bobble
Age: relative ... I feel about 19 ...
Real Name: Robert Ashton
Affiliations: Sonic Soul Productions, Smile Recordings, Verb Audio?Atlanta
Contact: Carrie at Plane Representation at?<mailto:”bookit@planerep.com”>bookit@planerep.com
How long have you been in Atlanta? 6 years.
Spin schedule:??
Currently negotiating a residency; Booked mainly?at one-offs and assorted club nights
Upcoming Events:??
April 10 @ MJQ w. MJ Cole (See article); tentative April 13 — Athens, GA; May 5 — Memphis, TN, @?Last Place On Earth; May 12 @ Outer Limits — Atlanta
What’s your current top five?
Horsepower Productions - triple 7 (Tempa)
A Guy Called Gerald - fever (K7)
Reflex One - Loaded with Dynamite (Nice N Ripe)
HKA vs. High Rollers - Deeper Darker (HKA)
What’s your all-time top five?
The Orb - Adventure Beyond the Ultraworld - Aubrey Mixes
Scientist and Prince Jammy - Strike Back (Greensleeves)
Scientist Meets the Space Invaders (Greensleeves)
Automaton - Dub Terror Exhaust feat Bill Laswell + Sly Dunbar
Suburban Lick - You’re Mine (Locked On)
Who are some of your major influences as a DJ? Why?
Well, it changes all the time, but right now I’d have to say Ramsey + Fenn,?who I have a live recording of just mashing a crowd to bits with the 2-step?garage in Ibiza. Their quick-cut mixing style suits the garage fine, and?I’ve had to adjust to mixing quicker after hearing the way they transfer?from song to song so fast.
Who are some of the artists you admire? Why?
I am digging mainly records right now, and not so much particular artists.?The tunes that have my ear at the moment are white labels w/o much info on?them, so its hard to even know who made the material you are playing. Two?artists that do come to mind as innovative at the moment are Wookie and?Kosheen, who have drastically different approaches at the UK Garage style,?and have pushed the envelope at how you can apply its percussive structure?in different ways.
What qualities do you think make for a successful DJ?
Consistent good mixing is the first and foremost thing, followed by an ear?for innovative and appropriate selection. Also, you should play for the room?and timeslot you are booked at, and come with the types of tunes that are?right for the atmosphere of the venue. Versatility helps, but being too?versatile can hurt you.
Do you have any pet peeves as a DJ???
Requests
What do you like about the Atlanta scene?
It’s interesting how there is a sizeable and strong following for almost?every style here. The focus is across the board because such a wide variety?of folks live here, and many of them bring a bit of wherever they were?before Atlanta into the scene. There’s a big contingent for deep house,?breaks, jungle, hip-hop, progressive house + trance, and believe it or not,?techno. All the subgenres of dance music have strong followings here, and?the town isn’t dominated by any one style.
What do you think the Atlanta/DJ scene needs?
More outdoor dance music parties, and more parties during the day! A Dance?Music stage at Music Midtown would be nice...we have been trying to get one?for like four years now with no response.
Where do you see the Atlanta scene headed?
?
There’s a tight little production community that I think will emerge and?start to develop an “Atlanta” sound, and hopefully will gain us some?recognition on an international level. There are several really good?producers here, but as a city we have no pronounced “sound” of our own as of?yet. It will happen, though!