The Pondering Blonde

Pulse Radio Interview with Jay Haze aka Fuckpony

Jay Haze. You know; the ‘controversial and outspoken American-in-Berlin dj and producer, most famed for that interview- oh how society loves a pariah! My call to Jay one sunny September afternoon is possibly better timed than the interview he did a mere 36 hours after his entire studio went up in flames; capturing the essence of Jay Haze on a very dark day in 2008.

Sitting on a couch at Handle With Care, his record manufacturer in Berlin- ‘a good, sunny day in the city’, he had me know; Jay was in a good mood and had all the time in the world to repeat the now iconic tale about that weekend. Far from being a ‘retribution’ piece; our conversation just became ‘the one that went deep enough’ and as it turns out, there’s a very light side to being Jay Haze.

We’re only a few minutes into our phone conversation when Jay gives me his now jaded account of the day of the fire. ‘I’m walking up to my apartment and see fire trucks and police all over the place, something’s seriously burning. I’m wondering what’s going on, and as I get closer, I realise it’s my studio. They’re blasting water everywhere and I’m told I won’t be able to go inside it for a couple of days. I’m due to leave for a gig at Fabric in London in a few hours- and everything’s gone.’

‘What am I gona do, sit at home and cry about it? So I get on the plane and flew to London without my records, nothing, to do this gig. I meet up with Ricardo (Villalobos) – we’ve been friends for like 11 years- and he just knew. He was like ‘Come, let’s play.’ After my set we went to room 3 and played together. We played for hours, jamming for just hours…’ It was one of the most amazing nights of my life.’

No doubt, time has made the incident burn a whole lots less, made Jay romanticise it even, but that’s because indeed, if anyone knows, he does; everything happens for a reason. Whatever the purpose of Jay’s ‘Fire Hazardous’ day, he’s figured it out and made peace with it; he’s moved on. On the now infamous interview he did for Resident Advisor where he slagged off M-nus and their ‘boring’ parties and spoke brazenly about an abusive family life, being homeless and selling drugs, he says. ‘They caught me on a bad day, what can I say?’

Jay Haze is a man who thinks deeply and speaks off the cuff. A fire ripping through his studio is only the cherry on top of a story that defines how far he has come. All the way from a coal mining town in Philadelphia, USA, in fact. Dubbed ‘Philly’s Lost Son’ – whether affectionately or not I can’t say- but Jay’s story wins him a mentalist medal of honour,  because he hasn’t let it define him, he’s only told it like it is and persevered in reaction to it.

So, who really is Jay Haze, aka reverent producer, Fuckpony? The man behind the Turningspork and Contexterrior Record Labels- and credited with discovering the fresh talents of Troy Pierce and Samim- contrary to reputation, isn’t fussed about ‘hype’ and being a scene personality. Haze is most notably an artist. When it comes to music, Jay indulges a creative spirit and makes what he feels. ‘Some days I wake up and I want to make Hip Hop, the next day I might think of something and go, yeah, there’s a groove there- and come out with a soulful Chicago house track.’

Haze was influenced by all sorts of music growing up; ‘Prince, Bob Marley, Al Green, The Police and Talking Heads. ‘Oh, and my favourite track of all time is probably Family Affair by Sly and The Family Stone! Philadelphia has a really rich music culture. There was a real ‘live’ element in the 60’s and 70’s lots of soul, reggae- I grew up with that. In the 90’s House parties started, and it was hard for people to get at first, there’s a big black culture in Philly, and at first everyone said House was white, gay people’s music.’

An instrumentalist, Jay plays the Bass Violin and the Piano, and his tracks are renowned for long instrumental breaks and piano riffs. His ethos is ‘functional yet artful dance music’. ‘Music for me is and always has been an expression. I don’t want to be put into a box- oh he makes this or he makes that- I just make it if I feel it.’

His refreshing perspective towards music as an art form saw him release his triple album, Love and Beyond, for free on his website last year. ‘Music is about connecting people, it’s for sharing. It’s not about the money, I made this music and worked so hard on it, I wanted everyone to be able to hear it. I don’t want to worry about sales and credit cards, I don’t care about wealth. That’s something I’ve always stuck by.’

Which brings us to Jay’s humanitarian efforts; the global movement DJ’s for DRC, which rally’s dj’s, performers and even party people around the world to donate money to relief groups in the Democratic of Congo. ‘It’s a small effort really, but I believe if we come together and all offer a little bit we can have a profound impact and make big changes. The plan is to get as many dj’s and performers in the electronic music scene to donate half their fee from one gig, from September to the end of the year.’

Some of the biggest artists like Tiefschwartz, Loco Dice and Luke Solomon have done their part. ‘The situation in the DRC is one to spend a little time and reflect on, that country is affected in every way- child slavery, sexual abuse on women, starvation, water poisoning… it’s so sad!’ Jay plans to travel to DRC himself in 2010 to actively see his efforts are put to good use. ‘I’ve been homeless. A lot of people don’t understand that… But when you get out of a hole like that, and you actually get something, you want nothing more than to help other people.’

Jay’s new Fuckpony album Let the Love Flow; a really sexy melodic love affair, playing homage to his house head, is out in late October. ‘It’s not like anything I’ve done before. I played the piano and programmed the whole album with a great feeling and vibration. It was a naturally flowing album that was pure feeling and emotion.’ You’ve got to give it to the guy for being one of the most genuinely hard working guys in the business. It’s all about the bigger picture; spreading good energy and letting the love flow- nothing dark about that.

The Fabric That Binds Us

There’s only one event on everyone’s lips and hips this weekend in London. Fabric; super club to the world and holy grail to every dj on the planet, is turning 10 years old and celebrating with a massive all weekender bender- but of course! It’s incredible to believe that for a decade Fabric has fed electronic music lovers, who come flocking from around the globe, a subtle but oh so solid barrage of dark and deep dance culture from within its basement walls.

The club has remained true to its cause, keeping it soundscape- and reputation- cultured and underground, not falling prey to the sell out tactics many venue brands succumb to boost side sales for those odd off months or seasons. You can’t buy the hair iron or the clothing range but their Fabric and Fabric LIVE albums have become an iconic contribution to any clubbers music collection and continues, as when it started in 2001, to deliver sets from the best underground electronic artists.

The likes of Craig Richardson, Terry Francis and Andy C, who’ve played an intrinsic part in Fabrics heritage, have all put their name to disc, as have Carl Craig, John Tejada, Audion, Luciano and most recently Magda- her much anticipated 33 track infusion comes out in the form of Fabric 49 in November.

Richardson, Francis, Andy C and an awe inspiring line-up dominates the three night shifts which begin on Thurday 15^th with Drum and Bass from DJ Hype, Skream and Benga. Friday Night gets loud and LIVE with Simian Mobile Disco, Filthy Dukes, Dj Craze and Scratch Perverts. And Saturday rolls around the big shebang with Ricardo Villalobos, Steve Bug, Mathew Jonson, Daniel Bell, Hipp-e and Fred Everything among them. Nothing short of hey she-wow to show everyone indeed- they know how it’s done!

Needless to say, queues will be spiralling the block, so if you plan to shake it in the almost 5000-man strong celebration, best you get down early!

Little Lexi x

The Art of Clubbing

Who knew those randoms that suddenly appear with a 10 inch lens in your face while you’re working up a sexy sweat, could prove to be such a fundamental asset to the art form of clubbing as we know it! It all seems so obvious now- yes, no longer just out to capture you’re unglamorous state in the wee hours of your weekend rampage; one London Nightlife Photographer has pulled together a pretty impressive collection of club shots and thrown them into a nice little exhibition, aptly titled ‘Where We Dance’.

RA Photographer, Nick Ensing, has become a familiar favourite with the Capital’s club scene kids and DJ’s, essentially documenting his own clubbing beat and keeping it distinctly underground and understated cool, shooting at likes of Secretsundaze, Fabric, Plastic People and Sosho among them.
He’s captured the essence of a good night out more than a few dozen times with his own artist flair- and I dare I say, put a few club site photographers to shame- making snapshot memories of people and parties poignant moments in club culture. Exactly how it should be done!

The exhibition launches on 8th October at The Book Club on Shoreditch’s Leonard Street, with dj’s Terry Farley, Kenny Hawkes and Ali Warm on hand to add some appropriate sound effects to the night’s themed affair, and runs until the end of November. If you’re not normally one for glaring at abstract splotches on canvas in cold white rooms, and dark rooms with walls bouncing reverb is more your thing, this should certainly appeal!

It’s not a bad way to spend an afternoon, and will surely inspire your next night out! You can even tell mum about your cultured excursion- I’m sure she’ll be proud!

Little Lexi x

Wolf Whistles for Von Stroke!

I think Claude Von Stroke is following me. He just seems to be everywhere I go these days and it sure as hell ain’t me chasing him! It started several months ago when I first saw him play live at Fabric. I had never even seen what the guy looked like, but had bought ‘The Whistler EP’ on a whim when I saw it on sale at HMV. Something about the track made me feel good inside every time I heard it and so on the strength of this musical bait I was keen to see him spin live.

I arrived in the swamped room that night and elbowed by way to the front to give him a once over – to absorb the real deal as it were – before returning to my mates doing the Villalobo’s in Room 1. He didn’t look at all like I expected, not that I’m entirely sure how that was. His serious-sounding name and his being American might have suggested a skin-headed soldier or a Detroit-style gangster type (or it did to me at least) but Instead he had this fuzzy beard and jolly way about him; this presence that enveloped the audience even though he wasn’t trying. And his live playlist is not a reflection of ‘The Whistler’ at all, which was a relief as I’d unfairly pinned him down as a bit of a sell-out. How wrong one can be!

So, two weekends ago I make a Sunday morning mission to check out an event launching at a new venue. I’m almost there when I get a call telling me to detour to Shoreditch as half our friends couldn’t get into said launch and so we were all relocating. Don’t you just love the dedication of the crew? I arrive at the alternative party place and my eyes are still adjusting to being thrust into pulsating darkness when I hear the news: Claude Von Stroke and Tiefshwartz have rocked up, off the cuff, to play.

Earlier that week, his name had flashed up several times on my PC while floating aimlessly around the dance-loving web. Seems the boy’s got his hand in many bags at the moment. He’s been picking up serious international demand with regular gigs in the UK and Europe, is soon releasing a Fabric mix album, as have so many greats before him, and has several hot new tracks doing the dancefloor rounds with a vengeance. Oh and he seems to have developed a bit of a crush on London. Nothing wrong with that!

So while dancing to his unexpected Tech beats again and having now firmly separated the words ‘Claude’ and ‘sell-out’ from my conscience it occurred to me: ‘What a brilliant dude!’ In the current clubland-climate where DJ’s are pounding for their every promised penny and PR’ing the hell out of themselves in a stagnating storm of over-exposure, these two guys rock up and get 100 pleasantly surprised punters raving their hearts out just for the hell of it. And all without the usual post-hype-self-appreciating kudos from their press people (I checked). Now that’s so in with the spirit of things! It’s good to know there are guys out there still doing it for the love of the party and making our unfaltering dedication worth the while. Reason enough to whistle while you work, if you ask me!

Little Lexi x

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Nu-ravers

BPM Magazine 2009

I like to think I’m not a romantic; that I could give any marketer a run for their moneys-worth and that I would all but revolt before joining the i-pod generation- simply because I enjoy being fickle towards popular culture. However, a series of events; a black cab ride from Heathrow Airport to the most perfectly quaint red-doored house, a perfectly soggy weathered pub lunch and amble down Oxford Street- and a perfectly proper ‘avin it large’ night on the town, and London had me; heart and sold and on the i-train to ‘innut bruv’dom.

It’s possible I’m still just flushed, The Big Smoke and I are more than likely still in the Honeymoon phase of our journey, but this is one sexy little city! Scratch that… Huge-ass mother fucking city! Don’t gasp, the Chavs made me do it!

London really is everything everyone tells you it is; silently miffed Englishmen and women, reading the paper on the tube; excessively graffiti’d walls- well, any flat surface really! Stodgy as hell food- they love their smokey bbq’d bacon, mash and peas- and I hate peas! ‘Heathrow Injection’ is not a myth; it’s a freak of friggen nature I’m evading like the plague! The sky is always a different shade of grey, everyone wears black and bad sneakers to work, the Polish have officially taken over and you really do have to mind the gap between the train and the platform. But it’s art if I ever saw any! This is thee most diverse and cutting edge place in the world… The culture, lifestyle; extravert people and pace of living in a first world city are enough to woo any hardened sunshine lover!

And all this before I’ve even mentioned what we’re all here for: The variety of music to see, hear and shake your ass to is unimaginable! There is so much music in London I have seriously considered pitching for a national sponsorship to fund me to live the EDM lovers dream! Hey, I strongly believe someone should try listen and dance to it all- why can’t it be me? If The Queen reads this; “Lady, I hear you have a very big stone of ours in the royal jewelry box- its time to show some Saffa love!”

Seriously, the Nightlife here is beyond incredible. The chaos-inducing mix of Guy Richie meets Irvine Welsh for an all-weekend boogie binge could be an apt description of the situation. There are enough loyal lovers of every music genre to fill up the Wembly Stadium. From the faux-classy but nasty Chav culture bopping to Speed Garage and Nu Ravers who take Hard Dance to a whole new level in fluffy boots and swatches of Neon lycra- to the Drum and Bass massive, Psy-trancers, Techno-logists and the Punk Rockers of Camden Town- there is a beat to suit your mood every night of the week!

Queues to get into nightclubs snake around the block and some guest lists are 500 names long! Bouncers discreetly- or not so- watch over the proceedings and keep the walkways flowing- you have to take the safety of 5000 people in a big dark room seriously, and so, don’t think twice about riddancing with a vengeance any unsociable beer-breed behavior. And the beer- for you connoisseurs- comes in 65 varieties- and the boys from the Bokyard still drink Amstel!

Fabric, took everything I thought I knew about clubbing, threw it on the dancefloor (which has speakers imbedded underneath), moshed it to the sound of the Scratch Perverts remixing ‘Jump’ and made me enjoy it. This Club Capital of London goes 4 floors underground, has a vending machine that pops out Minimal Techno albums- have you ever?- and is famed for it’s casual line-ups of the worlds top artists and performers. Did I mention I’m looking to marry a nice Pom so I can stay here forever?

The Big Smoke was recently put out however, when Mister Brown- the Queens trusty sidekick- declared no smoking in all restaurants and clubs. Whilst I’m happy to go home without my hair smelling like Camel breath- Patrons now have to collect their jackets from the dedicated coat checks before stealing a quick puff in the icy night air and returning to thaw-out with a few excessively priced Tequila’s! This is the reason people hit the bottle before hitting the clubs- drinking in public is legal! Good thing no-one is driving ye?

A good night-out doesn’t end until the sunrise session- if only because waiting for the tubes to start around 6.30 will save you 50 Quid on a cab home! Or you can march on to ‘breakfast shots’ at The Egg or The End- and commence another beginning- Sunday clubbing is huge! Somewhere in the middle, I might have stopped and wondered if I’d lost the plot- but then my favourite track came on and I realised, in London, I may have just found it! Have your next cup of tea on me!