Marshall Jefferson Interview: expansion beyond the dance floor

In the history of house music, there's one name it's inexcusable to overlook.; Marshall Jefferson. Instructing ravers to 'move your body', his computer rhythms set the blueprint for what house music could achieve in the eighties. Years later his acid drenched sonics still reverberate around dancefloors across the planet.

He's part of a three man wonder team of American house music legends gracing the Royal Albert Hall for the Hacienda New Year's Eve showcase in Manchester, and ahead of the show Dan Birch grabbed 60 seconds with the icon

How much are you looking forward to being a part of the Hacienda New year's Eve celebrations? 

Always look forward to doing thing with Hacienda, I’ve played with them so many times it feels like family.

As someone who was there first hand when it all started, playing such a pivotal role, do you remember thinking your efforts at the time would still be held in such high regard? 

I actually thought it would be held in higher regard because I thought the music would be much bigger and mainstream in America than it is. The majority of people in America still don’t even know what House music is.

Are you looking forward with playing with Frankie and Todd, what is your relationship with them like? 

Yeah we have a great relationship. Both of them did remixes on 'Move Your Body' recently and I would return the favor if they ever asked for it.

Do you think that there's a similar euphoria being raised in Electronic Music now compared to your era in the late 1980’s? 

Yes in America. But now is the time for innovation in the songwriting itself and expansion beyond the dance floor.

What vibe do you get from the young producers of today that are currently making tracks and mixes? 

They’re technically better at engineering than we were back in the day, but with the exception of guys like Deamau5, less involved musically; they’re more dependent on studio musicians. 

Do you think young people are getting their nostalgic influences of original Chicago House from the internet including YouTube? 

Yeah, we’re all over Youtube now!

You formed Open House recordings, what are your plans for the label moving forward?

I’m planning on taking everything to vinyl soon, should be interesting.

Can you remember a particular memory that inspired you to create a particular sound? 

Pretty much just falling asleep on the job and the light bulb going off. I worked from midnight to 8AM at the Post Office, so we fell asleep a lot, ha. House music was calling.

What is your favourite memory in the Studio? This can be absolutely anything. 

Probably watching Ce Ce Rogers sing 'Someday' in one take. Or when we switched Kym Mazelle from backgrounds to the lead vocal on 'Taste My Love' after the original lead singer didn’t give me what I felt the song needed. Or maybe even having 20+ members of the Chicago Synphony Orchestra playing together the first time. So many to choose from.

Marshall Jefferson plays Hacienda NYE - head here for further info.

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