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]
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