Joe Johnson talks to Shab Ruffcut from the UK about his upcoming tour which will stop off in New Zealand. Check out what he has to say.
You are playing in Auckland for Collude 3rd Birthday in March, What can the crowd expect from you?
It’s my first time playing in New Zealand, i’ve heard some great things about the night and i’m really looking forward it.
I’m gonna be doing a ‘Live’ set on the night with DX n FX, so i’ve got loads of Big Tunes ready to drop !
Tell us, what is happening in the UK electro scene at the moment?
It’s hard to keep track, there’s so much good music always coming out it’s impossible to keep track of it all.
Personally my production is going towards a more ‘Tech House’ feel and we’ve started a new label called ‘It_Tizz” to use as a new platform to release on.
We’ve signed up some amazing new acts for the new label, people like ‘MadKids’, “AkA AkA” and we’ve got a string of remixes lined up from ‘Oliver $’ and ‘Derrick Carter’.
Watch out ! it all starts in Feb 2010 !!!
www.myspace.com/ittizz
When did you know you first wanted to make/play music?
I’ve always been involved with the music business, I use to work as a Professional Photographer going on tour with ‘The Basement Jaxx’, The Prodigy’’ and ‘The Groove Amerada’, back then i was just taking photos and always wanted to make music. (www.shabphotographic.com)
My music production really kicked off when i started hanging around with the house legend know as ‘Mr Trevor Loveys’, he thought me everything about synths, basslines, beats and how to use logic. I also worked with Jon aka ‘Hijack’ on a few tracks, my first release actually came out on ‘Jack union’ called ‘Fazz Junk’ back in 2008.
You are involved with Dandy Kid & It_Tizz Recordings, how is that going?
It’s all going really really really well with both labels !
Dandy Kid Recors will be 1 in April 2010 and we’ve seen it grow massively over the last 9 months. We’ve signed up some top acts for 2010 like ‘Hoaxx’, ‘Butcher Blues Foundation’ and the ‘MadKids’.
Do you prefer to DJ or produce and why?
I enjoy both to be honest, i really enjoying DJ’in as you feed of the crowd, it’s an amazing experience as people dance to your tracks.
Being a DJ means you get to travel to some amazing places, what have been some of your most memorable gigs?
Too many to mention, ive really enjoyed every gig ;-)
Who would you like to collaborate with?
I’m going to be working on a few tracks with an old skol MC called ‘General Levy’, he’s famous for producing the old Skol Jungle hit ‘Incredible’ !
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL2Bgj-za5k)
We’re just finishing of the tracks and the EP should be out in march 2010 on Dandy Kid Records !!
It’s very different from my normal production style but it’s gonna be PHAT !!!
What would you class as your biggest achievement as a DJ/Producer?
Setting up Dandy Kid Records and learning to use Logic !
Who is a producer / DJ you think we should watch out for in 2010?
Madkids !
Hoaxx ! !
Butcher Blues Foundation ! ! !
What are you working on at the moment?
Just finishing of my first EP that’s coming out on ‘it_tizz’
http://soundcloud.com/dandy-kid-records/sets/it_tizz-ep1-shab-ruffcut
Top 5 tracks:
The Bomb (The bucket Heads )
Professional Widow (Arman Van helden)
Incredible (M Beat)
The Sloop (Hugo)
Kick Like a Mule (Awesome 3)
www.myspace.com/shabruffcut
www.myspace.com/dandykidrecords
www.myspace.com/ittizz