Party Proactive preview with Adam Newman
Reported by Proactive
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Submitted 29-01-07 09:19
I’m thinking techno, I’m thinking hard dance, mmm, make that world-class hard dance. I’m thinking drums, I’m thinking LIVE, I’m thinking industrial! I’m thinking glam, fresh, and rock and roll baby. So who exactly am I thinking of? Well, if I reveal he was half of the legendary LAB4 (R.I.P.) you’d be in no doubt I am, of course, talking about the magnificent Adam Newman. New man, new times, new music? Having taken a bow at the final LAB4 curtain, Adam is continuing his musical rampage solo — and the world had better watch out! Speaking to Party Proactive in the build up to his back to bump set with the delectable *Ting*, we dig deep on his solo DJ career, forthcoming productions and life before and since the end of the 13 year reign of fame that was LAB4. And if you can’t wait until Party Proactive on Saturday 24 March, Adam is in town this Saturday to play the techno stage at Antiworld’s last official International Indoor Festival at Seone...
Let’s take this right back to the beginning, before LAB4 you spent many years working as a sound engineer in several places, and performing in many bands, in fact I believe you have spent your whole life dedicated to the learning and making of music. Can you give me a quick low down on how you got here?
I started playing drums at the age of 7/8 years old and had computers in the house from the age of about 10 (that was young to have access to a computer 25 years ago!). I played in various ‘nothing’ bands that just jammed now and then at the age of 17 I joined an Oxford band called No Exit. After about 8 months in the band we ended up recording a single that got us signed to EMI and were managed by Tom Watkins (Petshop boys, Bros, East 17 etc.).
After a year or so of having our songs re-written for us, being given stupid clothes to wear to go with our stupid hair styles, we had lost the record deal, we all ended up hating each other and eventually due to my lack of willingness to be involved in such contrived crap, I was sacked. The good stuff that I benefited from though was learning how to work with computers in a live situation. We had rehearsed up to six days a week with live computer sequencing and it really sparked my excitement with regards to what was really possible in such a set up.
From there I went to work as a programmer/producer in a studio in Oxford. I lied about the extent of my abilities to get the job and figured either I’d learn really quickly or get sacked, in which case I really wouldn’t be any worse off. Luckily I pulled it off and got 24/7 access to a fully kitted out programming room for the next few years.
Did you do anything before working in music? And if so what?
Not really. I had a few crappy warehouse jobs, some driving work, just temp stuff. Although there has been a few patchy moments here and there, it’s all pretty much been a bit of a whirlwind since I dropped my A levels to join No Exit.
This seems to be a year of great change for everyone, but for you in particular as it’s your first year as a solo performer in over 13 years! How does it feel to be free and single again (so to speak)?
It’s very inspiring. I wouldn’t be where I am now if it weren’t for the 15 years that me and Lez have spent writing together. It has been such a productive writing partnership and without a doubt would have carried on that way. For me now though, the biggest excitement is the total unknown quantity that now lies ahead. I know that when Lez and I work together we will always come up with the goods and there’s a nice security in that, but I don’t believe that security brings the best out in an artist, so after finishing my part of the None Of Us Are Saints album (which we were both very proud of) I knew it was time to ‘destabilize’ things for myself as an artist.
LAB4 were very much connected with the darker more industrial side of music; will this continue through your DJing? Or do you see a change of direction to something softer, covering a broader spectrum? And what about the image? Still big boots, funky hair and makeup?
LAB4 was always just a big amalgamation of all the sounds and styles that we loved across the dance scene. I love Djing real techno and my hard dance sets are always a mixture of the dark and the uplifting stuff that I love. I would like the opportunity to play a real deep trance set just to be able to see what comes from being in a different gear. For me it is all music and more down to the dynamics of sound and emotion through a set, rather that preferring one style to the next. The boots and make up have been put to rest for a little while, I have always made a point of separating my DJing from LAB4 and I don’t really want to carry on as just half of LAB4 that forgot to stop after the last gig! I have other plans in the pipeline and need to leave space for any new characters to appear as they feel the need….
Many people may not know but you are already an established DJ with over seven years of experience, having already played for some of the world’s leading promotions (Tidy) and alongside major DJs (Lisa Lashes). Do you see yourself concentrating fully on the DJing side now or will the lure of the LIVE element draw you back to the bands again?
DJing will be a big part of this year for me, but even with a full calendar I will still have almost three extra full days a week to work on various other projects. The extra time also means that I can play drums more often. I have some rehearsals coming up with a singer and double bass player for some potential gigs, sort of Chilli Peppers grooves crossed with Fun Lovin Criminals/jazzy bass crossed with Dido-ish songs and vocals….
Also I will be playing drums in Finland for the Proteus Live show in April. I don’t think I could ever let the live thing go and particularly to be back behind a kit again is so much fun!
I see from the LAB4 site that you recently switched from MAC to PC and took on Ableton as your new favourite toy? This seems unusual, what were your reasons for this? And are you planning on using Ableton to DJ with?
I have had access to Macs since I was about 11 and for many years they were so advanced it was almost hilarious! Recently (well two years now) Apple released Logic Pro and it looked to be an amazingly inspiring update to the previous version, so I spent myself dry, put more RAM in my Mac, a new hard drive and got it running perfectly, only to spend the best part of the next three months wrestling with crashes, reinstallations, all kinds of reset manoeuvres and then lost every gram of inspiration left and didn’t write any music for nearly a year. I really don’t buy into the Mac/PC squabbles, all I want is a machine that will allow me to write music and I tend to write really fast when I’m on a roll, but I also get pretty impatient.
I knew that I needed a new system but was not prepared to spend out on a new Mac so after almost a year away from actually writing on Logic, I decided to jump in at the deep end with a complete fresh start. Ableton 5 had just been released with Midi implementation and had effectively grown up so I downloaded the trial and within 15 mins went back and paid for the full version. I am totally in love with Ableton as a writing tool and also for live, but I am not convinced that I would feel happy DJing with it… It slips up quite regularly when dropping full tracks in on the fly unless you have done lots of pre-prep work — boring! Also the PC I bought is a 17” 3.6ghz Pentium 4, it never crashes and I can take it anywhere I wish to work, which is something that I have dreamt of for years. 18 months ago when I bought the system was really the first time such a system that wouldn’t feel like a compromise in some way was available.
Production wise, what do you have in store for the future?
I have a new project on the go called ‘The Judas Coven’ which is like a much darker alter ego to the one that I ‘played out’ as part of LAB4. It’s fun and inspiring to think of each project as a separate entity and give it space to show me where it wants to go. I will also continue to write hard dance and techno as I feel inspired to and I am enjoying the freedom of not having to write for the LAB4 live set, just for the dance floor. I’ve got various other projects but nothing else quite ready to share yet.
Is there anyone you will be working with?
No I don’t think so, not for a while anyway. I am enjoying the freedom of total self-indulgence at the moment. The first person I will write with will be Proteus but just for a tune or two later this year or early next.
Do you have any plans to set up a record label?
No.
What previous productions were you involved with before LAB4?
I played some percussion on an album by a guy called Rene Berg on his album ‘The Leather, The Loneliness and Your Dark Eyes’, cool (!?!) glam rock from a guy who played for Hanoi Rocks for a while at some point. Sadly he drank himself to death a few years ago! Also as M.A.D, Lez and I had one 12” released called ‘I Am The One’.
On March 24th you will be going back to bump with The *Ting* at Proactive’s first event of 2007 at Turnmills, how do you feel about this? What enticed you to perform with her? Does it worry you that she could have a baby during the set? Is it yours? Lol!
Pretty sure it’s not mine… I’m really looking forward to it, I’m trying to mentally prepare for us either ending up wedged in the DJ box due to some out of sync foot work between the decks or…. Aaaaaaaaagh! The baby coming! What enticed me? The potential of all of the above! It might all happen at the same time!
It’s the last set of the night in the main room, can you give us a little insight into what we expect from your set?
I like to play B2B pretty much on the fly, it’s all about having fun and taking each others lead. Also see above…
Lastly, as it’s still early in the year, what one thing do you have planned that excites you more than anything else for the rest of 2007?
Actually the rest of my life! It’s the first time that I have had such a clean slate since I was about 18/19 and it is soooo exciting. This time though, compared to when I was 19, I don’t really feel that I have anything to prove. If I never achieve anything again having been part of LAB4 is enough, from here on anything else is a real bonus. I am looking forward to the summer again to get some serious miles in on my Harley — maybe Scotland then Italy I think.
Many thanks for taking the time to answer our questions Adam.
You’re very welcome.
Photos courtesy of Adam Newman and Party Proactive. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Party Proactive present The Awakening
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On:
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Saturday 24th March 2007
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At:
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Turnmills [map]
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From:
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10pm to 6am
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Cost:
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£14 Advance / £16 Paying Guest List / £18 OTD
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Ticket Info:
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Tickets
Advance Tickets: £14 / Paying Guest list £16 / Door £18
We strongly recommend you buy tickets in advance to avoid queuing and to guarantee entry as THIS EVENT WILL SELLOUT.
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Chris Cee: 07725 369643
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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For our first event of 2007, following the massive success of our debut at Brixton Academy alongside HeatUK and The Gallery for NYE, we present
THE AWAKENING
TURNMILLS, London.
I know many of you have been looking forward to us announcing our first event of 2007 and I think once again we have put together something that we think is simply UMISSABLE!
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