jehst – Page 4 – UKHH.COM

Record Store Day – 5 to get

April 19, 2013 by Spoon

Record Store Day rolls around again tomorrow, that time of year indie kids go straight from the friday night club to queuing round the block in the hope of snagging the ultra limited Bowie reissue. Nowt wrong with Bowie but I wouldn’t stay up all night for a piece of vinyl.

The things of interest to readers of this site are usually choice but slim so here I give you my top 5 picks for tomorrow, should you wish to go and brave your local record store. Other than the actual music the main reason for doing this is to try and provoke your local store into stocking some hiphop. Online and mailorder stores are great but there’s nothing like seeing some ukhh in the racks! Plus if you’re a vinyl hoarder and completist like me you’ll be wanting to track these releases down anyway.

Telemachus aka Chemo interview with UKHH + Free Download

March 14, 2012 by Ghost

Next up in our Producer interview series is all round guru Chemo aka Telemachus. I started out asking Chemo the same, if not similar set of production questions that I asked Butcha, to see how they operate differently, and then, as before, we drift into the more serious stuff. I’ve also known Chemo for a number of years, although I’ve never had to defend his loudness making beats to my neighbours. I still consider him a friend and he’s done me a few favours over the years. I can also lay claim to being the first person to play one of his tracks on radio from his group Frontline, back in the days.

Chemo is a talented guy. He makes a lot of proper musical tunes alongside the straight up Hip-Hop he does for the top UK emcees. I personally don’t think Chemo gets enough credit outside of the UK Hip-Hop scene yet, but I’m sure that’ll come in time, hopefully with the release of his new album. He’s easily one of the most consistent producers and is another guy who gets his head down and gets shit done.

Like Beat Butcha, he is also a joker and to be honest I’m really pleased that I managed to get such serious interviews from them both, ‘cause for all the joking they do it shouldn’t take away from the quality of music they make.

In his most thorough interview yet, UKHH gets the scoop on his love for the term ‘Trip-Hop’ and his secret Banjo. Pop that kettle on again and settle down with the kush.

UKHH: Did anybody else in your family get involved with music?

The only family member I have who was involved in music was one of my French uncles, Francois Gerald. He was the drummer for a 1970s Lyonnais Prog Rock group called Vortex ( http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=13734 ). I had a few copies of the rare vinyl at the age of about 14, but I only discovered much later on that the album was actually very highly regarded by Prog-Rock nerds. I’m a big Prog fan, in fact most of my vinyl collection is made up of Prog artists such as Nektar, Soft Machine and King Crimson… Could be in the genes? Who knows?

UKHH: What are your earliest memories of Hip-Hop?

Alas my memory is incredibly poor, but I do remember the first or second year of secondary school having a dubbed tape of (Wu Tang Clan’s) ‘36 Chambers’. Back then I was into Jungle, but I do remember listening to all the strange slang and wild metaphors and thinking that I could get into this…

UKHH: How did you get involved in the production side of things?

Mixing Jungle with Classic FM on a Hitachi boombox was my first step at making music. Although I did record the Mr. Blobby song off the TV into my mum’s Dictaphone when I was 9…

UKHH: What was the first equipment that you got really comfortable working on?

I started off with the Akai MPC 2000, and although I rarely use an MPC nowadays, I still have a great fondness for this ugly, functionalistic grey slab of electronics!

UKHH: What is it about a sound that you’re looking for?

It has to be crispy and not a belltree. Belltrees are evil.

UKHH: What catches your eye about a record if you’re sampling?

Firstly the cover. If there is a psychedelic painting, it’s going in the bag. If there’s a man with an ostentatious moustache, then it’s also in the bag. Secondly I like to look at the instruments. If there’s a Sitar, it’s in the bag. If there’s a mellotron, it’s in the bag. If there’s a saxophone, it’s invariably not in the bag.

UKHH: Do you usually do drums first?

Invariably yes. Drums are the only reason I like making music, all the rest is just decoration.

UKHH: Do you use actual drum loops or just hits?

Absolutely love breaks. Have been known to loop them!

UKHH: What are some of your favorite drum breaks?

The Meters – Handclapping Song

Jimi Hendrix – Little Miss Lover

Booker T and the M.G’s – Working in the Coal Mine

UKHH: Do you layer drum hits?

I used to. These days I just use EQ and compression to get what I want.

UKHH: Do you compress the finished drum track?

Yes.

UKHH: Do you play any instruments?

I own lots of instruments… Oh, do I play instruments? No.

UKHH: Did you ever work with a live band?

My band att the moment is called ‘El Crisis & Thunder’. It’s a strange sound, but I would describe it as Afro-Space-Folk. http://www.kilamanjaro.co.uk/?p=86

UKHH: Are you still out there digging?

Absolutely. This week I bought Dr Alimantado, David Axelrod, Nektar, and a Cuban Drum Library educational record. I buy more for listening and inspiration, but still use mainly records for sampling.

UKHH: Tell me about something you do in production which you think is a Chemo method, like something you always do to a sound or drums?

I almost always compress the bass and kick together. And I always put a banjo solo low in the mix on the chorus.

UKHH: You must have a huge stash of beats that never came out.

Absolutely. I have loads that I dislike for various reasons, and also I have 4-5 finished projects waiting to come out. I always seem to be working 1-2 years behind what actually is coming out.

UKHH: What do you think gives you the knack for putting beats together?

Practice. 15 years of.

UKHH: What have you done with Beat Butcha? How did you guys hook up?

He’s in the basement. He was bad so I had to cage him. I gave him a MiniMoog to play with so he can see in the dark, so I think he is happy…

Nah, me and Butcha have known each other for a long time. I guess we have inspired each other over the years, even though we are on slightly different paths professionally. He is doing so well now, I am truly happy for him!

UKHH: Talk to me about the studio. It’s been the place where a lot of people have passed through and recorded. When did it all begin?

I started recording people for my own tracks in my mum’s house in Streatham, and after honing my skills and working methods for a few years, I figured out that there may be a way to actually make this into a job. I went to university to study Graphic Design which was a complete waste of time. If my children want to go to university, I will have to insist that they do a proper academic degree, not just playing with glue and crayons like I did!

After I left, I decided to make a real go at starting up a proper studio, and thus Kilamanjaro Studios http://www.kilamanjaro.co.uk was born!

UKHH: Is there a project that you’ve recorded or worked on at the studio other than your own that you’re particularly proud of?

I’m proud of most things I have done to be honest. Some of my discography is perhaps of varying quality, but it’s all a journey and I have nice memories from the majority of projects I have worked on.

UKHH: How important is it to have an understanding about the business side of the industry in order to make moves?

I’m not sure if I am well placed to answer this question as I have always shied away from making any ‘moves’. I have an understanding of how the industry works, but it depresses me to think about it.

UKHH: Tell us about your older releases.

‘The Stomach of the Mountain’ http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-stomach-of-the-mountain/id452287686 is a compilation of a selection of my favourite works for other people since ‘Squirrelz with Gunz’ http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/squirrelz-with-gunz-redux/id433863013 in 2007. I am really quite proud of it and I think it showcases my overall sound effectively.

UKHH: At the end of 2011 you dropped ‘The Adventures Of Telemachus Vol 2’, which was in lead up to the Telemachus album ‘In The Evening’. Does that mean you have a release date for us?

The short answer is no. The album is, shall we say, more than ready… But I am biding my time, and trying to preach the gospel of Telemachus in the meantime. It’ll be released via YNR http://www.ynr-productions.co.uk early 2012, with any luck.

UKHH: So what’s with Chemo and Telemachus?

Let me explain the difference between Chemo and Telemachus. Chemo is a producer who works for other people. Sometimes for money. Telemachus is an artist. A hermitic genius. He is an ego-maniac who only cares for his music and his plants.

Is that clearer now?

UKHH: The album has been a long time coming, what do you hope it does for you that you’ve not already achieved?

I just hope that it is well received. Some nice reviews perhaps. I don’t think I have ever had a, what I would call ‘proper’ review. Something where the reviewer really takes time to listen, analyze and interpret the music, so that would be great.

UKHH: Talk us through the album from your perspective.

A bit of rapping, a bit of singing, and loads of atmosphere. Over half the album is instrumental only, more similar to ‘Ferndale Rd’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-UimPNehyk than the vocal tracks really…

UKHH: What’s next for Telemachus after this release?

I have already finished up the album that I made in Morocco, which is purely instrumental – a combination of sampled sounds, live instruments and atmospheres from my 2 months surf trip at the end of 2011. Anyone with even a passing interest in unusual, international music and rhythm should find it intriguing at the very least.

Aside from that, I am working on new projects all the time, both as a solo artist, and in collaboration with vocalists/musicians. Stylistically there is now a focus on what I hate to categorize as down-tempo, organic electronica or ‘Trip-Hop’ even though I vigorously dislike the term. Trying to describe your own music is so pompous and ridiculous. Fiddlesticks!

UKHH: What keeps you motivated?

Travel and collaboration.

`[soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/ukhh-com/chemo-white-noize-ft-kyza[/soundcloud]`

http://soundcloud.com/ukhh-com/chemo-white-noize-ft-kyza

http://www.kilamanjaro.co.uk/

http://www.youtube.com/kilamanjaro

http://twitter.com/chemouk

Jehst – Dragon Of An Ordinary Family (YNR)

July 11, 2011 by dylan

Jehst – Dragon Of An Ordinary Family – YNR Productions – June 2011

A decade has past since The High Plains Drifter walked in the saloon in 2001, although other offerings have been brought to the table nothing has been as greatly anticipated.

For what seems like an eternity Jehst has been quiet in the foreground of the UK Hip-hop scene. With few solo releases himself, much of his time and efforts seem to have gone into keeping his label YNR stocked consistently with high quality products from an ever expanding roster of UK artist’s. Due to endless promotion and touring of labels mates projects, its no wonder heads were apprehensive about when “Dragon of an Ordinary Family” was finally going to drop. Read More

Jehst album details

May 5, 2011 by Spoon

More information is finally available on the long anticipated new album from Jehst…

The drifter returns! After a brief hiatus one UK’s finest lyricists, Jehst is set to release his fourth full length album “The Dragon Of An Ordinary Family” this June.

The Making of Jehst Premonitions EP: An Interview with Evil Ed

March 11, 2011 by Postie

The time has come to get my Wax Poetics on and get deep behind the history of what was a massively important record in the development of my (and many other heads of my age) love affair with UK Hip Hop.

It was 1999, I was 18, at college, permanently plugged into my Walkman and trying to find out as much as I could about the UK Hip Hop scene. I would read HHC every month and scour the reviews section to figure out which UK releases I would buy the next time I had enough cash to catch the train to London and do the rounds at Deal Real and Mr Bongo.

Some Old School heads might dismiss this era as occurring after the magic had passed but for those of us that were only just starting to pay our dues I can assure you it felt pretty magical then. To say that Premonitions blew me and my mates away was an understatement. It became the record we all used as the example to non-believers that UK hip hop could be poetry. It was one of those records that felt special because it was so fucking good but so few people seemed to have heard of it – those who had it were part of a privileged club – and to say we rinsed it at our two-turntables-and-and-a-stack-of-wax music-discovery nights would be an understatement. For this reason it gave me great pleasure to be able to share this interview I recently conducted with Evil Ed who produced three tracks on Premonitions and was a major figure in many more of the early YNR releases.

Postie: Give us a brief history of your early involvement in hip hop, what was it that got you into the music and how did you progress from being a fan to actually producing and putting out records?

Evil Ed: I started listening to Hip Hop back in 1984 when some kids at school had tapes like the Street Sounds ‘Electro’ albums and Tommy Boy’s Greatest Beats. I started buying the UK pressings from places like Woolworths and Virgin like ‘Roxanne Roxanne’ and ‘The Message’, ‘Planet Rock’, ‘Boogie Down Bronx’ them kinda tunes. I was into the whole scene, breaking, graf and all that, but I got into DJing mainly, I was the only kid in my town I knew who had decks (belt drives with no pitch control!) and was a Hip Hop addict from day one.

In 1985 I met up with Silver Bullet, he lived a few doors down with a kid I knew from youth club and we started hanging out and making trips over to Luton to buy import 12”s and albums. Being in that shop around all these older, knowledgeable heads really influenced me even though I could only buy one record every month or something. We went to UK Fresh ‘86 and saw legends like Steady B, Just-Ice, Mantronix and DJ Cheese when they were at their peak. We got round the back afterwards and were there with people like Bambaata, Dr Dre, all these legends, it was crazy. Having that experience and being around that aged 13, I wanted to be a part of the culture, it just appealed to me more than anything else in life!

I didn’t have a clue about production back then, it was more about mixing. I attempted to MC too and I was on Radio London on Dave Pearce’s show once, but it was probably cringe worthy even back then. I tried to MC until around 1993 then knocked it on the head because I wasn’t very good and I wanted to get into production and DJing more. I was listening to producers like Muggs, Beatnuts, Pete Rock, Beat Miners, those were my inspiration back then, and of course the UK, London Posse, Caveman, Demon Boyz, Mello etc. their beats, but I didn’t have any music gear so I just did loops and stuff.

I had a record out in 1993 as one half of Hidden Identity. It was mainly just loops off other records and me doing cuts with the MC on vocals. I kinda produced one track on it which I’d call my first real production. We got huge support from 279 on Choice and Max & Dave on Kiss and probably thought we were rap stars or something. We were going to do a follow up, but it never came together, ‘creative differences’ (yeah, right!) and all that! It wasn’t until 1997 that I got my s950 and started learning how to chop up samples and construct beats properly. This was when I moved to Huddersfield.

Postie: At what point did you hook up with Jehst and how did that come about?

Ed: I met Jehst around 1998 although I’d seen him MC a couple of years before in Manchester. He came on stage and I thought he was some live-wire kid with skills, he really left an impression. I then bumped into him in ‘98 in 4th Wave Records in Huddersfield. I was playing a demo tape I’d done with some MC’s and we got chatting and he remembered me from the HID record. Jehst came round mine and we recorded some freestyles and stuff over some of the beats I’d been working on. He was in the process of making Premonitions and got me involved with some production and cuts for it. I met the rest of the YNR crew at the various recording sessions for the EP in Leeds, Tommy Evans, Nmonic, Asaviour, Taharka, Usmaan, Nexus 6.

At that time I had the chance to do a tune with some of my heroes of UK rap, Gunshot, for Disorda’s UK Hustlas mixtape. It was a last minute thing, but I persuaded Jehst to come with me, I told him they’d let him on the track once they heard him. He nearly never came, he came to Leeds bus station and nearly never got on the National Express with me, but by some fluke there was a spare seat and he came with me. Gunshot let him spit on the track and I remember we were sitting in White Child Rix’s lounge playing them ‘Premonitions’ on tape. These were legends to us – proper rap heroes!

Jehst came round mine and we recorded some freestyles and stuff over some of the beats I’d been working on. He was in the process of making Premonitions and got me involved with some production and cuts for it.

The beat for the Gunshot track, ‘Firepower’ never got mixed properly due to White Child Rix’s girl and her parents coming home and we to cut the session short, which was shame, I always was gutted about that, but they said to us they had these MC’s called Task Force who they wanted to get on the track too. I’d heard of them and Jehst had too I think, but that hook up lead to me and Jehst recording with them, me for ‘The Tournament’ and Jehst for whatever he recorded with them (even though we weren’t there when they recorded the vocals for ‘Firepower’).

Postie: What was the creative process behind the beats you did for Premonitions, what equipment were you using, what were the samples used for your tracks on Premonitions and how do you personally go about the process of building a beat?

Ed: The creative process? Probably the same as I’ve always done, hook up some drums, find a dope loop, and then fill it around that. I would do a few variations on the drum pattern, put in some extra sounds and stuff – all very simplistic. I have used the Akai s950 for every beat I have made from Premonitions onwards. I put all the samples through a Makie mixing desk with some compression on the drums and bass, a little reverb and EQ the hell out of stuff on the desk. I don’t know where the ‘Liquid Diction’ sample was from. ‘Deadly Combination’ came from Star Wars soundtrack (the Jawa theme music) and ‘India’ came from some Bollywood soundtrack I found for £1 in a charity shop.

Postie: It says on the sleeve that Premonitions was recorded and mixed at pleasure-based studios in Leeds. Was this a professional recording studio or a homemade jobbie? Were you involved in the studio sessions and what was it like?

Ed: It was a professional studio and cost Jehst quite a bit of cash I think. This pressure of paying for time resulted in some stress, especially if MC’s were taking forever to record their verses. The thing is, we didn’t mix the tracks properly, maybe I didn’t even have the Mackie desk then, I don’t remember, maybe not because we just came out of the main output of the 950 and of Jehst’s sampler and did it like that.
It could have been mixed a lot better, a 100 times better, but we were still learning then! I was there for most of the sessions.

Jehst Interview

December 8, 2007 by ukhh

When he’s not drifting across high plains or riding in buses full of Menghi wearing his nuke proof suit, the man some call Billy Brimstone finds time to make the odd tune or two too. Madrox got some small nuggets of info in a rare bit of J-Star downtime…So what has Jehst been up to?

Alrighty then, obviously your somewhat of a ledge in the UK scene, and without meaning to sound like a kiss-ass, a personal hero of mine, but for the purposes of kicking this off – would you state your name, where you come from, and what you’re about?

My name is Jehst, I come from Planet Earth and I’m all about the Benjamin’s baby! Ha Ha!

The Menghi Bus mixtape came out not so long ago now and having heard it I can say its definitely top shelf, so…what the hell is a Menghi? And how do you feel the mixtape turned out as a whole?

Menghi is a state of mind. Yeah, I’m real happy with the mixtape, big, big shout outs to IQ for the long smoky sessions spent putting it together with me, and everybody who contributed – Thank you!

What’s the deal with you and LG at the moment? Can we be expecting more link ups from you two in the future? And Where’s IQ?

Me and LG have still got a bunch of material from when we had a studio together and a bunch of new joints too so you can definitely expect to hear his trademark sound on the album. He’s been doing some shows with me too to promote LG presents…The Mission/What Would Happen? – but that’s not a permanent arrangement. IQ’s in the lab working hard on The A-Loop Theory album with Asaviour, and a project called Mama Said which is gonna be dope.

There’s rumours of a lot of shelved material over at the YNR camp, are you looking to make sure it all gets out there eventually or are you just going to leave it as it is? Or, are the rumours wrong?

Yeah, we’ve got a lot of work in progress. Making tracks is easy but finishing albums is hard if you don’t have a factory process. When me and LG left the old studio that really set us back by a year ‘cause even though there’s material you’ve got to start all over again in terms of getting physically set up. Plus it’s then a mental battle to find enthusiasm for the unfinished material ‘cause creatively you’ve moved on. I’m pulling it all together now though so you can expect 2008 to be a big year for YNR.

“… I’m real positive right now and totally focused on the future so, you know, I’m not gonna dwell on the negative …”

I’m assuming with the mixtape out there that you no doubt have some new material on the way for us very soon, hopefully a full LP, Would you care to give away any juicy info? Guest artists? Beat makers? Track concepts?

My new album’s called ‘The Dragon Of An Ordinary Family’ and I’ve taken a back seat on the production. You can expect to hear beats from LG and Beat Butcha among others. I don’t wanna say too much just yet but it’s definitely got some flames on there.

Without meaning to ruffle any feathers, you did a video interview recently for a Leeds based hip-hop site recently, and you mentioned a certain someone from around that area who is affectively halting the progression of certain individuals link ups in the scene. Now, I’m pretty sure most of us know who it is, but would you care to elaborate any further on that point?

Not really. Somebody said to me recently that it’s not really my style to start ranting and raving about internal affairs and that really hit home so I’m keeping schtum right now. I’m real positive right now and totally focused on the future so, you know, I’m not gonna dwell on the negative.

I’m not ashamed to admit that you were the first British MC I heard and was truly blown away by, you definitely helped in my decision to make music and feel confident about being British and rapping. Who did that for you? If anyone…

A combination of all the dudes I grew up listening too and the dudes around me that I knew had talent. When I was young Blade, The Brotherhood, Gunshot, Kaliphz – they all showed me love by sneaking me into their shows so I got a big head start from those experiences and gained confidence, especially when Kaliphz used to let me get on the mic. In fact, I swear one of those guys passed me in the street in Brockley the other day! I should make a documentary tracking down some of those UK cats. When I was in Australia dudes were asking me about Gutter Snypes! We’ve got so much history here, it’s criminal that everyone seems to have forgotten.

I think it’s fair to say a lot of MC’s in the UK scene tend to have a very similar flow and feel to their music as you, you appear to be highly influential, how does that make you feel? Flattered or annoyed?

I’m flattered really. Sometimes my influence and contribution is not recognized but I’m confident that time will tell. Plus I’m always developing and changing musically so I’m always one step ahead of the biters!

Many fans have noticed a definite change in direction in your lyrical content and overall style…was this a conscious decision? or just natural evolution? Do you ever feel like returning to the deeper, darker J-Star of past?

I think some of my darkest stuff is on Nuke Proof Suit – Vice City, Ape Shit, Pepperspray. Deeper? The deepest stuff is probably on Falling Down! I just do what I do really. It’s hard for me to see myself from an outside perspective, especially as I’m always 12-18 months ahead of the public – I’ve got material that’s old to me that you guys haven’t even heard yet!

“… I’m always developing and changing musically so I’m always one step ahead of the biters! …”

You’re stuck on a desert island, no Nuke Proof Suit, No Menghi Bus, No nothing except for a CD player (that magically runs without electricity) and 3 CD’s of your choice to while away the time till a boat comes and rescues you…what are the 3 CD’s?

3? That’s too hard! I’m sure they get more than that on Desert Island Discs! They even get a luxury item! That would have to be an MPC. In that case the 3 CD’s would have to be packed full of short samples and sounds so I could make beats from them!

Which of your own material do you feel most pleased with? Most artists immediately point to there latest stuff but do you ever listen back to old tunes and go…”Damn that was good”?

I think it’s all good but I don’t really listen to my own stuff other than what I’m working on at the time. The music is for me while I’m making it but once it comes out, then it’s for everybody else.

A few people still feel somewhat left in the dark about the Lewis Parker situation, would you care to elaborate anymore on that? Or just forget about it altogether?

People feel left in the dark? Damn, Hip Hop really is fucked up nowadays! The celebrity culture we live where everybody gets there 15 minutes of fame has got people treating artists like public property, like they’re owed some kind of insight into our personal lives. That’s why I don’t ever, ever go on forums – ’cause it’s just dickheads gossiping about people they don’t know! Save that shit for Hello! Magazine!”

Do you still feel the hunger for making music like you did when you first started as MC?

I’m as hungry as ever ‘cause I probably get less creative time now than ever before.

Is there anybody who’s not so well recognised out there right now that you’ve got your eye on? Any tips for the who we should be looking out for?

You need to be looking out for Jyager and T-Bear, but also I feel that there’s so many sick dudes already out there like Cappo and Kashmere for example who just aren’t getting the love they deserve – Stop sleeping people.

“… I’m pulling it all together now though so you can expect 2008 to be a big year for YNR …”

We’ve recently had a huge debate/argument/free-for-all on the site where Chester P came out announcing his utter dislike and annoyance at various distro companies, a few people in particular and the HHC magazine as a whole…he seems to believe corruption is rife in the UK scene, How do you feel about it?

I haven’t read Chesters blog so it’s not really for me to comment. Corruption is not really the word I would use, but the whole industry side of things is completely fucked up, there’s no doubt about that. The fact is that if people like me and Taskforce were making indie music, with the following we have we’d have been snapped up by majors and handed a fat cheque but Hip Hop has been absorbed into Urban and the whole thing’s a mess business wise because there’s still no tried and tested blueprint for investors to get behind. We’re still viewed as a novelty and a risk, and that’s even within our own scene. There’s so many people involved in this music that really don’t believe in it. Well, why are you doing it then?! For the love? You can make music for the love but you can’t take that attitude towards running a business. Lead, follow or get the fuck out of the way!

What do you do in your free time in-between shows/recording, etc, etc?

Free time? What’s that?! If I get any time to myself I try to read, listen to music, watch movies, just chill with my girl really.

Ok, Lastly then, I wanna thank you very much for your time and would you like to add any shout outs or thank yous to anyone?

Thank you to the fans who keep buying (yes, that’s right, BUYING) my music and coming to the shows. If you don’t want me to make any more music then just keep burning my shit. Oh, and death to the scum who upload our shit and leak it before it comes out – you SHALL burn in hell, oh yes!! Peace.

Lots of good stuff on its way then, hopefully he answered peoples questions too. Thanks to the ukhh.com forum for putting forward said questions and Jehst himself for taking time out to answer. Cheers for reading

– Madrox

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