In part of two of D.M.M's three part interview with John 00 Fleming we delve into his J00F Editions tour concept.
In John's own words, J00F Editions, is about "returning the club to the clubbers." Here's what he had to say...
Renowned for his darker edged style J00F’s music has a texture which sets him apart from the cookie cutter mould. It’s this unique mould which has also shaped his J00F Editions tour concept.
J00F Editions, John says, is solely about the music for music lovers. It's not the guest list, not the pyrotechnics, and not the stage dancers. And it is definitely not the DJ’s ego – which he argues has largely overshadowed the scene to wilt clubland and lighten punters wallets.
"The concept was a difficult one for promoters to initially swallow because it’s the opposite of what they’ve been conditioned to over the last ten years, what with the big television screens, fireworks and fluffed up shows. I’ve gone right, get rid of all that and let’s move the DJ booth off the stage. Let’s keep it dark, with really long sets and minimal distraction, let’s play it on a rocking sound system which recaptures dance’s essence back onto the music,” he implores passionately.
"It was really challenging at the start, slightly less so now, and so far the feedback has been tremendous. The best reaction has naturally been from the clubbers, they’re hanging around the entire night, enjoying the musical ride benefited by the long sets. And the crowd isn’t glued to the booth; they’re facing each other, heads down dancing, ripping it up. Essentially, I’ve tried to recreate what it once used to be.”
No one says it as plainly as John.
And nothing says John more than than this Nine Lives floor pumper: Baphomets Horn...
Keep groovin'
DC
Showing posts with label John 00 Fleming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John 00 Fleming. Show all posts
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
John 00 Fleming: Nine Lives - the album
John 00 Fleming, a DJ with a truckload of albums already to his name, has just released his debut artist album.
Yes, you read right, his first ever, from go to whoah solo creation.
D.M.M recently caught up with John and here's what he had to say:
"My goal is to share my artistic creations with everyone. That's simply what I’m about.”
It’s with this opening pearler that trance doyen John 00 Fleming begins to explain his inaugural solo artist album, Nine Lives.
To the album: it’s something almost 20 years in the making. This in itself is perplexing as this is a DJ who has over 10 million album sales to-date. So then, as anomalous as it is how can this be? It can be because Nine Lives is, for the first time ever, pure unadulterated J00F from go to whoa.
Zero collaboration. Zero outside input.
Pure unadulterated J00F – now that’s worth a wait, but why such a long wait?
"I don’t like to work as many other DJs do with teams of writers and engineers. To me, it’s not a factory and I refuse to do that,” he says steadfastly. “When I write a track in my head I’m the only one who can truly see it, and when I create I’m often going to dark, weird places. No one can know these places and ideas apart from me. Digging those ideas out when I’m alone in the studio is what gives me the real buzz; it’s just me with my sleeves rolled up,” he muses.
"To me, that is what being an artist is and they are the ones who last the longest. Yes, I could go and employ someone to write tracks but it isn’t me. And that goes for anyone, not only those in electronic dance music.”
Bluntly honest in his appraisals, that’s the J00F we know. His beautiful truths underscored by his longevity in the scene and straight talk.
"
Nine Lives was released on 16 August.
Get it from Beatport, iTunes, or Amazon.
Meanwhile, here's track seven - Finding Ganesha:
Check back real soon, or simply subscribe to the RSS feed, to catch part two of D.M.M.'s interview with John. Keep groovin'
DC
Yes, you read right, his first ever, from go to whoah solo creation.
D.M.M recently caught up with John and here's what he had to say:
"My goal is to share my artistic creations with everyone. That's simply what I’m about.”
It’s with this opening pearler that trance doyen John 00 Fleming begins to explain his inaugural solo artist album, Nine Lives.
To the album: it’s something almost 20 years in the making. This in itself is perplexing as this is a DJ who has over 10 million album sales to-date. So then, as anomalous as it is how can this be? It can be because Nine Lives is, for the first time ever, pure unadulterated J00F from go to whoa.
Zero collaboration. Zero outside input.
Pure unadulterated J00F – now that’s worth a wait, but why such a long wait?
"I don’t like to work as many other DJs do with teams of writers and engineers. To me, it’s not a factory and I refuse to do that,” he says steadfastly. “When I write a track in my head I’m the only one who can truly see it, and when I create I’m often going to dark, weird places. No one can know these places and ideas apart from me. Digging those ideas out when I’m alone in the studio is what gives me the real buzz; it’s just me with my sleeves rolled up,” he muses.
"To me, that is what being an artist is and they are the ones who last the longest. Yes, I could go and employ someone to write tracks but it isn’t me. And that goes for anyone, not only those in electronic dance music.”
Bluntly honest in his appraisals, that’s the J00F we know. His beautiful truths underscored by his longevity in the scene and straight talk.
"
Nine Lives was released on 16 August.
Get it from Beatport, iTunes, or Amazon.
Meanwhile, here's track seven - Finding Ganesha:
Saturday, May 22, 2010
J00F Editions World Tour: Returning the club to the clubbers
John 00 Fleming is soon to kick off a world tour which he says will be totally focussed on "returning the club to the clubbers."
The J00F Editions tour, starting in John's hometown of Brighton UK mid July, begins an event series aimed at refocussing on the music and sound rather than props, pyrotechnics and stage dancers.
J00F Editions will feature extended sets, pumped up sounds systems and new talent, all themed to a musical style similar to John's much lauded Februaury BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix.
This perfectly sums it:
Keep groovin',
DC
The J00F Editions tour, starting in John's hometown of Brighton UK mid July, begins an event series aimed at refocussing on the music and sound rather than props, pyrotechnics and stage dancers.
J00F Editions will feature extended sets, pumped up sounds systems and new talent, all themed to a musical style similar to John's much lauded Februaury BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix.
This perfectly sums it:
Keep groovin',
DC
Thursday, August 13, 2009
John '00' Fleming: dropping some thunderballs
In the final part to D.M.M's interview series John hits us with some brutal honesty on the festival scene and on why he's no fan of the laptop:
On the current festival scene John has no trouble speaking his mind.
“It’s gotta be about no rules, no genres, and all in one big room. That’s where I express myself musically, and in not having to reach for the emergency section of the CD wallet for anthem after anthem after anthem,” he said.
It what are strong words from a strong DJ it is this progressiveness and honesty which makes John ‘00’ Fleming a true artist.
Such bluntness is typically what’s needed to not only perk punters ears up to new sounds but to also unlock their starry gazes from the dazzling lights at the top.
I laughed at hearing the mention of CD wallets and it prompted me to ask if he’d fully embraced the digital world like many of his peers.
"I’m still on CD’s after giving laptops a go. I desperately wanted it to work for me, and theoretically it does work, in making it easy to drag and drop files as opposed to burning discs, but my record bag was so heavy it became a logistical nightmare," he said.
"Paul Van Dyk carries three laptops with him simply for the technical issues," he added.
“There can also be so many compatibility problems. When you get to a gig with only 30 minutes to set up, rather than drinking the crowd and the vibe in your frantically setting up and hoping everything is going to work. I’m a people person and I’d rather feel the crowd,” he said.
John ‘00’ Fleming is a no holds-barred kind of guy.
However, in all of this there’s no arrogance or abrasiveness; just insightful and sincere passion, underpinned by a candour only found in someone so long in the dance game.
Musically, expect the unexpected. But one thing is for sure, when he whips that wallet out you’ll be in for an experience that’ll splash you harder than a face full of martini's.
That brings us to the end of a great interview series and there could be no finer closing than listening to John's remix of the Cafe Del Mar classic - Energy 52.
Keep groovin',
DC
On the current festival scene John has no trouble speaking his mind.
“It’s gotta be about no rules, no genres, and all in one big room. That’s where I express myself musically, and in not having to reach for the emergency section of the CD wallet for anthem after anthem after anthem,” he said.
It what are strong words from a strong DJ it is this progressiveness and honesty which makes John ‘00’ Fleming a true artist.
Such bluntness is typically what’s needed to not only perk punters ears up to new sounds but to also unlock their starry gazes from the dazzling lights at the top.
I laughed at hearing the mention of CD wallets and it prompted me to ask if he’d fully embraced the digital world like many of his peers.
"I’m still on CD’s after giving laptops a go. I desperately wanted it to work for me, and theoretically it does work, in making it easy to drag and drop files as opposed to burning discs, but my record bag was so heavy it became a logistical nightmare," he said.
"Paul Van Dyk carries three laptops with him simply for the technical issues," he added.
“There can also be so many compatibility problems. When you get to a gig with only 30 minutes to set up, rather than drinking the crowd and the vibe in your frantically setting up and hoping everything is going to work. I’m a people person and I’d rather feel the crowd,” he said.
John ‘00’ Fleming is a no holds-barred kind of guy.
However, in all of this there’s no arrogance or abrasiveness; just insightful and sincere passion, underpinned by a candour only found in someone so long in the dance game.
Musically, expect the unexpected. But one thing is for sure, when he whips that wallet out you’ll be in for an experience that’ll splash you harder than a face full of martini's.
That brings us to the end of a great interview series and there could be no finer closing than listening to John's remix of the Cafe Del Mar classic - Energy 52.
Keep groovin',
DC
Sunday, August 9, 2009
John '00' Fleming: music festivals and where it's at
In part two of our three part interview series with John we delve into festivals and musical open mindedness:
It’s not only in the studio where John gets his musical way and he says it’s for the same reasons he gets invited to headline stellar events like Godskitchen.
“They invite me because I bring this different musical flavour to the line-up. On paper we may not all fit together, but the aim is not to have boundaries but to put people in the mindset that this is how it used to be like, and to experience different types of electronica.”
How it used be like?
Many people reminisce on the ‘good old days’ of dance but I normally dismissed them as ‘old farts’ belonging to an era of Atari’s and Intellivision’.
But Fleming is resolute, blaming it squarely on commercialisation and unoriginality – an issue he says is often only privately spoken about in DJ circles as labels and promoters chase the dollar.
“It seems everyone’s forgotten about electronic music’s history. I want to emphasise, I’m not against the mainstream but there’s no new talent being born, no new styles of music coming through and for anyone trying to break through, and there are a heap of talented artists out there, they’ve got a huge challenge and it’s a real shame,” he bemoans.
I ask John to elaborate on this touchy taboo of dance, and on what he’s doing about it.
“Many of today’s clubbers only know what the scene is about today and nothing about its origins. People seem to have blinkers on, only wanting the candy stuff. I’m saying be more open minded, don’t leave the dance floor when the big hits stop spinning and appreciate the styles bordering the stereotypical genres.”
The final part to John's interview is just around the corner. Until then open your mind with a little known Flash Brothers feat Tiff Lacey number - Faith in Love, fully reworked by Mr '00' himself.
Keep groovin',
DC
It’s not only in the studio where John gets his musical way and he says it’s for the same reasons he gets invited to headline stellar events like Godskitchen.
“They invite me because I bring this different musical flavour to the line-up. On paper we may not all fit together, but the aim is not to have boundaries but to put people in the mindset that this is how it used to be like, and to experience different types of electronica.”
How it used be like?
Many people reminisce on the ‘good old days’ of dance but I normally dismissed them as ‘old farts’ belonging to an era of Atari’s and Intellivision’.
But Fleming is resolute, blaming it squarely on commercialisation and unoriginality – an issue he says is often only privately spoken about in DJ circles as labels and promoters chase the dollar.
“It seems everyone’s forgotten about electronic music’s history. I want to emphasise, I’m not against the mainstream but there’s no new talent being born, no new styles of music coming through and for anyone trying to break through, and there are a heap of talented artists out there, they’ve got a huge challenge and it’s a real shame,” he bemoans.
I ask John to elaborate on this touchy taboo of dance, and on what he’s doing about it.
“Many of today’s clubbers only know what the scene is about today and nothing about its origins. People seem to have blinkers on, only wanting the candy stuff. I’m saying be more open minded, don’t leave the dance floor when the big hits stop spinning and appreciate the styles bordering the stereotypical genres.”
The final part to John's interview is just around the corner. Until then open your mind with a little known Flash Brothers feat Tiff Lacey number - Faith in Love, fully reworked by Mr '00' himself.
Keep groovin',
DC
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
John '00' Fleming: here to shake and stir you in October
The Godskitchen 'Boombox' tour is heading our way this spring and with John as one of headliners it's an event not be missed.
Almost two years since his last visit, and in the first of a three part series, we get straight into what we won't be hearing and on his relationship with the big labels:
Vanilla flavoured trance isn’t on the menu with John ‘00’ Fleming for his style has a flavour that will leave you both positively shaken and stirred.
A pioneer of the electronic music scene since the early 90s, when you hear his sets you’ll hear the sounds of originality and pumping dark delight, instead of the predictability and vocal cheesiness that gets the eyes rolling in the back of your head.
“It’ll be the sounds of new music and a mix that won’t be a typical ‘hit after hit after hit’ which seems to have become the norm at so many of these festivals,” he said.
Touching on an interesting point, I asked the outspoken Fleming to elaborate.
“As a clubber when I went out it was to be blown away by hearing new music, where you would walk away and go, where the hell did that guy or girl that music from, rather than leaving and saying that they had just heard all of the hits in a formula that many big name DJ’s are repeatedly copying.”
So, Fleming’s a maverick. An individualist who leads in musical style and who is never shy to speak his mind.
Nevertheless, self cast in this unique mould he is one who is still popular with the name brands and I asked him on this marriage of peculiarity.
“With Ministry of Sound for example, they turn to me when they want a specialist sound. The trust is there and they allow me to express myself musically without messing around with the track listing."
“I’m putting another album together for them at the moment and they’ll say to me, ‘Right John, just do your thing, the results are there and you’ve got a strong following,’ that’s what I love about them.”
Check back real soon, or simply subscribe to the RSS feed, for part two of D.M.M.'s interview with John '00' Fleming, where we discuss big festivals and his take on the scene right now.
Until then enjoy some hands in the air moments as John smashes it at Gatecrasher:
Keep groovin',
DC
Almost two years since his last visit, and in the first of a three part series, we get straight into what we won't be hearing and on his relationship with the big labels:
Vanilla flavoured trance isn’t on the menu with John ‘00’ Fleming for his style has a flavour that will leave you both positively shaken and stirred.
A pioneer of the electronic music scene since the early 90s, when you hear his sets you’ll hear the sounds of originality and pumping dark delight, instead of the predictability and vocal cheesiness that gets the eyes rolling in the back of your head.
“It’ll be the sounds of new music and a mix that won’t be a typical ‘hit after hit after hit’ which seems to have become the norm at so many of these festivals,” he said.
Touching on an interesting point, I asked the outspoken Fleming to elaborate.
“As a clubber when I went out it was to be blown away by hearing new music, where you would walk away and go, where the hell did that guy or girl that music from, rather than leaving and saying that they had just heard all of the hits in a formula that many big name DJ’s are repeatedly copying.”
So, Fleming’s a maverick. An individualist who leads in musical style and who is never shy to speak his mind.
Nevertheless, self cast in this unique mould he is one who is still popular with the name brands and I asked him on this marriage of peculiarity.
“With Ministry of Sound for example, they turn to me when they want a specialist sound. The trust is there and they allow me to express myself musically without messing around with the track listing."
“I’m putting another album together for them at the moment and they’ll say to me, ‘Right John, just do your thing, the results are there and you’ve got a strong following,’ that’s what I love about them.”
Check back real soon, or simply subscribe to the RSS feed, for part two of D.M.M.'s interview with John '00' Fleming, where we discuss big festivals and his take on the scene right now.
Until then enjoy some hands in the air moments as John smashes it at Gatecrasher:
Keep groovin',
DC
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