Taxman interview with DOA

DOA: How did you first get into Drum & Bass, and how did that turn into you working on tunes?

Taxman: I got into Drum & Bass around '95/'96. My brother (Original Sin) got me into it, I suppose. He started buying DnB records after buying hardcore for a few years, and he would also record One In The Jungle on Radio 1 every week. I can remember Adam downloading some program that was a bit like Reason or something when I was bout 13 and I used to watch him on that... it was a long process, basically.

DOA: Do you remember the first tune that you completed? What was the first tune of yours that got a big reaction from peers/DJs/etc.

Taxman: Erm I can't remember at all. I would make lots of tunes, but I didn't really know how to arrange them, so I would get so far and then start on another one. It was more a case of not even writing a full tune, just doing like a drum project, or learning how to use synths or samplers, or just a full day of cutting up breaks and sampling, just anything to do with making tunes interested me, and I wasn't in any real rush. The first tune that got a big reaction was "The Rebate" which was released on G Dub's Propaganda label. Grooverider played it one night, and my brother phoned me and told me. But yeah, a lot of big DJs played that tune, and it got into #2 in the Drum & Bass charts.

DOA: You've been closely associated with two camps: the Generation Dub crew, and DJ Hype and the Ganja family. When did you first get introduced to Hype, Pascal and the boys, and when did they decide to start putting out more of your material?

Taxman: Well, I've always been associated with G Dub because they were the first to take notice of me and notice my tunes, and also because Adam is my brother and Jake is a friend... I wrote "Warp Speed" with G Dub and that was sent to Hype, and then they decided that they wanted to sign both G Dub and myself. "Too Bad" was actually the first tune I made for Playaz, but it went unnoticed for about a year and just sat on Hype's computer. A year later, he phoned me and asked me out of the blue to mix it down so he could release it... it went straight onto promo, didn't even get sent out to as a dub, I don't think. Everyone played that tune, sold a lot and was number 1 for about a month, I think... strange how things happen.

DOA: Do you have any favorite tunes of yours, or tracks that got released that you felt might have been underrated?

Taxman: I think "Moonraker" on Propaganda went quite unnoticed. One of my favourite tunes of mine was "Spaceman". I had fun writing that.

DOA: Your most recent EP, Revenge Of The Drunken Fool, dropped recently on Ganja. Where did that title come from?

Taxman: Its just a mix up of 2 of the title tracks on the EP, but its quite suiting as I usually get a bit drunk when I DJ, and a few times I have done or said a few things I shouldn't of... like getting smashed at the Drum & Bass Awards last year and calling Hype a "miserable bastard". I phoned him the day after to apologize but he saw the funny side of it haha... So yeah, I am the "Drunken Fool" in answer to your question.

DOA: When making tunes, are you trying to make statements or establish themes or just churn out the best tunes you can?

Taxman: I definitely take my time when I'm making tunes, just have a look at my back catalogue, there's not actually that many. I just don't like releasing anything and everything that I write....and yeah, I try and do a "theme" or something different every time.

DOA: Personally, "Look What You've Done" might be my favorite tune of yours as of late, mainly for the sinister undertones of the bass, but also that half-time feel of the beat. Can you break down how this track came to be?

Taxman: I was just trying a half-time thing. Half-time drums, big screeching bassline, and a few jungle samples... that's about it really.

DOA: Is that sound something you'd be trying to explore in the future?

Taxman: Yeah, why not.

DOA: Do you have any releases lined up for 2010 that you can share with the DOA massive?

Taxman: Well, my EP is out now; after that we are releasing "Dreamland" b/w "Acid" on Ganja, and I think Original Sin is releasing my VIP of my "Evasion" remix on his new Image label, along with Navigator... oh and also myself and Original Sin have a 12" coming on Ganja also. Apart from that schedule, just busy in the lab...

DOA: Original Sin recently put out his debut album, so one has to wonder, do you have any aspirations to put out an LP?

Taxman: Yeah, I've just started writing an album, but I think its gonna take me awhile, 'cos I want it to mean something, and no, its not going to be all "jump-up".

DOA: Where can punters find you DJing in coming months?

Taxman: Oh Christ, I'm somewhere every weekend... I'm at Playaz at Fabric at the end of March... that’s usually a good place to catch me.

DOA: Can we get a top 10 from you?

Taxman:

1. Original Sin - Get A Life
2. Taxman - Koncrete Shoes
3. Supreme Being - Tune In
4. Hazard - Platinum Shadows
5. Jaydan - Scotty Remix
6. Taxman - Harrys Revenge
7. Original Sin & Maniak - Cool Kids
8. Original Sin & Taxman - Casino
9. Original Sin & Taxman - Penamana
10. Netsky - Tomorrows Another day VIP

DOA: Outside of the DnB scene, what kind of things do you get into?

Taxman: Drum & Bass takes up most of my time, to be honest. I like sleeping, 'cos I don't get too much of it and I really do like sleeping.
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have not heard this tune will be checking it out, casino is a big tune hype used to play it all the time then it just went away into the back catalogue

much prefer the stuff they do seperately apart from casino & seen, which grew on me slowly, nothing they have collabed on does much 4 me, and casino is a hell of a lot like look what youve done imo
 
1. Original Sin - Get A Life
2. Taxman - Koncrete Shoes
7. Original Sin & Maniak - Cool Kids

cant found any audios
anyone heard some of that tunes live ?
 
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