Lack of Afro

Lack Of Afro (Adam Gibbons) has achieved a startling amount in the few years since his first Freestyle releases. Playing live and DJing across the world, producing and remixing everyone from Tom Jones, The Pharcyde, The New Mastersounds through to Kraak & Smaak! In 2011, as well as collaborating on an album with Eddie Roberts (The New Mastersounds), having also produced and played on the album, ‘Colours´ by Freestyle label  mate Frootful, Adam somehow found time to create without doubt his strongest album yet: ´This Time´…

Hi Adam. Props for the new album, ‘This Time’ coming out on Freestyle in October. And also, props for the band name! Talk us through this stunning album, any favourites…?
“Why thank you. This one is a bit different as it marked a change in the way I approached writing tracks. I wanted to incorporate more melody and structure into this album, rather than to perhaps continue with the more instrumental/groove-based stuff. I listen to a lot of other forms of music, a lot of which is ‘song’- based, so I wanted to see where I could go with it. That approach had been in my head for a while and started off with a couple of tracks on ‘My Groove Your Move’, but formed the basis of ‘This Time’. It’s hard to pick a favourite as I’m very proud of the whole thing – I love them all equally!”

How long has it taken to put together?
“It didn’t take that long really. I think from beginning to end, only around 4 months, something like that. It would have been done quicker had I not had any vocalists to chase up. That normally slows the process down, but is totally and utterly worth it.”

Who in your family got you into music back in the day growing up – and what artists where you listening to as a teenager down in Exeter?
“My family are all fairly musical, but it was my Gran who first started teaching me piano when I was 7 years old. As a teenager I was a complete indie nut – it was the heady days of Britpop and that was what I was into back then. Bands like Blur, Ocean Colour Scene, Dodgy, Ash, The Bluetones…that kind of stuff. My dad was heavily into soul music and played it all the time, but that wasn’t the music I was listening to in my teens it has to be said! It must have been absorbed on some level though…”

Who would you say are your musical influences?
“There are loads, way too many to be listed here! I learnt classical music on the piano back in the day and still listen to a lot of it now. 60’s and 70’s funk and soul would have to be up there, as would modern producers like DJ Shadow, Quantic & Bonobo. Jazz too – Cannonball Adderley is my favourite saxophonist and I listen to loads of stuff on Blue Note/Prestige/Riverside etc. In fact I think I listen to more jazz than anything else really.”

What did you want to be when you grew up?
“A sports journalist. I would’ve been doing that now if it weren’t for the fact that I didn’t get the grades I needed at A-Level. It was only in my gap year that I made the decision to study music technology and ultimately pursue music as a career. I’m very glad I did.”

With a love of funk, what sort of clubs where you frequenting down in Devon when old enough – not much of a funk scene there or had you moved on by then?
“I hadn’t even started! I was aware of funk and soul as there was always lots of Motown, Stax and Atlantic on the record player at home, but I didn’t become fanatical about funk until I was at university in Leicester. One of the reasons for this was being in the crowd when The New Mastersounds played at a small bar called The Fat Cat in the city. This would’ve been 10 years ago now. I loved it, thought they were amazing and it turned out that the guy who was responsible for putting them on (a chap by the name of Ross Hillard) was on the same course as me. We got talking and he mentioned he was a funk DJ. I guess you could say that he took me under his wing and told me which records I should be listening to. It all went from there!”

How many musical instruments can you play?
“I dont know how good you have to be, or what actually constitutes being able to ‘play’ an instrument, but I can fiddle about on the sax, drums, keys, guitar, bass, vibes, percussion. Stuff like that…”

You’ve said in the past that “music is engrained in me” – explain…
“By that I meant that I was brought up with it – there was always a heavy emphasis put on music in our family, and I was exposed to it at a very early age.”

A busy year pre the release of ‘This Time’ working with some cool people, what have been the highlights?
“It was great to be at the controls for the ‘Frootful’ album (‘Colours’ on Freestyle). Nick has been a friend of mine for a good few years now, has played on every Lack of Afro album, a load of remixes and it was nice to help him realise his vision of a solo LP. It turned out really well and I’m proud of it. Working with Eddie Roberts from The New Mastersounds has been amazing – that project is on-going and is really starting to take shape. For me it’s been like working with one of your heroes.”

What are the big 10 tunes you are spinning right now?
In no particular order – and no apologising for shameless self-promotion…
Lack of Afro (feat. Wayne Gidden) –  ‘A Time For’
Jimi Hendrix – ‘Crosstown Traffic’
Peanut Butter Wolf (feat. Charizma) – ‘Devotion’
Quantic (feat. Aspects) – ‘Primate Boogaloo’
The Heavy – ‘How You Like Me Now?’
Ray Camacho – ‘Si Si Puede’ (Lack of Afro remix)
The New Mastersounds – ‘One Note Brown’ (live)
Lack of Afro (feat. Jake Morley) – ‘Holding My Breath’
The Third Degree – ‘Mercy’
Lack of Afro (feat. Wax & Herbal T) – ‘P.A.R.T.Y’

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given from a family member?
“’Press on!’ Courtesy of my Gran. So good it was the title of my first album.”

You have remixed some big names with over 40 releases tucked under your belt already ranging from Tom Jones to The Pharcyde. What has been your greatest remix to date?
“I think that’s for other people to say really…my favourite is probably the Tom Jones one, ‘Give A Little Love’. It was an incredible shame that it didn’t get the worldwide release that we were promised – his label didn’t want to clear the sample so it didn’t come out for a long time.”

What one piece of advice would you offer to young musicians struggling to get into the music scene?
“Try and get a valued opinion from someone who works in the business. It’s no good asking your family and friends as they’ll always tell you what you want to hear and that what you’re doing is brilliant. It’s only by getting proper, impartial feedback from someone in the industry, that you’ll know what level you’re at and what you have to work on.”

What 1 record do you wish you’d made?
“Recently, ‘I Need A Dollar’ by Aloe Blacc. “

So we come back to yours, what are the 10 Back To Mine tunes you spin us?
Al Green – ‘Jesus Is Waiting’
Eugene McDaniels – ‘Susan Jane’
Aim – ‘Good Disease’
Cannonball Adderley – ‘Things Are Getting Better’
Dave Ellis – ‘Let Me Sing You Psalms’
RJD2 – ‘Ghostwriter’
Barbara & Ernie – ‘For You’
Air – ‘Man’s Got Style’
The New Mastersounds – ‘Your Love Is Mine’ (feat. Corinne Bailey-Rae)
Solomon Burke – ‘Stupidity’

What is the most expensive thing you have ever spurged on?
“My degree! Still paying for that badboy…”

Best vocalist ever?
“Sam Cooke. I’d happily give up all my production knowledge, instruments, everything just to be able to sing a tenth as well as he could. He was incredible.”

What has been the best club you’ve rocked in 2011?
“The Cult Club in Moscow was great – the crowd were mental!”
 
We hear a US management deal has just been signed…
“Yeah, I now have representation in the States. We’ll have to see how that goes…”

What 1 record can’t you get out of your head at the moment?
“I woke up this morning with ‘Something Good Can Work’ by Two Door Cinema Club in my head and it won’t go away. It’s a good tune but come on…!”

If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?
“Ideally I’d have a lot more patience. And I wish I was a little bit taller.”

What 1 artist dead or alive would you like to get into the studio and make sweet music with?
“Sam Cooke. He died way too young.”

And finally, what is next studio wise from Lack of Afro?
“I’ve produced an album for a band called The Unity Sextet – it’s heavy on the jazz and I think it’ll do real well. They’re some really talented players and its out in December on P-Vine in Japan and Legere in Europe. There’s the project with Eddie Roberts which is ongoing. A Lack of Afro remix album is going to be released in the new year on Freestyle – that’ll be the best of the remixes I have done so far, and I’m also working on an electro project too. Lots to keep me busy…”

Check out the hilarious new video for ‘A Time For’…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrltM8n1RJU&feature=youtu.be&hd=1