One of the most exciting new stars to emerge in the drum 'n' bass world in the last few years, Bristol bassboy TC has won acclaim from all and sundry with his huge, fresh sounding anthems like 'Deep' and 'Rockstar', and now his debut album 'Evolution' is ready to drop in a big way. We had some verbals with the man like ahead of his appearence at MOONDANCE's 13th Birthday at Ministry of Sound on October 13th. Murk-y!

 








Your debut album ‘Evolution’ is coming out soonish...tell us about the whole project. Who have you worked with on it? Is it 100% DnB?

Evolution is my debut artist album, it is 100% DnB. It is out on October 1st. The whole project is the result of 8 years making tunes. It shows my evolution as an artist throughout the years. I made the album with help from Jon from Distorted Minds and worked with Jakes and Hannah Collins on vocals. There are a couple of collaborations on it too with the Scratch Perverts on ‘F**k What You Heard’ and Subfocus on ‘Borrowed Time’. I have really put my heart and soul into this album and hope that it comes across in the final product.

The title, ‘Evolution’, is about how I have evolved as and artist and in my life over the last 8 years from a nothing producer to playing all over the world and making drum and bass for a living.

How did you and MC Jakes first meet? Did you hit it off from the off?

Me and Jakes met through BS1 Records in Bristol around 2001. Jakes used to come round the studio to do the odd vocal and listen to tunes. We made a few tunes back then which got local support from Krust. We have been mates since then.

It’s refreshing to hear his West Country flow...do you think more MCs should represent their own regional twang rather than imitating the usual rudeboy London/Essex style?

Each to their own init. Jakes is a great MC he is at home in front of 50 people or 5000 people and he has the ability to really communicate with a crowd. On ‘Deep’ you can really hear the Southmead accent coming through on the vocal and I love that...we recorded that tune with the window open so if you listen really carefully you can hear the sound of St Paul’s in the background.

Which other musicians or vocalists would you really love to work with – living or dead?

I would love to work with Liam from Prodigy just because he is my biggest musical hero. And vocalists would include: Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Bob Marley, Ray Charles, Kelis (because of the stuff she did on the Clipse album)

Some people diss the more dancefloor-orientated side of DnB – where it’s all about big hooks and drops. What are your feelings on the matter? Are they missing the point?

Some people want to go out at the weekends go to clubs and dance to dance music. They want to go to nights like Moondance and have a great time meeting people and dancing together, feel the tunes etc. The thing I love about drum and bass is there are a lot of passionate people, whether they like some thing and not another is not the point at least they are passionate about something.

Personally I love all styles of drum and bass except the dark stuff!!! (only kidding) it all has its roots in the same place, from hardcore jungle techno, and let us never forget this.

Do your parents think what you do is a “real job”?

I was brought up by my mum and I lived at home in St Paul’s till I was 21 so I appreciate all the support I got. Thanks mum :)

You’re playing at Moondance’s 13th Birthday at Ministry of Sound on October 12th in London, which has a rather sizable old DnB line-up. Have you ever been to Moondance before? If so what did you think – if not, what have you heard about it?

Yeah man! Line-up is big. I have played for Moondance a couple of times at SeOne and the people that go there are really into the music. Because I live in Bristol I don’t really get to see the flyers for all the nights in London but before I played at Moondance I had already heard of it through mates.

How do you get your bass sounding so big and rugged? Any tips for aspiring producers?

Get some monitor speakers and a half good soundcard for your computer. Monitors are the window to the sound and you can learn the sound of your own monitors. You need a good sound card ‘cause it will give you a good representation of what the computer is playing.

I would also say that it’s a good thing to learn on old school equipment too, like a sampler and work your way through that way to get that authentic production style. They are well cheep on eBay too init?

What’s your most over-used saying?

Any good?

What’s your ideal way to relax? Where, with what, and with whom?

Hiking in the Brecon Beacons with my Mrs.

Any last pearls of wisdom / plugs?

My album is out October 1st, 16 track CD, 3 piece Vinyl, and special edition pack with 2 CDs - the 16 track cd and CD with a mix of all my unreleased material from the last 4 or 5 years mixed by the Scratch Perverts, a video for 'Drink', documentary and bonus free tracks.

Shouts to Jakes, Hannah, Jon, Al, Gerard, Scratch Perverts, Sub Focus, Rage, Carolyn, Sal, Echo Location, Sam, Run, Groove, Fabio, Bryan, Hype, Annie Mac, Zane Lowe, Joe Wiley, Nicky, Fresh, Shy, Roni, Die, Pendulum, Krust, Clipz, SS, Wilf, Taxman, Hazzard, Eddie K, Scheme, Rough Cut, Bailey, Crissy Criss, Dann, D Ramirez and everyone who buys the tunes!



Check out full details of Moondance's 13th Birthday here

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