An answer i had from Jack Smooth..

[ian saunders remix]

You guys have all raised good points above... agree with all of them.

The 'future jungle' track above uses Amen, which to me seemed utterly pointless, given the 100,000 + times it's been used. As soon as it came in I rolled my eyes, but the chord stabs were nice.

I think the last genuine music genre was liquid dnb, but that might just be me being biased as I really liked that sound a lot. Everything after 1996 for me can clearly be related to a whole genre of music gone before.

FTR, I don't think there is ever a necessity to break new ground, nostalgia is great but don't pretend you are being avant garde by re-labelling it as a fake new genre... it just makes you look a twat and it's embarrassing for those who have to point out that it's nothing new or special and that your are deluded.

I think that the only reason it's got a new name is to differentiate it from the upfront (and, I'm sorry, rubbish) hardcore being made today by chavvers like Squad-E etc.

[oldskoolforever]

I think that the only reason it's got a new name is to differentiate it from the upfront (and, I'm sorry, rubbish) hardcore being made today by chavvers like Squad-E etc.

Nothing wrong with UK Hardcore, its not for everyone - but the parties are always pumping and the scene is still going strong. BTW, I don't think Squad-E has made anything for quite a while...at least I haven't seen him credited on anything recent. Wasn't he in hospital a couple of years ago ? Could just be one of those UK Hardcore rumours going around though lol.

[ian saunders remix]

I think that the only reason it's got a new name is to differentiate it from the upfront (and, I'm sorry, rubbish) hardcore being made today by chavvers like Squad-E etc.

Nothing wrong with UK Hardcore, its not for everyone - but the parties are always pumping and the scene is still going strong. BTW, I don't think Squad-E has made anything for quite a while...at least I haven't seen him credited on anything recent. Wasn't he in hospital a couple of years ago ? Could just be one of those UK Hardcore rumours going around though lol.

He's got some new stuff apparently. Sounds dreadful - I do still give stuff a listen!

[Thumpson]

As for the "Under the Influence" break, it's just a straight sample off "Bleep 16" from http://www.discogs.com/Rise-Productions ... ase/407152
Which in turn seems to be a sample off that Todd Terry record, with added percussion hits..

[Thumpson]

I believe I have a duff copy of Kev Bird's "This Is A Trip" because the bass over takes pretty much everything! I haven't heard a clean version, even when I ripped most of my vinyl to MP3 I still have to take most of the bass off or it sounds like a mess. Forgive me if it was produced like that but Basement prided itself on quality am sure such a thing wouldn't have slipped through the net?.

My original copy (well, at least it appears exactly as http://www.discogs.com/Kev-Bird-This-Is ... ease/73964 ) is exactly like that.. the bass has to be cut by like -10 dB in order to make it as loud as most other tunes

[rage]

That track is insane! Mixed down in a completely different way to every other Basement (and pretty much every other tune for that matter) It lacking a little in treble but not badly so, I love how you have to raise the volume to get it in level with most tracks then the bass comes in on the breakdown and DESTROYS everything in sight.

I wouldn't say its duff, just has its own unique charm. What a storming track that is.

[oldskoolforever]

I think that the only reason it's got a new name is to differentiate it from the upfront (and, I'm sorry, rubbish) hardcore being made today by chavvers like Squad-E etc.

Nothing wrong with UK Hardcore, its not for everyone - but the parties are always pumping and the scene is still going strong. BTW, I don't think Squad-E has made anything for quite a while...at least I haven't seen him credited on anything recent. Wasn't he in hospital a couple of years ago ? Could just be one of those UK Hardcore rumours going around though lol.

He's got some new stuff apparently. Sounds dreadful - I do still give stuff a listen!

I did google him today & saw his Twitter is active, so i guess hes back on the scene! Will try and have a listen to the new stuff. Loved Recons track "Sober" this year, there are plenty of good tunes - you just have to wade through the rubbish ones.

[RonWellsJS]

That track is insane! Mixed down in a completely different way to every other Basement (and pretty much every other tune for that matter) It lacking a little in treble but not badly so, I love how you have to raise the volume to get it in level with most tracks then the bass comes in on the breakdown and DESTROYS everything in sight.

I wouldn't say its duff, just has its own unique charm. What a storming track that is.

I wouldn't have done it differently but it's possible that there is low frequency stuff that I didn't filter out because the monitors at the time didn't highlight it - or bass was boosted at the cutting stage.

I had very basic kit back then, but my mix formula was identical for everything I worked on.

[RonWellsJS]

As for the "Under the Influence" break, it's just a straight sample off "Bleep 16" from http://www.discogs.com/Rise-Productions ... ase/407152
Which in turn seems to be a sample off that Todd Terry record, with added percussion hits..

Not sure what records Steve brought with him to make that tune, so you may well be right. I'm sure I programmed some 808 drums under the breaks for him though.

[eazyflow]

Ron, I was wondering about the later releases on Basement where the label was opened up and we saw releases from Danny Breaks and Photek - How did these releases come about? Were these artists approached by yourselves, or did they approach the label? Either way it seems that there was probably a mutual respect for what each other were doing, in that all artists involved in the label or who had put out releases are artists that I would consider being at the pinnacle in terms of creativity and understanding how to create forward thinking music...

Did you spend much time with these artists and have time to bounce ideas around or gain any insight into their creative processes?

[RonWellsJS]

Ron, I was wondering about the later releases on Basement where the label was opened up and we saw releases from Danny Breaks and Photek - How did these releases come about? Were these artists approached by yourselves, or did they approach the label? Either way it seems that there was probably a mutual respect for what each other were doing, in that all artists involved in the label or who had put out releases are artists that I would consider being at the pinnacle in terms of creativity and understanding how to create forward thinking music...

Did you spend much time with these artists and have time to bounce ideas around or gain any insight into their creative processes?

I didn't work with or meet either of them, I was moving on by then... regular work ceased around BRSS44, with a few bits thrown in after that. I'm pretty sure I did everything from release 4 to 37 and then about another 6 afterwards. It was getting that I couldn't stand the place to be honest.

Since 1997 (gaining experience in founding and running multiple businesses) I can now see that Basement & Vinyl Distribution were extremely badly run, without any strategic business knowledge, it genuinely amazes me how they managed to wing it for as long as they did. I and a few others gave them a ready-made market which they failed to exploit to anywhere near the potential and they eventually failed as a result of that.

For them it was easy come, easy go.

[dj jedi]

Since 1997 (gaining experience in founding and running multiple businesses) I can now see that Basement & Vinyl Distribution were extremely badly run, without any strategic business knowledge, it genuinely amazes me how they managed to wing it for as long as they did. I and a few others gave them a ready-made market which they failed to exploit to anywhere near the potential and they eventually failed as a result of that.

For them it was easy come, easy go.

I think it's fair to say the same for 99% of labels/producers/DJs/events/record shops etc back then - you may have seen the thread about money where some people seem to think everyone involved in the scene is/was loaded back in the day, as you say I don't think the majority were at all, they were just a bunch of kids in the right place at the right time that didn't make the most of the opportunity they had and probably have nothing to show for it now (see Luna-C's book, "How to Squander Your Potential" :) )

[oz]

So much great info on this thread, wondered if I could ask about the tie up with face records production?

Did you have any involvement with the tracks produced at sound entity like inesse?
Was there any more tie ins with face records or bad influence tunes?

[RonWellsJS]

So much great info on this thread, wondered if I could ask about the tie up with face records production?

Did you have any involvement with the tracks produced at sound entity like inesse?
Was there any more tie ins with face records or bad influence tunes?

Don't think I had any personal input on those, that was probably a straight forward studio time hire.

[retrospect]

Since 1997 (gaining experience in founding and running multiple businesses) I can now see that Basement & Vinyl Distribution were extremely badly run, without any strategic business knowledge, it genuinely amazes me how they managed to wing it for as long as they did. I and a few others gave them a ready-made market which they failed to exploit to anywhere near the potential and they eventually failed as a result of that.

For them it was easy come, easy go.

So, now you've had time to reflect, what do you think Basement Records should have done differently?