Back on British shores with a massive ‘Freeway’ EP and UK tour…
Following a summer packed with festival appearances and a hugely successful US tour that saw it all – broken bones et al, Josh Steele makes a welcomed return to UK shores for a nationwide series of dates celebrating the release of his new ‘Freeway’ EP. Dan Prince gets the world exclusive interview with the main man after an extraordinary year on the road…
Mr Steele welcome back to DMCWORLD, where in the world are you right now?
“Hey Dan, finally back at home in London after being on the road for a few months.”
Well an incredible 2013 for you, culminating in the release of your ‘Freeway’ EP…talk us through the history of the release and the people involved on this 5 tracker…
“The EP really started as a platform to get some music out. I’ve spent the whole year working on all sorts of stuff and it didn’t seem right to hold on to it all. All 5 tracks were half written when I had decided on the track listing. Somehow during the last month of finishing the tracks up it all just came together and made sense as an EP. I feel its one of the most coherent projects that I’ve done and I feel confident moving forward onto some bigger projects now, which is pretty sweet.”
Like so many of us music lovers, our musical education started via our parents love of music. Your dad had quite a collection…?
“Frank Zappa videos on VHS loud Roxy Music weekends is a little insight into that collection. There is honestly too many names to mention so ill leave it at that. However, Quadrophenia was an eye opener.”
DMC are of course the company behind the World DJ Championships, we love your hip hop background. Your university housemate got you into the likes of J-Dilla and Mad Lib, but this love of rhymes stretches right back when you around 12 years old?
“Rap didn’t really enter my world till a bit older, around 14/15. Black Sunday by cypress hill was probably the first rap album that I really got into. Discovering Aceyalone was what took me further and helped me find out I was into J5/Wu Tang/Tribe/2001 etc. I have never really been a hip hop junkie, acoustic style singer songwriter music was more my love as a kid. But the groove always spoke to me and that’s what comes out in my productions I think.”
Do you follow the Turntablist scene?
“I have and I haven’t. It’s not a scene I have religiously followed by any means, but I have spent countless hours watching the DMC Championship videos in awe, something which I imagine many aspiring DJs have done. I still watch the C2C 2005 winning set and I bought the Qbert Ortofons, so I guess you could say I have a solid interest. I love producing and have never really seen myself as a DJ. I wouldn’t feel comfortable calling myself one until I can do half the stuff that I’ve seen turntablists do. It’s like being able to play ‘Smoke on the Water’ and likening yourself to Steve Vai.”
True or false : The week Example hit No. 1 he came round to your student house, climbed over a mountain of bin bags and talked music whilst sitting in a camping chair in your bedroom?
“True.”
Who’s the best person you’ve worked with so far, that’s really helped you broaden your horizons?
“That’s a tough one because sometimes just a 2 minute conversation can broaden your horizons. The electronic music world is filled with forward thinkers and I’m lucky to get a chance to spend time with them. My label partner Doctor P has probably been the biggest inspiration on my work, he has always looked at music as an open book and I like that.”
Tell us about that night with Skrillex in the hip hop club on New York’s lower east side – the Big Apple knows how to do proper joints right?
“Ha yer for sure! We don’t really have that kind of energy with hip hop that I’ve ever found in the UK. I have always loved the UK hip hop scene though. Sway, Foreign Beggars, Braintax, Double Edge…the list can go on for a while. But still I have never experienced anything that felt as authentic as that night in NYC. It felt like I was in a music video.”
A recent quote from you; “Music for me is all about making it feel and sound emotional.” With that in mind, who are some of the artists out there at the moment that you are into…?
“Bon Iver, Sigur Ros, Turin Brakes. They aren’t really artists I have recently discovered but there music is a constant source of inspiration. Music that can take me somewhere else whatever state of mind I’m in. Being honest all music does that in its own way and I think its personal experience that defines the emotional connection with the piece. I just really like how music makes me feel and I make a conscious effort to replicate that in my own work.”
Been a crazy year for you, where have been some of the stand out gigs for you?
“Red Rocks is a pretty special venue to play in, Colorado is awesome. For the 3rd year running playing to Atlanta has been a stand out life experience for me. I swear the energy is literally visible…or maybe that was the lasers…”
Okay let’s get some quick fires done…the record that…
You wish you would have made?
“Oasis – ‘Wonderwall’.”
Reminds you of an ex?
“Turin Brakes – ‘Rain City’.”
Is your proudest achievement?
“’Freeway’.”
Is my guilty pleasure song…
“Chicane – ‘Poppiholla’.”
I can’t get out of my head right now…
“Justin Timberlake – ‘Suit and Tie’ (Dillon Francis Remix)
True or false : When your management called to say Jay Z and Kanye West wanted to sample ‘I Can’t Stop’ you were that tired over in Texas you nearly went to bed instead of giving the track a tweak?
“Partly True. I went to bed and got on it with a clear head.”
You are thankfully heading back over the pond for some UK dates kicking off in Sheffield on November 29th, the US leg of the Freeway bandwagon hasn’t gone entirely to plan as we have been watching on the tour documentary. For our worldwide readers who haven’t seen it yet, care to elaborate on the Wallmart and hospital escapades…
“Haha! Tell them to watch the videos I guess. There is more coming on my youtube channel.”
Where is the strangest place you have ever heard one of your records?
“At a Jay Z/ Kanye West show.”
How do you feel about fame?
“I guess the concept of fame is more about desire than anything else. My music is famous not me, and that’s how I like it.”
How do you conquer writers block?
“I choose to just accept it as it is. Its like smoking, the second you try to give up it becomes a challenge. As soon as i tell myself I have writers block it becomes real and therefore an obstacle. I just accept that I’m not in the zone at that point and move onto something else.”
Some of the new, up and coming producers that have impressed you this year?
“There is a new called Laxx from Oxford that is killing it, really fresh and exciting stuff. Also Killagraham is coming up with some sweet tunes. Keep an eye on our Circus catalogue as well, nothing gets me more excited than those guys do.”
Who are the guys you like hanging out with over in America, who do you get into the most trouble with?
“Ha. It’s a worldwide scene, we all run into each all over the world. Me and Cookie Monsta have a running thing going, I don’t think I should really go into it, I’ll get into trouble. Feed Me is another bad influence…or maybe it’s me? Pro Tip: never leave Noisia alone in your hotel room while you pop out to get champagne, ended up being chased by police and covered in Baileys, its a long story…”
And finally, what are the studio and label plans for 2014…?
“Lots more music. Got some collabs, some originals. Working on my singing and my songwriting a lot more and trying to reach back to how I used to write as a kid. Expect something different.”
‘Freeway’ EP Out Now: http://bit.ly/17zrWSA
Subscribe to the Flux Pavillion Channel: http://bit.ly/1cozsy2
Flux Pavilion 11 date UK tour November/December 2013 – with special guest Datsik – which calls at:
November 2013
Friday 29 O2 Academy Sheffield
Saturday 30 Manchester Academy
December 2013
Monday 2 O2 Academy Birmingham
Tuesday 3 O2 Academy Bournemouth
Thursday 5 Cambridge Junction
Friday 6 Norwich UEA
Saturday 7 O2 Academy Bristol
Monday 9 Nottingham Rock City
Tuesday 10 O2 Academy Newcastle
Wednesday 11 The Forum, London
Friday 13 O2 Academy Liverpool
Tickets are available from…