Tell us a bit about yourself; your background and introduction to electronic music.
I’ve been DJing for more years than I care to remember, I started off playing raregroove, funk and hip hop in the late eighties. I used to be something of a funk purist but it only took one introductory night of acid house to convert me to house music. I moved into production about four years ago with a couple of releases on Stickman and have since recorded on Freaked, Oblong, Groove Pleasure, Uhuru Beats, Terraform, Sensei, Detour, Urban Torque, Boxa, Household and more!
What are your main influences?
Well, I love old funk, soul and rare groove, I was really into electro and early rap as a kid, (I was a breakdancer and I’m proud to say I had the fastest backspin in my home-town) and don’t know if you remember a label called Streetsounds, but their compilations really got me into modern dance/soul music – they did the Electro and Crucial Electro comps too. A lot of the early vocal-house tunes really influenced me, like Joe Smooth’s “Promised Land”, Doctor Mouthquake’s “Love on Love” that kind of thing. I was also into a lot of Detroit stuff too, Derrick May, Carl Craig and so on. Currently, I think Asad Rizvi is an absolutely stand-out producer/writer on our scene and I really rate his stuff, no surprise there.
Your track, 'Long relationships' was a real standout of last year. How did that one come about?
I wanted to make a really good record! Seriously, that was what I was thinking when I made it. As soon as I heard the vocal sample I knew I could do something good with it. I think its one of my most successful tracks and I really like it and still play it out.
Do you perform live? If so, where can we catch you?
DJing is really picking up at the moment and I’ve got a few gigs in Miami at the conference. My next London gig is Housewerk at the Egg in London on 11th February. Colin Dale is starting up a new DJ agency which he’s asked me to be a part of so I’m looking forward to getting out into Europe and beyond this year. With the album coming out this spring, I’m looking to take a vocalist and rapper out with me as well and doing some live gigs – I’ll keep you posted!
You're shortly releasing your debut album - care to talk us through the tracks?
Love to:
1. Messages from the Future
One of my favorite tracks on the Album, quite laid back, full of little guitar riffs, quite an organic and atmospheric track. Its quite tricky to work guitars into house records in a cool way so I’m pleased how this turned out.
2. Lino Burns
Harking back to Saturdays spent breaking in the park, this is an unapologetically 80s style electro track.
3. Party Never Stops
Getting into groovy house territory this track and the next one really go together well – bit analogueish, nice and melodic.
4. Giftwrap
Similar in feel to track three, this one uses an odd sample off an R’n’B record about Panties. Really.
5. Feel the Love
Written and recorded with a very talented singer called Katie Mummery, this is a vocal-house track and one of my favourites on the album. Sexy vocals with a good groove.
6. There for you
Some funky melodic tech business
7. Toshiro
Downtempo kind of soundtrackish tune, featuring lush strings, more funky guitar and, some backwards guitar solos – groovy.
8. Your Love
Moving into slightly tougher territory, this is the next single for Urban Torque that’s coming out with a remix that I’m not yet allowed to reveal ;o) Its quite tough but quite hooky…
9, I’m the One
Jacking deep house with vocal samples and a moody feel
10. Figure Skating Honey
Featuring some lyrics from a great rapper called Bruce Zulu, this tune is all about a girl he met who used to figure skate which makes for some rather amusing lyrics. I’ve just finished another tune with Bruce and I really like working with him.
11. Runaway
More jacking tech house with twisted pads and vocal snippets. House music for dark sweaty rooms ;o)
12. Long Relationships
Title track.
Do you have any collaborations in the pipeline?
More tech madness with Chas “Flow” Burns, collaborations with JV, (Cove, Dorigen, SoSound) and Michael Scott from Soco, more tunes with Bruce Zulu and with a fantastic new singer I’ve discovered called Queen Kaz…
Besides the album, what have you got planned for 2005?
A trip to the WMC in Miami, more DJing, more tunes on Sensei, Boxa, Urban Torque, Soco, KGBeats and one on Colin Dales Unknown Quantity, more remixes, finally getting round to launching my label…
List five things you can't live without - and why.
1. My missus – a man needs to have a good woman around ;o)
2. My studio, because it makes superb noises
3. My records – all of ‘em, every last one, gawd bless ‘em. Every time I move house I curse them cos theres too many now and as any DJ knows, they’re well heavy man, but I love em.
4. Potatoes in their every form, roast, mashed, boiled, chips, crisps, the humble potato, man where would we be without it. It’s the Irish in me.
...can I say potatoes again?
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