Churchill
Just for the record, why the name 'Churchill'?
I started using the name on various forums, & just started using it on GYBO as well. It came from a role-playing internet game, where you had to write football-related stories that affected your teams results. I was managing a German side. One week I had a particularly challenging match against my nearest rival, who was managing a London team. I chose to do a "London is about to be blitzed" posting & re-wrote a speech of Churchill, "We will fight them on the beaches" became "we will fight them on the pitches" etc. I got called an "honorary German" in retaliation, & so I chose "Andreas" as my first name.
What are you up to these days?
Well, I'm coming to the end of a Uni course, so I'm about to start doing things again, semi-musically. I finally got round to doing a remix, so maybe a few more will be on the cards soon. Maybe a few fun mash-ups as well, as I've got a few appearances in Bristol & London coming up. More details about them on my website.
What music are you currently listening to?
I've always had quite a range in my CD collection. I've currently got Razorlight, Jamelia, Franz Ferdinand, Scissor Sisters & Britney Spears on rotation, along with a few electro tunes, & some chart music like Annie & Natasha Bedingfield.
What, if push comes to shove, is the album that changed your life?
I can't say anything really changed my life, but it would probably be something like Blur - The Great Escape. I think it was at that point that I stopped pretending I liked rave & drum n' bass, & started liking "real" music again. I think I'd been rebeling against being brought up
listening to Uriah Heap, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Beach Boys, Wout Steinhous, Del Shannon, et al. How silly I was.
When was the last time you bought a record that was shite? Where did you buy it?
I don't know where I bought it, but it'd be some really dodgy dance compilation from around 1995 maybe like this one I think:
Every album I've bought since then I'd still listen to today.
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?
I can't say I've ever thought about it before, but I'd say it has to be something I'm not. An extrovert, confident, & it'd probably have to be somebody who is a singer, but not necessarily one thought of as any good. So maybe somebody like Robbie Williams?
What's the pros & cons of being Churchill?
The pro is not having to worry about trying to impress anyone. The con is being asked if I can do cheap car insurance all the time!
What is the most disgusting thing that has ever happened to you?
I'm a pretty sure the most disgusting thing to happen to me has happened at the Bastard nights in London, & I'm pretty sure that I don't want to keep having them brought up, so I think I'll stay very quiet about them.
The First of Churchill:
First vinyl you ever bought = Comic Relief - "Stonk Song"...I think!
First movie you watched that gave you wood = Hmmm...Mermaids. Possibly. I had a thing for Cher when I was 10 years old. Although maybe I should keep that quiet & say it was because of Winona Ryder. Yes, that's the reason. Honest!
First book or mag you read that scared the hell outta you = Some weird Readers Digest book about myths & legends around the UK. About devil's footprints, & other odd stories. I think I was about 10 when I read it so that's probably why it scared me. Also finding out how old Cher actually was, at that time, was also rather scary.
First concert you watched that made you wanna do music = I can't say I've yet been to a concert where I wanted to DO music. Although the Common Ground festival this year made me kinda have a warm feeling about doing something on a stage, in front of so many people.
First mash-up you ever heard = I'd probably heard others in the past, on MTV minimixes & at clubs etc, but the one that I really took notice of was Kurtis Rush's "George Gets His Freak On". It was the first time I bothered to go on the net & find out more about the track. It started the trail that led to Boom Selection & then GYBO.
In your opinion, which bootlegger is still considered the best (for now, that is!)?
Difficult question. For simple but effective A vs B, Lionel Vinyl rules. For production value, GHP. For remixes, McSleazy, & for the glitch works, I'm a fan of cry.on.my.console. So the best bootlegger for me would be a hybrid of those four. I shall call my creation "Josmarliogra"!
On the other hand, which bootlegger deserves a smack in the mouth?
I'll say myself. Because for many I don't appear to have a purpose on GYBO. I occasionally come along & wind a few people up, have arguments with the same people over & over, & yet most people on there now have no idea who I am! I'm just a weirdo who gets involved in a few unsavory acts at a London bootleg night! I've gone past resting on my laurels, so it's probably time for me to start posting tunes on the board again. Maybe I've got time to convince a few people to put me in their top 10 list on that poll that somebody set up on the board!
What is the best boot you've ever done?
For many it seems that it's only good if it's dancey, so "Foolish Sonnet" (The Verve vs Ashanti) often seems to get overlooked, but I'd say it's my best one.
Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?
My Gloria Estefan drum n' bass bootleg. I've never got round to doing it! I should have another go some day.
If Michael Jackson commisioned you to do a boot to help get his credibilty back, what will your terms be? Humour us please...
I'd accept the job, as long as I could have a look around Neverland. Then I'd make up some story about him, & threaten legal action. I think the judge would go through out the case though as I'm probably too old for the story to be believable.
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...
Richie Deluxe = Lazy git. Where's CDX2? He should spend less time on his bootlegs & more time coding!
Elephant Six = Is that a mistake?
Germany = 1 England 5
Marshall = Court Marshall?
Oorsmeer = The best blog in the world.
West Of Bastard = Can't wait to go back (soon)!
Sonicflood = Never heard of them, & having googled, & seen what they do, I think I'm glad...
Jerusalem = Bring Me My Chariot of Fire!
Cartel Mike = I'm so sorry for bringing Starsky The Hutch to your bootleg nights...
Danni Minogue = Pleasant on the eye.
What's your favourite Saturday night record?
That undoubted classic, the one I'd probably hear every saturday night down the local, if I went out much, Spandau Ballet - "Gold".
And your Sunday morning one?
Coldplay - "See You Soon"
What do you remember about the following years:
1983 = Nothing, not even my 3rd birthday.
1989 = Anfield. Last minute. Michael Thomas. "It's up for grabs now!"
1994 = Copenhagen. Against all the odds. Smudger Smith volleying in a tremendous goal to beat Parma 1-0.
1997 = I got my first ever job. Part time, working in an International Students House. But even gorgeous foreign students could look a bit rough at breakfast!
1999 = Dennis Bergkamp missing a penalty, Ryan Giggs tearing us apart, The Scum having one very lucky season.
Do you still see yourself involved with bootlegs in ten years time?
To some extent, yes. Now that the technology is here, I'm bound to hear a tune in the future & think of an ideal mash, & do it out of curiosity. Whether there'll be any board to post it on, or any interest to hear it by anyone else is another matter!
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 we've gone as far as we can in creating a new novel mashup, but it IS still a good learning tool. You can learn the technical skills at home so perhaps that means that there's less reason to need to get work experience in a studio, cleaning floors & making tea, when you can learn at home. Although it would still help teach some people the virtue of patience. I definitely think that home musicians are going to get stronger & stronger. The strength of Internet & technology in general will help them. Learning new techniques, making tunes & getting them to the people who matter is becoming easier & easier. I think anyone who wants it hard enough, has that bit of luck, & in some cases have the talent, can do it. Most of the time though, a bit of luck is all you need. I foresee a lot of bedroom one hit wonders getting into the charts in future!
You can go to Churchill's forum site here, or visit his site & download his boots here.
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