Andy Ash Interview: For me it's more of an obsession

The death of vinyl was first predicted in the early eighties at the advent of the compact disc, when better sound quality, durability and ease were the main reasons behind the alleged abandoning of the twelve and seven inch discs of shiny plastic. However an art-form one or two of you might of heard of, club djing, put paid to that as the format lived on, before the death knell was sounded again in the late nineties with a foe that was about to destroy the whole music industry and world as we know it - the internet.

The proliferation of equipment that made it possible to DJ off digital files combined with this to seemingly hurl vinyl onto the scrap heap, but those shiny black plastic discs show no signs of dying down. An old school ethos has sprung up claiming vinyl is the purest form of music, and in it's wake has been a litany of vinyl only nights dedicated to prolonging this much loved way of playing, sorting and recording music.

One of those is Analogue Bubbles which launches on Saturday 30th November at as yet unannounced brand new warehouse in the city, to further heighten the acid house feel and classic stance. Promoted by Paul Hutchinson, the burgundy aficionado who has brought the city much loved soiree Discoteca Poca in the past and is partially behind Haus Warehouse, it features a litany of vinyl enthusiasts including one of the city's most refined exponents of house and disco Andy Ash.

Balancing a career as a teacher alongside a steady presence on the underground, Ash's fans include the likes of Todd Terje, Greg Wilson and Prins Thomas, whilst he's DJed across Europe regularly whilst recording for labels such as Scenery, Extended Play, On The Prowl, Use Of Weapons Recordings and Fly By Night Music. We caught up with him ahead of the gig to challenge him on what the ideas behind vinyl's popularity and whether he feels it's set to last.

You’re due to play at analogue bubbles shortly. Which is a new night based on retaining the art of DJing via vinyl. What are your thoughts on the format’s durability and is it something you feel strongly about retaining? Do you always play using only vinyl?

Ha, big question! I am an avid fan of vinyl, not just using it to DJ with but also just collecting music on vinyl. I think for me (and most other vinyl collectors) it's more of an obsession, not just about any pros or cons when using it. When I DJ I play mostly vinyl yes, but I do play CDs as well as it's useful to be able to play new music that's not out on vinyl (and some stuff that never does come out on vinyl!) as well as road testing new tracks by myself.

As far as it's durability as a medium to DJ with is concerned, I definitely think it will last, mainly because there are a lot of DJs out there who love to play on vinyl; let's not forget it's basically the format used when the art of DJing in the way we do was created! 

Saying all of this, it doesn’t mean I apply my own rules of how I like to DJ to other people, I'm not about to judge a DJ on whether they use vinyl or not. However, for me, I usually find that there is a certain positive feeling I get when hearing a DJ mix with vinyl that I (personally) don't get from other formats. I also think it takes slightly more dedication to play using vinyl than, say, simply using USB sticks - vinyl is expensive, heavy and fragile! (Hence I also understand when DJs switch and stop using vinyl!)

Do you think that it’s something people don’t always understand? People will often play music that is recorded digitally but then pressed to vinyl, or use digital devices like laptops and CDjs via analogue mixers and so on. How much of the concept of sound is an ideal in someone’s head and not something they can actually hear or appreciate? And do you think this strengthens or weakens someone’s insistence on using a particular format?

I think you're really talking about two different concepts here:

1.Using vinyl as a format to use when djing

2.Producing music using analogue equipment

Those are two separate arguments for me really. Like I said when it comes to vinyl, for me it’s not necessarily about a better sound quality, I’m not an audiophile… it’s more about the way you have to play using vinyl and the fact that I’m a bit obsessed by it. I also have to say that I love the sounds you get from when vinyl wears slightly, the crackle you get and stuff, it can bring a lot of character. 

In terms of producing music with analogue equipment I think there can a big difference in terms of sound quality but it’s not as simple as “one is better than the other”. I am not against digital production at all; in fact all of my production is finished inside the box so I could hardly claim to be a hardcore analogue enthusiast!

I do think old analogue synths bring something to the table in terms of producing house music that does make a big difference though, it’s not about having a finished ‘analogue sound’ or whatever, it’s more about the fluctuations in frequencies and the slight inaccuracies you get with analogue equipment as opposed to the preciseness of digital. Anyway, there are far more important aspects to music than whether it’s analogue or digital (like is it actually good or not).

Do you adopt the same principles when in the studio? If so what equipment do you use and what helps you get that raw feel?

Well, I sort of touched on this before but as I said I do finish off everything inside the box (so digitally), but I tend to use a few soft synths as possible simply because I can never seem to get the sound I want from them! I am currently using a couple of analogue synths and recording in parts from these as live takes and then arranging etc.

I also like to use a lot of samples in my music as well; I guess my love for vinyl ties in here. I love to go to the second hand shop and pick up a bunch of 99p records and see what I can do with them sample wise, it’s a lot of fun. Turning otherwise inane sounds sampled from records into the basis of a whole track is a really creative process and forces you to think a bit differently about what you are doing.  

One thing is for certain though from our viewpoint is that Liverpool, and the North West in general, is showing a refreshing back to basics and DIY approach to running labels and club events. What are your views on the scene in the region at the minute, do you feel it is healthy?

Yeah, it’s cool. It’s pretty hard for me to tell how ‘healthy’ it is to be honest because having two young children and a busy job means it’s hard to get out to local nights much! But from what I see online and hear from speaking to friends it seems as if stuff is really strong at the moment. I’ve noticed several artists I’m into playing recently which is cool. As for the DIY approach… that is definitely cool but I think it’s important for the people putting on those parties to put the emphasis on the ‘party’ and less on the big guest if I’m being honest. Look at people like Mister Saturday Night, that’s what people should be aiming for I think.  

Where else have you been playing out recently?

Absolutely nowhere! I’ve been stuck at home for months with a badly broken ankle… On the upside this means I’ve been in the studio a lot. 

What production news can you let us in on?

Well, I had an EP out on Liverpool’s Scenery music not too long ago (for some reason people think if a record is more than a few months old it’s not worth mentioning...), there’s also a more recent one out on Saft music with an ace remix by Kastil. I've got quite a few bits in the pipeline as well. 

Two three track EPs on Fullbarr records and Fly By Night music should be coming out early 2014 (stream the Connection EP above, our on Fullbar), a return of some Andy Ash edits on the new People Must Jam Australian imprint, a shared EP with James Welsh on No Dough music as well as a track on a V/A EP for them. As well as all that I’m also in the process of signing an EP with quite a well-known label which I won’t mention yet! 

What DJs and producers have really stood out for you this year?

This is always such a hard question because there will be loads! I’ve really been into the music coming from a few underground labels really; Crow Castle Cuts, Blind jack’s Journey, Dixon Avenue Basement Jams and Rose Records to name a few. Also I love some of the stuff people like Funkineven and Kyle Hall are doing too. I’m also a massive fan of some of the dubs made by people like Boddika and Pearson Sound although it can get too much and too dull if not mixed up a bit! 

How difficult is it balancing a career in education alongside your music work, and do you think either hold you back form one another or do they provide a natural fit?

Whatever the opposite of ‘natural fit’ is and you’ve probably got it. Especially international gigs because I cannot take days off whenever I want so basically a Friday night gig out of the country is virtually impossible unless during my holidays – I’ve had to turn down too many opportunities because of this which is frustrating but it also has its upsides (like loads of holiday) 

And finally, you’re only allowed to play one more gig ever again. You’ve got to play with someone you’ve already played with and someone you’ve never had the chance to play alongside. Who would they be, and is there a tune you know would define the night?

Well I’ve always wanted to play alongside Move D, I love his approach and his musical selection is unbeatable for me. As far as someone else I have already played with it comes down to two people: Chris Barker who I playing with at Analogue Bubbles with – we always have fun and he has a great record collection!

The other option would be my really close friend Maximilian, he also has a record collection most would envy and we grew up DJing together. 

Like this? Try Skiddle Mix 027 - ASOK (Scenery)

And The Month Ahead: November Clubbing in Liverpool.

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