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Jay Frog scoots into the UK: Part 1
Reported by michelle of the resistance
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Submitted 11-06-08 08:53
Here at HarderFaster we always keep our beady eyes out for something interesting and bring you blue features of worth. You might have noticed just as we did a benefit event in June, Massive at Hidden. Scanning through the line-up we came across a name, familiar to some people through his remix of DuMonde’s Gun but not a name that would trip off your average UK Clubbers’ tongue, Jay Frog.
So curiosity was aroused by seeing this name amongst seriously kick arse trancers like Lange, Jon O’Bir and Mike Koglin. We set out to find out more about the man behind the JBF/Jay Frog alias and despatched our agent to Hamburg to say ‘allo ‘allo and get him to open up over what drives him musically, reveal a few secrets about the S word and prove Germans do have a sense of humour!
Hi Jay thanks for taking time to give us this exclusive interview.
We have to confess that to a lot of people in the UK the name Jay Frog as a producer and DJ isn’t that well known despite having a career going back over 10 years. Having said that your mix of Gun has attracted a lot of attention and has been strongly supported by Agnelli & Nelson on their Deep Blue show and you are coming over in June to play at a fund raising event at Massive at Hidden.
Despite having produced some promo CDs for a London night before, this is the first time you’ll be playing as DJ in the UK. How does it feel to be reaching a market, that for a lot of German, indeed other European DJs unless they are a big name is still not in their reach?
First of all, thanks for the opportunity to have an interview with you guys. Its like playing in the UK, not many DJs or artists get the chance to express themselves on a credible site like HarderFaster from Germany. So it really feels like an honour to play in the UK, as I really like the habits of English people,
English people only?
No, no, I know Welsh and Scottish, I keep getting corrected on this. British!
I love the breakfast there. I had English as a primary lesson at school and a great teacher who had English or should I say British breakfast with us. I love baked beans!
We can send you a food parcel.
Why not?!
By the way I love Mr. Bean too, he’s so funny. British sense of humour is great. But breakfast and comedy apart I’ve always admired the charts there, very fast moving with a very wide range of different styles, whether you like or loathe what is in there. Dance music always has a great acceptance over there despite not being main chart material. I see it as a big chance for me too, as it’s a small dream coming true to play there as a DJ.
It’s often the case that the same old line ups can be rehashed week in week out. Why would you say UK promoters avoid non big name overseas DJs? In your eyes is it they are unadventurous? Unwilling to take a risk? Or just sheer costs involved, the extra expense leaves fresh non-UK talent out in the cold?
Well, this is my first time playing in the UK as a DJ but I think maybe it is the unadventurous thing you mentioned, the real big names from Germany like Paul van Dyk, Scot Project, DuMonde, or Cosmic Gate play in the UK, but maybe it’s due to the individual taste of the promoter. I‘d like to see more people given a chance and the crowd a taste of something fresh, but I see also that money is tight, promoters have to put on crowd pleasers and with the extra costs involved it’s a risk on the unknown and untried. I guess Massive invited me after listening to my mixes and I’ll do my best to not disappoint them or the crowd!
Jay Frog? Is that your real name or just your English DJ name, taking an English name in Germany for professional purposes seems normal, also do you get asked if that a new producer name for Space Frog or Scumfrog?
Well my real name is Juergen Frosch and my brother sometimes calls me Jay and yes my surname means Frog in German, so I just put both together and chose the name Jay Frog. And I have always been a huge, maybe the most addicted fan of Space Frog and the actual Scumfrog mixes, it was great to have one for my track Hungry Animal, they really rock so thank you for the comparison.
You play under two names, as we know from the shows you present on DanceRadio.gr, JBF and Jay Frog. For those who haven’t heard your shows or productions, can you tell us what we can expect from both your alter egos?
Well as Jay Frog I decided to play the harder sounds like electro or tech house. Tech elec I guess – Switch, Deadmau5 and Chris Lake. JBF goes back to my roots in Frankfurt, playing trance and hard trance, Above & Beyond, Scot Project, Lange etc. In London with both sets I intend to go for a massive build up (please excuse the pun), I’ll try to start soft and in the end the roof will be hopefully on fire
The concept of separate project names is widely accepted. You yourself have produced under many aliases apart from JBF and of course Jay Frog, It’s considered a necessary evil. Why do you feel that people can’t accept that the same artist can release different styles under same name?
I don’t like that to be honest. In my opinion music is a feeling and nobody feels the same every day for example Lange. He’s absolutely brilliant but known as a trance producer, listening to Another You Another Me the track displays some great electro elements. I think there shouldn’t be a problem to release different styles under the same name but it seems like there is still. People often go through musical journeys. Look at Taucher, at one point he was so up there in trance, filled every club and always had the best parties, he was one of my idols some years ago and he decided to change his style!
You mean he got into Goa trance and became famous for smoking vast quantaties of weed?
Haha, hmmm maybe, but maybe no comment! But it was really hard for him in the beginning, people had to get used to his new style now he’s back on the case. But he proved it isn’t always necessary to give into the name change pressure.
Which leads us on to our next question, obviously we did our research here before this interview and we turned up what for some people what could be considered a skeleton in the closet. Scooter.
You have moved on a great deal, almost returned to where you started with JBF, trance wise. You were quoted on Trance.nu when you left in 2006 “I felt that the time was right and it was time to move on and it was the way forward for my career” you are comfortably going to stand and play alongside some big trance names in June in London how does that feel to have that acceptance back?
The acceptance back? Yes, that’s really great and since I know, I can sleep better, haha! No, to be honest it was a great experience and time I didn’t regret it was like a punk band playing dance sounds and we visited great places. Eventually I saw DJ-wise you can’t move on or get bigger while doing both, people won’t accept you as a member of a pop trance/techno act and a serious DJ too so however fun the ride was it was like trying to drive on the left and right side of the road at the same time. You have to stop it before you crash and you are left wrecked. Now I’m back in the DJ driving seat 100% and from here on, I’ll continue to drive on the left, which is the right side for you guys, so no more danger from Germany from me!
Right now the Scooter debate is reopened here. No 1 knocked Madonna off the top of the Album charts. In their current incarnation or should I say the fourth chapter they are pretty much derided by serious clubbers in the UK. You have a serious industry background, before them and again now. Would you like to tell us how you joined, the reasons, and your experiences you described them once as “a techno punk act” and again now as “a punk band playing dance sounds” Also how do you personally feel about peoples conceptions of them as an act.
We knew each other for years, our paths kept crossing, Germany is like that but especially with Rick’s (the other producer in Scooter). We were always talking about music gear a lot. We are sort of both technology geeks so we had a lot in common.
This is something that a lot of people don’t understand Scooter is three people always; to most here it’s a guy, HP, with a domestos wig job MCing
Domestos wig?
Bleach job.
Haha! God, don’t tell HP that or he will be checking his roots and we have all had some slightly bad hair days, haha! Hair worries aside, I worked at music distributor Discomania and Armin (Armin Johnert) my colleague asked them if I could do a remix for the side project Ratty.
Now Ratty – Sunrise especially was hammered here by serious DJs and it's still a firm favourite.
Yes, some of them would have choked on their Coco Pops if they knew it was Scooter, anyway they liked the mix and so I got the chance to do a remix for Ramp! The Logical Song which got to No 2 UK in 2002.
Which I believe our own Simon Trundle gave 9 out of 10 in his review with the comment, "Overall, this is an excellent track, with enough mixes to suit most crowds; I recommend every DJ get this one into their box ASAP!"
Really, did he like my mix best? Haha, no you don’t have to answer that. When Axel decided to leave, they asked me to join so I agreed and moved to Hamburg, a great offer for a producer in Germany. I knew the guys as having a great sense of humour, which comes out through in their music so I didn’t think to long nor hard. I guess some people considered the tracks were banged together in a few hours but we worked hard, its an industrious and professional set up working on a BD for hours until it sounds perfect, whatever people think about the final result
On a personal level I flew in private planes, stayed in luxury hotels, things I would have never done staying in my home sweet home. Ask your average DJ for a truthful answer, we all dream of being Armin; that superstar DJ lifestyle, to top the charts. How many would turn down that chance? It’s easy to stick to principles in your bedroom but when the offer is there, heads can be turned.
Also producers are driven not only by music, but success, it’s in our nature to get our tunes to the widest possible audience and even though I was in the band I never gave up DJing. Its easy for people to forget that I was still playing alongside the likes of Scot Project in Germany
Did you consider at any point this could seriously screw up your reputation as a credible DJ working with a perceived chart act? After all you’d been working with Talla and Kai Tracid.
At that point no, I saw no conflict; I’d worked with Ratty as you yourself say a well-received act. Older and wiser I can say yes maybe I was naïve in how things can be viewed.
Thoughts range from this is sh!te, to obviously this is great depending on your viewpoint (and age group). There is this feeling though that some of the lyrics must have been written on crack as they make no sense!
Haha! I can understand - as a native speaker - you must laugh and roll on the floor listening to and attempting to understand the lyrics, but I can assure you HP wasn’t on drugs when he put them together.
Yes, I confess to it we’ve all done it, not drugs but laugh at the lyrics. I’m not sure whether we should feel better or worse about the fact he put them together straight. Can we blame vodka maybe?
Haha, no comment.
Jay’s interview continues next week with cake, electro and the M25 black hole.
Photos courtesy of Massive. Not to be reproduced without permission
Massive
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On:
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Friday 20th June 2008
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At:
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Hidden [map]
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From:
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22.00-6.00
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Cost:
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£10 EB £12 advance £15 on door
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More:
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MASSIVE TRAX BRINGS YOU A TOP INTERNATIONAL LINE UP FOR TWO GREAT CAUSES :
Supported by some of the best trance Djs in Europe Massive Presents a Breast Cancer fundraiser Plus in response to the cyclone disaster Beats for Burma
LIVE IT: BREATHE IT: TASTE IT: FEEL IT: HEAR IT : PURE TRANCE:
Tickets available all usual outlets: EB and VIP packages available at events@massive musicgroup.com
We ask you while you are waiting for our great event to please support any of the international aid agencies that are waiting clearance to enter Burma
Unicef.org
Oxfam.org.uk
Oxam.de
Redcross.org
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Flyer:
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Region:
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London
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Music:
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Trance. Hard Trance. Tech Trance. Hard House. Tech House. Electro.
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DJ's:
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Lange
JON O BIR
Mike Koglin
Ali Wilson
DE LEON ( fka DUMONDE)
JBF
JAY FROG (kontor)
Ed Real
Steve Morley B2B with Jessica B
STEVE ALLEN AND Dj Ben Alonzi
Miles Gorfy (Harder Faster)
JAY STONE ( Ministry of Sound/Pacha)
Dj Erc (Resident Trance Generation)
Ajay and Rob O.T.T ( Diablo Traxx)
RUTH COOPER
MATT OAKEY
REORDER (Danceradio.gr)
GARETH WAX (Percussion)
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Other Features By michelle of the resistance:
Jay Frog scoots into the UK: Part 2
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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Comments:
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From: JMassive on 11th Jun 2008 11:39.29
Nice interview Jay, great to have you playing for us at Massive, totally looking forward to it, know you are going to rock it. btw dont forget to bring the Jagermeister with you;-)
From: MissyT on 15th Jun 2008 00:04.55
I love Scooter!!!!!! I love the silly lyrics! If I am in a bad mood and hear a Scooter track i can't help but smile!
About 18 months ago I saw Jay Frog DJ in Hamburg at Tunnel Club and on that particular night i can easily say his set was the best of the night (and there were a lot of DJs on that line up). I was so impressed that I went out of my way trying to find out exactly who Jay Frog was, where he came from etc etc. I was told he use to be part of Scooter which made me like him ever more!!!!!
Absolutely gutted i cannot make it to Massive at Hidden to see De Leon and Jay Frog (as well as the other quality djs on the line up). Big up for getting some fresh faces on a London line up!
Rock it Jay, u are a legend!!!
From: lindausa0106 on 20th Jul 2023 07:49.04
This is one of the best posts I've read on this forum. The information in the article helped me understand more about a new topic that I had never known. retro bowl
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