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Insekt preview: interview with rising hard house stars Frank Farrell and Dave Owens
Reported by Insekt
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Submitted 31-05-06 00:36
Unless they’ve been living under a rock or stranded on the Lost island for the last 12 months, any hard house fan would be hard pressed not to have at least once come across either of the names Dave Owens and Frank Farrell. Good friends and studio partners, the pair have been cranking out releases and remixes individually and under their ever confusing Munkjack alias from the small confines of Dave’s Manchester based studio for well over a year now.
Their first major release was the highly acclaimed ‘Graduate’ on Vicious Circle, which featured in charts and demos for months and was supported by the likes of Paul Glazby, who remixed the track for his label. Since then they have gone on to tackle a whole flurry of labels including Flash Point, Feersum, Toolbox, and X-Tension, as well as gaining the respect of some of the most renowned figures in the scene.
Hammerheads’ label manager and Toolbox’s in-house know all on all things hard, Dave Owens and Brain Damage’s A&R guru Frank Farrell take two minutes out of their busy busy schedules to chat to us on the eve of their debut back to back set at next week’s hotly anticipated Insekt.
Frank & Dave in the studio
Hi guys, as well as being studio partners you are also very close friends, how did you both meet?
Dave: Through the VC board, Frank was offering some samples of hoover packs that he had found online. I dropped him an email, got the hoovers, and we pretty much just started talking from that.
Frank: As Dave said really, then I took the risk of travelling 140 miles by myself to meet some stranger off the internet haha, never thought that it would’ve led to what it has done!
How did the idea to write music together come about? Were you both working on material individually beforehand?
Dave: We were both writing stuff at the time, albeit it was terrible. As previously mentioned, Frank was sharing some sample packs and that was how I initially got speaking to him. We were both using Fruity Loops back then, and started sending projects back and forth to see what the other person thought and if they had any different ideas. I was writing stuff with Chris Impact at the time, and had done a few tracks and remixes with him. He showed me the ropes of Cubase and taught me loads; I’m still using most of his techniques today! So without him, I’d still be messing about in FL! Eventually Frank came up to mine and we just started working on projects together. He was pretty much up at mine every weekend for a good 8 months solid and we just kept working at it, trying new ideas and trying to improve the quality of the works.
Frank: I think Dave’s just about stolen every possible answer for that question! Basically as above, but I’d previously been to the Energy UK studio which was a good learning curve and kind of picked up more of an idea what completeness was etc. As opposed to ‘DONK’.
Where did the name ‘Munkjack’ come from and what exactly does it mean?
Dave: Frank . . .
Frank: Errm! On the way to work after a sleep deprived weekend, eyes still blurry from just waking up, I appeared to see a small deer type thing laid in the road (a Muntjac). However, on the way home I realised it was in fact a large carrier bag. Trying to tell Dave this crap information I couldn’t remember what a small deer type thing was called, so texted a friend and she got the spelling wrong and text me back ‘Munkjack’. I just remember driving around York and Dave saying, ‘That’s it. We’ll call ourselves that!’
Which do you prefer, sitting in the studio producing or DJing?
Dave: I’ve always said I’m a better DJ than producer. It’s what I started out doing; I sorta just fell into making tracks from being a geek and sat on the PC all the time. It’s nice to be able to sit down and write a piece of music, but for me I’ve always been more interested in the DJ side of it.
Frank: I never thought I’d say it, but I think I prefer being in the studio now, just because I like hearing it build bit by bit and plus I’m growing quite fond of the squeaking dining chair. On the DJ side, for me there’s nothing like being able to play your own stuff and see how people react, makes it a more personal experience.
Frank @ PureFilth, Manchester
Who have been your influences and who would you most like to work with?
Dave: DJing influences would be Glazby and Ben [Stevens] as well as Justin Bourne — I’ve always loved the way Paul can put a set together and play the same 12 records as anyone but just make it sound so severe. Ben is just a machine, I’ve never seen anyone so flawlessly mix before. I remember hearing him for the first time and just being stood there in amazement. He is easily my benchmark of how good I want to be! Anyone who has ever seen Bourne play knows how wicked a set of his can be, perfect mixing with wicked tunes all the time, and just genuinely one of the nicest people I know. His leg swinging antics during mixing always keeps me amused as well. Haha!
On the production front, I have always loved the old RR Fierce stuff, just the energy and almost playfulness of his style of music.. That’s something I have tried to recreate in a lot of my work. All of the old Tinribs are just amazing as well, so you’ll hear lots of ‘borrowed’ elements of his style in the stuff I try to do. Haha! Mik Cree and Dom Sweeten have both also been a huge influence in the more energetic side of stuff I make: with Mik it’s pretty much borderline ‘controlled’ distortion but it works so well when he does it, and Dom is just legendary, as any hard house fan knows really. I’ve already had the chance to work with Mik which was just an absolute dream, really enjoyed it and hopefully once we both have some time spare I’d like to get back in the studio with him. Dom’s still on the ‘to-do’ list so maybe one day if I’m lucky! I’ve always wanted to work with Tinrib as well, and I didn’t realise he’d be leaving for New Zealand so soon so never go my act together to work with him before he left. I’m very jealous of Frank getting to experience the power of the Tinribizer, but hopefully I’ll get the chance to go out there one day and get something done.
Frank: Surely if I answer this question as fully as the above, it’s going to qualify for an interview by itself haha. So I’ll keep it short! Would love to work with Dom Sweeten and Mik Cree as I’m really into their sound, and influence wise, since working with Tinrib his influence is even greater, alongside Paul Maddox, who is more than helpful when it comes to trickery and techniques!
You both work well as a team but also on various solo projects with Frank’s ‘Get Lost’ on Vicious Circle and Dave’s ‘Beef Dip’ on Flash Point. What do the pair of you have coming up individually and as a unit?
Dave: The joy of being able to not have to use an engineer means that you can just work on projects all the time. So I have a fair few bits of material coming up. I was asked to remix Nick Irwin & DMF’s ‘Catch The Break’ for the next Toolbox release so that should be out imminently. A forthcoming release on the same label is a collaboration between me and a good friend of mine Richard Toomz entitled ‘Margherita’ which also features a Paul Glazby remix. Frank and I were asked to remix Marc Johnson & Paul King’s ‘Power of the Sun’ for Flash Point Digital and I believe that’s now available from the Tidy Digital online store. There’s another forthcoming track on Toolbox with another friend of mine Perera which is a funkier number entitled ‘Mouette’ we’re both really happy with.
The next Hammerheads is going to be a Munkjack track called ‘Churchill’ that Frank and I just finished writing this weekend with the Dave Owens & Dynamic Intervention collaboration backing it. Also there are a few releases upcoming on Flash Point’s main label, including a track with Frank, Riggsy and I called ‘Ixus’ which should be out pretty soon, and my own ‘Sour Cream & Chive’ hopefully towards the end of the summer. A few of my other aliases also have some releases lined up for the next couple of weeks on digital and wax so hopefully they should be making an appearance soon.
Frank: Aside from the Munkjack stuff mentioned above, there’s the new Flash Point ‘BrainBlock 1664’ which is by myself and Riggsy. Other than those I’ve been a bit quiet due to recently moving and not actually owning a PC,*sob* . . .
Dave up close and personal
Your first major signing would be the mammoth ‘Graduate’, signed to the mighty Vicious Circle which became a dance floor anthem last year. As die hard fans of all things Vicious, how did it feel when you got the call from Paul Glazby?
Frank: I didn’t, Dave did.
Dave: I semi knew Paul from before the signing anyway, so it wasn’t as if I had never spoken to him. I also had a tiny heads up from the gorgeous first lady of Vicious that I was going to get a call with some good news later that day. It was still amazing though, I think calling Frank to tell him was probably more exciting than the actual call from Paul. Think of a young school girl in ‘95 just being told she’s won Take That back stage passes for their last ever tour, that’s what he was like. Plenty of screaming . . . hehe!
You have recently just had, what many are calling, a contender for tune of the year in ‘Hot Tamale’ which is backed up by the equally impressive ‘600 Minutes’. Both sides have been devastating floors and are being played by the elite of hard house. On completion of the two tracks did you have any idea that this would go on to become so large?
Dave: To be honest ‘Hot Tamale’ was just a wind up, we were tinkering with different ideas for a lead and I remembered how sick ‘Promise’ sounded, but it was just a bit dated to play nowadays. We lashed the hoover in and it just sounded immense. Originally we hadn’t intended on putting it out as it was a blatant rip off of that riff, but Nik was keen to let me have it for Hammerheads and Karim loves it, so it all worked out really well. I’m still shocked at how well people take it. It’s always nice to see a good reaction to something you’ve created but the response from both sides have been wicked.
Frank: Something like that ^
After a heavy output of tracks produced and signed in the past 12 months, are there any plans in the pipe line to start up your own label?
Dave: Currently with Hammerheads, I have complete creative and A&R control so it’s not such an immediate goal, as I already have an output for a lot of my work — although I have been playing with the idea of starting a digital label to get some of my other works out. It’s pretty much a definite that it will happen, but probably won’t be until late summer, and I need a logo designing really, so any good cartoon graphic designers, PLEASE APPLY! Haha. Judging how well those releases go I might look into having a wax version of the label to run along side it, but with the state of the scene at current only time will tell.
Frank: It has always been one of my dreams since I first got into music, so it will happen at some stage, probably not for a couple of years though, when it’s more financially viable.
How do you both switch off from the hectic studio sessions and what do you both like to do to relax?
Dave: Our studio sessions are never really that intense if I’m honest. They normally just involve litres upon litres of Diet Pepsi, hot tamales and several trips to KFC. We have a good laugh making stuff so it’s never really a chore to get anything done. When I’m not working in the studio though, I’m normally spending time with my wife downstairs, reading some manual while she watches TV or messing about in SX and nudging on MSN.
Frank: As long as I’ve got strawberry nougat and strawberry squash I’m happy. Besides that I’m hanging out the window ogling at the fit scallies outside the shop or driving to somewhere.
Lesser spotted Munkjack in their natural habitat
Who do you respect in the scene and why and out of all the talented up and comings emerging, who do you rate as having what it takes to muscle in amongst the elite?
Dave: I think everyone that’s even trying deserves credit nowadays, as they certainly aren’t doing it for the money! Haha. The one that really stands out in my mind though is the aforementioned friend of mine Richard Toomz. For a long time I really underestimated his DJing ability, but he’s really impressed me as I’ve gotten the chance to see him play out more and more, regardless of what set it is he plays brilliantly, he could easily fill in for any headline slot and probably show them up. It’s his productions that really get my attention though; we’ve made a couple of tracks together in the last couple of months, one of which is called ‘Screw Loose’, which I easily class as the best thing I’ve been involved in. He just has wicked ideas, has the whole thing planned out in his head how he wants it to sound and gets it across to me really well, he’s not afraid to push the boundaries or try new things, which is always nice as he doesn’t come up to just bang out ‘another grot tune’. Niggles kill me though.
Frank: As Dave said, Toomz is definitely one of the best people I’ve experienced working with, he knows start to finish what he wants. However I do slightly disagree with this comment “ . . . which I easily class as the best thing I’ve been involved in.” Hissssss hahaha.
With the decline in records sales which has led many a label to go on hold for a while, how do you stay positive when sometimes it’s easy to lose heart and what message do you have for any budding young producers who may feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel?
Dave: I was feeling positive until reading that. Haha. Really I think it’s more just a fact that I am just writing the music I love, it doesn’t cost me anything, and the only inconvenience is to my wife having to listen to that pounding kick from upstairs. With no outlaying costs, there is no reason for me to ever really stop writing. The decline in the scene is definitely disheartening and it shows with the labels and clubs disappearing etc., but I’m not writing music to get it signed, that’s just a bonus, I write it for people to enjoy listening to.
The only wise words I can give (seeing as I’m still a ‘young budding producer’ myself) would be to keep at it, nothing happens overnight and if you are doing it for the right reasons, someone will notice, and if they don’t at least you enjoyed doing it, haha! Honestly though: stick at it, read as much as you can, ask for help from everyone, and do the same for everyone who asks you.
Frank: I can’t really expand on that to be honest, 99% of people are willing to help out with questions, which is a big bonus if you don’t know anybody directly to show you.
You are both better known for the production side of things as opposed to your DJing. Has it been a conscious effort to build your names as producers before attacking the various clubs for DJ sets? What future sets do you have lined up and will this be the beginning of more Munkjack appearances?
Dave: Haha, exactly the opposite really. I was always a DJ first and as I said before, just sorta fell into producing. I used to play out quite regularly but then got lazy and stopped pushing myself. There are only a handful of good clubs up North nowadays really so it wasn’t a case of being spoiled for choice of where I’d want to play. I think the only places I’ve not played that I still really want to are Parlez Vous and Storm. Those two are both wicked clubs that I’d love to get the chance to play at. I’m not normally a fan of back to back sets, and Frank and I play fairly differently. Same music but different styles really so I can’t say how many future Munkjack sets there will be. The Insekt one may be a one off exclusive, never to be repeated!!
Frank: I first got decks when I was 13 and that is all I wanted to do, never even considered that the records I was playing had been produced by some guy sat at a pc. It’s just nice to be recognised for something you’ve worked hard for. I’m playing at Storm in July, which has been an ambition since I first visited the Emporium, so dead chuffed about that.
You have both been known to strut your stuff down at Fire club for Insekt on a regular basis. How does it feel to be taking up positions behind the decks in the main room for your first Munkjack showcase set and what do you have in store for the Insekt massive?
Dave: Fire is easily one of my favourite clubs, the intimate feel of it, the sound system and the set-up are all first class, not to mention the London clubbers, which really make the atmosphere down there. Ever since the first time I saw the club a couple of years ago I’ve always wanted to play there so I’m really excited about gracing the decks at such a wicked venue. We haven’t really decided entirely what we want to do with the set yet, I think it’s a given that it will be plenty of our own productions, but there has been talk of adding a few things to spice it up a bit, so who knows. You’ll just have to head down on the night to find out!
Frank: Since I went to Insekt for the first time I couldn’t help but think about playing there, I’ve already played in both of the other rooms, so to finally get an appearance in the main room feels quite special.
Tell us one random fact about yourselves.
Frank: I’m attracted to the smell of freshly washed linen and brand new polystyrene packaging.
Dave: I can’t mix without shoes on.
Photos courtesy of Frank & Dave. Not to be reproduced without permission.
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Comments:
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From: Psym@n on 31st May 2006 09:41.22
go div and boob !
From: ~deleted5181 on 31st May 2006 10:17.43
Very talented! Loving your tunes, some of them really helping me on the treadmill at the gym  
From: Toomz on 31st May 2006 12:20.32
Good stuff lads.. the tenner's in the post!
From: Nishhh.....! on 31st May 2006 13:57.14
Definitely the hotest new producers on the scene...love yer tunes!!
From: Marc Johnson on 31st May 2006 14:29.09
nice interview lads
From: TheDon on 31st May 2006 15:46.23
Top lads and top work. 600 Minutes is tune of the year no doubt.
From: Perera on 31st May 2006 19:22.31
Goooooo..... Munkboobs.
From: little_raver on 31st May 2006 20:13.09
Wicked interview, Hot Tamale still my tune of the moment!!
From: karl davis on 31st May 2006 21:59.25
brilliant interview 2 talented dudes
From: Cally Gage on 1st Jun 2006 11:26.41
Great interview and wicked read.
You go Dave, yay!
x
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