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Issue 37 / MAR-APR 2012 JOHN B With a new album in the pipeline, this pioneer of eccentric electro-D&B took some time out to talk to us about music, style, hobbies and his plans for 2012. Lady V Your new album Light Speed came out on Monday 6th of February. Can you tell us something more about that? It's my new album, and it's awesome. My last one came out in 2006. It was called Electro Step. That had a very electro sound. I was just exploring, taking D&B in an 80's electro direction. This time it's more trance with progres- sive influences… uplifting D&B with lots of guest vocalists. I'm pretty happy with it. Are you excited that it's finally out after the hard work? I think once I'm finished with the promo and everything, then I will be able to relax and feel a bit more excited about it. But right now I have this huge list of tasks I still have to do. Once I've done everything I can do and it's out there floating in the music ether, then I will be able to take break. The first single of the album, Robot Lover, was released early, right? Yeah, Robot Lover came out earlier on Beatport. I gave them a couple of ex- clusive weeks, but it's out everywhere now. I don't think it's the strongest single on the album, but the main one is called Light Speed, the same title as the album. I thought putting Robot Lover out there first was a good way to warm people up. If you had to choose, which is your favourite single from the album? Probably Light Speed. It's one that I've put the most into, and it's the one I've had remixed the most. The track is in the studio right now. I am trying to do a pop version for the charts. It is a really good song with a lot of potential. I just want to have a remix of it for different subgenres in R&B and dance music. I want to give it the best chance pos- sible… to really get it out there for the masses. Tell us about the 'Red Sky' connec- tion and Nicki Minaj. Do you like what she's done with the song? Even if I don't, it doesn't really matter, does it? I'm just really pleased that it got used on an album that has done so well. You are quite an eccentric dresser in the D&B scene. Let's talk style. I guess electro taught me that it's cool to dress up like you're in the 80's, and that guys can wear makeup without being gay. I think DJs run the risk of looking pretty boring and unimpressed. I didn't want to be like that. I wanted to show that I am into music and put more effort into the idea… to be visual as well than just musical. It's fun dressing up. It's just getting involved in the party in the way that the people who go to your party do. It's a fun way of standing out, doing something a bit extra. We have seen twitter pics with some of your amazing dishes. Are you some kind of secret chef on side? I'm just interested in cooking lately. I'm not really good, but I try new things all the time, and whenever I make some- thing nice and I'm proud of it, I want to show it to people. It is easy to make a blog, so I just made a blog and called it Cooking with John B.com. I noticed that other D&B people are also into it, so I hope I can make some kind of col- laborative thing out of it. For example, Ed Rush is amazing. I remember him telling me how he makes his own pasta and dries it all over his house. He is definitely into the cooking. What else do you have planned for 2012? Most of the tracks on the album are good enough to be singles, and I have already had loads of remixes done. I'm going to be pushing the album for a long time, and I'll support that with a steady stream of singles with lots of interesting remixes. That's all, produc- tion wise. So it will be quite a busy year then. Yes, I hope so. It should always be, shouldn't it? Who else do you listen to? When I'm home I listen to classical mu- sic a lot, and ambient stuff. I can't really listen the kind of D&B I play at home. I hear it too much at work. I might listen to old school mixes. Basically, I listen to everything but D&B recreationally. If you could choose only one album, one collection, one musical piece to listen to until end of your days, what would you choose? Probably Beethoven's ninth. There is always some different level you can hear in the classical music. Burger, burito or BLT? BLT Drums or bass? Drums Booties or boobs. Favourite pair? Booties. But I don't go calling names because I might offend somebody. What does the B in your name stand for? Bryn is my middle name. It means hill in Welsh. That was all I knew. When I was in university, I used to put D&B nights on with New Tone and my friends Colin and Simon. We had one big one - I think it was around my 21st birthday – and my dad came all the way up and stayed all night. I had never told any of my friends what the B stood for. I just joked 'bad boy, bad boy'. My dad got drunk and admitted to my friends that I was conceived on the hill in Wales. Not only did he give up my middle name, he also embarrassed me a bit. Can you tell us something that you never told to anyone before, a Guestlist Network exclusive? I like Flock of Seagulls. Thank you so much John B, it was a pleasure. Catch Benga on tour through out March/ April. For more info go to www.benga.co.uk DnB / DUBSTEP / BREAKS 39 www.guestlist.net "Electro taught me that it's cool to dress up like you're in the 80's, and that guys can wear makeup without being gay."