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Features
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Party Proactive is coming: interview with Soto of Botchit and Scarper
Reported by Less is Bat
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Submitted 19-09-05 17:07
FACT FILE:
Names: SOTO
Ages: It’s rude to ask a lady (or gentleman) their age!
Location: London
Formed in: 1997
Musical Style: Vaguely centred around electro-breaks, bass lines, body poppin’ early electro, hip hop...
Musical Influences: 80s classic hip hop (Man Parish, Africa Bambata, Stetsasonic, Eric B & Rakim Young MC…), The Smiths, The Cure, Depeche Mode, eighties synth pop, Ian Brown and hundreds of other musicians and composers from the annals of history representing all genres of music from classical to country and from folk to funk via electro and punk!
Botchit and Scarper are a familiar name to any breaks fan. The label has been releasing some immense breaks beats and at the forefront of this has been Botchit and Scarper’s very own SOTO (Sonia and Toby). It’s now a slow paced life with these two as they juggle touring, writing and managing the label on a daily basis! Their knowledge of the scene is definately translated into their music and with releases such as ‘Ghetto Blast Ya!’ they are well and truly establishing themselves as serious players in the scene!
Saturday 8 October sees them heading over to the Fire Club to play a set at the beat bashing, booty stomping and all out Party Proactive. To gain a little insight into the world of Botchit and Scarper, SOTO and their set at Proactive I caught up with both Sonia and Toby in amidst their time in the studio.
SOTO is heavily involved with the label Botchit and Scarper. What are your roles there and is this how you met?
SOTO: Sonia is label manager, head of A&R, promotion, etc. and has been there for about 8 years now, along with Martin Love who has been there since the dawning of time when Botchit was in its previous incarnation as S.O.U.R.: the legendary jungle label (remember Shy FX’s & UK Apache’s ‘Original Nuttah’?). We met before any involvement in breaks when we were wide eyed students at art college back in the sixties!
Toby, you write music for TV commercials and websites as well as the SOTO collaboration. What advice would you have for a young producer wanting to make a career in the music industry?
Toby of SOTO: I’d just say it’s probably wise to have another job as well! You can never guarantee that you’re going to get work so you need something to pay the rent while you’re out looking for the next music commission. Also very few people actually make enough money just from music and I would always say the most important thing is to enjoy it rather than feeling the pressure of having to rely on it!
Do you think that production skills are a key element of being a successful DJ or can you have a strong career as a DJ without creating your own music?
SOTO: If you look at most people in the breaks scene you’ll see that pretty much all the people who DJ regularly and who have achieved some kind of recognition are producers as well. You basically give yourself another level of identity when you start producing and developing your own style.
Are you still running your own show on Breaks FM?
SOTO: No we don’t! We used to. It was too mental and we’re busy now unfortunately!
Sonia, you have a key role at Botchit and Scarper as well as being a part of the successful act SOTO. Female involvement in the dance music scene is growing but it is still dominated by men. What words of encouragement would you offer to girls wanting to make a career in the industry?
Sonia of SOTO: I’ve never even thought about being a girl in the scene and have never experienced any chauvinism. I am aware that there aren’t that many females in the industry though. I think I have always been anal about records from an early age and collecting them, and also interested in the technical side of Djing and because I LOVE to dance I think it translates to the dance floor. I just do it because I love the music passionately and that is all I would encourage anyone to do; try and do what you like and see where it takes you whilst giving yourself a push in the right direction (nobody else is going to do that for you!)
SOTO has played alongside some heavyweight names such as Rennie Pilgrim, Freq Nasty and DJ Food. Is there anyone in the scene you particularly admire?
SOTO: DJ wise Terry Hooligan is a very entertaining DJ and always puts on a good show! Production and DJ/live you’ve got to check out Lawgiverz as they are really pushing things, (but make sure you catch them at Trigger in Birmingham as there really isn’t a better system anywhere in the country to hear their brand of electro-aphex-depeche-rave-breaks!) There’s also a rather good beat combo called SOTO that put together one of the broadest selections of breaks orientated tracks in their sets; not just two hours of the same track! I know that smacks of nepotism, but we DO try to play a varied style.
In the last year or two the success of breaks as a genre has been overwhelming. Has this been reflected in the attention Soto has received?
SOTO: We were lucky enough to tour Australia and New Zealand recently for a couple of months and we did similar things back in 2001 and 2002. Things are much the same. Mind you we’re pretty slow in the studio and haven’t released much so maybe that’s why our ‘attention’ hasn’t increased! Got some new stuff finished though! Especially look out for ‘Ghetto Blast Ya! On Atomic Hooligan and Jay Cunning’s new Beatz and Bobz volume 5 compilation on Functional Breaks. (Single released later — subtle plug there!)
Whose radio shows do you listen to in your spare time?
SOTO: We don’t have that much ‘spare time’ but maybe Eddie Temple Morris on XFM as he always plays good music and is a big supporter of breaks in general! Big up the Eddy! and of course Breaks FM, Alex and Jody do an excellent job over there and practically live in the studio (smelly boys! J)
What is your current favourite track?
Sonia: We can’t just say one so... ‘Move Ya!’ and Steve Laver’s — ‘The Ride’, The Booty Bouncers — ‘Fame and Money’ (Stantons mix), Lawgiverz — ‘Quasar’, SuperStyleDeluxe — ‘Step It Up’ on their new label, Soto — ‘Ghetto Blast Ya!’/‘Num Chucka’, Blame — ‘Music Takes You’ (B.L.I.M rmx) and Chris Carter — ‘ESP’.
Party Proactive is really looking forward to having you down to play! What can the audience expect from seeing a SOTO set?
SOTO: A broad cross section of the best of all breaks orientated genres and sub-genres. NOT the same style breaks for 2 hours! We’ve been doing this for years so expect some rare old classics and some exciting new tracks... Deekline, SOTO, Atomic, Chris Carter, Koma & Bones, Stantons, Bushwacka, Botchit dub plates, maybe some house. Lots of fat b lines, tough, dirty, funky... basically making sure the set is fluid. We wanna make people dance.
Do you use mainly vinyl, CD or MP3?
SOTO: Mainly vinyl, some CD.
What is SOTO’s biggest ambition?
SOTO: To make a cracking album and buy a nice house! (Next to the beach. Somewhere warm. With our own fresh fruit trees. With lots of cats, etc., etc.)
Many thanks for taking the time to talk to me and we will all look forward to seeing your set at Party Proactive!
SOTO: Thanks for inviting us, J
PARTY PROACTIVE
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On:
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Saturday 8th October 2005
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At:
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Fire [map]
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From:
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22:00 - 05:00
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Cost:
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Advanced Tickets £10 / Paying Guest List £12 / On the Door £14
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Website:
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www.proactive-records.co.uk
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Ticket Info:
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Advanced Tickets are only £10 and £12 Paying Guest List
Ticket Outlets and Paying Guest List
Proactive HQ – paul@proactive-records.co.uk / 07814179946
Kurrutpion (West London) – 07879630674
Never Enough – neverenough@hotmail.com / 07913415695
Club Tickets (Credit Card Bookings) – www.clubtickets.co.uk / 08702462050
E-List London – www.e-listlondon.com
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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More:
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Party Proactive is rapidly becoming the most talked about event in recent times with a string of succesful events; full of wicked people, innovative line-ups and a amazing party atmosphere.
Nominated by DJ Mag in the top 5 London events
This time round we have secured the infamous Fire as our venue and a DJ line-up that should make any music fans mouth water.
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Flyer:
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Other Features By Less is Bat:
Celebrating the launch of Party Proactive at its new Turnmills home — an interview with D.A.V.E. the Drummer
The HeatUK and HarderFaster Xmas Payback Party — reviewed!
The freaks come out! Riot Spooktacular reviewed
Squelcher VS Guilt — The Beach Party review
Review: Sunday morning hymns with ‘F’
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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