Wax:On News | Jack Beats Interview  | 

Ahead of our Annie Mac Presents show at Leeds University on Sat 24^th April, Harry Benson caught up with Jack Beats for an insight into their hectic world of touring, production and McDonalds…..

Q: What were you doing this time yesterday?

A: WORKING IN THE STUDIO, PRETTY MUCH LIKE EVER OTHER DAY!

Q: How did working with Plus One come about? Had you known each other long
before starting Jack Beats?

A:WEVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR LIKE 12 YEARS OR SO, MEETING THROUGH THE DJ BATTLE SCENE, AND JUST USED TO HANG OUT ASIDE FROM MUSIC.  WE BOTH PRODUCED MUSIC SEPARATELY AND THEN A FEW YEARS BACK DECIDED TO FINISH A HIP HOP REMIX TOGETHER WHICH TURNED OUT GREAT, SO THEN DECIDED TO DO MORE THINGS TOGETHER...THE STUDIO CHEMISTRY WAS INSTANT AND I GUESS WE JUST STARTED MAKING STUFF WHICH WE REALLY WANTED, ITS ALL BEEN ACCIDENTAL.

Q: How would you describe your sound?

A: FUTURISTIC, HYBRID, BASS MUSIC...WITHOUT BOUNDARIES

Q: You've got quite the busy touring schedule coming up! Anywhere your
particularly looking forward to playing?

A: WERE BOTH OFF TO ASIA IN A FEW WEEKS, AND REALLY LOVE GOING OUT THERE.  THEN I GUESS ALL THE SUMMER FESTIVALS, WEVE GOT A GREAT RUN OF THEM, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THOSE....OH AND OF COURSE WAX:ON ON SATURDAY!!

Q: A lot of people find touring so heavily extremely tiring, what¹s your
secrets to survive life on the road or in the sky?

A: TAKE YOUR SLEEP WHEN YOU CAN GET IT, FORGET TRYING TO GET USED TO ANY TIME ZONE COS YOUR NOT GONNA USUALLY BE THERE LONG ENOUGH TO.  EAT WELL, AND COLLECT AIR MILES....WERE GETTING LIKE GEORGE CLOONEY FROM UP IN THE AIR!

Q: Even though Jack Beats haven't been around that long in the grand scheme of
things, you seem to have created quite a catalogue of tracks and remixes for
yourself! Which ones are your favourite?

A MY FAVOURITES TEND TO BE THE ONES THAT WE WORKED ON FOR REALLY LONG, AS ITS SO MUCH SATISFACTION WHEN WE HAVE A SOLID END RESULT. WE OFTEN TAKE OUR TIME WITH REMIXES, AND FREQUENTLY DO 3, 4 OR MORE DIFFERENT VERSIONS BEFORE FINALLY SETTLING ON THE ONE YOU HEAR...I GUESS WE JUST KEEP REMIXING OUR IDEAS TILL IT FINALLY GETS THERE, AND THATS WHAT HAPPENED WITH OUR PROJECT BASSLINE REMIX AND PASSION PIT REMIXES, AND THEN SEEING THE REACTION IN THE CLUBS MAKES IT SO WORTHWHILE.


Q: If there was anybody you could remix, who would it be?

A: SOMEONE LIKE


Q:And which artists did you find the most difficult/most natural to remix?

A: WE TEND TO NOT TAKE ON ANY REMIX THAT WE DONT THINK WE CAN MAKE WORK, SO THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE THINK WE CAN DO WELL WITH....HOWEVER WITH BOTH THE LA ROUX AND THE FLORENCE & THE MACHINE REMIXES, WE KINDA PUT OURSELVES UNDER ALOT OF PERSONAL PRESSURE TO DO A GOOD REMIX, BECAUSE OF THE PROFILE OF THE 2 ARTISTS.  SO WE KINDA MADE IT SORTA MORE DIFFICULT FOR OURSELVES...BUT WE ALSO THRIVE UNDER THAT ENVIRONMENT SO WE WERE REALLY HAPPY WITH BOTH OF THEM IN THE END.

Q: What have you got in the pipeline at the moment, any sign of the elusive
Jack Beats album yet?

A: YEAH WE ARE WORKING ON LOADS OF ORIGINAL MATERIAL, THE ALBUM IS GETTING DONE AT THE MOMENT.  WE HAVE AN EP OUT IN JUNE ON CHEAP THRILLS TOO, WHICH HAS 2 TRACKS ON IT.

Q: McDonalds, are you lovin' it?

A: GUILTY PLEASURE...ONLY EARLY MORNING AFTER A GIG THO!

Words: Harry Benson