Dunproofin'
Just for the record, what's the story behind the name 'Dunproofin''?Blame LV15...I got a pretty savage but deserved mauling over a track which I let it get to me. At that point I had been (the pretty awfully named) Andy Soundproof for some time after a club night I used to DJ at...decided that it would be a good idea to change my name since I was also changing the kind of stuff I was DJing. LV15 was the straw that broke the back, so "Soundproof" was "Dun" from that day onwards...it's also an especially poor play on a Scottish tradition for house naming.
What are you up to these days?Juggling three areas of my life - a hobby, a vocation & a job (the family, the 9-5 & the music: I'll let the readers decided which description matches which activity).
Musically - there's quite a lot going on. The website's now up & running again (thanks Richie) at it's new address. I'm very excited about the next International Bastard in November, the new Bastard 3x Vinyl LP & especially excited about a BBC2 (Brighton) gig in December. Actually, bricking it is probably a better description.
What music are you currently raving to?OK, tunes for this weekend include Rennie Pilgrem's
Pilgremage, Freeform Five's
Strange Things, Yellow Magic Orchestra's
YMO Go Home! & Killing Joke's
Killing Joke, &, erm, William Shatner's
Has Been.
What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album?Tuff question...today I'll take 808 State's
90 with me on the Desert Island.
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?Bjork. Does what she wants & doesn't give 2 shits about anyone else. Just so happens she's f**king amazing also, which helps.
Can you recall the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you?Embarrassing: Probably a photo or something getting dragged out by family.
Bizarre: Nearly running over Billy Connoly at Aberdeen Airport.
The First of Dunproofin':First record you ever bought = Raiders Of The Pop Charts (buy one, get one free)
First movie you watched that gave you wood = Can't remember. Anything with Winona, the love of my life, is always worth watching though.
First book or mag you read that made you go "Mmmm..." = Down & Out In Paris & London
First concert you went to that changed your life = Optimo, T-In The Park, 2003. That's a smart trick with microphones they pulled off. I never thought I would sing along to Technotronic.
First mash-up you heard that made you wanna be a 'legger = GHP's "Making Plans For Vinyl" revitalised my interest significantly. I'm guessing
probably Mixmachine's version of "Waiting For Tonight" / "Heart Of Asia" got me started though.
In your opinion, what is the most irritating thing about GYBO?Heh, probably me. Too many posts with not enough music on the main board.
Which GYBO-er deserves the greatest applause?I was thinking about this hard - people on GYBO have got a fairly good idea who I dig, & I don't want to be the Greek panel nominating the Cypriots, but I don't think xStarbellyx & Empire State Human get enough props.
Describe your ultimate bootleg fantasy involving Cathy Dennis, Cropstar, Lindsay Lohan & Deep Disco Force. Humour us please...Cropstar is a man behind the scene's - he sets things up. Cathy's acting out her greatest hit. Lindsay's floating around. Then Deep Scholong Force turns up...& I wake up.
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...Anton LaVey = Well researched questions
Nicole Kidman = Skinnymalink
Dee Dee Ramone = Gabba Gabba Hey
Vaseline = When you're stuck like glue
Weiser = Misunderstood
Soundforge = Unknown quantity
Dave Grohl = The devil
Always Outsiders Never Outdone = Clique?
Lucifer = Scream's Finest
Kylie = Your disco needs you
Which decade do you consider its music the most jaded?90's: this was my decade essentially. You can never go back on your past.
What do you remember about the following years:1978 = Greek Holidays & Skylab?
1983 = Frankie Says...
1996 = Mrs Dunproofin' created
1999 = Dunproofin' Jnr mrk 1 arrives
2002 = Dunproofin' Jnr mrk 2 arrivesWhat's your favourite Saturday night record?Currently ZZ Top's
Eliminator album
And your Sunday morning one?KLF -
Chill OutWhat's the greatest joy & the biggest pain about being Dunproofin'?The greatest joy: Being able to spout shite in my spare time & at work.
The biggest pain: Having to work double hard to make up for the time I'm being Dunproofin'.
Any principles of life you live by?Presumption is the mother of all f**k ups. It's better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven't done...
What are your plans for the future?More gigs - really missing playing out on a regular basis. I said I'd give music one more year unless something happened in 2004. I guess enough's happened to give it another year.
Do you still see yourself churning out bootlegs in ten years time?I hope not! I'll hopefully be an old man & listening to too much of that 90's shite (yeh - I know that's now also).
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?Being a home musician is great. Being a good musician is different. I don't think for the forseeable future much will change.
*Exclusive* Dunproofin' boot:
Get Over (GYBO Not GYRO Mix) (Sophie Ellis Baxter vs The Rapture + other ditties) [OFFLINE]
You can also check out his new website
here.
Essexboy
Just for the record, why 'Essexboy'?Before I had my own internet access, I sometimes used to use a friends PC, & we visited a particular chatroom for a laugh when we were bored. There was already a "Grant" known to the people there so the Essexboy tag was chosen at random. By the time I got my own PC / email address etc everyone knew me as "Essex" so it just made sense to continue with it. Of course it was meant to be ironic...I've never been out with anyone called Sharon or Tracy, nor have I owned a car filled with furry dice, emblazoned with go faster stripes...
What are you up to these days?I have just reached the 1st year anniversary for my net radio show on
www.radio-freedom.com. It goes out every Tuesday night at 10pm U.K. time for an hour. It's an eclectic mixture of anything & everything that I've been listening to each week...sometimes I'll play mostly bootlegs, sometimes none at all...but usually it's a 50-50 mixture & the listeners chat room conversation is always fun.
I'm also currently preparing a set for Uprising 3.5 which will be the first time I've played stuff in public since doing the disco for my sister's birthday party about 20 years ago.
What music are you currently gyrating to?I'm never really one for keeping up with the latest fads...just had a friend over to visit from the states that I hadn't seen for 18 months so spent the last week or so playing some boots & recent bands that he's been blissfully unaware of. He hadn't even heard of The Darkness, which was amusing at first but then made me realise just how much we take stuff for granted. It's not like my mate moved to the middle of nowhere...but for what he's missed he might as well be living on Mars.
Which album, in your opinion, is the best to make out to?Never really understood all that to be honest...if it's looking likely that I'm about to see some naked body parts, then I have more urgent things to worry about than cleaning the fluff off my stylus...
When was the last time you bought a record that was shite? Where did you buy it?I'd have to say The Darkness album, as it's one of only two albums that I've actually "bought" in the past 2 years (from my local HMV.) The band is great, but having paid for the disc only to discover it wouldn't play due to that copy-protection rubbish did little to convince me to bother putting money into record company pockets again.
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?Geri Halliwell. I'd sit back & relax with my fortune, playing with my puppies all day long.
Can you recall the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you?Embarrassing: Many years ago, whilst still living with my parents, my girlfriend at the time & I were waiting to go out for the evening. As we had the house to ourselves, we had a quickie on the living room floor which finished rather hurriedly as our friends arrived to collect us. It wasn't until we were about 20 miles away that we realised neither of us had cleaned up the carpet. Mates refused to drive us straight back again....arrived home several hours later to discover my mum doing the ironing right above the scene of the crime with a face like thunder...
Bizarre: Probably having a beer with Lucio Fulci & David Warbeck in Hampstead.
The First of Essexboy:First album you ever bought = Bit of a late starter as far as buying music goes...used to just tape everything off the radio as all my pocket money went on books. Probably Kings Of The Wild Frontier by Adam & The Ants.
First movie you watched that sent you tripping = Dario Argento's Suspiria.
First book or mag you read that gave you a "stiffy" = Jaws or maybe it was the pile of jazz mags that me & my mates found after school that someone had kindly abandoned in a nearby farmer's field.
First concert you went to with other intentions, other than listening to the music = Not quite sure I understand this one...but I suppose there are several that could fit that description vaguely - lowlight would be Bros at Wembley stadium (was only there to supervise my younger sister)...highlights would probably be Natalie Imbruglia - admittedly I only took any notice in the first place as she's gorgeous...but in actual fact she was very good live & also Cathy Dennis at the Dominion Theatre in '91 - not the strongest live perfomer I've seen but I was VERY obsessed with her at the time.
First mash-up you heard that made you wanna be a 'legger = Although I'd been buying mash-ups on vinyl for a while & had also downloaded some great boots via Boom Selection etc, it probably wasn't until the infamous "Without Me" challenge that I actually started to seriously think about wanting to have a go too. Ironically, I've yet to do an Eminem track myself - but that's not to say I wouldn't...
Which bootlegger at GYBO should call it a day?I don't think there's any need for anybody to call it a day - certainly it gets a bit disheartening to repeatedly download tracks that are awful...out of time & off key...only to see those responsible ignore advice given & continue to churn out more of the same. But aside from that, the potential for everyone to improve is always there. There's always someone willing to offer feedback & help out on the boards... Make the most of it I say.
On the other hand, which bootlegger deserves the greatest applause?There are a few who've kept my interest from day one...they all know who they are. I think it's a shame that we don't see more of an "on board" presence from certain parties any longer. I admire them for sticking to their principles...that their talent is lost to the masses however, is criminal IMO.
What is the sexiest boot you've ever heard?Probably GHP's "Temptation Of The Blues" or "Sexual High"...
Describe your ultimate bootleg fantasy involving Britney Spears, Ashlee Simpson, Johnny Weiser & cry.on.my.console. Humour us please... Ashlee Simpson is being interviewed on MTV MASH. It's about as stimulating as a Weiser boot. Suddenly cry.on.my.console. bursts into the studio & exterminates Ashlee with his ray gun...at which point Britney Spears knocks on my front door & begs to be chained up in my attic & tickled with a feather duster whilst Ultra 396's "Toxic" Remix is blasting out from the hi-fi at full volume. It doesn't get any better than that...right?
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...Eddy Temple = Nice guy, Eddy.
Charlize Theron = Minger.
Bastard = I still haven't had any luck finding the spandex yet Mike, sorry...
Yoko = Oh no! Although the Barenaked Ladies song was good.
DJ Zebra = ...won't trick me into listening to 4 hours of French radio again anytime soon.
Vagisil = Good for Buffalo Gals.
Being Nobodies = Served it's purpose.
The Thrills = Prefer The Stills...
Shadrach = A film I've never seen, a band I've never heard.
Bit Torrent = Best thing since sliced bread.
Which decade do you consider its music the sexiest & why?The '80's. Top of the pops & puberty.
What do you remember about the following years:1979 = PiL performing "Death Disco" on TOTP.
1984 = The Smiths album.
1995 = Meeting Joe D'Amato.
1997 = Quit work to become a house husband.
2003 = Would rather forget much of it.
What's your favourite Saturday night record?The Smiths - "How Soon Is Now?"
And your Sunday morning one?Norah Jones -
Come Away With Me (the album)
What's the greatest joy & the biggest pain about being Essexboy?The friendships I've made...sharing a passion for something with like-minded people. I wish I'd picked a different name though.
Do you still see yourself hanging around GYBO in ten years time?None of the places I used to frequent a few years ago online exist anymore...so who knows? I'd like to think that some of the friendships I've made through the board will last much longer than a decade from now anyway.
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?Being a home musician & creating bootlegs / mashups are not to my mind the same thing. I may have the software to create bootleg mixes but I'm certainly not a musician. In general I imagine bootlegs will continue to be created regardless of that fact...hopefully there will still be that tiny percentage with the essential smile factor to keep everyone interested.
Lastly, what do you wanna be least remembered for?Probably my forthcoming set at Uprising...
Some Essexboy's boots:1.
Somebody Else's Beastie [OFFLINE]
2.
Nothing To Prove In The City [OFFLINE]
3.
Slow Homes [OFFLINE]
James Hyman
Just for the record, is 'James Hyman' your real name?Sure is, why shouldn't it be?!! Don't confuse me with other James Hyman's out there - eg. the UK art dealer, the US therapist offering 'Deep Emotional Release', the nephew of Charles Robert Jenkins, a US army sergeant who lived in North Korea undiscovered for nearly 40 years...
What are you up to these days?Two weekly XFM 'Rinse' radio shows & various film / tv / ad work. See www.jameshyman.com for more info.
What music are you currently grooving to?So much good stuff out there, everything from Super Discount
2 album,
Dead Man's Shoes soundtrack, Mylo, Ewan Pearson's production on Closer Musik's "One, Two, Three", mind-blowing new Nas single "Bridging The Gap", Beans "You're Dead, Let's Disco" (off his new
Shock City Maverick album). Keep checking my playlists on www.xfm.co.uk/rinse.
Which album, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite?Unfair to single out one but Beatles or DJ Shadow would be strong contenders.
When was the last time you actually bought a record that was shite? Where did you buy it?Can't remember. I think those days have gone as I tend to listen to stuff before buying. I certainly get sent a lot of shite but that's the fun, sifting thru & pulling out the gems.
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?I wouldn't want to be anyone else but aspire to many.
What are the pros & cons being James Hyman?Pros: Doing what I want to do. Dashes of OCD & ADD!!
Cons: Perfectionism, dashes of OCD & ADD!!!
Can you recall the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you?Embarassing: Damn, I honestly can't recall any at the moment.
Bizarre: Most of my life!!!
The First of James Hyman:First album you ever bought = Probably Queen's Night At The Opera.
First movie you watched that gave you severe wood = By wood, I'm presuming you mean "a hard on"? If so, a John Holmes movie where he played "Ralph" the gardener!
First book or mag you read that was scary = Stephen King's The Shining & some Penguin pocket book of stories with tales about Borley Rectory & Jeff the Otter; terrifying!!!
First concert you went to that changed your life = DMC World Mixing Championships.
First mash-up you heard that rocked your world = The one I produced with Gez Dewar for MTV's Megamixes back in '98, Fatboy Slim "Rockafeller Skank" & Eminem's "My Name Is"; the first video bootleg I reckon.
What is the one thing that attracted you to bootleg culture?It's creativity, cheekyness & surrealism.
On the other hand, what do you think are severely lacking in bootlegs these days?Nothing really lacking, just the ratio of good over bad is too low.
Any mash-ups you wished you've done but didn't?Freelance Hellraiser's "A Stroke Of Genie-us" or Soulwax's "Smells Like Teen Booty". Classics!!!
So have your social life improved, since the news is out on of how "blessed" you're "down under"?That article's so old! I've reaped the rewards of being "blessed down under" for too long!!!
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...Osymyso = Intro-Spection
Boom Selection = When it was growing parallel to XFM's Remix show with Eddy Temple-Morris & me. It f**king ruled & it still does, though dust has settled on much of the 'Bootleg / Mash-Ups' scene.
Gondry = Visual genius. Check his Director's DVD for clear proof.
Mark Vidler = Solid leader in the mash-up arena: "Jacko Under Pressure", "David X", "Ray Of Gob" etc. Class.
Dizzee = Rudebwoy running tings & I'm happy to see him doing so well
Gwyneth Paltrow = Doesn't excite me half as much as the others on this list.
Simone Angel = Reminds me of the phenomenal MTV era where we both achieved a lot in broadcasting everything & everyone in 'dance' & 'club culture' from 1988-2000. Jesus Christ = He suffered.
London Booted = Yes mate!
Which decade do you consider the 'golden era' of music?40's - present day, though I would have slight bias to the 80's.
What do you remember about the following years:1974 = Not much.
1983 = Becoming a man, Colecovision, The Man Who Fell To Earth, Harold Lloyd.
1988 = Acid House era - some of the most exciting times of my life ever - joining MTV, producing shows for them still in my teens!!!
1997 = Like '88 - very exciting, bit more chaotic & emotional.
2001 = Arthur C Clarke & a new dawn.What's the most ridiculous rumour you've heard being said about you?Several but gossip-mongering is not where I want to be.
Describe the average day in the life of James Hyman.Get up, get dressed, listen to music, e-mail, meetings, eat, hang out in Record & Tape Exchange, meetings, Yo! Sushi, DJ or maybe a swim.
You've been a producer, video director, DJ. So what else is there left that you wanna (but haven't) do in the music industry?Plenty, let me achieve these things & then I'll tell you about them.
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 the future is a Darwinist 'survival of the fittest'. Anyone can do them now so the ante is upped. New unique selling points are needed eg. visuals, more elements, cleverer production. Mash-ups are an art form, certainly not a new one, look back & read up:
1963: A dude called Nam June Paik
1984: Video directors Godley & Creme making a mash-up video remix for Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Two Tribes".
1985: Paul Hardcastle's "19", a mash-up that got to No.1 & who Simon Fuller (Spice Girls) named his '19' company after!! Steinki's "The Motorcade Sped On" - a JFK assassination cut-up.
1987: M.A.R.R.S. - original bad boys & again No.1 for a serious mash-up!!!
Not forgetting Emergency Broadcast Network, Lucky People Center - google them & learn your history!!!
Download the classic James Hyman boot:Fat Boy Shady (Fatboy Slim vs Eminem) [OFFLINE]
You can visit James Hyman website
here.
