“It sounds weird but you should never label a label,” says Steve, revealing that he’s had a backroom hand in six or seven No.1s and produced a punk band. “I still do techno stuff under different names. I think it’s just fun and the label is your freedom. It’s hard to work with majors all the time because their schedules are not your schedules and their way of working is not the same. As an independent label, you can work faster and freer, there’s no strings attached. You can do whatever you want. If I want to release a silent record, I can release a silent record, it’s up to me.”
While this most certainly isn’t forthcoming (we asked), the social experiment we witness will result in some kind of release — possibly under a joint name — later in the year, alongside a ‘Size Matters’ compilation at the end of summer which will be mixed by Steve and contain exclusive tracks.
“I think we probably have three or four tracks pretty much finished,” says UK producer Tim Mason, who following 2011 releases ‘The Moment’ and ‘Anima’ also has two solo tracks forthcoming (“When it comes to names, it’s usually a couple of days before I send them off that I decide”, he replies when we drill him for more info). “We’ve got one track that I can’t wait to have a play of at festivals, then we’ve got another one which is a very emotional track. It’s not all the same.”
“It’s a big family vibe,” agrees Harry Bass on Steve’s earlier sentiments. Half of UK act Third Party, alongside Jonnie Macaire, the duo found themselves in at the deep end when they were signed to the label two years ago, suddenly
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DJing on Size Matters tours despite having only originally intended to become engineers after they’d finished production school. “One of the best things about being in this studio was to have a proper chat with everyone. At a gig, you see someone and just shout in their ear and hear every other word, whereas here it’s been brilliant.”
Currently looking for a vocalist for their next Size single, to follow this year’s giant ‘Feel’ collaboration with Cicada, the experience also taught them that when it comes to making music, there are many paths to the same goal. “I think one way that we benefited from doing this was just listening to how people start ideas and look to arrange tracks, whether they start on drums first, because everyone has their own thing. We normally look for the melody,” says Jonnie. “But the key is that there isn’t a right way. When you first start out making music and you idolize someone, they do it in a certain way but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way. You just learn your way, put the practice in and put the hours in.”
For Steve, who says he, “…stole my first computer that I made music with because I was so hungry to do it”, such was the situation he grew up in, it’s also a two-way street. “Even though I’ve done it 16, 17 years longer than them, I’m still picking up something from every one of these guys. I
can help them as well when it comes to the more experienced stuff — tour experience, mix downs. I can always help them because I’ve gone through it a million times. I think it’s just giving them a chance to do exactly what they want to do, and exactly what they love to do, and just not limiting them. Not buying gold chains and cars for them, but more supporting them in their creativity and just letting them do that.”
EDM EXPANDING Contrary to EDM players sometimes being cast
as the new rock stars, solely concerned with partying and getting fucked up, this nurturing streak even stretches to the Size Foundation, a charitable organization set up by Steve to help school children in the developing world, raising money from special donation-only concerts or forgoing fees for performances in favor of a donation.
“There’s so much shit going on out there that we don’t see. So many people live in their bubbles, but it’s time to wake up,” he says somberly. “Our motto is ‘a meal lasts a day, an education lasts a lifetime’.”
As for the current boom time in America, Steve’s somewhat skeptical about the way that it’s portrayed.
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