Q1. TELL US HOW YOU STARTED IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
A1 “STARTED IN HIP HOP REALLY, WORKED FOR DEF JAM AND PROFILE. ALSO SIGNED FOR CHAMPION RECORDS WHEN I WAS A&R. JAZZY JEFF AND THE FRESH PRINCE, WILL SMITH, SALT AND PEPPER - THEN WENT ON AND SIGNED RAISE, WHICH WAS A BIG HOUSE RECORD, “JACK THE GROOVE”. AFTER THAT I GOT VERY INVOLVED IN IBIZA, WHICH I’M SURE YOU’RE ALL VERY AWARE OF. MOVED ON FROM THERE, TOURED WITH U2, PRODUCED HAPPY MONDAYS, PLAYED AT GLASTONBURY ON THE MAIN STAGE…”
Q2 WHAT YEAR WAS THAT?
A2 “THAT WAS ‘96, ’95…AND THEN FROM THERE I WENT ON TO BECOME A RESIDENT AT CREAM, HOME, AND KINDA MOVED FORWARD AND STARTED TOURING AND ENDED UP IN AMERICA AND NOW I’M DOING SOUNDTRACKS FOR VARIOUS FILMS.”
Q3 HOW DID YOU MOVE FROM BEING A DJ INTO AN ARTIST, WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO.
A4 “ER…A NATURAL PROGRESSION REALLY FROM…ERM, I MEAN AS A DJ I OBVIOUSLY PRODUCED AND REMIXED QUITE A LOT OF STUFF ANYWAY AND DONE VARIOUS DIFFERENT TRACKS UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES, SO IT WAS JUST A NATURAL PROGRESSION, IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO TAKE ME LONGER TO DO BECAUSE I ALWAYS WANTED THE ALBUM TO BE SONG -BASED AND I’M NOT A SINGER SO IT WAS ERM… IT WAS GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR ME COS I GOT A CHANCE TO WORK WITH SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE ON COLLABORATIONS.”
Q4 WHAT HAD YOU DONE BEFORE AS AN ARTIST?
A4 “WHEREAS WELL BEFORE THAT I’D DONE VARIOUS RECORDS UNDER VARIOUS NAMES FROM PERFECTO ALLSTARS, GRACE, WILDCOLOUR, VIRUS, ELEMENT 4 WHICH WAS THE BIG BROTHER TUNE, PLANT PERFECTO… SO, ERM… I DONE QUITE A LOT, BUT NEVER REALLY WANTED TO DO A RECORD UNDER MY OWN NAME. BUT FINALLY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I DECIDED THAT I’D DO IT.
Q5 WHAT PERSUADED YOU?
A5 PERSUASION CAME FROM YOUNG STEVE OSBORNE, WHO I’D BEEN WORKING WITH IN THE STUDIO FOR MANY YEARS. HE KEPT ON AT ME TO DO IT AND I JUST WASN’T BOTHERED AT THE TIME. AND THEN I JUST DIDN’T WANT TO DO THAT MUCH REMIXING FOR OTHER PEOPLE OR PRODUCTION SO I THOUGHT WELL, MAYBE…. I CAME ACROSS SOME SINGERS, CARLA WERNER AND TIFF LACEY AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO START WORKING WITH PEOPLE LIKE THAT SO IT WAS JUST A NATURAL DEVELOPMENT.
Q6 WAS IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE ALBUM?
A6 ER … WAS IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE ALBUM? YES IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. ERM… ONE THING WAS CHOOSING THE COLLABORATORS. I WANTED CUTTING EDGE COLLABORATORS… SOME KNOWN AND SOME NOT. IT WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT’S SONG BASED AND AS I SAID EARLIER I DON’T, I’M NOT A SINGER SO SOMETIMES I COULDN’T EVEN SEE THE LIGHT AND THE END OF THE TUNNEL AND I ACTUALLY DIDN’T THINK THE PROJECT WOULD COME TOGETHER, THAT I’D BE ABLE TO PULL IT OFF BUT I’M REALLY HAPPY WITH IT AND YEAH I FINALLY FINISHED IT.
Q7 WHAT INFLUENCED YOU TO MAKE IT, WERE THERE ANY PARTICULAR BANDS?
A7 INFLUCENCES? PROBABLY MAIN INFLUENCES WERE MY FATHER WHO WAS IN A SSS BAND AND AS A KID GROWING UP LISTENING TO RADIO 1. MY DAD ALWAYS PLAYING BEATLES AND ELVIS PRESLEY SO I GOT INTO IT, I GREW UP ON SONGS SO IT WAS AN OBVIOUS THING. FOR ME IT’S OBVIOUS TO DO AN ALBUM BASED ON SONGS, IT’S A CUTTING DANCE RECORD, and IT’S NOT AN OUT AND OUT CLUB RECORD IT’S MELODIC AND IT REPRESENTS WHAT I’VE DONE FROM REMIXES TO PRODUCTION.
Q8 DO YOU THINK IT REFLECTS THE MUSIC YOU’VE LISTENED TO?
A8 ABSOLUTELY. IT DEFINITELY REFLECTS THE MUSIC I LISTENED TO. IN EVERY AREA THER ARE OLD AND NEW SCHOOL ELEMENTS FROM HIP HOP, THERE ARE INFLUENCES FROM WHEN I’VE WORKED WITH VARIOUS OTHER DIFFERENT BANDS. THERE’S ALSO THE CUTTING EDGE DANCE SIDE OF THINGS WITH BREAKS AND MORE OF THE MOVIE ORIENTATED SOUND WITH THE LIKES OF “ZOO YORK” AND “THE HARDER THEY COME.”
Q9 WERE YOU CONSCIOUS OF MAKING AN ALBUM THAT PEOPLE WOULD EXPECT YOU TO MAKE?
A9 “NO, I THINK PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY COME AND LISTEN TO ME IN A CLUB, COME AND LISTEN TO ME KNOW MY SOUND THROUGH REMIX AND PRODUCTION AND KNOW THAT I HAVE A VERY MELODIC SOUND SO THE ALBUM IS VERY MELODIC. I’VE BEEN USING VARIOUS DIFFERENT MOVIE SCORES IN MY DJING FOR A LONG TIME. I’VE BEEN PLAYING ALL THE VOCALS FOR A LONG TIME… OBVIOUSLY NOT REAL DOWN TEMPO STUFF BUT RAP, RAP PEOPLE KNOW I WAS INVOLVED WITH RAP, IT REPRESENTS ME MUSICALLY AND IT STILL HAS A MELODIC FEEL IT’S JUST NOT A CLUB RECORD, IT’S NOT A MIX ALBUM.”
Q10 DID IT TAKE A LONG TIME TO PULL IT ALL TOGETHER?
A10 “I STOPPED AND STARTED. ACTUALLY, THAT’S PROBABLY WHY IT TOOK SO LONG. I TOOK 6 MONTHS OFF WHEN I WAS IN, WHEN I WAS WORKING ON A MOVIE CALLED “SWORDFISH” SO I WENT TO LA FOR 6 MONTHS AND THAT WAS PROBABLY A REALLY GOOD MOVE BECAUSE IT GAVE ME A BREAK FROM THE RECORD AND I COULD LOOK AT THE RECORD IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY AND RE-DO TRACKS, TAKE OTHER TRACKS OFF.”
Q11 OK, TALK US THROUGH THE TRACKS ON THE ALBUM ‘BUNKKA’
A11 “SO THE FIRST TRACK ON THE ALBUM BEING READY STEADY GO FEATURES… THE VOCALS ARE ASHER D FROM SO SOLID CREW. THE IDEA OF THE TRACK IS BASICALLY BASED AROUND A PIECE OF MUSIC FOR A TRAILER OF A FILM THAT DOESN’T EXIST. VERY CUTTING EDGE, VERY UP TEMP, VERY JAMES BOND-Y IN SOUND.”
Q12 WHAT WAS ASHER D LIKE TO WORK WITH?
A12 “ASHER WAS GREAT, VERY PROFESSIONAL AND YEAH I ENJOYED WORKING WITH HIM, SO THAT WAS GOOD.”
Q13 AND THE NEXT TRACK IS YOUR NEW SINGLE ‘SOUTHERN SUN’?
A13 “SECOND TRACK “SOUTHERN SUN”, VOCALS BY CARLA WERNER. CARLA IS AN UNKNOWN VOCALIST FROM AUSTRALIA THAT I CAME ACROSS. UNIQUE SOUNDING IN VOCAL, I WAS LOOKING FOR A VERY DARK LYRIC WHICH WE GOT ACTUALLY WITH AN UPLIFTING CHORUS, AND MUSIC THAT WOULD ENHANCE THE LYRIC. THE TRACK’S REALLY BASED AROUND AN IDEA OF WHEN I WAS IN NEW ZEALAND, NOT NEW ZEALAND, NEW ORLEANS EXCUSE ME, AND I WAS COMING IN AT ABOUT 7.30 AND THE SUN WAS SETTING AND I WENT THROUGH OLD COLONIAL NEW ORLEANS… SO THAT TRACK LYRICALLY IS ACTUALLY BASED ON THE DARKER SIDE OF NEW ORLEANS… SO YEAH, THAT’S THAT TRACK.”
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THE NEXT TRACK IS“TIME OF YOUR LIFE”. THIS FEATURES PERRY FARRELL. PERRY I’VE KNOW FOR A FEW YEARS, A GREAT VOCALIST, MAVERICK AS A PERFORMER AND WE WROTE THIS SONG FOR HIM TO REPRESENT PEOPLE GOING OUT AND HAVING A GREAT TIME.”
“TRACK FOUR IS “HYPNOTISED.” AGAIN IT’S AN UNKNOWN VOCALIST CALLED TIFF LACEY. A TRACK THAT WE RECORDED ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO AND A VERY, VERY MELODIC FEEL THAT I REALLY LIKE.”
Q14 CARRY ON TALKING US THROUGH THE ALBUM.
A14 “THE NEXT TRACK’S “ZOO YORK.” “ZOO YORK” IS BASED ON AN EXPERIENCE I HAD IN NEW YORK MANY YEARS AGO. WHILST THERE WE WERE JUST HANGING OUT ON TIMES SQUARE AND WAS THERE WAS JUST AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, PUSHING, RUSHING, MOVING AND IT JUST REMINDED ME OF A ZOO SO I WANTED THIS REALLY DOWN TEMPO, QUITE ANNOYING TRACK ACTUALLY IN THE SENSE OF THE STRINGS GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER AND LOUDER AND IT’S JUST… IT’S MIXED QUITE HIGH SO IT’S TOTALLY IN YOUR FACE AND MAKES YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT ON EDGE WHICH WAS A WHOLE IDEA OF THE TRACK AND I REALLY LIKE IT SO CHECK IT OUT.”
“THE NEXT ONE’S “NIXON’S SPIRIT” WHICH FEATURES HUNTER S THOMPSON WHO’S A WRITER WHO’S BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. THE GONZO WRITER, PROBABLY ONE OF THE OUTLAW JOURNALISTS OUT THERE AT THE MOMENT. HE’S A WONDERFUL WRITER PROBABLY PEOPLE MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF HIS WORK. PROBABLY THE FILM THAT HE WROTE, “FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VAGAS” BUT HE WAS PROBABLY MORE, A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR ME TO DO A COLLABORATION WITH SOMEONE SO DIVERSE.”
Q15 DID YOU MEET HIM?
A15 “SPENT TWO WONDERFUL NIGHTS WITH HIM, WHICH I WON’T GO INTO NOW.” (LAUGHS).
Q16 OK, BACK TO THE ALBUM – WHAT’S UP NEXT?
A16 “NEXT TRACK IS “HOLD YOUR HAND” WITH EMILIANA TORRINI FROM ICELAND. TREMENDOUS VOCALIST AND I REALLY HOPE SHE GOES ON TO BE A BIG STAR, VERY EMOTIONAL LYRIC AND WONDERFUL VOCAL. SO, YEAH, CHECK IT OUT.
Q17 THE NEXT TRACK IS BEING USED AS THE SOUNDBED FOR CAPITAL. TELL US ABOUT THAT.
A17 “NEXT TRACK’S “STARRY EYED SURPRISE” WHICH IS WITH SHIFTY SHELLSHOCK WHICH IS MORE MODERN SCHOOL RAP. BUMPED INTO HIM IN SEATTLE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO BEFORE HIS RECORD BLEW UP AND ER… YEAH, WE WROTE THIS FEEL GOOD TRACK WHICH WORKS REALLY WELL.”
“NEXT ONE IS “GET ‘EM UP,” WHICH FEATURES ICE CUBE WHICH IS MORE THE OLD SKOOL RAP, YEAH. AGAIN, VERY INVOLVED WITH THE HIP HOP IN THE EARLY DAYS. GREAT TO WORK WITH SOMEONE SO GOOD SO WE WORKED ON A TRACK TOGETHER FOR A MOVIE CALLED “BLADE TWO” AND THIS KINDA CAME OUT OF THAT SITUATION.
“MOVING ON A TRACK CALLED “MOTION” WHICH IS BREAKBEAT WITH GUITARS. FEATURES A COUNTRY ROCK SINGER CALLED GRANT LEE PHILLIPS. HIS FIRST VENTURE INTO DANCE. A WONDERFUL MALE VOCALIST. REALLY HAS GOT A LOT OF EMOTION. VERY FEW ROCK VOCALISTS WORK IN THE DANCE AREA BUT THIS IS ONE THAT DOES WORK, REALLY HAPPY WITH THIS TRACK.
“THE LAST TRACK IS “THE HARDER THEY COME” WHICH FEATURES TRICKY AND NELLY FURTADO AND, VERY FILMIC IN IT’S APPROACH, QUIET DARK ALSO. WITH NELLY’S KIND OF BEAUTIFUL HAUNTING VOCAL AND TRICKY DOING WHAT HE’S BRILLIANT AT DOING, GIVING THOSE DULCET TONES THAT WORK REALLY WELL AROUND HER VOICE.”
Q18 ARE YOU PLEASED WTH THE ALBUM?
A18 “I’M REALLY HAPPY WITH THE RECORD AS I SAY AT TIMES I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD ACTUALLY GET IT FINISHED.I HAVE AND IT’S DEFINITELY THE RECORD I WANTED TO MAKE.”
Q19 THERE’S A LOT OF TRACKS ON THERE, WHAT ABOUT THE ONES THAT DIDN’T MAKE IT ONTO THE ALBUM?
A19 “I MADE 29 TRACKS, THERE’S ONLY 11 ON THE RECORD DUE TO MAVERICK RECORDS ONLY WANTING 11…SO THERE ARE MANY MORE TRACKS UP MY SLEEVE.”
Q20 WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THOSE?
A20 “I’M GOING TO USE THEM FOR FILMS AND PROBABLY PUT OUT AN EP NEXT YEAR SOMETIME AND INTRODUCE SOME OF THOSE COLLABORATIONS.”
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