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The U.S. electronic music scene gave birth to electronic dance music, but the U.K. scene has overshadowed it for a long, long time. What do you think has kept electronic music from taking hold in America in the way that it has everywhere else in the world? Do you see this situation changing any time soon? What would it take to push electronic music to the forefront of American popular music?
The British seem to be much more open-minded about electronic music in general. America has a history deep in the basic guitar-bass-drum kit sound, and it is hard to turn people away from that. I would like to think that, due to the overwhelming acceptance of hip-hop and R&B in the last decade in the States, electronic music will eventually have its day to shine. It is just one slow step after the other. Though I hate to say it, the scene needs more crossover acts that will draw the average Joe from pop radio and hopefully, down the road, convert them into electronic music audiophiles. Most people need some sort of doorway or "portal" to get them into a different kind of music. It is hard to get someone who listens to Britney Spears all the time into the sounds of Ed Rush and Optical from the start. They might first get into something like Breakbeat Era (which has vocals and some live instrumental sounds) and then eventually cross over to something a bit more underground.
Tell me about your new album, System Upgrade. The album's liner notes indicate that you put it together in a manner that reflects your mission to "educate." How did you go about assembling it? What factors affected your selection of tracks for the mix? And where did the title come from?
When it came time to sort out the details for System Upgrade, I brainstormed about how I could take this thing beyond what I did with Soldier's Story. The entire concept of System Upgrade stemmed originally from my interest in computers and technology and such. I thought that, due to the nature of this music, the two sorta went hand in hand. I was providing the "next level" installment, sorta like a Soldier's Story expansion pack. One night during this time, I was watching Ghost in the Shell (which I sample in the intro), and when I heard the speech from the Puppet Master at the end describing the advancement of human consciousness to a higher plane of existence, I knew I had stumbled onto something rather cool and imaginative for a drum 'n' bass mix-CD concept. The design, text and graphical layout reflect this. For track selection, I basically called up everyone I knew from U.K. labels, asking for submissions of new tunes. I also went through my bag and pulled new material that I was feeling at the time. I was trying to make sure that with whatever I chose, it would still be relevant upon release date (it takes about three to four months between licensing and release of mixed CDs). What I came up with for this compilation was what I thought was a good mix of dance-floor, deep and aggressive tunes. I think it sounds pretty dynamic from start to finish.
System Upgrade really reflects your gravitation toward a style of drum 'n' bass that's more aggressive than that favored by your peers (LTJ Bukem, for example). What draws you to that harder sound as opposed to the more atmospheric forms of drum 'n' bass?
It is hard to describe why I tend towards the harder-edged sounds of jungle. If I had to put a finger on it, I would say that the stuff I like to play sounds extremely powerful. Intense. Explosive. That sound appeals to me. I like music that takes your breath away when you hear it on a massive sound system, music that sounds like you are listening to something from 10 years in the future. It all probably ties in with my taste in sci-fi, anime and video games.
Despite the hard edge of your music, you draw inspiration from many genres of music, correct? Where do you primarily look for inspiration? What's your favorite style of music to tap as a source for your DJ sets?
At home, I listen to all sorts of music, from swirly early '90s British rock to classic rock to hip-hop to movie soundtracks to ambient to you name it. Recently, for inspiration, I have turned to old-school rave anthems. They reflect a dynamic time in my life and also a period in which club music had massive amounts of energy and excitement. For inspiration for DJing, I try to study the DJing styles of other forms of club music (house, trance, techno, etc). Much can be learned by watching DJs play different genres and by also practicing spinning music that isn't jungle. It really enhances and broadens your technical skills.
I know you have a Web page at Moonshine Records' Web site, but have you put any thought into expanding your Web presence at all? How far into the Net have you delved?
At this point, I own the domain name DJdieselboy.com. As soon as I can find a good Web designer with some free time on their hands, I am going to flesh it out and try to make it something special. I personally know HTML but do not have the time to sort it out myself.
Have you exposed yourself at all to online music? Do you listen to Internet radio at all? What are your feelings or concerns with the current track of digital music distribution? How do you see it benefiting or hurting electronic music artists?
My experience with online music is somewhat limited. I have caught the occasional online broadcast and checked out an MP3 here and there, but it hasn't really hit me like it has with some people. I am never home very often to use my computer, and when I am, I usually use the time to respond to e-mail or get my life organized. I listen to very little online radio, though I have put in my fair share of online DJ sets (at Groovetech, Pseudo, etc). As far as the distribution of digital music so far, the only scene that seems to be taking off is the pirate music scene. My own releases have been bootlegged many times over. It is disconcerting to see MP3s of your material being proffered online before it is even in stores! At this point, I would have to say that it is hurting many artists.
What's next for you? I know you're on tour now -- how much longer will you be on the road, and what sorts of projects do you have lined up?
The Planet of the Drums tour, with myself, DJ Dara, AK1200 and MC Dub2, wraps up at the end of April. I have planned two trips to the U.K. (one in May, one in July) to hopefully finish up work on my full-length LP for Palm Pictures. My first two 12-inches for Palm ("The Descent" and "Render") will be released as a double-pack in June, as the Patriot Games EP on Tech Itch U.K. The Technical Itch-Dieselboy "Atlantic State" video will be released on a DVD video compilation called Sound & Motion on Palm Pictures soon as well. I am in the process of sorting out a tour of Southeast Asia in September as well as another Tech Itch-Decoder tour later on in the year. I am currently in the process of retooling my club night, Platinum -- new logo, image, production, T-shirt, Web site, etc. That will be taking effect on June 8 of this year.
What has been your favorite moment, both as a DJ and as an audience member?
[As a] DJ, one has to be my set at the WHFStival in D.C. this past summer. I played for a crowd comprised mostly of alternative music heads and the post-set reviews claimed that I "tore the roof off." It was great to appeal to a group of people that don't even know drum 'n' bass at all. Very refreshing.
[As an audience member] one would be the first time I watched Qbert DJ. Sick!!!!
What was your worst moment (have there been any mishaps behind the turntables or incidents of massive frustration) and how did you deal with it?
DJing at the King Fu Knowledge tour at Winter Music Conference 1999. I came on after Fierce (U.K.), and before I even started my first tune, the club manager came up and screamed in my face about the sound being too loud. He ignored me when I explained that I hadn't even started yet and then proceeded to cut the main volume in the room in half. After I started my first record, Fierce came running back into the DJ booth, grabbed his record bag (bumping my record in the process and dropping the tune from the intro straight into the middle of the track) and then ran out without even an apology (let alone a look back to see what he had done). The following 45 minutes of DJing hell (distorted and low monitors, crap mixer, etc.) had the club manager yelling at me about five more times to turn it down again and again (even though I wasn't even touching the master volume) and eventually threatening to have me arrested. At one point, the sound was so low, people began booing! It was extremely stressful and very hard to DJ under those conditions. Add to this the fact that the crowd itself was practically a who's who in the worldwide drum 'n' bass scene and also the fact that I wasn't even getting paid for this humiliating experience -- argh. Never again.
You're involved with pretty much every level of your career; you not only mix the music, but you also work as a producer, run a club and even handle graphic design for flyers, T-shirts and such. How important do you think it is for DJs to broaden their horizons like you have? Has it been your experience that most DJs do this already, or could DJs in general pick up that DIY ethic to a greater degree?
This is a situation of some people do, some people don't. I have always felt driven to be creative and explore many different outlets of creative expression. I find that with DJing and production and the release of music, the audio portion is just one aspect. The visual side of things is just as important. When I started mixing CD compilations, I made it a point in the contract that I had creative control over choosing a graphic designer and visual concept (I actually designed the cover of my own 611 Records CD). I think it is important for anyone, not just DJs, to expand their horizons as much as possible, to be more involved in things and to embrace the DIY ethos.
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