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 Nextmen Interview
interview 0016 added 21.07.00 words 2-Hip
So let's be honest, who into UK hiphop has failed to notice the Nextmen? Well if you have you are more than asleep, more likely to be dead. Not only have Dom Search and Baloo they had success in the UK, but they are also showing the rest of the world, including America, just how good worldwide hiphop can be. The press have taken kindly to this Duo, even HHC said 'UK hiphop has finally reached maturity and first to graduate are Dom Search and Baloo.' And then proceeding to give their new album 'Amongst The Madness' a five outta five.
More surprising is the US press, who have noted that the British are coming hard and strong, Rebirth magazine said 'recently there's been a crew of red-hot English producers set for a U.S. invasion' whilst mulling over the new release of the Nextmen. There is no doubting the talents of this duo; their Album has something to satisfy everyone! They have come into some criticism however, many UK fans have voiced their concerns that UK producers seem to be using US MC's to sell more. Although MC TY does appear on the latest album and work with Rodney P will appear on the New Raw Materials Two, its seems some are not satisfied. However if you read on then you will understand why they did it this way. So sit back relax and read through what these world class producers have to say.
Just to clear up any confusion, the interview was done via email so apart from two answers, most answers appear as a unified Nextmen answer.
When did you start producing and why?
[Dom] I began as a DJ (like many producers) when I was 14. I come from a musical family and had a desire to make music as far back as I can remember. I found an old deck in a skip (one of those ones with the tape player as well) in a skip, and learned how to scratch. I also took up the drums at a very young age moved on to percussion and then the guitar. All the time I was messing around on the decks, with drum machines, anything musical I could get my hands on. I am really as much an artist as a producer. When your musical roots are grounded more in rhythm, rather than melody, you become good at putting things together. My first ever record was Search 'Fracture' - some people thought it was quite good but to be honest it's a bit 'my first beat'.
[Baloo] We got together in 1996 when we both still lived in Cambridge. I had been asked to do a London Posse remix but didn't have any kit. I knew that Dom was making beats and had a home set up so I asked him if he wanted to do it with me. He agreed and with did 'Style' in Dom's bedroom on next to no kit. At that time I was also working with Red Cloud and had produced the original version of 'Mental Alchemy', which eventually turned up on the album in a re-mixed form.... These pieces of work were the first things we did together, it seemed to work so we carried on...
Back in the day, who inspired you to make beats?
[Nextmen] We were inspired by a whole bunch of Hip-Hop producers - Marley Marl, Premier, Diamond D, Pete Rock, Lord Finesse. All the relevant DJs, Jazzy Jeff, Aladdin, Cash Money, Miz, Joe Cooley. As well as a lot of other musicians - Ian Carr, Mongo Santamaria, John Martyn, Toots and the Maytails, Mahavishna the list goes on....
Hard at work in the studio
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What about now, who gets you nodding your head the most?
[Baloo] There is a track on the SV album called Poetry, which I fell for the moment I heard it. JayDee is an incredible producer who lives up to his own hype. I am feeling the new PUTS stuff (The Cat, Live at the Fishbucket) Blackalicious, Jurassic 5.
[Dom] For me in Hip Hop JD is tough to beat. Premier is still doing it. Ugly Duckling and J5 are making wicked music. In the UK for production Skitz, Braintax, Creators, Unsung Heroes. There is a lot of talent about.
So how do the Nextmen go about making beats, is it sampler based or what?
[Nextmen] We use Emu Samplers and a Power Mac... or do we???
OK, so you don't want to give that away. How much do you process your sounds, like compressors and stuff?
[Nextmen] We use a lot of compression in our mixes. We really squash 'em. DBX, Behringer, LA and Drawmer are all included. We then put the whole mix through a couple of Kraft Singles, before mixing them down onto a Boots C15 computer tape.
So who tweaks your tracks, who gives that extra bass to your kicks?
[Nextmen] We do. We don't know what the fuck we're doing. The reason our records sound good is because we mix them for the listener and not another mix engineer.... To be honest, we've winged it.
How important a part does the engineering of track play in a song sounding good, and do u think that the UK producers still need to learn a lot from the US in terms of engineering?
[Nextmen] In the US there has always been a lot of money in Hip-Hop. Acts have generally recorded their albums in big, expensive studios - D+D, Battery, Platinum etc... That immediately gives you the chance to get that 'big' sound. With the advent of the home studio people with less money can get closer and closer to that sound. Sometimes, having less expensive kit gives you a bit more of what you actually want.
UK producers can now compete with the best from overseas. There is also an advantage to having a half-decent set up at home - time... You can work and work on a track until it is just right. It will be nice to see what would happen if some money were invested over here and that we all get the freedom
To really experiment with what we are doing. Look at the Roots or the Common album. The live element etc....
I think UK production has come a long way, with you, the Creators, the Runaways and Mark B all starting to make headway, do you think the world has noticed the untapped source of UK hiphop?
[Nextmen] Hip Hop in this country is starting to get some exposure, but in my opinion we are only just beginning to be good enough. The world is only just starting to notice. Look at the willingness of foreign emcees to work on British projects. Watch this space for future collabos!!!!!!!!!
Your LP's beats are really varied, for example 'Shine on'. I think it makes the album more interesting, was this intentional?
[Nextmen] We made the album over a relatively long period of time. So through the tracks you hear the development of our 'sound'.
We have always been highly influenced by the more uptempo, party Hip-Hop of the late 80s and early 90s and firmly believe that the music should have energy and some of it needs to suit the dance floor. Check out our Pharcyde remix and our forthcoming Blackalicious mix for examples of Hip-Hop for butt shaking!
So I guess it was intentional. You've also got to remember that the rappers chose their own beats...
Do you rate most UK stuff out at the moment or do you think it still needs that little something?
[Nextmen] We rate a growing percentage of UK Hip-Hop. I think that a British emcee needs to break the US but this is gonna be almost impossible. They're only just starting to dig the beats and they've got no shortage of rappers.
Once that happens it will blow the whole thing wide open. Then Hip-Hop will become truly international.........
How the hell did you get all those MC's on your new album? It must have been a bit of a task?
[Nextmen] It was actually really cool. All the guys that we collaborated with on the LP were hooked up by Ed Pitt who runs Scenario. On several business trips to the States he found all the guys. We hooked up with Red Cloud, Pen and Ty separately. We met Pen in a club in Soho, he'd heard our 12" and asked if we
could put him on. He came around a week later and blew us away - he's awesome - check for some future collaborations with that guy...Ty is an MC that we've respected for a long, long time. He's wicked. We would work with him at any opportunity and are doing stuff for his forthcoming album....
Do you rate TY as one of the best UK MC's? Who else do you rate?
[Nextmen] The guy's awesome, and our collaborations with him seem natural, he understands our production and there is an element of humour in some of his rhymes and some of our beats. It works. We've just completed two tracks with Rodney P, which has been wicked, his rhymes are so natural they just seem to fall out of him. Just wait till you hear the tracks.......There is a growing number of quality MC's in the UK. Deftex, Numskullz, Braintax, Roots Manuva, Riddla, just to name a few....
Buy This Record
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On the LP you have more US artists than UK. Was this consciously done to shift more units, or did you just go with whatever?
[Nextmen] We just worked with the people that we wanted to work with. The only thing we keep in our minds is that we want to make good music. We don't care where the MC's are from. If they're good and positive then they fit in with the concept of the Nextmen sound - Solid, listenable music... We want people to hear this record because it is world music, not because of the nationalities of the people involved in it.
You've just finished re-mixing a Public Enemy track, was re-mixing a legendary bands track a bit scary? I mean how do you go about it?
[Nextmen] We both loved Public Enemy growing up and wanted to recapture some of the energy that was present in their earlier records. Its wasn't scary just a lot of fun. We are really happy with the finished product...
Well any last words?
[Nextmen] Cheers mate. Sorry it took so long for us to get our arses in gear.
Well there you have it, the Nextmen have I feel defended the 'Why we don't only use UK MC's' and have let nothing slip on how they actually produce stuff (Bollocks). If you haven't already go get their album 'Amongst The Madness' and keep a look out for the new Raw Materials Two of which Nextmens chunky beats will laced by Rodney P will be released as a single.
Remixes will also be popping up all over the place for example the Public Enemy remix, so keep your eye out for those as well. The Nextmen will be around for a while so don't turn your head for a minute.
Thanks loads to the Nextmen boys.
Images from www.thenextmen.com
 
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