What's the script? To our beloved listeners who, God forbid, don't know who you are, introduce yourself.
I'm super producer extraordinaire JackKnifeJ.
How, and when, did you start producing?
Back when I was 16 I was a half decent footballer who got a terrible knee injury, so to occupy my brain while recovering from surgery I got a copy of a music program called Reason from a neighbour, and have had a love/hate relationship with production since then.
Would you have a main influence?
I think anyone who listens to 1988 will hear I've a vast amount of influences from a load of genres, but back when I started out I wanted to be Dr. Dre, and if he wasn't too busy selling headphones I'd still consider him my main musical influence. His attention to every little detail in the way produces (and mixes music down, particularly) is something not a lot of producers in any genre can match.
How did you and Lethal Dialect meet? Are you his main producer, as I see you did work on LD50 and LD50 II?
Myself and LD know each other close to a decade now through gigs and other events to do with hip-hop here. Back when we started out the circle of people making hip-hop in Ireland was tiny so everybody practically knew everybody. No, I wouldn't be his main producer, a producer from Dublin called GI did the majority of the LD50 part 1 and 2 albums. I did a few tracks from both albums, Get To My Dreams is probably the best known track I did. We were meaning to work on a project for as long as we have known each other and making 1988 was the perfect time to do that.
If you've read earlier blogs you'd see I'm not too big on the Irish hip-hop scene. What's your opinion on where it is at the moment?
I've gotten to a stage where I really don't know who's making what, and what's going on in the hip-hop scene here. I genuinely don't pay any attention to it anymore. I was too involved in it for too long before the "mainstream" started to slowly latch on, so now I take a backseat and just concentrate on my own stuff.
Is there still the deep divide between the crews?
I think that's half the reason I'm in the backseat. The whole notion of "crews" having "beef" to me isn't something I'd be willing to talk about, nevermind participate in! I think any beef in Irish music circles is silly, the country is too small and the music scene is too small for it.
Lemons or melons?
Lemons baby! That's what I marinade my world famous chicken wings in.
Lyons or Barry's?
Neither. I'm a lover, not a fighter, and answering that could leave me in trouble with certain folk.
Favourite track off the new album?
My favourite track changes all the time... At the minute it's Brave. There's so many reasons for that; first, the track is dedicated to, and about, Lethal Dialects uncle who can be heard on the vocal snippet during the track which was recorded just before he passed away. The first two verses were written before he passed on, the last after he did, so there's a great sense of meaning to the track. LD's lyrics are so deep, and then of course being from Donaghmede having Damo Dempsey on music I made was amazing. Getting to work with John Reynolds wasn't bad either.
When you started producing the album, had you clear ideas of where you wanted it to go? It sounds like there's recurring samples and themes throughout, was it intentional for this to happen?
The album definitely sounds exactly how I wanted it to sound. I wanted to give Lethal Dialect a "sound", I hate listening to albums and they sound like a "Now 68" album. We needed 1988 to be as cohesive as possible. The whole slowed down ambient approach was to try make the lyrics stand out a little more and easier to understand. I was finding a lot of Irish rap gets lost in heavy accents and heavy drums, and casual listeners can be put off by it. Also, the album basically being sample free meant I was able to dictate the feel of a track using chord progressions and live instruments which again would appeal more to a casual listener.
Is there anything you feel could have been done different?
The fact that the bottle of Pepsi Max I have in my hand here cost more than it cost to make 1988 says a lot for the album, but I would have loved to have a label budget like all these other hip-hop acts who we have to compete against. Maybe we could have pushed harder to implement certain things; we would have liked to have string sections etc... But who's gonna sign two Irish lads who make hip-hop?
There's been some rumours, are you ghost producing for the new U2 album?
I have a 100 yard barring order from Bono because I was caught pulling the balls off myself in the Dalkey Hills while listening to The Joshua Tree, so I can confirm the rumours to be false.
Favourite Irish act, any time, any genre?
Easy... Damien Demspey.
If you could be any type of building, which and why?
I wouldn't fancy people living inside me.
Got ink?
Absolutely HATE tattoos and everything about them. Never fancied a picture of a fighting Irish leprechaun on my arm at 80 (shout out to @RedserMMA for rocking one with style).
Do you think you've a strong sense of home? If so, do you think it's projected in your music?
I love where I'm from, wouldn't live anywhere else in the world. There's a certain madness around my way, and the Northside of Dublin in general, that you just don't get anywhere else, and it's defo projected in 1988 through the old school dance elements that were a huge part of growing up for me and LD.
Favourite loungekore act?
JackKnifeJ.
You have a few gigs lined up for the album, yes?
We're launching it Friday 24th October in the Opium Rooms, Dublin. After that the tracks will be heard when LD hits the road with Damo Dempsey all over the festive season.
I would expect a break, but producing is infectious. Any projects you're working on at the moment?
Nothing concrete lined up at the minute, although I've had a few offers. Really want to see how well this goes down before I decide on what to do next.
Favourite pub in Dublin?
Kyles in Coolock Village... It's a kip but it's my kip.
Last question. Aguilera, yes or no?
My misses would have my balls on a plate... Yes.
Anything else?
Don't do drugs and stay in school.
Script.
1988 is out now through iTunes, I believe, and Bandcamp, or you can get a physical copy at the Opium Rooms later in the month if you wish. I'll post links below. Didn't like the interview? Great, opinions are always respected. Call Joe Duffy. Script.
Duh Bundcump: http://lethaldialect.bandcamp.com/
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