Page 20 - DemoZone Magazine Summer Issue 2020

How do you find working with John? You guys have been working on music together for many years now. Is there a
particular way that you work on tracks?
John and I seem to hear things the same way. I can’t speak for him but he’ll point something out in a piece of music, or suggest a direction or maybe namecheck an artist and I understand where he’s trying to go with it. I then act on this production-wise and more often than not I’ve understood correctly. If not, he’ll always be able to explain to me why in such a way that I get it. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Except that this sort of understanding I’ve found to be rare in my years as a working musician/ producer. Not only do we hear music the same sort of way, we also like the same things about music, plus I am and always have been a fan of his output plus we get on as friends. John is not a trained musician but he can hear music in such a way that makes sense. So many people try and explain what they’re thinking about the music and it just sounds random and nonsensical. Not John.
Do you work on tracks together or start off
tracks and then bounce back and forth?
We used to spend much more time in the studio together than we do now but the technology, being able to easily and quickly exchange files etc. has meant that working remotely is viable and valid. My job is the sequencing and legwork when it comes to building tracks and ideas, the sort of thing you can decide on quickly but then needs time to realise. Running the Bedrock label, coming up with mixes week in week out, commissioning tracks and remixes, ploughing through hundreds of tunes every week, managing his DJ career AND having a family means that John doesn’t have the time to sit next to me while I micro-edit hi-hats for hours. But we have spent enough time in the studio together to know how to come up with satisfactory material without having to be face to face. the most valuable production sessions we have are when I go hear him play a set. That’s when I’m reminded of what we’re trying to do here.
Is there anyone that you would love to
collaborate with on a track?
Tricky one. Why would I want to collaborate with another DJ when I work with John?? Not only is he hugely successful, he plays some of the best music and is one of the nicest guys on the scene - don’t wanna blow too much sunshine up there though! In fact we collaborate all the time, recently with Mark Romboy, Gabriel Ananda, Eagles and Butterflies - all highly talented artists. However I think we would both enjoy doing something with Karl Hyde - we are big Underworld fans and to have his vocal on one of our grooves would be a trip. If you fancy it Karl...
You have a very interesting background in music. Not just producing house & Techno, but we heard you were a keyboard player for a very well-known band in the 90’s. Can you tell us a bit about how that came about and may be
something that we may not know about?
I have had a long and interesting career in music but it’s trajectory has been odd by most peoples standards. When I was 23 I got a gig playing piano in the band of French rock and roller Johnny Hallyday, France’s most successful recording artist ever and a huge deal over there at the time. The light show was the biggest that had ever been assembled anywhere up to that point and I used to get baked with the crew before the shows (they were from Birmingham, Light & Sound Design, L.S.D. for short) and run round like a lunatic jumping up and down on the piano. Honestly it was complete madness, I could describe the timeline of events but there’s no point cos it’s all just too ridiculous. Basically my job has turned out to be the production of music in an altered state, an activity with a noble history of which I am proud to be a part! The well known band in the 90’s that I toured with was Take That as keys player in their first touring band in 93. It was an incredible time, but I wasn’t minded to play the game and Gary Barlow and I fell out somewhat. In fact the band was too unruly for them generally and weren’t asked back, but I was heavily into making dance records by then so it was a relief to be honest.
" I have signed a couple deals with production libraries to write TV/film friendly type pieces which is an area in which I have dabbled over the years and quite suits my skill set as a musician "
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