Waifs & Strays’ ‘Body Shiver’ was the rousing, strident, electro-tinged house cut that really set Jamie Jones’ fabric mix alight last year. Amos Nelson and Rich Beanland’s bold bass notes and warm, late night neon tones also came on Hot Creations in 2011, and were imbued with some sharp sampling that really set them apart from the crowd. As DJs they run a gamut of styles and are soon to head to this shores for the first time. As such, we caught up with the Bristol duo to talk about their oft-referenced hometown, house music, touring and more…
How did you guys first meet and what made you decide to start producing together? What do you like about one another?
R: Amos needed some help with a track he was doing right at the start of his production career and a mutual friend put us in touch, and when we got to the studio we realised we had pretty similar tastes and went from there really. Things I like about Amos? He cooks a great frozen pizza!
So how was last year for you? From the outside it looks like you had a fairly busy and auspicious year?
A: Last year was crazy! To have releases on the labels we did, get an essential new tune on Pete Tongs show, and be in the position we are in now, playing the parties we do, was beyond our wildest expectations!
R: We worked hard to get here, but it definitely took us a bit by surprise – in a good way of course!
Having worked on this for a while, why do you think it took off so much in 2011? Did you feel like you did anything differently or?
A: Production is a learning curve, and it takes time to get to the point where you are happy to send out material. I don’t think we really did anything different in 2011, but the main difference I guess is that some of the bigger players started to take an interest in us, people like Matt Tolfrey, Heidi, Jamie Jones starting playing our records and taking an interest in us. Once that happens then the wider audience also becomes more interested in hearing your music, and things snowball from there.
Seems you have different musical backgrounds – how do/did you find a common ground? And does that mean you each bring something quite specific to the table?
R: We do have different musical backgrounds, but also very similar tastes. It’s pretty rare we totally disagree on a tune or a sound etc. We both definitely have our strengths but I don’t think this means that one brings something specific to the table that the other one doesn’t.
A: I agree and I think this really comes across when we DJ separately, the sets are always very similar.
What are the key things to have influenced you as music makers over the years since childhood would you say? Can you pin-point it? Are they the same influences now?
A: For me it was listening to Pete Tong’s show when I was 15/16…Brit Pop and the whole indie thing was massive at the time, bands like Blur and Oasis, but I never really got it. Then I heard dance music and more specifically house music on Pete’s show and was like ‘Wow, this is amazing!’. But at the time I was too young (and looked it!) to get into clubs, so that was one of the main sources for me.
R: I have always been into music but it really started for me when I moved to Bristol to go to uni and started getting involved in the jungle scene that had recently peaked there. I got a couple of residencies at the now closed club Level and at Dojos and never looked back. Production became a total addiction really from the day I got my first copy of Reason from a mate and it’s amazing to start getting recognition for doing something that you love so much!
How important has been Bristol on your sound? Is it as special living there as the myth of the place suggests? (In music terms anyway)
A: Bristol is a great city, with such a strong musical heritage. The city itself is really creative, but its not a really big city and the scene is quite small so everyone knows each other, and supports each other. Being part of it has been massively helpful and inspirational for us, and we wouldn’t change it for anything – it’s a great place to live!
R: We are mates with a lot of the city’s producers – Eats Everything, Julio Bashmore, Christophe, Lukas to name a few. and so we all collaborate and share ideas with each other. Its important to have that community in your home town.
And have you evolved in the last year? Musically or otherwise? Or have you learnt any important lessons or?
R: We have learned that its about quality not quantity, and we are being a lot more selective about the projects we take on and the tracks we put out. One really good track is worth a hundred shit ones.
A: and learned to survive on a lot less sleep on the weekends! And I am really good at packing a suitcase now…
What are your goals when making music – is it a feeling you’re after, something technical, making people dance… what?
A: The obvious one is to make music we like and that other people like it too. I don’t really have too many goals other than that. For me dance music is about fun and making people dance. If you can do that then you are going to be happy with what you are doing
After a tune takes off like Body Shiver – do you feel pressure to do that again, or do you worry about trying to do something totally different? Do you think about things like that?
R: There is of course a pressure, but as Amos said above, as long as you are happy with the music you are making then that’s the main thing. If you get too concerned about trying to write a follow up and worrying if people like it, then you can go mad with overthinking tunes, and creativity can quickly dry up… Forcing creativity will only ever end up badly.
You’re coming to the US for the first time soon – how you feeling about that? Done any extra special preparation or anything? What should people expect?
A: We are really excited, its our first time as Waifs & Strays in the US. We are doing a whistle stop tour of Miami, NYC and Chicago in 3 days so its going to be pretty hectic, but a lot of fun! We have some new unreleased tracks so will be bringing them along and looking forward to seeing how the people in the US respond to what we do.
What else you got coming up/are you looking forward to? Any more releases secured?
R: The diary is pretty busy right now so we have loads of gigs coming up in some pretty cool places, which we are looking forward to. Releasewise, we have just done a load of remixes for various people which have either just come out or are coming in the next couple of months. We are just putting the finishing touches to EPs for Leftroom and Futureboogie and a couple of secret projects!
Who are you on the daily – what do you like to do outside of music?
A: That would be telling…
R: Outside of music??!?!?
