 |  |  |  |  |
LISTEN TO MIX: mp3 listen
MAX ESSA INTERVIEW
How did you hook up with Steve Kotey and his Bear family of labels?
I was really into what he was doing, both label and production wise. I got in touch with him so I
could play him some bits I'd been working on and we hit it off.
You also released stuff on Paper Recordings as "Essa" with Tim White. Can you tell us
more about that, does the name mean anything and how did you guys land on classic UK
deep house labels like DIY and Paper?
Tim and I worked together for a long time. We started messing around with a 4 track and some
guitar pedals in the mid 80's. In about 1990 we moved to Nottingham. D.i.Y were just getting
started and we were going to their Serve Chilled nights, hosted by Rick and Pete, every week.
When they set up a label we were straight round there waving our demo! They put us in the
studio with Charles Webster and we went on to work with him on a several of our tracks over
the years. By about '95 - '96 we were looking to broaden our horizons a little. We sent some
stuff to Paperecordings because everyone in Nottingham was talking about them. They liked it
all and thats what became the Pinhole Burns E.P. Essa is a measure of Anthracite in the coal
industry, apparently. We got the word from a lawnmower manual...
It seems like you were still signed to Paper Recordings when they ceased, how did that
impact you?
It was a bit of a shock actually, mainly because they never got in touch to tell us. We heard
some rumours and had to call them! That pretty much drew a line under Essa and we
changed tack, forming a band called Long Distance Runners.
Have you released music under any other aliases?
We did some stuff under the name Humans Close To Orgasm for a label called Rubberneck
Records. Our first E.P for them was picked up by D-Vision in Italy in about '95, I think.
Where did your passion for music come from, and tell us about some of your earliest
influences?
When I was a kid in the late 70's my best mate's older sister was buying punk and New Wave
stuff. I'd go round to his house every Saturday and listen to bands like ATV, The Buzzcocks and
The Tubes. A little later I got heavily into the whole 2-Tone thing. The Specials are still one of
my favourite bands.
Describe the musical experiences that first attracted you to the house music scene?
My mate playing me 'Do It Properly' by 2 Puerto Ricans, A Blackman and a Dominican. I think I
listened to it about 10 times in a row. Then dancing to 'Your Love' and 'French Kiss' on really
strong acid at Tiffanys 2 in Great Yarmouth in about 1989.
What are your main influences for the Max Essa sound?
Well, I've always been drawn to the slower end of dance music, so the whole Cosmic thing
over the last 2-3 years has been very attractive to me. But more than that I find all the mixes
floating around online these days are very inspirational. You get to hear so many types of
music juxtaposed, it really opens your ears up.
What's your favourite bit of music kit, that you possibly couldn't live without?
Until relatively recently I was making music on a 1 Meg Atari ST running a very rudimentary
version of Cubase. Then I bought an iMac and Logic, so my world kind of changed at that point!
But I suppose my favourite bit of 'exotic' gear is my Electro Harmonix Micro Synthesizer for my
guitar.
What DJs / producers are currently influencing you?
Virtually all of my influences come from a vast array of old records, so thats a little difficult to
answer. But I would say that working with Stevie in the studio and hearing him D.J has opened
my head up quite a bit!
As Essa you sampled much old disco, have you been digging records for a long time and
how did you get into it?
I've always been into music and always bought records. I'm not sure whether I qualify as a
digger...there's some guys out there who are on another plane when it comes to that stuff.
What are are currently working on and any new releases that we should look out for?
I'm just putting the finishing touches to a Max Essa L.P and I'm working on a variety of things
with Stevie, some of which should be out soon...I think.
Are you playing live at the moment or do you have any plans to?
Not as Max Essa but we just did a Loggaphon thing in Poland which went pretty well so there
may be more of that in the future.
Are you DJing or running any parties at the moment?
I do a little every now and then. I'm hosting a party with my mate Sean at Juno Bar on
Shoreditch High Street,London, Saturday April 7th.
What's Max Essa's current top 10 records?
Midnite Flite - Don't Turn Away (MSB Edit)(CDR)
Kotey-Essa - Lets Hold Hands (Bear Funk)
Kat-Mandu - There's Only Been A Few (MSB Edit)
(CDR)
Fabrizio Mammarella - Triangle Of Love (Bear Funk
Gold)
John Daly - Get Out Or Freak Out (Wave)
Tomboy - Swan (Extended) (Gomma)
Max Essa - Yeti (CDR)
Passport - Rub-A-Dub (Atlantic)
Sammy Barbot - New Mexico (CBS)
Sly Mongoose - Bad Pulse (Mule Music)
Except working on your studio tan, what else do you like to do?
I run a small t-shirt label called Elk. We sell in Tokyo, Barcelona and London. I also have a 2
year old daughter and a very patient wife!
How can people contact you for bookings?
Contact Ben at Aix Music Promotion...
ben.aixmusic@googlemail.com
Tracklisting:
1. Wilbur Bascomb - Come Spend a Day With Me (Intro)
2. Steve Winwood - Spanish Dancer
3. Tullio De Piscopo - Stadera
4. Sunbear - Let Love Flow For Peace
5. Brand X - Sun In The Night
6. Diga Rhythm Band - Sweet Sixteen
7. The Hollies - Draggin' My Heels
8. Gal Costa - Tuareg
9. Demis Roussos - Let It Happen
10.The Rolling Stones - Dance (Instrumental)
11.El Coco - It's Your Last Chance (MSB Edit)
12.Sammy Barbot - New Mexico
13.Luna Twist - Agrican Time
14.Stone - Girl I Like The Way That You Move
15.Supermax - Supermax
16.Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene Part 3
17.Tread - Last Resolution
