You'll hopefully know by now that we're hopping over to the sunny shores of Pag, in Croatia next week to have a full on Hideout experience. In addition to our livestreams from the festival — more of which we'll reveal later this week — we're throwing a massive party on a boat with legendary Prescription Records boss Chez Damier and Belfast boys Bicep. It'll be the most fun anyone's had on the sea since the first banana boat bobbed round the med (that's UK for fun + water).
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To get us in the mood for the bash, we decided to get Bicep to ask Chez a few questions. Check out their conversational B2B below.
Bicep: Obviously there's a lot of people who view the 80s and early 90s with rose tinted glasses. How have things changed, in terms of your DJing experiences changed over the past 20 years, do you prefer clubs now or when you first started?
Chez Damier:Things have really changed because of the times, but I must say I love where I am at in my DJing life because I am mastering what I have learned over all those 20 years, and to see that reflected in the clubs or festivals is amazing! It's like the very start, only now I am the DJ.What clubs or festivals over the past few years have really inspired you?
The one that stands out above all of them is Nomads Festival in Amsterdam. As far as clubs go — and I am not being funny — every club I've ever played in three times or more.What are your feelings on dance music in America at the moment, do you feel the true underground house scene is progressing there in the right way?
No! The last empire of dance music was New York, unfortunately Chicago and Detroit would really only bare the birth of house & techno (no membership needed). I love America, but it's a mess when it comes down to dance culture.For us, we've found with touring, it's almost impossible to consider America as a whole. It's almost like each city is like a country or entire scene in itself. Like, LA feels very very different to Chicago or New York. Where do you love playing and why?
I love Atlanta because it still somewhat reminds me of the early days in a strange way, NCY, because that's where some my best lessons in club life came from, and Washington DC, because I am hoping that the politicians would come and see what it feels like to RELEASE THE TENSION. Then maybe we can do dance culture right in the US.
Chez Damier:Things have really changed because of the times, but I must say I love where I am at in my DJing life because I am mastering what I have learned over all those 20 years, and to see that reflected in the clubs or festivals is amazing! It's like the very start, only now I am the DJ.What clubs or festivals over the past few years have really inspired you?
The one that stands out above all of them is Nomads Festival in Amsterdam. As far as clubs go — and I am not being funny — every club I've ever played in three times or more.What are your feelings on dance music in America at the moment, do you feel the true underground house scene is progressing there in the right way?
No! The last empire of dance music was New York, unfortunately Chicago and Detroit would really only bare the birth of house & techno (no membership needed). I love America, but it's a mess when it comes down to dance culture.For us, we've found with touring, it's almost impossible to consider America as a whole. It's almost like each city is like a country or entire scene in itself. Like, LA feels very very different to Chicago or New York. Where do you love playing and why?
I love Atlanta because it still somewhat reminds me of the early days in a strange way, NCY, because that's where some my best lessons in club life came from, and Washington DC, because I am hoping that the politicians would come and see what it feels like to RELEASE THE TENSION. Then maybe we can do dance culture right in the US.
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Do you feel in the current climate there's a pressure to update your sound or maintain one that's quite classic? Are you still playing a lot of older records?
Well I feel pressure but only because the world makes you bigger than you are. I feel like I have nothing to prove, but I do realize that this is all a world competition as to who voice should be heard musically. Yes I do still play older recordings because If I am going to play this global game (of being a DJ), then I better have a great foundation so at least you know that I am living what I bring to the table.When you're not DJing or listening to "club music", what really inspires you at the moment? Any albums that have blown you away recently?
Lets just say all music of inspiration, and quiet time music especially, music where I don't have to think about much in the world.Back to dance music, What recent or upcoming artists are you currently feeling?
All of the ones that I am spending time with, I don't get out much.In earlier interviews you talk about a love for disco and a wide range of other music. As a producer do you ever want to fully explore those areas?
Yes! Lets just put it like this, I love cooking, music is like cooking with its many ingredients, so I hope to one day at least an album project that would express all of my feelings.Do you have much unreleased music that you keep for yourself? I know for us we probably only release 1 in every 15 tracks we make, a lot are just weird experimental jams or trying new ideas things out, but we often feel we would maybe need a different alias to put them out.
No, I am an inspired artist and much as I would have loved to make music all the day, but I can only do it as it comes. As for your many tracks, yes use a different alias to release them, this way the world wont make you a prisoner of your musical gift.
Well I feel pressure but only because the world makes you bigger than you are. I feel like I have nothing to prove, but I do realize that this is all a world competition as to who voice should be heard musically. Yes I do still play older recordings because If I am going to play this global game (of being a DJ), then I better have a great foundation so at least you know that I am living what I bring to the table.When you're not DJing or listening to "club music", what really inspires you at the moment? Any albums that have blown you away recently?
Lets just say all music of inspiration, and quiet time music especially, music where I don't have to think about much in the world.Back to dance music, What recent or upcoming artists are you currently feeling?
All of the ones that I am spending time with, I don't get out much.In earlier interviews you talk about a love for disco and a wide range of other music. As a producer do you ever want to fully explore those areas?
Yes! Lets just put it like this, I love cooking, music is like cooking with its many ingredients, so I hope to one day at least an album project that would express all of my feelings.Do you have much unreleased music that you keep for yourself? I know for us we probably only release 1 in every 15 tracks we make, a lot are just weird experimental jams or trying new ideas things out, but we often feel we would maybe need a different alias to put them out.
No, I am an inspired artist and much as I would have loved to make music all the day, but I can only do it as it comes. As for your many tracks, yes use a different alias to release them, this way the world wont make you a prisoner of your musical gift.
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When you took a break from DJing and the scene between roughly 97 and 2004 what did you get up to? What was it like taking a break? Did you miss the travel and constant new experiences or was it a breath of fresh air? Do you have any really big passions outside music like cooking?
This question is just too big for me to respond to fully, but I have always lived two worlds in my life. One that's corporate and one as an artist, so taking a break was just a part of my path, and I have so may things outside of music that I love, but cooking is the first passion. And no, I did not miss the travel.We've recently stopped playing all-vinyl due to the state of turntables in a lot of clubs, it became nearly impossible to plan sets when you'd constantly arrive and have something wrong. We've been kinda forced to move with the times, despite having a real love of vinyl and still purchasing it a lot. From a touring and overall sound point of view, it just didn't make sense anymore. Have your attitudes to vinyl changed recently?
Yes, and I have back pain to prove it — from the many of years traveling with over 200 records at a time. Listen, the bottom line is about the music, and if it sounds great and you can mix it, then I say go for it, I love the vinyl purist, but I hope the people are dancing to you as opposed to staring at you while you are playing.One positive from the whole change over for us has been that we have started playing out a lot more unreleased music and doing our own remixes and edits of songs that before we may not have played due to bits we didn't like. Do you do any edits for playing out?
My whole DJ life has been one big edit since the late 80's I prepare my music like I do food, I have to make it personal for me and the audience, otherwise if I am going to play a set where every other DJ has access, then why hire me? I preferred playing projects before they come out, and when they are released then I make my own edit of it or simply wont play it any more.Have you ever considered re-releasing the old Balance stuff digitally? I know you've spoken about not wanting to be seen to re-hash old music, that said, at the moment there is obviously a huge appetite for that sound.
I am sure that will happen, but thanks to YouTube ,Torrents and all the fans who think that they are doing you a service, why bother?Ok, last one. What's the most beautiful or touching piece of music you've ever heard?
WOW! I haven't heard it yet, I don't think.Bicep and Chez Damier play our THUMP boar party at Hideout next week. Head here for more information on the festival.Bicep are also taking over London's XOYO for thirteen Saturday nights, starting on July 4th when they'll bring New York's finest, Tim Sweeney over. Full information on their residence can be found over at the XOYO site.
This question is just too big for me to respond to fully, but I have always lived two worlds in my life. One that's corporate and one as an artist, so taking a break was just a part of my path, and I have so may things outside of music that I love, but cooking is the first passion. And no, I did not miss the travel.We've recently stopped playing all-vinyl due to the state of turntables in a lot of clubs, it became nearly impossible to plan sets when you'd constantly arrive and have something wrong. We've been kinda forced to move with the times, despite having a real love of vinyl and still purchasing it a lot. From a touring and overall sound point of view, it just didn't make sense anymore. Have your attitudes to vinyl changed recently?
Yes, and I have back pain to prove it — from the many of years traveling with over 200 records at a time. Listen, the bottom line is about the music, and if it sounds great and you can mix it, then I say go for it, I love the vinyl purist, but I hope the people are dancing to you as opposed to staring at you while you are playing.One positive from the whole change over for us has been that we have started playing out a lot more unreleased music and doing our own remixes and edits of songs that before we may not have played due to bits we didn't like. Do you do any edits for playing out?
My whole DJ life has been one big edit since the late 80's I prepare my music like I do food, I have to make it personal for me and the audience, otherwise if I am going to play a set where every other DJ has access, then why hire me? I preferred playing projects before they come out, and when they are released then I make my own edit of it or simply wont play it any more.Have you ever considered re-releasing the old Balance stuff digitally? I know you've spoken about not wanting to be seen to re-hash old music, that said, at the moment there is obviously a huge appetite for that sound.
I am sure that will happen, but thanks to YouTube ,Torrents and all the fans who think that they are doing you a service, why bother?Ok, last one. What's the most beautiful or touching piece of music you've ever heard?
WOW! I haven't heard it yet, I don't think.Bicep and Chez Damier play our THUMP boar party at Hideout next week. Head here for more information on the festival.Bicep are also taking over London's XOYO for thirteen Saturday nights, starting on July 4th when they'll bring New York's finest, Tim Sweeney over. Full information on their residence can be found over at the XOYO site.