Lee Jones (Country Gents, Buslife Recordings) Interview
Lee Jones is one of the very first DJ’s I ever saw play deeper house, although I’m not sure it was that back then. Regardless, his Po Na Na sets and the music that came from them inspired me to get into the scene and 20 odd years later we’re both ticking along doing our things. Lee’s career spans the seminal DiY days, through illegal raves and more - he’s ploughed his own path more often than not and carved out a career others only dream of.
Good to catch up mate - it’s been a long time! We first met back in the early 2000’s in Reading - those were some great nights - but let’s start with how you got to that point, what got you into DJ’ing. What were your early influences? and you’re integral to the free rave scene - tell us about that and what makes it your thing?
Well it all began here: In the UK there was a very established Free Festival movement which was basically a series of illegal and unpoliced events which were tolerated. That allowed the nomadic New Age Travellers (with whom I had lived with since the mid 80’s, they were my family so to speak) to gather and meet old friends, exchange wares and earn a living to support them through the dark winter months. These were, in my mind, real festivals. The music was raw and spontaneous, the whole scene was very psychedelic, artistic and free, like a travelling Woodstock. This is what today’s big money festivals were modelled on. I don’t recall anyone saying thanks. Then in 1990 something happened...
The sound of kick drums and electronic music spawned, slowly at first then at breakneck speed, which upset all authority and there began House Music in my life. I was involved greatly in the parties that unfolded in the early 90’s around a bunch of people from Nottingham, my home town, who were DiY Sound System. I was part of the already travelling, road crew that knew the land, had the marquee’s, generators and a team of strong and able people to help this into reality. We also knew what we could get away with where the authorities were concerned. This latter ability of the travelling family was soon to be rendered useless by the size of the influx of people that came from just about everywhere you could imagine. No one could have imagined how big this would grow. The rave at Castlemorton Common in 1992 was the fitting end, (as I see it), of the crazy journey all those involved had just been on. DJ’s Simon DK, Jack, and Digs & Woosh, they were my party hero’s before I learned that I could do that too, and didn’t just have to carry speakers and mend diesel generators that had had petrol poured in them, in a hurry, while the dancefloor was reeling with the silence they were plunged into.
Lorries – Buses - Generators – Tents – Speakers - DJ’s = House Music
That was my influence.
From 1992 I stepped back, there are countless reasons why in retrospect but at the time it was just instinct, a kind of survival self preservation instinct. It transpired that much darkness fell on the travellers and party people that remained in groups and continued to try to continue with the travelling show. I dipped in and out until I didn’t go back for a long while. Then the Reading and Oxford days began in 1995.
There is no easy way to get this bit down. This next section was the changing of my life (again)...
It began in a valley in an old gypsy caravan in an orchard called Rocky Lane in Oxfordshire. This was my safe haven that I retreated to when the free party scene was becoming too dark for me. I had started hanging out in London with my mate Dave and going to warehouse parties. He was a saxophone busker and we called him Saxy Dave. He knew more than me about the music and he educated me on the labels and names of producers he admired. It was then I bought my first few records. A few that I can remember are Danell Dixon’s Dance Dance, a Deep Dish album called Penetrate Deeper, George Morel’s Let’s Groove and several things on Tribal UK. One day I woke up and decided my farm mechanic days were over. I went to the bank and told them my Land Rover had blown it’s engine (it hadn’t) and I needed to borrow £600. I had seen an advert in a newspaper for some Technics turntables and a mixer for sale in Reading. I left with £50 and the flight cased decks and an old Realistic (Tandy in UK) mixer. I still have the decks today. Then, I played my 8 records over and over. I went to visit mates in Nottingham and tried to play on their decks but really couldn’t. It was a lad called Boysie that finally showed me a technique that I understood and then it started. All I did for a year was play, I picked up an old Honda generator, remember this domestic electricity equipment was something I’d not seen since I lived with my grandparents when I was 17. I’d lived with candles and car batteries and log stoves. So here I am in the bottom of the valley with a little generator and new decks with time on my hands. It wasn’t long before I was visiting Massive Records in Oxford as often as I could. My free party past got me up the ladder to the test pressings and promo’s instantly.
One weekend I’d gone to Brighton with one of the other traveller lads that lived on the orchard to go to a rave on the South Downs and I met a lovely girl called Anna. Anna was involved in the Reading music scene and introduced me to all sorts of people and I loved it. Within weeks I was playing to audiences. It began in the upstairs bar of a new and vibrant café called Café Iguana. I played all kinds of stuff, as I experimented with what worked and what didn’t. This led to gigs in clubs and house parties where I learned the craft. No body played music like I played there, it was all UK Garage, Reggae and Jungle in Reading. A band called The Electric Groove Temple were regulars at the Iguana and one day I was asked if I wanted to go on tour with them and be their warm up DJ. First time we went to France and I just hung out and got to know their set and the sort of venues they played.
Then followed 3 years of what seems now like constant touring. We played ‘everywhere’ in France particularly and also the Netherlands and Belgium and Switzerland. They were famous in Europe but not really the same in the UK. I couldn’t tell you a list of the cities, towns and villages we played in, sometimes 2 or 3 times over the years, without scouring a map of Europe. This journey developed further with their booking agent organising gigs where the band and I were the whole nights entertainment. I warmed up for them and then took the party to close after they had done their show. Then the booking agent started booking me alone to do gigs in France. It was AMAZING and I could never thank the band enough for taking me on their journey. After this I got asked if I could stand in for an English DJ called Louie Genis, who had been working with a French band called Hanuman Care Kit, I went to France to meet them and learned their set and did gigs with them, on stage chucking in beats and scratching and again playing after their show.
Back home other things started to unfold. I was close with a bunch of guys from Oxford and one of them, Josh Ponte, ran a late license bar called Po Na Na. This was a small chain of venues and they grew and grew at a time when the licensing laws here in England were changing. They were the first chain to get the ‘new’ 2am licence that was the first drastic change in the then, draconian licensing laws, here in this country. Nights at the Oxford ‘Na’ were rammed every night of the week. The owners had bought a site in Reading and I was asked to meet the newly appointed manager, Stuart Kerley and was handed the task of overseeing the music for the venue. I chose a fortnightly Thursday to run my first ever night. I called it Valley Moods Productions, which I had already started writing on my mixtapes. Fortunately, it was an instant success owing to the fact that we were the only 2am bar in the City, and was a real education of different styles for a lot of folks. I brought all the DJ’s who’s records I’d been playing to the club and of course the guys from DiY. The guests I can remember were: Chris Simmonds, Derrick Thompson, Ivan Smagghe, Charles Webster, A Man Called Adam, Chris Duckenfield, Andy Compton, Digs & Woosh, DiY Jack, Andy Cato (Groove Armada), DJ Emma, Clive Henry. I chose to take Saturday night’s as my residency there where I played the whole night (5 hours) and worked through the house flavours. This ran for about 3 years. During this time, I’d been networking solidly during the days and had envelopes of promo’s in the post every day, so I was never short of new music.
Somehow, I don’t remember exactly, but my old mate Saxy Dave got me a year long residency at the Dog Star in Brixton once a month at a time that allowed me to drive from the ‘Na’ in Reading when I’d finished at 2am. Po Na Na ended as all things seem to do, due to noise complaints from some person who thought it would be nice to move in next door to a successful late night bar but didn’t like music. Inexplicable how this is allowed but that was the end. I played in Po Na Na in other towns like Cheltenham and Swindon but the company petered out. During this time, I played lots of good venues, I can remember: The Que Club in Birmingham, Turnmills in London, Concorde 2 in Brighton, Lakota & Blue Mountain in Bristol, The Top in San Fran, Motor in Detroit. I warmed up for Sven Vath in Switzerland once by accident which was an honour.
When I got back from my US tour it was like my career fell off a cliff. That part of my journey had ended. The Deep Cartel days began shortly. Deep Cartel is a soundsystem and accompanying crew from Devon. At least 8 years had passed since the dying throes of the travelling rave’s I described earlier and the scene appeared to have reignited but in a smaller, more guerrilla style party that mostly intended to leave no trace on the land we had borrowed. Dan, Paul and Darren began Deep Cartel in clubs in the South West of England, which is how I met them and I naturally fell into that new scene. I’d say we did 7 or 8 years of these parties in hidden and remote locations and these parties drew a much younger and vibrant crowd than id seen for a while. It was more like the old days where I was involved in the dogs body work. Driving, carrying, mending etc etc.
What’s your favourite release from back in the early days of your career?
That’s not an easy question to answer. Recently I’ve begun to play vinyl again and then started to scour my old records for samples that could be used in new material. So, in the last year my son, DJ Wiggly and I have been dragging out all the records and giving them a clean and a listen. The sight of one or two of them had me so excited I was barely able to contain myself. One of these records is G.O.D. Limited, a cut up of several other great tracks done by Grant Nelson & Simon Firmin. The A side means a great deal to me as at that time I wasn’t finding the simple bass heavy house I had been hearing at the parties in the early 90’s and on. These were the beginnings of the Reading days.
Been A Long Time by The Fog also jumps to mind as a seminal track for me as is a track by the sadly deceased Adam Malian aka Taxi C.A.B. called Chunk A Nova. Massive memories of DiY’s
DJ Simon DK. Phylyps Trak II by Basic Channel, is something quite different that always resides in my record box and digital crate. A total classic to me. The best ‘boring’ track ever made. I always used to end my sets with Life 4 Living by USG feat Monica Elam. I’ve still got this but it’s a bit tired now.
Any tips for aspiring DJ’s given what you know now?
Just play what you truly love and pay no heed to the top 100 charts on the big stores, unless there is a Buslife release in there obviously ;) If you can truly multi task these days the creative options available are incredible. Practice practice practice.
From Dj’ing you moved into producing tunes, how did it come about?
Simple really. Almost as instantly as I changed my life’s direction from being site/farm mechanic and found myself a DJ with gigs 3 times a week, it became obvious I needed to go and see how the music was made. You have to remember I’ve never ever seen a computer in my life at this stage, let alone know what one could do. A girlfriend’s mum lent me the money to buy an all singing and dancing Power Mac G3, thanks, and RIP Tanya. Long story cut very short, I taught myself to use Cubase a little and then flourished with Logic. I had lots of help from people back in those days, we were all trying to learn quicker and quicker. I think thanks are in order to: Tanya D’Onofrio, John Blanchard, Marcus Pearson for supporting me and Chris Simmonds and Stuart Patterson for releasing my early work.
Favourite release from back then?
Back when? At the beginning? I’d say, Time Passes (Darron’s Song) which was released on Pear Music in 2002. Written on Propellerheads Reason of all things, by myself and Marcus Pearson with lyrics composed and sung by Abbie Lathe. Dedicated to a friend that passed away by total surprise at Christmas the year before.
What do you prefer - production or DJ’ing? And why?
Before my radio show began August 2016 I would have said production, I had become tired of the late nights and relentless hedonism of the scene I had become involved with, but now I have turned the tables on it all and am back on the frontline of house music, with all its new genre tweaks and upcoming new young producers and DJ’s. The scene is exciting again and I feel blessed to be ‘up to my neck’ in it.
Favourite place to DJ?
Definitely in a forest or a deserted quarry behind a wall of dub/reggae orientated speakers just as the dawn is arriving.
What’s your usual preparation for a set? Picks tracks, sleep...?
Throughout my career this has changed according to my ‘present’. I live very much in the moment. If I’m doing serious gigs for money, I’m certain to have slept and be clearheaded. In the 90’s and early 2000’s I always carried two record boxes and I knew exactly what was what and what went with what. In those situations, I always tried to find a place to meditate for 20 mins before I went on. Nowadays I just make sure I’m completely sober. It’s a different thing now music is all on sticks and computers. Most of the time I have my whole collection on 2 massive sticks, but I do make a loose playlist of suitable tracks. I do just feel my way in and instinct crops up again and makes the decisions for me somewhat. I’ve bought lots of new vinyl in the last 2 years and am playing that way more and more.
How does (if at all) your DJ style differ from your production sound?
Interesting question this one. I definitely prefer to play harder music on the decks to what I write. I just had my 15 year old son Teigue (AKA DJ Wiggly) berating me today for always putting in what he called ‘wishy washy’ deep bits in what I create. What can I say lol. I love hard dubs with a splash of soul on the dancefloor but in the studio I’m simply expressing who I am and how I feel at that moment.
How do you feel production has changed over the years (good or bad) - do you still get as much pleasure from it?
My sound has evolved constantly, At the beginning I was so excited that it was all actually happening I’m not sure how it was all sounding. I guess I should outline again that from the age of about 19 I lived off grid and had no electricity supply or running water and had never seen a computer in my life. I had a semi acoustic bass guitar but could never plug it in. So, when I ended up sat in a studio for the first time it was like a nomadic peasant sitting in a space station of the future. Life changing moments. At that time DJ’ing was the main source of my income and a priority. As the journey continued, I devoted more and more time to production. Collaborated with many different people at this stage, hence the name Country Gents plural, as there were several different accomplices, all with different musical skills and I learned and learned. 15 years later Deep Cartel Recordings was born and more recently Buslife Records. I’ve been through so many stages of development in the studio it’s hard to document. I’ve never had an exact sound as I’ve always followed my heart in all sorts of directions. I most certainly get more pleasure now than ever from making music.
Thanks are due to these studio accomplices: John Blanchard, Marcus Pearson, Damon Goss, Abbie Lathe, Eleanor Jamison. Gavin Belton, Dan Cartel, Jeremy Gilchrist, Kieran Donley, Libby Lawes. Joe Hockham & Ed The Spread for their ongoing support and DJ Caspa for his wonderful Sunday radio show that is a real education.
What’s your production set up?
Akai MPC-X. 27” iMac 32gb RAM dual SSD’s internally. Logic Pro X. Euphonix Artist series mixer/transport controllers, Tannoy Reveal Mk2’s and Yamaha NS10’s. Slate Digital, Waves and Soundtoys plugins, Novation controller keyboard. The most recent member of the studio is the Akai MPC-X. This has completely changed my life (really) now I’m playing the drums I’ve always dreamt of and this is where the samples I discussed earlier are destined to be manipulated. Wood burning stove to keep me toasty.
Top tips for aspiring producers?
You’ll only truly succeed if you don’t have a day job in my humble opinion. Make the very most of every day you can to try to realise your dreams. Once you have a job, music becomes a hobby. I do run an Apple Mac support company nowadays but I see clients when it suits me. I’m very fortunate to have created this situation, kind of by accident.
This is my computer workstation method. I’m still learning to totally complete tracks in the MPC.
Always see the production of each track through 3 stages religiously.
1. Composition, don’t get too caught up with the sonics if it all works. Once it all seems to be working then move on.
2. Arrangement/Mixdown, this bit is always my favourite I reckon. While I’m arranging, I start to make things sit together nicely sonically too. When this is done. Stop. Forget it for a day or so and go back. Bounce the whole track to stems with all the effects on and ‘Save As’ something else. Then….
3. The stem mix. Now go into it meticulously, each track is now clear of effects so you can tweak and refine everything further and your computer won’t moan. I only learned this step within the last decade and its by far the most important to get the professional spacious mix that’s prerequisite these days. Even on a kind of Lo-Fi, simple track, this bit needs to be done. Be patient, reference to other tracks that you admire the sound of and it will be finished shortly.
Tell us about Country Gents - production and the radio show, the bus...?
I’ve had a show on Release FM (est 95) since August 2006. Every Saturday at 8pm. Initially I was terrified. Part of the job is to be engaging on the mic with the listeners and deal with incoming texts and emails and chat portal, all while keeping the music all in time. I’d never spoken on a mic before unless I was really drunk and talking nonsense. It took about 3 months to settle in and I’ve found I really enjoy it. I do my best to talk about the new releases and promo’s I’ve had arrive the week before and quite often play things I’d never play at a party. That’s the beauty of the radio, I’ve an ever-growing listener base and they encourage me to simply play good music rather than get stuck in a genre. Always house, but there are many, many, flavours aren’t there! As I think I already said, my son and I have been exploring my record collection and I’ve devoted shows to giving these crackly and dirty discs an airing. The colour of the red mud dust on many of them takes me back to the Deep Cartel parties in Devon. The fingerprints, felt pen scribbles and in the first 10 years I stuck a label on every record with the track BPM’s and a score of little dancing men for each track. These all bring me wonderful memories.
The team behind Release FM have signed a contract with the broadcasting people OFCOM and next April we will be totally legal on DAB radio. This is a massive step, for me into the unknown, that will bring us an immense opportunity to reach new listeners and to do this they will be running the station as a company and if things work out, we will be getting paid in about 3 to 4 years. The cost of the license is immense, so im sure it will taske that long for them to make the business profitable. This makes things very serious. No swearing in the music or by the DJ or the station will get fined, I imagine set lists too. To bring this project to reality the DJ’s will need to find show sponsors unless they can cover the year one costs which is a very large amount of money. I’m about to embark on finding a suitable sponsor for my show. Record shop or a youth charity or something along those lines would suit my vision. #buslife
The bus is my home, I’ve had it for about 16 years. Been to lots of festivals in it and also some lovely holidays too. It’s a 1969 Bristol RE. The studio is in a large caravan at Buslife HQ. One end of the studio is for production and the other end is the DJ’ing and radio show.
What’s your future plans musically now - a new label project for the techno/ambient productions?
The plan is to take Buslife Records as far as I can. I’ve got the energy and I’m suddenly surrounded by a completely new group of people and have new music of differing flavours of house music from people I’ve only just met lined up for the coming months. Wiggly and his mate have talked about doing some drum and bass and hip hop and I’ve said I’ll create Buslife Bass for them if they get it together.
Your son is a DJ these days too right?
Yes, Teigue is 15 and is DJ Wiggly. The name Wiggly just happened when he was very little. He had started messing about with Apple Loops in Logic, aged about 6, when the studio was actually in the bus and one time, I was gobsmacked at what he had put together and gave him bits of advice. He made two tracks that I helped him finish which I released on Deep Cartel (who wouldn’t have ;) These days he is helping with remixes and learning all about sonics.
https://www.traxsource.com/artist/47812/dj-wiggly
He is writing tracks at school in music lessons and bringing them home to take to the next level in our studio at Buslife HQ. He has taught himself to DJ and quite clearly has a future in it if he keeps his head together and works hard. He has the distinct advantage over me in that he has lived a relatively conventional life and will find communicating with the city folks that run the music industry, far easier than I do. I’m like a caveman when it comes to social skills.
What other labels are killing it for you right now - tracks you’re playing and loving?
Again, a tough one. There are so many new labels cropping up alongside the established. I fell in love with the Robsoul sound a few years ago, Phil Weeks was my inspiration for getting an AKAI MPC. For me that has run its course but there will definitely be more crackers come on there, it’s inevitable. I think it’s my favourite label from the last few years.
Inhale Exhale, Rutilance, Politics Of Dancing, Peng, Snazzy Trax, Ondule´, Plastik People, Beste Freunde, Viva, Too Many Rules, Soiree, PIV, No Fuss. There’s a few that came to mind instantly.
What’s on the cards for the next while - releases/gigs to watch out for?
There’s new releases coming up from Choobe Soundystem, with Country Gents and Soundwave Freqs mixes. An EP from DJ JD & G.E.N.I. I’ve had to delay this as Soiree Records from Detroit has licenced the lead track off the EP from me before I even released it. They have material almost ready to replace it. Monkey Star with a tough garage house mix from Tuff Luv Records, Mike C and myself. These artists are relatively unknown and I’m all ears to hear from other artists that would like to introduce themselves.
info@buslife.uk no Facebook messages please.
I really want to extend my thanks to Richie here at UM for inviting me to do this, I’ve really wanted to get that early stuff down on paper for the record for years. It’s been a real pleasure squeezing my brain and digging out the memories.
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Lee Jones (Country Gents, Buslife Recordings) Interview
Lee Jones is one of the very first DJ’s I ever saw play deeper house, although I’m not sure it was that back then. Regardless, his Po Na Na sets and the music that came from them inspired me to get into the scene and 20 odd years later we’re both ticking along doing our things. Lee’s career spans the seminal DiY days, through illegal raves and more - he’s ploughed his own path more often than not and carved out a career others only dream of.
Good to catch up mate - it’s been a long time! We first met back in the early 2000’s in Reading - those were some great nights - but let’s start with how you got to that point, what got you into DJ’ing. What were your early influences? and you’re integral to the free rave scene - tell us about that and what makes it your thing?
Well it all began here: In the UK there was a very established Free Festival movement which was basically a series of illegal and unpoliced events which were tolerated. That allowed the nomadic New Age Travellers (with whom I had lived with since the mid 80’s, they were my family so to speak) to gather and meet old friends, exchange wares and earn a living to support them through the dark winter months. These were, in my mind, real festivals. The music was raw and spontaneous, the whole scene was very psychedelic, artistic and free, like a travelling Woodstock. This is what today’s big money festivals were modelled on. I don’t recall anyone saying thanks. Then in 1990 something happened...
The sound of kick drums and electronic music spawned, slowly at first then at breakneck speed, which upset all authority and there began House Music in my life. I was involved greatly in the parties that unfolded in the early 90’s around a bunch of people from Nottingham, my home town, who were DiY Sound System. I was part of the already travelling, road crew that knew the land, had the marquee’s, generators and a team of strong and able people to help this into reality. We also knew what we could get away with where the authorities were concerned. This latter ability of the travelling family was soon to be rendered useless by the size of the influx of people that came from just about everywhere you could imagine. No one could have imagined how big this would grow. The rave at Castlemorton Common in 1992 was the fitting end, (as I see it), of the crazy journey all those involved had just been on. DJ’s Simon DK, Jack, and Digs & Woosh, they were my party hero’s before I learned that I could do that too, and didn’t just have to carry speakers and mend diesel generators that had had petrol poured in them, in a hurry, while the dancefloor was reeling with the silence they were plunged into.
Lorries – Buses - Generators – Tents – Speakers - DJ’s = House Music
That was my influence.
From 1992 I stepped back, there are countless reasons why in retrospect but at the time it was just instinct, a kind of survival self preservation instinct. It transpired that much darkness fell on the travellers and party people that remained in groups and continued to try to continue with the travelling show. I dipped in and out until I didn’t go back for a long while. Then the Reading and Oxford days began in 1995.
There is no easy way to get this bit down. This next section was the changing of my life (again)...
It began in a valley in an old gypsy caravan in an orchard called Rocky Lane in Oxfordshire. This was my safe haven that I retreated to when the free party scene was becoming too dark for me. I had started hanging out in London with my mate Dave and going to warehouse parties. He was a saxophone busker and we called him Saxy Dave. He knew more than me about the music and he educated me on the labels and names of producers he admired. It was then I bought my first few records. A few that I can remember are Danell Dixon’s Dance Dance, a Deep Dish album called Penetrate Deeper, George Morel’s Let’s Groove and several things on Tribal UK. One day I woke up and decided my farm mechanic days were over. I went to the bank and told them my Land Rover had blown it’s engine (it hadn’t) and I needed to borrow £600. I had seen an advert in a newspaper for some Technics turntables and a mixer for sale in Reading. I left with £50 and the flight cased decks and an old Realistic (Tandy in UK) mixer. I still have the decks today. Then, I played my 8 records over and over. I went to visit mates in Nottingham and tried to play on their decks but really couldn’t. It was a lad called Boysie that finally showed me a technique that I understood and then it started. All I did for a year was play, I picked up an old Honda generator, remember this domestic electricity equipment was something I’d not seen since I lived with my grandparents when I was 17. I’d lived with candles and car batteries and log stoves. So here I am in the bottom of the valley with a little generator and new decks with time on my hands. It wasn’t long before I was visiting Massive Records in Oxford as often as I could. My free party past got me up the ladder to the test pressings and promo’s instantly.
One weekend I’d gone to Brighton with one of the other traveller lads that lived on the orchard to go to a rave on the South Downs and I met a lovely girl called Anna. Anna was involved in the Reading music scene and introduced me to all sorts of people and I loved it. Within weeks I was playing to audiences. It began in the upstairs bar of a new and vibrant café called Café Iguana. I played all kinds of stuff, as I experimented with what worked and what didn’t. This led to gigs in clubs and house parties where I learned the craft. No body played music like I played there, it was all UK Garage, Reggae and Jungle in Reading. A band called The Electric Groove Temple were regulars at the Iguana and one day I was asked if I wanted to go on tour with them and be their warm up DJ. First time we went to France and I just hung out and got to know their set and the sort of venues they played.
Then followed 3 years of what seems now like constant touring. We played ‘everywhere’ in France particularly and also the Netherlands and Belgium and Switzerland. They were famous in Europe but not really the same in the UK. I couldn’t tell you a list of the cities, towns and villages we played in, sometimes 2 or 3 times over the years, without scouring a map of Europe. This journey developed further with their booking agent organising gigs where the band and I were the whole nights entertainment. I warmed up for them and then took the party to close after they had done their show. Then the booking agent started booking me alone to do gigs in France. It was AMAZING and I could never thank the band enough for taking me on their journey. After this I got asked if I could stand in for an English DJ called Louie Genis, who had been working with a French band called Hanuman Care Kit, I went to France to meet them and learned their set and did gigs with them, on stage chucking in beats and scratching and again playing after their show.
Back home other things started to unfold. I was close with a bunch of guys from Oxford and one of them, Josh Ponte, ran a late license bar called Po Na Na. This was a small chain of venues and they grew and grew at a time when the licensing laws here in England were changing. They were the first chain to get the ‘new’ 2am licence that was the first drastic change in the then, draconian licensing laws, here in this country. Nights at the Oxford ‘Na’ were rammed every night of the week. The owners had bought a site in Reading and I was asked to meet the newly appointed manager, Stuart Kerley and was handed the task of overseeing the music for the venue. I chose a fortnightly Thursday to run my first ever night. I called it Valley Moods Productions, which I had already started writing on my mixtapes. Fortunately, it was an instant success owing to the fact that we were the only 2am bar in the City, and was a real education of different styles for a lot of folks. I brought all the DJ’s who’s records I’d been playing to the club and of course the guys from DiY. The guests I can remember were: Chris Simmonds, Derrick Thompson, Ivan Smagghe, Charles Webster, A Man Called Adam, Chris Duckenfield, Andy Compton, Digs & Woosh, DiY Jack, Andy Cato (Groove Armada), DJ Emma, Clive Henry. I chose to take Saturday night’s as my residency there where I played the whole night (5 hours) and worked through the house flavours. This ran for about 3 years. During this time, I’d been networking solidly during the days and had envelopes of promo’s in the post every day, so I was never short of new music.
Somehow, I don’t remember exactly, but my old mate Saxy Dave got me a year long residency at the Dog Star in Brixton once a month at a time that allowed me to drive from the ‘Na’ in Reading when I’d finished at 2am. Po Na Na ended as all things seem to do, due to noise complaints from some person who thought it would be nice to move in next door to a successful late night bar but didn’t like music. Inexplicable how this is allowed but that was the end. I played in Po Na Na in other towns like Cheltenham and Swindon but the company petered out. During this time, I played lots of good venues, I can remember: The Que Club in Birmingham, Turnmills in London, Concorde 2 in Brighton, Lakota & Blue Mountain in Bristol, The Top in San Fran, Motor in Detroit. I warmed up for Sven Vath in Switzerland once by accident which was an honour.
When I got back from my US tour it was like my career fell off a cliff. That part of my journey had ended. The Deep Cartel days began shortly. Deep Cartel is a soundsystem and accompanying crew from Devon. At least 8 years had passed since the dying throes of the travelling rave’s I described earlier and the scene appeared to have reignited but in a smaller, more guerrilla style party that mostly intended to leave no trace on the land we had borrowed. Dan, Paul and Darren began Deep Cartel in clubs in the South West of England, which is how I met them and I naturally fell into that new scene. I’d say we did 7 or 8 years of these parties in hidden and remote locations and these parties drew a much younger and vibrant crowd than id seen for a while. It was more like the old days where I was involved in the dogs body work. Driving, carrying, mending etc etc.
What’s your favourite release from back in the early days of your career?
That’s not an easy question to answer. Recently I’ve begun to play vinyl again and then started to scour my old records for samples that could be used in new material. So, in the last year my son, DJ Wiggly and I have been dragging out all the records and giving them a clean and a listen. The sight of one or two of them had me so excited I was barely able to contain myself. One of these records is G.O.D. Limited, a cut up of several other great tracks done by Grant Nelson & Simon Firmin. The A side means a great deal to me as at that time I wasn’t finding the simple bass heavy house I had been hearing at the parties in the early 90’s and on. These were the beginnings of the Reading days.
Been A Long Time by The Fog also jumps to mind as a seminal track for me as is a track by the sadly deceased Adam Malian aka Taxi C.A.B. called Chunk A Nova. Massive memories of DiY’s
DJ Simon DK. Phylyps Trak II by Basic Channel, is something quite different that always resides in my record box and digital crate. A total classic to me. The best ‘boring’ track ever made. I always used to end my sets with Life 4 Living by USG feat Monica Elam. I’ve still got this but it’s a bit tired now.
Any tips for aspiring DJ’s given what you know now?
Just play what you truly love and pay no heed to the top 100 charts on the big stores, unless there is a Buslife release in there obviously ;) If you can truly multi task these days the creative options available are incredible. Practice practice practice.
From Dj’ing you moved into producing tunes, how did it come about?
Simple really. Almost as instantly as I changed my life’s direction from being site/farm mechanic and found myself a DJ with gigs 3 times a week, it became obvious I needed to go and see how the music was made. You have to remember I’ve never ever seen a computer in my life at this stage, let alone know what one could do. A girlfriend’s mum lent me the money to buy an all singing and dancing Power Mac G3, thanks, and RIP Tanya. Long story cut very short, I taught myself to use Cubase a little and then flourished with Logic. I had lots of help from people back in those days, we were all trying to learn quicker and quicker. I think thanks are in order to: Tanya D’Onofrio, John Blanchard, Marcus Pearson for supporting me and Chris Simmonds and Stuart Patterson for releasing my early work.
Favourite release from back then?
Back when? At the beginning? I’d say, Time Passes (Darron’s Song) which was released on Pear Music in 2002. Written on Propellerheads Reason of all things, by myself and Marcus Pearson with lyrics composed and sung by Abbie Lathe. Dedicated to a friend that passed away by total surprise at Christmas the year before.
What do you prefer - production or DJ’ing? And why?
Before my radio show began August 2016 I would have said production, I had become tired of the late nights and relentless hedonism of the scene I had become involved with, but now I have turned the tables on it all and am back on the frontline of house music, with all its new genre tweaks and upcoming new young producers and DJ’s. The scene is exciting again and I feel blessed to be ‘up to my neck’ in it.
Favourite place to DJ?
Definitely in a forest or a deserted quarry behind a wall of dub/reggae orientated speakers just as the dawn is arriving.
What’s your usual preparation for a set? Picks tracks, sleep...?
Throughout my career this has changed according to my ‘present’. I live very much in the moment. If I’m doing serious gigs for money, I’m certain to have slept and be clearheaded. In the 90’s and early 2000’s I always carried two record boxes and I knew exactly what was what and what went with what. In those situations, I always tried to find a place to meditate for 20 mins before I went on. Nowadays I just make sure I’m completely sober. It’s a different thing now music is all on sticks and computers. Most of the time I have my whole collection on 2 massive sticks, but I do make a loose playlist of suitable tracks. I do just feel my way in and instinct crops up again and makes the decisions for me somewhat. I’ve bought lots of new vinyl in the last 2 years and am playing that way more and more.
How does (if at all) your DJ style differ from your production sound?
Interesting question this one. I definitely prefer to play harder music on the decks to what I write. I just had my 15 year old son Teigue (AKA DJ Wiggly) berating me today for always putting in what he called ‘wishy washy’ deep bits in what I create. What can I say lol. I love hard dubs with a splash of soul on the dancefloor but in the studio I’m simply expressing who I am and how I feel at that moment.
How do you feel production has changed over the years (good or bad) - do you still get as much pleasure from it?
My sound has evolved constantly, At the beginning I was so excited that it was all actually happening I’m not sure how it was all sounding. I guess I should outline again that from the age of about 19 I lived off grid and had no electricity supply or running water and had never seen a computer in my life. I had a semi acoustic bass guitar but could never plug it in. So, when I ended up sat in a studio for the first time it was like a nomadic peasant sitting in a space station of the future. Life changing moments. At that time DJ’ing was the main source of my income and a priority. As the journey continued, I devoted more and more time to production. Collaborated with many different people at this stage, hence the name Country Gents plural, as there were several different accomplices, all with different musical skills and I learned and learned. 15 years later Deep Cartel Recordings was born and more recently Buslife Records. I’ve been through so many stages of development in the studio it’s hard to document. I’ve never had an exact sound as I’ve always followed my heart in all sorts of directions. I most certainly get more pleasure now than ever from making music.
Thanks are due to these studio accomplices: John Blanchard, Marcus Pearson, Damon Goss, Abbie Lathe, Eleanor Jamison. Gavin Belton, Dan Cartel, Jeremy Gilchrist, Kieran Donley, Libby Lawes. Joe Hockham & Ed The Spread for their ongoing support and DJ Caspa for his wonderful Sunday radio show that is a real education.
What’s your production set up?
Akai MPC-X. 27” iMac 32gb RAM dual SSD’s internally. Logic Pro X. Euphonix Artist series mixer/transport controllers, Tannoy Reveal Mk2’s and Yamaha NS10’s. Slate Digital, Waves and Soundtoys plugins, Novation controller keyboard. The most recent member of the studio is the Akai MPC-X. This has completely changed my life (really) now I’m playing the drums I’ve always dreamt of and this is where the samples I discussed earlier are destined to be manipulated. Wood burning stove to keep me toasty.
Top tips for aspiring producers?
You’ll only truly succeed if you don’t have a day job in my humble opinion. Make the very most of every day you can to try to realise your dreams. Once you have a job, music becomes a hobby. I do run an Apple Mac support company nowadays but I see clients when it suits me. I’m very fortunate to have created this situation, kind of by accident.
This is my computer workstation method. I’m still learning to totally complete tracks in the MPC.
Always see the production of each track through 3 stages religiously.
1. Composition, don’t get too caught up with the sonics if it all works. Once it all seems to be working then move on.
2. Arrangement/Mixdown, this bit is always my favourite I reckon. While I’m arranging, I start to make things sit together nicely sonically too. When this is done. Stop. Forget it for a day or so and go back. Bounce the whole track to stems with all the effects on and ‘Save As’ something else. Then….
3. The stem mix. Now go into it meticulously, each track is now clear of effects so you can tweak and refine everything further and your computer won’t moan. I only learned this step within the last decade and its by far the most important to get the professional spacious mix that’s prerequisite these days. Even on a kind of Lo-Fi, simple track, this bit needs to be done. Be patient, reference to other tracks that you admire the sound of and it will be finished shortly.
Tell us about Country Gents - production and the radio show, the bus...?
I’ve had a show on Release FM (est 95) since August 2006. Every Saturday at 8pm. Initially I was terrified. Part of the job is to be engaging on the mic with the listeners and deal with incoming texts and emails and chat portal, all while keeping the music all in time. I’d never spoken on a mic before unless I was really drunk and talking nonsense. It took about 3 months to settle in and I’ve found I really enjoy it. I do my best to talk about the new releases and promo’s I’ve had arrive the week before and quite often play things I’d never play at a party. That’s the beauty of the radio, I’ve an ever-growing listener base and they encourage me to simply play good music rather than get stuck in a genre. Always house, but there are many, many, flavours aren’t there! As I think I already said, my son and I have been exploring my record collection and I’ve devoted shows to giving these crackly and dirty discs an airing. The colour of the red mud dust on many of them takes me back to the Deep Cartel parties in Devon. The fingerprints, felt pen scribbles and in the first 10 years I stuck a label on every record with the track BPM’s and a score of little dancing men for each track. These all bring me wonderful memories.
The team behind Release FM have signed a contract with the broadcasting people OFCOM and next April we will be totally legal on DAB radio. This is a massive step, for me into the unknown, that will bring us an immense opportunity to reach new listeners and to do this they will be running the station as a company and if things work out, we will be getting paid in about 3 to 4 years. The cost of the license is immense, so im sure it will taske that long for them to make the business profitable. This makes things very serious. No swearing in the music or by the DJ or the station will get fined, I imagine set lists too. To bring this project to reality the DJ’s will need to find show sponsors unless they can cover the year one costs which is a very large amount of money. I’m about to embark on finding a suitable sponsor for my show. Record shop or a youth charity or something along those lines would suit my vision. #buslife
The bus is my home, I’ve had it for about 16 years. Been to lots of festivals in it and also some lovely holidays too. It’s a 1969 Bristol RE. The studio is in a large caravan at Buslife HQ. One end of the studio is for production and the other end is the DJ’ing and radio show.
What’s your future plans musically now - a new label project for the techno/ambient productions?
The plan is to take Buslife Records as far as I can. I’ve got the energy and I’m suddenly surrounded by a completely new group of people and have new music of differing flavours of house music from people I’ve only just met lined up for the coming months. Wiggly and his mate have talked about doing some drum and bass and hip hop and I’ve said I’ll create Buslife Bass for them if they get it together.
Your son is a DJ these days too right?
Yes, Teigue is 15 and is DJ Wiggly. The name Wiggly just happened when he was very little. He had started messing about with Apple Loops in Logic, aged about 6, when the studio was actually in the bus and one time, I was gobsmacked at what he had put together and gave him bits of advice. He made two tracks that I helped him finish which I released on Deep Cartel (who wouldn’t have ;) These days he is helping with remixes and learning all about sonics.
https://www.traxsource.com/artist/47812/dj-wiggly
He is writing tracks at school in music lessons and bringing them home to take to the next level in our studio at Buslife HQ. He has taught himself to DJ and quite clearly has a future in it if he keeps his head together and works hard. He has the distinct advantage over me in that he has lived a relatively conventional life and will find communicating with the city folks that run the music industry, far easier than I do. I’m like a caveman when it comes to social skills.
What other labels are killing it for you right now - tracks you’re playing and loving?
Again, a tough one. There are so many new labels cropping up alongside the established. I fell in love with the Robsoul sound a few years ago, Phil Weeks was my inspiration for getting an AKAI MPC. For me that has run its course but there will definitely be more crackers come on there, it’s inevitable. I think it’s my favourite label from the last few years.
Inhale Exhale, Rutilance, Politics Of Dancing, Peng, Snazzy Trax, Ondule´, Plastik People, Beste Freunde, Viva, Too Many Rules, Soiree, PIV, No Fuss. There’s a few that came to mind instantly.
What’s on the cards for the next while - releases/gigs to watch out for?
There’s new releases coming up from Choobe Soundystem, with Country Gents and Soundwave Freqs mixes. An EP from DJ JD & G.E.N.I. I’ve had to delay this as Soiree Records from Detroit has licenced the lead track off the EP from me before I even released it. They have material almost ready to replace it. Monkey Star with a tough garage house mix from Tuff Luv Records, Mike C and myself. These artists are relatively unknown and I’m all ears to hear from other artists that would like to introduce themselves.
info@buslife.uk no Facebook messages please.
I really want to extend my thanks to Richie here at UM for inviting me to do this, I’ve really wanted to get that early stuff down on paper for the record for years. It’s been a real pleasure squeezing my brain and digging out the memories.
Links
Lee Jones (Country Gents, Buslife Recordings) Interview
Lee Jones is one of the very first DJ’s I ever saw play deeper house, although I’m not sure it was that back then. Regardless, his Po Na Na sets and the music that came from them inspired me to get into the scene and 20 odd years later we’re both ticking along doing our things. Lee’s career spans the seminal DiY days, through illegal raves and more - he’s ploughed his own path more often than not and carved out a career others only dream of.
Good to catch up mate - it’s been a long time! We first met back in the early 2000’s in Reading - those were some great nights - but let’s start with how you got to that point, what got you into DJ’ing. What were your early influences? and you’re integral to the free rave scene - tell us about that and what makes it your thing?
Well it all began here: In the UK there was a very established Free Festival movement which was basically a series of illegal and unpoliced events which were tolerated. That allowed the nomadic New Age Travellers (with whom I had lived with since the mid 80’s, they were my family so to speak) to gather and meet old friends, exchange wares and earn a living to support them through the dark winter months. These were, in my mind, real festivals. The music was raw and spontaneous, the whole scene was very psychedelic, artistic and free, like a travelling Woodstock. This is what today’s big money festivals were modelled on. I don’t recall anyone saying thanks. Then in 1990 something happened...
The sound of kick drums and electronic music spawned, slowly at first then at breakneck speed, which upset all authority and there began House Music in my life. I was involved greatly in the parties that unfolded in the early 90’s around a bunch of people from Nottingham, my home town, who were DiY Sound System. I was part of the already travelling, road crew that knew the land, had the marquee’s, generators and a team of strong and able people to help this into reality. We also knew what we could get away with where the authorities were concerned. This latter ability of the travelling family was soon to be rendered useless by the size of the influx of people that came from just about everywhere you could imagine. No one could have imagined how big this would grow. The rave at Castlemorton Common in 1992 was the fitting end, (as I see it), of the crazy journey all those involved had just been on. DJ’s Simon DK, Jack, and Digs & Woosh, they were my party hero’s before I learned that I could do that too, and didn’t just have to carry speakers and mend diesel generators that had had petrol poured in them, in a hurry, while the dancefloor was reeling with the silence they were plunged into.
Lorries – Buses - Generators – Tents – Speakers - DJ’s = House Music
That was my influence.
From 1992 I stepped back, there are countless reasons why in retrospect but at the time it was just instinct, a kind of survival self preservation instinct. It transpired that much darkness fell on the travellers and party people that remained in groups and continued to try to continue with the travelling show. I dipped in and out until I didn’t go back for a long while. Then the Reading and Oxford days began in 1995.
There is no easy way to get this bit down. This next section was the changing of my life (again)...
It began in a valley in an old gypsy caravan in an orchard called Rocky Lane in Oxfordshire. This was my safe haven that I retreated to when the free party scene was becoming too dark for me. I had started hanging out in London with my mate Dave and going to warehouse parties. He was a saxophone busker and we called him Saxy Dave. He knew more than me about the music and he educated me on the labels and names of producers he admired. It was then I bought my first few records. A few that I can remember are Danell Dixon’s Dance Dance, a Deep Dish album called Penetrate Deeper, George Morel’s Let’s Groove and several things on Tribal UK. One day I woke up and decided my farm mechanic days were over. I went to the bank and told them my Land Rover had blown it’s engine (it hadn’t) and I needed to borrow £600. I had seen an advert in a newspaper for some Technics turntables and a mixer for sale in Reading. I left with £50 and the flight cased decks and an old Realistic (Tandy in UK) mixer. I still have the decks today. Then, I played my 8 records over and over. I went to visit mates in Nottingham and tried to play on their decks but really couldn’t. It was a lad called Boysie that finally showed me a technique that I understood and then it started. All I did for a year was play, I picked up an old Honda generator, remember this domestic electricity equipment was something I’d not seen since I lived with my grandparents when I was 17. I’d lived with candles and car batteries and log stoves. So here I am in the bottom of the valley with a little generator and new decks with time on my hands. It wasn’t long before I was visiting Massive Records in Oxford as often as I could. My free party past got me up the ladder to the test pressings and promo’s instantly.
One weekend I’d gone to Brighton with one of the other traveller lads that lived on the orchard to go to a rave on the South Downs and I met a lovely girl called Anna. Anna was involved in the Reading music scene and introduced me to all sorts of people and I loved it. Within weeks I was playing to audiences. It began in the upstairs bar of a new and vibrant café called Café Iguana. I played all kinds of stuff, as I experimented with what worked and what didn’t. This led to gigs in clubs and house parties where I learned the craft. No body played music like I played there, it was all UK Garage, Reggae and Jungle in Reading. A band called The Electric Groove Temple were regulars at the Iguana and one day I was asked if I wanted to go on tour with them and be their warm up DJ. First time we went to France and I just hung out and got to know their set and the sort of venues they played.
Then followed 3 years of what seems now like constant touring. We played ‘everywhere’ in France particularly and also the Netherlands and Belgium and Switzerland. They were famous in Europe but not really the same in the UK. I couldn’t tell you a list of the cities, towns and villages we played in, sometimes 2 or 3 times over the years, without scouring a map of Europe. This journey developed further with their booking agent organising gigs where the band and I were the whole nights entertainment. I warmed up for them and then took the party to close after they had done their show. Then the booking agent started booking me alone to do gigs in France. It was AMAZING and I could never thank the band enough for taking me on their journey. After this I got asked if I could stand in for an English DJ called Louie Genis, who had been working with a French band called Hanuman Care Kit, I went to France to meet them and learned their set and did gigs with them, on stage chucking in beats and scratching and again playing after their show.
Back home other things started to unfold. I was close with a bunch of guys from Oxford and one of them, Josh Ponte, ran a late license bar called Po Na Na. This was a small chain of venues and they grew and grew at a time when the licensing laws here in England were changing. They were the first chain to get the ‘new’ 2am licence that was the first drastic change in the then, draconian licensing laws, here in this country. Nights at the Oxford ‘Na’ were rammed every night of the week. The owners had bought a site in Reading and I was asked to meet the newly appointed manager, Stuart Kerley and was handed the task of overseeing the music for the venue. I chose a fortnightly Thursday to run my first ever night. I called it Valley Moods Productions, which I had already started writing on my mixtapes. Fortunately, it was an instant success owing to the fact that we were the only 2am bar in the City, and was a real education of different styles for a lot of folks. I brought all the DJ’s who’s records I’d been playing to the club and of course the guys from DiY. The guests I can remember were: Chris Simmonds, Derrick Thompson, Ivan Smagghe, Charles Webster, A Man Called Adam, Chris Duckenfield, Andy Compton, Digs & Woosh, DiY Jack, Andy Cato (Groove Armada), DJ Emma, Clive Henry. I chose to take Saturday night’s as my residency there where I played the whole night (5 hours) and worked through the house flavours. This ran for about 3 years. During this time, I’d been networking solidly during the days and had envelopes of promo’s in the post every day, so I was never short of new music.
Somehow, I don’t remember exactly, but my old mate Saxy Dave got me a year long residency at the Dog Star in Brixton once a month at a time that allowed me to drive from the ‘Na’ in Reading when I’d finished at 2am. Po Na Na ended as all things seem to do, due to noise complaints from some person who thought it would be nice to move in next door to a successful late night bar but didn’t like music. Inexplicable how this is allowed but that was the end. I played in Po Na Na in other towns like Cheltenham and Swindon but the company petered out. During this time, I played lots of good venues, I can remember: The Que Club in Birmingham, Turnmills in London, Concorde 2 in Brighton, Lakota & Blue Mountain in Bristol, The Top in San Fran, Motor in Detroit. I warmed up for Sven Vath in Switzerland once by accident which was an honour.
When I got back from my US tour it was like my career fell off a cliff. That part of my journey had ended. The Deep Cartel days began shortly. Deep Cartel is a soundsystem and accompanying crew from Devon. At least 8 years had passed since the dying throes of the travelling rave’s I described earlier and the scene appeared to have reignited but in a smaller, more guerrilla style party that mostly intended to leave no trace on the land we had borrowed. Dan, Paul and Darren began Deep Cartel in clubs in the South West of England, which is how I met them and I naturally fell into that new scene. I’d say we did 7 or 8 years of these parties in hidden and remote locations and these parties drew a much younger and vibrant crowd than id seen for a while. It was more like the old days where I was involved in the dogs body work. Driving, carrying, mending etc etc.
What’s your favourite release from back in the early days of your career?
That’s not an easy question to answer. Recently I’ve begun to play vinyl again and then started to scour my old records for samples that could be used in new material. So, in the last year my son, DJ Wiggly and I have been dragging out all the records and giving them a clean and a listen. The sight of one or two of them had me so excited I was barely able to contain myself. One of these records is G.O.D. Limited, a cut up of several other great tracks done by Grant Nelson & Simon Firmin. The A side means a great deal to me as at that time I wasn’t finding the simple bass heavy house I had been hearing at the parties in the early 90’s and on. These were the beginnings of the Reading days.
Been A Long Time by The Fog also jumps to mind as a seminal track for me as is a track by the sadly deceased Adam Malian aka Taxi C.A.B. called Chunk A Nova. Massive memories of DiY’s
DJ Simon DK. Phylyps Trak II by Basic Channel, is something quite different that always resides in my record box and digital crate. A total classic to me. The best ‘boring’ track ever made. I always used to end my sets with Life 4 Living by USG feat Monica Elam. I’ve still got this but it’s a bit tired now.
Any tips for aspiring DJ’s given what you know now?
Just play what you truly love and pay no heed to the top 100 charts on the big stores, unless there is a Buslife release in there obviously ;) If you can truly multi task these days the creative options available are incredible. Practice practice practice.
From Dj’ing you moved into producing tunes, how did it come about?
Simple really. Almost as instantly as I changed my life’s direction from being site/farm mechanic and found myself a DJ with gigs 3 times a week, it became obvious I needed to go and see how the music was made. You have to remember I’ve never ever seen a computer in my life at this stage, let alone know what one could do. A girlfriend’s mum lent me the money to buy an all singing and dancing Power Mac G3, thanks, and RIP Tanya. Long story cut very short, I taught myself to use Cubase a little and then flourished with Logic. I had lots of help from people back in those days, we were all trying to learn quicker and quicker. I think thanks are in order to: Tanya D’Onofrio, John Blanchard, Marcus Pearson for supporting me and Chris Simmonds and Stuart Patterson for releasing my early work.
Favourite release from back then?
Back when? At the beginning? I’d say, Time Passes (Darron’s Song) which was released on Pear Music in 2002. Written on Propellerheads Reason of all things, by myself and Marcus Pearson with lyrics composed and sung by Abbie Lathe. Dedicated to a friend that passed away by total surprise at Christmas the year before.
What do you prefer - production or DJ’ing? And why?
Before my radio show began August 2016 I would have said production, I had become tired of the late nights and relentless hedonism of the scene I had become involved with, but now I have turned the tables on it all and am back on the frontline of house music, with all its new genre tweaks and upcoming new young producers and DJ’s. The scene is exciting again and I feel blessed to be ‘up to my neck’ in it.
Favourite place to DJ?
Definitely in a forest or a deserted quarry behind a wall of dub/reggae orientated speakers just as the dawn is arriving.
What’s your usual preparation for a set? Picks tracks, sleep...?
Throughout my career this has changed according to my ‘present’. I live very much in the moment. If I’m doing serious gigs for money, I’m certain to have slept and be clearheaded. In the 90’s and early 2000’s I always carried two record boxes and I knew exactly what was what and what went with what. In those situations, I always tried to find a place to meditate for 20 mins before I went on. Nowadays I just make sure I’m completely sober. It’s a different thing now music is all on sticks and computers. Most of the time I have my whole collection on 2 massive sticks, but I do make a loose playlist of suitable tracks. I do just feel my way in and instinct crops up again and makes the decisions for me somewhat. I’ve bought lots of new vinyl in the last 2 years and am playing that way more and more.
How does (if at all) your DJ style differ from your production sound?
Interesting question this one. I definitely prefer to play harder music on the decks to what I write. I just had my 15 year old son Teigue (AKA DJ Wiggly) berating me today for always putting in what he called ‘wishy washy’ deep bits in what I create. What can I say lol. I love hard dubs with a splash of soul on the dancefloor but in the studio I’m simply expressing who I am and how I feel at that moment.
How do you feel production has changed over the years (good or bad) - do you still get as much pleasure from it?
My sound has evolved constantly, At the beginning I was so excited that it was all actually happening I’m not sure how it was all sounding. I guess I should outline again that from the age of about 19 I lived off grid and had no electricity supply or running water and had never seen a computer in my life. I had a semi acoustic bass guitar but could never plug it in. So, when I ended up sat in a studio for the first time it was like a nomadic peasant sitting in a space station of the future. Life changing moments. At that time DJ’ing was the main source of my income and a priority. As the journey continued, I devoted more and more time to production. Collaborated with many different people at this stage, hence the name Country Gents plural, as there were several different accomplices, all with different musical skills and I learned and learned. 15 years later Deep Cartel Recordings was born and more recently Buslife Records. I’ve been through so many stages of development in the studio it’s hard to document. I’ve never had an exact sound as I’ve always followed my heart in all sorts of directions. I most certainly get more pleasure now than ever from making music.
Thanks are due to these studio accomplices: John Blanchard, Marcus Pearson, Damon Goss, Abbie Lathe, Eleanor Jamison. Gavin Belton, Dan Cartel, Jeremy Gilchrist, Kieran Donley, Libby Lawes. Joe Hockham & Ed The Spread for their ongoing support and DJ Caspa for his wonderful Sunday radio show that is a real education.
What’s your production set up?
Akai MPC-X. 27” iMac 32gb RAM dual SSD’s internally. Logic Pro X. Euphonix Artist series mixer/transport controllers, Tannoy Reveal Mk2’s and Yamaha NS10’s. Slate Digital, Waves and Soundtoys plugins, Novation controller keyboard. The most recent member of the studio is the Akai MPC-X. This has completely changed my life (really) now I’m playing the drums I’ve always dreamt of and this is where the samples I discussed earlier are destined to be manipulated. Wood burning stove to keep me toasty.
Top tips for aspiring producers?
You’ll only truly succeed if you don’t have a day job in my humble opinion. Make the very most of every day you can to try to realise your dreams. Once you have a job, music becomes a hobby. I do run an Apple Mac support company nowadays but I see clients when it suits me. I’m very fortunate to have created this situation, kind of by accident.
This is my computer workstation method. I’m still learning to totally complete tracks in the MPC.
Always see the production of each track through 3 stages religiously.
1. Composition, don’t get too caught up with the sonics if it all works. Once it all seems to be working then move on.
2. Arrangement/Mixdown, this bit is always my favourite I reckon. While I’m arranging, I start to make things sit together nicely sonically too. When this is done. Stop. Forget it for a day or so and go back. Bounce the whole track to stems with all the effects on and ‘Save As’ something else. Then….
3. The stem mix. Now go into it meticulously, each track is now clear of effects so you can tweak and refine everything further and your computer won’t moan. I only learned this step within the last decade and its by far the most important to get the professional spacious mix that’s prerequisite these days. Even on a kind of Lo-Fi, simple track, this bit needs to be done. Be patient, reference to other tracks that you admire the sound of and it will be finished shortly.
Tell us about Country Gents - production and the radio show, the bus...?
I’ve had a show on Release FM (est 95) since August 2006. Every Saturday at 8pm. Initially I was terrified. Part of the job is to be engaging on the mic with the listeners and deal with incoming texts and emails and chat portal, all while keeping the music all in time. I’d never spoken on a mic before unless I was really drunk and talking nonsense. It took about 3 months to settle in and I’ve found I really enjoy it. I do my best to talk about the new releases and promo’s I’ve had arrive the week before and quite often play things I’d never play at a party. That’s the beauty of the radio, I’ve an ever-growing listener base and they encourage me to simply play good music rather than get stuck in a genre. Always house, but there are many, many, flavours aren’t there! As I think I already said, my son and I have been exploring my record collection and I’ve devoted shows to giving these crackly and dirty discs an airing. The colour of the red mud dust on many of them takes me back to the Deep Cartel parties in Devon. The fingerprints, felt pen scribbles and in the first 10 years I stuck a label on every record with the track BPM’s and a score of little dancing men for each track. These all bring me wonderful memories.
The team behind Release FM have signed a contract with the broadcasting people OFCOM and next April we will be totally legal on DAB radio. This is a massive step, for me into the unknown, that will bring us an immense opportunity to reach new listeners and to do this they will be running the station as a company and if things work out, we will be getting paid in about 3 to 4 years. The cost of the license is immense, so im sure it will taske that long for them to make the business profitable. This makes things very serious. No swearing in the music or by the DJ or the station will get fined, I imagine set lists too. To bring this project to reality the DJ’s will need to find show sponsors unless they can cover the year one costs which is a very large amount of money. I’m about to embark on finding a suitable sponsor for my show. Record shop or a youth charity or something along those lines would suit my vision. #buslife
The bus is my home, I’ve had it for about 16 years. Been to lots of festivals in it and also some lovely holidays too. It’s a 1969 Bristol RE. The studio is in a large caravan at Buslife HQ. One end of the studio is for production and the other end is the DJ’ing and radio show.
What’s your future plans musically now - a new label project for the techno/ambient productions?
The plan is to take Buslife Records as far as I can. I’ve got the energy and I’m suddenly surrounded by a completely new group of people and have new music of differing flavours of house music from people I’ve only just met lined up for the coming months. Wiggly and his mate have talked about doing some drum and bass and hip hop and I’ve said I’ll create Buslife Bass for them if they get it together.
Your son is a DJ these days too right?
Yes, Teigue is 15 and is DJ Wiggly. The name Wiggly just happened when he was very little. He had started messing about with Apple Loops in Logic, aged about 6, when the studio was actually in the bus and one time, I was gobsmacked at what he had put together and gave him bits of advice. He made two tracks that I helped him finish which I released on Deep Cartel (who wouldn’t have ;) These days he is helping with remixes and learning all about sonics.
https://www.traxsource.com/artist/47812/dj-wiggly
He is writing tracks at school in music lessons and bringing them home to take to the next level in our studio at Buslife HQ. He has taught himself to DJ and quite clearly has a future in it if he keeps his head together and works hard. He has the distinct advantage over me in that he has lived a relatively conventional life and will find communicating with the city folks that run the music industry, far easier than I do. I’m like a caveman when it comes to social skills.
What other labels are killing it for you right now - tracks you’re playing and loving?
Again, a tough one. There are so many new labels cropping up alongside the established. I fell in love with the Robsoul sound a few years ago, Phil Weeks was my inspiration for getting an AKAI MPC. For me that has run its course but there will definitely be more crackers come on there, it’s inevitable. I think it’s my favourite label from the last few years.
Inhale Exhale, Rutilance, Politics Of Dancing, Peng, Snazzy Trax, Ondule´, Plastik People, Beste Freunde, Viva, Too Many Rules, Soiree, PIV, No Fuss. There’s a few that came to mind instantly.
What’s on the cards for the next while - releases/gigs to watch out for?
There’s new releases coming up from Choobe Soundystem, with Country Gents and Soundwave Freqs mixes. An EP from DJ JD & G.E.N.I. I’ve had to delay this as Soiree Records from Detroit has licenced the lead track off the EP from me before I even released it. They have material almost ready to replace it. Monkey Star with a tough garage house mix from Tuff Luv Records, Mike C and myself. These artists are relatively unknown and I’m all ears to hear from other artists that would like to introduce themselves.
info@buslife.uk no Facebook messages please.
I really want to extend my thanks to Richie here at UM for inviting me to do this, I’ve really wanted to get that early stuff down on paper for the record for years. It’s been a real pleasure squeezing my brain and digging out the memories.
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