Interview med legenden Bob Jones (E)
Could you tell the Soulportal.dk readers for how long youīve been playing music as a DJ, Radio DJ etc.
This year, 2002 is my 35th year as a DJ. I started DJ'ing in May/1967.
My radio DJ'ing started with PIRATE RADIO in London in 1980, then I was invited to join KISS FM
in 1987. When KISS 100fm went legal in 1990 I started my weekly SURGERY SHOW until 1999
when I left KISS, because on the stations unsoulful music policy and joined BBC LONDON 94.9fm,
where I still play every THURSDAY evening Midnight-2am.
How did you get started?
My very first night as a DJ was at my local youth center on 16th May 1967
which was in CHELMSFORD, in the SOUTH EAST of ENGLAND in the COUNTY OF ESSEX.
What is it soulmusic has that other genres donīt have? in your opinion.
Soul Music in my opinion is the roots of todays various dance scenes, wether is is R & B, DRUM and BASS, DISCO, HOUSE, GARAGE etc etc,. All these scenes could not have existed, and still cannot exist without SOUL. If music has no soul or guts then it isn't worth listening to.
Why is it important to come up with new mixes of old songs and remix in general?
I don't think it is that important to remix old tunes.But to cover a soul classic, say from the 60's and mix it and produce it to sound as though it was recorded today, and for everyone to like it - then this is important to give the younger generation a taste of what went on before. A taste of the roots of todays modern black music. This is called education and that to me is extremely important, we need to know the history of todays black music.
You have different radio shows, radio Mafia in Finland! e.g. how did that happen?
I was asked by Radio Mafia,part of YLEISRADIO in FINLAND, to stand in for Gilles Peterson, back in 1996. Gilles was running TALKING LOUD RECORDS at the time and needed a break from Radio, after a year Gilles returned, but beacause of public demand I was offered my own 1 hour show which still gets broadcast every TUESDAY 8-9pm (UK TIME) on www..yle.fi/radiomafia. I also DJ on another UK based internet Radio station www. SOUL24-7.com on MONDAYS 4-7pm (UK TIME)
Have you been in Denmark to DJ? and how was the response?
I have played in DENMARK a number of times and have friends who live there. The response to my
music has always been good, I have always enjoyed my visits to DENMARK, but I have not played there for a few years.
Youīve been producing several acts and now you have your own label - ChilliFunk- with DJ Lofty. How is things going with that?
Things at CHILLI FUNK are going very well, I have just written , produced and recorded a new tune on my own, which will be released on the label early next year. It is called SOUL FOOD by THE INTERNS and is a jazz dance record.
The Nathan Haines and the East West Connection albums where both great, are there more to come from these acts or others, Vaceo for example?
NATHAN HAINES is recording a new Album with PHIL ASHER producing, which is scheduled for release early 2003, Nathan also has a new single RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE, released in NOV/2002. A new single from VACEO called MANY NIGHTS is released in OCT/2002 and a new EAST WEST CONNECTION single INSIDE YOUR SOUL will be released DECEMBER/2002.
At the moment because all the musicians have their own musical projects, there are no plans for another EAST WEST CONNECTION album or tour.
You also write reviews for different music magazines, how do you select the albums/maxi etc.?
All of the music that I review for MUZIK MAGAZINE/UK and DISCOID MAGAZINE/ITALY is chosen from the mass of music that arrives in my post box every week, and also from records that I get from various record shops.
Some of the music you play and compiled for albums is very hard to find. Itīs music that very few has a chance to get their hands on. As a respected DJ would you say that itīs a must? or was it something that started with The Northern Soul Scene? And now just is the way it is?
I started collecting Black Music when I was 14, and I'm a self confessed vinyl junkie, but at first the tunes I wanted were easy to purchase. Now as time goes by some of these are harder to find, and some are worth much more that the price I originally paid. It isn't my intention to create a Rare Collectors scene , I want everyone to appreciate my music wether it is is hard to find, by todays standard, or wether the tunes are easy to obtain- and remember it doesn't have to be rare to be good.
Could you give us your top 5, of ChilliFunk releases?
That's hard, as to myself and LOFTY, every track CHILLI FUNK have released is great music, LOFTY and I have this rule that if the tune isn't good enough to be in our DJ Record boxes, then it doesn't get a release on CHILLI FUNK. But here are 5 of my fav releases on the label.
1. EAST WEST CONNECTION 'EAST WEST'
2. NATHAN HAINES 'EARTH IS THE PLACE'
3. RESTLESS SOUL 'AFTER OURS'
4. EAST WEST CONNECTION 'MAKE ME YOURS'
5. VARIOUS ARTISTS - 'TRUE SPIRIT' -ENTIRE ALBUM
And finally a top 10, all time favorite albums?
Another tough one but here goes:-
1. MARVIN GAYE - 'WHAT'S GOING ON?' TAMLA MOTOWN/UK
2. BETTYE SWANN - ' THE SOUL VIEW NOW' - CAPITOL/USA'
3. JIMMY SMITH - 'THE CAT' - VERVE/UK
4. VARIOUS - 'THE SUE STORY VOL.1' - SUE RECORDS/UK
5. JOHN COLTRANE - 'GIANT STEPS' - LONDON/UK
6. SAM DEES - 'THE SHOW MUST GO ON' - ATLANTIC RECORDS/USA
7. SYL JOHNSON - 'IS IT BECAUSE I'M BLACK?' - TWINLIGHT/USA
8. EAST WEST CONNECTION - 'NOTHING CAN HOLD US BACK' - CHILLI FUNK
9. JAMES CARR - 'YOU GOT MY MIND MESSED UP' - GOLDWAX/USA
10. JULIE DEXTER - 'DEXTERITY' - KETCH AVIBE /USA
Many thanks Frank for letting me talk to you, much respect to you and SOULPORTAL.DK
Dr. BOB JONES - SO SOULFUL -IT HURTS! (SEPT/02)
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