Interview With Martin Iveson aka Atjazz

This week we are talking with Martin Iveson, the brain behind the Atjazz phenomenon. Martin shares some of his insights and reveals how he made it from gaming industry to where he is now...

What’s new in the world of At Jazz, what projects do you have on the go right now?

Well, Many many things in 2010, Loads of very tasty releases from Atjazz Record Company including collaborations from myself with Mark de Clive-Lowe, Karizma, Boddhi Satva & Osunlade, I've been remixing heavily and have now in the 15 years of producing have made over 140 remixes for various artists worldwide and have now a planned double remix CD in the pipline coming on R2 records. Other than that I've produced 7 songs for the new Robert Owens album along side Larry Heard for compost records which has been a really nice process.

How did you first get into music production?

Music has always been in my bones since an early age, I had my first "keyboard" when i was about 6 years old and that had pegs you slotted in to get a different waveform, very analogue indeed and very pink as i remember!, I guess I've never really been one for the norm and music excites me and energises me deeply, I guess I just have to do this! Getting in to the DJ life and listening to different music was a big turning point for me from 1992 - 1994 and I found new inspirations in underground music, I fell in love with the whole things and it just escalated!

What five pieces of studio equipment would you say determines your sound?

Cubase, Roland SH09, Teisco Synth 60f, Korg Monopoly, Fender Rhodes Mk II

What are your musical influences, what music did you listen to growing up?

My sister listened to northern soul and I used to try and find strange station on the wireless, I guess this is why I'm so attracted to sound, the John Peel show when i was in my early teens was amazing too, I think I complicated my tastes as time went by.

You’re well known for your remixes. What is your favourite to date?

Well, I don't really have a favourite, I guess there are a few productions I like because I hit the sound I was looking for or even just had a very happy accident in the studio but I really enjoyed remixing Mr Beatnick 'I Know All The Bitches' & Maddslinky Feat Omar 'Special' but there are far too many to choose a favourite, I know the Bob Sinclar remix I did was a bit of an underground hit but again, I produced it so it sounds dated to me now, I move fast in my production techniques, I try and keep fresh the best I can with my sound.

Being an in-demand DJ, do you prefer smashing dance floors across the world or creating music?

Well, when gigs are good they're unbeatable but I'm a sucker for staying put, I love the day to day work ethic and miss being in my space when I'm away, I need my studio to feel grounded in what I do.

How differently do you approach remixing projects to your original productions?

Very, I mean you're kinda stuck with sound you're given, I always reprogram beats and drop new keys but sometimes I get busy and re-sample the parts that I've been given. As for productions, it's about getting a groove and then finding the space to make a song from nothing! a much different approach.

You recently created a sample pack for Loopmasters, how did you find this compared to creating musical productions?

Well, I really enjoyed it, I heard on a London radio station a few weeks ago someone saying "Yeah, Atjazz has always got those sounds you've never heard" well, that made me nervous, I guess I've got to keep making these mystical sounds that nobody has heard before, no pressure there I'm sure! LOL - But it wasn't easy, I put a lot of my time and effort into making something that people could actually use, It's nothing like writing music, it's more about building blocks that work together as I made it quite clear that I was not just going to make a construction pack, those kinds of packs make people lazy and I would really like to see more people getting into the art of sampling once more.

When you made your pack, were you worried that producers were going to be sampling, or trying to recreate your sound?

Yes, as I mentioned, I didn't want to write some Atjazz track loops and then somebody release that under their name, It's just not right, I made building blocks and the naming convention really just points people towards things that may fit together rather than having, Drums 1, Bass 1, Keys 1 etc... It's there for the creation of music and hopefully people will get their heads into the right space and use what I've created to their advantage and come up with some great songs of their own using my pack as a sample library.

Do you have any advice for the budding producers out there that are trying to make it in the competitive world of the music industry?

Make sure everything you do gives you goosebumps, be different and don't feel like you've got to be something or someone else. Feel the music that comes from you and believe in it. You won't go wrong... that is unless you just can't write music! Keep it fresh people, Keep underground music alive, It's what feeds popular music after all!