GOTH-TRAD "PSIONICS" Interview ①

WA - What makes you to start “DJ Set”?

GT - When I started making beats, I don’t want to be a DJ. I played only my own music as “Live Set”. At that time in Japanse club scene, it seemed like DJs were playing other one’s music and I was not interested in doing it.

However that was in 2005, I entered the Dubstep scene and when I saw Mala’s DJ bag at the first time, there were almost only his dubplates and vinyls from his own label. I realized they are DJ but they are very unique and similar to “Live Set”.

Then, I started the party of Back To Chill at Daikanyama Saloon in 2005, I started acting as DJ,too. And also, I selected DJs for Back To Chill who produce music, too.

WA - At that time the way of DJ's playing formats were both of vinyl and CD. To play your own songs, did you need to play with CD?

GT - Every DJs were playing both of released vinyl and CDR of their own tracks with turntables and CDJ. I found a dubplate cutting studio in Japan in 2006. And I tried to cut a few dubplates there, but I wasn’t satisfied with the sound quality. So, I started to depletes at Transition mastering studio when I came to London since 2007. Most of Dubstep producers used that studio at that time.

WA - Please tell us about the story of dubplate culture in UK Dubstep scene.

GT - Between the producers of Dubstep, we exchanged our unreleased tracks each other. That was quite often. We could create the unique “DJ Sets” with my own tracks alongside those exclusive tracks. So we can create exclusive sets that can be experienced only at the party.

In this way, I could differentiate DJs playing only music came from the market and playing original and exclusive music as producer.

WA - Playing unreleased exclusive tracks and remix works were privileges of those producers! That was inevitably that producers became top DJs in Dubstep scene. How to exchange those exclusive songs or information?

GT - We exchanged as digitally. We called those exclusive tracks as “Dub”. So, cutting dubplate or just burring CDR, that was depending on DJs.

WA - By the way, do you mainly cut your songs into dubplates? or any others?

GT - Yes, basically they were my own tracks, but I cut the other one’s tracks, sometimes. At that time, 1 UK Pound was 200 japanese Yen. And 12 inch acetate dunbplate costed 50 UK Pounds that was like 10000 Yen. It was really tough situation for me because I am based in Japan. It was hard to upgrade my DJ sets with those “Dub” tracks on dubplates. And also, I had offers as both of “Live Set” and “DJ Set” for touring in Europe. It was hard for me to bring Live gears and vinyls. So, I switched my DJ style to CDJ base. Acetates dubplates weigh heavier and get scratched easily than normal vinyl.

WA - So you had DJ gigs with CDJ quite often. It is quite popular to play with CDs, files and control-vinyl in mainstream, because they are very and convenient. However your current DJ sets are shifted to all dubplates without any digital formats. What makes you like that?

GT - Since 2007, I released many 12inch vinyls from UK labels as DEEP MEDi or other labels. And released 3 LP album of “New Epoch” in 2012. At that time, I was still playing only CD. I felt contradiction about it.

So after releasing that album, I was looking at the timing to switch back to vinyl&dubplate DJ set. But there were still no good dubplates studio in Japan. Also, I was getting bored to see the numbers on CDJ monitor during DJ set…. Then, my friend introduced Wax Alchemy to me in February 2015.

WA - Yes, when I was in a session with D.L a.k.a. Bobo James, and his A&R Shuhei introduced you to me. Moreover, you based in very close to my studio, so we start cutting sessions really soon. That was only1 year experiment that I started dub cutting, and most of my cutting works were remaster cutting of Hiphop, Soul, Funk and Rare Grooves. The cutting of original songs by producers were not often for me.

GT - Yeah. I thought Dubplates were well known in Dub, Reggae or UK Jungle and Dubstep scene. So, remastering old songs and cutting them on dubplates which were fresh direction for me. I just knew that is another meaning to exist of dubplate. 

WA - Yes, that was the dubplates of Rare Groove scene. Therefore, You were my first big customer who produces songs like including 30hz to 40hz of low-end madness.

GT -  My dubplates were as good as Mala’s dubplates cut by Transition mastering studio. Mala was surprised about the sound quality and the light weight transparent plates of mine. Actually, we worked for cutting good sound on that transparent dubplate, too. Did Mala ask you to cut, right?

WA - Yeah, I got phone call from Mala iafter that B2B. He said “what was the super light weight dubplates which GOTH-TRAD played? They were very light and not acetate. Also sounded very nice!”.

Actually I cut some plates for Mala. he requested that cut as same tuning of GOTH-TRAD’s. I gained self-confidence though the sessions with Mala such as an artist who cut dubplates for long year. but also felt responsible that my dubplates to be played for a lot of audiences.

GT - That transparent vinyl dubplate was invention, indeed. Not like acetate, they are very light weight and they don’t get scratched easily. From last year, I played those dubplates through the tour in USA, Europe and Asia. They sounded very well everywhere.

 (GOTH-TRAD's All Wax Alchemy Dubplate Set & Ortofone Elektro OM x W.A. Headshell Wires for His DJ Set)

WA - Right, that combination was great! I use them for references and recommended to other customers.

Well, you cut not only Dubstep sounds but also Noise, Drone and Doom Metal. Never thought I cut such kind of songs. But now I can understand those kind of music.

GT - I think that listening to newest sounds/music is privilege for the Dub Cutter. Actually you can listen to my new music right after I finished tunes that before I play on my set.

WA - Your latest mix on Soundclouds contained only dubplates I cut. That was like new frontier such a song like “DEADSONG” collaborated with Boris or remix for ENDON.