MATTY G
I'm currently trying to take it back to the soul, to try and represent america's art form a little better."
How were you first exposed to dubstep? Nick Argon’s brother is really into grime and has followed
it for awhile. He started playing Nick some grime beats,
as well as some dubstep that was coming out... tunes like
Horror Show and Roll Dat Shit. He then played them to
me, and I was diggin’ the tunes as well. After that, I started
checking Barefiles, to listen to radio shows, and got a
better idea of what the sound was all about. Dubstep Wars
on Mary Anne Hobbs’ show sealed the deal though
What's the signifigance of the title "Take You Back" There’s a song on the “Rocky” soundtrack of a street
corner group singing “Take You Back, do-do-do-do, Take
You Baaaaack.” I thought it’d be a dope intro and title for
the album ‘cause I draw from some oldschool influences.
Unfortunately, I didn’t end up using the sample, but I
stuck with it as a title.
Is there any concept or message behind the album? Nothing that was intentional, except that I wanted the CD
version to be for fans of dubstep, who aren’t DJs. I guess,
that ultimately affects the songs on vinyl, but I wanted to
have a track selection, that wasn’t too dance floor, or too
deep. Something to bump in the car or your walkman.
I didn’t want the intro’s/outro’s of songs to be too long,
and I put little silly skits and stuff in between some of the
beatz to make it fun, and keep the listener’s interest.
How did you approach working with different singers/MC's?
I just tried to do the best with each individual situation.
Juakali was on the East coast, and sent me acapellas he
recorded over the beats. Luv Fyah was recorded over
a beat, that I did, by a friend of mine, without me even
knowing it. The beat already had lyrics for it though, so
I made a whole new beat for Nuff A Dis, once I heard the
lyrics. I sought out Audio Angel ‘cause I’ve been wanting
to work with her for awhile, and we just recorded some
on the spot stuff at a friends house. After that, I did the
mixdowns at home, and tried to do them all justice.
Did you write your tracks with these specific artists in mind? For the Luv Fyah tune, I crafted a beat to fit the lyrics ‘cause
he recorded on a tune, that already had vocals for it. Juakali
was given the pic of some beats and he wrote to those. I
wanted to get the right vibe for Audio Angel, so I especially
kept her in mind when making the beat for Jazzy Ways.
Did you play any of the instruments on the record? Only some synths on the tracks... strings, pianos,
vibraphones, clavichords, those kinda things. I would
like to incorporate some live instrumentation into future
projects, and maybe try to rent some studio time for
musicians and vocalists.
Where would you place "Take You Back" in the scope of your personal career and development as a musician? At the top right now. It was such a long process, with lots of
learning along the way. It’s something that I never thought I
would achieve in my lifetime. As far as development, I’ve lost
some of my technical ability as a classically defined musician,
because I spend all my time in front of the computer, instead
of playing instruments, but I’ve broadened my abilities
to compose songs by having full control over all of the
elements. I used to play guitar in a hardcore band, and it
was tough to compromise with others about which direction
to take the music. Being able to do whatever I want now is
very self-fulfilling, but can also be tough. When you work by
yourself, it’s only your ideas being examined by people. I’m
excited and nervous to see, how the album is received. I do
miss the spontaneous creativity that comes from working
with others though, which is why I’ve done some production
and vocal collaborations on the album. These experiences
definitely brought some wonderful vibes, and helped me
expand as a producer. Mixing vocals has definitely been the
largest challenge so far though.
What influence has Hip-Hop had on your work? For me, hip hop is the most accessible form of music, so
it definitely plays a big part in what I create as a musician.
I grew up for a long time in a rural environment, and
was really turned on by hip hop in the 90s. The groups
I listened to like N.W.A., Wu Tang, Tribe Called Quest,
etc... were all very funk and soul-based. This style of
production has really left a mark on me, and is the fashion
in which I create songs. A lot of people build their own
songs from scratch, playing all the synths and basslines.
I like to hear something, and try and flip it. I love a loop,
a sample. Some of my songs sample reggae, and have
some old school scratch record samples in there, but
I’m currently trying to take it back to the soul, to try and
represent America’s art form a little better.
What other styles and artists influence and inspire your music? I’m a huge fan of dub and reggae. Funk and soul of
course... RIP Isaac Hayes. He’s definitely one of my
favorites and epitomizes the sound I would love to make...
soul, but orchestral soul. It’s got that southern funk,
with beautiful string melodies. Electronic music is a big
part too. My whole introduction was through house, and
although I didn’t get fanatical about it (I only know a few
artists), it’s definitely an influence. Jungle and hardcore
are huge influences though. By the time I got into it, it was
already drum and bass. I didn’t initially have any friends,
who were into it, so it took me awhile to realize I couldn’t
buy records that had the sound I was looking for, because
they weren’t being made anymore. Jungle is all about
basslines, and I love that. I also loved, how it flipped other
styles like R&B, funk, hip hop, reggae and dancehall, and
made them work within the framework of jungle. As much
as I love all that stuff, I have to say though, that No U Turn
shit is the best for me. They still sampled a bit, but it was
sparse, and rugged as hell. Old Ed Rush, Trace’s Lucky Spin
tunes, Ruffige Kru, all that stuff have had a huge influence
on me... even though it might not seem like it... haha.
Do you feel any of your production techniques directly affect your sound? Definitely. My studio setup is an old iMac G3, and a
bunch of records. I don’t have the processing power to
go crazy, so that definitely limits what I can do. Having
a sample-based style of production affects my sound as
well. Usually, the melody consists of something I’ve taken
from a record, and then I might build upon it with a synth,
whereas other producers might use synths, or just a crazy
bangin’ bassline for the melody.
What are your feeling on sampling? I have a love/hate relationship with sampling. It’s an
integral part of my style, and of styles I admire, but I
struggle with it. I wonder if people question, whether I’m
a real musician, because I use samples. I’ve been trying
to do more completely original beats lately, but there’s
something about sampling that makes the music process
fun. I’m constantly hearing things I’d like to sample, and
was doing that before I was ever a producer. In the end,
it’s all good. I feel like I’m just participating in a style of
production that isn’t as prevalent in music anymore.
What do you listen for in a track? What musical elements are important to you? Bass, drums, and melody. The bass and drums come first.
I love being able to strip down a tune. When I make a beat,
I make the busiest part of the tune, with all the elements
going. Then, I’ll strip that down. My favorite part of a tune
is when nothing but the bass and drums are left. If they
don’t sound good by themselves, then there’s a problem.
I do love a good melody though. It has to be there. That’s
when the samples, or a little synth come in.
How do you approach your DJ set? I used to plan it out when I was just a DJ. I’d be real into
it, busting quick mixes and a scratch here and there. Now,
it’s more on the fly. Sometimes I’ll drop an oldschool jam
as an intro, and work my way up. I feel kinda obligated to
bust some bangers, but I’d like to be able to take it a bit
deeper than what I usually play out. It’s tough, because an
hour isn’t a lot of time to experiment. If you kill the vibe
with a tune that’s too mellow, it could take the rest of the
set to get ‘em back.
Do you hear a difference between British dubstep and American dubstep? Bay Area dubstep? There’s a difference between every producer out there,
regardless of their country of origin. Some producers
sound more similar than others. They might be using
similar equipment, drawing from similar influences, or
part of a crew that’s trying to push a certain sound, but for
the most part I feel everyone has a pretty unique sound.
That’s why I love this music, there’s so much diversity, and
freedom to try new things.
What are your plans for the future? Possibly starting a new label, another album, some singles,
or saying fuck it to the whole damn thing and going back
to school and getting married... haha!
- My wildest dream is to... travel the world making music... wait?!... But seriously, I never thought this would happen.
- My most played record Big Youth - Everyday Skank
- Big up to ...all my friends, and Family. Big shout out to Nick Argon, ‘cause if he didn’t believe in me, we wouldn’t be doing this interview. Thanks to the whole Big Up posse as well. Much love.
NICK ARGON
How did you come to be interested in music? When did you start djing?I feel that I should give something back to the music that has give me so much."
I've always loved electronic music, and I purchased a pair of turntables during my first year at college. It was something I was just dabbling with at first, but quickly evolved into a very important part of my life!
How did you get interested in dubstep?
My brother introduced me to dubstep. From early on, I was really into drum & bass music. Early releases on Argon were in fact drum & bass. Nathan always enjoyed grime, but I could never really get into it. He then showed me some tunes that he called "dubstep" - I realized that these were very similar to the music Matty G was working on, and it all clicked.
What's the mission statement for Argon Records? How are you approaching the ever changing music business?
I approach the ever changing music business by purposefully not having a mission statement! I try to have fun with it all! Dubstep music has taken me all over the world, and introduced me to wonderful people from all corners of the globe. I feel that I should give something back to the music that has give me so much, and that's what I aim to do with Argon.
How did you come to know Matty G?
Matt and I went to college together. Back in my college days, I was throwing lots of parties around the San Francisco bay area. Matt introduced himself to me at one, and handed me a mixtape he had done. I was blown away! It was a mix of No-U-Turn style drum & bass, with classic hip hop! The rest is history.
Do you have any plans to release any other full length records?
Definitely! Matty G's album is just the start! I can't name name's yet, but you can probably guess..
What do you listen for in a track? What musical elements are most important to you?
I don't necessarily listen for certain elements in a track, but I focus more on whether I can remember how the track goes the next day after hearing it. To me, this is a sign that track has some staying
power, and will stand out in a mix. It's a quality of timeless music - something that will sound fresh for years to come.
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