Spank Rock
If you haven't heard the eclectic club rap dance rock sounds of
First bursting into the popular eye in 2006 with songs like "Rick Rubin" and "Bump", Spank Rock are making the sort of music you just know is giving Pharrell and Timbaland sleepless nights and cold sweats.
I caught up with the groups producer XXXChange aka Alex via phone recently to discuss what's going on in Spankland and have a yarn about their new project, the Spank Rock Fabric Live mix CD.
It's been crazy man, we've pretty much been touring for about a year now and been a lot of places around the world. Great fun, but now we have to knuckle down and get back to making the music. At the moment I'm producing some joints for Amanda Blank and Kid Sister as well as working on new Spank Rock Beats. A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs are releasing a song I did with Kid Sister called "Control" as the lead single on their new record label "Fools Gold". I'm also doing some music for an EA sports computer game, but I can't really say much more about that.
But back to the reason for this interview, the Fabric Live CD.
We just finished the cd, and its mad crazy. I think we accomplished a great club mix that will keep listeners entertained for the whole ride. We put a lot of original production into it, replayed instrument parts and drop a lot of parts of songs in at different times.
Fabric Live had limitations in regards to what songs they could get cleared for us, but we got some gems, a nice cut by 'Yes' and I did some heavy stuff with some 'Chicks on speed' material. I can't describe much more about it in words, just go buy it and listen to it.
Obviously I had to find out about Spank Rock’s influences and what artists they are checking for.
I don't know how many people know this down your end of the globe, but a big influence on our style when we were coming up was a group called 'Plastic Little'. They’re friends of ours; I'd say we are loosely associated with them. 'Plastic Little' are from Philadelphia also, and they were the first people I really saw rap over crazy lo-fi half mastered weird beats doing this indie rap style that’s taking off now. You should check them for real though, and check out people like Maipei, Best Fwends, LCD soundsystem and Japanther. All these acts have that crusty lo-fi sound, but they make really good music,hahaha.
Spank Rock is a group that is often tagged as being part of the Baltimore Club movement and sound. I had to ask Alex about this, I had a nagging feeling he would have something to say about this.
We don't make
Shouts to all the kids coming to our jams and the heads throwing the parties, we've for love for you all. But please don't book us for anymore techno or gangsta rap shows, it just doesn't work!!
Interview by Martyn Pepperell
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