Hardbeats HQ
Average Member
United Kingdom
156 posts
Joined: Jul, 2011
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 Posted - 2011/11/30 : 14:16:10
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One week closer to what is shaping up to be the start of something special, and one week closer to the rest of our lives, the 'I Love Hard Beats' party has been pushing a sense of unity between its artists and this is somewhat representative in its music and ethos. "Just get out there and make other people smile at yourself". I just made that last part up but it is a common goal that we all share.
Music has been an important factor in each of our lives and this week I have caught up with someone who has also been deeply affected by music, so much so that he has put together countless physical albums of freeform and hardcore music. We at Hard Beats Collective thought it necessary to get this busy man on board to spin a few tracks at the forthcoming 'I Love Hard Beats' event, on the 3rd of February @ Lightbox, Vauxhall. Thumpa is someone who has been pushing new artists more than most and seeing as he released my first track on Rebuild Music, I thought it fair to interview him today, if anyone is going to ask "why the bloody hell did you do it?" and "what was going through your mind, you damned fool?", it's going to be me...
So, as I take on my "General Practitioner" guise (check the initials), let's get started!
GP (Greg Peaks): Hi Thumpa! Just before we get started I'd like to know just how it felt when you lost the part in Bambi to a rabbit?
T (Thumpa): Hello! Of course I was gutted, but I got my revenge. Remember the farmer? It wasnt a farmer. Bambis Mum got GOT! Funnily enough I got my DJ name from my first proper gigs in 98/99; my mates said I danced around like a rabbit on the decks and said I looked like that gay rabbit out of Bambi. Cheers lads, the name stuck!
GP: That's a great photo of you back in the day, I can tell you haven't aged a bit. It's an exciting feeling knowing that, despite there not being anymore Freeformation events, there is already an alternative for London and indeed Freeform music. What was it like playing at the last ever Freeformation and how will that experience reflect on you and your set at the first 'I Love Hard Beats'?
T: I only went to 3 or 4 Freeformation events but it was a pleasure playing October last year and the final one this year. The actual event was amazing; Scorpio and MC Sharkey took me back to the Technodrome days, Luna C was eclectic and amazing as always, Fracus & Darwin blew me away with D&B and upfront musical masterpieces, the list goes on! Unfortunately I actually played the first set at the afterparty rave at 6am and there was hardly anyone in there at that time, so in that way it was like most of my gigs (arf!). This is going to sound really odd but half the enjoyment I get out of gigs is just seeing my name on a flyer next to some of my childhood heroes, so getting on a Freeformation flyer is more than enough for me! I used to stare at flyers for hours back in 96/97 and sometimes its mad to see that Ive been on the same flyer as all the DJs I worshipped when I was a kid.
As for I Love Hard Beats, this is going to be special because it really is the phoenix rising out of the flames of Nu Energy and it will be great to be at the start of something special. It is sad that Nu Energy and Freeformation are no more but I knew someone would step up and do something fresh and exciting. The DJs & producers involved are a special group of lads and their passion for this music is unrivalled, so it was inevitable! I feel honoured to be a part of this as I know its going to be AAAAWESOME!
GP: You're quite well known for your diversity when it comes to hardcore music. I've in fact likened you to a jukebox today... How many years have you been into the music for, and if you were a jukebox, would it be vinyl or CD?
T: The only difference between me and a jukebox is, a jukebox plays what people want to hear whereas Ive always played what I wanted to hear! I think a good DJ can play exactly what they want and the crowd will be into everything, thats always how Ive seen it anyway. I first got into the music in 1992 when I was 10; I remember my parents getting me a Rave 92 double tapepack with 2 Unlimited, Praga Khan, Trip To Trumpton, the Mario Bros theme, On A Ragga Tip, Opus 3 and loads of stuff like that and I fell in love with it straight away. I didnt have a clue about rave music, I just knew I loved these tunes. As time went on I got into Slipmatt in 94/95 then fell in love with happy hardcore and jungle in 1996 after listening to DJ Vibes and DJ Rap at Tribal Gathering on Radio One. After that I spent all my paper round money on records (I earnt a tenner a week and spent 5 on a hardcore record and 5 on a jungle record!) and I got a pair of decks in 96 and slowly taught myself how to mix. In 98 I got my first gig and everything just went from there!
Over the years Ive played every style of this music from happy hardcore and jungle in the old skool room at Uproar, to upfront stuff and freeform at HTID, to drum & bass at the weekender to old skool gabber at Raverbaby to 1000bpm speedcore at Rigormortis and I can honestly say I love it all. If I was a jukebox I would be 50s rock & roll vinyl and youd have to give me a good kick to get me started but once I got going Id rock the house!
GP: Last month saw the release of Rebuild Music's 3rd Worldwide Freeform album and these have been getting more and more popular, with copies flying out in record time. What are your freeform influences and how can we see these, if at all, in your albums?
T: My journey into freeform started with Helter Skelter, 15th March 1997. Listening to Billy Bunter and Ramos play deep, progressive GBT records, XY and RSR tracks along with German tracks on Spaceflower, United Ravers honestly changed my life. Before that all I knew was happy hardcore and I didnt think this stuff existed! Shortly after this Bonkers 2 came out and I found myself in Tempest Records in Birmingham buying the early Bonkers releases like See The Stars by Trixxy (still one of the greatest hardcore records ever made) and anything I could get my hands on that sounded different and exciting. My love of harder kickdrums started in 96 listening to Clarkee, Scorpio, Producer and HMS and to see that there were trancecore records with massive kickdrums like this just made me the happiest man in the world.
My love of this rich and varied music definitely shows in my albums; Ill always made sure there are a few bangers on the disc for lovers of harder edged music. Hardcore with big fat drums is just a part of me and always will be. The genre of freeform is meant to be a sound without limits so I do try and include a bit of everything on the albums, from cheesy dancefloor freeform to darker stuff, psy trance influenced stuff, big gabber-esque tracks with huge kicks, some breaks, some slower stuff and whatever else catches my ear. Label influences for me include Stompin Choonz, EDM, Bonkers, Nu Energy and GBT; if my label could have half as much influence as them I would be so happy!
GP: It's no secret that you are a huge wrestling fan, the front cover of the 'World Heavyweight Freeform' alone says this. Were you disappointed/surprised that you turned out to become a DJ despite clearly wanting to be a pro wrestler?
T: If youd asked me when I was 8 what I wanted to be, I would have said a pro wrestler. At primary school everyone used to watch WWF and I honestly really hated the bad guys, I nearly cried when Shawn Michaels threw Marty Janetty through the barber shop windowm and when Jake The Snake let his snake bite Randy Savage I thought Jake was the most evil man in the world. We also had a big log on the field at school and we used to suplex each other off it at lunch and try our best to copy what we saw on tv. Im surprised no one got seriously hurt, we didnt have a clue what we were doing! Dont try this at home kids. Fast forward 20 years and Im still watching it every week and Ive booked tickets for Raw and Smackdown next April in London. My ideal show would be the Royal Rumble, just counting down from 10 and waiting to see who came out next... Ok Ill shut up now. Please dont judge me people, I just love it! Funnily enough the hardcore scene is full of people who love it still, Wotsee, Bubble, Joey Riot Im looking at you! I do judo and the teacher said I had the best belly-to-belly suplex hed ever seen, I have Kurt Angle to thank...
GP: I fell off a chair into a bowl of rice once. 'Die Another Day' was a hugely successful album project that was nominated for best album at the Hardcore Heaven awards. Word on the grape vine is that you are planning another album to follow in the footsteps of 'Die Another Day'. Is there anything more you can tell us about the next Rebuild Music album?
T: Its true, its true! The follow up to Die Another Day will be out 6th April 2012 to mark the 3rd birthday of ReBuild Music. It will be another double CD in the style of DAD; a disc of originals from Fracus & Darwin, DJ Shimamura, Pinnacle & Prospect and possibly Gammer and then a disc of remixes from Technikore, Slipmatt, Modulate, Gammer, A.B, Douglas, Transcend, The Speed Freak (big hero of mine and a fan of ReBuild!), Sam B, Haze, Chris Ross, Ponder and more. Both discs will cover a lot of ground with UK hardcore, breakbeat, D&B, freeform and gabber, Im sure that wont come as a surprise to fans of the label as my label has always been about variety. Die Another Day was a great success; not only did it sell a lot of copies but it also received high praise from Hixxy, Grant at Slammin Vinyl and most importantly, followers of ReBuild. This album will lay the smack down on the last album though, I will make sure of that. Keep checking http://www.soundcloud.com/rebuild_music for clips folks!
GP: You have a booking next year, in Finland, at the 10 Years of FINRG event in March. If you could travel with just three items, headphones and tunes not included, what would they be?
T: My first and most important item would be an alarm clock. I had a gig in Germany in October and got all the way to the gate and fell asleep and missed my flight. I had to spend 300 on another flight home and spent 10 depressing hours in Hamburg airport, so an alarm clock is essential! 2nd item is my toothbrush, I dont know if Im just a clean freak but I cannot go anywhere without my toothbrush, its the key to feeling healthy after a night out! 3rd item would be a steel chair, I just really get the urge to hit people with a steel chair sometimes and lets be honest, if a kid is kicking the back of your seat on the plane then a steel chair is going to bring an abrupt end to it, this may or may not be a result of me watching too much wrestling though.
Im looking forward to Finland by the way; it will be so amazing to go out there and experience the country and meet the amazing people at FINRG that Ive been working with over the last 2 years. I have loved the FINRG sound for 10 years (thanks to Oli G for introducing me to it!) and its an honour to play over there.
GP: Funnily enough you aren't the first person I've met who has fallen asleep in a terminal that is German... If I ever go out there I will also remember to bring an alarm clock! Now, we all know it's bad practice to plan a set but are there any tunes in particular that we can expect to hear from you during your set with Little Fella in February?
T: Weve briefly discussed it and the general consensus is, play hard as f*ck! Both myself and Dale love the harder edged sound and grew up on bouncy techno so we are well up for hammering out some big kickdrums and party riffs in February. I have been toying with the idea of going to his house and making something too, so well see if we can come up with something good! Ive had my eye on Little Fella for a few years now and his harder tracks really tick all the boxes for me; his EP on ReBuild was perfect rave music and his brand new stuff is also very exciting so I think well work well together on the night. As for what tracks well play, some new stuff mixed in with some classic gabber and bouncy techno maybe, plus a few nods to the UK hardcore people that nailed the big kick sound for me, Devastate, AMS and Andy Freestyle! It also depends on how much I have to drink, so if you want it proper bangin then buy me a drink at the bar!
GP: Sounds big! Right, before we wrap this thing up, I have been getting an array of colourful messages from Morris Piper himself, he is desperate to ask you a question...
Morris Piper: This photo was taken after one of My Citrus parties held at Incestazoid HQ. This guest obviously consumed to many lemons... but how did he end up in this situation?
T: The acid levels of the lemons combined with the frenzied state of the guest resulted in his clothes eroding instantly. The guest flung himself into the river to become a mermaid but forgot he couldnt swim.
Morris Piper: Thanks for clearing that up, I couldn't tell if it was you or not.
GP: The man in that photo looks more like a frog than a potential mermaid... Are there any last words before we end this interview?
T: Big shout to all the people at HBC, my girlfriend Tansy, my friends for putting up with my obsession with music, my Dad for introducing me to music in the first place and everyone who contributes to this great music! By the way, like me on facebook (http://www.facebook/ollythumpa ), follow me on twitter (@Olly_Thumpa), buy the album (http://www.rebuildmusic.info) and take care, spike your hair. WOO WOO WOO, YOU KNOW IT!
GP: Thanks for your time! It has been a pleasure and we are all looking forward to hearing you spin it large at 'I Love Hard Beats'. Before we leave you, I would like to know, if you could ask the next interviewee one question, what would it be?
T: If you could put anyone from history through a table, who would it be and why?
Well there it is, Rebuild Music's DJ Thumpa has spoken. Be sure to keep your eyes open for next weeks interviews and features in the run up to February, as well as the next artist's answer to Thumpa's question!
See you next time. Remember to keep jammin' and spreadin' your hard beats!
Interviewed by Greg Peaks, and Morris Piper!
To download a free mix by Thumpa follow this link: http://www.mediafire.com/?lg6a3ze4ue72ume
Tracklist:
01. A.B - Relax - Stamina
02. Rhythmics - Release Me (Andy Freestyle remix) - ReBuild Music
03. Devastate, Reese & Cloudskipper - Crying B*stard - Bedlam
04. Little Fella - Start The Party (A.B's ElectroBoom remix) - ReBuild Music
05. Andy Freestyle - Immortal - ReBuild Music
06. Lee UHF - High Contrast - Bedlam
07. DJ Demand - Stay With Me (Darwin remix) - Hardcore Underground
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