They say art is pain. When it comes to drum & bass ALL artists will tell you the pain comes in the form of the essential meticulous mixdown process.
But it can also come in the more unlikely form of making the video. Just ask Jakes…
“It was such a wicked video to make… But people got injured and blood got spilt!” says Jakes of the making of his and N3GUS’s latest Power Of 3 burner One Man Army. “When I throw the zombie to the floor and start punching him I was actually punching the camera and I took a fair bit off my knuckles! Listen; when I go in, I go in with my all. There’s no point going in with half measures.”
Deadbeat Films, the makers of this epic zombie-fest, didn’t go in half measures either. The shoot comprised a crew of 34 people, four VFX and prosthetic artists and over 5 litres of fake blood. More IRL blood was almost spilt as the getaway car N3GUS and Jakes use drove over one of the zombie’s feet!
Besides grabbing the nearest, foot-flattening Audi and driving as far as the tank will carry you, it seems N3GUS and Jakes have spent some time thinking about how they’d survive any zombie apocalypse. They’ve provided some handy tips below. But first, a little behind the scenes knowhow on this solid Bristol-based bass partnership… They actually attempted their first co-lab almost 15 years ago.
“It was awful!” laughs N3GUS. “I’ll take full responsibility… I’d been producing for three days. It was ambitious to say the least! Luckily it died on the computer. It was for the best.”
Mercifully they persisted and, among many other solo projects and commitments, are set to put down three tracks. The first was the triplet-sprung Walk The Walk. One Man Army is the second, and its title comes about through the way N3GUS produced Hench-man Jakes distinctive smoky tones.
“The title has nothing to do with the lyrics!” he admits. “That was the work-in-progress name I gave it. I layered up Jakes’ voice so much there are seven layers of his voice at one point so it sounded like a one man army.”
We’re unsure what the third tune’s work-in-progress title is. But we know one thing… It’s got a heavy 1930s influence!
“I don’t take inspiration from other drum & bass as I think that’s when the scene becomes incestuous,” explains N3GUS. “For me the genre has always been about taking influence from outside the genre; jazz, soul, reggae, ragga… It’s really important to keep that alive. So with One Man Army there are trap influences, there are rap production influences, it’s all in the melting pot. The next release couldn’t be any more different! It’s based really strongly on an old Cab Calloway record and I’m actually recording a live double bass for it!”
We can’t wait to hear it. Let’s hope zombies don’t take over before it’s finished. But if they do this is how N3GUS and Jakes suggest we take refuge…
N3GUS & Jakes: The Ultimate Zombie Survival Guide!
“The thing is, we don’t know how real zombies will behave,” warns Jakes. “We – the non-zombies – have written all the books and films. We don’t know if they can drive or not! All zombie stories are written when the humans can escape. What happens if they’re really fast? Or have more of their intelligence intact? You’re fucked! If they could drive, that’s it.”
Jakes is far from defeatist though. This is how and he N3GUS would react if zombies did rear their undead faces…
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Loot the nearest rifle store.
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Loot to nearest camping store.
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Grab a Rangerover (or any good 4×4 sports utility vehicle)
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Head straight out of town to a small town.
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If anyone is alive, hook up with them.
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If everyone is dead, find a secure house and barricade it up.
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Find somewhere with private gardens and high walls. Somewhere to provide security and land to grow your own food.
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If any zombies come, kill them.
Sounds like a foolproof plan to us. Bookmark, save, print and keep in your wallet… When the zombies do take over, N3GUS and Jakes have secured your future.
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