Features
Q+A: Andy C
Some call him The Executioner. His colleagues at Ram Records call him boss. We call him Andy C, the man who is d’n’b
Old rider, new era... does it feel like a new era?
Definitely: all the new tracks I’ve got lined up, Ally Pally, the big plans we have for Ram, all the new music from our artists, incredible shows lined up for festival season – it does feel like a new era. My latest track ‘New Era’ itself was made for fun; it’s an out-and-out party banger. I tested it during the All Night tour and got a lot of ID requests so thought I’d start the year with a banger. The next one might be different, the one after will be different again...
Yeah, we hear that there are quite a few tracks lined up?
There are! Some are more song-based ones, like ‘Heartbeat Loud’, others are more like the old funky rollers – think the Ram Trilogy stuff. It’s just a case of getting them out one after the other without such long gaps in between. The problem is I bounce down a version to play but then I put off finishing it. It’s the worst part of any tune. Even at mastering there’ll be five versions, on top of the 376 versions I’d already made. It gets insane. I get neurotic about it.
That wasn’t possible in the old days...
No, it wasn’t. And that’s where I’m trying to get my mindset to again. But the kit was different back then: a mixing desk with no recall, one DBX1066 compressor, an Akai sampler and a DX7 synth. That was it. It was so hands-on and raw. The tune was recorded and done; you couldn’t spend hours over half-decibels and frequencies that most listeners won’t notice anyway. So I’m trying to get back to that old vibe: it feels good, finish it, release it. Nice. So I’ve been thinking about Ram Trilogy... and obviously Bad Company are back together now, too.
Have you ever imagined a fantasy football-style d’n’b supergroup?
Ha! Can’t say I have. Who’s in yours?
Paradox making the drums, Mefjus making the bass, Sub Focus on melodies.
Oof. That’s a pretty good group. OK, let’s have a go at this... Dillinja on the drums, Noisia on the bass... Sub Focus was a good shout for the melodies though, man. Gutted you’ve got him.
He’s yours.
Ah thanks! Yeah I’ll nick Sub Focus from you. What a group. Imagine the sounds they’d make! But why stop there? Let’s get Ed Rush & Optical on the rhythm section with those intricate details. Let’s have Fresh and Bad Company on the track for the quirky madness. Fuck it; get the Bristol lot over for some pure funk on the middle eight. You’ve got me thinking now, man, what a concept. Might make some calls later.
Andy C plays ‘All Night’ at Alexandra Palace on March 24
