The Birmingham bad boy welcomes us to his disco – anthem alert people
Interview : Dan Prince
You have the world’s dancefloors’ going ape yet again, this time thanks to your ‘Welcome To My Disco’ collab with the Wideboys featuring Lady Chann. Tell us about the history of the tune…
“I have always been a fan of the Wideboys, they have stood the test of time and are still as amazing as ever both in a creative sense and as people. I have the upmost respect for them so when the opportunity arose to work with them I jumped at it. I had a track on my computer that Lady Chann had done a vocal on for me but we both agreed it needed more. Ed (Wideboys) was in my studio one evening and I played it him, he then played it to Jim and decided we should work together on it.”
Chanelle Williams grew up on the World’s End’s Estate in London’s Chelsea…a massive Carnival favourite and part of the dancehall royalty. When did you first become aware of this lady’s huge talent?
“I grew up listening to Dancehall, my best friend at school and his family had a sound system and used to clash other sounds from all over the UK; Saxon, Love Injection and many more came to clash…I love that culture. When Toddla T came through with his production style I was blown away and that’s where I first saw Chann as she had done a few bits with him. I knew I had to get her on a track, she is so good. I have played her Dun Dem Season Mixtapes to death they are SICK!”
Remixes come courtesy of Sonny Wharton, Majestic and Chris Lorenzo…why did you choose these guys to rework the tune?
“They are all great producers and have totally different styles, all of which add to the package we have put together.”
You love disco, funk, reggae, drum & bass and hip hop. Let’s rewind for a moment back to your childhood. How did you get into music as a kid, have you come from a musical household? What is your earliest musical memory?
“I have always loved music in many different forms; I come from a strong Irish heritage, so when I was really young my mom would always be blasting out Irish folk singers like Brendan Shine whilst my dad would be cruising in his Ford Granada to Neil Diamond or Earth Wind & Fire! Haha! But my main love in my formative years was dancehall, I still love it to this day and am always listening to old artists, not a huge fan of the new stuff but some of it is cool. Looking back now, I guess that’s why I love heavy bass so much.”
What was the tune that switched you onto dance music?
“I can’t possibly pick just one, but I always remember being at school and blasting SL2 ‘On A Ragga Tip, that was a cool track for the time which still sounds great to this day.”
Early DJ heroes and the first clubs you were bounding about in?
“Sundissential and Gods Kitchen in Birmingham and Gatecrasher in Sheffield were early favorites club wise. Jeremy Healy and Alistair Whitehead were great DJs and I used to love their Fantasia mix tapes. Tall Paul was always great too but my real DJ hero was the guy who taught me the art of mixing on turntables – Dave Oldershaw. He was/is a Birmingham legend. I followed him everywhere and trust me when I say this, he would have been HUGE had we not spent all of our time partying instead of being in a studio. Having said that they were some of the best days of my life.”
You have just been on tour with self-confessed party dude Example. Most rock n’roll moment of the tour?
“He is definitely a party animal but unfortunately what happens on tour stays on tour. One thing I can say though is that I needed hospital treatment after I finished that tour!”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
1.Micky Slim – Rocknrolla
2.Chris Lake & Crookers – Meow
3.Nom De Strip & Nezzo – Devils BBQ
4.Friend Within – The Renegade
5.Chris Lorenzo, Mark Spence & Pete Graham – Who Dat?
6.Mr Oizo – Flat Beat – Arron Snapes Re Edit
7.Jacob Plant – Fire
8.Majestic & Jungle 70 – Creeping In The Dark
9.Storm Queen – Look Right Through – Mk Mix
10. Nom De Strip – Techno Saturday
I interviewed a certain big name DJ this week, something he said was kinda interesting…”I don’t think it’s necessary these days to actually be a good DJ like it was 15 years ago at the start of my career. These days you can get away with pressing play on a laptop.” Discuss…
“It’s a shame but that’s very true, the “art” of DJing has changed and I feel grateful to have learnt on Vinyl and been part of the record shop culture. Years ago your record box really did set you apart from other DJs as I couldn’t burn you a copy of my 12”. However having said that you have to move with the times, music is way more disposable nowadays thanks to advances in technology. EVERYBODY is a “producer or DJ” and everyone has access to the same music thanks to the Internet. You used to have to be a musician to make music but now it is the era of the big “show” which generally means sync’d up sets rigged for pyrotechnics and all manner of rubbish. I get why it is done as shows are exactly that – shows, but it’s a bit crap. Lasers and Light shows have always been vital in a party, but the DJs didn’t need syncing to them. That’s not to say all big DJs need that, my good friend Habs is an absolute lighting DON, he does the Carl Cox parties and they just vibe off each other, so there are still people keeping it real out there. I have to say though if a DJ ever threw a cake in my face in my raving days there would have been some serious fireworks – trust me!! Each to their own I guess, a place for everything and everything in its place. Having said all that you have a new era of kids that are looking for different ways to impress a crowd, take this guy recreating my buddy Doorly’s track ‘Rush’. The art of DJing has changed, it has no limits other than your imagination, I think this is absolutely amazing:
http://snvremusic.tumblr.com/post/62742728164/doorly-rush-live-finger-drumming-remix
So we come back to yours after the gig, what are some of the Back To Mine tunes you spin us to mellow the mood…?
“Some Funk and Disco always works, too many great artists to name.”
Okay let’s find what rocks Mr Slim’s musical world…
The record that always makes you cry?
“No record has yet but Blackout Crew – ‘Put A DONK On It’ had me in tears of laughter…”
The record you always do at karaoke?
“Chicago – ‘If You Leave Me Now’. Can’t hit those high notes though.”
The big dance record you always jump up and dance to at a wedding?
“I am usually at the bar at weddings.”
The record you wish you’d have written?
“Rihanna Ft Calvin Harris – ‘We Found Love’, the PRS on that must be lovely.”
The piece of vinyl you will never sell?
“My copy of Calvin Harris – ‘The Girls’ with my remix on it.”
Your favourite ballad?
‘None that I can think of…’
And…the record you are most proud to have created…?
“My re edit of House of Pain as it helped pave an amazing career for me, shout out to Funkagenda for his help on that bad boy.”
Another famous quote from producer extraordinaire Steve Mac…“It was different when I started out back in the day, there was no glamour side of travelling around the world, getting paid fortunes for gigs, it was all about the music. I think people get into it for all the wrong reasons today.” Thoughts on that?
“I am lucky enough to have Steve as a friend and he is right on that, sad but true.”
You once said that the city of Leeds has the craziest clubbers on the planet. That still true, where else comes close?
“At the time when I made that statement, I meant it and I was playing all over the world! Leeds will always be a special place to party but it’s not the city it once was unfortunately, same can be said for many places in the UK.”
Anthem of the summer?
“Storm Queen – ‘Look Right Through’ – Mk Mix, rinsed to death but love the vocal and what MK did with his remix.”
Have you ever been off your barnet and given anyone a late night haircut after a club, you once worked for Toni & Guy…
“No but I am still a bad ass when it comes to haircuts. It’s something I am proud of, a skill you have for life that not everyone can do and you can’t buy software that sync’s the scissors up for you!”
And finally, what is coming out next from you studio wise?
“I have got roughly 10 Micky Slim originals ready to go but no release schedule, which is typical of me. I am also working on a few side projects under aliases too”
