Mixtape for Friends

With such an amazing response to the questions we put forward to the legendary Jimmy Van M, we thought we'd leave the transcribing for another day and give you this raw, unedited and *cough* uncensored version of things he's up to.

After 15 years of being influential in the industry you have been a huge influence in American Dance culture. Can you describe the changes the scene has been through and where you feel that it's going?
Its tough to say, seems like different markets peak at different times, I do believe the scene is steady now.

Balance 10.1 is out October 15. What were some things that you looked out for in tracks?
Balance 10 was three discs, Balance 10.1 is one disc. '10.1' is more like a club set, builder into driving grooves…

You set up Balance (now TCA) booking agency, making way for changes in the US dance scene. What made you decide to get involved in event management?
Fell into it really, wasn’t planned out.

What are the some of the things that you look out for in acts?
That’s hard to say, originality is very important.

Any upcoming artists you can recommend to us?
Lutzenkirchen

You've performed around the world to crowds exceeding 55,000 in Creamfields Russia and Buenos Aires. Can you describe to us what that's like for you as a DJ?
The stage that I played on was from 5k – 8k people which was fantastic, both festivals were a great experience, great buzz to see so many people in once place listening to electronic music.

What are some of your personal highlights on tour?
Just played nocturnal in LA, 20,000 people, Chemical Brothers, Carl Cox and more… downtown LA def a cool vibe

You're known for charismatic early morning sessions to driving peak hour main-room banging sets. Is it hard to be this diverse and versatile in styles?
Not really, comes pretty natural for me, not something I work on…

Do you lean towards a particular genre of music than the other?
Not really.

You're coming out to Australia for the balance 10.1 launch. What can we expect to hear from your live sets?
Similar to whats on the album, looking forward to it!

We feel complete as well, readers.

Last week I spoke with Mousse T, for more Summadayze promo:

Interview with Mousse T 07.12.06

Good Evening Mousse T! How are you?
Good Morning, I'm very good, I mean good morning for you, but it's actually the middle of the night for me and I'm in the studio working like a maniac!

Your worldwide smash single, Horny was first released in '98. Upon hearing a bootleg mash-up this year with the Dandy Warhol's titled Horny as a Dandy you made it legal, again achieving worldwide success. How do you feel about the combination?
The only version that we have so far is the version I did. The mash-up was basically one some friends did with the acapella of mine and the instrumental from the Dandy Warhol's. Nothing too complicated, but I'm happy.

'All Nite Madness' is the title of your new album. And on the track listing I see there's one a song called Music Makes Me Fly in which you're accompanied by Aussie singer/songwriter Amiel. How did you come across her?
The company which marketed my album in Germany, Ministry of Sound, released Amiel's record over here too. And at one point I was sitting in their office when I heard this song playing next door. I was compelled to find out more about the song and the person who sang it. Coincidentally, she came over to Germany at that time to do some promo, so we met up, got on really well, and decided to go into the studio and make some music. We sung, wrote and made a track in a couple of hours. It was great fun.

We've been informed that you've taken on remixing the Boney M classic Sunny. What made you decide to re-do it after fellow German producers, the Boogie Pimps, had done it before? For many of us who haven't heard it yet, can you tell us how it's different to the Boogie Pimps version of Sunny from '03?
Yeah definitely. I mean, first of all, the difference compared to all the other versions that I've made is that this is an official remix. This is because, Frank Farian, the original producer of Boney M, contacted me and asked if I would like to remix Sunny and I was like "wow, that's one of my all-time favorites. I basically grew up with that song.” And since they're doing a Boney M musical right now, you know they want to re-release that song, I was like, "I'm more than happy to do that if you deliver the original tapes of that song". He said "Yeah, I have everything", and basically did two versions. One version is pretty close to the original, but with that Gnarls Barkley vibe: a bit down-tempo, but really groovy. And the other version is a classic, disco version, more in a 70's mold. So, two version, and when I come over to Australia, I'm gonna drop them both in clubs.

We also understand you've been getting involved in rapper Warren G's comeback, as he was recently signed on the same label, Peppermint Jam Records which you head. How did that come about and is it a new direction for Warren G? What can we expect to hear from his first release in four years?
Yeah, Warren G is basically signed for all of Europe, apart from England, on my label, Peppermint Jam. And since I'm a big music lover, and a big fan, we decided to work on his album as for us there are no musical boundaries. Peppermint Jam, may be known mainly as a house music label, but sometimes we come up with cool pop records, or even hip-hop, or soul, funk, whatever. With Warren G, I really liked that record, so we said "Alright, let's do it for our territory and get some cool mixes, and add some Peppermint Jam flavour.”

You were quoted in a '93 interview that you felt Germany was over renowned for techno and you wanted to bring a mixture of sounds, which inspired you to create your widely respected album 'Gourmet de Funk'. Do you feel the dance music scene in Germany has changed?
Definitely. Germany basically has always been a good market for music. Of course, the main reason for us to found Peppermint Jam in those days, was because we were house music lovers, especially vocal house and garage. Around '93, techno was big in Germany, so we said "we need to do something else" which became Peppermint Jam. It was only a small label, but we kept on going, and the label kept growing.

But to be honest, I was very narrow minded at the time. Because techno was huge at the time it didn't mean that the rest of the people listening to music in Germany were only into techno. Of course, Germany is a market, like everywhere else. Like England, Australia, whatever. So, people are very open for music. Especially for groovy sounding stuff. And I would say that this has changed to the extent that like everywhere else, people in Germany are more open to any sort of music. I think it's the same in Australia and everywhere else. But, yeah I'm happy. People are basically more open to music.

How do you feel about the Pop Idol format with Australian Idols team, 'The Young Divas' covering your song Right About Now? Do you feel it still preserves the energy you wished to bring out in writing the song in terms of them being from a very manufactured format?
If somebody covers my songs, it's like a compliment to me. Basically, it's an acknowledgment of me writing a cool song or whatever. So I'm pretty happy about that. To be honest, I would never compare it to the original because it is THEIR version, and it stands for them. I think the performance is quite decent, it's quite cool. But of course, the original is the best.

You speak about a musical formula only working with a high level of chemistry and unmistakable style, which you've attributed to your successes working with vocalists such as Inaya Day and Emma Lanford who you call your "muse". Name one person you haven't worked with yet, but you think you would have sizzling chemistry with?
That's a tough question, Since I'm a big fan of good music, and good musicians, I would loved to have work with so many people. But I've kinda discovered within the last couple of years, that my strengths are basically surprising even myself, not to mention others. By this I mean working well with artists that people think would never have combined well with my music. So, for that question, I'd have to answer, maybe I would like to work with Bjork, or Pavarotti, or Brian Johnson from ACDC.

You're helping us bring in the New Year, playing at Summadayze. What are you most looking forward to on your trip, and is there anything we can expect to see during your live sets?
I mean basically, my main profession is basically being the music producer, but I'm DJing for like almost 20 years now.And what I like about DJing is of course that I'm getting a lot of records that other people don't have, or special stuff, or new things that I've just finished in the studio. Currently there are a couple of secret weapons in my CD case. I'm a great dancer; so BEWARE for some crazy dude on the dance floor. And of course if there's some keyboard or piano close to the DJ booth, you know I'm gonna get crazy on it!

Is there anybody you're particularly wanting to meet or see play while down here in Australia?
Oh to be honest, there's really a lot of people but nobody specific. I've got a lot of friends over there and basically I kinda trust them to show me the cool bands, the cool DJs, the cool clubs. So I'm kinda going to be dependent on them. I just want to get a little crazy in Aussie Heaven when I'm over there.

Lastly, I hear there are remixes coming out that you're doing for Bob Sinclar and Martin Solveig. What other surprises of yours can we be looking forward to?
Just like you mentioned, I want to get little bit back to the underground, which means remixing a lot of club stuff. But, of course I'm working on my next album and I just don't know what else yet. I just want to carry on with what I'm doing, like producing, remixing, DJing, and being an artist. And hopefully, fingers crossed, middle of next year should present you guys with a new album.

http://www.tranzfusion.com/Articles/shownews.asp?newsid=6091

Last week I spoke with Judge Jules upon his upcoming trip here for Summadayze, for Tranzfusion.Net. With only less than 2 hours to prepare, I scoured loads of past interviews, bio writeups as well as Judge Jule's official website, to see what the dealio was... He has the most listened dance radio show in the world. He is a club dj, radio dj, music journalist, producer, singer/songwriter, backing vocalist, reality star and jetsetting-young dad to list a few things...

Kevin and Perry Go Large (Movie)

Interview with Judge Jules 20.11.06 1

Judge Jules

Hey Judge Jules! This summer is going to be a scorcher!! Do you think you'll cope with our Aussie summer heat?
Uh, yeah, I've been spending the whole summer in Ibiza, where I own a house, I'm kinda used to the summer. I mean, obviously the one thing about Aussie Summer is that the sun is really deadly, sorta UV wise, even if it's rainy and some. Apart from that, I'm looking forward to it no end!

What do you think will be the vital essentials for surviving this summer's dance music festivals?
Basically, I've been to Australia lots of times, it's the first time I've done Aussie festivals, but I can give some really tender advice relating to the UK where I do probably 10-15 festivals every summer. And, main thing is pacing yourself; Try to work out which DJs and acts you're going to see in advance; and having a bit of an itinerary - so a bit of homework and a little planning. Just remember, don't overdo it, just pace it steady.

I believe your latest album "Proven Worldwide" came out in the US first, was because it was signed there first, but were you quite proactive as well in terms of trying to break into the US market which traditional UK DJs and bands have had trouble doing?
The problem for me is that I'm on the radio on Radio1 in the UK, or globally really because you can access it globally, every Saturday night. It's something I never take lightly; jointly with Pete Tong I've got the most listened to dance radio show in the world. And I can only be away for a finite time. I�m away and pre-recorded probably about 10 or 12 times a year on long haul trips and then on more occasions I�m on European trips. That ultimately prevents me from going to the US as much as would be necessary to properly promote the album. So I put it out a bit earlier there, but unfortunately wasn't in the position to promote is as much as would have been ideal.

I understand the album title, 'Proven Worldwide', refers to the fact that of
all the tracks that you've created and trialed on dance floors over the last few years these were the ones you were happiest with and that were embraced throughout the globe. Is this correct?
This is exactly right. The studio is my day job, I mean today, here in the UK now, it's 10am in the morning. When I finish the interviews I'm doing over the next hour, I'm going to go into the studio, and continue the conveyor belt of making tracks. Some of which, I might play out for a month or so, and then really don't go any further with. But then there are those tracks that seem to work wherever I play them, over a prolonged period of time, regardless of where they're played across the globe. Those I'll be sticking with. And that's really the long and short of it for the formula to the album. I can't tell you anything more pretentious than that. It's just stuff that really works.

While you have recorded original music before this is the first time you've done it completely solo. Has this always been a dream of yours and were there any stages during the process that the prospect made you nervous?
I've put loads of records out, probably getting off a 100 I would say, not under my own name. The reason I didn't previously use my own name�s because of my Radio 1 factor. The thing seemed a bit of conflict of interest, being on a public service broadcast, like you know, an institution like the BBC, and then playing your own records, it speaks, you know. There is due process one has to go through in order to play your own records, when you're on Radio1. You need to play them music, they need to give you a sort of written ok, and then you can do that. It was only really when other dance dj's on the station started making and release releasing tracks under their own name, that it kinda seemed acceptable for me to that as well. Hence why, in the past my records have seen a glimpse under Angelic and Hi-Gate and loads of other different names. But it's only now that I've only felt the time is sort of right to actually play them as things by me.

I hear that some of the backing vocals in the tracks on the album are even you?Yes, on one of the tracks, which is called "Keep Me Running", the lead vocal is something I've done as well.

You are referred to, as a multi-faceted DJ / producer / music promoter / songwriter / dance music journalist. How do you effectively multi task all your workload? What do you do for recreation?
I suppose multi-tasking is about A) doing a job that is like living the dream really, it doesn't feel like work for a vast majority of that that I do. There are things that feel like work that I do, for example, I answer every email I get, which is a huge quantity, and that can feel like work. But a vast majority isn't like work. Not when you compare it to people who do really unpleasant, mundane sort of things. But yeah, the risk of sounding like I've been down my local airport and picked up one of those business advisory books, in the other section of the bookstore at the airport, is about effective time management. As far as recreation is concerned, I've got two small kids, and just trying to balance the amount of traveling with being a good dad to them, it takes up just about all my recreational time.

In addition to the new album, you allowed a camera crew to follow you for an exclusive 'PROVEN WORLDWIDE' DVD that gave viewers and fans insight into your life. Did you find the process at all intrusive and were there occasionally things that happened while the camera crew were filming that you wish hadn't?
Inevitably when you're you've got a radio mic on you, particularly if you're doing a kind of 'fly on the wall thing', there are periods where you forget that you've got that mic on. I wouldn't say that on this particular occasion it happened, but there have been previous times, that I've forgotten that I've been mic'd up, and said rude things about people that I wish I hadn't been heard saying. But thankfully, I've done it enough times, I've done a couple of TV series in the UK, and I've learnt to be cautious when the mic's been switched on.

Your Radio1 show appears to be a weekly lesson in dance education to the masses. Do you intend it to be a program that broadens horizons to your listeners? And do you feel like some sort of mentor to them?
My musical spectrum that gets played on my show is much broader than what I play in a club, certainly, [but] that's mainly down to DJs that're on before me. If you were to listen to my show "On Demand" on the web, you wouldn't be aware of it, but the show on before mine is an R&B show, and that's why I spend the first forty minutes of my show being more 'housey' than I'm actually am, in my club style. But it's also nice to have broad taste. I mean, an awful amount of people on message boards, and the real ardent dance heads, the 5% of the most hardcore, are very militant about one particular style, be it house, be it progressive, be it trance, breaks whatever. But the majority of dance listeners will open their mind to whatever is good. And that's always been my mentality.

You've noted that what you play gets the crowd as excited in Asia as it would be, in a club in Europe or the US. Do your radio show track listings and your club sets collide? Or do they seem to have their own personality?
What I play in clubs is quite different to what I play on the radio. I mean, second half of my radio show, which is more trancey, is far more attuned to what I would play in a club.

With your radio show being at a certain time of a Saturday night, do you feel there's an obligation for it to be a conscious dance music journey program or something of a laidback get-this-party-started kind of vibe?
There's a conscious musical journey in terms of the way people listen to way the music flows from beginning to end, there's a definite musical journey going on there, but at the same time, it's a very party oriented. There's lots of shouts, and listeners and DJs phoning through to say where they're going to on that night.

In a recent interview, you said upon receiving around 300 new tracks a week, you employ someone to limit the list down to 100, which are within the style of what you do. Do you ever get paranoid that you'll miss that one killer track?
It took me a long time to find the right people. In fact, I employ two people to do it, because I think it's too much for one person. I've always told them on the side of caution; if they even half think that I might like it, then send it over to me. It doesn't mean there certainly haven't been many tracks that I've kicked myself and thought "shit, why did I miss this!"

What is one new fresh tracks at the moment that you reckon are really "going off like milk in the sun" (common Judge Jules catchphrase)?There's a really good bassy mix of Cara Dillon vs. 2divine "Black is the Colour" which I think is really nice.

You're down here to kick-start off the New Year playing at Summadayze, will we get to hear any of the tracks on your album during your Summadayze set?
Utter, most definitely! It's all about that; you record, you make records, and you include them in your set. That's why you go in the studio. But I've got a newer batch of tracks that will be supported even more, that are kinda next wave of stuff I've done.

Are there any particular DJs that you want to watch play, meet or catch up with at Summadayze?I'm only sort of 50% familiar with the line-up, I know Roger Sanchez is doing it, and I know Basement Jaxx are involved. And I'd like to see, along the course of the trip, them play.

Are there any other releases, or projects with Hi-Gate that Tranzfusion readers should know about?
No, that�s probably it. I'll be doing 2 UK-based mix albums next year, both by the Ministry [of Sound]. That's kinda the long-short of it. Summer is all about Ibiza and festivals in the UK, our summer that is. Our winter time, your summer time, is about the long haul stuff for me, this week I'm off to the US, where it's Thanksgiving, so it's a big holiday weekend.

[http://www.tranzfusion.com/Articles/shownews.asp?newsid=6079]

[Summadayze 01.01.2007 Melbourne - Official Site]