Slam lecture aspiring producers and DJs

Slam lecture aspiring producers and DJs

9 April, 2009 | 2.05AM

• Written by: Gorana Romcevic
• Filed under: Music News: slam, soma recordings

Scottish techno duo Slam, aka Stuart McMillan and Orde Meikle, have for 20 years been recognized as leading contributors to the world of techno so it makes sense that they have gained valuable knowledge from their experiences.

Not content with running their three labels Soma, Paragraph and Somabeta, the duo have now set up an annual school where they lecture aspiring DJs and label owners about music business.

In this exclusive conversation with Beatportal, Stuart from Slam revealed more about their school.

You are an electronic music pioneer. How do you perceive the scene nowadays, regarding trends like minimal and electro-house and new technologies like Tractor Scratch?

Electronic music is in a healthy state right now, there are lots of fantastic producers and the music is constantly changing, which is the way techno should be. We’re not really ones to follow trends and we don’t care if something is minimal or this or that.

We like evolving house music and funky, groovy techno. Traktor Scratch is a great step forwards and for us it rewrites the rule book about what you can and can not do in a set. We don’t like vinyl moaners!

What can students learn from your Soma Skool lectures? When is the next seminar?

If your talent is writing or numbers or marketing, you can be a journalist or an accountant or lawyer. In the music industry managers and label bosses need to have all of these skills as well as an ear for music.

It’s important that we cover all aspects and encourage people to learn about releasing, promoting, making music and publishing it. The complete package is demonstrated and discussed. We hope to make another event later this year, check somaskool.com.

Is there a chance for collaboration with festivals with a similar concept like WMC, Sonar and ADE and maybe present your Soma Skool there?

It’s a local thing for us – giving back something to the place we come from and bringing artists and music business people together in Glasgow.

What do your students get from you, beside education? Maybe a chance to release a track on one of your labels, or a chance to perform with you?

It only happens once a year and we are always receiving music to check out. It’s definitely a chance to meet us face to face and to learn from a lot of other people with experience too.

What do you teach your students?

Love of music and high quality control. Don’t put everything out! Take your time and make it better than good.

It seems like you are giving opportunities to fresh talents. What advice can you give to the people who are just starting out?

Do your own thing, tread your own path. Don’t try to be the next Richie or Laurent – be yourself!

Why are your monthly Pressure parties, after 10 years, still popular, among the artists and audience, as well? Can you name some special moments?

At the start, Pressure was a test to see if such a party could be done in Glasgow. And yeah, we are a little bit surprised that it is still going strong 10 years on.

We program the night with a mixture of new underground acts and established artists. One of the highlights was Richie Hawtin and Ricardo Villalobos playing together on four decks in 2003. Also the first time Underground Resistance from Detroit played live with a full band was incredible!

Has your approach to Soma Recordings changed in some way during the past 18 years?

It is hard for labels to exist in the current climate of illegal downloads. For us, Soma has never been a money making concern, we have earned our living by organizing parties and touring, so our ethos is still the same as it was at the beggining - to release the best quality underground electronic music. Simply, if we love the music, we try to release it.

What is the difference between the Paragraph and Soma releases? What kind of sound do you release at Paragraph?

At Paragraph we release our own material, and the darker sounds we do for Soma. The cool thing is if we decide to do a tune on Friday, we could probably have it on sale the following week as there is no press or promotion to worry about, and no other artist schedules to care about.

You launched Somabeta, the imprint’s offshoot tailored for new emerging talent. Can you name the most exciting newcomer?

Glasgow has spawned quite a few new hot producers, which we would like to represent. We have been running the Soma Skool in Glasgow for the last few years, with the aim of music business education. The idea of the label sort of grew out of that kind of thinking.

Watch out for Mr. Copy and Gary Beck who have already recorded for Minus!

Are you in contact with Daft Punk? Do you feel responsible in some way for their success? 

Dave our manager keeps in touch with Thomas and Guy-Manuel. Soma’s story and their story are closely connected. They never let us forget that we helped to start their career and success.

When will you release a new album? What direction is your sound is streaming now?

We have no plan for a new album this year, just some strong singles, live shows and DJ gigs. There will be a new Slam single later in the year on Soma, which will be much more musical and emotional than the clubby and tracky Paragraph sound.

And finally, whose vocal did you use on the legendary track ‘Lifetimes’?

Tyrone Palmer from Chicago, he is a long time collaborator with Felix Da Housecat, too.

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