“All I wanted was to be involved in
Are we suffering from
music and be a DJ, but I couldn’t get
Are we suffering from genre overload?
genre overload?
into nightclubs because I was too
young. I worked as an apprentice to a
“Classifying things has happened throughout the history of music. Jazz is a good
“Josh is absolutely right in his
radio DJ, who also ran a mobile disco
example — it started off as just jazz and then when something new came in it became
nostalgia for the old days, specifically
business, and then when I was 16 I got
jazz-rock or free jazz, and the old-school guys were suddenly called New Orleans jazz.
1981 – 1993, which was the last time
a job in a local club just so I could give
“If people need names to understand the history of music then fine — but I don’t
I can truly recall that I got away with
the manager a tape I had made.
like it when that’s used to divide things. People often say to me, ‘I don’t like house or
incorporating virtually any kind of
“I was listening to acid house from
techno’ and I tell them that there’s a key to every door. So if you like rock & roll you can
music into my sets. I remember a
Chicago and early house from New
start with Radiohead — lead people onto Aphex Twin and then to techno and they can
residency I had where I would begin
York — things like Masters At Work and
completely see the link.
with jazz, rare groove and UK soul and
Bobby Konders — so that kind of sound
“Genres can be useful to make associations like that but do we really need 20 different
end up with full-on techno, throwing
and feeling was always very important
names for the same thing? As long as we understand that it’s all electronic dancing
every other style in between. Back then
to me. I was DJing in clubs when I
music — it’s all ‘techno’ to me.” Laurent Garnier
you could get away with playing drum
was 17 and then put my first record
& bass tunes at 33rpm, working them
out when I was 19. That was almost
into a 4/4 house set.
unheard of at the time, but nowadays lucky because we’ve got a following of
“Josh’s sets also exemplified that
everyone who’s 17 or 18 wants to do people who will check out whatever we
attitude of diversity, as did Gilles
exactly the same thing.” release.”
Peterson’s sets. And you don’t need to
look any further than Laurent Garnier
But as they grew up together, Josh
who’s still carrying that torch today.
Open-minded Spirit
and dance music would inevitably
“My only issue is with the current
In keeping with the open-minded spirit lose their innocence. And for Josh
elitism about these newer subdivisions
that first attracted him to electronic that moment came with the release
of the house and techno genres. But
music, Josh found homes for his music of ‘Higher State Of Consciousness’ in
I don’t like to look at the long lost
on numerous disparate labels — with 1995. With its pressure cooker 303
days. I’m very excited about the music
his ‘Tribal Confusion’ collaboration caterwaul screaming out not just
and technology of today and with the
with King Britt as E-Culture coming across the underground dancefloors
creative possibilities that programs like
out on seminal New York house but also from the top of the charts,
Traktor allow, we can blend a number of
imprint Strictly Rhythm, whilst 1994’s reaching No.8 in the UK, ‘Higher State
styles seamlessly without the punters
‘Meditation Will Manifest’ was released Of Consciousness’ was the record that
ever realising that we’re mixing
by techno-orientated Belgian label dragged Josh out of the underground
genres.” Dubfire
R&S Recordings. by the very dreadlocks that suddenly
He also established his own Ovum became a commonplace sight not just
Recordings the same year, with the in the dance press but also in rock
name and trademark egg symbol magazines like Rolling Stone, dropping
completely surrounded by it when I reflecting the label ethos Josh him blinking into a media spotlight he
was growing up. describes as “life music”. admits he was completely unprepared
“Then, when I was older, I was seeing “That can mean everything so we’re for.
Cash Money and Jazzy Jeff battling it free to release anything we want.” “That record opened a lot of doors for
out at block parties in West Philly and That’s the guiding principle behind me but it closed a lot too,” Josh says.
also hearing all these other types of Ovum today, as the labels recent “A lot of fame came along with it and I
music. It was a very influential time for releases from Steve Lawler and Luca can remember coming to London and
me, as well as a peak moment for the Bacchetti testify. seeing posters of my face everywhere
use of electronics in music. “It’s a really cool time for the label and then getting to my hotel room and
“Electronics had been around before — now because we’re getting demos not there was a video for the song that I’d
Pink Floyd had combined synthesisers just from unknown people but from never even seen or approved playing
with rock and Stevie Wonder had been well-known names who want to be on MTV. All of a sudden I was making
using them in soul — but now new- part of what we do,” he continues. serious money for doing something
wave was coming through, which was “Steve Lawler’s track ‘Femme Fatale’ that I’d always just done in my
all about the electronics, and in hip- didn’t sound like Ovum and it didn’t bedroom for free.
hop turntables were being used as a sound like Steve Lawler either, which “There’s a certain easy myth that comes
sampler. is why we decided to put it out. We’re with being a DJ — the champagne,
the limousines, the blowjobs in the DJ
booth — and I certainly wasn’t alone in
Are we suffering from genre overload? expecting all of that, but I decided that
it wasn’t for me. I didn’t get involved
“I’ve always tried to avoid genres so when people ask me what sort of music I play I in making music for those reasons and
say ‘sexy’! I don’t want to be stuck in one thing because I’m always enthusiastic about I realised that I had to take control
what’s coming up next. of the situation or it would start
“The negative aspects of classification have been magnified by web blogging too, where controlling me.
everyone seems to get micro-niche. But that doesn’t really reflect reality, where most “The deal with the label hadn’t been
people will dance to a good record but not a bad one. the best, so I decided to lie low and
“On the other hand, we do need words to describe something and we’re in a fascinating stop doing press for a while. I’ve always
time now where both the mainstream and underground seem obsessed with techno. remained constant with the records I’ve
A lot of techno DJs and producers are following DC10’s lead and playing things a lot released and I think I’ve maintained
slower — so it’s more a ‘techno’ attitude than pure techno.” Pete Tong a good balance when it comes to how
long I’ve spent in the limelight — so
026
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DJ470.josh wink.indd 26 16/1/09 16:56:16
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