|
James Zabiela Interview on Groovetickets
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Danny Ocean |
I never start threads because i hate to do it...however saw this interview in another forum and thought it would be cool to post it in MD since its kinda cool.
| quote: | If Sasha were to have children (and after his forthcoming nuptials it's very possible) they would probably turn out a lot like James Zabiela. He's a techno geek with “Robophobia” and a killer new double disc album, Utilities out this summer. More than just a run of the mill mix CD, Zabiela used Abelton technology on disc one for a computerized mix, and mixed live on the second, for a fully hybrid album for the 21st Century. It's an experiment that only a gadget-obsessed kid like Zabiela could make work so well. He's a really nice guy too, but then again, so was Anakin Skywalker.
ZEL McCARTHY: Are you going through Ibiza withdrawl this summer?
JAMES ZABIELA: I'm going to be there in August and September. Probably a bit less than last year, but still every other week I think. I've got two gigs at Pacha and my usual residency will resume in August.
Z: When you're there do you spend time hanging out?
J: Sometimes I get to hang out but more often than not I have to shoot off which is kind of a shame because it's quite a nice place to hang out. But that's just the way it is, unfortunately.
Z: Utlities is quite different from what I expected and from what's out there. What was it like for you making it, in comparison to the last mix comp, the first Alive.
J: It was a lot of fun. It was nice to try something different, as well. It was a kind of test for myself to see what I could do. Actually I found it much easier than doing the live mix. It is so easy to get one record to another no matter how different they are. It's really easy to take something completely apart even without the original parts of the track, so it was a nice experiment to do that. I still actually prefer the whole live action effect.
Z: Do you think it's something you'd try again – using the sequencer, the Ableton?
J: Oh, definitely. I've always liked to use it as a tool to use with DJing but not just solely DJing from it.
Z: Is that because of your own sense of purity about what DJing should be or a matter of the result?
“I think my last CD was probably too much with the technical details. If anything, this one, more than any CD I've done, focuses on the music.”
J: I think a matter of the result really. I don't really have an idea of what DJing should or should not be. If people are dancing and it sounds good then it's working.
Z: Aside from the technological aspects, what's the sonic difference for you between the two discs on Utilities?
J: I made it a lot more musical this time around. I think my last CD was probably too much with the technical details, whereas this one I tried, even though I used a lot of tricks and affects, to make this CD more about nice music with more melody and a nice mixture. If anything, this one, more than any CD I've done, focuses on the music.
Z: I was surprised by the Aphex Twin track mostly because it's been kind of kicked around for a couple years, but you've got a really good mix. I was wondering how you came across that. For a lot of people that's a seminal track, at least here in the States, maybe partially for the video.
J: I've actually got it on DVD.
Z: Oh, the Chris Cunningham?
J: Yeah. You know it's really hard to license a record, not just from the label but specifically from Richard James, who is Aphex Twin. So when I gave him that remix of “Windowlicker,” I never in a million years thought they'd let us use it. I'd actually done the CD and left it out. But they came back at the last hour and said we could use it. He actually listened to the mix and liked it, so that's pretty awesome. The remix was done by an Australian friend of mine.
Z: Were there other tracks you sent off in the same way to someone who doesn't license their stuff that you didn't hear back from?
J: With this one it wasn't too bad actually. There's always one track that you want to use that you can't, like on my last CD there was a track that I really wanted to use but it got turned down unfortunately. It was BMI, so you have to sort of expect that. Yet saying that, on the same CD I managed to have Underworld, which is on Virgin. So it was pretty impressive to get that one.
Z: Well, that was a huge record too.
J: Right, exactly. You sort of expect to see it not just on independent dance music compilations but also big, corporate compilations – people like Warner. They'll be paying huge bucks for a track like that, and obviously, we don't have that sort of budget. So it was really nice to let us use that one.
Z: I read that you're not going to be doing a commercial mix CD for awhile?
J: I just think that whatever I do next should be sort of a step up or let it be a while before I do another one. I don't want to overkill myself with respect to always being in magazines or always being in people's faces. I just think the whole press thing lets people get bored with someone. That's not going to stop me from playing out on tour and doing the occasional promotional mix for radio stations or whatever but I don't know, we'll see. I don't think I'm gonna do one next year, that's for sure. We'll see about the year after that.
Z: Do you read your own press?
J: Sometimes, I read reviews, things like that. This interview, for example, I won't.
Z: James! C'mon! I'll send you a copy.
J: Well, in that case... when I finish a CD I'll look at some of the press. Whether it's good press or bad press or good reviews or bad, it's important to read a bit about what people think.
Z: Do you take it to heart?
J: Sometimes. I get really upset when people are being mean on a message board. I think that's nasty when it's someone who's been to a club and seen me and didn't have a good night or whatever. But I just tend to ignore that. I read it but don't reply. I get depressed for about a week and then forget about it.
“If it's got buttons and gadgets I'm into it! Especially if it's got flashing lights.”
Z: You shouldn't read it!
J: No, I think it's important to read criticism as well.
Z: So for the album, are you thinking an Airdrawndagger-style artist album or....
J: Maybe. I mean, yeah, because you know I'm just on my first EP and it took me ages to get that. I guess there are two ways to look at it... I did three tracks, another five or six tracks and I've got an album.
Z: When you go in to make those tracks do you have an idea that's come out of a live set or is it something that's buzzing in your head or is it kind of like an in-studio event?
J: I just somehow stick it together. I use a lot of different sounds, drums, just have fun with it. Especially “Robophobia.” It was such a blast making that.
Z: How did it happen?
J: It was just me in the hotel playing with the vocals...
Z: That's you on the vocal?
J: Yeah, I just put it through the vocoder. Just a lot of experimenting.
Z: Do you let those experiments ride out through the whole track before you know it's good or do you sometimes stop halfway?
J: I think if about halfway through the track I get bored with it I figure it can't be that good so I just drop it. But I started using the Abelton to produce my stuff and it's so fun to use, but it's really great for doing lots of spontaneous arrangements, so since I've started using that everything came a lot easier.
Z: You have to tell the story about how you came across the Abelton.
J: I hurt my back in Australia. I was DJing in Sydney on New Years Eve and I had a gig in Melbourne, so I took a couple weeks off in Australia at the same time I hurt my back so I was just laying around in hotels. I played a little bit with [the Ableton] but I'd never used it to make a track. I discovered it was quite easy to master, or at least quite easy to get a good result.
Z: I heard you were lifting a suitcase and you hurt your back Don't you have people who carry your suitcases for you at this point?
J: [laughs] No, I had an overweight bag I was lifting.
Z: On the plane? What was in this overweight bag?
J: I had a keyboard, which is actually very light. I had some records that were packed in. That's why it was too heavy. It was an enormous bag. If you curled up you could probably fit in it.
Z: On another note, I know you're a total Star Wars junkie.You've seen the latest?
“Oh, Princess Leia! Once you've seen that gold bikini in Return of the Jedi, Natalie Portman sort of fades away.”
J: Oh, I loved it. I didn't like the first two, I don't think anyone did.
Z: Queen Amidala or Princess Leia?
J: Oh, Princess Leia. Once you've seen that gold bikini in Return of the Jedi, Natalie Portman sort of fades away.
Z: In the album art you have a picture of that “Futurama” guy....
J: Bender!
Z: He's anti-human and you have “Robophobia.” Whose side are you on?
J: If it's got buttons and gadgets I'm into it! Especially if it's got flashing lights.
Z: Is that how you fell into this line of work, the flashing lights?
J: No! Just like any DJ, loving the music, mixing one album into another and for some people that's enough. I started playing lots of progressive stuff when I was 17, 18, things that were very in vogue at the time. But there's this three minute space when you're just standing there waiting to put the next record in, and I guess, I wanted to feel a bit more active so my music changed. Now I've got lots of tweaky records, things to have fun with.
Z: You got a lot of experience on your own and everyone talks about how Sasha was a mentor, or still is. I wonder if it feels like to you that you're transitioning from being a protege into something else?
J: [all Darth Vader-like] I was the student, now I'm the master.
Z: Ah, classic Star Wars.
J: No, I don't feel like I do. I'm just really grateful for all his help. He's done something really amazing for me. He took me from someone who was working all these hours, DJing, working in a record shop, being a graphic designer, not having a lot of sleep every night when all I really wanted to do is DJ. He took me and turned my life upside down with a simple listen to one of my CDs.
Z: Did you feel like you weren't worthy?
J: It just felt really weird. I spent so much time listening to his CDs and listening to his mixes. He's got quite the presence. He's been making dance music since the start, well, at least before I was interested in dance music, he was DJing at clubs. So it feels weird that he's just another friend, like, I'm going to his wedding and stuff.
Z: Oh, you're going to the wedding! I've talked to a bunch of Sasha's famous DJ friends who are going. My invitation must be lost in the mail. Chris Fortier's going, and I think Steve Porter will be there as well.
J: Steve and I are friends. We play a lot of X-Box together.
Z: You're kind of in the same peer group.
J: We're the same age. I think he's just a year older than me.
Z: You're 25?
J: I'll be 26 in August. Slowly getting older. I still see myself as 20 years old. I guess we're seen as the young ones.
“I was the student, now I'm the master.”
Z: And as the torchbearers for a new wave. You have a distinctive sound, apart from Sasha and Digweed and that whole generation. Do you feel there's a pressure on you to herald what's next in dance music?
J: I try not to think about that too much. I do what I like doing, I play the music that I like doing. I think the moment you start thinking about huge pressures on yourself, it's not good. It's not good for your ego, for start. I'm just happy to travel around and play for people.
Z: Do you ever think about taking a break and doing something completely different?
J: Mostly just from the mix CDs really, I've done a few of those now. I just want to concentrate on playing good gigs. The other thing is when you're doing a commercial mix CD you have to do enormous tours...
Z: And interviews!
J: I've got three weeks in America. I've only four days off in three weeks. It's just time away from the DJing – less time to make music, less time go through new music or go record shopping. You're just gonna be really tired, as well. For someone who's always releasing CDs I think it'll start to affect their DJ sets. I just rather just play the weekend and do really good gigs, rather than be tired. Not that I'm like that right now. And like you said, people could get bored of me.
Z: How do you keep yourself fresh on the road? Do you work out?
J: I must be the only person who goes to America and comes back skinnier than when I left. When I was in China – I'm not really into experimenting with food. I just didn't eat when I was there. When I was at home briefly for a week I was like, “I've lost so much weight!”
Z: There's not much to eat in mainland China doesn't involve a little experiment.
J: I like the food in Tokyo. I love sushi and stuff like that. It's not really fattening. In fact, it's too healthy. I'm really about junk food.
Z: Does your mom make you homecooked meals when you get home.
J: No, no. My mum's not the greatest cook. I hope she doesn't read this.
Z: What are you looking forward to during your American tour?
J: I'm just that happy to be here. I really love playing here.
Z: Is this your favorite country?
J: Well, the people are super friendly. The thing with British people is they don't say anything, they don't talk to each other. When I'm in the UK I just walk around with my walkman on, I'm completely oblivious. So it's weird at Starbucks, the atmosphere is different. I'll spend a half an hour just talking to one of the guys behind the counter. I like the fact that people talk to each other here. It's nice.
Z: Would you ever think about living or working here? Maybe in New York?
J: Oh yeah, I've talked about it a lot. I get kind of homesick, but who knows where I'm going to end up. |
link |
|
|
| Ang ' ela_ie |
"J: Sometimes. I get really upset when people are being mean on a message board. I think that's nasty when it's someone who's been to a club and seen me and didn't have a good night or whatever. But I just tend to ignore that. I read it but don't reply. I get depressed for about a week and then forget about it.
“If it's got buttons and gadgets I'm into it! Especially if it's got flashing lights.” "
I love that he cares enough about what we think to come on TA.
I hate it when people post about their bad nights when they know hes a TA as well. |
|
|
| DJ Mikey Mike |
| quote: | Originally posted by Ang ' ela_ie
I hate it when people post about their bad nights when they know hes a TA as well. |
Christ, what a attitude.
*mwuggles all round*
|
|
|
| Ang ' ela_ie |
Gah.
Theres a difference between being critical and just blowing up and saying "omfg I had the worst night evar." |
|
|
| varun |
awesome interview
:D |
|
|
| MindShifter |
| Thanks for the read great iview, james is a real down to earth guy, everytime i've spoken to him he's been really humble about everything. Too bad that he gets upset about those things, I mean there's always going to be haters and you can't please everyone thats just the way the world is:tongue2 |
|
|
| Nayil |
| damn...it is sad. feel bad for J..he shouldnt get too emotional...nothing works that way. u just end up harming urself in the end. |
|
|
| Nayil |
J: I must be the only person who goes to America and comes back skinnier than when I left. When I was in China – I'm not really into experimenting with food. I just didn't eat when I was there. When I was at home briefly for a week I was like, “I've lost so much weight!”
i lost 20 pounds....thanks to diet coke. US OWNS. hehe
We r the only ones. :D |
|
|
| Lionhead |
| I'm a big fan of Zabiela myself. Awesome interview, thanks for sharing. :thepirate |
|
|
| Clovis86 |
I just got back from seeing him live for 5 hours @ Avalon here in LA.
ING AMAZING! :eyespop: :eyespop: :eyespop: :eyespop: |
|
|
|
|
