Three Bar isn’t a gambler. But, as his name suggests, he’s definitely For The Win.
We called him up to conduct a First Time / Last Time feature. We left with an awesome exclusive!
Building on what’s shaping up to be a spotless sideline for contemporizing dancefloor classics, he’s just re-upped the 1990 proto-big room chart smasher The Power by Snap!
And THIS is the first place you’ll hear it:
Sweet, right? You can own this powerful party piece by clicking right here.
Just in case you need any further evidence of Three Bar’s winning calibre, look no further than his breakthrough track, an illicit remix of early 90s new jack swing stars Bell Biv Devoe. Look no further than his debut Saints & Sonnets release last month. Look no further than this killer remix of Maverick Sabre…
“I’ve always liked Maverick’s stuff because he’s got such a unique voice,” says London-based 20-something Three Bar (AKA Jay) “When the request landed I was so buzzing to write it! I knew I had to be really restrained with what I do. I listened to all the parts and almost meditated, considering every possible option of what I wanted to do. I’m really happy with it. So is Maverick… He’s hit me up several times saying his dad loves it. Shout out to Maverick’s dad!”
Shout out to Maverick Sabre’s dad each and every time. We’d like to take this opportunity to offer Three Bar’s folks a shout, too. But he’s not that bothered…
“To be honest I think I’d quit if my mum and dad became my biggest fans,” he jokes. Besides, they’re probably sick of the years of studious sonic practice he’s put in before getting to this exciting stage of his career.
“Like many people my age, it all started with Music 2000 on the Playstation. It clicked with me. Making music and making sound is so satisfying. From there I picked up different programs and made music out of everything I could find. It takes a lot of practice and I’ve practiced a lot! A LOT!”
Practice pays off. We might have left the interview with a piping hot exclusive, but we’re still going to run his First Time / Last Time feature. So read on to hear how free downloads canhelp break your career, how house parties can lay solid foundations for the life of a working DJ and how early 90s house is a bottomless sea of inspiration…
First Performance
It was all about house parties the whole way through university. I bumped into some friends and they told me they had some 1210s so I asked for a go. They were shocked I could hold two tracks together. None of them could really mix but they had all the gear! So I started doing all the house parties throughout university. Even off term time, I’d be invited to play at friends’ house parties all around the UK. I’d get a call about a party and I’d be on the train straight away. It was such a great time and, looking back, it gave me good foundations for my life as a DJ now.
Last Performance
This was a few weeks back in Cardiff. I was playing with some really sick names… Gorgon City, Redlight, Kry Wolf, My Nu Leng, Eliphino. It was amazing. I’ve been really lucky, I’ve never played on a dodgy or poorly chosen line-up… They’ve always been bang on the money! I know I’m lucky on this. A lot of early shows for producers who are just building a profile can be quiet or not quite right, but all of my shows have been really special. This one included.
First Record I bought
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZplqJF5uok
Deskee’s Dance Tracks was one of my earliest investments. They’re so 90s it hurts! We’re talking super early house vibes on some of the tracks, with a minimal beat and just the odd ‘uh-hu’ over them. This is where my love for really early house vibes comes from. Another really early purchase was Force Mass Motion – Into Your Dub which was more on a progressive, technoey type of vibe. Obviously I didn’t buy these at the time but picked up on them during my early investigations and tried to mix them into anything else I bought later on. Away from vinyls, the very first CD I bought was Chemical Brothers third album Surrender which I think has stood the test of time really well.
Last Record I Bought
This one is hard… I buy a lot of music and I get sent a lot of music. I’m just surrounded by copious amounts of amazing music, all the time. I’m always inspired. One of the last purchases I made Move Back by Stylo G, the Grant Nelson remix. It’s not brand new and upfront but I love this track and play it loads.
I also bought some tracks by Tchami recently. He’s a bit harder than I’d usually go for, but his music fits into my sets really nicely. One I’m particularly feeling is his remix of Mercer’s Turn It Up. It’s wicked; it’s like everything I’m feeling and writing but on a different tangent. I’d advise you to check it out.
First Club Experience
I had a few; all different types of music with different groups of friends. But the very very first club experience was a rock night. The music wasn’t my cup of tea at all but I went in full pelt and got totally pissed, totally under-aged.
My first dance music clubbing experience was a big D&B night in Swindon. I was 14 or 15 and all the big guys were playing; Zinc, Hype, Friction. Loads more I can’t quite remember. It was around 2005 and it was amazing. I came out at 6am with my ears ringing and head spinning. It really opened my eyes. I don’t make drum & bass but I take influences and inspirations from everything, D&B included.
Last Club Experience
I go out in London a lot, and actually the last time was a SubSoul party at Lightboxm with Shiba San, GotSome and New York Transit Authority, I wasn’t too sure what to expect but it was wicked. Out to SubSoul!
First Musical WTF!? Moment
Chemical Brothers Hey Boy Hey Girl hit me hard! That really blew my mind – everything about it. The vibe, the video, the fact it didn’t sound like anything else I’d ever heard. But another one, just before that, was Bomfunk MCs – Freestyler. I was on holiday in Greece and this was on rotation on MTV everywhere we went. I really wanted dreads after seeing the kid in this video!
Last Musical WTF!? Moment
Hearing Paul Woolford’s Untitled last year stands out as one of my most recent WTF experiences. It’s been one of the biggest tracks for me in the last two years. It takes a lot for me to go ‘fuck this is massive’ but this did it. Those keys have become iconic for me. It takes the right environment for this to work but the party I was at was perfect. The problem with making music is that you’ll feel you know how something works, then learn something completely new and wish you’d known that technique before. But that’s the beauty of production; if it was easy then I probably wouldn’t do it. There would be no challenge. I know I’ve got so much more to learn… And always will! So in that way, every time I’m in the studio I’m experiencing a WTF!? moment!
First Release
I guess my first releases were the free downloads I gave away. My remix of Bell Biv Devo’s Poison being the main one. I don’t know why I edited this song in particular but I remember the time I made it really clearly. I was in between houses and staying in a little box room in friend’s house. This track fell into my life, I remember it from when I was younger and I’d found a part to it and started playing around with it. I felt I had something cool going on so put it out there. I didn’t know where it was going to go but it ended up getting played at festivals around the world by Huxley from a CD I’d given him, then Skream got in touch and told me he was playing it. I was like ‘fuck!’ I did a quick Google and loads of people were asking who’s behind the remix. It all happened so quickly. I couldn’t have asked for more. I’d say I didn’t do this without haste… I put up the clip and waited for a month before I actually gave it away. I don’t know if I would have given it away unless it had already had such a big response.
Last Release
So my last release is actually my first full release! Groove On is out now and it’s delivered on Huxley’s Saints & Sonnets label. The whole thing came about through my Bell Biv Devoe remix… Huxley and I had a mutual friend. He introduced us and I gave him a CD with my remix and a few other things on it. I hadn’t heard from him for a while but we bumped into each other at a show and I said ‘maybe you’ve got a CD of mine on your desk at home?’ He checked it out, picked up on the Bell Biv Devoe track, started battering it and rest is history. After that he hit me up out of the blue and asked to put out some of my tracks! It took me back a bit. I can’t think of any better place where I’d want my first release to be. I’ve actually bought a copy of it myself! I was on the road and didn’t have the masters with me so I bought it…
As for the future, my next EP is nearly sorted… Stay tuned!
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