NEWS
EVENTS
DJ John 00 Fleming chats to us about Brighton Music Conference and current club culture
Other | Friday 24th April 2015 | Christina
John 00 Fleming, one of the pioneers of electronic dance music, has been producing and DJing for over 20 years. He has sold albums by the million, is endorsed by Pioneer, owns and runs JOOF Recordings, and plays JOOF Editions parties all over the world. Last year John set up Brighton Music Conference, an event packed full of industry experts designed to help the next generation of musical talent get the advice and tools they need to succeed. We caught up with him ahead of the next edition of Brighton Music Conference, held June 5th and 6th, to chat about the conference and current club culture.
How are things going at the moment?
On one hand very exciting as we draw closer to show date, and the other very hectic as all the team rally around to get the show ready.
Brighton Music Conference returns this June, how will it be different from last year’s event?
Our first year show was an outstanding success, off the back of this we’ve had so many people wanting to be involved, offer their help and advice. So as you can imagine this year’s show has not only grown in content, but professional industry involved on panels, seminars, tutorials etc.
What inspired you to start BMC?
Through frustration in seeing the next generation not getting the help, advice or tools to enable them to make a career in the music industry. There are plenty of music courses around in colleges, online etc, but nothing to give these kids the tools, advice or direction in the music industry.
Music conferences happen around the world – Amsterdam, Miami are two of the biggest that spring to mind, but it’s not something that’s so developed in the UK. Why do you think that is?
That’s the exact same question we asked when we started this, why isn’t there such a conference in he UK? The UK has played a huge part in the history of electronic music scene/industry with many of the biggest brands, clubs, labels, DJs and producers being based here, so its makes complete sense to have a conference here in the UK, and after the success of our first year, we could see there was a hunger for these people to undertake business on their home turf.
The BMC Academy is a key element of the conference, so do you think that there needs to be stronger music education, not only developing musical skills but also on the business side, in this country?
The actual music skills side seems to be taken care of, there are plenty of music courses in the UK and YouTube is full of tutorials. It’s what happens after you have acquired that skill where the problem lies. There is no longer the infrastructure in place to nurture new talent and guide them through their journey into the music industry. The days of A&R guys are long gone due to Torrent sites taking away income from record labels, so artists are guessing their way.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing new musical talent these days?
Making an income. It’s a simple and dramatic as this unfortunately. But at BMC we are there to help identify what areas you can make money from within the industry and understand the changing income revenues. This is a fast changing industry as technology is moving forward very quickly.
Of course BMC focuses education and networking, but you also have some fantastic parties lined up, are there any that you’re particularly excited about?
There’s far too many to mention! I go way back with my good friend Dave Clarke, so wouldn’t miss this as he’s teaming up with DJ magazine to present an amazing event.
Where do you hope to take BMC? Where do you see it in five years time?
I think it’s important to not lose sight on why we originally set this up, to focus on helping the next generation and this covers all angles from promoters, PR companies, to DJs and producers. These will be the next generation that will be giving their knowledge to the following generation.
On Facebook you wrote an interesting post about the Axwell/Ingrosso incident in which they appeared to criticise the underground, inviting to take him back to his roots. Do you think that EDM has become a money making machine rather than about the music?
It’s a great example of artists getting lost in a bubble of their own commercial world, they’ll listen to one track from the underground and then, as Axwell did, tarnish the whole underground world with the same brush, hence the huge backlash. The Swedish House Mafia and Ingrosso sound is currently made from a re-hash of old hardstyle and trance melodies - if it wasn’t for the underground creating these scenes, they wouldn’t have these musical moments they use for their own music, hence why I pointed out that we’re all part of the same ecosystem, with the underground providing the tools for the next commercial wave.
What’s your opinion on the recent spate of club closures that have happened across the capital?
This subject is very close to my heart as I’ll always be a DJ first and clubs are at the font line of my own career. I speak to these club owners and promoters and feel their pain. I also understand how some get it right, while others got it wrong. It’s the reason why so many promoters attend conferences to get answers on what’s hot and what’s coming next to enable them to keep their finger on the pulse of what’s happening out their in club land. It’s very easy to lose track of this and fall into manufactured hype, and this is where costly mistakes can happen and put you out of business.
You’ve been DJing and producing for many years, can you pick out some highlights?
There’s been a couple for me that stand out. One, remaking Simple Minds’ ‘Belfast Child’, we sent this off to Virgin Music and were surprised when the actual band replied wanting to make this an official collaboration - John 00 Fleming vs Simple Minds. The second, getting Jean Michele Jarre’s blessing to remake his classic ‘Oxygene’.
You recently held JOOF Editions event at KOKO in London, how did that go? And what do you have planned for the other JOOF events?
It was amazing! Considering we were up against a lot of competition on the same night with John Digweed at Heaven, Carl Cox at Fabric and the Above & Beyond concert in Brixton we still rammed the place, so we’re super proud. Yes we’ll 100% be doing another in London along with our usual world tours.
Have you got any exciting releases or projects coming up on JOOF Recordings that you want to tell us about?
My next JOOF Editions mix compilation will be released in June, again it will be a 4-hour mix. Last year’s hit number 5 in the main Beatport chart, not bad for an underground filled album!
What are your plans after BMC? Playing at any festivals?
As usual, non-stop touring especially around my mix compilation and of course festival season never stops for me, especially when the southern hemisphere heads into their summer as we go into winter. Just means a non-stop summer for me!
What are you listening to right now?
LBC 97.3 news!
What’s the first record you bought?
Madness - ‘The Prince’. Don’t ask why, and what made me buy it. As a kid I seemed to be obsessed with rummaging through vinyl at markets, and this track caught my attention.
What’s your go-to track to really get a crowd going?
They change all the time, I get bored really easy and that ‘go-to’ track will keep changing. I don’t like to be predictable.
For all the latest info on Brighton Music Conference, just head to the website.
