K-Warren, London, England - The Official Interview, 2002

Name: K-Warren - Kevin Warren Williams
Age: 28 years old
Sex: Male
Born:Hammersmith Hospital
Location: Hayes, London, England

1a. Tell me who's or what had the greatest influence on what you listen to today? 1(a) Was through listen to your parents (Did they have an artists or performer that they constantly kept going on about that influenced you)

Different styles of music were always played in my household eg. Pop, Country, Soul, Reggae, Soca. I used to love Electro ("Planet Rock" styled Hiphop music labelled here in England) when I was younger - that music was so ahead of its time. What they did with those early samplers and drum machines I think was incredible.

1(b) Was through listening at a early age to the Radio to a particular sound or artist.

I listened to a lot of Hip hop, Reggae/Ragga on Pirate RADIO when I was younger.

1(c) Was through going to the church (being part of a choir?) 1(d) Or was it by being forced to take musical lessons that influenced your choice?

Never took part in a church choir (not with my voice - give me a realtime processor & I'll bus' a vocal for you any day!) I took a couple of lessons but not by gun point. When I first started buying gear (music equipment that is) I was always experimenting with different types of music. I was making a lot of Drum n' Bass before but got more into Garage when I started raving to it.

2. Who was your first musical hero? Was it Artists from the.. Soul area Hiphop scene Rock/Heavy Metal scene, Pop artists, Drum and Bass artists, Reggae Jazz... Or just any particular artist/s?

Never really had any particular heros as such because I took a liking to so many different styles of music. If I had to pick one then it would of been Michael Jackson when I was a kid.

3. Many Black British teenage youths around the late 1970's and early 1980's (even today) had aspirations of being part of a "Reggae Sound System" of some sort. Many state that this gave them a loose understanding of the music business. Was this true for you, or did you get involved with the music business by other means?

A few friends of mine had a "Sound". This never really gave me much of an understanding about the music biz but met more music people thru it.

4. Do you Dj and if so, when did you get your first pair of decks?

I've only got the one Technics - 1210 which I bought about 6 years ago.

5.Did you learn yourself to mix, or where you given lessons by a friend or music collegue.

I do not DJ. I used to buy a lot of hardcore a few years back & used to mess around on my friends decks but never took it further. I MC'd at a couple of small raves which I enjoyed but never took that further either.

6. It quite well known that your first dabblings within todays current Dance music scene came when you became involved with "Jungle". Has the jungle/drum and bass scene that you were briefly involved with helped you musically?

Yes, this scene has influenced me along with other styles.

7. You moved away from the Jungle and Drum and bass scene. Why? Was it because you wanted to be able to inject more melody into your future music releases. Or was it for other reasons?

I really liked the vibe when I went raving to Garage and just ended up making more of this music and got carried away when things started to move forward quicker for me in this scene.

8.The Speed Garage revolution within England during 1996/97, injected new players and fans to the scene. It unwittingly gave Soulful House and Garage music a fresh new direction. Was it at this stage that you really got interested in the Soulful House and Garage scene yourself?

A bit before that I believe. A friend of mine was always playing stuff from Barbara Tucker to MAW(USA)etc which I loved.

9. You joined up with a group called the Architects in 1997, and helped released a classic. That being, "The Boy is mine" - the Brandy and Monica track ( actually a bootleg!). Even though it was a bootleg/remix. It shifted so many units that shops ran out of it. It even gave Brandy and Monica a helping hand up the national charts, as so many fans buying it thought they were purchasing your mix. But they were purchasing the wrong mix. You started a trend with of allowing the more Soulful and melodic vibes to be granted a hearing on Uk Garage singles. Were you ever conscious of this?

We didn't have a clue it would have this sort of impact. I was working with one of the 2 brothers on a track when the other brother turned up at my door step with Brandy/Monica vocals and suggested that we do a mix. After we'd finished we were thinking of names to call ourselves, then Ashlee came up with the name Architechs.Things went uphill from then on.

10. You did another cover (or Bootleg/remix!!) which was along the simliar lines of the Brandy and Monica mix that you did previously. This time it was called "'It's Not Right", by Whitney Houston. It was a success huge success again. And the same results that happened with the Brandy and Monica track happened with this one. People were buying this the wrong mix (with regards to your mix!!) resulting in her moving up the charts. Were you consciuos of your appeal within the Uk/2-step Garage movement?

I don't think any of us was really aware until quite a while later.

11 Its seems as if you are a big fan of Soul and Rn'b music. It seems so within your releases! Does Soul and Rn'b vibes have a big part what you release musically?

I love these genres but I think I'm just a big fan of melody.

11a Eventually with all this fame as a remixer you have now remixed for artists of the like of: Emma Bunton ( Spice Girls), Samantha Mumba, Christina Aguilera, MJ Cole and Ed Case, whose 'Something In Your Eyes' is still big in the Uk/2-Step Garage clubs. When you are presented with a project to remix. Do you think that you need to change the song completely, or do try and stay close to the original song?

Every mix is different. What is the same however is that you usually only get the vocals, so you're writing new music to that vocal which then turns into a reproduction rather than a remix. The best example I could give is when I received Shelley Nelson's vocals (for 'Something In Your Eyes') I never even heard Ed Cases original version.

12.Such has been you fame this must have attracted some major labels your way. Did this happen to you? Please tell us?

This situation most certainly started off relationships with A&Rs from different majors, including Go! Beat and signed "Coming Home" to them soon after I'd done a remix for Gabrielle. 13.You are partnered up with the vocalist called Lee -O.. How did you meet up. Was it by chance?

I met up with Lee-O thru a mutual friend.(I was living with this guy who was based in East London at the time for about a year and was writing music for his wife & doing other various projects in his basement studio - things went a bit pear shaped. Yet another one of a few partnerships that didn't go to well in the end - which is one of the reasons why I find it easier to work only with singers at the moment. I'm a bit of a hermit in my studio it seems!) A few months after that episode I visited him and then bumped into Lee-O. I was impressed with his vocals & performance. When I saw him on stage I thought to myself that these A&R scouts are gazin' - this guy is a star.

14. The track called "Coming Home" (K-Warren feat. Lee-O) which was a top 30 hit and massively popular on dance floors both in the UK and out in Ibiza and 'Ayia Napa, was also nominated for Best Song 2001.

It truley is a stunning piece of music. How did that come about? Did you write and produce the music. Did you write the lyrics to this master piece?

I had written/produced the music and Lee-O had written the lyrics on this track.

15. Moving into depth within the Scene(2-Step Garage music) there is a divide and there can be no hiding under the Carpet of this. "Breakbeat Garage" here in England, is the term being used to describle the latest fusion within the Uk with regards to 2-Step Garage music. Are you a fan of this new Hybrid? Is this style the way forward of 2-Step Garage music as a whole do you think?. Or are you from the Old School when it comes to 2-Step Garage music.

Or are the Arftul Dodger and M.J.COLE's of this world via the way forward for 2-Step Garage music?

What I favour is good quality music and I also think people should think before they catagorize different styles of music. It seems to me that anything that is made within the same tempo as Garage is classed as Garage. It is very difficult to define Garage now. When you mention UK Garage to the general public then there's a good chance that they'll mention one of the crews only. A lot of people in this scene are starting to say that the MC orientated Garage is more UK Rap. To me its UK Rap using 2 step beats but this was destined to happen.

I think, since this style of MCing is used to accompany the DJ when he's playing his set whether on pirate or at raves. The ravers would then have their favorite MCs and hooks etc and it was bound to end up on records after a while. But when you actually replace the 2step drums/beats with a breakbeat then to me thats Breakbeat not Garage. I'm not opposed to any of these sub genres as long as good quality is maintained. It's always good to have variety but our DJs are our quality control and decide what they devliver to the listening public so they have quite a responsibility in that respect. Maybe if the more happy vibe got more of a look in then perhaps we don't have to rely on old skool garage raves so much for an uplifting and trouble free experience.

16.The pirates have championed Dance music in the Uk far longer then I can remember. Are you keen listener to Pirate Radio these days. Or do you prefer listening to the legal stations that are producing very crediable dance music shows themselves these days. BBC Radio 1 seems to be championing the cause of dance music more then ever these days. What are you views?

I don't listen to Pirates radio half as much as I used to. Due to the fact that the quality that they play on some pirates has gone down hill (sometimes the mike is turned up louder than the music which I find irrating) plus there are more specialist shows on mainstream stations (with perfect reception).

I remember you could only find Hip Hop and Ragga on pirates back in the day - you wouldn't hear any of it on mainstream radio. It's the same with UK Garage now. (At the end of the day if a pirate station is run properly and professionally, who knows what could happen (I'm not talking about DTI) look what happened to Kiss FM, London!

17.You have played out in Ayia Napa, Cyprus. Were you impressed with the set-up out there for Uk/2-Step Garage music? Are there any other countries that you have visted and played out in recently. Which one was your favourite?

Lee-O and myself PA'd in Napa & Ibiza. I stayed in Ayia Napa for nearly 2 weeks last year and only 4 days in Ibiza. I enjoyed myself on both islands although I think the clubs in Ibiza are better. Would of liked to of stayed in Ibiza for longer to absorb what was going on more. I wished the clubs in Ayia Napa stayed open for longer - you would leave the square at 1am, then leave to club for about 3hrs then end up in Insomnia's.

18. Changing the subject slightly. Do you still do your own stint of record shopping or hunting? Or do you leave it up to being supplied by labels, etc to keep you up to date? When you play out?(If you play out) A lot of DJ's /Dj Producers nowadays survive by living of what given to them by Record labels of all shapes and sizes. What about you. Does this apply to you?

Gerenerally this doesn't apply although I've had few a bits and pieces from labels.

19. Grant Nelson (London, England) and Todd Edwards (New Jersey, Usa) are often bought up as being one more important fore runners in unwittingly settingt up the build blocks of todays Uk/2Step Garage Scene. Todd from the Usa, has fans world wide, but it seems that Grant's appeal lay in London. Both where the new kids on the block during the early to middle 1990's, when they bought their styles of music production to the table. What made them stand out do you think? Was it a case of them being in the right place at the right time?

Or was it a special time within the music of Garage and House music that these two talents could come forward so quickly? Please give me your views?

Grant Nelson, London, England is one of the pioneers of UK Garage and is a quality producer.Todd Edwards, New Jersey, USA has a very unique distinctive sound, (particularly the use of vocals across his keyboard) which has obviously captured many people .

20. You have worked with one of the Dons of Uk/2-Step Garage music. And that being, M.J.COLE. He is like you, very melodic and Souful in his musically output. And he came from a Jungle drum and Bass upbringing.What was the experience like working with him?

I'm sure it would of been great if I had actually worked with him. The truth of the matter is that I only done a remix for one of his tracks which was "Hold On To Me"

21. The recent Mobo awards of 2001 here in England, highlighted the appeal of UK/2-Step Garage music in this country. It has be asked many time/s. But I will ask you. Can Uk/2-step Garage music break into the Usa via their charts? Or are we all fooling ourselves? It has already made an impact in Holland and Germany.

I would say we had more chance when we were doing stuff like "Flowers" and "Straight From The Heart". The sort of stuff that's been made now has a slimer chance of getting beyond the underground in other territories.

22. Are we going to see K-Warren set-up his own record label, so that he can release his own material at his own rate, and help promote others that he may have met along the way?

Yes, its called KWR records and I've put out an instrumental "New Religion" which contains an oriental religous chant sample, with a generous amount of bottom end too!

23.Soulful House and Garage music has been running for since 1986. Are there any American or European House and Garage producers that you admire yourself?

Yes, the Masters at Work. I still can't get over that "To Be In Love" track feat. India. (Original version)

24. The Winter Music Conference has come and gone, are we going to see K-Warren there next year? Have you been before?

Didn't go this year but I went last year. I was quite surprised to meet a few Americans making 2-Step garage Music. There is definitely a scene developing there.

25.You have been in the scene for some years now, but who have you seen recently that you think could make a mark on the House and Garage music in a few years time. Anyone in particular?

To be honest, I'm hearing a lot of music but don't know many names behind them these days.

26. There seems to be a return especially in London these days, of 4 to the Floor tunes on the dance floors. Are you a fan of traditionally sounding Soulful House and Garage music?

Yes, specifically remember labels like Nice n' Ripe Records (London, England)that used to put out good stuff. (Not up to date with what they put out now)

27. What advice would you give to anyone wanting to make a go of this as a career. Either as a Dj or Dj/Producer or vocalist or instrumentalist. What are your views on this?

If you know you are truly good at what it is you do (whether you're a DJ or producer etc) then don't be put off by the fact that so many people are trying to do it and just stay focused and never give up. I now dread to think that what if I gave up after the first record company declined my work. Even the Beatles & Elvis were turned down so many times and were even told that they will go no where. Remember - success is a journey, not a destination!

Interview conducted by K-Warren - London, England and Carl Brown, Ipswich, England

All rights of the text and the images belong to Carl Brown, Ipswich, England and K-Warren, London, England.
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