TTablist.com - Turntablist, Scratch, Mixes and Productions

TTABLIST -what kind of music do you listen usually?

Hummmmm... I don't listen a lot of music, only all what I can in drum'n bass new release, electro, break core, etc. Everything to keep an eye on fresh producers.
I don't listent full tracks usualy. Only little parts.
I listen to some jazz in the living room. I like many sorts of jazz music, especially free jazz. I also like metal/black metal. And so many hip hop, soul funk. But really, what I love the most is maybe classical music (believe it or not but I love the Concertos Brandebourgeois).

-what are your music roots as a producer?

So many: pendulum, spor, noisia, phace, robert hood, timbaland, sebastian, lorn, dirty funker, chris carrier, dj terry...
I forget too many people.

Mis raices como productor son muchas: spor, noisia, phace, robert hood, timbaland, lorn, dirty funker, chris carrier, dj terry... y olvido demasiada gente.

-why and when did you start producing?

I don't really know, I started by producing techno/hardcore with a friend. Naturaly... But after I had my own computer and I started by making some practice beats for scratching. My first beat is on my first record "Doll's break".

No se cuando empecé a producir exactamente. Empecé produciendo hardcore techno con un amigo, pero cuando tuve mi propio ordenador empecé a producer algunos ritmos para practicar scratching. Mi primera instrumental está en mi primer disco: Dolls Break.

-do you dj? are you a turntablist?

Not anymore. Since I had very strong problems with my ears, I can't go on stage, I can't use headphones. I can't stand noise, in a way. So I only produce at low level in my quiet bedroom. This is the worst thing that could happen, as my first and most important reason to live was mixing... I scratch only a very little to test my scratch records, but I'm so bad!!!

No seré dj ni turntablista nunca más. Desde que he tenido problemas serios con mis oidos no puedo subir a un escenario. No puedo usar cascos. No aguanto el ruido de ninguna forma. Solo produzco a un volumen muy bajito en mi silenciosa habitación. Es lo peor que podía pasar, porque mi principal razón para vivir era mezclar... solo scratcheo un poquito para ver que tal funcionan mis instrumentales, pero soy muy malo!!

-why did you started making battle records?

I feel so natural to make a scratch sentences, batttle sentences. Maybe I'm a little crazy to spend my life doing that. I had many ideas that I couldn't hear on most of the scratch records. And I was working with Ordoeuvre, we wanted some new things just for us at the beginning.

-have you got any new project you are working on?

Many. I have a release on Ninja tune. It's a remix I made for Kentaro, his song Trust taken from his first album, on this remix project there will be a remix from The Qemists. I worked with DJ Kentaro on another remix too. I released my first EP, called "Painful Epic", a sort of hip core music. I worked with dj Hertz for a scratch tool on his label "scratch science", it's called "Reversible"... And I will finish 3 or 4 battle/scratch records in 2008 in collaboration with some friends. I work on an album for a band called "Dring toy". It's a sort of electro rock dub... And I still want to produce for the German team "Exodus", not for battles. I work with some crazy guys who made a music network called "weeloop.com", I give my opinion and try to find new ideas. I really care about turntablism representation on this site.

-theres some people who desagree your way to make turntablist records, specially those who link turntablism with the old school hip hop movement. Whats your opinnion about that?

Maybe they are completely right. But all what I do, I do it very seriously, with heart. I like what I do and I love turntablism. I don't think it's a problem of "old school", because many people that we could consider as members of the old school appreciate what I do. And I like hip hop, I like old routines, I like american turntablists a lot and I take care a lot to what they did in the past or to what people like Precision do now. People think that custom records and battle breaks are an easy way to make battles. Or that battle records are obvious for a competition. I would agree in a way. That's true on many points.

But, if we continue to use always the same music, with always the same process of making routines, DMC and other battles will continue to loose its public. People say that turntablism looses everything with people like me. But I've been producing for world DMC champions for only 2 years. We are responsible, in only 2 years of the depressive state of mind in turntablism??? What a responsibility... It's not a world war.

I really respect what has been done in the past, we have to live with it, but my motivation is to try other ways. If I'm wrong, people will forget me and get back to their basics. DJ's will never work with me again. And nobody will die because of custom records and battle breaks.

People in the community who don't even get an eye more than one time in a year to DMC should just think much more before writting anything stupid like "it's too easy because custom records are less skipy". This is so stupid to say that... But it's funny to read. I respect and I watch every week many old shows. I love people who have balls to try new stuff... Why people are so stressfull and anxious? If there was no crisis in turntablism, they wouldn't hate so much on people who try different things and realize projects.

 

And if battle breaks are obvious, why do only a very few DJs defend the use of two 12" for a routine? I'm not alone to make music, I'm just a little, very little part of a big ocean. As far as I know, Shiftee is a world champion and he used some "real" records. And what do people say? They say: yes the others were shit with custom records, they are killing the hip hop, blablablablabla. But Shiftee won. Where's the problem?

 

 

 
We can talk about it for hours. But something else is funny. People would like to hear some hip hop music that we all know. OK. If a japanese DJ wants to use japanese hip hop, he's obvious because nobody will understand the lyrics? So we should use only hip hop classics hits from America? Here it is, and I deeply hope that I'm wrong to think that. And people say that custom records cost a lot, but they use some hip hop records from rappers than earn millions and millions dollars. Who is commercial and making easy listening?

 

 

 

-are you going to work together with some dj this year for any dj competition?

I promiced to work for a friend. I will do it because I promiced.
I don't want to work for the DMC show with any other DJ. I will help some friendly DJs for some mastering, ideas, a few details and maybe one routine.
If I go into the competion again it would be only with 3 persons that I feel for the title in the whole world. I want to stop, it's so much work, so much pressure, but so good and interesting. I have to produce records and DMCs take my time for 4 or 5 full month, it's a big sacrifice.

-Whats your favorite turntablist technique? scratch or beatjuggling?

No answer, I like them as much... and drumming is scratching or something different? I love beat cuts.

-whats the future of turntablism?

Is there any god in the sky who can help me to answer? The futur is in the end and in the brain of people who will continue to work hard and to create. What is sure is that turntablism won't die. And many people love it and live it every day.

-have you ever been in spain?

No. Many of my friend travel and go to spain. I can't travel anymore. I know for sure that you have crazy makina techno clubs hahaha!!!!!!! My girlfriend parents have an appartement in Spain, maybe one day if my healt is better.

-do you know something about spanish turntablism?

Not more than other country. I go on message boards and on one blog, my girlfriend helps me to translate, so I start to know more about it. What I felt on message bord was much more positive than in many other international boards. I know your champions statistics, but for me it's not a way to consider a culture.

-Do you want to add any words for our readers?

Thank you to take the time to interview a little producer. And thanks to people who appreciate to read me, please excuse me if I'm boring!!!
I would like to thank people from dj Bordallo board to have been so kind and patient with the "sound trauma" story. I hope the new site will have a long life, as turntablism will do. Thanks again!!! Peace!