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Congratulations gentlemen for winning best breaks album at the latest breakspoll awards held earlier this year @ Fabric in London. How do you feel about the future of breaks now?
I think albums are a very viable format for breakbeat. Not just because of you are here at all, but I think there were a lot of good albums in our category. It’s a fresh time in breaks. Everyone is talking about making an album, which is really good.
“You are hear”, your ground breaking album, can you tell us your main musical influences for this album? And why did you go this direction?
The main influences were really what we were listening to at the time. Chemical brothers, Underworld, leftfield, Tribe called Quest lots of things really. We decided to go in that direction because all those artists had made great albums. Not just 12’s or mix albums or whatever. We had been given an opportunity to stamp our mark on the future. Because when you make something like an album, its remembered. It will be around forever. And we wanted to make a good album that we liked and hopefully a few other people would as well.
Some people say that you are at the same level as the Chemical Brothers, what you think this comment?
No, I don’t think we are. In this business you are learning every day. Experience a lot of time separates artists. And although a great compliment. I don’t think we have quite reached where the chems are at just yet, but give us another few years and we will be there.
For all the North American’s who are just discovering Atomic Hooligan, can you sum up the Atomic Hooligan sound?
We love music, and that comes across in our music. We try to fuse all the best bits of what we love together to give you a new sound. Based in breakbeat but never pinned down by it.
You 2 gentlemen have traveled everywhere, and now your coming back to Montreal, what do you think of Montreal when you were here last time?
Lots and lots and lots of strip bars. Which is fine by me. Last time I was there it was record breaking hot. And the Jazz festival was on. All in all it was a wicked few days. Really enjoyable. I had a minute conversation with a gay guy in a shop about how he was going to travel to England and convince Prince Harry that he was actually gay and they should run off together. It was very very funny. I love the city.
Your gonna be taking your first trip to Quebec city also, have you ever heard of this city?
I have heard about it, but not much. I'm looking forward to it. Its in Canada, so its got to be good right?
What can Quebec city and Montreal’s expect from your set this Sept? Your current tracks? Or and Mix of your favorite tunes and your old tunes?
Got lotsa of new Menu (my label with Jay Cunning) bits and pieces. Plus a few unreleased Hooligan remixes and mash ups. Just expect freshness, because that’s what I'm on at the moment. I might drop in a few classics as well.
What do you think of Canada in general?
Love it. Its pretty much my 2ND home. And I'm not just saying that. I have been in Canada more over the last years than I have been anywhere else apart from the UK, I have really good friends on both coasts and it’s the one place I see myself keep coming back to till they wont let me DJ anymore.
How long have you been producing and djing now?
Wow, Well Matt has been producing for a long long time. Since the early 90.s. I have been djing for maybe 16 years. I am and Matt is 31.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, with a portable turntable that had enough power to listen to one last breakbeat record, what would that record be and why?
Would it have to be breakbeat? Ok, if it has to be breakbeat then it would be T-power Running. If it was hip hop it would be Nas Half time.
How did you two gentlemen meet up to form Atomic Hooligan in the first place?
We were both working on a nuclear power clean up crew. Matt one day fell into the reactor, and I just managed to grab his hand before he plummeted into the dark recesses of that long for boding tower. As my hand was reached out to pull him back he saw my Turntable arm tattoo. So he asked me if I was a DJ. I said yes, and he said, well I have a little live show that I'm doing, would you like to come and scratch for me, I said let me check my diary. Then I said…. Yes. The rest is history.
Your records are mad solid and wicked! I know it might be hard…but which is your favorite Atomic Hooligan tune?
Lefthand or Lovin you remix for the dance floor. You are here or who stole monkeys cloths from the album.
Any funny stories to tell us about during the process of making one of your records?
Ah man, where to start. Well most of the tracks on the album are named after our friends. Like Pump Friction. We were playing at a club in London called turn mills. And our mate Christian was with us. The promoter came and gave us our money and checked us off the list. And our mate then says “OK, so have you got the payment for Pump Friction, I played tonight and I need to get out of here quick so can you grab my money as well” the poor promoter was looking at the list scratching his head saying, oh I'm really sorry, I don’t have you on the list, ill have to go check with the office, ill get this sorted in 5 mins. Then off he shot. I had to chase after him and tell him it was just a joke.
Where you guys once ravers with big baggy pants and furry white boots?
Na, we don’t have that over here. Hehehe. That’s a north American thing. We had a lot of style. Well, I wasn’t even a raver. I was a B-Boy in my B-Boy stance. I was fully into hip hop when I was younger, no other music existed for me. Matt went raving a lot though. But not in the baggy pants gloves and furry boots.
How are your ears now? Are they in good condition?
Pardon?
List some of your favorite breakbeat producers (past/present):
Ils
Dub Pistols
Chemical Brothers (after all, they are breaks)
T-Power
Are there any upcoming collaborations you'd like to let us in on?
A guy called nick from a group called the Furys is working very closely with us for the next album. And a couple more, but if I tell you I would have to kill you.
Do you play out and do E?
Na, I never mix to two.
Any funny stories to tell while at a DJ gig? You must have tons of them over these years!
Yeah, but whenever I'm asked I can never remember. Ok, here’s one from early on, I used to play a hip hop set at this place in Kings Cross in London called the Ruby Lounge. Cool little place. It was just a bar for background music, but I loved doing it because I got to play out all the hip hop that I loved and never got that chance to play. My name was never even on the flyer for any of them. Well one time, a guy in a business suit came up to me and started asking for really fucking stupid songs like Maria Carry and shit like that. I was very nice and said, sorry, it aint that kind of place. Then as the night went on and on, he got more and more drunk. And wouldn’t leave me alone. Just keep coming back and getting more aggressive asking for these ridicules crappy tracks. So in the end I was just ignoring him. So to get my attention he pulled my headphones from my head and shouted “hello, ho one likes your crappy music, play something good” Little did he notice that he was the only one not dancing. I was angry at this point and told him to turn around and look behind him. So he did and saw everyone dancing. So with that he started to version of break dancing where he’s thrusting ass in and out and weaving his hands about. So he thought it would be funny to start hip checking the DJ booth. This of course made the records jump. After about 30 seconds of this, I had had enough. So I took my pint of beer and spilt it on and around his feet while he was jumping about doing this stupid dance. Within seconds he had jumped on the beer, slipped and launched himself about 3 feet into the air and was almost completely vertical. At this point time seemed to slow down and I could see him looking directly into my eyes with a look of complete terror as he knew he was about to hit the ground and hit it hard. It was very satisfying to see his friends take him by the arms and lead him out of the bar into a waiting taxi. Maybe even to the hospital, as when he hit the ground, you could hear it over the sound system. I felt bad for about 2 mins, then laughed it off and had a great night.
Which countries did you gig at and where would you now like to go?
Everywhere I really wanted to go I have been now. Like Russia, China, Japan. But I would still like to do more south east Asia. I have been to Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and Japan. But still would really like to play in Thailand and Korea.
Did you ever go to a music school or take classes to learn an instrument and if so do you think it makes your djing any better?
Yeah, I did 2 years of sound engineering. And I learnt to play the piano at a very young age. But seeing as I don’t remember any of it now, I don’t think it has contributed to my DJing. Matt is a classically trained musician and has a degree in music. So that balances it out a lot.
What studio monitors do you swear by for production?
We don’t give away our secrets in the studio, sorry.
What is your favorite Sampler?
Well, ill give you this one as we use it in our live set and people see it all the time. It’s the MPC 1000
What sequencer do you use for music production?
Again. Too many secrets and I think that’s info that the general public that just enjoy music should not have to worry about. It doesn't matter what you use as long and you like the music you make.
What do your parents think of your music and did they ever come see you at a gig?
Yeah, my mum loves it. She and my Aunt came to our album launch. I could not have a more supportive mother to be honest. And Matt’s dad allows us to use part of his house for our studio and business offices. They are both diamonds.
Do you have any advice for aspiring DJs?
Be yourself. Dig for music, Learn how to use every piece of equipment out there. Don’t ignore turntables or cdj’s or Laptops. Learn everything and be yourself.
Tell us some words of wisdom that you live by?
Live a life not a lifestyle.
Shout outs?
To everyone I'm going to talk to in Canada this time round in advance. Also to my Menu Music family, Katie, Jay, Rico, Sweaty, Dopamine and everyone at Botchit and Rob @ Faze 2.
WWW Links:
www.atomichooligan.com
www.menumusic.com
www.myspace.com/atomichooligan
www.myspace.com/menumusic
www.botchit.com
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