| Beatz: |
Congratulations on your new album. So what inspired you to
produce a double CD split in the way that it is? |
| Jules: |
So many dance albums, particularly in the house and trance zone, have
traditionally been very one-dimensional, sticking to one particular BPM
region. We've tried to cover much broader range of musical bases to create
something that hopefully delivers more long-term substance.
|
| Beatz: |
Where do you get inspiration for the tracks from? Who gets the
idea for a tune first? |
| Jules: |
Each tracks has its own origin. Some are ideas based, ie using saxophone on
'Saxuality' or a baby's laugh on 'Nappy Hardcore'. Others are derived from
chord ideas and catchy riffs, ie 'Pitchin' and 'Hurricane', whilst others
started life with the intention of songwriting. |
| Beatz: |
And what makes you choose track titles like "Are You The
Shepherd?" and "To Lunch!"? |
| Jules: |
I usually think of the silly titles "Caned and unable" being the daftest of
the lot. |
| Beatz: |
With such busy schedules how do you find the time to get
together to write the tunes, let alone produce an album? I guess
that this is why this album's been a while coming? |
| Jules: |
Exactly. We get together in the studio as often as schedules permit.
|
| Beatz: |
What was it like working with Boy George? It must have been
great to get him to do the vocals on "Out of Fashion"? |
| Jules: |
He's the nicest most down-to-earth guy imaginable, so working with him was
nothing but a pleasure. |
| Beatz: |
I heard an industry spokesperson saying that "kids" are picking
up guitars rather than turntables and dance is on its way out.
Is dance music dead? |
| Jules: |
It's always been over-simplistic to look at guitars and turntable sales as
metaphors for the popularity of one genre of music over another. When Cream
closed its doors as a regular club, everyone started writing the obituary of
dance, yet the vast majority of clubs continue to do very well. |
| Beatz: |
There's been a lot of press recently that music sales are down
due a lot to Internet piracy. What would you say to your fans to
encourage them to buy (rather than download for free) your
music? |
| Jules: |
I think the music business has been snail-like in its reaction to the onset
of downloading culture, and the respect for music as a commodity of value
has been so badly eroded that it's difficult to see how things can be
rescued. This applies to all areas of music, but particularly genres that
appeal to twenty-something technologically savvy people. |
| Beatz: |
Were you both in Miami for the recent dance music conference? Any tips for this years dance music successes?
|
| Jules: |
We both went. Michael Woods is the big buzz name in the trance arena at the
mo. |
| Beatz: |
So what's next for the both of you after you have promoted the album? Off to Ibiza, making more music, DJ'ing or a break?
|
| Jules: |
Ibiza and the summer return of "Judgement Sundays" at Eden.
|
| Beatz: |
What tunes are mashing up the dance floors, for you, at the
moment? |
| Jules: |
It's probably easiest if you cut and paste the chart from my website
www.judgejules.net |
