Join us for this exciting interview as we chat to music producer Jagz Kooner. Read about his work with the likes of Oasis and Primal Scream, as well as finding out what new ventures we can look forward to . . .
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"It’s had a massive influence on it!! In all honesty I would be lost without it! The thing is with electronic/dance based based stuff it’s almost impossible to make good tunes without it. Computers are so powerful now you can pretty much make anything with a laptop now."
You've worked with some pretty big names - Oasis, Reverend & TM, Primal Scream...what has been your most enjoyable project?
"They’ve all been really enjoyable. I’ve made some great friends by working with those bands and everyone else I’ve worked with. Being involved with Reverend & The Makers is always really enjoyable as has been the new Whip album. However I look back fondly on all the projects I’ve worked on. "
How do you think music is changing/evolving?
"Wow that’s a big question. I think that music will always change and evolve by the simple fact new musicians are forming bands / making music based on their heroes and inspirations , how its changing is all based on that and technology. I think it will keep morphing really quickly now as people don’t really buy entire albums anymore and that (I think) will have a big influence on young people getting into making music and the type of songs they create."
Do you take inspiration from other musicians when mixing/producing? Who are your musical heroes?
"Always. I will always play songs in the studio from other people and also reference stuff in relation to what we're doing at the time. my musical heroes are pretty wide ranging from Afrika Bambataa to T Rex. off the top of my head! Lee Scratch Perry/ Adrian Sherwood/ Joe Meek/ The Clash/ New Order/ DJ Pierre / David Bowie the list is pretty much endless really."
Talk us through how you came about producing the awesome Primal Scream's 'Some Velvet Morning'.
"Originally it was on Evil Heat but the version on there I wasn’t really fond of. Andrew Innes decided to then remake the track and I went in and redid the drums with him. He then got a session Cymbalon player to come in and play the main riff on the tune. We had Kate Moss vocals from before as we had recorded them for the Evil Heat version and then me and Kevin Shields set about mixing the track. It was a pretty organic thing how it came about and everyone was really pleased with the outcome."
How much influence does a band have on your remixes?
"None what so ever. If it’s a remix, it’s my interpretation of their song and not a production (where I would then ask them for their input and opinion). However there been times when I’ve approached the band as I wanted to know what the tune was about before commencing work on it. I would always take what the song was about as inspiration for my remixes. I’m generally left to my own devices when it comes to a remix but on occasions I will speak to the band. I used to always call Serg from Kasabian before commencing a remix for them as he would always give me good ideas based on what the song was about and how they put it together. I had a chat with Noel Gallagher before starting the Oasis mixes as well as we are friends and I didn’t want to disappoint him! "
What kind of musical styles/genres do you enjoy working with/mixing?
"I’m well known for working on electronic dance/rock based stuff but my true love has always been dance music and film soundtracks. I have worked on a few films before and a lot of the songs I’ve made have been used in quite a few syncs in films/commercials/games. I’m developing a film soundtrack at the moment and it’s the most exciting project I’ve worked on for a long time."
You have recently worked with The Prodigy - how were you involved in the production of their Invaders album?
"Me and Liam Howlett have been fans of each other’s work for a long time and after a night out with their tour manager we eventually hooked up. Liam had put a lot of demo tracks together but was unsure of the potential of them, he just needed someone from outside of the band to come in and spruce them up a bit and work out what was needed and what was unnecessary, we changed the arrangements and parts on some of the tunes and that gave him the inspiration to finish off the tracks."
If someone wanted to sample some of your work, what would you say are your top 3 finest productions and/or remixes?
"This changes on a daily basis. Today it’s The Kills "The Good Ones”. Kasabian "L.S.F " and Primal Scream "Swastika Eyes"".
You've DJd at many venues around the world including clubs in London and Ibiza - is this something you still do regularly? Where can we catch you DJing?
" I used to dj all over the place but had to put it on the back burner as studio life really took over and djing at weekends left me exhausted for the studio during the week. . However I do still occasionally play out and I will be djing at Glastonbury. I have a residency in Bez's Acid House in Trash City and will be playing Fri/Sat/ Sunday night. We have some amazing people playing in there; it’s going to be ace!"
What 's next for Jagz Kooner? What ventures can we look forward to in the near future?
"I’m just working on a film sound track for a film being produced by Mike & Claire Manumission. It’s an amazing story and the people getting involved are just incredible. It’s a long term project and I’m writing, producing and composing all the original music. Really excited about that and also I’m working on an album for French band Rinocerose. We've been locked away in a residential studio in south of France using the same desk the rolling stones recorded on! Plus I’m forming a new production outfit with Bless Beats and putting together a few really exciting projects with him (unfortunately they have to remain secret for now, sorry!). I can also reveal that I’m going back into the studio with Reverend & The Makers soon to work on a few tracks. I’m excited to be getting back into the studio with Jon McClure."
What's your latest production work Jagz - is it right that you're working on the new Whip album? What can we look forward to with their new offering?
"Yes I’ve just finished The Whip’s new album. We’ve just mastered it and hopefully some tracks will see the light of day in the next few months (no exact date yet). I’m really happy with the album it’s a lot more song based than ‘X Marks Destination’ but it still has that awesome heavy live bass and drums going on (with a whole heap of synths and electronics)."
How did you get into music producing?
"I used to be a DJ and would add drum machines and effects to run alongside the tracks I would cut up or play. It really started there and grew from a drum machine and effects to then adding a tape machine (for doing mashups/bootlegs) and then a computer and sampler and so on. Then Acid House happened and that was me off and running! I had a little garage studio and I then started making music there with The Aloof. Around the same time I also met Andrew Weatherall in a club and we got talking and I ended up helping him out on a Jah Wobble Remix, after which we formed the Sabres Of Paradise."
What attracted you from the band Sabres of Paradise into working solo producing records?
"The Sabres Of Paradise split up around the same time as The Aloof split . I was kinda at a loss as to what to do next and Andrew Innes, a good friend of mine from Primal Scream, asked me if I wanted to work on a new song they were doing. I then got a call from Bobby Gilespie asking me if I wanted to work on a tune called "Swastika Eyes" and it’s been pretty much nonstop since then."
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