World exclusive interview! Sounds big doesn’t it! How does it make you feel knowing that people are enjoying your music? Has this been a long time coming or have you just started producing?
Cheers! It’s been a long time coming really, I’ve spent a lot of my musical career doing drum and bass and trying to breakthrough within that scene but I thought I’d dabble in other styles of music and this one seemed to work for me.
I’m sure many people have been wondering the same thing – Funtcase. That’s a pretty unusual name…Is there a story behind it?
No story behind it man, I got introduced to the scene not long ago and noticed a lot of people were making huge beats but weren’t really taking it all seriously by calling themselves something funny, offensive and memorable. Naturally, I wanted to be memorable so I went through a nice list of names then obviously I decided to be called Funtcase after the joke – C*nt Face!
You actually started out as drum ‘n’ bass producer – DJ Dose….Is drum ‘n’ bass your first love and Dubstep just an experimentation thing? Or have you stopped producing under DJ Dose and now just continuing with Funtcase?
Well originally it was a joke and just something fun to do making Dubstep, I made like two beats. Gradually, as I’ve started to notice how it’s all panned out it has started to become something I’ve had to balance between the styles. Now I have a big love for Dubstep.
You’ve had a HUGE first release (Gorilla Flex / Make Our Day) on High Roller’s 420 Records label! Are you signed exclusively to the label or are they just doing your first release? If not which labels are you in talks with at the moment?
Well I’m not exclusive but High Roller has been a close buddy of mine from the D’n'B scene and he kinda discovered me along with others and wanted to get my name out there. I sent him those Dubstep bits, he played them out and they got a huge reaction. He instantly wanted to get on the Funtcase wagon and rep my name. Currently signed to 420 Records, Prime Audio (Suspicious Stench’s), XS Dubz, Circus Recs (Flux Pavilion and Doctor P’s) and Heavy Artillery. Currently in talks about a Shift Records release.
When you’re producing what’s your process? Do you think how can I make this tune more fucked than the last or do you get the idea / sounds and then try and re-create them?
I work based on inspiration and the mood I’m in. You won’t really hear beats of mine be too similar in that respect and I think it makes me more exciting as an artist, and maybe even more respectable!
Crissy Criss has been playing your tunes a lot, are you and him close friends? Also you both started producing on the playstation game ‘Music’ is this coincidence or have you been friends since you were kids?
Nah man I’ve not really known Crissy long but again he’s another drum and bass link I seem to be lucky enough to work with in respects of collaborations and him playing my beats out. He seems to like the stuff I make so I’m happy to continuously make beats that he’s willing to rep and get my beats out there.
So what was going through your head when you made ‘So Vexed’?? This is one of the most fucked up tunes I’ve heard in a while!! BIG UP! Is that you speaking at the beginning of the tune? Is this gonna come out on 420 Records as well?
Yeah that’s my voice! Well the funny thing about that is I didn’t really feel the idea when it first came about, I had made the riff and some simple drum riddim over it and it sounded nothing special. I thought I’d make it for my homies from Brighton called the Southbound Hangers and never bother to release it. It got such a huge response so I worked on a better version and made one then for Crissy Criss, who played it at innovation as an introduction to the Dubstep section of his set and that went off like a lamp in a power cut. This was broadcast on 1Xtra so it was massive potential for me and the track.
So I’ve made numerous custom editions now and you can hear it everywhere, but hopefully not overheard, I won’t say names … *cough* ‘When I look At You.’ It’s now signed to Circus Records and a B side is currently being discussed…apparently Caspa didn’t like it!
Who are gonna be collaborating with in the future? You’ve got a night in Manchester coming up with Trolley Snatcha (Autopsy @ The Attic, Oct 24th)…surely you two together could make some evil tunes???
Correct! Trolley now lives in my town and not far from me at all so there’s talks of collaboration there with him. Datsik also wants in on the action, Southbound Hangers, Riskotheque and maybe Crissy Criss dependant if he finds the time as he’s working on an album.
Having started out producing D’n'B do you think this influences you Dubstep production? What are your other main influences?
Oh of course! I mean you ask anyone who’s been into producing Dubstep for a while and they’ll tell you outright I have a D’n'B sound going on, but at this stage, it doesn’t seem to affect my work in bad ways so I’m going to stick with it. My influences range from day to day depending if I’m listening to Dubstep or D’n'B or maybe even some Snow Patrol and Prodigy!
There are quite a lot of drum ‘n’ bass producers have turned to Dubstep, in fact even people like Pharrell have had a go! Do you think that this is just a phase or that Dubstep is where it’s at the moment?
It’s hard to tell you know, I hear Jay-Z is even wanting to dabble in it. I would say it’s the next big thing but I wouldn’t say its a phase. Dubstep far from dying or being a phase it’s at the beginning stages and definitely here to stay. I think its going to evolve similar to the ways drum and bass did and I’m excited to see how it all pans out.
Here at Disrupt:on, we’re loving the direction that D’n'B is going as well! Instra:mental – Watching You on repeat! What is on heavy rotation on your iPod at the moment?
Gargoyle by Doctor P and The Future by Trolley Snatcha – those two are by far my favourite two producers. but there’s some HEAVY competition floating around…
Are you one of those people that when they find a sick tune that they keep it to themselves or do you spread the love?
It’s all about spreading the love mate, we’re not going to evolve the scene by holding beats to ourselves. If someone is sick then they deserve their name repped and I try to do that as much ass possible, big or small.
Top 5 Dubstep producers? (In no particular order)
Doctor P
Trolley Snatcha
Flux Pavilion
Datsik
Bar 9.
What does the future hold for Funtcase? Who would you like most to work with in the studio?
Who knows man, I want to be a big name and I want to be a major talking point…but artists can come and go within the blink of an eye, so consistent beats is a must! Other than the people I’m already discussing collabs with, I’d love to collab with the likes of 16 bit, Bar 9 and Borgore.
Sheesh! You boys are gonne be killing people! Any shout outs?
Yeah man! My gorgeous Dubstep loving lady Kelly, My Dubstep Famo Southbound Hangers, My Dubstep guides Doctor P, Flux Pavilion and Trolley Snatcha, my local night Dubnium for repping me, Mr Sleepz for being the sickest Dubstep 15 year old I know, all the heads who rep my sound and all the people who feel my stuff and drive me to make more and more sickness. Large ups to all.
Big Up to Funtcase for doing this interview for us! Make sure you keep yourself locked on this guy! If you haven’t already heard ‘So Vexed’ make sure you check it out on his myspace page! BIGGG!
FUNTCASE MYSPACE
Interview courtesy of DISRUPTION INC
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