From Carter N. Tracy Sent Thu, Sep 10th 1998, 06:34
From Carter N. Tracy Sent Thu, Sep 10th 1998, 06:34
Hello, here is a transcript of the interview with Photek I did for Creative Loafing in Atlanta. I thought some of you might be interested in what he had to say. I had to abbreviate this quite a bit as he went on and and on. peace carter clock wise records http://www.clockwise-records.com Photek is 25 year old Rupert Parkes, a British drum & bass producer with a style that is minimal yet startlingly powerful, using unique drum patterns and bass lines influenced by Asian film soundtracks, jazz legends, and old school hip-hop. His debut full length Modus Operandi, released on Astralwerks last year received critical acclaim and set a new standard for experimental drum & bass. September 15 marks the release date of his second full-length project Form & Function, which is a collection of earlier singles and remixes. Photek is about to embark on his first US DJ tour on which he will hit Atlanta on September 19. I spoke with him about his thoughts on the tour and about jungle music today. He had more than a few words: =20 Me: Your latest release, Form & Function, is a collection of remixes of older tracks. Are you currently producing new material or are you focusing more on the touring and remix projects? Photek: The tour isn't taking up too much time. It's only a couple of weeks and I'm just doing America, nowhere else, so that's not taking up too much time. I'm really concentrating on my second artist album. It'll be finished by the end of the year, early next year. Me: What are you looking forward to the most from this tour? Photek: I am looking forward to this whole project. I see it as a way of re-stating my connection with the main flow of drum & bass rather than like with my last album [Modus Operandi] which was a very personal thing. I am look forward to having some playable club music drum & bass in connection with me, and I am excited to see the way it will be received. I have never before paid much attention to the dance floor, which is a major part of drum & bass. So I am looking forward to that whole aspect of it. = =20 Me: When drum & bass was first making its appearance over here a few years ago, it was very diverse in terms of all the different production styles and beat patterns that were being experimented with. Now it seems this two-step break-beat pattern is taking the spotlight for what we're hearing on the dance floors. How do you feel about this? Is drum & bass production stagnating and orientating itself toward the dance floor or is this just a trend and will it re-diversify? Photek: Well I hope it will because I think everyone's complaining about this two-step thing. It goes for everyone to do their own little piece to go against it, but I suppose the dance floor is used to it and it works on a dance floor because its simple and its got impact. I think most people like the security of playing that kind of music and making it because they know there will always be DJs who want to buy it. And I mean I am not against that sort of drum pattern in particular, but when that's all you hear it gets a bit too much. Me: It does, it seems that a couple of years ago drum & bass was more innovative than it is today. I hate to say that but=85 Photek: But it's true though, I think. Hmmm. If I look at my track listing, I think two of the tracks out of twelve are two-step. So that's my contribution. No one can blame me for that situation. (giggles) Me: I want to ask you about hip-hop. In listening to your music, to me, jazz jumps out as the predominant influence although in all that I've read, you say that it was hip-hop that originally inspired you toward electronic music. Here in Atlanta, where we have a pretty strong hip-hop scene, there has been an effort to unite drum & bass and hip-hop. We have weekly and monthly events that feature a mixture of the two. Do you experience this merging of the two styles elsewhere? And have you had the chance to directly expose your music to hip-hop audiences? What has the reaction been? =20 Photek: Well I don't know what my exposure to hip-hop audiences is and I know that my attitude to all other music when I listened to hip-hop was 'it's all shit and I'm strictly hip-hop'. I can't blame anyone for having that attitude cause that was mine at that time as well. I think it's difficult to cross that attitude because hip-hop fans tend to be more hardcore than anyone else. It would be easier if there was some good examples of a mix of hip-hop and drum & bass. I don't really like much of the stuff with hip-hop vocals tacked on it. If you want to impress hip-hop people you've got to come up with something a bit better than that. My first and only effort so far was that Dr. Octagon remix I did. I was happy with that. I think you need to see more records coming out that show the connection in decent way. Until that happens hip-hop people are going to think drum & bass is some strange European thing stealing little pieces of their music. That's what I think it is as well at the moment. It's completely born out of hip-hop and the rave culture brought together. It really hasn't returned back to hip-hop with anything worth listening to. But I think it's got good potential. And also I suppose hip-hop people are just as protective of their thing as drum & bass people are of their culture against other kinds of music. So it's very difficult to break in and get the opportunity to work with good people. To get people to open up and let others start fucking about with their music, I mean I wouldn't do it if I was them! Me: What sort of reaction are you hoping to get from you audiences here? Drum & bass has gotten very popular here recently, but it certainly doesn't have the history that it does in Britain. It's still somewhat new. Photek: Well the whole [drum & bass] thing's had a little time to soak in in America and obviously the music that I make and people similar to me is full of references to other music. It's full of references just like hip-hop uses samples, not just because they sound good but because it's a reference to some old school thing. So unless you know the background of why you're using certain samples and getting a certain mood, it doesn't have the full character to it. If you heard hip-hop for the first time three years ago then you're not going to understand the use of certain sample and some of the lyrics. Drum & bass's got the same sort of historical references and that's not going to have the same sort of impact unless you know. Hopefully people will see the music on this tour as something refreshing even though it very old school in its influences. People will pick it up as a fresh thing. Photek will spin a set of his new material and his favorite tracks at Club Phenomena as part of the Riddle of the Sphinx party. =20