Jack Smooth interview

[lixx]

Good read. My feelings on the whole dubplate culture thing are exactly the same, back then and still today. It's an absolute ridiculous practice that serves no one except DJ's with inflated egos. GET THE MUSIC OUT -always always always. I understand testing it out to see reactions, and getting audiences pumped on the radio, events etc but it really became a tool amongst a certain sect of DJ to clearly get bookings rather than a gauging tool.

I can't tell you how many times tunes went stale after the top DJ's held onto them too long. Labels duty is the the masses and the dj's who aren't famous who will buy the music and make the label grow, not top DJ's. They can get you exposure but it's a fine balance.

[alphawave ep]

EXCELLENT READ ... Thank you !

[deebom]

Really enjoyed that. Good stuff.

[RonWellsJS]

That's a lot of stuff to answer in one hit, why not ask 1 or 2 at a time on the (seems to have become my) main questions thread.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=116226&start=630

Hello. Don't really post on forums but I thought I'd ask a few because I've always been more techno than hardcore.

Did you ever want to branch into the ambient/idm/intelligent techno scene? Autechre, Black Dog, Bedouin Ascent etc.

What did you think of early trance records on rising high, harthouse etc. Isn't a bit of an irony that a lot of liquid dnb now imitates crappy trance records when the original sound was quite techno and krautrock/ebm influenced?

Did you eventually feel that the jazzy jungle thing was becoming genteel coffee table music? I can't listen to much dnb after 97. this is one of the last ones I enjoyed. definitely loved techstep until 2000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjCnQv955K4

What do you think of producers like Lee Gamble, ASC, Shapednoise, Logos, Mumdance Imaginary Forces? What's been impressing you in electronic music these days? What are your views on modern techno? Are you liking the resurgence of analogue, modulars and more groovier, rawer sounds?

Following on from that, why do you think drum and bass hasn't had much longevity, whereas genres like techno and ambient have? A lot of darkcore was very techno influenced as well as the better end of the jazz jungle stuff. It could have been a credible thing underground, like modern techno, but I can't really think of any modern dnb djs I'd love to see. Have a raft of techno gigs planned for the next few months.

Did the early grime records impress you at the time? Did any of them remind you of Drexciya/aux88? Thoughts on dubstep. Were these genres sonically progressive for you or haven't we evolved since jungle and techno?

:)

Sorry, just good to chat to one of the producers I look up to because of the strong strong techno influences. Everything begins with a T!

[RonWellsJS]

looks like I've picked up a trolling stalker in the comments section... Social media was invented to expose these assholes.


http://www.theransomnote.co.uk/music/go ... -straight/

[eazyflow]

I might be being thick here, but how do I view the comments section?

[dj jedi]

Phil's reply is interesting, I know people who worked for his distribution company over the years and they also share the opinion it was terribly managed. Some people seem to confuse success with being in the right place at the right time. Enough morons ran a record label back in the day, it wasn't exactly hard when even the shittest white label would sell 1000 copies. The fact his labels and distribution companies have folded several times since sales dropped and it actually took some talent to run a record label speaks for itself.

[RonWellsJS]

Phil's reply is interesting, I know people who worked for his distribution company over the years and they also share the opinion it was terribly managed. Some people seem to confuse success with being in the right place at the right time. Enough morons ran a record label back in the day, it wasn't exactly hard when even the shittest white label would sell 1000 copies. The fact his labels and distribution companies have folded several times since sales dropped and it actually took some talent to run a record label speaks for itself.

Perfection.

[MJS57]

I might be being thick here, but how do I view the comments section?

Wait a while for the page to fully load, the page is linked into Facebook comments so they don't show up straigt away, especially on a mobile browser.

They are, as usual, at the bottom of the article.

[eazyflow]

I might be being thick here, but how do I view the comments section?

Wait a while for the page to fully load, the page is linked into Facebook comments so they don't show up straigt away, especially on a mobile browser.

They are, as usual, at the bottom of the article.

Ah, Facebook is blocked at work so that probably explains why I'm not seeing anything. Will check it at home later. Love a good bit of controversy me

[DJ Chance]

looks like I've picked up a trolling stalker in the comments section... Social media was invented to expose these assholes.


http://www.theransomnote.co.uk/music/go ... -straight/

Interesting comments section! Us mere ravers always thought it was all rosey in the hardcore garden (well I did anyway) I guess when money is involved it turns peoples heads. The comments could be as interesting as the interview! (Great read btw)

[RonWellsJS]

looks like I've picked up a trolling stalker in the comments section... Social media was invented to expose these assholes.


http://www.theransomnote.co.uk/music/go ... -straight/

Interesting comments section! Us mere ravers always thought it was all rosey in the hardcore garden (well I did anyway) I guess when money is involved it turns peoples heads. The comments could be as interesting as the interview! (Great read btw)

The comments are fine when they are true... being described as a 'money grabber' is at best a sick joke when all I wanted back then was enough to live on and set some aside to keep improving the studio, I lived a very humble life back then, I didn't even own a car - it was all about music.

There was never any money involved... nobody in that setup made significant money from it.

:-)

[lien]

There was never any money involved... nobody in that setup made significant money from it.

Money was in the Dj'ing back then £200/300 per set & do 2 (possibly 3) a night for a few years & you might make yourself a few squid.

[ian saunders remix]

There was never any money involved... nobody in that setup made significant money from it.

Money was in the Dj'ing back then £200/300 per set & do 2 (possibly 3) a night for a few years & you might make yourself a few squid.

Especially if you didn't declare it to the taxman *cough* Bukem *cough*.

[Restless]

There was never any money involved... nobody in that setup made significant money from it.

Money was in the Dj'ing back then £200/300 per set & do 2 (possibly 3) a night for a few years & you might make yourself a few squid.

Especially if you didn't declare it to the taxman *cough* Bukem *cough*.

Did LTJ get stung for something like this then?