The Beat Surrender

It’s with a great deal of pride that we bring you this exclusive interview with DJ Andy Smith, a man who in my eyes is an absolute legend behind a set of turntables. Add to that the fact that he’s one of the nicest guys you could ever speak to, then the chance to interview the former Portishead tour DJ was too good to turn down.

So in late 2007 I did just that, so read on to find out about what he’s been up to this year, why he contributed to a remix album and if he has any more plans Dynamo Productions wise.

How has this year been for you?

Pretty busy as usual trying to juggle djing and trying get some music projects on the go. Its been great to get the Saturday nights at ‘Madame Jo-Jos’ (with Keb Darge) really busy though, and thus enabling me to have more time in the country!

You’ve played the usual mix of events, from Madame Jo-Jos to events like Lovebox and Notting Hill Carnival, how have you gone down with the different crowds?

I like to think that I can adapt to different crowds (I usually tend to find out, or just know? what the night is about before I get there if possible). I enjoy doing the strictly reggae nights (especially when I do it with MC Brother Culture) and say, doing the Northern Soul night at The Jazz Cafe -I enjoy not getting into a rut with the music as it becomes more exciting for me.

Have you got one staple song that you always have in your record box or does it keep changing?

I change them otherwise I would go crazy! – I’ve just started using ‘Serato’ for some gigs (which I never thought I would do!) so now I have so many tracks to choose from its crazy.

I’ve seen you DJ a few times now myself with varying crowds, I remember a cold wet Wednesday night at Revolution in Bradford with about 40 people there and despite that you still managed to motivate yourself to put on a real show, is that hard to do with a disappointing turn out?

Yes it is hard to get motivated if there aren’t too many people there (I mean djing is a two way street – You have to get a vibe back to make it really special!). I have seen other dj’s just not bother at a gig with few people in but those people still paid to get in so deserve to get something back!

The last time I saw you was at Bestival a couple of years ago and you were playing the Secret Disco, it looked like you were having a huge amount of fun with your set, it must be nice to see everything coming together like that!

Yes, Bestival was great. It was one of those gigs where everything seemed to come together and I suppose the fact that the room was so small and intimate made it like an old house party (which were always great fun).

If I remember rightly through the haze that was that weekend, Bez was following you on and was late so you ended up playing about another 40 mins after your set should have finished, It shows that not all DJs are in it for the ego and the money, you could easily have walked off at that point?

Yes, I think your’e right, I did carry on as Bez didn’t turn up – I even leant him my mic as there wasn’t another one there (I then spent the next half an hour trying to find another mike so that I could switch them and get my SM58 back!). I’m sure there are other dj’s that wouldnt do that! – I do appreciate that I have a great job and am happy to adapt to whatever situation is given me (and those situations can be quite varied at times to say the least!)

You really do hop genres when you DJ with pretty much a anything goes in as long as I like it attitude to track selection, you seem to always manage it but is it hard getting the mix between what you want to play and what the crowd will react to?

Oh yes! – I do get frustrated having to play the same obvious tracks sometimes (which is why the Madame Jo-Jos, Jazz Cafe Northern Soul night & reggae sets keep it interesting for me). The thing that gets me annoyed the most is when you follow up an obvious track (which I realise people want to hear) with something slightly less well known and people just walk off the dance floor and dont use there ears!! – I tend to go out and get excited about tracks I’ve never heard before – I think I’m becomming a rare breed!

You’ve had a couple of releases out this year, including shock horror some involvement in the Fania Remix album, which I know you’ve never been a fan of remix albums in the past, what was different about this one?

Your right, I think most remix albums are dreadfull and never better than the original so I just see them as total cash ins (I mean I can safely say that I dont care about the Bob Marley remix album – I’m sorry – IT CANT BE BETTERED! – I will play the originals until I stop djing). With the Fania track that we remixed, I felt it had great parts to it, but not necessarily the whole track so it warrented what we did to it I think.

Continue