Rhythmism.comQ&A with JOHN TEJADA (Saturday, Oct. 21st @ Sullivan Room)
by sleepy&boo
Tuesday, Oct 17th 2006, 09:20 PM
John Tejada's newest album finds its inspiration in the past, specifically in the first wave of early 1990's techno and electronic music that inspired so many of today's artists, DJs and producers. "Cleaning Sounds is a Filthy Business" (released on John's label Palette Recordings) is the album's title, and with it, John has delivered a record that captures, for him, some of the energy, excitement and fascination of discovering a new musical world and language.
John returns to New York City on Saturday, October 21st, to play at the Sullivan Room for Basic NYC. This event will be an album release party for the LP, and another chance to hear one of dance music's most compelling artists at work in the DJ booth.
Talk about your vision behind your new album. How did it start coming together?
I wanted the album to have a theme of new ideas and some nostalgia about when Arian and I first began making dance music in 1991 and the sounds that made us so excited about the genre.
Do you have any favorite tracks on the LP?
I go back and fourth between tracks as favorites. It changes day to day.
What's the story with the album title – "Cleaning Sounds is a Filthy Business"?
Like most of my titles, it can be interpreted a few different ways. There is the studio side of working for a long time to finally get the sounds I want, or there is the touring side or business side which at times feels like a filthy business to me.
With the tracks that are included on the album, did you set out to produce them specifically as "album tracks" or did you start to notice similar strands between them?
My intention was to work on an album from start to finish.
You set out on the road doing live PAs this Spring and Summer. How did that go? Are you planning to feature more of your live sets in the future?
Those live PAs were done with Justin Maxwell. They were loads of fun. We only brought hardware and played without computers. It was a really fun trip. Doing a set the way we did it is a bit hard to do solo. I'm not sure how I feel about my laptop live sets so it will be some time before I think of what to do for a solo live PA.
Some of what we've read about the new album says that you were trying to capture an earlier time of fascination with dance music. What was it about dance music that first got you hooked?
Just the sounds and rhythms and melodies. It just sounded like fun. I think I always try to preserve some of that in my music.
John at the Sullivan Room for Basic NYC, April 2006
What are some of those early tracks or memories that you really remember as moments where you felt a deep connection?
There were too many to mention. I just remember around 91-92 being really excited by many new sounds that were coming out.
What are some other projects you're working on beyond the album and its release? Remixes, etc.?
I'm starting to write some new things with no real ideas or plan yet. I'm also about to get back in the studio with Arian Leviste, and hopefully me and Justin [Maxwell] will have a new project soon.
"The End of It All" (click here for a sound clip) definitely reached a pretty broad audience this summer. Are you at all surprised by how well the track did? Any thoughts on why it captured so many people's attention?
I felt it was a special track when I made it. It was the kind of thing where I was really happy with it and didn't care if everyone would hate it. I was happy it did well, but how it branched out so far is still a bit of a mystery for me because it wasn't one of the highest Palette Recordings sellers. Most everything else I did for the past two years or so have sold more than this track. Maybe it was heavy DJ support? I'm not sure. I thought with the response it would have sold more than the others. So I'm a bit confused I guess. Regardless I am very happy with the success of the song.
Finally, do you have a current top 10 of tracks you've been feeling?
I decided a few years ago that I didn't like the idea of charts. So I never do them.
JOHN TEJADA @ SULLIVAN ROOM
SATURDAY OCTOBER 21ST
John returns to New York City on Saturday, October 21st, to play at the Sullivan Room for Basic NYC. This event will be an album release party for the LP, and another chance to hear one of dance music's most compelling artists at work in the DJ booth.
Talk about your vision behind your new album. How did it start coming together?
I wanted the album to have a theme of new ideas and some nostalgia about when Arian and I first began making dance music in 1991 and the sounds that made us so excited about the genre.
Do you have any favorite tracks on the LP?
I go back and fourth between tracks as favorites. It changes day to day.
What's the story with the album title – "Cleaning Sounds is a Filthy Business"?
Like most of my titles, it can be interpreted a few different ways. There is the studio side of working for a long time to finally get the sounds I want, or there is the touring side or business side which at times feels like a filthy business to me.
With the tracks that are included on the album, did you set out to produce them specifically as "album tracks" or did you start to notice similar strands between them?
My intention was to work on an album from start to finish.
You set out on the road doing live PAs this Spring and Summer. How did that go? Are you planning to feature more of your live sets in the future?
Those live PAs were done with Justin Maxwell. They were loads of fun. We only brought hardware and played without computers. It was a really fun trip. Doing a set the way we did it is a bit hard to do solo. I'm not sure how I feel about my laptop live sets so it will be some time before I think of what to do for a solo live PA.
Some of what we've read about the new album says that you were trying to capture an earlier time of fascination with dance music. What was it about dance music that first got you hooked?
Just the sounds and rhythms and melodies. It just sounded like fun. I think I always try to preserve some of that in my music.
John at the Sullivan Room for Basic NYC, April 2006
What are some of those early tracks or memories that you really remember as moments where you felt a deep connection?
There were too many to mention. I just remember around 91-92 being really excited by many new sounds that were coming out.
What are some other projects you're working on beyond the album and its release? Remixes, etc.?
I'm starting to write some new things with no real ideas or plan yet. I'm also about to get back in the studio with Arian Leviste, and hopefully me and Justin [Maxwell] will have a new project soon.
"The End of It All" (click here for a sound clip) definitely reached a pretty broad audience this summer. Are you at all surprised by how well the track did? Any thoughts on why it captured so many people's attention?
I felt it was a special track when I made it. It was the kind of thing where I was really happy with it and didn't care if everyone would hate it. I was happy it did well, but how it branched out so far is still a bit of a mystery for me because it wasn't one of the highest Palette Recordings sellers. Most everything else I did for the past two years or so have sold more than this track. Maybe it was heavy DJ support? I'm not sure. I thought with the response it would have sold more than the others. So I'm a bit confused I guess. Regardless I am very happy with the success of the song.
Finally, do you have a current top 10 of tracks you've been feeling?
I decided a few years ago that I didn't like the idea of charts. So I never do them.
JOHN TEJADA @ SULLIVAN ROOM
SATURDAY OCTOBER 21ST
