Page 47 - Zone Magazine Issue 017

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Your releases over the years and indeed still today hit quite an impressive list of hot labels, but are there any labels you would like to feature on in particular?
For me the most impressive thing about music, is when I hear something that I feel I can’t do myself. Whether it’s rock, pop, electronic or experimental, there will always be someone or something that just blows you away, and makes you almost think you have to go back to the drawing board. There are a few artists and labels that come along and have this affect on me, not always consistently, but it would def be more a case of a live act or label that I would like to emulate or be associated with.
Sticking with labels, you host your own imprint “Red-Ant Records”. Can you tell us more about the label’s beginnings, direction and current focus?
It was all about the switch from Ugly Bug, which had started as an underground project, and become very popular, and as such people were expecting a certain sound, which was becoming almost mainstream. That was never my intention, so I put it to bed, and started Red Ant, a new darker more underground direction again. Sales went down though, of course. 20 years later and it’s still the same approach, trying to stay one step ahead I suppose.
As a DJ you seem to put a lot of energy into your sets, how important is DJing to you and can you tell us about some of the key events you have played recently?
Having been DJing for 28 years now, I’ve had some highs
and lows of course, anyone who says that haven’t would be lying. But I still have the love for it, and I still go into every situation, new or recurrent, thinking that it will be amazing, why wouldn’t you. I prepare the same way for each gig, and try to be as professional as possible when things don’t turn out the way you would have liked. Luckily for me I get to pick a lot of the places I play, so I know that I’m gonna be around some great people in some very cool places. This year so far highlights have been Zanzibar, Toy Toy in Johannesburg, Origin Festival in Cape Town, Terrakroma pool party in LA, What the? party in the Devon countryside, and I have gigs coming up in Coatia and Bulgaria, 2 countries I’ve never been to before, so yeah!
Pete it is as always a pleasure talking with you, can we finish up by asking you to share any of your forth coming release plans, activities, gigs or other.
Well I’ve covered upcoming gigs kinda, I will be doing a tour of the US, but sticking to the East coast mainly, as I want a little bit of time off for friends and some music writing, and I have a couple releases by other artists coming out on Red Ant, Laurent Chanal from Lyon, France, and TR20 from the North of England. Banging stuff!
Connect: http://facebook.com/peteshakerbones Pics By Paul Newhouse & John
Shortt
Words By Hugo McCann