Heist - Drum and Bass Producer Interview

April 2003

Interview with drum and bass producer Heist.

How old are you?

23

How did you become involved in the drum and bass scene?

Well, I had a friend called Glen who did me a tape with stuff like Foul Play, Acen, Ruffige Crew and loads of the old stuff that was going about at that time. It really hit me and I started going out to buy vinyl even though I didn't have the dollar for a mixing setup. I can safely say that Glen introduced me to the early days of hardcore. From then on I was hooked! I started getting together a nice collection of beats, I remember the first tune that I brought was "Made In 2 Minutes" ha-ha baaaad tune!

As time went on I got a set of decks and started blending beats and pissing off my parents.

My first slot I got was when I was 16 and it was on the Clacton Pier at Oscars (RIP). Andy C was there that night - I remember it like yesterday. I played at the start and then for an hour after Andy it was a really good start for me. I carried on playing there along side people like Peshay, DJ Zinc, Shy FX and DJ Hype. From then on bookings steadily came in.

What did you do before Djing / Producing?

Well I was at school at that time being only about 12 years old ha-ha! I'm a Brickie at the moment which is just a job I guess - I could do with getting out of it really.

How long have you been producing music?

2 years give or take.

What names do you currently produce music under?

Heist but there will be other aliases as time goes on.

What are your musical influences?

Well - if you're talkin about artists…

• Miles Davis
• Herbie Hancock
• St. Germain

But I'm influenced by loads of stuff really depending on my mood at the time, even things on TV.

What software / equipment do you use to produce your music?

I use a lot of hardware like my EMU sampler and JV 1080 but I'm really getting into audio as of late - seems like the possibilities are endless. FM7 and the A1 synth are great plug-ins.

How long do you spend in the studio a week (on average)?

I'm in the studio every nite really as I still have a day job as a brickie, lol, so I guess I must spend 20-30 hours a week really. It's tuff but weekends are really good.

Has producing your own music opened any doors for you?

Definitely, I have been DJing for 10 years now and I can finally go to a club and play my own shit. It's a real buzz seeing people dancing and asking about your tunes ha-ha! I'm gonna be starting a club nite soon (in London) soon for the label, it's just something I've wanted to do for a while really. Also by sending people tunes they often send stuff over to you to cut - so I guess it does open doors for you, but the harder you work the more they open.

What DJ's have been or are playing your tunes?

Peshay has been really cool. He's been hammering "Company 7" (co lab 1) at places like Fabric and Swerve so he's really given me confidence to go in and make more tunes. Also DJ Suv (from Full Cycle) is on the case with the other side - "Salsa Jive" and he's just included a track of mine in a mix CD (forthcoming on DMC) which was really cool. Simon "Bassline" Smith is also a really good supporter of my stuff as is DJ Mace, Kenny Ken and Greg Packer.

How did it feel the first time you heard someone else drop one of your tunes at a club?

I was like sheeeet! It was wicked coz it just went off ("Company 7") and got re-wound ha-ha! Sometimes it's quite hard to believe.

Have you worked with any other producers / artists on the scene or have you any plans to in the near future?

Well I am workin with a few people. A guy called "Teknikal Breakdown" is a very close friend of mine, he has a full digital setup and I like going over to his and getting into that side of production. We've got a live vocal thing we're doing for Co-Lab which is gonna be done real soon. Also I'm gonna be collaborating with a guy called "Goat" who is another spar of mine in Birmingham, he's coming through with some good stuff so we will be working together for Co-Lab.

Are there any producers / artists on the scene on the moment you would like to work with?

Twisted Individual is wicked - really feelin all his stuff right now. Future Cut, Lemon D, Calibre and Marcus Intalex are also people I'd like to work with.

What producers on the scene are you rating at the moment?

As I said…

• Twisted Individual
• Dillinja (always)
• Greg Packer
• Sonic and Silver
• Dylan
• Calibre
• Danny C

Do you have a favourite tune of all time?

There's too many man - probably "How U Make Me Feel" on 31 Records

Is there any tune you would really like to remix?

Peshay - "The Piano Tune" (Good Lookin' Records)

It's a real buzz seeing people dancing and asking about your tunes ha-ha!

Heist

Tell us a little bit about the Co-Lab project, how did it come about and what is the labels music policy going to be?

Co-Lab is going to be a label of all styles in drum and bass, I don't really want it to be bogged down as just one style. I like making hard tunes and liquid tunes depending on how I'm feeling at the time really. It actually came about due to a friend of mine known as "Benny" (from the DJing duo Benny and the Goat). I was sending him stuff over from about a year ago and he was cutting quite a lot of the tunes to play out. He was like "you know what… we need to start our own thing to release your stuff man" and from then on we set up Co-Lab. Its really cool coz he's up north in Birmingham and I'm down in Essex - sometimes it's strange how things work out.

How hard has it been to set up your own label?

It wasn't really that hard because Benny and I get on with quite a few people in the scene, so we got plenty of advice and thought long and hard about how to go about things - from art work to DJ mailing list.

Have you had any releases on other labels to date?

No

Do you have any other artists signed to Co-Lab at the moment?

No one else is signed at the moment but I will be getting Remixes (hopefully) done of the first Co-Lab release for putting out later on in the year.

If people think they might have what it takes to be a Co-Lab artist how can they get word to you?

Mate… I'm well up for hearing anything from artists that are out there, I think there is so much talent out there right now that's not getting noticed. It's a shame because often in this scene it's about "who u know" instead of "what u know". If anyone has something they'd like to send over its best to get in contact with me [at the address supplied below] and at the end of the day if Benny and I think it rocks - we'll get it out, simple as that.

How often do you get out clubbing?

I don't really go clubbing. There's just not the clubs in Essex really compared to London so if I go clubbing it's usually there - which is an hours drive for me so it means no drinking and I don't do drugs.

Do you have a favourite event or club night?

I really like Swerve as I'm sure does everyone else, it's got this really friendly vibe down there and if I was gonna take someone out to a drum and bass club for there first time - it would be there

What are your plans for the future?

I will be working hard at getting the label more established and well known. I am lookin' at Co-Lab being a long term thing, I'm not really in it for money as I still work now, but more for pushing myself and the Co-Lab collective more in the scene. I'm was representing Co-Lab at "Got Funk" at the WMC in Miami in March. I also have tunes forthcoming on Planet Funk, Outbreak, Random Recordings (New Zealand - EZ Jon), Media Recordings and New Vision.

For further information about Heist or any other artist on Co-Lab Recordings visit:

www.colabrecordings.co.uk