todd terry
ONE of the original DJ superstars who broke out of the hotbed of New York’s ‘90s club scene to tour the world, Todd Terry has experienced the entire house music spectrum; from producing raw underground club tracks, such as the European-rave influenced ‘A Day In The Life’ under the moniker Black Riot, to remixing the likes of Bjork and Duran Duran. He also had his own worldwide hits with tracks including ‘Keep On Jumpin’’ and ‘Somethin Going On’, both featuring the powerful vocals of Martha Wash and Jocelyn Brown. Never one to sit still, his back catalogue is a prolific journey through styles, genres and a dizzying array of different aliases. Now, with a new ‘Todd Terry vs Hip-Hop Vol 1’ compilation and tour on the way, we stopped by to quiz him on what’s up...
As someone who has shaped dance music over almost three decades, can you summarize your career in a few words? What’s your secret to success? “I have moved in many musical directions, from house to other genres, like when I produced drum and bass through my ‘Resolutions’ album. I have also produced some pop records along the way, for artists like Cher and Kylie Minogue, and I’ve done a few hundred remixes, from Everything But The Girl’s ‘Missing’ to two remixes, this past year, for Lana Del Rey. The way I view it is that you gotta keep moving forward.”
What are some high points and low points that come to mind? “The highs would be when I performed ‘Something Goin’ On’ on Top Of The Pops [the UK’s biggest national music TV show], my Grammy nomination and playing in front of 75,000 people or more at festivals. I don’t remember the lows.”
What would you say house music is to you? Why did you first fall in love with it, and what continues to keep you in love with it? “I was drawn to house because I felt it had that driving four on the floor sound, but it also has a Quincy Jones kind of feel, via the funky basslines, song structures and changes. I still try to bring all of those same elements to my mixes and productions.”
You’ve worked with and remixed countless talented musicians and producers. If you absolutely had to pick favorites, who have you enjoyed working with the most? “I enjoyed working with artists like Martha Wash and Cher, but there are so many other great singers. The best was
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during the Todd Terry All Stars sessions when I invited a bunch of singers, DJs and producers [Kenny Dope, DJ Sneak, Terry Hunter and Tara McDonald] to just see what we could come up with. That was a lot of fun creatively.”
What about your inspirations? “Quincy Jones, Arthur Baker and James Brown.”
You’ve always been amazing at bringing the underground dance and commercial pop worlds together. How were you able to do this in your production and remix work? “I work with the song by working around the song. Too many remixes ruin the song by trying to do too much to the song itself.”
Do you still think people are doing this today? “Not as good as I did it in the 1990s!”
Your sound then took a lot from Europe, as well as the US. What record shops and clubs at that time influenced you? “Going to the UK and playing at
Ministry Of Sound, Sankeys and the Hacienda was huge. They were the biggest clubs on the planet at the time, and the Brits and Europeans were open to me playing anything. It was at record shops like Black Market Records and Catch A Groove in London where I found the best 12”s, that I then brought back to New York.”
New York’s music scene has changed a lot, for better or for worse? “The new clubs don’t have the same vibe and soul of the classic clubs. It’s
just not the same when there’s bottle service present.”
What’s coming up for you in 2013? “‘Todd Terry vs Hip-Hop Vol 1’ drops in February. This project is my spin on funk, soul, hip-hop and house all mashed up together. I’m going to support this release with a few videos and a tour, so this is definitely my big thing for 2013.” ZARA WLADAWSKY
Pic: KRIJN VAN NOORDWIJK
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