Sunday, August 29, 2004

Instamatic

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Just for the record, why 'Instamatic'?

Photography is my other love apart from music - I've been taking photographs since I was 8, have around 10,000 photographs & my first camera was an Instamatic 126, so when I was thinking of a name it made sense to combine both worlds.

What are you up to these days?

I'm running around getting sorted for San Francisco where I'm playing Bootie on September 11th - looks like such a good party 'off the hook' as they say! I want to make it as special (& as exclusive) as possible...several new tracks; exclusives such as a Boot In 60 Seconds preview (which is still going - it's on its 23rd track but it's sounding very good - it'll be well worth the wait!).

What music are you currently listening to?

I'm listening to a lot of boots of course - Frenchbloke's mixes have always been a favourite for the last 3 years, but recently Party Ben's Sixx Mixx too. Other music I'm listening to are punk-funk (new & old: Radio 4's new LP, Gang Of Four, Pop Group) which I do from time to time, Kid Carpet, Dolly Parton, Prince, Adam Sky, Richard Cheese, a real mixture!

What album, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite?

Well considering I'm a major Pulp & New Order fan - the only two bands I've bought albums without question on the first day of release - it would be either His N' Hers, or if I can have a compilation for New Order: Substance - ironically the compilation of their 12 Inches is probably better than any of their proper albums they've done.

When was the last time you bought a record that was shite? Where did you buy it?

I tend not to buy many albums or singles as I have too many as it is, & most of 'em nowadays are shite. So not many recently - I bought the Daft Punk Live album which was pretty pants; I wish I hasn't bought any Bogdan Racynzki. Someone gave me Fat Of The Land (sorry Prodigy fans but it doesn't even come close to the previous two) & Elektroids & I've never really played them.

Can you recall the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you?

Embarrassing: Umm...there's too many. I'm a bad one for 'stage whispers' when drunk thinking the other person can't hear me. I was at Faceparty last year with a mate & we kept annoying Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles by going "Oh is that Chris Moyles?" & then blanking him / walking off giggling when he saw us. Several times. Evil, slightly embarrassing, but oh-so-fun.

Bizarre: The most bizarre things that happen to me are what me & a mate call the 'Irony magnet' - stuff just seems to gain critical mass sometimes & weirdness upon weirdness happens. The most weird so far was coming out to said best mate of 6 years, who immediately came out to me (I had no idea), spookily we liked similar men & he eventually got together with the first guy I met - all within the space of a month. That was pretty weird...

The First of Instamatic:

First album you ever bought = Eek! That would be the Spitting Image album, sadly...followed by Santa Claus Is On The Dole. A-Ha & Genesis singles. Music in 86 was shite, generally. So was my taste in music *cringe* I still stand by the Kate Bush from that time tho...
First movie you watched that you cried = Umm that would actually be a cartoon when I was very small, about a cricket abandoned in a city or something I saw on TV. I can be a soppy old sod at the movies - Baghdad Cafe really touched me, & I thought Spiderman 2 actually had some genuinely moving moments.
First book or mag you read that gave you wood = Umm...I always thought Lady Chatterley's Lover was very erotic & is good literature, but at 13 I didn't understand that! Strangely my partner did his English degree on Lawrence. Spooky.
First concert you went that was utter bollocks = Daisy Chainsaw at the Leadmill, Sheffield, 1993. Awful feedback childish noisey crap. My first gig actually....probably put me off them for a long time!
First mash-up you ever heard = "A Stroke of Genie-us", on Audiogalaxy 2001...I wish I knew what I was searching for, can't remember...followed the Boom Selection link, et voila!

What is the most irritating thing that bugs you about GYBO?

That inevitably all outsider groups eventually form cliques or groups; & become the establishment. I've always been more interested in the up-and-coming talent - the new thing cos I always want to hear something new. I'm not interested so much in reputation or past glories. Personally, I find I have had to watch what I say because my tongue-on-cheek humour & politics don't translate well on GYBO - I can say the same things in the flesh (& do) & people don't have a problem, I think you lose a lot without body language & tone.

Which bootlegger, do you think, should call it a day? Why?

Anyone who's heart isn't in it, have lost sight of the fun aspect or are not doing it for the love of music (e.g. raising their industry 'profile' etc).

On the other hand, which bootlegger deserves the greatest applause & why?

Hmm...difficult. I respect bootleggers that do it their own way, own terms, for the love of music, & seem to be not beholden to anyone - so Soundhog & Frenchbloke definitely. Also I respect people that help to promote everyone through their nights as well as doing their own thing - so Party Ben, Adrian & Mysterious D for Bootie & Cartel Mike & Jonny for Bastard. People might be thinking "oh he's being arselickey" for saying that, but running a night is tough, & doesn't always make money & sometimes is a thankless task, so I respect that - & don't take it for granted.

Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?

Probably most of Frenchbloke's collection, Loo & Placido ("Safari Love", "DJ Affair") & some of GHP's.

In your opinion, list the greatest top ten boots of ALL time.

Oh here we go, High-Fidelty list moment!

Freelance Hellraiser - "A Stroke of Genie-us" (Still sounds fresh)
Soundhog - "Blue Music" (The man himself said this was done on a 4-track)
Loo & Placido - "Safari Love" (Still chilled)
Jimmi Jammes - "Let A Girl Be" (Best Christina boot apart from ASOG)
blo_up_doll - "Sex On Cocaine" (Electrosexualswearingtastic)
Lionel Vinyl - "Sloo Weee" (Classic)
Conway - "Lisa's Got Hives" (One of the first I heard, still one of the best)
Soulwax - "No Fun / Push It" (Classic album, all good)
Frenchbloke - "Carpe Diem" (Carpenters vs Manny Parrish? I love both)
"Breathe Don't Stop" (Unknown?) (Much copied, love Q-tip & early MJ)

Runners-up:

Frenchbloke & Son - "Sexy Model" (The insanity of Right Said Fred vs Kraftwerk)
Go Home Productions - "You Make Me Feel XTC" (I love new wave, & this is probably the only Sylvester boot that actually works / has the same energy)
Lyd - "SL2 vs Eddy Grant" (Well it's been drilled into my head at countless Bastards, I can't escape...)

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

William Orbit = Madonna, vine leaves.
The Cult = Goths
Skkatter = Mr Skippy
Mojo = Boring magazine for Weller fans.
Jerusalem = ...is not England as Blake said.
Starbucks = Corporate globalisation, crap coffee too.
IDC = Likes Stone Roses. What does it stand for anyway? I heard it was Indie Disco Chancer :-P Richard Ashcroft = Too much floppy hair, too much acid, not enough tunes.
Mo' Wax = For those people who hate music.
Gillette = My dastardly evil enemy ;-)

Which decade do you consider its music the most exciting? Why?

It's predictable but I would say the late 70's & early 80's, & early-mid 1990s. I don't believe music follows decades like that - I think it goes on 10-12 yearly cycles with the low point around the middle - so 1975 music was pretty bad - then it got good again till 85/86 when it was a new low point, then rave / acid house till Britpop explosion 95-96 & collapse in 97..."I said, well daddy don't you know that things go in cycles / The way that Bobby Brown is just a pin like Michael".

What do you remember about the following years:

1984 = Sex crime / silly Apple advert
1989 = H.O.U.S.E.
1992 = University, Pulp
1999 = On the dole.
2002 = A bad year...rats, nasty housemates & Dollis Hill.

What's your favourite Saturday night record?

Hmm this changes regularly - but "Groove Is In The Heart", Blue Monday - "True Faith" or "Love Will Tear Us Apart" are guaranteed to get me dancing.

And your Sunday morning one?

I'm usually sleeping on a Sunday morning - so silence...

Any principles of life you live by?

I live by the pagan-wiccan creed of that you can do what you like, as long as it doesn't harm anyone. Like a zen koan it's amazing that something so simple can be so difficult to live by, but it's good to try as long as you realise you'll never obtain it fully. I also live by the hedonist /ancient greek ideals that pleasure is not bad, & you shouldn't be guilty about enjoying yourself (as long as you're not harming anyone). I'm probably broadly polytheist but don't do rituals.

What are your plans for the future?

Well, getting more DJ gigs, learning more, maybe studying music (I tend to go on feel rather than theory) & developing my website - mutantpop.net - which is at phase 0.0.1 at the moment, it's gonna be much more than a board than at the moment...but the board will be essential part of it, a community. Also maybe doing more compilations & albums...

Do you still see yourself making boots in ten years time?

Yeah - I can see me doing something musical anyhow; don't know if it's going to be bootleg orientated but I know I'll try & keep that fun / punk / pop / cross-genre vibe definitely. Love to be the John Peel of the bootleg world, my ears to never grow old!

You can visit Instamatic's website & download his boots here.

Thursday, August 26, 2004

The Reverend Menagerie

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Just for the record, why the name 'The Reverend Menagerie'?

A long time ago, I used to play a lot of online role-playing games. I ended up with a lot of various characters, & used to joke about being my own menagerie. The reverend part came along after a Saturday afternoon where I discovered the Universal Life Church...so I got myself ordained as a minister there (took 20 minutes, & I considered it just amusing). I jokingly told people to call me Reverend Menagerie...That was somewhere around 10 years ago.

What are you up to these days?

Music...music & more music...oh, & some art & poetry too. Between my originals, the "Legion" project with Solcofn, & two more possible collaborations in the works...I've got a fair amount to keep me busy. Not to mention my month old daughter, Katrin...talking about saving the best for last, eh?

What music are you currently listening to?

At the moment as I answer this, I've got Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers' Americano album playing in the background. Otherwise, it's been an eclectic mix of artistes & bootleggers, such as Ozomatli, Buck-O-Nine, They Might Be Giants, Eliades Ochoa, Dean Martin, & for some reason I have yet to truly understand, the soundtrack to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album?

That's a very touch one. I'd have to say it's a toss-up between the New Radicals' Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too & Bad Religion's Stranger Than Fiction

When was the last time you bought a record that was shite? Where did you buy it?

That would have to be Slowrush's Volume...which I found on the dollar rack at a used bookstore. I had heard the opening track, & liked that...so I figured it was worth the two bucks. I was dead wrong.

Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

For a while, I wanted to be like Hulk Hogan. Actor, wrestler, singer...but then I turned 10 & started noticing girls.

Can you recall the most heartwarming thing that has ever happened to you?

Holding my daughter for the very first time.

The First of The Reverend Menagerie:

First album you ever bought = With my own money, that would have to be George Michael's Faith. First CD I bought was Van Halen's Right Here Right Now live set.
First movie you watched that scared the shit outta you = The last movie that came close was more time & location than story. I had managed to catch a showing of the original Night Of The Living Dead one Halloween night at a revival house, at midnight. I can honestly say I wouldn't go near a cemetary for weeks after.
First book or mag you read that reminded you of God = Going to have to say the Bible, back when I was Catholic.
First concert you watched that changed your life = I think I was about 10, & saw some local band with people I had known for nearly all my life. Made me realize I could try that too.
First mash-up you ever heard = Forgotten who did it, but it was the Red Hot Chili Peppers mashed with Kelis. Thought it was interesting, & forgot about it until much much later...when I found GYBO.

In your opinion, which bootlegger is still considered the best (for now, that is!)?

Can't really say anything against McSleazy & GHP, but I'd be watching cry.on.my.console very closely. He ranks up there, & is only getting better.

On the other hand, which bootlegger deserves a smack in the mouth & why?

Well, aside from the obvious choices...going to have to say Rikki Rok. I don't know why, something just bugs me about him.

Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?

Most of them, actually. My own regular boot attempts tend to fail miserably right now.

If Marilyn Manson commissioned you to do a boot to help aid his cause, what will your terms be? Humour us please...

That's funny. Money might be the best term...but since I've read Manson's book & think he's a very interesting person, I'd probably just try picking his brain for ideas.

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

Anton LaVey = Some good points, millions of idiot followers think he's God.
The White Stripes = Brought back music, rather than over production. Some rough songs.
Clinton = Couldn't he have banged someone with better looking teeth?
Jesus Christ = Kiss me, Son of God...
McSleazy = Gave us GYBO.
Acid Pro = With this, & time, you can make masterpieces or disasters.
Weiser = Apparently, he's rather a running joke now. At least he's remembered.
London Booted = Only the beginning, I hope.
Jayne Mansfield = Mmmmm.....
Alice Cooper = Ugly white guys can be sex symbols too. Good music as well.

Which decade do you consider the 'dark ages' of music & why?

I'd honestly say that this era, whatever it is, is the dark ages. The 60's. 70's, 80's & 90's all gave us something new...the "new" millennium is searching for it, & failing.

What do you remember about the following years:

1977 = Riding in the car to see the original Star Wars at a drive-in movie theater.
1985 = New Coke tried to replace Coke Classic.
1991 = Junior year of high school.
1995 = Dropped out of college classes, looked for work, hung out more at the library than anywhere else.
1999 = Moved to a suburb of Pittsburgh. Learned that the same state can have widely different intellegence levels depending on which side you are on.

What's your favourite Saturday night record?

Depends on what I'm doing Saturday night. But I've found that Keoki's Disco Death Race 2000 always seems to get me moving. As does Atari Teenage Riot's Burn, Berlin, Burn...but for different reasons.

And your Sunday morning one?

There is just something about David Gray's Sell Sell Sell that makes Sunday mornings special. That or Enigma's The Screen Behind The Mirror.

What are your plans for the future?

Hopefully do something I like to do. Maybe finally get some backing & do a full original album.

Do you still see yourself hanging around GYBO in ten years time?

If GYBO grows, & doesn't get populated by trolls...sure.

What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?

The majority will have to either improve, or do something else. However, with that said...some have talent, some don't. It will always come down to talent...& personal taste. It might be a very technically sound work, but if it sounds like shit to me, it's done as far as I'm concerned. Same with everyone else. Nobody picks the "well done" song over the song they like...

You can check out The Reverend Menagerie's main site here, or visit his music site here and his blog here.

Sunday, August 22, 2004

DJ BC



Just for the record, why the name 'DJ BC'?

Because I am old school... very old school...actually, it stands for my name, Bob Cronin. When I started DJing, "BC" was my regular nickname.

What are you up to these days?

I'm planning to continue making Beastles boots for a collected EP (which of course will never be released). Just for fun. Pheugoo from GYBO made a great cover for it. I'm also working on an anthology of my boots so far, & Dean Haspiel (of American Splendor comics) will be providing some cover art for that one. Also, I do parties & weddings in Massachusetts. Call me.

What music are you currently listening to?

In addition to the boots I get from GYBO, Modest Mouse, PJ Harvey's Uh-Huh Her, The Roots - "The Tipping Point", Pete Rock's Petestrumentals, & all the Catskills Records Straight Out Of The Cat Litter collections, which are great. Plus random mixes I have made. I am also DJing weddings a lot now that it is summer, so I am listening to a lot of Bobby Darin, Macy Gray, James Brown & disco at those things.

What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album?

For rock, probably The White Album. If you are talking hip-hop records, I would say Pete Rock's Soul Survivor. If you are talking jazz then it's Nancy Wilson & Cannonball Adderley's simply titled Nancy Wilson / Cannonball Adderley.

What was the last record you bought? Where did you buy it?

If you are talking about vinyl, it was the Epic record release with a bunch of sweet Michael Jackson acapellas. I also bought a CD that day - Neil Diamond Gold, I think it is called. I had to play "Sweet Caroline" at a wedding last weekend. Both came from Newbury Comics in Cambridge, MA.

Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

Samuel Beckett, though I doubt being him was much fun.

What is the most bizarre & embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?

Bizarre: Taking the Scientology personality test as a joke while inebriated. The cult members would not let us leave.

Embarrassing: Amp blew up at a college dance gig with about 1,000 people begging for more. Boy was my face red.

The First of DJ BC:

First CD you ever bought = Louder Than Bombs by The Smiths
First movie you watched that gave you wood = The radio commerical for "Private Lessons" in the 1980s, which came on during Dr. Demento, so it was late at night & I was in bed. Got wooded.
First book or mag you read that was awesome = The Book Of Three by Lloyd Alexander, or The Chronicles Of Narnia... not sure which one came first.
First concert you watched that changed your life = The Dead Milkmen at the Living Room in Providence in the late 80's. They were my favorite.
First mash-up you ever heard = I guess "The Flying Saucer", because I had that on a Halloween CD long before I'd ever heard of this scene. First "proper" mash-up, however, was Radiohead's "Karma Police" vs Beatles "A Day In The Life." I don't know who made it.

In your opinion, who is the bootlegger that is still considered the best (for now, that is!)?

Soundwasta, DJ Prince, & ccc. I also dig stuff Lenlow & DJ Jar-R have done. But I am no expert so I am probably missing a bunch of people. Sorry, that's 5, not 1...

On the other hand, which bootlegger deserves a smack in the mouth & why?

Probably DJ Weiser, but he also deserves a big hug & a free beer. Anyone who does not make boots, or can't do it well, but says it is easy & requires no talent is a stupid-face & deserves a smack.

Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?

DJ Prince's "James Brown Will Work It Out" & Soundwasta's "Let It Be Me." I am not obsessed with the Beatles, by the way. I just think these sound great.

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

Bootie = Licious. I wanna be there.
San Francisco = Bootie. Period.
C.H.A.O.S. Productions = Jay-R pickin' the best source materials
BitTorrent = Clueless as to what this is, I admit it. Me am dum.
The Bee Gees = Classic staple to open the dancefloor. We Be Stayin' Alive!
Jeff Hinds = Who?
Jennifer Aniston = Boobles
Shadrach = Beasties meet Richard "Groove" Holmes
Yoko Ono = Beret-wearing vampire
Dragstrip 66 = Highway 61


What do you remember about the following years:

1989 = Couldn't get laid.
1994 = New College parties & DJing "Walls" - Da bomb! Discovered & explored the world of rap music around this time.
1999 = Searching for Prince's 1999 remixes...
2000 = Great new year's party. No 1999 remix found.
2003 = The world of boots dawned in my life like a new day (or an old day laid over a new beat).


What's your favourite Saturday night record?

The Pogues - Red Roses For Me (at home). At gigs I try & slip in "In The Midnight Hour" by Wilson Pickett

And your Sunday morning one?

New Ancient Strings by Ballake Sissoko & Toumani Diabate, kora masters from Mali.

What's the good thing about living in America?

Not getting bombed (hopefully). Cultural diversity. HBO television shows.

And the worst?

No Bootie nights in my town. Having to wait for new episodes of The Office to air.

Any principles of life you live by?

Show people respect. Be prepared for gigs. Forgive forgive forgive.

What are your plans for the future?

Get rich and famous making boots. Or win the lottery & open my comic art museum.

What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?

The cream will rise to the top, but now everyone gets to dump some boots in the bucket to see what turns up. Hopefully boots will become a more accepted art formin' the same way that rap (which used to be dissed regularly for using samples) is now widely accepted.

You can download DJ BC's boots at his website here.

Friday, August 20, 2004

Mixomatosis

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Just for the record, why the name 'Mixomatosis'?

It was a combination of my liking for the Radiohead track of the same name (except I've spelt it correctly) & the fact that the day I did my first ever mash-up, my uncle's rabbit was poisoned, & as a result suffered from mixomatosis. Quite a macabre reason, I know, but I think the name works.

What are you up to these days?

Not that much really, mainly just working on new bootlegs & stuff, although I am supposed to be doing some production work for my friend's band in the near-distant future, so I'm looking forward to that. My brief is to "add beats & generally mong up the sound". Fair enough, I'm sure I can do that. I'm also working on some quasi-original stuff, but that's still in a very early stage.

What music are you currently listening to?

At the moment I'm finding out about the whole J-Pop scene, but mainly the more noisy, punk & hip-hop side of it. Some of the artistes I've been checking out are Buffalo Daughter, Dragon Ash (they did the music at the end of the film Battle Royale) & LMF (Ed.note: LMF, or Lazy Mother F**kers, are from Hong Kong), but there's a whole load of other bands I'm on the lookout for.

What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album?

Very good question. I suppose my favourite album would be the one I listen to the most, & get the most enjoyment out of. With that in mind, I think it's probably the Richard D James Album by Aphex Twin. It's rare that an album can be so diverse & pack so many ideas into such a short space of time (it's running time is only 34 minutes) & do it so perfectly & effortlessly. The only other ones I can think of are Radiohead's OK Computer & DJ Shadow's Endtroducing.

What was the last record you bought? Where did you buy it?

Jump Leads by Fila Brazillia. I bought it in Cash Converters, a secondhand shop with a speciality for ripping people off who are desperate for money. But when you see a Fila Brazillia album for £3, you don't just let someone else buy it, do you?

Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

Either Aphex Twin or Ian Curtis, because they are both, in their respective fields, geniuses. Obviously if I were Ian I wouldn't hang myself on the eve of my American tour though.

What's the pros & cons of being featured in Parkspliced?

Pros: Working alongside other great bootleggers. Getting exposure as a producer. I love a challenge, & this was a challenge.

Cons: Being told that one of your songs is a bit crap. But rightly so. My B-side track was rushed, in order to get the album the released, & I knew I could have done a lot better than that. I think my A-side track compensated for it though.

What is the most bizarre & embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?

Bizarre: As a child I ate some glue. My reason - I was hungry. Thankfully I've since discovered grapes.

Embarrassing: I honestly can't pinpoint the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me. That's really irritating, because there's a fairly long list of things I could put here.

The First of Mixomatosis:

First CD you ever bought = The Blobby Song by Mr Blobby. Cut me some slack, I was 5, for God's sake!
First movie you watched that scared the shit outta you = Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Cut me some slack, I was 10, for God's sake.
First book or mag you read that gave you wood = No idea. Probably the lingerie section of clothing catalogue or something pathetic like that.
First concert you watched that pissed you off = It was probably Royksopp at V2002, but that had nothing to do with Royksopp, it was to do with who I was with.
First mash-up you ever heard = Fatboy Slim vs Rolling Stones - "Satisfaction Skank". Still as good today as it ever was.

In your opinion, who is the bootlegger that is still considered the best (for now, that is!)?

2 Many DJs. As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt.2 has been around for at least 3 years now, & yet people still refer to its contents as some of the best examples of mash-ups ever. And they're right.

Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?

Ooh, tough one. Probably McSleazy's "White Line Lunch" (Har Mar Superstar's "Power Lunch" vs Grandmaster Flash "White Lines") from MTV Mash. Two fantastic songs, mixed together brilliantly. What more need be said?

Radiohead - Losing it or breaking new ground? Discuss...

They're definetely not losing it. Hail To The Thief & Com Lag are both great albums, but some of their more recent stuff I find them more challenging to listen to, such as "Pyramid Song", although I've learned to love it. But now they're done with EMI, I'm really looking forward to their new work. From what I gather, they're signing to an indie label & releasing some EPs, as opposed to albums, so I think there's still plenty for them left to do.

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

Bjork = Wonderful musician from Iceland, but sounds part Icelandic & part London-cockney. Not necessarily a bad thing.
Chinatown = Y'know, I've never been to any Chinatown anywhere. I'd quite like to though. I'm going to London next week, there's my opportunity.
Lance Lockarm = He does mash-ups, but I haven't heard any yet.
Slsk = Without this, I'd still be watching Top of the Pops.
Pink Floyd = For God's sake, I still haven't got around to doing a Pink Floyd boot. I will soon though.
Thom Yorke = Amazing vocalist. Not sure about his Blunkett-eye though.
Hot Wheels = ...leading the way!

Exodus = In the beginning, there was the Word, & the Word was God. Or something.
Party Ben = A rather good bootlegger.
Kylie Minogue = Slightly irritating, but immensely bootable.

Which decade do you consider the 'dark ages' of music & why?

This one. Despite all the great music that is being released, the charts are filled with the most appalling music of recent times, & it shows no signs of stopping.

What do you remember about the following years:

1988 = Nothing. I was 1.
1991 = My first day of school. Oh I was sooo cute. Look what happened to that.
1997 = My first ever CD player. It was in the shape of a can of Coca Cola, but much bigger.
1999 = Nothing I want to recall on the Internet. It was harrowing though.
2002 = I finally discovered good music, & threw away the Smurfs Go Pop album. I also did my first ever bootleg.

What's your favourite Saturday night record?

You've Come A Long Way, Baby by Fatboy Slim.

And your Sunday morning one?

Mezzanine by Massive Attack.

Any principles of life you live by?

Be happy, try to make others happy, then when you die, you'll be happy & others will be happy you lived. Poignant enough for you?

What are your plans for the future?

Keep on booting, with plans to work in video too. Finish my video production diploma & hopefully get a job working in television or radio. Then become immensely rich, of course!

What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?

As far as I'm concerned, the commnuity can only get bigger & bigger as the technology gets easier to use, which it inevitably will, & with the whole scene still very much underground. It's only a matter of time before the whole thing becomes huge. There's already been at least 2, in the form of Sugababes' "Freak Like Me" & George Michael's "Flawless", & I'm sure there will be more to come. Of course, if it gets too big, chances are the whole thing will implode, & left standing will be one tiny, super-dense bootlegger, capable of producing tunes like "Ray Of Gob" using only the power of his mind. And at this point, the folk-music revival will begin, & Iain Anderson will be at number one again. Maybe. I hope not.

You can visit the Hearing Double site & download Mixomatosis' first bootleg collection, Bad Things, here.

Wednesday, August 18, 2004

Richie Deluxe

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Just for the record, why 'Richie Deluxe'?

Richie is my name & for a long time I attached the name of my website Culture Deluxe to the end. Eventually I shortened it, partly for convenience, partly to start a rumour that I am Tim Deluxe's brother (no, not really).

What are you up to these days?

I'm pretty quiet at the moment - I think I manage a bootleg about once a month when I feel like it. I have been involved in two or three projects which will make themselves known when they're ready...& I have Culture Deluxe 2 to finish writing (it really is turning into my sistine chapel ceiling).

What music are you currently listening to?

Albums that have recently impressed me by Mylo, Radio 4 & The Magnificents. My boot intake has been rather low of late, but there are still plenty of bootleggers out there who're impressing me with their monogamous home tunes.

What, if push comes to shove, is the album that changed your life?

Wow. If you mean when did I stop playing football with my mates & enjoying an active life outdoors & exchange it for hours cooped up in my room listening to music instead? A toss-up between Liveandirect by Adamski &, slightly later on, The White Room by The KLF.

Do you still remember what's the first record you ever bought? Where did you buy it?

Of course I do. I bought my first single "Gimme Hope Joanna" by Eddy Grant in 1988 from Woolies in Elgin. I bought my first album - Please Hammer Don't Hurt'Em by MC Hammer in 1990 from Boots in Elgin. Before that I had 3 records & my Mom's old gramophone. The records were Shakin Steven's Greatest Hits & Agadoo by Black Lace bought for a party, & a really wicked record my Dad bought in 1972 with T-Rex, Slade, Sweet et al on it.

Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

I'm sure I wanted to be Adam Ant when I was a kid. I wanted to swing on a chandelier like he does in the Prince Charming vid.

What is the greatest joy & the biggest pain doing a project like London Booted? Tell us some stories please!

The greatest joy was definitely sitting back & listening to the complete CD - particularly since I knew the original inside out & could guess what was going to happen next. I thought it was a great project from start to finish, although there were times when I thought I wasn't going to be able to finish my track as I couldn't get it in time - I still think it's a little off. Other problems were that, naturally, some bootleggers couldn't commit to the project in the end, & twice I found myself trying to finish the album off myself. Luckily there were plenty of standbys. I think it was the start of a potentially great series of boot albums, & I'm glad that some money, however little, was raised for charity due to the project.

What is the most outrageous rumour you've heard that is said about you?

That I was sick all over the toilets at IBPW1. Lies, damn lies I tell thee!

The Last of Richie Deluxe:

Last CD you bought (or downloaded) = Guru Josh - Infinity
Last movie you watched that scared the shit outta you = The Ring
Last book or mag you read that gave you wood = Blue Peter Annual 1983
Last concert you watched that was boring = The Libertines at T in the Park
Last bootleg you heard that was utter bollocks = Digital Minger's "Life In A Windmill"


In your opinion, what are the TEN bootlegs that you think are the greatest of all time?

This is off the top of my head - I'm sure I'll miss a few that I love out...

01. DJ Spec - "U Got The Love"
02. Frenchbloke - "Right Behind"
03. blo_up - "Burnin'"
04. Osymyso - "Fiver To Bigwig"
05. Churchill - "Hear Missy Work It"
06. Loo & Placido - "Safari Love"
07. Freelance Hellraiser - "Grange Hill Grammar"
08. JRB - "Woo Ha (Rag & Bone Mix)"
09. Loo & Placido - "Going To Hawaii"
10. Pop Razors - "Louie Louie"

What are the elements that make a bootleg special?

There are many...if it induces a smile then it's cool - doesn't need to be silly, sometimes you're just amazed that two completely different songs can work together. Many's the time I've absolutely HATED a vocal, but then heard it in a bootleg & grown to love it. It really lets you appreciate the job of the backing musicians & producers in this biz. Some very well made bootlegs can be very boring, you need to inject some inspiration, some thought into all your work.

Which bootlegger deserves a smack in the mouth? Why?

Churchill, because he's Churchill / a weiser.

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

International Bastard = Excellent Weekenders
Daz Automatic = Nice Shirts, Nice Guy
Loo & Placido = The Daddies
The Darkness = Need a new album - quick, & need to shut their mouths for a second
Matt Redman = Never heard of him
Parkspliced = A lot of fun, but no London Booted ;)
Tony Blair = Lies down for the US & soon to be unemployed
Cate Blanchett = Seems sophisticated & sexy
Guy Ritchie = One trick pony
Breezeblock = The source of musical genius & a reason to set my alarm & my tape recorder :)

Which decade do you consider the 'golden era' of music & why?

1975 - 1985. Ok, not a decade per se, but it is 10 years that includes Kraftwerk, The Clash, Joy Division, 80s Synth Pop, Buck's Fizz, The Smiths, New Order, Mike Read banning Frankie in case the Saturday Superstore kids got upset...& the birth of hip hop! I think you can trace nearly all alternative, rap & dance music back to one or a group of acts during this time who were pushing boundaries & experimenting with music.

What do you remember about the following years:

1983 = Dennis the Menace & Gnasher
1989 = Starting high school, really getting into music for the 1st time.
1997 = Gigs at the Barrowlands, thinking Urusei Yatsura were the best band in the world.
1999 = Was in a band called Mutant Mobster with Rory from Taki183. Moved to Perth - boring.

2003 = Culture Deluxe & International Bastards.

What's your favourite Saturday night record?

I've got two. "Weekender" by Flowered-Up for when we're drinking. "La Rock 01" by Vitalic for when we're dancing.

And your Sunday morning one?

Chill Out by the KLF.

Do you believe in the afterlife? Why?

No. I think religion has been used as an instrument of terror for too long. It has long been said that prayer, duty to your God etc. gives you hope & aids you in life. But failure to do this carries (in their minds) punishment & damnation in life & after. I prefer to believe it's your own decisions that decide how your(one)life goes. Also, I've been reading a lot of Greek mythology recently. You can see parallels between the stories there & biblical stories, but with no emphasis on preaching this or that in the Greek stories. It suggests to me that these stories were all made up by storytellers & entertainers, but in Greece they remained so & became myths & fun tales. The writers of the Bible decided to add their own literally holier-than-thou slant & took all the fun out of them. Anyway, long pointless answer.

What are your plans for the future?

CDX2 will eventually be completed - probably with an eye on non-bootleg music too - & I have something in the pipeline with a couple of others which is to be known only as CD-R for now.

What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?

I think record companies will become phased out, once technology evolves to make it easy for anyone to charge others to download their music there will be no need. It also spells, for me, the end of copyright as we know it. The record companies think it's bad just now with file-sharing & illegal remixing, but I think they're all going to find themselves fighting a losing battle trying to track down all copyright breaches. You get plenty people selling recordings on eBay already - the end is in sight.

You can visit Richie's Culture Deluxe site here.

Sunday, August 15, 2004

TiMG

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Just for the record, what does the 'G' stands for?

I'm not one for fancy aliases...if I was I'd never be happy with what I called myself. The 'G' stands for my last name - Gray. Exciting eh?

What are you up to these days?

At the moment I'm unemployed & looking for work. I'm producing an EP for my band Harijan, which will hopefully help get my more traditional recording /producing skills noticed. I've got the Manchester punk scene excited about bootlegs with the Capdown vs Black Eyed Peas track I did recently... Quite a big act from round here - Sonic Boom Six - are interested in me doing some remixes of their stuff. They were produced by Ace from Skunk Anansie (who also produced King Prawn) so I'm hoping this might lead to some good contacts.

Also working on some original stuff. Kind of drum n bass rock with acoustic guitars. Might put it to the GYBO crew when it's finished. Oh...& some of my bootlegs will be on vinyl soon, available from International Bastard...as well as a French bootleg, which is part of a compilation going on sale in France.

What music are you currently listening to?

The Hives, King Prawn, Five Knuckle, Capdown, Apocalyptica, Nine Inch Nails, GHP's "Girl Wants To Say Goodbye To Rock n' Roll".

What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album?

Ooff. Hard one...Possibly Metallica's Black Album.

Do you still remember what's the first record you ever bought? Where did you buy it?

First album I bought was Michael Jackson Bad on cassette. First CD - Metallica's Ride The Lightening. First vinyl - a hip hop compilation called The Rhythm Is Final, scratching the vocal bits from Resident Alien's "Ooh The Dew Doo Man" over stuff is a lot of fun.

Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

Trent Reznor. He's a genius...Wouldn't mind being Jimi Hendrix either (if he was alive).

You've done mixes for MTV Mash. What is the biggest pain as well as the greatest joy working with MTV? Tell us some stories please!

The biggest joys -
Getting paid & seeing your stuff on the screen (also quite a good basis for a chat up line). And I supposed it's quite nice to be known a bit. I was recently in Germany & a group of guys came up to me to tell me how much they liked Nelly vs Greenday & Girls Aloud vs Kings Of Leon, which was really nice.

The biggest pains -
1. Getting something commissioned...They want tracks that utilise both vocals nicely & are almost exactly 2:30 min...oh & they've also got to be popular tracks, make the MTV crew 'excited' & be high quality (difficult when vocals are being 'extracted' ). It's also got to look like an 'obvious' bootleg so that an audience unfamilar with mash-ups can get what's going on. One track I sent in didn't get commissioned because it was apparently mixed 'too well' & they thought it sounded like a new song as opposed to a bootleg.
2. Being nagged to do umpteen different edits of the same track in a short amount of time.
3. Looking at the track list we're given.
4. Extracting and removing vocals.
5. Thinking of a really good bootleg & then realising that you're looking at last week's list & they've taken those tracks off now.

Can you recall your happiest moment ever?

When I was 18, me & some mates got very drunk, stole a boat & sailed across a reservoir. I didn't have any responsibilities or worries & I was drunk on an illegally-acquired boat. It was the best night of my life.

The Last of TiMG:

Last CD you bought (or downloaded) = Madonna's The Immaculate Collection
Last movie you watched that's boring = Matrix Revolutions
Last book or mag you read that's awesome = Reading Michael Moore's Stupid White Men at the Mo. It's quite awesome.
Last concert you watched that was life-changing = Hmm...concerts were better when I was younger because I had more energy. Seeing Therapy? at the Manchester Academy when I was about 17 is one that stood out in my mind. The atmosphere was incredible...the band invited the entire audience on stage at the end of the night & the security got trampled on, literally.
Last bootleg you heard that rocked your world = A toss up between GHP's "Girl Wants To Say Goodbye To Rock n' Roll" & Apeboy's Enya vs Prodigy mash-up.

In your opinion, what is the ONE bootleg that is considered the greatest of all time?

Probably "Ray Of Gob". Fantastic bootleg. Powerful, accessible, well-produced & he's even managed to persuade the artistes to let it be released offically.

In your own opinion, what is the best boot you've ever done?

Probably "The Ballad Of J-Lo" for me. I think it's the most surpising A + B match I've put together. I still find it entertaining to listen to.

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

GYBO = Talented bitch centre
Daft Punk = Awesome
cry.on.my.console = Funky original stuff
DJ Zebra = Ooh la la
Rod Stewart = Perv
Jesus Christ = ...walked into a bar
Grant = Always DJ-ing
Deep Purple = Respect
EMI = Eccentric Millionaires Institute
Britney Spears = Air stewardess costume

Which decade do you consider the 'golden era' of music & why?

The 1980's. Duran Duran. The Cure. Queen. Big hair, pointy guitars, Transformers, Coca cola yo-yos...ahh...good memories!

What do you remember about the following years:

1990 = Falling off my BMX
1993 = Playing with Fasttracker
1997 = Having grunge hair
2000 = Getting very drunk
2004 = High speed car-smash-rib-breaking-blood-ouch

What's your favourite Saturday night record?

Electric Six's "Dance Commander"

And your Sunday morning one?

Queen - "Hammer To Fall"

What are your thoughts about your recent car accident? How much did it change you as a person?

The accident has been the most challenging experience of my life. Having a stroke was the hardest part, & is very hard to describe to people. It's very isolating at first as you find out a lot of people can't show compassion easily. On the positive side, I'm less bothered by trivial things that would have previously seemed like big problems. I try to be more compassionate towards other people who need it & I don't take things for granted as much.

Do you believe that you were kept alive for a specific reason? Why?

I don't know really. Maybe. I kind of feel like helping people but I'm not sure who. There were a chain of slightly unusual events during the crash which all contributed to my survival. If the collision had been just slightly different, I wouldn't be typing this. A nurse who was also driving behind me saw how bad I was & got the air ambulance to come out. The police later told me they had expected to be pulling a corpse out of the wreck...I'm not religous, but it makes you think.

What are your plans for the future?

My ultimate plan is to own a recording studio & produce music for a living, maybe start up my own label one day. I'm looking at getting work or work experience in some decent recording studios before considering starting my own business.

What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?

It's funny. There's the whole GYBO scene which is moving at a phenomenal rate, & then there's the rest of the world which is miles behind. The illegal nature of the bootleg makes it a very underground thing. I'd like to see things branch out into the general public a bit more. Hopefully the future will see more record companies coming round to the bootleg thing & considering official releases. And as technology advances hopefully there'll be the ability to do more stuff live. It's not unfeasible that something that extracts & removes layers (i.e vocals & instuments) from stereo audio in real time could be developed & used in a DJ setup.

Some TiMG boots:

1. Hella Killa (No Doubt vs Prodigy)

2. The Ballad Of J-Lo (Tenacious D vs Jennifer Lopez)

3. Voodoo Problems (Jimi Hendrix vs Jay-Z)

You can also visit TiMG's site here.

Friday, August 13, 2004

Spiny Norman



Just for the record, why the name 'Spiny Norman'?

I’ve been a huge Monty Python fan for most of my life, especially of the animation. And the animation I remember the most is of the gigantic hedgehog that stalks Doug & Dinsdale Piranha - Spiny Norman. I put in on one of my demo CDs & I’ve been using the name ever since.

What are you up to these days?

A little bit of everything. Along with making boots, I’ve also been working on my full-length mix CDs as LeMont Blanc. I’ve also finished a collaboration mix CD with my brother-in-law, who records under the name Briscoe, & I’ve done a little production work for his new mixes as well. My next boot, "Hiero Behaviour" - which is Hieroglyphics "Roll On" vs Bjork’s "Human Behaviour", should be available soon on the Strangely Familiar website.

What music are you currently listening to?

I’ve just about worn out the new Avalanches mix When I Met You. Also, Luke Vibert’s new Kerrier District CD has gotten a lot of playback. Kanye West, Scissor Sisters, Phoenix, Jay-Z, old Pete Rock & CL Smooth, TV On The Radio, & that’s just today.

What, if push comes to shove, is the one album that's your all-time favourite?

Massive Attack's Blue Lines. It absolutely opened my eyes & brought to light a whole new way that music could sound.

Do you still remember what's the first record you ever bought? Where did you buy it?

The first record I ever bought with my own money was Ghost In The Machine by The Police, at a record store called Strawberries in Warwick, RI back in the early 80’s.

Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

When I was young, I always wanted to be Prince. He made catchy songs, & everybody loved him. I’m not sure I’d want to be anyone else right now, but when I get old, I hope that I end up like Louie Austen.

What's it like being a day in the life of Spiny Norman?

Right now, it’s great. I quit my day job so I can go back to college full-time, so I have a lot of free time on my hands.

What is the most bizarre & embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?

The most bizarre & embarrassing thing that ever happen to me happened in Rhodes, Greece in 1999. I was in this little bar across the street from my hotel with some of my friends, getting sloshed, when they asked me if I wanted to play an impromptu set. I agreed to play if they let me out of my bar tab. However, I had been drinking most of the afternoon, & was not at all in condition to play. But I ended up going on anyway. Needless to say, I was horrible. After about 45 minutes, the owner of the bar made me stop, threw my friends & I out of the bar, AND made us pay our tabs. Not the start of a good night.

The last of Spiny Norman:

Last CD you bought (or downloaded) = Suck My Deck by Ivan Smagghe
Last movie you watched that left you speechless = The Passion Of The Christ
Last book or mag you read that was so bad, it's good! =
Confessions of A Dangerous Mind by Chuck Barris. It’s bad ass!
Last concert you watched that gave you wood = Literal wood? No Doubt in ’95. I got to meet Gwen Stefani before the show, & she is hotter in person than on TV.
Last bootleg you heard that was total bollocks = I don’t think that any boot is bollocks. Some are great, some are good, & others are a good effort gone bad for a reason.


In your opinion, what is the ONE bootleg that is considered the greatest of all time?

"Magnificent Romeo". The As Heard On Radio Soulwax... series is what made me want to do boots, & this was the first I had heard.

What is the best bootleg you've ever done?

"Without Eskimos & Egypt" (Rammstein's "Eskimos & Egypt" vs. Eminem's "Without Me"). I recorded it almost a year ago, but almost everyone had used the Eminem acapella. So I kept it tucked away for a while, & waited for everyone to forget about it. I released it to b00mb0x in June, & now it’s being played in Australia by Marty Batfreak & DJ Hickory Dickory Doc on 2MBS-FM.

Will Mash-Ups be the New Pop? Discuss...

I don’t think so. I believe that true pop music is geared for the under-16 individual, whereas mashes & boots appeal more towards the club-going person. Plus we need the pop acapellas to do our jobs.

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

b00mb0x = I’ll forever be in debt to them. Naz & Assorted (the two who started the site) have been so supportive of me, & are a big part of why I’m here.
Oorsmeer = A wonderful site. Only wish it had an English translation.
BBC One World = A little too left-wing for me, but a good place to catch a European view of world events.
BitTorrent = The biggest advance in P2P since Napster. I use it all the time.
The Rolling Stones = The very definition of staying power. If only we all could last that long.
Oral Roberts = Huh huh. You said "Oral".
Cameron Diaz = A great actress, funny as all get-up.
Michael Moore = Don’t get me started...
Bon Jovi = I was not a Bon Jovi fan in the 80’s, but I thought that sampling it on the live version of Orbital’s "Halcyon" was awesome.
Beyonce = Made Jay-Z the most hated man in America.

Which decade do you consider the 'golden era' of music & why?

The 1980’s. New Wave. Hip Hop. Power Ballads. It doesn’t get any better.

What do you remember about the following years:

1985 = I first saw Monty Python in ’85.
1990 = In Living Color, Fear Of A Black Planet.
1996 = First time I was ever on the radio (WERW Syracuse, NY).
2002 = I spent the first 4 months of 2002 off the coast of Pakistan on an aircraft carrier. First heard 2 Many DJ’s album later in ‘02.
2004 = The breakout of Spiny Norman, hopefully.


What's your favourite Saturday night record?

"Full Moon" by Armand Van Helden. I love hip-hop, especially Common, & this song can heat up the dance floor quickly. Best of both worlds.

And your Sunday morning one?

"Provider (Zero 7 Remix)" by N.E.R.D. The combination of the downtempo melody & Pharrell Williams's vocals make this one of the best songs to wind down to.

What's the good thing about living in America?

Regardless of what everyone thinks, & what the media portrays, America is still the land of opportunity.

And the worst?

My fiancée thinks the worst thing about America is New Jersey. But I think the worst thing is seeing all these club nights (Club GYBO, iBoot, West Of Bastard, IBPW), & I can't go to any of them without spending a fortune on a plane flight across the Atlantic.

What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?

I’ve always thought that as long as quality work is being created, it shouldn’t matter if it’s done in a large studio or on a home computer. I don’t think that the means of making a track matters. Only the end product should matter.

You can download Spiny Norman's boots at the b00mb0x site here.

Thursday, August 12, 2004

Solcofn



Just for the record, why the name 'Solcofn'?

Long story short...there was a band (I am sure a few folks have guessed this already) called Soul Coughing that was one of my favorite bands. In 1997, I got their name on my license plate for my car. All that I could get to fit was SOLCOFN. Well, over the years I kept that on there & it just kinda turned into a nickname for me. Sometimes people just call me "sol". Not a terribly exciting story but that's where the name came from.

What are you up to these days?

My friend & I run a website called Jedi Boogie Knights. There are CD reviews & news stories but the main point of the site is to make a place where people can come together & discuss & share live DJ sets. We are working on a rather large DJ Archive right now. I think we have around 100 Gigs of live sets that we hope to someday have them all linked up. Outside of that I am still working on my own original music & boots .

What music are you currently listening to?

Several things but the main ones are:
Monkey Bars - Food Eating Food (They know how to party)
Kenna - New Sacred Cow (Came out a while ago but I think it's brilliant)
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Been one of my favorite bands since 1988 when I got my first record of theirs. This is a kick ass record as well)

What, if push comes to shove, is the one album that changed your life?

I know you asked for one but...when I was in 8th grade, I went to a friend's house for a party & in the span of several hours I heard The Violent Femmes, The Flaming Lips, Faith No More & The Pixies. Hands down that day changed my musical life. There are other bands that blew me away but those...those changed me. All four get the credit, I can't pick just one.

Do you still remember what's the first record you ever bought? Where did you buy it?

Don't laugh to hard...the first 2 albums I ever bought myself (bought the same day) were Mr Mister Welcome To The Real World & Chaka Khan I Feel For You. I was in 4th grade.

What's it like being a day in the life of Solcofn?

A bit drab right now. I work my 9 to 5 as a Warehouse Manager for an electronics company & then when I get home I work on music. I go out to the clubs a few times a month & I try to have fun as much as I can. Hang out with friends & family & just try to get myself that much closer to my goal, which is to get paid for doing music.

What is the most, 1) bizarre & 2) embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?

Bizarre: In 1992, being the only one out of a group of 38 kids & adults on a trip through Russia, to have every bag I had opened & searched by the KGB (I kid you not) due to my father's job (he worked for the government, monitoring nuclear treaties & underground nuclear testing).

Embarrassing: Being so drunk after seeing a stand-up comedian that, once we left the show & were on the subway home, I randomly got off at a stop without my friends (God knows where) & walked around Washington D.C. for a few hours in the middle of the night (down the middle of the street yelling) & then paid about $80 more than I should have for a ride home.....When I got in the cab I grabbed all the money out of my wallet and said, "Will this get me home?"...Yikes!

The last of Solcofn:

Last CD you bought (or downloaded) = Bought Chikinki Lick Your Ticket
Last movie you watched that gave you wood = Spiderman 2 (The comic book geek boy in me loved it)
Last book or mag you read that was awesome =
Remix Magazine, one of the best mags out there!
Last concert you watched that was boring = Don't have one. Why would I watch if it was boring?
Last bootleg you heard that was so bad, it's good! = Can't think of one...if they are that bad, they are usually never good

In your opinion, what is the ONE bootleg that is considered the greatest of all time?

My personal favorite is Calle Hanson's "Blame It On The Crescendolls". Now I know it is not "perfect", but to me, it sums up what a proper boot should be (in time, on key & one hell of a good time)!

Which bootlegger deserves a smack in the mouth & why?

Weiser...just kidding. I don't want to single anyone out but I do feel that some people are taking the whole Weiser thing way too far (& I think they know who they are). Talking as if they are elitists & that they are better than everybody (I am sure some of them were just like him when they started posting). All Weiser ever did was get excited about something he digs...he just happened to post it on a board where most people don't share his enthusiasm. Other than that , nobody has pissed me off...

Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?

"Assasinator 13 Remix" by FakeID. I swear I will never stop talking about that mix. Just gets me ready to party every time I hear it.

Will Mash-Ups be dead by 2006? Discuss...

I feel that as long as the scene is kept away from corporate hands it has a future. Even if it does get commercialized a bit, the true booters will still be doing this no matter what. I have faith. Plus , here in the States, it is not anywhere near as big as in the UK. I give it at least 2 years before someone claims it's dead here (LOL).

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

GYBO = My desire to do music
Slsk = Now a part of life, although for every one thing I download I still buy at least 2 CD's
Woodstock = An amazing time in musical history, I was at the 94 one & it was amazing (not the same but still fun)!
iPod = Don't have one...
The Beatles = Musical alchemists
Billy Graham = Cult member
Elle Macpherson = The single most beautiful woman to ever walk the face of the earth. I have had it bad for her since the late 80's (still smokin' hot today!!!)
George Bush = A good ole boy with way too much power & no clue (I didn't vote for him)
2 Many DJs = Brilliant
Missy Elliott = A woman who knows what she wants & gets it

Which decade do you consider the 'golden era' of music & why?

The 60's...music was at a time when everything was new & the musical horizon was unlimited....now it is hard to find something fresh & original (you can, but it is a lot harder to find).

What do you remember about the following years:

1990 = Still amazed that the wall came down in Berlin in November 89. Hammer time.
1992 = Moving to Washington D.C. in the middle of high school. Nirvana was huge.
1997 = Lots of freaky sex with the girl I was dating. The Chems - Dig Your Own Hole.
2000 = Laughed at all the people who were freaking out about the Y2K bug. The Foggy Bottom Boys.
2004 = Found GYBO & the rest is history.

What's your favourite Saturday night record?

The Chemical Brothers - "Leave Home" (Can always get me in the mood to party)

And your Sunday morning one?

Spiritualized - Ladies & gentleman We Are Floating In Space (Speaks for itself)

What are your plans for the future?

Working on some original music with some fellow GYBO folks & to continue my music. One day, I will be getting paid to do my music & will be playing at Bootie!!! You heard it here first.

Do you still see yourself involved with bootlegs in ten years time?

Yes...but I am sure it will be at a different level to me by then. More experience & better equipment...hopefully getting proper remix work as well!

What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes
would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?


What is "easy"? There are so many things that people think are easy & if you are good at what you do, it may look easy but it usually isn't. You either have talent or you don't. I think that if people are good at it & there is an audience for it, it will thrive. I know the remix scene is going very well right now & I think that as long as people don't sue like crazy over copyrights, boots will thrive as well. There will always be an underground for all music...that is what separates the people who do it because they love it & the folks who just want a cheque. If it is not mainstream then the guy who just wants a cheque is not going to be dragging it down with him.... I hope that made sense...

Some Solcofn boots:

1. Undo The End (Bjork vs Linkin Park)

2. Astounded Saliva (Curtis Mayfield vs RJD2)

3. That's Just The Way Drug Is (Kool Keith vs Prodigy)

You can also visit Solcofn's website here.

Friday, August 06, 2004

Superdan (aka Db)



Just for the record, why the name 'Superdan - Man Of The People'?

Rebranding exercise, been accused of being Stalinist in my modding ways so I've gone one step further & now I'm promoting myself as a fish out of water, a renegade mod fighting against the system & its crazy laws, giving the finger to the law to get the job done.

Or I might have been bored.

What are you up to these days?

Blimey...well I got a few things on the quiet which shall be coming to fruition soon & will hopefully start pushing people & things for the board in good directions... On top of that I'm still trying to ply my trade as a person who plays 'rekkids' one after another (all offers welcome, will play music for chips), & trying to get gigs for a few peeps on the board who will be future stars.

What music are you currently listening to?

At the moment I'm filling the gaps of my musical history by reading The A To X Of Alternative Music & really digging stuff like Country Joe & The Fish, Funkadelic, Pastels, Rapeman... Also got stuff by Cornelius & DJ Yoda always on the pile ready for a listen...

And also going through the classics listening to Paul Simon (Graceland is just f**king class), & Elvis Costello... Most new albums out are s**t at the moment apart from Futureheads & the Concretes.

What, if push comes to shove, is the one album that changed your life?

It's a toss up between Blur's Parklife & Weezer's blue album, they were the albums that made me stop & think about music y'know? That cross over point from listening to caring.

Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

If I was Bowie I would have f**ked it up & he would be a pissant, so no one.

You've been a moderator for GYBO for quite a while now. Any chance of re-tellin the story again on how did this whole "job" come about?

Grant was drunk, Lionel was horny, & Daz got a life, so it was a natural progression to get the next best person in the list who talked bollocks in Off Topic to continue the trend.

What is the most irritating thing about being a GYBO mod?

The dance moves I have to learn.

The last of Superdan:

Last CD you bought (or downloaded) = The King - Gravelands
Last movie you watched that's took your breath away = American Splendor
Last book or mag you read that gave you wood = The A To X Of Alternative Music (Picture of Debbie Harry...grrr! I still would!)
Last concert you watched that bored you to tears = Ryan Adams. The cunt. What did I expect?
Last bootleg you heard that's so bad, you can't seem to get it off your head = My shit memory helps extremely well in this area ;)

What are the elements that make up a good bootleg?

I think there is only one really. That X factor, also known as fun. A lot of the stuff feels like it could have been churned out for the hell of it rather than something like Dizzee with Chas & Dave where its invention. You can't get better than a) the wow factor and b) the urge to fling yerself around or nod furiously. Stuff like that transends pitch & other problems.

In your honest opinion, which bootlegger should consider calling it a day?

No one, no matter how bad they are now, they might make a golden nugget in the future.

Mash-ups: Better than sex. Discuss...

I hear too many of one & don't get enough of the other. I'm greedy & will combine it in the future.

Which bootleg deserves a chance at the charts & why?

All the ones that are good, cos they are usually a good deal better than the floating turds in music charts.

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

Boot106 = Useful
Lionel Vinyl = Legend
T In The Park = Heaven
RIAA = Fatuous
Franz Ferdinand = Catchy
Soul Survivor = Wha?
Angelina Jolie = Helllloooooooooo
XFM Superchunk = Pivotal
Freelance Hellraiser = Outclassed
Kelis = Meh

What's your favourite Saturday night record?

No question. The Doors - "Break On Through".

And your Sunday morning one?

I Am Kloot's "To You"

Life after death - reality or just myth?

Myth.

Any principles of life you live by?

Never shit where you eat.

What are your plans for the future?

To avoid eating & smelling fish, & to beg for someone to gimme a job.

Do you still see yourself being a GYBO mod in ten years time?

Nothing's forever, and I'm amazed I'm still one now.

What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?

It's just another thing that gets done to music, probably end up being a marketing tool. Power to the f**king people I say!

You can find the realm of Superdan here!