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deejay feature 0020 added 06.04.05 words K-Per technical: QED
DJ Format has been around for a while. Straight out of Brighton Format made a name for himself through his contributions to the Return of the DJ and the Lessons series. Since then, Format has kept doing his thing and released his first album in early 2000s, 'Music for the Mature Bboy', showcasing his production skills to the fullest and teaming up with soon-to-be partner Abdominal as well as members of J5 and those funny boys from Aspects. Following the fairly unexpected success of the LP, Format was sent back to the studio for his follow up, 'If you can't join em... beat em', which is being released this month. Roping in Abdominal, Charly 2na and Akil once more as well as new Canadian addition D-Sisive, this new LP sees Format continue doing what he does best, producing funky, break-full hip hop with a cut and paste touch you can't resist. As they say, if it ain't broke don't fix it! So we caught up with the man for a brew and a chat in January this year and found out what he's been up to, what the album's like, why he is not really good at scratching and also if his sister really is that good looking. What you been up to?  F: Well I’ve spent far too long finishing this album. I’ve been at it
since finishing the last LP really. I’ve done the odd song here and
there with Abdominal, perhaps while he’s been touring, but the majority
of the work happened over the last year. Basically that’s all I’ve been
doing, I’ve been consumed by that. If they’d given me another year to
finish this I’m sure I would have spent it nitpicking. So I’ve been
really working on it and since finishing I’ve just been busy with the
business side of it, which I’m still learning about and realising is a
bit of a headache, but you have to do it. So all this has literally
consumed me, not much relaxing you know? Just a load of work. But in
parts, of a different nature to what I’m used to.When you say business side of things, do you mean all the promotion stuff? F: Yeah that and I like to be involved in what I do. For example when a tour is organised my manager and agent will talk together about the details but I want to be consulted on certain dates and how it’s going to run because then I can make certain decisions, like if it’s worth getting a tour bus, things like that. It’s just something I like to be quite hands on with myself, there are certain things where it sometimes is easier to say ‘right I’ll do that’. Like for example driving to a gig, I’ll end up doing that myself most of the time, with a carload, Abdominal, D-Sisive, myself and someone who helps us sell all the merchandise. Sometimes it’s easier to do it yourself really. I’m fighting the reality that I’ve kind of got to expand, I don’t know if my head is ready for being a businessman. Kind of like going from being a bit grassroots to having a label backing you? F: Yeah that’s it. It’s very unusual territory for me basically.  "...I think that the last album was really well rounded and well balanced, and there were different MCs but it wasn’t too much, like a rent-a-rap feel to it..." And so how did you find making this LP after your first one? F: I found it still enjoyable and fun, which is why I do it. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say there was constant little battles in my head, things like ‘does this song sound too much like another song I did?’, you know? There was a constant battle with ‘should I give the people who enjoyed the first LP, more of that’ and also not repeating myself. So I’ve hopefully picked up where the last album left off and also I think there’s probably a tougher edge to this LP. And of course I’ve also brought D-Sisive alongside Abdominal, because we felt it would be good to expand our live shows and it’s a natural way to bring in another MC into it. But it had to be the right person that could bounce with Abs and they worked so well together that it all started falling together when we went in the studio. And did you find it easier putting this LP together? F: No… I’ll have to be honest and say definitely no because it’s like these quotes people give you, ‘you have a lifetime to make your first album, and six months to make the next one!’ Actually I ended up taking longer then that, but ultimately when I made the first LP I was relatively unknown, apart from small circles, and because the album wasn’t expected to come out and make much noise, it ended doing a lot better then anyone expected, especially for me, so automatically there is a higher expectation for the second LP. Not that it affected the way I made it as such, but these things do end up getting in your head. But to say it was easier definitely wouldn’t be true, but it was still fun which is the main thing. It’s like I said though I always want another month on my deadline to make something better, add something to it. What would you say are the main differences between both LPs?  F: It’s hard to say because I think that the last album was really well
rounded and well balanced, and there were different MCs but it wasn’t
too much, like a rent-a-rap feel to it. It was still very consistent
because there were more instrumental tracks on the last LP, and on this
album I still believe the same things, but it’s more geared around just
Abdominal and D-Sisive. I’ve got Charly and Akil back again as well on
one song, but apart from that it’s just them two on there. But that’s
more to do with just letting nature take its course, because Abs was the
person I was touring with so it made sense to keep doing stuff with him,
and also he’s so damn good anyway. And when D-Sisive did come on board
it just ended up going that way. So it’s different in that it’s more
centred around a tight unit, rather than such an expense of people. But…
umm… I needed to come with something better then that really, didn’t I?(laughs) No that’s cool! At this point the batteries run out… F: Yeah so going on about the differences between the two LPs, for this album I felt like I had to step my game up, and I wanted to retain the fun and humour side of not taking ourselves too seriously, but also I did want to make the tracks a little harder, I wanted to go more ‘Vicious Battle Raps’ and less… err… I can’t think of an example, but let’s just say I wanted to go more in that direction of ‘Vicious Battle Raps’, so I feel that this album has a much tougher edge to it. And especially in the way that Abs and D-Sisive work together, I hope that comes across in a sort of old Beastie Boys kind of way. As you’ve said Abdominal is back on this one and you two have been working together for a while now. At this point what’s the working process like between you? F: To be honest Abdominal and D-Sisive both live in Canada, Charly and Akil are in California, and I’m still here in England, but generally speaking I always go over to Canada to record with those guys. We’ve got some good people we work with over there, like this studio we always go to, and this guy called Planet P from the Quartertones who takes care of all the recording. Usually I’m over there with them, but there was one occasion when I couldn’t be there, for two of the songs actually and I found it very strange. But generally I just love going over to Toronto so much, it’s such a nice place, it’s like a second home, so if there’s even half an excuse to go over, I’m there. Usually I’ll make a few tracks and send them over to the guys, who’ll then write the lyrics and we’ll go backwards and forwards on the phone and then I will go over and we’ll finish the track together. "...I feel that this album has a much tougher edge to it, especially in the way that Abs and D-Sisive work together, I hope that comes across in a sort of old Beastie Boys kind of way..." Ok, and how did you come about D-Sisive? How did you meet him? F: Well he’s from Toronto as well and he’s friends with Abdominal. And I’d heard him a few years back on a DJ Serious record and then he was on the Posse Cuts from Abdominal’s EP, with DJ Faze, so I heard him on there as well. And I don’t actually know at what point it clicked in my head that it would be a good idea. I really don’t but somebody at some point had this great idea of teaming them up. And D-Sisive has this slightly higher pitched nasal kind of voice, where as Abdominal’s got the lower voice, and again they compliment each other so well when they’re rapping together on a song, especially on the choruses. So that’s kind of how I hooked up with D-Sisive, because he was in Toronto and was a friend of Abdominal’s. So there wasn’t a special reason why you choose him to be on the LP with Abdominal then?  F: Well truthfully, I thought he would be a good MC to suit the music I
made, because that’s the most important thing, finding the right MC for
my music. But then everything also kind of just fell into place with the
fact that he also lives in Toronto and knew Abdominal. And again when it
comes to things like organising tours and stuff, if Abdominal had lived
in Toronto and D-Sisive in LA, it wouldn’t have been so easy to sort out
but it all seemed to just work perfectly really.Actually I had a question but I don’t want you to take it badly… Is your sister really better looking than you? (Ed note: in reference to the song Ugly Brothers on the LP) F: yeah, yeah she is… She is really good looking so it’s the standard joke if someone knows me but has never met my sister and then one day she comes to a gig and I introduce her as my sister, people are generally like ‘eh?! Phwoar! You sister? Don’t be silly!’ And it’s the same with Abdominal. So how did the idea for the song come about? F: Again I can’t really remember where it started but I think it was more to do with the fact that Abdominal and I had joked about how we have these great looking sisters and no one would believe we’re related to them. And I think he also wanted to expand on that lyrically and it was a really funny idea. That’s the real fun moment on the album when all seriousness goes out of the window. But I think the album needed that balance and it’s worked out really well. I also wanted to talk about the live shows; I assume you’re going to be touring soon? F: Oh yeah, extensively… unfortunately (laughs)… Oh so you’re not looking forward to it so much then? F: No it’s not that. I love doing the live shows, but it’s just that with the success of the first LP there’s this pressure now to go out and cover certain territories, you know? You’ve got to put your name out there and almost make people remember, drum into them… (Puts on funny voice) ‘Oh yeah DJ Format and Abdominal! Oh yeah, they were good, weren’t they? Maybe we should go and check them out and buy loads of CDs and T-Shirts’, or something. I don’t know it’s that whole putting your name on the tip of people’s tongues, just making sure people remember. "...people are generally like ‘eh?! Phwoar! You sister? Don’t be silly!’..." But I love doing the shows, it’s just that this time originally there was talk of doing like 6 weeks straight touring without coming home and I don’t know if it’s my age or anything but to me that’s not so appealing to be away from home for that long. I love making my music and being in all these beautiful countries, digging for records in different places. But the idea of doing shows night after night and not being able to come home to see your girlfriend or your family, or even to just see your friends and go down the pub and have a beer is just like, strange… It’s strange to me. I’m someone who likes to relax at home, with my friends and family, listen to some jazz and make music. That’s really where my passion is, sitting at home and making music. Not being a public face for it in a way? F: yeah I’m kind of reluctant to be there in people’s faces. I don’t want people to necessarily recognise me but that’s become increasingly difficult, it’s hard not to do that stuff, with photo shoots and things like that, people don’t want to hear you say ‘I want to have my cap on and be like this so you can’t see my face’… Wow! I’ve gone way off the subject haven’t I? "...I’m fighting the reality that I’ve kind of got to expand, I don’t know if my head is ready for being a businessman..." No it’s ok, actually you saying that you don’t want to be a public face has made me think that is it maybe because your music in a way, from a producer’s angle, is really just that: a producer’s music. So in a sense it doesn’t translate to the stage in the same way as other types of music if you see what I mean? You’ll have you and the MCs on stage but short of bringing a full band to play your music it’s doesn’t necessarily translate into live form in the same way as it is for you to make it in the studio?  F: No, not necessarily. To be honest that’s what I love about the shows
with Abdominal. He’s such a strong front man, everyone knows how strong
he is on record but he’s equally good on stage, if not better. The man’s
got incredible breath control, he’s sharp with freestyles, and I love
the way we can go out and just do a raw hip hop show, with me on the
turntables just supplying breaks and cuts, and Abdominal on the mic and
now with D-Sisive as well.But it’s funny you should bring that up because there was talk, before D-Sisive came on board, of how can we expand the live show. And my manager and label were quite keen on exploring the live band aspect of it, and I saw Herbaliser last year as well. I supported them in their last tour, doing the warm up sets. And I was really surprised of how good their live show was with the band. They had horn sections, things like that and it was really great. It was so good that to me it was far more interesting than any hip hop show. So yeah I do feel that if we’d done that with a live band I might have put myself out of a job, because I don’t do that much in a sense. "...If they’d given me another year to finish [the new album] I’m sure I would have spent it nitpicking..." I’m not a turntable nerd, I don’t drive people mad with self indulgent scratch solos, and I feel that if I had a band there doing all the music I might put myself out of a job. And so I felt I wanted to keep it the way Abdominal and me present it, which is a proper hardcore hip hop show. But we do want to bring an entertaining show, so we’re not just standing there sulking around the stage looking moody. For anyone who hasn’t seen our show I don’t want to scare them by thinking it’s too crazy, but every now and then we might pull out a funny costume to do a certain track or we might do some interplay with me cutting up a record as Abdominal is asking me questions. Just to add a bit of humour and human touch to it. And show we’ve made an effort to put an entertaining show on. So we literally try to entertain, give people their money’s worth. Actually it’s funny you mention the turntable nerd thing because I wanted to ask you something about your more turntablist, scratch origins. You made a name for yourself back in the 90s through that scene with your track on Return of the DJ and your addition to the Lessons series (English Lesson) alongside Shadow and Cut Chemist, you got really known for your cut and paste tracks. And I was wondering if there was a reason why you didn’t really do a track like that on this LP? You’ve got things like the ‘2, 3 scrape’ remix which is more like a collage of breaks and bits then anything, but not really anything like what you used to do. F: There is not really a reason… It’s not that I didn’t want to make a track like that, but I can only get inspired to do what I want to at that time and the fact of the matter was when I did ‘Vinyl Overdose’ on ROTDJ volume 2, for example, that was like me getting away with being a mediocre scratcher by assembling the music and cuts in a way that makes my mediocre scratches sound much better then they really are! And that’s still true today (laughs). So once DJs started really upping their game up in the late 90s and beyond, I’ve just not really been able to keep up. I’m not really a natural when it comes to scratching, that’s what I used to obsess with though, that’s what got me into DJing, because I was obsessed with scratching. But I was brought up on the old school style of scratching and so I’ve probably been a little bit left behind. So now if I was to make more of a DJ track, with all cuts and scratches, it would have to be a difficult task for me to make one that would stand alongside other people’s current work within that genre. When you get people that were born to scratch like Qbert, or just people in this country that I know personally, like Sir Beans, that guy is just a complete natural. "...when I did ‘Vinyl Overdose’ on ROTDJ volume 2 that was me getting away with being a mediocre scratcher by assembling the music and cuts in a way that makes my mediocre scratches sound much better then they really are!..." I could practice for the rest of my life and I’ll never be as good as he naturally is. Renegade as well, I used to practice with him for a while, around the late 90s. And I would take him tapes of like Qbert and things like that, and he’d never been exposed to that thing at the time, he’d been out of the loop for a while, and we’d sit there and study this stuff and I’d be there scratching my head and he’d turn round to the decks, and I’m not kidding, after a while he’d just figure it out. He was just that naturally good. And like I said I just really concentrated on my strengths which was more things like record collecting, which I really got into and then obviously using that collection to make music, go into production and so on. But I still like to put my cuts on record, but more as a way of adding something to the record rather then building a record around scratching. To be honest I’d really love to be able to make a DJ track right now but the fact of the matter is my scratching is pretty average. It would be difficult, perhaps the person who likes my average scratching would like it, but I’d lose a lot of respect from other people who would perhaps otherwise give me some credit! They’d be like ‘Matt, why did you try to take these people at their own game?’ Yeah you were always more recognised for the cut and paste aspect of your tracks, like you said the ability to construct and assemble things together. And it’s true that within that scene that might not be seen as the same thing, or having the same relevance.  F: To be honest I still feel like ‘2, 3 scrape’ still comes into that
category of the cut and paste track, but I also feel that a song like
‘The Turning Point’ is also a good example of that ethic of production,
because I sampled a lot of different records to make that song. And
overall in general my productions and my music are very cut and paste
full stop. But I see what you mean about the more direct scratch tracks.Cool, and I think we’re pretty much done here. You got any last words? F: No I can’t think of any words of wisdom, just enjoy the music, hopefully. Many thanks to Isabel at PIAS for the hook up and Format for this time. The album is out this month and the first single out now. Format, Abdominal and D-Sisive will be touring UK, Europe and possible the rest of the world in the coming months as well so keep an eye out for that if you like your hiphop shows raw. Photos courtesy of PIAS. - Interview by
K-Per
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