Slam currently on tour promoting the latest Fabric release (Fabric 09) had a few moments to answer a couple of questions. Hailing from Glasgow these guys have made a name for themselves by DJ'ing / Producing and running the very successful Soma label.

You guys have recently compiled a disc for fabric. How did this come about and how do you feel about the outcome of it?
- “We’ve been asked to do a kind of residency at Fabric every few months. We’ll go down to London and do 5 hour sets where we can build up the night and take the crowd on a journey. Great venue, sound and people! We wanted to do a mix for the series they do: its been great and varied so far and we wanted ours to be special. We focused on techno, starting deep and uplifting, gradually getting tougher, then finishing with the beautiful ‘Inspiration’ by Underground Resistance. It all goes together really well and doesn’t stop building. It represents a side of what we do as much as a single CD can.”

Your first album Headstates shows a very big Detroit influence. Can you explain this and who influenced you?
- “We had a lot of styles on Headstates with a Detroit techno production and flavour. We were greatly influenced by those early records from Detroit and Chicago; Rhythm is Rhythm, Juan Atkins, Phuture and Larry Heard. We had just started DJing back in 1987 and these records were coming in on import from America weekly. They could have been coming from Mars the way they sounded.”

Alien Radio was a great album, are you planning a follow up and what can we expect from it?
- “Thanks. Alien Radio did really well for us, we took a while getting it together. Lifetimes was the first vocal track we had recorded and it turned out well which was important. We always want to move our sound on and experiment with different things. Using the voice was like getting a new instrument in our sound. We are in a good position now and are well into the writing stage on the new album. This time round we are working on 5 or 6 tracks at a time instead of trying to finish them one at a time. This way we get different things depending on what the vibe is like or what mood we are in. Later we will bring in any vocalists or players we may use and then we will finish the lot of them in a solid month’s mastering and mixing further down the line.”

Soma Recordings has to be one of the most prestigious labels out there, how do you guys keep the quality so high and give new artists a chance to showcase their talents?
- “With Soma we try to keep an open mind. We like different styles. Not everything that comes out on the label might be played in our sets but its all music we love in one way or another. I think it keeps the label interesting and it keeps people guessing what we're doing next.”

This year sees the re-release of Schatrax Mispent Years and I've heard nothing but good reviews. Who's idea was it to do this?
- “It was a record that was huge in Glasgow. Richard at Soma is a mate of Josh Brent, the producer, and it had only been licensed before on Craig Richards’ mix album, ‘Fabric.01’. Their relationship made it possible and we think it was Josh’s idea which everyone went for immediately. The remixes are great and so true to the original and the original is still massive! Understated genius.”

slam

Christian Smith and John Selway's mix of Stepback was a huge hit last year. How do you feel about it?
- “We love it. Christian first asked us to do it in Melbourne at New Years Day 2000. We were getting Positive Education re-released and didn’t want another single from our past remixed as well . Last year we wanted a special twelve inch to come out at same time as the Alien Radio remixed CD and we already had the Envoy Bass Addiction . Envoy had been doing live vocals for Slam that year. We actual heard it for the first time on the radio on the way to Glastonbury: Christian was doing a phone interview on Pete Tong and he had sent the MP3 to the BBC. We were blown away.”

If there was one track from the Soma Records back catalogue you guys would like to remix what would it be and why?
- “Hard question! Maybe Clashback by Sharkimaxx? Great track with a harder edge from Felix da Housecat …it was Soma 15 back in 1994 and Felix had been playing at our club and hanging out in Glasgow at the same time Daft Punk were staying with us on holiday from Paris. Playing at the Arches knocked them out as did the Glasgow hospitality and mentality.”

The Soma party at last years Miami WMC was a huge hit. How do you feel about the Winter Music Conference in general and will you be attending and playing this year?
- “We loved the party last year and there is one this year with H Foundation, Gene Farris and Master H but we are staying home. In fact, we decided to tour Australia and then take the Miami week back home in the studio to make up for our time away. This year it is the Friday in MAZE, a cool new venue.”

kind of advice do you have for people looking to get started in this industry whether it be production or DJing?
- “Love it and live it for the music first and don’t try and be anyone but yourself. Find like-minded associates and watch out for the bullshitters, timewasters and sharks!”

Big thanks to Slam for their time and we wish them all the best for the forthcoming summer of 2003. To read the review of Fabric 09 compiled and mixed by Slam, click below.
Review : Fabric 09 - Slam.