Sorry for the tardiness on this post, but the past weekend just absolutely spent me!
Paperbuddha has an exclusive interview with arguably the most innovative producer/dj we have seen in quite an eon. I had the pleasure to meet Simon Shackleton, aka Elite Force, this past weekend as he played a sweaty 3 hr set in Dallas, Texas at Afterlife. We even managed to muster up enough strength to watch the World Cup Final at a proper pub in Grapevine before he had to jet back home. Enjoy!
01. You obviously love to meld different styles of music. What do you listen to that catches your ear?
I was talking about this the other day actually on my
Facebook page and regardless of the genre I think I just respond to music that ‘connects’ with me somehow, on a personal level. I guess it comes down to the ‘heart & soul’ of the music above anything. I’m just as taken by the dripping rock’n'roll ethos of something by Dead Weather as I am by the savage drop of an Excision dubstep monster … and equally the compulsive techno groove of something by Alex Di Stefano will ‘get me’ whilst on the other hand I will be singing my HEART out to something like ‘Station Approach’ by Elbow. Music for me is about a personal connection & a passion – I couldn’t care less about what other people say & think. I just trust my own personal judgement and I’m comfortable with my own choices without having to justify them to anyone.
02. You were one of the first electronic artists to use direct to fan marketing. What attracted you to the concept?
In some ways that sounds a bit corny or a bit ‘focus group’ but that’s more a reflection of the terminology and the use of the word ‘marketing’. I’m keen to develop relationships with the people who buy into & enjoy what I do, and technology is just a facilitator that allows me to do that in a way that’s inclusive and reciprocal.
03. Deadlines for remixes/artist collaborations are inevitable. How do you start projects and manage the timeline to the release dates?
It’s a constant juggling act, but deadlines are to be embraced. They are your friends. They ensure that you buckle down and commit to studio time as & when you need to and it’s very rare that I’m late with delivering something to someone … time just becomes more elastic as you reach the deadline.
04. New technology is always paramount nowadays to production, especially with electronic music. How do you weed through all the new programs and gadgets to make your sound fresh?
I’m as guilty as anyone of buying into the ‘trade mags’ in whose interest it is to constantly hype the newest, latest updates & softwares, but at the same time I’m more than aware that none of this ‘new-hype’ really matters. Look at what Hawtin’s been capable of in the past by massively restricting his sonic palette – you can say the same of many musicians over the years across a whole load of different musical fields. What really matters are the quality of your ideas, and more importantly, that your workflow expedites these ideas rather than hampering them.
05. What qualities do you look for in new talent to sign for the U & A label?
Obviously the music needs to fit the bill for me, but just as important is that our artists understand the need to seize the networking opportunities that are out there for everyone. The more output we have from them to work with, the better, and the release of singles or even albums is now just part of that process and not the be all & end all.
06. What do you have in the pipelines that will just blow everyone away, of course without giving away all your secrets?
I could tell you, but I’d have to kill you.
TRACKLISTING
01 Intro – Godspeed You Black Emperor – Dead Flag Blues (Elite Force Revamp) [CDR]
02 Mike Hulme – Set The Controls [U&A Recordings]
03 Alex Di Stefano – Something is Movin [Mantide]
04 MJ Cole – Sincere (Nero Mix) (Elite Force Revamp) [CDR]
05 Excision – Subsonic (Elite Force Revamp) [CDR]
06 Dirty Super Car – Get a Grip (The Loops of Fury Mix) [Grand Hotel]
07 Felix Luker – Mechanical [U&A Recordings]
08 A.G.Trio – Bass Effect (Zodiac Cartel Mix) [EtageNoir]
09 The Loops of Fury – Rack Em (Zodiac Cartel Mix) [U&A Recordings]
10 Zombies for Money – Numbra One (Foamo Mix) [CDR]
11 Sub Focus – Move Higher [RAM Records]
12 Vandal – Big Dog (Elite Force Mix) [Benefit]
13 Elite Force feat. Bare Noize, Fatboy Slim & Chemical Brothers – Hangover Deep [CDR]
14 Outro – Elite Force – Psychotrope Jams (extract from a mashup)
