Always Jazz was played in our House. I guess that's
why I like to play Jazzy House now! Electro had
a big impact on impact on me as teenager; also Rare Groove.
Was it through having or being forced to learn to learn a
musical instrument?
3.Was it through listening to your mother and fathers
records, or discussions as to who they liked?
My father was a Jazz drummer!
Who was your musical idols as a child/ Teenager?
Was it James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Stanley Clarke
5. The Commodores, Earth, Wind and Fire, Fleetwood Mac,
etc.
I don't know if I had a single idol. Probably Grand
Master Flash, if anyone!!
Or was it a Particular Sound?
6.The Sound of Philadelphia, Stax, Motown, or
the Hiphop influence or certain Rock music influences?
For me it was Electro, Hiphop and Rare Groove.
Also listening to Tim Westwood on LWR Pirate Radio
station during the early to middle 1980's in London.
After this starting point where did you take your
next line of advancement in the world of djing?
11..Gained employment working at a club djing
12.Or did you enter the music world through other avenues?
I gained my next break as a Resident at the Sheffield
House Night Club called the "Jam Factory" at
the venue which is now known as "Love to be".
The best gig were the illegal Ware House and Celler Parties. Sheffield,
England, used to have the best underground House crowd in
the Country. Nothing has come close since.
15.Do you like the playing of Deep House ( Jazz
fusion/style of House music, but with mellow, melodic overtones
) instrumentals.
Yes. My Fave labels are Cajual, Soulfuric Deep,
Pandemonium, Nuphonic, F-Communication, U-Star.
16.Or do you prefer the playing of Vocal style
House cuts instead favored by New Jersey Groups such as Blaze,
Smack. David Camacho, etc.....
I do like depth and good vocal content. I won't
play vocals just or the sake of it; there are too many cheesy
Garage vocals around these days. I also play a lot of the British
House Sound. Ashley Beedle is a big, big influence.
It seems as if New York, these days prefers to
make instrumental tacks,
whilst New Jersey prefers Vocal tracks
17.Am I right, or am I talking nonsense?
Don't know. Never been there!!
18.What do you think of the scene within Europe?
Is it encouraging, or have we still a lot tot learn from the Americans?
This includes DJs .....as well as producers
I think that great black music now comes from
all over the world. Germany has the Peppermint Jam Label,
France has Yellow, Artifact and Cassius, Scotland has
Westside….The UK has Nuphonic and U-Star.
I think that New York, USA could learn a little from
Chicago, USA at the moment!!!
19.What is the scene like in America.(If this
applys to you!)
Does not apply!
Is House music becoming more acceptable, that
within the past was being over washed by the countries fascination
with Hiphop, Swing and Rock music?(if this applies to you. Please
answer)
To truly feel House, there needs to be the right
crowd. Black, White, Latin, Oriental, Gay, Straight, Male, Female,
Working Class, Upper Class or Under Class!! A collection of people/individuals
who don't judge each other with blinkered perception of who or
whom just want to party. Once you have experienced that, you'll
know what House music is really all about!!
Who do rate within the vein of this music (Garage
or House music)?
20.Masters of Work, Tony Humpheries, Blaze, 95
North, Frankie Knuckles, Victor Simmonelli, Norman Jay, MK
Who do you rate as one for the future?
21.Who should we keep an eye on?
Europe, USA or the Rest of the World -DJ, Producer or House music
diva?
For the DJs these are - Louie Vega, Francois Kerokian,
Simon DK (Nottingham), Rob Actesan, Harvey and Ashley Beedle.
For Producers these are - Crispin Glover, Idjut
Boys and Harvey from the UK. Johnny Fiasco and Roy Davies Junior
from the USA.
22.When are you considering playing in Europe?
( Or if this applies to you, America or other parts of the world!)
As soon as I make good connections!!
23.What do you think about countries involvement
into the music such as France and Germany.
Is it good for the music scene, or not?.. What are your views?
Good music is good music. It doesn't matter where it
comes from.
Additional points!!!
Lets talk about London. The House scene here
is absolutely dire. There is too much prejudice, small
mindeness and division. House was meant to be open minded and
exciting. It was never meant to be Garage styled vocal tracks
all night to the exclusion of everything else. Nor does this
mean the playing of Deep House tracks all night long -
or any other style that comes to mind all night. I believe that
good music is Black music, but there is so much more to Black
music than night like Garage City (London) etc. portray.
Larry Levan, used to play everything
from Disco to Led Zeppelin at the Paradise Garage,
in New York City. He was extraordinary DJ/Producer.
His legacy has been ruined by small minded bandwagon - jumpers!
For me, an ideal night would kick off with Soul, Jazz, Funk
and Boogie, progress through to Vocal House to more
pumping ( but still quality ) house as the night peaks,
then go Deep as the night gets later.
Deep House is magical music on a powerful
sound system. Finally there should be Freestyle at the
end where anything goes. Show me a night like that in an appropriate
venue anywhere in the UK and I' ll be there every
week. We need a musical revolution. As Terry Farley says,
"Its time for the shit to be washed away."
