zap! bang! Magazine

• 

• SW4 interviews: Slam

• Stuart MacMillan and Orde Meikle

• 2011-07-28

• Scotland’s finest techno export Slam, the Glaswgian duo of Stuart MacMillan and Orde Meikle who co-founded of Soma Quality Recordings. They’re playing in Adam Beyer’s Drumcode tent at South West Four on Clapham Common over the bank holiday weekend. In this week’s South West Four interview, we find out what the pair have been up to and what’s in store at this year’s festival.

  The past 2 years have been crazy for you, what have been some of the highlights?
  Yes , been a busy time – highlights are numerous! Some of the recent live sets have been excellent: Timewarp, Mayday and Fabric. Soma parties at Sonar (La Terazzza) have been wicked – all the good parties.

  You began your career in Glasgow, what is the techno scene like up there? How does it compare to London?
  Glasgow’s techno scene is very healthy – entertaining the likes of Richie Hawtin, Norman Nodge, Ben Klock, Paul Ritch, Marco Carola and many others almost every weekend. We play at Fabric, our residency when in London, and that’s fantastic. Every time it’s a brilliant vibe – one of our all-time favourite clubs.

  Soma records has now reached the grand age of 20. What do you feel has been your biggest achievement on the label to date?
  Biggest achievement is to have lasted 20 years, through all the changes that have happened to the music business. Also looking back at the catalogue and seeing all the artists we’ve been involved with – it’s fantastic.

  We share a very common set of musical values, as we always have.

  Tell us a bit about your new label Paragraph. What inspired you to start this?
  Paragraph was started to allow us a quicker turn around on the clubbier tracks we where producing in the studio, for our DJ sets: weeks rather than months.

  What do you look for when signing new artists to your label?
  Its never just one thing – it’s a whole feel – a quality.

  What has been your worst job?
  Gooseberry picking in New Lanark one summer: septic blisters, thorns and continual rain – for pennies. Shit.

  Which track sends tingles down your spine every time you listen to it?
  Lots – but recently (again) – Primal Scream’s “Come Together As One”. The first time was at the KU
  club in Ibiza when it had no roof at sunrise – Mr Weatherall played the acetate for the first time: oooooft!

  Where do you see the techno scene in the UK heading in the next couple of years?
  Really not sure – depends where Techno music goes – “the future’s not ours to see”.

  

  Have you always worked well together? Do you ever disagree when producing music?
  Like an partnership there’s “artistic differences” – some more heated then others – but on the whole we share a very common set of musical values, as we always have.

  Soma Records has been responsible for some of the best underground acts to emerge from the scene over the past two decades. How does it feel to see artists like these explode from your label?
  Absolutely amazing – it’s been a honour for Soma to be part of all these guys’ history.

  How are you feeling about playing at SW4 this year?
  Great – really looking forward to it! The line-up is amazing: haven’t seen some of the other DJs for a while, feel a party coming on…

  Nothing quite like a live set to ramp up the pressure.

  Which act on the line-up do you have the most respect for and why?
  We have respect for pretty much all of them – these guys have all worked hard to reach this stage.

  What’s the thing you like most about playing a live set?
  The nerves – nothing quite like a live set to ramp up the pressure.

  What is next for Slam?
  A summer of Festivals and Soma 20 Parties – new single releases on Paragraph, Drumcode, possibly Cocoon and a few sneaky projects for Soma.

  Find out all the latest about SW4 at www.southwestfour.com.

by Mike Barnard