Interview: Loadstar

Where'd the name Loadstar come from? Anything to do with the Commodore 64?
Yeah it was partially to do with that as we both had Commodore 64s way back when. However, we probably shouldn’t disclose that sort of information as it kind of shows our age! In all reality, we had to come up with a name at very short notice and one day we happened to switch our old sampler on. While it was loading up a star came up to signify it had loaded, and this inspired the name.

Favourite song of your own creation and why?
Probably ‘Link 2 The Past’ - it's the track that signified the beginning of Loadstar and it's still a track we play in our DJ sets today and always gets a great reaction. The new stuff on our album is also really exciting and we can't wait for people to hear it!

Who inspired you guys to get into music making?
We both grew up listening to early drum and bass from the likes of LTJ Bukem, Ed Rush and Optical. And of course, Andy C and the ram trilogy guys; this was really the catalyst that inspired us to start experimenting with production as their stuff was so new and fresh sounding. For those who aren’t familiar with Ed Rush & Optical’s first album ‘Wormhole‘ you must check it out, even now it sounds sick!

Typical day in the studio for you guys? Is there even a typical day in the studio?
There’s not really a typical day, as we are always working on different stuff… new ideas, remixes, production work etc - whether it’s for us or other people. But generally we get into the studio late morning and get the coffee on. Then we sit down and go through emails etc. Once we get our heads into the music, we can work all day 'til late. Some weeks we spend one or two days working independently, coming up with ideas etc then we get in the studio for a couple of days to bring the ideas together. Not a lot happens on a Monday though!

Typical day as a touring DJ? Is there a typical day?
Every country, club, DJ set is different, which is why we love it… experiencing new places, new people etc. But typically it involves bouncing around lots of hotels, travelling, airports, listening to new music, watching HBO series, opening up Ableton on the laptop! Then it’s heading to the club, playing and partying then doing it all the next day… except feeling somewhat more fragile!

Where do you reckon drum'n'bass is going to go in the next decade?
Wow, difficult to say as that’s a hell of a long time and a lot can change… In terms of the next few years we really see it going from strength to strength. The explosion of dubstep has really opened bass music up to the masses, which is a great thing.

If you both weren't doing music, what would you be up to instead?
Nick – Fountain pen repairer
Gav – Fortune Cookie writer

How many hours practice does it take to get before it's worth putting out musical tracks?
Impossible to say, it took us both a number of years before we were confident to release music, however you look at the like of Madeon who is like 17 and he has clearly manage to become an amazing producer in a relatively short period of time. It really depends on your natural talent I guess. What I would say is don’t rush to release music for the sake of it, wait until you have something you are really happy with as the reward will be much greater.

If you were forced to go and live forever in any point in history, when and where would you pick?
Salem, Massachusetts, late 17th century. People you didn’t like, you could accuse of being a witch and have them killed. Literally solved all the problems.

If you could get anyone in (living or dead, singer or not) for vocals on a track, who'd you pick?
Michael Jackson (in his Thriller days)

If you could co-write an album with a super-villain (living or dead, fictional or not), who'd you pick?
Bowser from Super Mario, imagine the banter.

You are forced to live on one kind of canned food (and nothing else) for three months - what do you pick and why?
Baked beans – got to be Heinz

If you started some sort of hairdressers or hair salon, what would your signature hairstyles be?
Mullet, Business in the front, party in the back. With the Loadstar logo shaved into the sides… pure sex

If you were a celebrity chef duo (think drum'n'bass version of hairy bikers or something) what would the theme tune to your show be?
Dillinja, 'Just Warming Up'

If you became detectives in the 80s, and in Miami (oh yes) what would your weapons of choice be and what sort of crimes would you solve?
The classics, ak47 and m-16’s. We would take out bad guys like the ones out of the opening scene of Robocop

If you became architects with an unlimited construction budget, what would the first thing that you build be and where?
I would bring the Tim Horton’s franchise to the UK, on every street corner.

What would you do if a fascist government made electronic music illegal and the only kind of legal music was either acoustic folk or orchestral music in the classical style... Would you adapt? Would you rebel?
Rebel, we make underground music after all!

You are given a (perfectly tame) pet T Rex. It is 19 foot tall and eats 120 kilos of meat a day. What do you call it and what do you do with it?
I would call it Frank, then put it up for adoption.

Please finish the sentence "I make music because..."
I love being creative and putting sounds together, it’s a great way to express yourself, whatever mood you’re in

Thanks again guys, wishing you the best with everything!

Interview: Jack Oughton

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