Joshua Harvey is perhaps one of the most exciting, diverse and innovative producers of modern electronic music, at the forefront of an ever-changing and expanding scene. Whether you know him as Hervé, The Count, Voodoo Chilli, Action Man, Dead Soul Brothers (with Sabre), Speaker Junk (with Trevor Loveys) or Young Lovers, the chances are you will have heard and loved at least some of his music. Across these various alias' he has explored a wide range of music, from bass-heavy floor fillers to wonky techno to psychedelic house. He also owns Cheap Thrills Records, a label which boasts releases from Fake Blood, Jack Beats and Kissy Sell Out. We were lucky enough to get a moment of the man's time to ask him a few questions. His response is honest and refreshingly opinionated, and makes for a really interesting read . . .

 
Hello mate, thanks for taking some time out to talk to us. Your new double mix cd 'Ghetto Bass’ has just been released. Can you tell us a little about it?

It's bascically a reflection of the sounds I'm into and making, and the artists I think are making great fresh sounds. It's 2 cds which is a dream to do really as I can have a shift of sound from the 1st to the 2nd.

You make music under a number of different alias’. Before you make a tune do you decide which alias you are going to use for that particular tune, or do you use a certain alias depending on how the tune comes out?

I don’t think about what name a tune is gonna be under really until I've finished it, then the sound of it kinda suggests what name I should release it as, sometimes I have to make a new name up!

What would you say have been your main musical influences?

Very difficult to say, I like all kindsa music, obviously UK dance music has played a massive part, I think we are the most creative makers of dance music in the world - rave, jungle, drum n bass, speed garage (although Armand Van Helden has some influence on that), 2 step, Hervé(!!)/Switch/Loveys, club music, dubstep etc.

I like guitar music as much as dance music, I just don’t rate many bands at the moment.

I’m loving the remix of Lily Allen’s ‘Fear’ you did under ‘The Count’ moniker. Were you approached for that remix, or is it more of a bootleg?

No that was official, it was last minute, I was in my managers office when the label phoned and I was listening to the track and liked it (but really didn’t like the drums), they had problems with the remixes they had paid for so I said I'd jump on it and do them (I did 2 mixes dubstep and garage-y) in the next couple of days as they had a tight deadline.

To my knowledge that’s your first dubstep production. Are we going to see more tunes like this from you, or was it a one-off?

It's not the first, I've been aware of dubstep from the early days at FWD, so I've been checking it for a while. Beginning of last year we (Count and Sinden) did 'Stinging Nettle' and check for the b-sides for 'Beeper' that came out on 12” (also download) and I've done loadsa other bits (some of which will be on 'Machines Don’t Care 2' and also the last track on 'Ghetto Bass' is something I like to call jungle-step, a kinda mix of jungle and dubstep, obviously! Which I've been doing for a while just for myself) and also on the Count and Sinden album there are some nice dubstep influenced bits.

When you’re making a tune, do you strive for innovation, or do you just try and make a banging track?

Both, I try my best not to repeat myself, if it's for the dancefloor its gotta work as a dancefloor record, but it depends, I have loadsa down tempo stuff that doesn’t rely on being banging, it just has to have great moments or turning points which achieve the same satisfaction as being banging but in a non dancefloor way, for example creating some kind of epic drama with the right sounds and mix, very rewarding!

Do you prefer doing remixes, or making original tunes?

Remixes are great but making my own tunes is what I spend most of my time doing and I love it!

It seems to me that a large portion of the 2007 dance music scene was dominated by tear-out electro, championed by the likes of Justice. In 2008 there seems to have been a movement towards a more fidgety, wobbly realm, lead by the likes of yourself, the Crookers and Jack Beats. Where do you see music heading in the next year or two?

Jack Beats have become their own sound, that’s why I signed them to Cheap Thrills, when you hear their records you say “that’s a Jack Beats record”. I don’t think the same is true of Crookers as they where so heavily influenced by myself and Switch as well as Trevor Loveys like most of the “second wave” of “fidget” (what an awful word and so untrue to what we do, we try to be about making new sounds and music so sticking one generic term on us is a complete oxymoron, and lazy). At my label we are defo trying to build something of a collection of forward thinking artists, we may fail of course ;)

When you hear Jack Beats first single “K-Hole” you will never out them in the same sentence as Crookers again, when they played that tune to me I knew I had to sign them and that they had found the “Jack Beats” sound.

I don’t even know what I'm gonna do next let alone anyone else, that’s the joy of it. I'm currently making some kinda jump-up rude boy funki tunes which are big in the dance!!

Cool, I can't wait to hear some of that stuff! As ‘The Count’, you have collaborated on numerous occasions with Sinden. How did that partnership evolve?

We were introduced to each other by Switch and just became mates then did the first Count and Sinden ep which had 'Beeper', which got huge and we signed to domino records!!

During your ‘Machines Don’t Care’ project you have collaborated with several different producers. Any producers you have particularly enjoyed working with, and any you would really like to work with in the future?

Working with Toddla T was great, we did another session for the next album and got 2 tunes, one of which is ending being his new single so all turned out great.

Are there any up-and-coming artists you feel are going to blow up in 2009?

Jack Beats. And Zomby could be up there.

What are your favourite club bangers at the moment?

These never fail:

Jack Beats – K-Hole

Hervé – Who Da Champ

Count and Sinden – Mega Mega Mega

Count and Sinden – Full Moon

Rico Tubbs – Hip Rave Anthem

Personally, since I have started reading music blogs, I have discovered and learnt about a massive amount of new music. What’s your opinion on the availability of new music on these blogs?

I think it's amazing they write about new music and introduce people to music, I think it’s a disgrace that some think they have the right to give music away at the same bit rate that labels and artists sell their tunes at, it's just as easy to post links to myspace, players, shops etc. (I know some do which is amazing). There seems to be a bit of an ego vibe attached to some blogs, sometimes they only put stuff up if it's full tracks so they attract more people to THEIR blog off the back of artists. I don’t think it's very honest if you really are interested in supporting music you love.

It’s a tricky balance helping people to find new music against destroying the indie labels and artists we love.

Do you yourself spend much time on blogs?

Not really, I'm in the studio working a lot or doing things to relax, my flat mate DJ Martelo is always on them and keeps me up to date so I'm fully aware of whats going on, Martelo practically monitors the internet!

These days a lot of DJs use software such as Ableton or Traktor which some argue does too much of the work for them, and takes away the art of real DJing. What’s your opinion on this?

I think it's irrelevant, use what ever makes you happy and if you are good then you will be good no matter what you learn to use.

Who the fuck are these idiots that give a fuck about all this, mixing 2 records/cds together is fucking easy, I did it for 15 years! New technology gives me the choice to DJ the way that suits me, I don’t give a shit about what anyone says.

Basically there are some people who are great on CDJs and turntables but play appalling music....that's all I need to say isn’t it?? Its about the music and what makes you happy.

I couldn't agree more. We have done a few features revolving around the end of ‘The End’. How do you feel about the closure of such a legendary club?

I never went there much, I'm afraid I don’t get sentimental about these kinda things, so I suppose my answer would be “what new club will appear?”

Anyway I heard they are just gonna re-open it (and the Astoria!!) anyway.

Do you have any favourite cities or venues to play in? Or countries?

Too many, Manchester and Brum have been great recently.

And finally, you have just released ‘Ghetto Bass’. What else can we expect from Joshua Harvey over the next year?

Young Lovers full album on Lounging Records

Herve 12” Who Da Champ on Cheap Thrills

Count and Sinden album on Domino plus a couple of singles and tour

Machines Don’t Care volume 2 (first single end of spring)

Hervé album around September-October

Cheap Thrills t-shirt label

and Cheap Thrills label tour!

So it's gonna be quite a busy year then! Thanks again for your time.

'Ghetto Bass' is out now. Buy it here.