Terve. March is usually a long month, so here we are with a
new podcast and a new guest. He comes from Belgrade (Serbia) and during day he
is a software engineer but when night closes, he transforms in a producer and
DJ. Beside white label (bootlegs) he released tracks for W10 Records and Mag
Media. First track was collaboration with Philly
Pee “Never Gonna Let You Go", did a bootleg remix of 2Pac's classic
"Do 4 Love" and my personal favorite Skabo – Porodica (Side1 remix). Played
at EXIT festival for several years and those tunes brought him support from BBC
Radio1, 1Xtra, LTJ Bukem, Fabio, Makoto and other well-known names. His DJ sets
are mostly soulful and funky while his
production has large influence of 60’s/70's soul, jazz, funk to 90's
hip-hop... You can catch him this month 23.03.2013 at Kapan An – Skopje. S.U.B. Podcast #13 a cool cat
named Side1.
1. How‘s life?
Going pretty good. As life goes
on, it gets harder to catch up with music and dedicate time to it. But…where
there’s a will there’s a way.
2. Tell us about your first
contact with drum and bass music, and what was the turning point for you to
become a DJ and later on a producer?
One of the first dnb/jungle
tracks that draw my attention as a teenager was “Incredible” by MBeat. As I was
completely into hiphop and breakbeat/bigbeat then, this was a perfect match –
fast breakbeat with MC on top of it. After that, my friend who lived in the
same building, gave me some mixtape cassettes with early jungle stuff and track
that I rewound back a billion times was Atlantis by Bukem. I found that out
that years after. My first intentional dive into dnb was LTJ Bukem’s
“Progression Session” series which took me completely to drum&bass
ride.
3. Working as a software engineer,
is it hard to manage between day job and producing or playing music, how’s it
going for you?
It’s not easy. While we’re
getting older our priorities change but we must find some time to do things we
love. I’m passionate about both things and always have a lot of ideas but not
enough time for both so it’s a constant struggle.
4. Listening to your tracks, and reading the info we can say
that you draw your muse from the experience while listening to music as funk,
soul and hip-hop. Who were the musicians that inspired you through life, and can
you tell me how you came up with such perfect sound and ideas to sample certain
track.
Huh…A lot of influences…Dr.Dre, Ice Cube, Warren G, Jazzy
Jeff & Fresh Prince, 2Pac, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Gangstarr, A Tribe
Called Quest, , The Pharcyde, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch,
Outkast…Also acid jazz, Bristol sound and triphop generally - Massive Attack, Portishead,
Tricky, ColdCut, Incognito, UFO, Thievery Corporation… When it comes to
drum&bass it’s LTJ Bukem & Conrad, Roni Size, Calibre, Marky, Makoto…
Concerning influences for my tracks, it’s mostly nostalgic & melancholic or
soulful, funky vibes and happiness.
5. What software and hardware do you use for producing
music?
Acid Pro was my first DAW I had contact with and it still
remains my top choice. Tried to go with Cubase but due to lack of time, I
didn’t have enough time and reasons to switch. In my opinion, it’s much more
important to know how to get best out of software you’re working with than to have
the best software ever and don’t know how to use its potential. Concerning
hardware, it’s really nothing special. Audiophile 2496, old Yamaha keytar with
midi out and dad’s old hifi speakers. I’m planning to update hardware section
really soon but, as I said, it’s all about knowing to work with what you have
and how to get the best out of it.
6. By now you have releases on W10 Records and Mag Media. Do
you have any upcoming releases?
“Move Me”, collabo with DJ Deal, should be released on vinyl
for Occulti Records, fresh Russian label. Due to lack of time, I have more
“almost finished” tunes than those who are ready for releasing so there’s not
much going on at the moment.
7. Is it difficult to be recognized and signed by labels?
Good product always finds a way to an audience but you also
have to give your best shot. If you want to be there, on top, you must give
your best every time and be really dedicated to whole thing. If you want to be
worldknown, you must make tunes constantly, be present. Today, in Internet era,
it’s a lot easier to get in touch with labels and DJs so that isn’t an obstacle
any more. I started this because I love music and want to express myself. If it
gets released – cool, if not – doesn’t matter. Music is unconditional love and
I hardly ever make compromises with it. If I don’t feel something, I won’t play
it or make it just because it is popular at the moment.
8. You also work as a promoter by doing gigs and guest
nights in Belgrade.
Tell us about that feeling, is it hard to promote drum and bass and other music
styles in Serbia?
It’s a constant struggle. Drum&bass is not as big as it
was ~10 years ago so it’s a risk to go for big names but it’s ok, we’re still
there doing our thing. Last 7 years I’ve been making All That Bass parties with
Rahmanee, Necone and MC Rasheed and when I look back, it really makes me happy
to know what bookings we have done and how much we’ve put ourselves into it.
Everytime we did some booking, we tried to give people something different,
something which they can’t hear everyday. For example, having Danny Byrd back
in 2008. in a club for 150-200 people... J
9. Where was your favorite gig held at?
Can’t choose one but couple of them always come up on my mind
and Skopje is one of those. First time in Macedonia with Necone, That was
amazing! We still talk about that one! Also, last night of EXIT Festival at
Converse Stage with Lemon and Ahmaad was sick and definitely my first really
big party with Marky and Stamina back in 2006. There’s a bunch of them more but
those came to my mind at the moment.
10. Just two days after the official spring day, you have a
gig in Skopje
(23.03.2013 –Kapan An). Do you have anything to add to your fans in Skopje?
It’s always a pleasure to come to Skopje, a lot of sincere,
dear people I know and share the same vibe and passion with. It was couple of
years ago when I was last time so we’ll have to make up for that!
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