The American legend relaunches his beloved Moody Recordings label! Good times are here again
Interview : Dan Prince
Welcome to DMCWORLD young man, where in the world are you right now?
“Hello, thanks for having me Dan…Chicago!”
An incredible month for dance music with the news that your seminal Moody Recordings is coming back – and what a team you have around you! When did these plans begin to roll and tell us about the people around you who will be making up the new Moody Recordings back room team…
“My friends from Denver Jonas Tempel and Vince DiPasquale approached me and wanted to start a label, and we came up with the idea of re-launching Moody Recordings as opposed to starting a new imprint. Jonas brought on Owen and Tom Havens to round out the team, and the reception has been amazing so far.”
So the big question is, why now?
“It just feels like the right time. I think more and more people are looking for the original deeper funkier sound.”
The label has set sail with the whole catalogue being ReMastered for 2013 and is in the stores now. Please mention a few of the ReMasters that have really stood out for you…
“Paul Johnson’s Get Get Down comes to mind immediately. The track is so infectious and always ignites the dance floor. CZR’s Bad Enough as well as Can You Relate by Rubber Souls and Drifting by Mojolators are just a few of my favorites.”
What is it about the whole Moody sound that has stood the test of time, what was it about this label that made it so damn good?
“Moody was always a highly respected label that had a true authentic house sound that we all love. I think the foundation of Moody is the sound. It remained authentic and when people would go to the record store, they could buy the new Moody release with confidence knowing they would discover some great new music.”
The first new single release will come from Richard Grey and his ‘Broadway’ tune, what can you tell us about any more future releases and new producers you are working with…?
“We have a lot of new artists as well as some amazing remixes coming of some of the classics, so stay tuned.”
Pick us your all time Moody Recordings Top 3 tunes…
1. Paul Johnson – Get Get Down
2. Rubber Souls – Can u Relate
3. Mojolators – Drifting feat Camilla
Moody’s roots are based in Chicago house, it’s great that the city is finally firing on all cylinders again, right?
“Absolutely. This is where it all began and it’s an honor to be from the city where it all started.”
We had some DMC crew on the dance floor in Denver a couple of week s back for your House Connection 3 Tour at Beta where you and Richard Vission smashed it up on 8 decks. For the thousands of aspiring DJs reading this interview out there, just how much practice and conversations do you have to have with your fellow DJ to perform on 8 decks, or is it just a time and experience thing that makes it look so bloody simple?!?
“We spent a month doing the House Connection 3 mix which consisted of 120 songs megamixed in 50 minutes. Richard and I then spent a couple weeks working on the tour and the live show, and we are constantly working on the set and adding things and updating tracks. It’s a lot of work to make it look so easy!”
It was your birthday last week, how did you celebrate?
“I actually had a very low key day…I went to Martial Arts in the morning, then went to the studio and worked on some music, then went to dinner with my best mates at night. A very chilled but fun day.”
You were one of the first people who foresaw the industry’s shift to digital media, setting up Beatport with a small bunch of friends. Had you any idea back then what you were creating?
“We knew there was a need because there were so many DJs starting to play in the digital format, and it was very inefficient to buy a piece of vinyl and have to go to your studio, record it, then burn it to CD or put it on your computer to access with Serato or Final Scratch. I think we all hoped DJs would support our site, but I don’t think we had any idea how big it would become.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
“Check here…
http://www.beatport.com/charts/bad-boy-bill-sept-2013-chart/216075
Where have been some of the stand out gigs of summer 2013?
“My favorite gig this summer is a festival in Chicago called Wavefront. This is their 2nd year doing it. It’s right on the beach in Chicago. Amazing production, top tier DJs all with the backdrop of the Chicago skyline. What more could you ask for? Bikinis? oh yes, those were there too.”
Away from Moody, what is coming out next from you studio wise?
“My latest singles are collabs with Steve Smooth and Nick Rockwell. “Mmm Drop” and “Shake That Ass” respectively. I am working on some new singles and even tossing around the idea of another album.”
You are well known in dance music as one of the cleanest cut guys out there. You don’t do drugs and rarely drink. Drugs are everywhere in America at the moment on the dance floor and as a DJ you will have been around it for the past four decades. Does it bother you so much shit is flying about, does it worry you the amount of different drugs are out there at the moment in America’s clubs?
“Drugs have been around in all genres of music long before I started DJing and they will be around long after I’m done. I think people have to make their own choice about what is right for them. I always say do whatever you want as long as you are not hurting others.”
DMC are of course the company behind the World DJ Championships, a competition that you entered and has thrown up some of your friends such as QBert and Mix Master Mike. You started out as a battle DJ and you still incorporate scratching and tricks into you sets, do you still keep an eye on the scene?
“I actually still check out battle DJs when I can. There is a friend of mine from Chicago named Trentino who has been winning a lot of DJ competitions lately, so I’m excited for him. I have no desire to battle anymore because people don’t realize the amount of time and dedication it takes to compete at that high level. I give respect to anyone who has came from the DMC Battles because that means they truly have some serious skills.”
You have been there from the beginning, I am sure you have been asked this a thousand times before, what on earth do you make of this immense movement called EDM that has taken the States by storm? It can only be good for the scene right?
“You know there is always going to be good and bad when something blows up to the masses. It is exciting to see dance music being played and respected as an equal to bigger pop artists. In America, DJs and dance music were always the bastard child of the music industry. Doors have been broken down, but once the flood gates open, you never know who is going to come rolling thru the gates and thats where the bad may get in. So you have to take the good with the bad, and people have to make their own choices. I say if you don’t like something, instead of bitching about it, either make something you do like, or seek out the music you want to hear because it’s out there.”
Who is the person from history you would most like to sit down and have a beer with and why? By the way, it can be an orange juice!
“Hahaha…I would love to sit down with Harry Caray (famous Chicago baseball broadcaster) because I’m a Cubs fan and a Bud man! (Well actually I don’t like beer, but that was Harry’s tag line so I will make an exception and have a Budweiser with him!).”
And finally, DMC are giving you a Christmas gift to congratulate you on the re-birth of Moody Recordings. A live set from one artist in your home. Who do you choose, Sade or Sting?
“Oooh that’s a great gift, thank you! I think either way I can’t go wrong, but since I’m at home, I may have to invite a beautiful woman over and listen to Sade.”
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