’re doing.

My initial ambition was just to get records released; now I’d just like to see people continuing to take pleasure in my music and on a personal level, to collaborate with artists that I admire.

4. So what’s new? Another 7” on Freestyle featuring two deep funk covers; The Arctic Monkeys’ “When The Sun Goes Down” and Dusty Springfield’s “Spooky”. Release date tbc.

Most of my energy is currently going towards finishing the Lack of Afro debut album. Entitled “Press On”, it will be released on Freestyle records later this summer. It’s 95% done and is sounding grand. Release date also tbc.

I’ve also just completed remixes for The Houdinis (Social Beats Records) and two for The New Mastersounds. One for a “New Mastersounds Remixed” LP for Record Kicks and the other for a compilation called “Soul Shaker Volume 4”, also on Record Kicks. I’m also just about to start one for Diesler on Freestyle.

Finally, I’ve been asked to produce the latest LP from US soul band The Diplomats of Solid Sound, for release on Record Kicks due for release in Sep/Oct ’07, as well as a remix for them too. Check www.lackofafro.com for details of all of those, and visit www.myspace.com/lackofafro to hear them.

5. Who are you listening to at the moment? Lots as always. Amongst others;

Bonobo - Days To Come (Ninja Tune), The Cinematic Orchestra – Ma Fleur (Ninja Tune), Eddie Roberts -Trenta (Salvos), Koop – Koop Island (Diesel), unreleased tracks from Funkshone, Nostalgia 77 – Everything Under The Sun (Tru Thoughts), Flow Dynamics – Flow Dynamics (Freestyle), The Sound Stylistics – Play Deep Funk (Freestyle), Solid Pleasure – Solid Pleasure (Afrokats), Smoove – Dead Men’s Shirts (Acid Jazz), The Cinematic Orchestra – Remixes (Ninja Tune), N*E*R*D – Fly or Die (Star Trak), The Small Faces – Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake (Immediate), Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare (Domino), John Legend – Once Again (Columbia), Amy Winehouse – Back to Black (Island), Mark Ronson – Version (Columbia)

6. What’s your best nugget of wisdom? This is really aimed at unsigned artists because it’s something I struggled with. When looking for feedback on your material, try and ask someone who’s either had tracks released before (that makes similar music to you of course - don’t ask the opinion of a hard house DJ if you write classical music for example!), or someone who’s involved with a record label that you’d like to be on. Once you’ve found someone who’s willing to give you an honest opinion then hang on to them and ask their opinion on future projects. There are a lot of bullshitters out there who will just tell you what you want to hear and honesty can be hard to come by. Don’t ask for friends’ or family’s opinion because (and this is through no fault of their own), they’ll just tell you what you want to hear.

At the end of the day though, you have to be true to yourself, so if in doubt, always go with your gut feeling and always trust your ears. Press On…

What more do you need to know?! My thanks goes out to Adam for taking the time to answer the six questions, I really do appreciate it. The man lacking in big hair was also kind enough to share a track, it’s one of my fav tracks at the moment, Roderigo…

Lack of Afro - Roderigo
>> download track
>> buy 7″ @ Freestyle Records
This download link will expire on 18th May.

Don’t forget to add Lack of Afro to your MySpace friends, everyone needs friends right?! And spread the good word, the word of funk! It’s all out there, just waiting for you to grab it!

Useful Links:

• Lack of Afro website
• Lack of Afro MySpace
• Download - Lack of Afro - Roderigo
• Freestyle Records website

6 Questions: with… Bless 1

I’m back with another edition of 6 Questions. This time I have Bless 1, an emcee (and producer) from Chicago. First time I heard Bless 1 I was instantly impressed with his flow. He raps intelligent, smooth, soulful, and catchy rhymes. I was also surprised to see how little exposure he seemed to have so far, criminal! So, on the cusp of his debut album release Starving Artist, I have the answers straight from the man himself…

1. Who are you? Bless 1 from the west side of Chicago.

2. What do you do? I’m a hip-hop artist. I rap and produce tracks.

3. Why do you do it? I’ve had a love for hip-hop since high school. Writing rhymes came natural for me and I used to love to freestyle in ciphers.

A couple years back I tried to link up with local producers to create some music, but nothing was working out. I began getting into production myself, and the learning process was exciting to me. I started to understand how some of my favourite songs were created. Creating beats was like falling in love with the music again, and I began to have tracks to flow over.

The funny thing about it is that once I started to post my songs on MySpace, different producers began contacting me to work together.

4. So what’s new? Well I just finished recording the songs for my first album called “Starving Artist”. A French producer, Rythm From Art, produced the entire album except for two tracks that I did myself.

The album will be available for free download probably by the end of this month. If I don’t have my website by then, it will be linked on my MySpace page.

5. Who are you listening to at the moment? I listen to a lot of different music, but I’ve got a couple of favourite hip-hop songs that get repeated play, Devin the Dude - “What a Job”, Nas and Jay-Z - “Black Republicans”, Lupe Fiasco - “Dedicated”, and Talib Kweli - “Black Girl Pain”.

I’ve been bumping Rythm’s beat tapes and a song called “My Existence” off of my album too.

6. What’s your best nugget of wisdom? I don’t know where I heard it from, but about a year ago I heard the saying, “Prayer without works is dead”. Living in the hood you see as many churches as liquor stores, but progress has escaped us. I’ve seen too many people rely only on going to church and praying but not putting the hard work into changing their situation.

I’m a firm believer in the Creator, but I also believe that you need to work hard as well as keeping the faith for Him to bless you with an increase.

Our rewards are not always in arms reach, but they are always reachable.

Bless 1 was also kind enough to share the title track from the upcoming debut LP Starving Artist…

Bless 1 - Starving Artist
>> download track (YSI)
>> find out more @ Bless 1 MySpace page
This download link will expire on 25th March.

My thanks go out to Bless 1 for making me aware of his music, taking his time to answer the 6 Questions, and also sharing a track from the LP. Now please take your time to visit his MySpace page, add him to your friends, and cop Starving Artist when it comes out shortly - it will be free, everyone’s a winner baby!

Useful Links:

• Bless 1 MySpace page
• Rythm From Art MySpace page
• Download - Bless 1 - Starving Artist

6 Questions: with… The Q4

This is the second edition of 6 Questions, after the debut featuring Sonny Noir of the Riot Control podcast a few weeks ago. This time round we have Dutch production maestros The QuadrophoniQuartet - but not just one of them speaking on behalf of the group, oh no siree, answers from each of them to every question! With this dedication they are really spoiling us! You may recall the Q4 from Unearthing MySpace Gems last year - they are a Dutch trio with an emphasis on jazz, hip-hop, and just general fat beats, but hey, let them tell you themselves…

1. Who are you?
Sense: My name is Sense, or when amongst family, Daniel Tiuri Wils. I live in Amsterdam and I’m 21 years old.
STW: I’m Robbert Reus, also known as STW. I’ve got a beard.
Arts: My name is Bas, or Arts The Beatdoctor. I don’t have beard but I’m pretty recognizable by my glasses.
Sense: The sense is tall dark and handsome, and walks kind of funny.

2. What do you do?
STW: I’m always in-between jobs, kind of like Donald Duck, but apart from that I make music. I play guitar in a rock band and I freak with samples and any instrument I can get to make some sort of hip-hop-like songs, without raps. So I add lots of samples to keep it interesting. I like to join jam sessions in local bars too. My role in The Q4 is kind of a combination of this all.
Sense: Basically what I do is build with whatever skill I’m blessed with, to try to make something out of nothing. I do a lot of music, I usually have about 4/5 projects running at a time, preferably with a lot of different people. Apart from that I do some graphical stuff, I have a t-shirt company for which I do the designs and such, and I also run a web/graphic design business. I also paint a lot of canvasses, make stuff from old records or, do some cartoons et cetera. Basically how I make music, is by taking a piano solo from say an old Duke Ellington record, chop it up into individual notes, and pitch/rearrange them to form a melody. I might then pick up a Ray Brown record to take some base notes of to create a baseline under it in the same way. In this way I’ll keep adding things, varying from Nina Simone vocals to Afghani strings to dolphin sounds to create really orchestrated, hip-hop/jazz/dnb/dub beats, almost alike film music. Due to the amount of samples that usually go into these tracks (varying from about 300 to a 1000 and up), the fact that I have to look for fitting sounds on old records, and the unfortunate truth that I don’t know the first thing about notes and chord-structures; these ‘musicollages’ can take me anywhere from a day till up to a year to finish. Generally I make instrumental music, based on such a sample structure. However I might record musicians over the track, to add say a sax solo or a baseline with a more ‘live-feel’ to it, and have also started to work on several projects with mcs/poets/singers.
Arts: Sense said it all.

3. Why do you do it?
STW: A while ago the bartender begged me to play, to stop an annoying piano player from playing his evergreens. I also have the urge to win online beatbattles, must be vanity. Sometimes Sense gets mad when I don’t do much. So basically, I just have to.
Sense: Haha. Yeah…
Arts: This is what I do! I like nothing more.
Sense: There’s several ways of leaving this place, most of which are destructive, and will leave you with nothing but a hangover. Except for a number of art forms, who are constructive, and leave you with something you’ve created to smile at the next morning. I found the latter is better in my case.

4. So what’s new?
Arts: Next week my solo album (Transitions) will drop in Japan (through P-Vine), next month in the rest of the world, and then my Arts Live band tour will start. I’m pretty curious how the world will react - my EP (Fragments) did pretty well, so this is about to be a very fun time. Next to The Q4 and my solo projects, Quintessence (who plays most of the instruments on my album) and me started Quanda Productions, we focus a bit on the more vocal side of music. Apart from that I’ve started a remix project - the next few months I will be mainly doing remixes, and get on as much releases as possible with that.
STW: Everyday I’m making new music. It keeps adding up. Today I was working on a kinda corny love song, a few days ago I made some drunk party-bleep-beat with a friend of mine and I was drummer in a jam session. There are no dates set but there will be more Q4 material, recordings with my band, some solo-stuff and crazy jam sessions this year.
Sense: With the Q4 we’ve done the ‘Sound Surroundings EP’, which we are still looking to release, while in the meantime finishing the full-length album. Then we’re working on another album for the ‘SellABand’ project, for which we are one of the 2 featured artists, and we’ve started working on a live show. Apart from that I’m working on a solo EP/LP which will feature a lot of mcs and singers, as well as some instrumental tracks. And together with the brother Sotu I’m doing an EP as well this year, then there’s some tracks I did for other peoples albums/compilations (Arts’ Transitions LP, Far I’s Blood Sweat & Lyrics LP, The 08Bar Compilation EP & Savoir Faire Records ‘The crowd Movement Soundtrack’ etc) most of which to be released these following 2 months.

5. Who are you listening to at the moment?
Arts: Soil & Pimp Sessions, pretty much all day. When I get tired of it, I put on some Bonobo or Amon Tobin. And then some Soil & Pimp again.
STW: Somebody just sent me a fucking Christmas song… but it’s kind of cool ’cause it’s played by the Muppets. And I hate Christmas songs less when it’s not actually Christmas time. Today I have listened to a new beat of mine, The Mama’s and the Papa’s (Dream a little dream of me.. it’s a scary song! Would fit a murder scene in a thriller perfectly) and some crazy old Dutch festival songs ’cause I was looking for samples. But most of the time I listen to alternative rock music or 60s music and stuff.
Sense: I don’t really like Christmas songs in any point in time, but listen to a lot of different stuff. From hip-hop, funk, jazz, soul, DnB, reggae, DUB, 70s psych. Rock and even hardcore, to chanson, salsa, flamenco, son, samba, sufi music, qawali, blues or whatever else I might encounter that’s got that essence. Different music has different qualities; Sufi music will ‘take you there’, while jazz can set more of an emotional vibe. While DnB or funk are rhythmical interesting the usually don’t hold the power raw flamenco does. Different beats for different settings, while in the end its all the same in essence. Blues and Punk are as much Hip-Hop to me as Rap is, its all the same struggle. And in the end, like Mr Ellington said it: “If its good its good”.

6. What’s your best nugget of wisdom?
Sense: Focus Manifests. Know that you shape your world daily, you create your environment. So as Afu said it: “the key is self-mastery”.
STW: Don’t buy cheap cat food! The snob won’t eat it!
Arts: I’ll go with STW on that one.
Sense: well there you have it, the three wise men have spoken, get your cat the dining experience she deserves, and go buy that Q4 merchandise..fully functional sense action figures and STW lunchboxes are now available at retail prices at these following addresses:
www.theq4.com
www.sellaband.com/q4
www.myspace.com/sense9thelement
www.artsthebeatdoctor.com
www.myspace.com/stwstw
Thanks for the interest, if you have anything you want to say, know that all hate mail can be directed to: arts@theq4.com while all fan mail and indecent groupie proposals can be send to: sense@theq4.com.
OneLove,
TheQ4/QuadraphoniQuartet.

Well what can I say?! The Q4 went all out for that edition of 6 Questions! Big respect goes out to the guys for putting in such an effort, I really appreciate it. But genuinely now, these are some supremely talented individuals, and you may have spotted my mention of their Q4 EP in my Best of 2006 blog entry the other month - as I said then, nothing got in that blog entry to make up the numbers, and The Q4 are no exception. Definitely give those links, that Sense listed above, some of your precious time, you’ll thank me for it later. I’ll leave you now with a Q4 remix of the Nas track Hope…

Nas - Hope (The Q4 Remix)
>> download track
>> The Q4 website
This download link will expire on 21st February.

Useful links:

• Download - Nas - Hope (The Q4 Remix)
• All relevant Q4 links are listed above!

6 Questions: with… Sonny Noir

Today I bring you the first edition of a new feature, 6 Questions. This feature has been in the making for a long time, but now it is finally here. 6 Questions is six set, and vague, questions that I fire off towards artists, DJs, promoters, whoever, so that they can explain in their own words exactly why I dig them. 99% of the time it is my word that you take as gospel on recommendations through this site, but this time the info comes straight from the horses mouth. Six questions, always the same six questions, but answered in any way the questioned feels like answering.

So without any further hesitation, I bring you the first edition with Sonny Noir of Brooklyn’s RiotControl podcast…

1. Who are you? My name is Sonny Noir.

2. What do you do? I do whatever is necessary to enjoy the short time I have on this planet. For the sake of this interview, I host a radio (podcast) show called RiotControl out of Brooklyn, New York with my partner Burt Fox.

3. Why do you do it? We’re interested in “timeless” mixes. A lot of DJ’s and mix shows who play what we play are constructed like “This is our reggae show, this is our old school rap episode” etc… Our concept is more towards the old Afrika Baambaata style of hip-hop djing in that we find links between records from all over. A lot of the stuff we play, we wouldn’t even recommend you buy the album they came from because it’s not always that listenable. But on that record there might be 1 song or half a song that we recognize as dope and something that connects with a piece of another record. Once all these are mapped out, connected, scratched, beat juggled or whatever, you get a RiotControl episode. Ideally, some sort of sense of continuity and vibe exists as you listen while the music skips across time periods and genres.

4. So what’s new? We are about to release our fourth episode and continue working on the fifth. We decided to only release episodes every 4 – 6 weeks. Kind of like a monthly subscription to a magazine. We want each episode to be well thought out and anticipated by the listeners. When we release a new show, we want the listeners to get excited because they know we’ve been putting our heads together, hitting the record shops and making sure it something we’re proud to present from start to finish.

5. Who are you listening to at the moment? Our show focuses on mostly funk/soul, hip hop with brains, Jamaican and electronic that’s not for Miami and Las Vegas (side note, I do love those cities but if you’ve been you know). Overall, we want to connect all music from these genres dating from the 1960’s to the present. I love rock music but we don’t include it in the show. Rock wise I’m currently into The Cold War Kids, M. Ward, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Raconteurs and The Shins. Lupe Fiasco is doing it for me in hip hop and Atmosphere continue to make me want to violently turn over tables with food on them. Because of the show we’re buying more vinyl than ever, so obscure funk and soul has been my primary interest. There are some great labels devoted to re releasing old vinyl that’s out of print and/or assembling compilations of hard to find music. Some of these I’m into are Ubiquity, Soul Jazz and Luv N’ Haight. Then there’s labels like Daptone and Truth & Soul who have taken this spirit to the modern day by releasing modern funk and soul records that neither cling to the past nor attempt to overly modernize the genre. I’m also into Dub Step, a relatively newer brand of electronic music mostly coming out of London. Excellent stuff but very new and we’ll see where it goes.

6. What’s your most valuable nugget of wisdom? I’m just a music nerd with internet access. You don’t want wisdom from me. All I’ll say is enjoy your life, at the end of the day that’s all you can do. Oh, and listen to Gavin, this dude knows what he’s talking about. Stay tuned to RiotControl! We’ve got some great ideas coming your way soon. Thanks for giving us a few minutes of your time. It’s much appreciated. PEACE.

My thanks go out to Sonny Noir for taking the time to answer 6 Questions. You HAVE TO check out the RiotControl podcast, it is fantastic. You can check RiotControl out on the web… www.riotcontrolnyc.com and also add them to your friends on MySpace - plus the feed URL to the podcast is in the sidebar of this blog. I’ve listened to the first three podcasts and they just had me entranced. Burt Fox is a demon on the wheels of steel, and the selection of tunes is incredible - it isn’t often I’m left thinking “whoah, what is this track?”, but it happens quite a bit when I’m listening to RiotControl!

I’m hoping this will become a regular feature, and that you will find it informative and perhaps even a little educational! So until the next 6 Questions, get that RiotControl stuff listened to! Also, volume 7 of the Just Like Music podcast is now available for download.

Useful links:

• RiotControl website
• RiotControl MySpace page
• Ubiquity website
• Soul Jazz website
• Luv N’ Haight website
• Daptone website
• Truth & Soul website

Interview with BangBang

Some people get into the music industry for the money, some for the fame, others cos they enjoy the music, others fall into it, but some go deeper than that. Some see it as an art-form used to express themselves the only way they know how, like a platform to live the way they need to live - I recently interviewed someone who is that very way inclined. I’m talking about the British emcee, poet, artist, that is… BangBang. We talked about expression, influences, tattoos, oh and music too. Read it for yourself…

Gav: Thanks for staying up late to do this interview, I appreciate it. Do you wanna start by explaining who you are and what you do?

BangBang: First of all my name is Johnny, but BangBang is the spirit in me that looks for ways to keep me alive. I’m a work in progress. I’ve found art can change matter, so I’m exercising my talents, to see matter as something not to be ashamed of, i.e. the particles in me were donated by my abusers. This made me insecure about even my own composition. Art is my argument to my perception of negative reality.

G: So you use your art as a way to express yourself? Like an outlet? Makes sense to me. Can you explain your art though? I’ve seen your MySpace page and it seems there’s a real hip-hop vibe, but further than that it seems you are a spoken word artist, is that an accurate assumption?

BB: My philosophy is hip-hop and I’m a stickler to it. Free verse and phonetic juggling is an endless style, so to someone who knows… what I’m doing… is true hip-hop! Taking my minimum means and manipulating them, innovating them to the point that the originality resembles the artist’s fingerprint. That’s self-esteem, that’s I’m gonna be me, that’s I’m gonna shine while I’m alive, that’s hip-hop, that’s BangBang.

G: Where did music begin for you? Where did it all start?

BB: Music, as soon as I got my coordination, was a means for me to sedate the world I was afraid of. I learned to move to it, and learned to convince people that the way I was moving is exactly what the notes would love themselves to be expressed like. I was like a human video clip to the songs I danced to. That got me friends and admirers, i.e. a group of people I could turn to.

G: What sort of music do you like to listen to? Any favourite artists or groups?

BB: Mos Def, Kubus, Tricky, Lauryn Hill, FMF, Gnarls Barkley and Street battle rappers.

G: Do you also see those artists as influences to you in the hip-hop game, and where else do you draw influences from?

BB: Of course, my other influences are people lovers, all the prophets of God, most of all Mohammed (peace be upon him), the Dalai Lama, fight trainers, nutritionalists, mentors and guides to peace.

G: So as the artist BangBang, where are you right now? Have you released any EPs or LPs, or is there something in the pipeline?

BB: I’m looking to get out and do gigs right now and perform the tracks I like to an audience. Then I’ll analyse the responses, and the songs with the strongest reaction I’ll make an album with. I’m featured on a couple of projects at the moment but whether the public get to hear them is down to the ingenuity and belief of the producers whose projects I’m assisting on. Once I’ve got the Kubus album out the way I’m gonna be pushing to get a budget for me and FMF to put our album out. Right now that situation is exciting me.

G: Ah yes, the Fantastic Mr. Fox, I featured him on here a few weeks back. The Origami Sounds lot are a good bunch. Going back to your sound, and I don’t know how you will take this comparison, but when I heard you I thought “ah, a thinking man’s Mike Skinner”, that was more on the spoken word tip, your tracks seem to contain deep thoughts about serious issues, what can you tell me bout that?

BB: I’m a black mans Mike Skinner, serious issues, what can I say about that? Let’s get some self love and sort the fucking shit out.

G: Amen to that. Well I know what I’d rather hear on my stereo, and it certainly isn’t some fella trying to make lots of irrelevant words rhyme for no real reason. From that sense I reckon you’re going places. From a musical career stance, what is your aim in the game? Where would you like to get to?

BB: Right now I’m looking for a spotlight for my talents. I have group ideas, poetry books, I’ve written a few scripts and I know quite a bit about anger management and getting off drugs. So getting some sort of celebrity status, on an integrity level of course, could make it easier for me to be taken seriously in my contribution ideas. God willing they are.

G: Two questions I want to ask! Firstly, those tattoos man, you’ve got loads! Are there meanings to them, or are you just an ink addict? Secondly, I saw that Coke advert on your MySpace page, how did you come to be in that?

BB: My ink is a coat of arms, reminders of my great acts, and the coca cola advert my girl got the job. She’s the one in my arms on my slide show kissing me on the shoulder, on my page, the shot is from my back. Yeah she got the job, I was looking after the baby while she was rehearsing her scene. The director thought I had the right look to represent the most adamant symbol of cynicism that only a Coca Cola could make smile.

G: Ah, I see. What do you think of the hip-hop scene in general and also in the UK at the moment? Which UK artists are you particularly feeling?

BB: The UK more represents hip-hop to me. They have found an original way to express reality exactly in the twang of the “have-nots”. What’s going on in America I don’t recognise as hip-hop. Cause instead of having their own language, they’ve learned and mimic the twang of the “have-more”. Stupid house niggers, standing next to the abuser, chinking glasses laughing at us in the fields… wait till I catch one walking through mine.

G: It would seem the riches are too big of an incentive for some of the American guys, I wrote an article bout that a couple of months ago actually. I respect people like Roots Manuva, that repeatedly knocked back the big offers to keep it real, plus he doesn’t rap about bitches and shooting people. I know you’re soon to be working with FMF, but which other UK producers and emcees do you like?

BB: I like Envy from Manchester, the Mitchell Brothers, Kano, and a kid called Broken Voice Tones, when this kid finds himself he’s gonna show us all what to do with the English language to make it sweet you for days.

G: I’ll have to look out for him then. I’m looking forward to hearing the stuff you’re doing with FMF, so you’ll definitely have to hit me up with it for a review when it is ready! Before we go though, are their any messages you’d like to give, or shout outs to make?

BB: First of all I have to shout out the smart rascal that laughs at the stiffs that want us as retarded as them, the smart rascal in me, my wife, my step father, my grand dad, my aunty Nelly, Dillyn, Norman, Paul, my brother, little Tim, Graham, his wife, Mandy, Dez, Mohammed, Bruce, Stewart, Trevor, Sven, and all humans that refuse to be under any insecure cunt that wants them crying and begging for mercy. Power to the peaceful.

G: Fair play to you! Well, thanks again for your time, I do really appreciate it, and I hope everything goes well for you in the future.

BB: Peace my friend, kick to stay alive.

BangBang was also kind enough to send me over an mp3 to share with you all. It’s a track he featured on for the Dutch hip-hop producer Kubus, this one’s on a slightly more dnb tip, give it a listen…

Kubus - Double My Level feat. BangBang
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 27th July.

Don’t forget to check out BangBang’s MySpace page, listen to that array of tracks on his player, oh and peep that Coca-Cola advert! If you like what you hear, show some love and leave him a comment or two, a few words of encouragement and/or appreciation never hurt anybody.

Useful links:

• BangBang MySpace page
• Fantastic Mr. Fox MySpace page
• Kubus MySpace page
• Download - Kubus - Double My Level feat. BangBang

Interview with Chris Chinchilla

Interview time! This one is with ex Art Brut guitarist/songwriter Chris Chinchilla. As ever, being in Australia (where?!) time difference is a shitter, so Chris was good enough to stay up till the unsociable hours to speak with me. But what was said? Read on…

Gav: Good evening, Chris, and thanks for staying up late to speak with me. Shall we start the usual way, you explaining to the readers exactly who you are and what you do?

Chris Chinchilla: Right… I am Chris Chinchilla, most will probably know me as ex Art Brut guitarist/songwriter, but some may also know me as an old fanzine writer. Right now I’m a DJ, Radio show host and now, slowly a new solo artist. But I’m taking some time off from the other stuff to concentrate on music.

G: So where did it all begin for you in the wonderful world of music?

CC: Hmm, well, my dad is a musician of sorts, he tried to teach me guitar when I was younger, but I wasn’t interested, then I realised I could impress girls, so started to teach myself, that was at about 15/16. I got into music through my dad too; he brought home a copy of TOTP from the 80’s with Madness on it, got into music through 2-Tone and New Wave stuff, then Blur and onwards.

G: Influences galore! What about Art Brut, how did they come to be?

CC: Well… I met Eddie at a party, he joked about forming bands, but I took him seriously. Freddie I lived with at the time, and he knew Ian from School days, then we met Mike randomly through someone else who’d met him on a bus. It was all because I’d been dumped by a girl really, that I got into a band, which is strange because it’s happened to me again recently (being dumped) so expect great things again soon.

G: Ha ha, the tragic magic; being dumped. So, you’re embarking on a solo career now, what will you take with you from the Art Brut days, explain your sound?

CC: I will take lessons learned, about all sorts of things; performance, the industry, what to do, what not to do - but also the thrill and buzz of performance.

The new sound? Well, I wrote quite a few Art Brut songs, if you take the darker more discordant ones (usually one of mine, Formed a Band is a perfect example) strip down to a three piece, put me on vocals (kind of Paul Weller meets Billy Brag, or so I like to think) and add a little bit of acquired knowledge about song-writing and what works… That’s a rough idea. My musical influences are not always the best indication of my sound, they more influence me to do things.

G: Yes, many artists these days seem to be that way with their influences. How are things progressing with the solo stuff?

CC: Yes, I think that things are quite often like that. Press seem to assume that artists are directly influenced by people they sound like.

Anyway, yes solo stuff it’s going well, coming together now; new tracks, just had a photo shoot, getting good reactions to music. I’m excited by it, which is most important.

G: Definitely, I think people sometimes underestimate how important your own interest in your ventures is. If you’re not enjoying it, get out. All sounds good though, Chris. Do you think we’ll see an EP or LP any time soon?

CC: Hmm, that’s not up to me. I have no money to do it myself. Currently talking to labels, the materials there - but I hope so.

G: So for now you’re just soldiering on waiting for the right opportunities to present themselves? Are you playing live at all at the moment?

CC: Yes, yes to all of those. Got a couple more gigs to play then taking a break to concentrate on getting signed and press and stuff. Gigs have been going very well.

G: Excellent, glad to hear it. Now for the fantasy question… If you could be in a band with any musicians of your choice, who would they be and why?

CC: Ooh, never really thought about that before. Thing is, most musicians I respect I would probably hate being in a band with, because we’re too similar! But anyway, ok; Horace Gentleman (The Specials) on bass, whoever the drummer in RATM was, Johnny Greenwood on lead guitar, maybe, I dunno, that was off the cuff and unplanned, and would probably sound like a real bloody mess!

G: Still, would be something to be on stage with that lot! You’ve already explained that you don’t necessarily sound anything like your influences, but who would you say (if anyone) you do sound like?

CC: Some have said my guitar style is similar to Graham Coxon, but I wish in a 1000 years I was as good as him. The new band is a little bit Jam, a little bit Dead Kennedy’s and a little bit PiL… sort of. It’s so hard to say. My guitar style is messy, I don’t fret properly. When we were recording the Art Brut album the producer had loads of problems because I left loads of weird harmonics over everything, but some say that’s my style!

G: Nothing wrong with being unique! So how are things split between your new solo venture and the new band? Are you stuck in a bit of a tug of war, or is it all crystal clear?

CC: I only ever do solo stuff when the band can’t do it really, or when it’s far away and we’re not paid enough to take the band, that’s about all there is to it. I’d rather do it with the band, though sometimes it’s quite cool flying around Europe on your own with a guitar! The other guys understand, it’s all ok.

G: You jet-setter you! As things stand then; you’ve got your solo career just starting, you also play with a new band, and you’re looking for a label, and dependant on that we may or may not see an EP or LP released some time soon. Sounds like it is all happening for you, what tips can you give to any artists looking to start out in the industry?

CC: Hmm, there are no magic tips I can offer, the single biggest bit of advice I can offer is just to get out there and keep at it, that’s all you can ever do really.

G: Well apart from getting dumped! I’ll put that in big bold letters; Chris Chinchilla says get dumped for success! Well, you’ve been great to interview, Chris, but before we wrap this up, are there any shout-outs you’d like to make or messages to give?

CC: Not sure if that’s a piece of advice, but it does get you focused! I’d just like to say hello to the rest of the band, and mention some bands I recommend at the moment; Blah Blah Blah, Humazi, Scully. Enjoy, I’m going to bed!

My thanks go out once more to Chris for giving up valuable sleeping time to speak with me, I appreciate it. Chris also shot me over an mp3 by his band, Macaca Mulatta, so definitely make sure you check it out here…

Macaca Mulatta - Dancing on a week night
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 25th July.

If you like what you hear, make sure you check out Chris Chinchilla and Macaca Mulatta even further - Chris has a website, and a MySpace page, and Macaca Mulatta also have a website and MySpace page, show some love! The band are playing some live dates soon as well, these are through July and August at the following locations; Portsmouth, Southampton, London, Liverpool, Munich, Hagen, and then London again. Full details of dates and venues are on the website.

Useful links:

• Chris Chinchilla website
• Chris Chinchilla MySpace
• Macaca Mulatta website
• Macaca Mulatta MySpace
• Download - Macaca Mulatta - Dancing on a week night

Interview with Rusty Sheriff

Today I bring you an interview with Rusty Sheriff. He’s a pal of mine that just so happens to make fantastic music. He combines turntablism, samplism, and dirty-breakalism… ok, you probably were thinking I made the second word up, but now you definitely know I made the third one up! But, enough of my nonsense, I’ll let you read the transcript from the interview…

Gav: Good day to you kind sir and thank you for taking the time out to do this interview. Do you want to start by just explaining who you are and what you do?

Rusty Sheriff: Hello and thank you for having me on board. I’m Rusty Sheriff, a full time sonic terrorist, part-time teacher. I make music in my sound room in Portsmouth, UK and trying to play it out live as often as logistically possible!

G: I know all about your “sonic terrorism”, but can you just describe your sound for the benefit of the readers and perhaps where your influences come from?

RS: The sound is really an odd mixture of influences from my record collection. It is breaks heavy, and in that respect I suppose I’m a breaks purist. But in addition it’s mainly instrumental, taking most of my sounds from samples stolen from forgotten charity shop records. My main influences range from DJ Shadow and RJD2 at one end of the spectrum through to Techno Animal, Melvins and Dalek.

G: That’s broad indeed, but where did it all start for the Sheriff? What got you into this game?

RS: The ‘Rusty Sheriff’ alias came from my previous band, which I started in Nottingham (at uni) with a close friend Dusty Bible. Designer Babies (www.designerbabies.net) were an important avant weird project that shaped the experimental side of the Sheriff output. I left uni, and returned to my home town of Portsmouth leaving the band behind to carry on (now in its 3rd incarnation!). So that’s where the name came from, the need to carry on was purely driven from the desire to play my music live. I kept the alias, and switched my tact from avant garde freeform rock to turntablist hip-hop, something I’d been into throughout my time in the ‘Babies. Before that though it took time to write some ‘Rusty’ material.

G: What can you tell me about your production methods and your home setup?

RS: The ‘Saloon’ (hehehe…) is very lofi really, it has a PC, a self built surface with a turntable, scratch mixer, studio mixer, outboard effects - compressors, reverbs, sampler, plenty of children’s toys and some strange contraptions that I’ve built and boxed up, which will eventually work in a track somewhere! I use two programs on the PC to do most of the work; namely Acid 5 and CoolEditPro. These I use to sequence sounds and to edit them. Despite trying allsorts of pro software, these allow me to be the most creative due to the ease of use.

G: Well fair play to you for prioritising creativity over process. How do you transfer the studio experience to a live show experience? How does it differ?

RS: Well it’s tricky to separate the final track from the live experience, and maintain an element of ‘liveness’. I tend to take the original track, break it down (no pun intended!) to the basic individual recorded tracks, and try to work out which sections I can manipulate live. Often this is the scratching because it’s more visual. I then tend to master a ‘live’ version of the song which will then fit into the set somewhere. Sometimes I’ll re-structure the track and maybe play the theremin or ’scratch’ some sampler noises in too. It’s funny though, because most think I’m just DJing, and playing other peoples tunes! I suppose it’s down to them to take notice though!

G: Ha ha, I’d probably get frustrated and continually grab the mic to say things like “you do realise I’m creating this and not DJing, right?!” - It sounds pretty impressive though. So do you prefer to be out there playing live to being in the studio recording, or do you just view them as two separate parts of one larger thing?

RS: Yeah, for sure! They both make up a larger picture. It would be far too easy to make the tunes indoors, put them on the web, pull the usual hopeful label demo send off, but that doesn’t really satisfy me fully. Doing it live takes a fair bit of balls, because the laptop doesn’t always work and it’s so easy for a stylus to fall off the record! I like the risk, and I really love the reactions, good or bad - I love both!!! I’d like the tracks to be listened to in earphones, or at home, but doing it live is really an extension of it.

G: Ah, a natural showman and performer eh?! Should get you on Pop Idol, see what Simon Cowell thinks! Well, the whole live Rusty Sheriff experience really does sound intriguing to say the least, but going back to your studio work, where are you with that now? What have you done and what are you doing?

RS: Hahaha! Yeah, Simon Cowell would love me! Hahaha! Simon: “So, Rusty let’s hear you sing…” hehehe… Pop Idol aside, I’m working on a couple of slightly different projects at the moment. On one hand I’m trying to remix as many artists as I can, and conversely ‘trying’ to get other producers to remix my material, in order to compile a collection of “Rusty Sheriff and Friends” recordings. As well as that I’m also writing tracks with a mind to the live show. I said earlier that people don’t always get the live show, so I’m trying to get some more vocals on the tracks, pulling in some guest emcees, poets, singers and wordsmiths to record and then reproduce the output live. “Black & White” with Deadfoot is the first from that series.

G: Good stuff, sounds like you are a busy man! So, thinking along the lines of what you do physically and the sounds you produce, what other artists out there do you admire that you see doing perhaps slightly similar stuff?

RS: I’m really into Dalek at the moment, those guys are on Mike Patton’s ‘Ipecac’ label, doing nasty hip-hop with cuts and rhymes - I’d love to try and somehow achieve similar results. They’re kicking out some seriously original shit, yet keeping to the hip-hop blueprint. Also I really enjoy Bonobo at the minute, he stands out from the rest of the Ninja Tune unit, mainly through his song writing, but I love the ‘raw’ production methods which is nice to see. Again; creativity instead of over-production.

G: Yup, those are some seriously creative fellas you’ve mentioned right there. So basically, from the information you’ve told me; you’re an artist and performer that regards expressing creativity as the utmost of importance - well, the world can never have enough of people like that, so I’d say you’re definitely on the right track! What would you truly like to achieve as an artist and performer?

RS: That’s a tricky one! I’m not really sure in honesty. I’d like to attain some sort of artistic satisfaction with my output, mainly through evolving the sound - trying to keep it fresh, and using different sound sources. I’d love to perform on a festival stage, to a ‘larger’ audience, maybe use visuals and emcees. This is really a utopian view of it, as to be honest my feet are VERY stable and on the ground! I recently saw Shadow live, and it gave me some nice ideas about presenting live, electronic music, to the masses! Production wise, I’d like to carry on the learning process that is recording sound - it never really ends! Maybe one day I’ll be happy with something I’ve written!

G: Onward and upwards as they say! What (if any) are your biggest frustrations with the whole scene? Naturally for a lot of lesser known artists the obvious problem is just getting recognition and actually signed, but do you find many other elements slow your process?

RS: Obviously, being able to do this as a day job would be fantastic - a dream come true. But in these days of labels becoming over-saturated with artists looking for a deal or a break, it’s becoming more and more difficult to get signed. I used to work for a heavy metal record label, and I saw how they disregarded demos sent in. That really was a heart breaker, as you could see how much effort those cats had put into their demos. In that respect, there’s no winning, so we’ve all just gotta plug on and hope that maybe one day someone might consider paying us for doing this! Labels aren’t the only stumbling block though, I find peoples perceptions more difficult. I’ve mentioned the problems playing live, in that people expect a DJ to start spinning tunes and then end up with a full on noise set. Hahaha! Fuck em’ I say! Nah, seriously, it’s frustrating, but I’d like to see it as a challenge. If they don’t get it well, hey, that’s their loss. It’s my own fault too, I tend not to play at ‘clubs’, I’d rather play with bands at live venues, so it’s not like I’ve got grounds to complain!!!

G: I tend to agree, their loss. You sound like you’ve got your head screwed on and you just gotta keep on doing what you do. So, you’ve got a couple of projects in the works, what about future live performances? Are they adhoc, or do you have some sort of residency somewhere?

RS: With my approach to live shows they tend to be adhoc. Usually I get a show every month or so in the Portsmouth area, but I’m running out of venues to destroy! Hahaha! In fairness, I find that promoters find it difficult to find artists to pair me up with on any given bill. Safe to say I end up playing at eclectic nights!

G: I see! Well if the organisers of Glastonbury, Coachella, or any other large festivals ask me any time soon for recommendations on who should play at their gigs… I might just mention your name! I’m loving the stuff on your MySpace page, people should def check all that out, plus I’m looking forward to hearing more from these new projects, so keep us all informed! Before we wrap this up are there any shout-outs you want to make or messages to give the readers?

RS: Shout outs eh? Haha! Ok, well I should probably thank a few peeps that have shown their support over the years/months… Firstly my lawyer/part time housemate John for always giving me honest feedback minus the bullshit as well as numerous lifts! My missus for always pretending to enjoy the live sets! Dusty and Kate from the Designer Babies, the FIZIKZ crew; yourself included! aha, weeks and all the guys I miss so! And me mam and dad for never quite understanding what I do, but always being supportive! Thanks to you all!

G: Awww, very touching messages there from the Sheriff. Just leaves me to once again thank you for sparring the time to speak to me - good luck with it all!

RS: Cheers ears!

Don’t forget to check out Rusty Sheriff’s MySpace page, he has four quality tracks on there, plus at the moment, and exclusively, the Rusty Sheriff track 3:15 - E31 can be listened to on the Just Like Music MySpace page, along with tracks from other previously featured artists. The Sheriff also shot me over a different track to share with you all, so enjoy…

Rusty Sheriff - Hourglass
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 17th July.

Be sure to add Rusty Sheriff to your friends on MySpace, then let him know all about just how much you love him and his music, I know he’ll appreciate it!

Useful links:

• Rusty Sheriff website
• Rusty Sheriff MySpace page
• Designer Babies website
• Download - Rusty Sheriff - Hourglass

Interview with Raze

As many of you will by now know, I do like to help spread the word of lesser-known artists. I mean after all, talent is talent, regardless of its incarnation. So today I bring you an interview with Raze, a hip-hop producer from England’s Midlands. We discussed his roots, the journey music has taken him on so far, and also the new release from the duo he is half of; Raze N Lava Flo. Here’s what was said…

Gav: Thanks for sparing the time to speak with me. Do you want to first of all explain who you are and what you do?

Raze: I’m Raze Brooks, one half of the Birmingham/Tamworth based duo Raze N Lava Flo, primarily a hip-hop producer, but was known for emceeing - back in the day.

G: Ah back-in-the-day! So, how have your exploits as an emcee brought you to where you are today? What’s different now to back then?

R: Back in the day hip-hop was something special, that if you we’re into, you felt like you owned a part of it. There wasn’t that much exposure of hip-hop in the media, so you had to go and dig for the latest tunes, you we’re reliant on only a few sources of information on which artists had albums/singles dropping you had to read Hip Hop Connection, stay up and catch the Big Beat/ National Fresh. Plus there wasn’t many people doing it back then, now everybody’s an emcee.

G: So did there come a point when you thought “actually, I wanna give producing a go”?

R: I started spittin’ in 89, just rhyming over instrumentals, I could play the keyboard anyway, and that was something that my parents insisted on, that I learn how to play a musical instrument. Back in those days there was; myself, M’add Archer, Wordsworth, Craig D & Dynamic Ammo, rhyming in Tamworth and nobody was producing. In 91 I copped a keyboard and started making dreadful sounding beats that everybody laughed at (think early West Coast but a hundred times worse).

However I carried on, copped an old Akai sampler and things started moving from there. I did a few things with the late Edwin Starr, met some guys at college who were into digging and formed a trio with them, then broke out solo.

G: That’s fair enough. So how did Raze N Lava Flo come about?

R: I was friends with DJ Cro and he introduced me to Lava in Massive Records in Birmingham. Cro said “you’re a producer, she’s a singer, lets do something.” Initially it was meant to be a trio, but he was busy with his radio show, “Deadline and Sonny Jim”, so it was left to the two of us.

G: Explain your sound, and perhaps what you are trying to achieve stylistically, with Raze N Lava Flo.

R: Well from a purely instrumental point of view I make hip-hop tunes. My main inspiration comes from hip-hop producers like; Pete Rock, Large Professor, Diamond D, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, etc…

But I’m also into a lot of other styles like DnB, old soul like; Al Green, Brothers Johnson, Stevie Wonder, and some house and disco. But I was also a big fan of the old school British hip-hop like; Gunshot, Blade, Killa Instinct, Hijack, Two Tone Committee, Katch 22.

G: What about Lava Flo? Not to want to make you speak on her behalf, but what are her tastes and influences, and how does that transcribe into the Raze N Lava Flo sound?

R: She’s into all the same stuff as I am, but also a big fan of more left-field stuff like; Boards of Canada, Kate Bush, Mo Wax, Ninja Tune, Warp, Jill Scot, Dwele, Amp Fiddler, Trojan. She’s a lot more spiritual than I am. I’m very pragmatic as a matter of fact.

G: I see. So when it comes to creating the music, do you just create the beats and then say “put some vocals on that”? Or is the whole process more of a team effort?

R: With this album that’s how 80% of it was done, however the Coffeehouse was something that Lava started, then bought it round to my gaff to put some drums on it and mix it. Plus the remix of Wherever You Go was done by myself and keyboard player Paul Osborne, to fit around her vocals.

However, I sometimes make changes in the arrangement to gel the song together after the vocals are finished.

G: As a producer, and one half of a duo, in the Midlands, what are your biggest frustrations with the industry and trying to break through?

R: I think the biggest problem any new artist has got is just getting people to take time to listen, I’ve found once they do, well with this album the feedback has been positive.

G: Exposure, I’m sure that’s a major obstacle indeed. You’ve mentioned an album, I understand that it has recently been completed. Tell me about the album and when it will be available.

R: The album is called “It’s Not Just About Roses” by Raze N Lava Flo, it’s available now via the paypal account on our MySpace page, plus in record stores across the UK. We’ve also got distribution sorted in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Germany.

Sonically I would say it’s hip-hop soul.

G: Naturally your own sound is your own, but if you had to say that the album sounded at all in parts like any other well known artists, which names might you mention?

R: I would say personally somewhere between Pete Rock & Massive Attack. Unfinished Sympathy being my favourite tune ever, and Pete Rock being my favourite producer.

G: It’s funny you should mention those names, as listening to the tracks on your MySpace page, those were the names that popped into my head! So, what’s in the future for Raze N Lava Flo?

R: We’ve got a band together; we got a bassist, tabla player, beatboxer, two backing vocalists, and a keyboard player. We’re doing gigs to promote it, we’ve had a few spins on Galaxy.

G: That sounds promising, good luck with that and also good luck with the latest album. I really do appreciate you taking the time out to speak to me. Are there any shout-outs you want to make or messages to give the readers?

R: First I gotta give a big shout to Lava Flo, who has made such a big commitment to the group and the label. Then; Semantix, Lokjaw, Canedrive, MC Serch, Blade, Akua Naru, Keaton, Sonny Jim, DJ Cro, Frantic Motionz, Deadline, and all the other people who I’m working with on new material.

And people like; yourself, Madrox, Tricksta, HHb radio, Lunatix, Andy at HHC, Eastern Eye, all the journos who have put their reps on the line pushing our stuff, oh yeah can’t forget Wigs, Debb & Vee.

G: Cool. Thanks again for your time.

Raze was also kind enough to send me over a track from the Raze N Lava Flo album, the title track of the same name; It’s Not Just About Roses…

Raze N Lava Flo - It’s Not Just About Roses
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 6th July.

I’m certain we’ll be hearing more from Raze N Lava Flo in the future, but don’t forget to check out their MySpace page, add yourself to their friends list, and let them know what you think of their tracks.

Useful links:

• Raze N Lava Flo MySpace page
• Download - Raze N Lava Flo - It’s Not Just About Roses

Interview with Spillz

I managed to catch up with a good friend of mine, Spillz, for a brief interview. Spillz, or Salvadore Spilligan Esquire, is Tom Heighington, a hip-hop producer from Southampton, England. We managed to defy the madness that is global time difference and I fired some questions about his music right at him. Here's the transcript…

Gav: Describe what you do and why you do it?

Spillz: Basically I dig through a lot of charity shops and select some old records which I think will sound real ill. Mainly judge them by their cover, if it has a dope cover with just a dude smoking a cigar on it or one of those ones with a chick at a beach walking out of the water, or has a mad spacey feel to it. I'm looking for some dope little sounds as well as samples I can use to make beats.

Everything I use comes from records, from the bass down to the drums. So I need to have some deep crates to push things to different levels.

There are a lot of kids looping up some charity shop wax. A lot more than you would think are trawling through all the Perry Como and the Johnny Walker plays-Irish-dancing-on-the-harmonica type records to find that Sun Ra wax, that just might be there.

I like to try and think I’m keeping one step ahead of them.

G: So essentially you use samples from records to create new tracks, much in the same vein as the late underground hip-hop pioneer J Dilla?

S: Yeah, basically. J Dilla is a huge influence to me. The dude had basically been on some next level tip since he first came out. I can listen to some of the records he flipped and I’ll be in shock for a week, but equally inspired

G: How would you describe the sound that you create and what (and who) are your influences, bar J Dilla that you just mentioned?

S: Creating my sound. That’s one of the key elements into being a producer. Making yourself a brand and keeping it on lock, which dudes can only look in your direction for, is the key to success. It's what I’m striving for. I can't really describe the sound I’m creating as I’m searching for it myself. You’ll have to listen to some music yourself.

Rza was a big influence, I listened to a lot of Wu when I was younger. You know, that off key soul shit that he's so famous for and obviously the cliché additions; Premo, Pete Rock, Tribe, Beatminerz etc… But at the moment I’m really feeling Madlib fully. He’s really changing things nowadays, bringing it back to when all you needed was some old records and some skills.

G: What about your setup? Are you a megabucks gadget freak or is it all very modest?

S: Well, due to a modest income I got to keep it street. All I got is some wax, a turntable, a pc and some herb. I like to keep things simple so I can get complicated on my own terms. I'm feeling I need to finish my apprenticeship on software before I start purchasing some boxes with flashing buttons and switches to hit. No doubt I’ll get deep into it and my rooms gonna look like a space ship’s cockpit.

G: I think that's a good ethos to have - so tell me bout the three tracks you currently have on your MySpace page, how did they come to exist?

S: Well that "She’s There Waiting” was made in my mate’s basement in New Zealand. I went abroad for a few months and I couldn't make beats the whole time. When I got to my mates house I jumped on his computer and cut up some Otis Redding and felt a lot better. The other two I made in the mornings before I started my nine-to-five grind. They are just a little glimpse of what I’m doing.

G: Personally I think they're great, plus it's a little scary to think that you're basically saying those were made on a whim and perhaps weren't the "real deal", which leads me to ask… What now? Are you working on something?

S: Well some ideas mainly. I really need to pull my finger out and sort out something that is fully mine. I mean I’ve made a handful of tracks with a few lesser known artists in the past, but what I really want to do is create something of my own just with that Spillz sound. I am working on a remix compilation at the moment though, but I’m keeping that pretty close to my chest at the moment

G: That's fair enough; I can’t wait to hear more. What are your thoughts on the state of hip-hop today?

S: Ah, the all important question, ha-ha. I think it's pretty fresh at the moment. There are hundreds of dudes going off in different tangents searching for original veins of the art form. There is so much stuff out there it’s incredible, but you got to really search for who you are, really feeling the scene and also be open minded. There are some wack cats out there nowadays, but their always were.

You just got to let the wack dudes be wack and listen to something you need.

G: Too true! Ok, well that about wraps it up, but before we go are there any messages for the readers or shout-outs to give?

S: Ok yeah; well it's serious times out there, so keep doing what you do and remain true.

Shout outs to Premo, Dilla, Extra P and your Mum for the fine hospitality.

G: Cool - oh and just so all you readers know, Spillz wasn't having a dig at my Mother! She let him stay at our house for a couple of weeks last year! Thanks very much for your time and I hope it all goes well for your future projects.

Spillz also fired me over an mp3 of a track he did with another UK fella by the name of JND, here it is…

JND feat. Spillz - Downwater Baby
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 17th June.

Make sure you check out the Spillz MySpace page, those tracks are hot, specially the ultra-addictive "She's There Waiting". If you use MySpace yourself, then add Spillz to your friends list and let him know what you think of his music. I'm sure we'll be hearing plenty more from him in the near future.

Useful links:

• Spillz MySpace
• JND MySpace
• Download