1. Introduce yourself briefly to the InYourBass readers. Your name, location?
I'm David, and I'm currently in Leeds for a few days.
2. Can you explain where your name is coming from?
I made it up when I was 13 or so, it doesn't have any significance or relevance to my music (laughs). Right now I'm 20 years old. It's not meant to be funny or anything like that, when i made it up it was just because it rhymes.?I did get a message the other day from this Muslim guy and we had a really interesting chat actually. Anyway it's not an offensive name and it has no relevance to my music. For example if I called myself 'Christmas man' or 'Easter man', would that be offensive?
3. When did you start to produce and what sort of stuff?
I started making music on computers when I was 11 or 12 i think. I didn't really know what I was making at the time, but listening back now it was quite trancey, and also quite jungle influenced. At that time I was mostly listening to euphoric trance, hip hop such as KRS One and the Beastie Boys, and also LTJ Bukem. And yeah they definitely influenced what I was making. When I was about 14 I started buying records in the Soho area of London. I found the shop Vinyl Junkies who are very friendly guys and they helped me out and I learned a lot through what they gave to me to listen. So yeah that's how I got into house music.
4. When did u start to dj and what sort of stuff ?
I bought my first decks when I was about 13 or 14 years old. I didn't really understand the distinction between hip hop DJs who scratch etc and beatmatching DJs. So from my interest in hip hop I became interested in DJing because i would see DJs on the TV scratching records and I thought it was cool (laughs). At that time I was listening to House, Trance, Drum and Bass, Hip Hop, some Dub... And I had a metal phase like most kids! I think at that teenage time it's a search for the most extreme music. But when I first got decks I got to know beatmatching and how house and techno DJs mix. And i got a fair few euro trance records that came with my decks so I learned how to mix on those, because they were very simple both structurally and rythmically. I didn't try to mix hip hop or anything and I didn't lose my interest in it, I just didn't want to DJ it. When I was a bit older I knew some other people at school who were into it so I swapped a few things there. At that time I had no gigs, and I wasn’t trying to get myself out there, making tunes was my main focus. I first played at a friends party the night of the dmz birthday when it all moved upstairs actually (laughs). Then my first proper gig was at the legendary Red Star on Thursdays which was run by Clandestine. That was jokes!
5. So from those early days how did u get introduced to dubstep?
I was making some grime instrumentals and posting them online etc, this was around 2004-5. Someone said that one of my beats sounded like dubstep, which was a genre I hadn’t heard of at the time. Once I started listening to dubstep I was strongly influenced by what I was hearing. most of my first efforts were pretty crap, although a couple still sound quite fresh today. I remember some tunes such as ‘Toasty’s - Like Sun’ and ‘Distance - Saints and Sinners’ and a few others stood out for me. I downloaded a few mixes, and also there was a thread on the forum ‘Dogs On Acid’ for people who were making this stuff. My first 'proper' release was Response on Bare Dubs. That came out....in december 2006 i think. I had done a digital release before them with Dynamic Balancing and Hungarian Skank. Hungarian Skank was also featured on the Sub Stance compilation released on Aeclectrick Records. Markle from 2ND Drop Records wanted to put out Good Feeling, funny enough that was maybe going to come on Hessle at first. I also did a couple of other digital releases.
6. How did Souljazz Records started out ?
I'd been going into the shop in central London for a bit…I sold them direct some Bare Dubs Records. Then one day they asked for a CD, so I worked really hard on finishing some tunes because it was a big honour for me that they asked. They liked a couple of tracks and putted one (Every Next Day) on the ‘Box of Dub’ CD. Then eventually we managed to find some more tunes for a single, which took a bit longer to find stuff we both liked. Then Carla, Offal, Kablammo 11 came out on a 12". There is another 12' in preparation for them…
7. Tell us a bit about Hessle Audio. Can you explain the name?
Hessle Audio started out in January 2007. TRG sent some big tunes, I had planned to start a label anyway and it seemed like the right time with those tunes. Ben UFO and Kev aka Pangaea were interested too so we worked on it together. We didn't really have any plans about the label direction or sound. About the name, Ben and Kev used to live on a road called Hessle Terrace I think it was… We spent ages trying to think of a name. Then eventually settled on this. We're very happy with it! It is in Leeds Hyde Park area.
8. U are collaborating with 2 other guys. Please tell us a bit about them.
Ben UFO is a DJ from London who's been into the sound for a while. Kev produces as Pangaea, and used to live with Ben. Anyway, we all went to university in Leeds. Pangaea is into quite a bit of ambient stuff, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop etc, as well as techno, and Ben likes a wide variety of music, and is especially into drum and bass
9. What are your criteria’s for releasing a tune on Hessle Audio ?
In my opinion, originality, longevity are important. So we don’t really have a situation where one of us really wants to release something and the rest no.
?10. What's the equipment you are using to produce your tunes ?
Fruity loops, a midi keyboard with some knobs and some Adam monitors. I have a lot of random equipment such as old keyboards, FX, and tape players etc, but I don’t use them very often. I have classic music training but stopped that around 12 or 13. A lot of my production learning was intuitive, I didn't have anyone to teach me so I learned a lot through trial and error, as well as the internet…It took me months to work out that there were two modes in Fruity Loops, Song and pattern! Then gradually i learned how to EQ properly and since I got monitors I have realised it's all about that really. I’ve learned a lot from having my tunes mastered by Transition in London as well as at other mastering houses. Each time you go you definitely pick up another tip or bits of advice.
11. As a dj what sort of stuff are you playin? Do u pay attention to what the crowd is requesting or do u propose a specific selection ?
As a DJ I try to play quite a wide selection and what I play will vary night to night. One encouraging thing recently has been that people seem to be a lot more open minded at the moment…I can drop straight house and techno into my sets, as well as some really experimental tunes and people are still interested. As a DJ you should pay attention to what the crowd is feeling, but I think a lot of the time it's more about how you mix the tunes and in what order what affects the atmosphere more than anything…Playing three really hype wobblers in a row for example, it reduces the impact of each of them. But say drop a hype wobbly tune after taking the mood down for a couple of tunes, it can be really effective. I think variety is very important anyhows. I haven't played a lot in Europe yet but the crowd can be a bit more enthusiastic, as if they feel it's more of a special occasion out there. Also I really enjoy travelling and playing in Europe and abroad is really an honour!
12. What are the dubstep labels you're digging the most?
Well all the obvious ones really : Tectonic, Hyperdub, Dmz, Punch Drunk, Tempa, Big Apple, Hotflush, Skull Disco, etc I've probably forgotten some…But i also like people such as 7even who are doing their own thing. People like Ramp, Appleblim, Tube 10, Hemlock and Soul Motive doing interesting things. Obviously a lot of others i am probably forgetting too…In the international scene : Jus Wan, Dub u, Shiva, Clouds, 2562 , Martyn, Sharmaji, …I played some Eskmo in the past… Spherix, Rq, Trg… Most stuff I play is by UK guys, it’s not really a conscious decision though. It seems there are some labels that are releasing disposable tunes. It's more the fault of certain distributors in my opinion. I think that not everything has to be released if you see what I mean…
13. I heard you're about to move in France. Explain that a bit in case some continental promoters could be interested to book u!
Yeah I'm moving to Lille for a year or so as part of my university degree to teach some kids in a lycee. So it will be a great experience ! And Lille is very well connected to the rest of Europe (smiles) …
14. What are your coming gigs?
I am playing in the Ukraine next weekend which is going to be wicked. It's on the same day as their independence day, so I am sure the atmosphere will be special! Then I’ll play at the Outlook Festival in Croatia. Ukraine - 24th aug Outlook - 30th aug London - 27th aug Bristol - 19th sept Ghent - 11 oct Eindhoven - 17th oct.
15. Any forthcoming releases to announce?
A further single on Soul Jazz, a tune on Tempa, and remix work for Immerse and a couple of other labels… Pangaea 12" is dropping soon on Hessle Audio.
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