Thank nufunk it's Friday: Mooqee gets a grilling (free mix and Bombstrikes competition inside!)
Country Cockney returns with his latest delivery of news and views from the fast-growing mid-tempo funky breaks scene
Back once again with the ill behaviour, and this week we've managed to catch up with one of the scene's biggest players for yet another TNIF special edition.
If you've not heard of Mooqee then where the hell have you been hiding? The original Leeds-based funk machine man has been trailblazing his way to dance music superstardom with a solid flow of massively produced nufunk bangers and using them to destroy dancefloors all over the land. Incorporating all different styles of broken beat music, the Mooqee sound is primarily based around huge phat beats, loads of party samples and a shameless in your face vibe which has worked so well that he's already got a tour of north America and a second tour of Australia lined up for this year already.
He's also been involved with running the ever popular Sugarbeat nights alongside the Utah Saints, which have been going strong in six different UK towns, have pulled in the likes of Krafty, Soulwax & Scratch Perverts and even had Annie Mac host an Essential Mix there for BBC Radio 1. You may remember we did a feature on this night previously on the blog?
He's also been involved with running the ever popular Sugarbeat nights alongside the Utah Saints, which have been going strong in six different UK towns, have pulled in the likes of Krafty, Soulwax & Scratch Perverts and even had Annie Mac host an Essential Mix there for BBC Radio 1. You may remember we did a feature on this night previously on the blog?
His tracks all drop on his own Bombstrikes imprint, which is unarguably one of the biggest labels in nufunk. Mooqee material, as well as his collaborations with the Beatvandals and original tracks from the likes of Pimpsoul, J-Roc, Nick Thayer, Featurecast & A Skillz have made Bombstrikes one of the top selling vinyl labels across all genres, with earlier releases selling for up to $100 these days.
I was lucky enough to nail down Mooqee, aka Glenn Naylor for an exclusive interview.
Where did the name Mooqee come from?
To be honest I've invented and heard so many stories about this now that the truth is much duller than the myth. I've heard rumours (although where they got started I do not know) that it as an Acronym - Music Out Of Quirky Electronic Edits, or that it relates to some native indian tribe from which I have ancestors. I love the different way people say it though, I've heard so many variations. Steve Lamacq used to call me 'moo k aiii' when he starting playing my tracks on Radio 1. The spelling variations are great too. So many people can't ignore their English teacher's advice and just have to put a U after the Q....
How did you get onto the nufunk path? Were your roots always in funk?
My background was originally in the early house music scene, although I've always been a fan of many other types of music. But I wouldn't describe myself as having roots in funk - I just love it. My style came about from developing a sound that fused together the different types of music I loved and would play out. It was originally about fusing the different types of music by stealing something from different tracks and putting it back together to make something new, and then it became a sound in its own right I guess. That's why the hip hop as well as the breaks and funk influences are all in there.
What has been your biggest gig/best experience to date?
I have had some amazing shows and to be honest some of the ones that stick out in my mind have not always been the bigger crowds. Sometimes the energy from a few hundred people who are all into what you are doing is so much more memorable. The biggest would have to be the Fusion festival in Germany last year. I have no idea how many people there were but it was a lot. I somehow ended up on this huge outdoor stage at the peak of the night, so much fun. I must have done something right as my German followers on MySpace went through the roof after that.
What are your five big tunes currently, and who is your 'one to watch'?
I really do think there is a lot of great music about at the moment. There's a whole new raft of producers who are bursting onto the scene right now that it's hard to say who is the 'one to watch' as the standard is very high from a lot of them. I also think it's great that they are getting the music out there on their own new labels too. In terms of what they are doing being slightly different and pushing things forward I think J-Roc and Pimpsoul are red hot at the moment. BadboE is tremendously talented also, as are Basement Freaks. Some of my biggest tracks at the moment are a track I did with Pimpsoul called Do It, J-Roc's Rock the Funk from the new Into Battle EP, tracks Badboe and Parker have done for Bombstrikes that are amazing and also A Skillz has some big stuff around at the moment (as always!)
What was it that made you decide to start Bombstrikes and what's your personal favourite track on the label?
Bombstrikes came about through Tim (Beatvandals) and I recognising that no-one was really making the music we wanted to play - and we inevitably ended up making it ourselves - so when that started happening the next step was obvious. We started putting the music out. It was essentially about putting out EPs that would be loved by DJs. Then along the way we have tried to evolve the label to develop our own sound but always maintain the appeal to DJs and crowds. We have a really high quality control and have turned down some fantastic tracks because they weren't quite right for us. So it's hard to choose just one as by the time they end up on Bombstrikes I'm already hooked on them. For me personally Funk Machine Man was a breakthrough moment and showed me that there was a audience for the label and my music. Seeing people I admired such as DJ Yoda, Ca$h Money and the Plump DJs all drop it out was a big confidence boost too. Mixmaster Mike was opening Beastie Boys shows with it! So that one will always be special to me.
What is your view on the amount of free music being given away on sites such as Soundcloud etc?
I think Soundcloud has its place just like MySpace did when it first came around. As a label and artist the whole MySpace phenomenon was great for me. It allowed me to get the music out there and get feedback/awareness from all over the globe so that a scene could develop much quicker. Soundcloud obviously takes that a step further, although I do think it has its drawbacks for a new producer. Making the switch from getting good feedback from online friends to your music being bought and paid for by someone you have never met or spoken to online is a huge step. There is a tricky balance to be struck between getting your name and tracks out there to build your profile and ensuring that the tracks are actually of a good enough standard to put out there for people to judge. Free music is great and getting feedback is much needed along the way. You just have to make sure there is some quality control I guess, and that Soundcloud doesn't become a place for half finished ideas and tracks. Also from a label perspective it is much harder to promote a track that has been sat on Soundcloud as several different versions already.
And finally, what can we expect in the near future for Mooqee and Bombstrikes?
I have been a lot busier in the studio so far this year, so you can expect some Mooqee releases and remixes to be coming out real soon. I'm also looking at another Australian and north American tour before the year is out. From a Bombstrikes perspective we have some big releases planned, starting with the Into Battle EP Vol 2 which is out on Monday 10th May. We also have releases from BadboE, Parker, Pimpsoul, Beatvandals and myself plus many others in the pipeline. I am so excited by the releases we have coming up and I think people will be into them. We are also looking at doing some more Bombstrikes Presents nights to showcase what we do and invite DJs we like along to do their thing. Watch out for those.
And for all you nufunk fans out there we have a special competition this week to win a copy of the new Bombstrikes Into Battle EP Vol 2 on beautiful shiny black vinyl. There are three copies to give away and one could be yours by simply emailing me at countrycockney@gmail.com with your name and the answer to the question below.
Where does Mooqee live?
You better be quick for this one, because there is a sure fire buzz about this release, and people are gonna be all over it when it's out on Monday. It's a four-track EP, and tracks come from Pimpsoul, J-Roc, Busta and George Lenton. Trust me when I tell you they are all killer, no filler. There'll be a full review in next week's Singles File segment on thisisbreaks.com.
And finally, the finale of the Glenn Naylor show. Here's a little mix for you to download which is a Bombstrikes showcase mixed by the head honcho himself. Containing most of the tracks that have been released on the label up until a few months ago, this will give you a perfect idea of what you can expect when you go to a Mooqee show or spend your hard earned cash money on a Bombstrikes release...
So another week bites the dust. Huge thanks to Mooqee for helping me out with this week's blog. I hope you all enjoyed it and good luck to everyone who enters the competition.
Have yourselves a fun and funky weekend, and if you're not out and about tonight then be sure to tune in to Point Breaks FM. I'll be spinning some nufunk on the radio with host Gowan, alongside special guest Rennie Pilgrem. He'll be playing live in the studio and answering a few questions for the listeners too. The show starts at 8pm, runs until 12am and will be live on the FM dial as well as being streamed across the world by going to http://www.pointblank.fm. Hope you can listen in.
Until next Friday...
Gerry
Views: 66
Tags: anniemac, askillz, bbcradio1, bombstrikes, busta, countrycockney, essentialmix, featurecast, funk, georgelenton, More…
Add a Comment
© 2012 Created by Ben Child.
Powered by
You need to be a member of thisisbreaks.com to add comments!
Join thisisbreaks.com