Joe Nice is a Dubstep dj since 2002, comes from Baltimore (USA) founded Dub War club night in NY which hosted most of the British Dubstep artist, and ever since he has been playin and touring all around the world. This week you can see him tour in few Balkan countries. SUB managed to do an interview with Joe Nice, just for our readers. Hope you don’t miss out the party of the month, and don’t forget to SHOW ME YOUR BASSFACE!
That is the only thing you should have in mind if you visit the gig that was
made as collaboration between Platform (Bulgaria) and Bass Infusion
(Macedonia). The party is scheduled Saturday 01.03.2014 at the venue Kapan An.
Headliner guest is America’s dubstep Ambasador Joe Nice, Bass Cats and Owlie
from Platform, and Irie Scratch.
SUB: You are about
to embark on a tour, covering mostly Balkan and few other eastern European
countries. Have you ever been in this part of the world and what are your
favorite places that you have visited by now?
- I’ve played in
Sofia, BG several months ago, but all the other countries — NEVER BEEN. I’m
excited and a bit curious to visit these locations. Some of them are places
that I never imagined that I would see….and I’m getting the opportunity to play
my music. Unreal! There are loads of places that I really enjoy….favourite
city, Perth WA, AU. Favorite country, Sweden.
SUB: When was the
point when you realized that you falling for the dubstep sound?
- June 8, 2002.
Starscape Festival in Baltimore. There was a UK Invasion tent and the lineup
was stacked…Zed Bias, Oris Jay, J Da Flex….but Hatcha was the guy that really
got me hooked. Musically, he was on another planet that night. Been 1000% ever
since.
SUB: How did you
earn the title Ambassador of Dubstep music?
- I earned the
title by playing shows around the world for years and years. I was given the
title by Kode 9. We were having chat years ago and we were discussing bass
music, dubstep….life…and we were wondering if the dubstep sound would ever
reach a critical mass in the United States. He then said the following, “Joe,
you’re the first, you’re the ambassador.” The name has been with me ever since.
SUB: You are
working as a DJ for a very long time. At what point in your life you have
realized you want to continue working as a DJ?
- I was working a
“day job” at the time. I was laid-off. Blessing in disguise. I was able to
devote more of my time…and myself, to being a full-time DJ. It’s not the most
lucrative source of employment but there are friendships that I have and places
that I have been fortunate enough to visit that a day job would never have
afforded me. Not everything is about chasing a dollar. I have been able to
chase a dream and I don’t take that for granted.
SUB: What type of
sound / genre are you into now?
- Dubstep. Pure
dubstep. 140 beats per minute. That’s it. The roots.
SUB: As I can see
from the research that I’ve done. You are a real true dubstep warrior and a
preacher. You are truly defending the essence and the source sound that
describes Dubstep. Have you ever been
amazed from sub-genre sounds that dubstep has evolved into. Meaning do you like
filth, trap, edm, juke, and footwork.
- Thanks for the
kind words. Preacher? Whoa! That’s a lot! I love that dubstep has its pieces
yet can be anything you want it to be. The evolution and migration of the sound
is gorgeous. It really is. The creativity of some producers and what they deem
to be music is astonishing…and we are all better because of it.
SUB: At one point
people in US discovered dubstep through a few artists who managed to confuse
people saying it’s all a part of EDM music. However at that point dubstep as an
underground sound went worldwide, and everyone seems to be in it. How did you manage
through that time as a dubstep solider. Was it rough?
- Rough? Not
really. It wasn’t easy….then again, anything worth having shouldn’t be easy,
should it? Plus, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. In my opinion,
dubstep was never meant to be “mainstream” or EDM mainstream. It was always
meant to be underground music. After a while, people figured out that the
“other dubstep” wasn’t real dubstep.
SUB: Please tell us
your point of view on the many styles that submerged out of that rough mainstream
period for dubstep. As it was destructive it produced a few new sounds – trap,
Juke , footwork, bringing back that acid and old school sound. Combining into
techno, house, drum and bass, uk funky, garage and ending up into one term Bass
music. Do you like the progress that it made, creating so much new artists,
from different types of genres, and still carrying that synthetic signature
from dubstep?
- I do. I’m
learning about other genres of music from the creation of these new sub-genres
that were born from dubstep. When I was growing up, I listened to soulful house
and Baltimore Club. I wasn’t exposed to acid, techno, jungle or drum &
bass. I have no frame of reference for those genres…and not learning about
those sounds when I was younger has greatly influenced the dubstep I enjoy
playing and how I play it. It’s 2014 and For example, I will hear a dubstep
tune that sounds like techno and I’m forced to learn about techno from 20 years
ago. Being a DJ, you’re a de-facto historian and naturally, that history is
limited to your influences. Our likes, wants and needs evolve and what we learn
also evolves to suit each of us as individuals. We are constantly
learning…myself included. That’s a good thing.
SUB: What is the
next change into dubstep sound?
- I have no idea. I
wish I knew!
SUB: As a Dj you are constantly moving, what do you love in all those travels?
- I do enjoy going
to new places, meeting new people, breathing different air, eating different
food and experiencing new culture. I don’t always enjoy the physical act of
traveling. Long flights, layovers, buses, trains…after a while that does get a
bit tiresome, but I am not complaining AT ALL. I can’t get beamed to the
locations, like Star Trek, so — I have to travel…and that’s fine!
SUB: Since dub is
the universal and spiritual quest into self-knowledge. I myself feel a lack of
dubish space old skool amen breaks type of sound, out there. Do you think we
need more dub style / dubstep producers, and more experimenting into that
genre?
- That’s the beauty
of dubstep. Someone is always introducing a new element into the genre we call
“dubstep”. I don’t believe anyone can ever say we need more of “this type of
producer” or “this type”. When we get it, the time is right.
SUB: Who are your
favorite producers, and what new comers should we watch for?
- My top 5. Mala,
GothTrad, Coki, Gantz and Grenier (even though he’s not making dubstep
anymore). Newcomers: Epoch, Turner,
Subtlemind, Dubbacle, Piezo, Arkwright, Konvex….they’re coming. Watch!
SUB: What is your
view on the question: are the drugs influencing the music evolution in the past
20 years?
- I think
creativity is influencing the music evolution. I believe some genres have
devolved, like rap/hip-hop. Some of it is drugs. Some of it is money. Since you
mentioned 20 years, we will examine 1994. We are also 8 weeks into 1994, so we
will include 1993. HipHop c.1993/1994 is light years ahead of hip-hop
c.2013/2014. If you had to name the best MC in the genre right now, who would
it be? Whomever that MC is, are they better than QTip, Nas, Biggie, Outkast or
Wu-Tang Clan? In the cases of the last 4 artists I mentioned, their debut
albums were released in 1993 (Biggie, WuTang) or 1994 (Nas, Outkast).
Sub: Where was you
all time memory gig, and why?
- Great question.
There are two gigs that really stand out for me. The first one: The DMZ
all-nighter, 1st birthday, March 2006. I opened the night from 10p - 12a. I
remember getting to the venue at 9pm and there was already 30 people outside
waiting to enter. I entered the venue (3rd Base) and the BBC were interviewing
for the dubstep documentary. I answered a few questions, they took some photos
and shortly afterwards, I helped setup. 945p, doors open. 10pm, I'm mixing. By
1030p, there were 100 people in the room....the room holds 500 people. 1100pm,
the room is 1/2 full. By 1130pm, the room is packed.
1145pm, Mala taps
me on the shoulder and says, "Joe, keep playing....we've got to move the
party upstairs!"
I replied,
Ök....what's going on?"
His answer,
"There's a queue of 500 more people waiting to get in. It's around the
building! Youngsta is getting ready upstairs -- in the big room. We've moving
the party to Mass!"
I played for
another 20 minutes or so and the entire party moved upstairs.
I couldn't believe
it. That night changed the course of dubstep. Dubstep went from
"second-room" sound to small event with 250 people to a full-on
dubstep rave. Critical mass (no pun intended) and no one (and I mean NO ONE)
saw this coming. After my set, I sat on a bench and just reflected about what
just occurred.....and one of those "what just happened" moments.
Great memories...8 years later, people still ask me about that night and
willingly share their memories from that event with me. Proud to have been
there....
The
second gig - Dour Festival in July 2007. I just remember being in that tent and
there were close to 10000 people. The lineup (in this order): Grimelock,
Skream, Wiley, then me. I’m closing the tent….wow! I’m drinking a Red Bull and
I’m thinking, “HOW DID I GET HERE?” I remember playing my set, having a few
more drinks, getting into the van, returning to the hotel and not being able to
sleep. Part of that was Red Bull, most of that was euphoria. That rush is
addicting.
Sub: what is your
all time definition for dubstep music?
- Bass, pace and
space. That’s it. That’s the list.
by D.S. 4 Skopje Urban Beats
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