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Phil Reynolds starts the Digital Revolution: Part Two
Reported by VinDiesel
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Submitted 26-03-08 17:45
Continuing where we left off in our in depth examination of the master that is Phil Reyonlds, this week we concentrate on production, his new label and a bit about the man himself. Come inside and join the Digital Revolution.
Production
You have built a career every bit as successful as your DJing career in terms of your production. What made you get into the production side of things?
Well it was a natural progression, from the first few years after I started playing out in clubs, I gained confidence and began to get ideas for tunes in my head.
What was the first track you produced?
See no evil with DJ Amethyst.
What would be the average time for knocking out a track and how would you get ideas for a track? Do you have structures i.e. melodies, riffs, sounds floating around?
Usually a track takes 2 days. Sometimes it can take longer, sometimes shorter, just depends on how things go and whether all the ideas work together. I usually have a fair idea of what I’m going to do when I go into the studio. The structures normally changes depending on what type of tune it is. Same goes for the sounds and melodies.
You co-manage Impact records. They recently went through many changes with the launch of a digital offshoot. Are you actively involved in this as well as your Digital Creation label?
Both myself and Steve Blake ran Impact for such a long time but were both becoming really busy with other things. Ben Bennett offered to take over the running of the label whilst we both took a back seat. We are still involved with the signing of tracks, but we don’t to too involved with the running of it.
What tracks can we look forward to you releasing in the future on Digital Creation?
The next release is Elements – Desire, which has a electro trance remix from Greg Brookman. Then after that I have the last 2 EPs from the album, releasing the rest of the tracks. So all the album tracks will be released in about the next 2 months.
A lot of DJs such as yourself and Technikal have gone independent with your own digital labels. Have you experienced any downsides with having your own digital label i.e. technically with websites hosting tunes..or copyright laws on material?
No, you are in full control over what you release. The downside to releasing digitally is that it is easy to copy. So that can reflect on sales. I only use trackitdown.net to sell my tunes as I know the guys involved and they always do a good job of promotion the tracks. I don’t rip off other peoples tracks so I have no problems with copyright.
Music production technology can range in terms of its complexity from using state of the art production sound studios through to a producer knocking out tunes on his PC or Mac with software such as Logic, Reason, Fruity Loops, Ableton etc. What did you start using to make tracks?
When I first started making tracks I had an I-Mac and was using Cubase. I was mostly doing tunes with other people at their studio’s. I didn’t really have much of a clue when I first got a studio at home, so it took me ages to get anything done.
What sort of equipment do you use these days?
I now have an Apple G5 and I use Logic 7. All of my synths and effects units are all audio units. I use ES1, ES2, V-Station, Nexus, Vanguard, Preditor and a few other synths. I only really use the Logic effects.
Do you think that it is a benefit to have a good musical knowledge or even come from a contemporary or classically trained background?
I don’t think it necessarily, but it would be a huge advantage to have musical training. Although with some people it doesn’t matter. Look at Technikal who has immense talent and creativity. He has had no musical background but is still hugely successful at what he does. Same as K90.
How do you get ideas for your tracks, from listening to other tracks,
experimenting with different sounds?
Yeah a lot of the time you will hear something and you’ll think ‘I wanna make a track like that’. But the ideas normally come once you start writing.
These days producers with no previous DJing experience are getting gigs, what are your thoughts on that?
As long as they can mix I don’t have a problem!
Who have been the greatest influences on your production career?
I’d say Steve Blake, Nick Sentience, James Lawson and Technikal
Who haven’t worked with but would like to?
I’m still trying to sort out something with SQ. I always wanted to do something with K90, but he prefers to do solo stuff, which is cool as I understand his reasons.
Ok some producers have chosen to dabble into other genres to offer different streams of creativity in hard dance track production. For example, Nick Sentience and James Lawson use psy trance, while Technikal samples hardcore. Do you use other genres of dance/non dance music to get new ideas and concepts for production work?
Sometimes. When I worked on my album I was taking some influences from psy trance and electro. Sometimes you hear something that is really cool and you think that maybe you could translate it into the genre you produce. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t.
A lot of hard dance producers and DJs have to supplement what they earn from gigs with a full time job and sometimes this can be a difficult balance. Contrast this with your peers within mainstream pop music, performers such as Pete Docherty or stars such as Robbie Williams who receive £75 million advance for 5 albums. Do you sometimes wish that performers in the hard dance industry were as handsomely rewarded as these people?
Of course. Unfortunately I’m not going to change what I do as I love what I do and the music I make. If I decided I wanted to try and make loads of money writing main stream music, it would never work. It’s not me and I’d find it hard trying to write something that I’m not into. It would probably sound like a poor imitation.
PA Sets
Last year saw you enter another a chapter in your illustrious career, namely your first ever PA set at Innovate along side hugely popular MDA and Spherical. What made you decide to try a PA set? Were you looking for a new challenge?
Yeah I was. It was also to try and show another side of my skills. I’ve been DJing for a long time and it gives a chance to do something different.
How long did you practice for the first PA set?
I went round to Mark and Matt’s a couple of times to run through what we had to do. A lot of it has to do with timing, so when there were 3 people involved we all had to know what we were doing.
Did you get help, maybe tutorials from PA experienced DJs?
Yeah I also got advice from Nick Rowland and Greg Brookman ran through a few things with me.
What equipment did you use during your performance? Have you started using Ableton Live?
I use Ableton for live PA sets. The program enables you to add loads of live loops and vocals etc. There are loads of live elements to it, which also means that loads can go wrong as it did when I played in New Zealand recently. I have 3 midi controllers which are linked to Ableton, which control everything that I do.
Do you think that PA sets are a type of set that can only work within certain types of party or certain sizes of club or that they can work anywhere?
PA’s are all about showcasing your music and only really work in bigger clubs that have a stage etc where the clubbers can see the artist’s. They need to be the focal point whilst the pa is happening.
Do you have plans for future PA sets?
I want to get more in depth with Ableton to really try and push the boundaries with the music and live aspects. It would nice to be able to really blow people away with the technical side of it. Will take me a while to do that though, but that’s what I’m gonna try and do.
What would be the best ever PA set that you have seen in this country or abroad over the past 5 years so and what it made so special?
I wouldn’t say that I have a best ever one. I’ve always been impressed with Nick Sentience’s PA sets. I’ve also been really impressed with MDA & Spherical’s and Nick Rowland’s PA’s.
I have to ask a cheeky question, a couple of years ago, do you remember the track Such A Feeling by Stu Allen? There is an instrumental version and a version with lyrics. I remember hearing the version with lyrics being played a lot, you always played the instrumental. Do you like hard dance tunes with lyrics?
Depends on how good the vocal is and how it’s used.
A lot of DJs have different talents including playing instruments, production, dancing, but not many DJs or very, very few are known for being able to sing. Can you sing? Have you ever sung out in clubs?
No and if you heard me you’ll understand why. I wouldn’t even want to scare my rubber duck by singing in the bath!
Digital Revolution
This year, saw you take another defining step with the launch of your first ever solo album Digital Revolution. One of the most eagerly anticipated releases of 2008. How long did it take you to produce this album?
Too long. Some people will laugh at this question as I first started trying to write an album about 3 years ago. It was more of a Trancey breaks type album. But then I realised that I would lose my hard trance fan base and decided to scrap it and start again. It’s taken me about 10 months to get it released from first doing it. I had some delays with artwork that put it back about 2 months. I’m just glad it’s finally done and released.
You had a very illustrious, very successful career in terms of producing tracks over the past few years, but how come you’ve only produced your first album this year?
I guess I just thought it was time for people to see me as an artist and not just a DJ. The whole live PA comes into this. So having an album and a live show proves that I can be something other than just a DJ.
How would you describe the breakdown of the music on the album?
The album starts off quite trancey with the track I did with Greg. The next track is more of a tech trance track (Losing Power with Nick Rowland). Then it’s into a more uplifting hard trancer (Global Takeover). The next track is mine and Matt Williams version of Salva Mea. After that it’s pretty much all full on hard trancers including tracks with Jason Cortez, Nick Rowland, MDA & Spherical and Tecknikal.
On the album, nearly all the tracks save one are collaborations. Why was this? Was it down to time or did you want to produce an album of ‘different concepts’?
It was a bit of both really. It’s always easier when you work with different people as you have two minds working together. It’s sometimes harder to push yourself or be happy with what you are doing when you are by yourself. I also picked certain people to work with as I wanted to get a certain sound out of them and give some variation to the tracks.
Would you see yourself making a follow up album to Digital Revolution?
Maybe, we’ll see how it goes.
Seems like the future of hard dance looks to be very good in the hands of some of these guys, don’t you think?
Yeah of course. There is a great new generation of young producers around who are making great tracks. If the music remains really good it means that the clubs will remain busy. The scene can’t continue by listening to old tracks. We need future classics and it’s these guys that will be making them.
What has been the reaction and feedback to this album?
Really good so far.
Who has been the greatest influence on your DJing career?
Tony De Vit. He was the person who got me playing a harder style of music and I haven’t looked back since.
Goals and ambitions
With the advent of new technology including C-DJ turntables (with much easier cueing of the 1st beat), mp3, even recently a IPod mixing
desk, do you think it’s become easier for a budding DJ to learn the art of beat matching, cueing tracks etc? Do you think this is making it too easy to learn to mix compared to learning on vinyl turntables?
You still have to learn to beat match. It is easier to cue things up with a CDJ, but you have to learn how to get things in time. CD mixing is a more convenient way of mixing to vinyl, but I think it’s better to learn to mix with vinyl before playing CDs.
You are famous now throughout the whole of clubland and regularly have fans coming up to you wherever you appear in a club. Do you enjoy this or do you sometimes yearn to be back to the days when you were just ‘Phil from South London’ out clubbing with your mates?
I used to find it really weird at first when I was playing out. As I was establishing my career and getting more gigs, I was getting recognised. I would get pointed at by folk when they recognised me. I found this weird at first but got used to it. No I still can go into a club, play my sets, chat to folk and still enjoy a good stomp!
What music do you like to listen to outside of hard dance?
I listen to anything. As long as it’s good.
Do you have future goals, dreams or ambitions that you would like to fulfil?
Yeah, learn to drive (believe or not I don’t have a license!). I am currently trying to learn some computer programs such as Powerpoint and Photoshop. So I’m hoping to do something more creative with my normal day job.
Describe the top 3 defining moments of the past 10 years of your career for you. You can mention any party, any tune…any comedy crack on moments (with names changed to protect the innocent!)
Being Resident at Frantic. Releasing See no Evil and doing the first ever Frantic CD. And now No.4 releasing my album!
And Finally….
You have a full time job now. Do your workmates know about your DJing career?
Yes they do. Especially when I came back into work from the airport carrying my suitcases and record box, after playing abroad!
When they ask you on Monday morning in the canteen ‘what did you get up to at the weekend Phil?’ Do you say ‘oooh just a few beers with the lads’’ Or ‘ I smashed it up on the decks at Storm…it was going off big style!’ ?
They do ask about the gigs I've played at but I tend not to talk too much about ‘raving’ in my workplace!
Are there are DJs that you have not yet played back to back with but would love to?
I’m not really into playing back to backs, so no!
Ok let’s talk outside of the clubs, outside of hard dance music, what do you enjoy doing? Have you been over to the Emirates stadium to see your beloved Arsenal?
I’m ashamed to say no. I used to go to Highbury loads when I was a kid. I would go about 10-15 games a season. These days it’s not easy getting hold of tickets. So if someone can get hold of some, please get in touch.
Say Arsenal reach the Champions League final, would you be tempted to write a special ‘European Cup Final song’ and could it better anything Chas n Dave produce?
Haha, no. Chas and Dave only wrote songs for the other crappy club in north London.
Digital Revolution is available now from all good stockists
Photos courtesy of VinDiesel and the HarderFaster archive. Not to be reproduced without permsiion
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Across the divide - It's Alex Mac and Zeebra Kid
Alf takes the Technikal View
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The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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