DJ DISTANCE

To everyone that thinks digital sounds better than vinyl, you are 100% wrong!!!"

How were you first exposed to dubstep? Well, this is where a lot of people make a mistake. Dubstep didn’t exist when I was making it. Just like Mala and Skream weren’t making dubstep, we were all just making things that fit into the tempo, like FWD music. Hatcha’s dubstep mix on Tempa came out, and then people used the word “dubstep”. I was first exposed to the sound through garage.

How did the UK dubstep family come to be? We were all doing different things but were interested in the same sound. Sarah started FWD, producers I liked were going, I started going. I started meeting people like Skream, who I have heard of from the forum and through friends. People started coming up to me and being like “Oh you’re Distance from the forum”. I met people through producing the same sounds, heard of people through different people. It’s like every week I would hear a different name, people trying to do similar things, so we would all meet up.

What’s your vision? To be able to make music that I am happy making, not feeling I have to produce any particular type or sound. What was the reason for starting Chestplate? I was releasing my tunes for random labels. I wanted people to know where to find my tunes, have one place to look for them. I won’t be signing any individual artists. Chestplate is a place for my tunes and collaborations.

Has your original vision for Chestplate changed due to the digital age? When I started Chestplate, I was certain I wanted to keep it vinyl, but from playing in more and more places and meeting more people, it is obvious it is not feasible for a lot of people. In a way, it is and it isn’t damaging what I am doing. People still ask when certain Chestplates are coming out, but because I don’t release them on mp3, they don’t know those tunes are out. Obviously, I want my music to be heard, so I will do what I have to do. Dubplates are expensive, and so is vinyl, so it makes sense that stateside DJ’s are playing mostly mp3s. Hopefully, it gets to a point where you see more vinyl here in the States. It will be good to come back in two years and see shelves full of dubstep, that you can buy, and hopefully that will start the vinyl trend again. And to everyone that thinks digital sounds better than vinyl, you are 100% wrong!!! So, if you can buy it on vinyl, buy it on vinyl.

How do you approach working on collaborations? Who ever shows interest really. People I am close with. Skream was the first person I worked with. We built one up in my studio, then one in his. FWD helped get people together. It was right about the time I made tune Fallen, when me and Skream got together. I have always been close with Pinch, so it was just natural that we got together in the studio.

Any collaboration releases on the horizon? Well, there is a secret joint venture between me and Pinch called “Deleted Scenes” - a new label.

What do you use to write your tunes? I use cubase and loads of Vst’s. I play the guitar, no hardware. Favorite plugins? I love everything by Native Instruments. A lot of the stuff I use, like distortion, are free ones.

Has your rock/metal background influenced your dubstep? I think so, yea! But I didn’t realize it. Once I did the Maryann Hobbs show, people came up and said, they could totally hear it in the drums. In my interview, I mentioned liking Korn and other rock bands. It’s cool, people could hear it when I was not deliberately doing it. I used to be into rock and metal. I used to play in bands. I tried to incorporate it with the music I was doing. I still play guitar and listen to heavier music. Mostly, I just plug it in and try and make weird sounds to use.

Do you feel any of your production techniques directly affect your sound? I don’t know, really. Every time I produce I produce a different way. I never use the same drum sounds. I try and never use the same bass sounds. I create everything fresh. Sometimes, that can slow things down, but sometimes it works.

Do you have any tips for new producers? Don’t listen to dubstep. When you are trying to produce, listen to everything other than dubstep, because you will just repeat what’s already been done. People can look at what I’m doing and think they can try whatever they want to try. The worst thing is when people hear a sound, that they like, and then try and replicate it. There’s no point in going on, because that is not helping progression.

Is there a concept behind your radio show? I kept getting sent a lot of tunes by unknown artists and half established artists, that may have a release or liked my music. I was hearing music I liked, but not music I would play when I dj. The show is a way to let people know what I like. What I pick for a set is completely different, than what I like personally. Then, I thought to make it a thing about brand new talent. I have been sent loads of stuff. It doesn’t have to be dubstep, it can be anything.

How do you approach your DJ set? It’s different everywhere. I can sense what an audience wants, but there are times, when I say “fuck it” and play for me. The whole reason you are booking me, is because you want to hear, what I want to play. I’m not someone who wants to do a banging set, I want to build a journey, try to keep people on the floor. There’s no sense in playing banger after banger, because there is nowhere else it can go from there, people get easily bored, and the bangers lose their effect.

Do you hear a difference in US dubstep versus UK dubstep? Some people release on American labels, and there is swapping, so you kind of hear what’s going on, but obviously, for me to come out here from year to year, it seems more developed. Everyone seems to be doing a radio show, starting labels, have a mix CD and be working on collaborations. It is healthy progression. You want a scene happening, so that you can book a DJ from their crew, and they can book a DJ from your crew. Then, you not relying on England for bookings. There is definitely a sound that is happening over here. SF sounds different than other areas, but you hear some people producing stuff that sounds similar to the UK style. It’s important for places to just keep their own sound.

I just hope that people, who are looking to make dubstep and be a part of it, do something different."

Who are your favorite US dubstep producers? I started a tune with Antiserum. I like that. There’s quite a few, really... Let’s see... I like what DJG, Matty G, and JUJU are doing. Any up and coming producers we should watch out for? Kulture, Silkie and Quest have been making their name known. Ramadanman has got his own direction, which is the most important thing. Peverlist, The Joker, Ekorus. Oyaars produces some crazy stuff, not necessarily dubstep, but really cool beats.

Where has dubstep taken you? What doors has it opened? II have been all over the world: New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Germany, not a lot of places in the UK I haven’t been. I am going to Athens next month for the first time. It is nice to be able to do something you love doing.

How are the scenes in those places? It is different everywhere you go. Berlin has big shows! You go to some places and you feel they just want to hear what’s going on, and some places just want to party and hear banging tunes.

Are the parties strictly dubstep? A lot merge drum and bass and dub, like in Japan I played with Dillinga. That approach seems to work. Techno and dubstep works as well. That’s what they do in Berlin.

What are your hopes for the future of dubstep? Original dubstep artists, or artists that came in a few years ago, were not influenced by dubstep. They are not listening to dubstep. When it gets to the stage, where new artists only listen to dubstep, when they go to raves and see the rewinds and then they want to make that tune, that’s when it gets formulized and boring. I just hope that people, who are looking to make dubstep and be a part of it, do something different.

What are your personal plans for the future? Another album will be coming shortly. Plenty more Chestplates. I eventually may try and do a Chestplate CD. Skream and I are doing a project, and there are loads of people I want to work with to keep things interesting. I also have an album coming out before Christmas on Planet Mu.

• My wildest dream is...have an apartment in Manhattan, property in Thailand, a place in SF. I also wish to stay healthy.
• My most played record ..."Maintain Free Madness" by Mala, "Back in the Day" by Benga
• Big up to...everyone who made it possible for me to come out here. Big up Miro, out to Hera, out to all the promoters, producers and DJ’s out here, who have been very hospitable. Out to all the artists
  at home, and my girl for putting up with me for never being home.

 

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