The Bristol underground don drinking his Early Morning Champagne with the Black Butter Records crew
Interview : Dan Prince
Hey Ashley welcome to DMCWORLD, where in the world are you right now?
“Allo Dan! I’ve just got back home from my first time in Russia! I DJ’d on Saturday night in St Petersberg, it was an amazing experience!”
Cool. Well what an incredible year you are having, it looks like half the time you are pinching yourself wondering whether this is all happening to you! You’ll remember 2013 as a very special year…
“Yeah for sure!! It really does seem strange all the things that are happening around me. I’ve done a lot of things this year that I never thought I’d get the chance to do as a producer and DJ – I can’t wait to see what happens next year!”
Right let’s get into it. Finally the wait is over! After sitting on this mammoth release for quite a while, Black Butter Records have finally released your Joel Compass featuring track ‘Early Morning Champagne’. You’ve been waiting for a little ‘Joel window’ for this one to come out right?
“Yeah man Joel’s killing it right now! Was so happy when I found out that he wanted to be on the track as I’ve been a big fan since I was intro’d to his music. I knew that it might take some time before we had the right time to release, but I was always up for the wait if it meant getting him on the track!”
{http://soundcloud.com/black-butter-records/woz-early-morning-champagne-ft}
You have been biding your time on this one and been waiting patiently to see what people thought of this dark, subliminal piece of bad beats. You used your whole phone battery on the train to Fabric last week checking out the reviews. So…happy with your first solo release and the feedback?
“More than happy! This track being my first vocal track meant a lot to me and even though I was really happy with it, I was very eager to find out what my followers thought of it! The response has been crazy for me, my Twitter’s been going crazy and so many people have been reaching out with kind words.”
Great title for a tune, we’ve all been there…but truth be told Mr Westlake, you’re a Gin & Red Bull drinker! What’s all that about!?!?!
“Hahaa. I LOVE IT, dunno why…it’s weird. I’ve been a big fan for a while of Gin and energy drinks, they taste good together so why not?? I’ve got a pretty bad Sprite addiction at the mo too after reading that it’s a hangover cure!”
So a big night was had by all last Friday down at Fabric, another massive sell out event for your Roska Presents…debut. What is it about this club that puts it head and shoulders above its rivals week after week? What do you love about it?
“It’s a great brand! I’ve been buying the Fabric Live CDs from when I first got into dance music before I even knew that it was a club. Their website and blog content is always on point and their line-ups are always huge! The people that work there seem as big fans of the music they bring in as the people that come to rave.”
What is the current top 5 you are spinning?
“In no particular order…
Kink – Existence
Gorgon City – Voltage
Dusky – 9T8
M.A.P – North West
Dansson & Marlon Hoffstadt – Shake That
You hail from Bristol, you are going to be asked SO MANY FUCKING TIMES what it is about Bristol and it’s musical history. You seem though to have got it down to a fine tee, giving it the whole Roni, reggae, St Pauls vibe answer. But truth to be told, you haven’t hailed from a musical family, you never played any instruments growing up, it’s all self taught dude. What then did your family think of you pursuing a career in music…or were they just pleased you had finally decided on something to do with your life?
“I’m really lucky to have very supportive parents who have been behind me the whole way! I can’t believe they (and my next door neighbours) have put up with me hammering music most days in my room for the last few years, I’m extremely thankful for that. They’re happy that it’s all going well for me too and I’m stoked to show them that it’s all paying off!”
Biggest tune of 2013?
“KW Griff [Bmore Original] feat Porkchop – ‘Bring In The Katz’. I love Bmore music. This one’s gone off every single show, will be a staple in my sets for a while.”
Love your attitude in the early days, you just wanted to make some music that you could play down at the mighty Motion! Can you recall your debut at the venue, were you shitting yourself?
“I managed to blag a few sets at Motion when I was starting out as a producer. No one really knew who I was but always had a lot of fun. Black Butter recently did a show there and I played in the main room as a part of that; it was a real moment for me as I felt like a real feature and was playing with a lot of my favourite artists! I love Motion and still always try and make it there on the weekends I’m not gigging elsewhere.”
What is coming out next from the Woz…?
“I’m writing a lot at the moment and going to be getting in the studio with more vocalists in the new year. I’m getting inspired by the cold and dark season at the mo and writing a lot of hard and dark club music! Can’t wait to get back in with vocalists next year.”
A few gigs from this summer I want to mention. Space in Ibiza back in July where you ripped it up with Kidnap Kid and Gorgon City. What was that trip like, you loving Ibiza…is it your bag?
“Definitely, I can’t wait to get back there next summer! Was so good to party out there with the BB family and got to party with so many that I look up to! It’s a magical place.”
Glastonbury – what was going through your head when you realized you were closing up the WHOLE OF THE BIGGEST FESIVAL IN THE WHOLE WORLD?????
“Surreal!! By then we were all 5 days deep in partying and I had no idea that it was going to be the last stage open on the festival. Seeing that place fill up was crazy and playing was a real moment I will never forget!”
Bestival – everyone’s nightmare having to check out the hotel with no sleep. But you made it through the carnage…would have been a different story however if Artwork had locked you in the portaloo when you made yet another of your mid set loo sprints…?
“Hahaa I still cant believe that almost happened and I had no idea!!! Will definitely be the first topic of convo when we finally meet properly!”
Love how you got to know Kidnap Kid, spinning back to back with him at Cable. That was your first back to back sets in public, did you enjoy it, was it a case of trying to outdo each other or where you on the same wavelength?
“Yeah was really fun, it was a very exciting time for both of us as we’d not long been signed to Black Butter! Just before we started we just decided that we’d only play garage which went down a treat.”
You readily admit that Sunday is your Ben & Jerry Recovery Day. So if we crash at yours on the day of rest, what are some of the Back To Mine artists you’d be playing for us to mellow the vibe?
“Definitely Maribou State for a mellow mood at the mo for me. Love everything they do, always fits a chill good!”
And finally, who are some of the producers you are giving high fives to right now?
“Gorgon City are smaaaashing it at the moment. Everything they do is gold! I had a listen to some of the stuff they’ve been writing for their upcoming album and I’m really excited for them! So many tunes! Also got to show respect to Mak and Pasteman at the mo, can’t imagine playing a set without including some of their tunes!”
Woz ‘Early Morning Champagne’ ft. Joel Compass
http://www.black-butter.co.uk/woz/