Its.....A.....Lun.....Dun......Fing
Scott Garcia's seminal UKG track 'It's a London Thing' is still considered a timestamp on the capital's urban music scene. On New Year's Eve, Garcia teams up with legendary UKG producer Sticky to hit up Urban Nerds as 'The Foundation', a new live project from the pair. We had a quick chat beforehand to find out what to expect, and whether it's still a London thing.
Explain The Foundation to us...
It’s been about two years now in the making. Me and Sticky decided we wanted to link up and collaborate a bit, we just wanted to do something a bit special with the live shows. We’ve both been doing it for quite a long time, and we wanted to just inject something fresh into the whole process.
The idea is that we’ve collaborated, bringing a bit of technology into the DJ sets, so we’ve got the controllers, and the four decks. We’re having fun with it, but it’s a well planned and well thought out project. Just injecting a bit of creativity into the sets really.
How you getting on with all the new technology, I imagine it’s a lot different to the set up when you first started out?
I’m loving it. As long as you’re not using it to hide behind, you know, letting the machines do all the work, I think that you can actually add some really creative stuff to your sets, and as a producer you’ve always got that creative urge.
You've just re-done It's a London thing as well...
Yeh, with it's a London Thing, it seems like I revisit it every five years or so. It's always on rotation, it's always getting played, so I kind of try and put the stamp of the year I do the remix on it. It's my favourite track and my least favourite track all at the same time, because I've lived with it for so long.
So is it still a London thing?
(Laughs) well, it is to a stain extent. I think the industry always looks towards London for what's hot. But with the addition of the internet, remember when I made the track there was no such thing as the internet, I think the whole world's a smaller place.
Do you listen to much of the new generation garage, or future-garage that's around now?
I do, yeh I do keep my ears to the ground.
How is it different to what you were doing back in the '90s?
Garage itself is now like an umbrella term, and future garage to me is like the equivalent of say, liquid DnB to jungle, you know. I like it because it keeps that soulful thing, it's laid back, there's definitely room for it, but I know it's not always looked at in the most positive light from your regular garage DJs.
It doesn't seem to be as London based anymore either.
Yeh, now there's UKG producers in Japan and America, you know, everyone's got their own slant on it. I still feel that it is quite similar to what happened back in the day, I just feel that there's a much bigger pot to fill, that's all, there's more people involved.
You looking forward to NYE?
Yeh, can't wait, we've been looking forward to it eagerly for a good couple of months now. Urban Nerds are one of the best promoters out there if not the best, and to do the Foundation thing, we're really looking forward to it. They always pick great venues for their events too. They always have a special feeling about them.
And lastly, who's the best MC you've ever worked with?
Wow! That's political! (laughs) There's so many of them I don't think I could pick one, but I could say that with the Foundation sets we have a cluster of what we consider the best MCs: Creed, Mighty Mo, and a few others. Creed's the Godfather when it comes down to MCs, I don't think you can beat his tone on the mic, but it's horses for courses.
Takes me back to the Trinity days...
Yeah, now you're going back! Way back. (laughs)
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