Months and months ago we spoke to Caspa and enjoyed some mighty strong words about the state of dubstep and its not-dead state of health.
Speak to Hatcha – the man who’s credited for coining the term dubstep in the first place – and he shares the same spirit. In fact he goes one step further to say the fresh talent out there is as exciting as it was when he was first bombarded by young talent at Apple Records 15 years ago…
Carry on chatting to him and you’ll enjoy well considered thoughts and reflections on all sorts of aspects of the scene… Why some people perceive the scene to be dead, why the bro-downs have their place in dubstep history, why Skrillex and the big guys can’t be knocked and LOADS of great stuff he’s got coming out on Hatched and Sin City.
We spoke to him as he prepared to unleash four tracks of straight up dubstep naughty with Pixel Fist in the shape of Hatcha & Friends Volume 2. This is what he had to say…
Like Skrillex, for example. I’ve known Sonny for years, long before he blew up. Personally I think people who knock him just don’t understand him.
Dubstep is definitely not dead…
“Dubstep dead? Haha, no chance! Here’s an example… Last weekend me, Von D and Bukez Finezt played in Paris to a club that was totally rammo. I’ve just come back from a three week tour of the states. A different show in a different state every night – each party a blinder. Bloody ridiculous. And it’s the same over here.
Here’s what I think has happened: a lot of artists have justified moving away from the genre – because the sales aren’t as good any more or whatever reasons they’ve decided to move on – by slagging off dubstep. ‘Ah I left the scene because of this, because of that, blah blah blah’ THAT is what has caused people to think dubstep is dead.
So yeah. A LOT of people have gone… Jumped ship. Fucked off. Whatever. Good for them. It leaves more space for the new guys coming through!”
But he doesn’t resent the guys who’ve moved on for the right reasons…
“We’re always quick to support the up-and-comers aren’t we? But a few years down the line when the artists have blown up and signed to major labels the fanbase always turns on them. Like Skrillex, for example. I’ve known Sonny for years, long before he blew up. Personally I think people who knock him just don’t understand him. I’ve seen it with so many people… They have had to move on. And all it boils down to this: they are great producers and they’re being given incredible opportunities to work with some amazing names.
People who know the guys who have apparently sold out are either sheep who have just been listening to what their mates are listening to. Or they’re YouTube ravers who search for dubstep, hear a chainsaw sound and think that’s it. They don’t have a clue about Mala or Coki or any of the amazing talent that’s beneath that initial entry point.”
Speaking of tear-out chainsaw business…
“A lot of people knock the chainsaw / tear-out guys. But don’t forget… It was their tunes that broke the scene. It was the big tear-out stuff that opened the doors for the whole scene. People say to me ‘ah I hate that chainsaw shit’ but I’m like ‘don’t tell me that at one point in your life you haven’t played a part in that.’ I’ve played chainsaw tunes as much as the next man. But I’ve also played the tribal stuff, dubby stuff, the 4/4… I try and celebrate and represent all the best styles. If you make good music let’s fucking play it!”
It’s like watching Skream, Benga, Caspa, Mala, Rusko, Distance all them lot 15 years ago.
Yeah, good music…
“I can’t remember a time that I’ve enjoyed so much of the new music I’m expose to… It’s like watching Skream, Benga, Caspa, Mala, Rusko, Distance all them lot 15 years ago. They’d all come into the shop with tunes saying ‘I just done this, I just done this, I just done this’… It’s the same now. I’m getting sent too much amazing music. I wish I could put it all out but I’ve got to pick the best of the very best…
Like Bukez Finezt, who’s an absolute legend. We’ve just signed him for an album deal. His debut album will be released on Sin City. We’ve also signed Kloudmen for a label deal, too. There’s Max Judie, Convex, Catacombs, Toasty, Octored from Detroit and Compa who I’ve signed material for Hatched’s first vinyl release. Trust me, it’s fucking brilliant.
And if you think dubstep is dead after checking all of that lot, I don’t know what else to say… Sure, sales aren’t where they were. Dubstep isn’t in the charts any more. But that was never what it was about anyway. People are still coming to clubs and the music has never been better. That’s really all that matters to me.”
