Morphy, the man who dubbed the sheriff, takes some timeout from slaving over a hot mixing desk to share with us his thoughts over a pint of Guinness as well as providing our very first podcast. Cheers!
Q: We’ve always wanted to know..why the name MORPHY?
M: It’s a crap story really. I was stuck for a name for a live set I was going to be doing and time was running out for the posters to go to print. So I just nicked “Morphy” off the side of a Morphy Richards kettle because I thought it sounded quirky. Kind of been stuck with it ever since!
Q: How did you get into producing? Were you DJing before?
M: I studied music technology at college and that got me really interested in creating music. I started making tracks at home using some pretty basic gear. I was making electronic stuff of all sorts back then. I had always liked jungle and rave music but hadn’t really considered making it properly myself until I got my first sampler and started messing around with drum breaks etc. I’ve been building it up from there ever since. Yes I do DJ but I would definately say I am a producer first and foremost.
Q: You’ve always been known as a dub soldier in the drum and bass world. How did you get so dubby?
M: I found my way into dub music through listening to The Orb in the early 90’s. After hearing Jah Wobble’s superb bassline on The Orb’s “Towers Of Dub” I was hooked. I discovered the likes of King Tubby, Scientist, Mad Professor etc. and loved their production style and how they experimented with studio effects. I’ve made all sorts of drum and bass over the years but I somehow always end up coming back to a dubby bassline and milky-way echoes…. I must have been bitten by the dub bug for life! :-)
Q: If you had to be stuck on an island for the rest of your life, which 3 albums would you like to have with you to listen to?
M: An almost impossible question to answer! Three I’ve been listening to a lot lately are:
The Beat – I Just Can’t Stop It
The Clash – The Clash
Scientist – Scientist Meets The Space Invaders
Q: What would be your number one advice for someone looking to make music in general?
M: Find your own sound no matter how long it takes.
Q: What hardware and software do you use to produce your music?
M: I use Logic Pro for sequencing and I also use some outboard bits and bobsincluding a valve compressor, analogue reverb and a vintage tape echo.
Q: Every producer has periods where they have creative dry spells. What do you do when it happens?
M: I try to stop making actual tracks and just spend my time working on sounds or effects that I can maybe use at a later stage. I think it’s a better use of time than making music when you are un-inspired as I know I will just end up binning the track anyways.
Q: You had done a recent live performace.. Could you tell us something about that? What inspired you to do it?
M: I just thought it would be a good way to communicate my whole musical style to people in one performance. Also I wanted to run the dub effects live from the mixing desk to give an authentic sound to the tracks. I think the live set option gives you more freedom to do your own thing as a producer than when you are playing records.
Q: What inspires you musically? Favourite producers/musicians/bands?
M: I’m inspired by all kinds of things, not just music. I think ingenuity in music inspires me most of all. Some of my favourite artists are Moondog, The Orb, Aphex Twin, King Tubby, Scientst, The Congos, Mad Professor, The Clash, The Specials, The Beat, Toots & The Maytals….. could go on all day!
Q: Tell us a little known fact about yourself.
M: I’m a serial green tea drinker! Cant get enough of the stuff. My favourite studio fuel.
Q: If you were relaxing with a cup of green tea, what would be playing in the background?
M: Maybe King Tuby & Harry Mudie’s “In Dub Conference 3″ – been listening to that a lot lately and it’s a nice one to relax to :-)
Q: Favourite food / drink?
M: I love seafood, I could eat fish for every meal of the day. 9 Tails Fox once made me the most amazing kedgeree*. I’ve been harassing him to make it again every since! Drinks wise I would have to put Guinness down as my favourite…. absolutely heavenly!
Q: Share with us an interesting story when you had one too many Guinness’
M: Hehehe there is no such thing as too much Guinness! I did once put on The Beat’s “Mirror In The Bathroom” as the last song of the night and I played it at the wrong speed…..
Q: Tell us about the Glasgow music scene…
M: There’s Symbiosis and Pangea – two regular dnb events in the city. Symbiosis is more of a deeper session whereas Pangea is more for the party vibes. Both good nights in their own right. There’s also Mungo’s Hi Fi which is a dub/reggae sound system which is always putting on wicked events. There’s also a thriving band scene in Glasgow if that’s your sort of thing. Best come to Glasgow and find out for yourself! :-)
Q: Any shout outs?
M: 9 Tails Fox, Paul Reset, Kiat, Gremlinz, June Miller, DJ Nebulus, Dub-One, 13th Tribe, Continuity-B, Double 0 and Mantra, Fuzzy and the Rolling Mafia crew, Digital, Linden, Bob and all at Broken Records.
*Kedegree: A haddock dish from an indian recipe. Consists of fish, rice, egg and cream.
