..after a brief stint in stasis„ we are back..!!

..next year will see a lot of activity from us including the launch of a new project - details under wraps until then..

..watch this space for the announcement of our next event..

..it was a bright cold day in april„ and the clocks were striking thirteen - george orwell..

Peverelist – label head, trailblazing producer and key ingredient to the Bristol sonic insurgence.

Tom Ford has established himself as a local legend amongst the creatively minded, ever ambitious Bristolian youngsters that surround him. From the hay-days of Jungle to the rapture of Dubstep, ‘Pev’ has seen it all. At a guess, his success may well be attributed to a mixture of observance, perseverance and eclecticism, but then again, does it really matter? We had a chat with the man ahead of his upcoming gig at Dystopia.

Describe to us the function and purpose of Punch Drunk.

I started Punch Drunk in 2006 as a response to the new music that was coming out of Bristol but didn’t have a natural home. We’ve always stuck to our pledge in supporting Bristol artists and more recently, for example, have launched the recording careers of artists such as Ekoplekz and Kahn who have gone on to have huge success.

Describe to us your method for both production and performance.

I have always just dj-ed as Peverelist. I love vinyl and playing across the board, lots of different types of music. We do a live show for the Livity Sound project, maybe sometime next year I’ll be able to put together a Pev one. My production method could be described as haphazard and tea fuelled.

Tell us about your musical origins and inspirations.

I’ve always been inspired by underground music, independent music and the do it yourself ethic. I got in to dance music in the early nineties and have followed the UK scene ever since. From Jungle to Garage and Grime to Dubstep. I’m also a big fan of 70’s Jamaican music and the UK soundsystem thing, obviously house and techno and anything else that’s a bit odd or different. I love it all.

Tell us about your ‘Livity Sound’ collaboration with Kowton and Asusu – will we hear future collective work?

Livity Sound is an ongoing project. We’re working on music that has a shared aesthetic rather than a specific genre I guess. It’s been really helpful to bounce ideas off each other. We have been performing together as a live show for a few months and have done shows so far this year in the UK and around Europe. Expect more 12”s soon.

Elaborate on the importance of Rooted Records to you personally and the influence it had on your creativity - was the closure a significant loss to the community?

It’s like anything; people don’t miss stuff until it’s gone. Thankfully my old Rooted colleague Chris has picked up where Rooted left off with his own Idle Hands shop on Stokes Croft in Bristol. I worked at Rooted for 10 years and loved it. Hearing and being able to champion new music, joining the dots on the local scene, bringing it all together. Being right there for when Grime exploded and then later Dubstep was really exciting to be a part of.

As a matter of curiosity, give us your take on ‘the human experience and perception of time’ – are you intrigued by our capability limits as humans?

More likely, I am frustrated by my capability limit. It’s often underestimated the extent to which music can profoundly affect us. I love music’s psychedelic potential.

It is apparent that pieces of your work reference the notion of ‘man versus machine’ – is this a subject that interests you as it did for Kraftwerk?

I don’t really know much about Kraftwerk but for me it’s not really ‘man versus machine’. I was writing a lot with the idea in mind of the uncanny machine and our new found dependence on technology.

What are we to expect during your upcoming performance at Dystopia?

Dancing, beer drinking, merriment and techno.

Where next for Peverelist?

Onwards and upwards.

Peverelist will perform at Dystopia, alongside Surgeon and Perc, on the the 13^th of October. Tickets are available from Resident Advisor and Ransom Note. Further information can be found via the Dystopia website (www.dystopia.uk.com) - see you all there!

..the venue for our next event has just been announced - click here..

 

Surgeon - dexterous performer, avant-garde aural composer and master of British techno.

The highly respected DJ and producer has played a significant part in the evolution of electronic dance music both in this country and beyond. From his extensive solo work, through to the influential collaboration with Regis, as British Murder Boys, Anthony Child will forever be an inspiration to the artistically rebellious. We spoke with the man ahead of his performance at Dystopia next month.

Describe to us the differences between both Dynamic Tension and Counterbalance.

They began with the intention of having Dynamic Tension being for projects of a pure electronic source, exploring rhythm and tone, and Counterbalance exploring sampling and cut-ups to assimilate other styles into techno, drawing on the essence of older influences. As my music evolved and I explored different possibilities, each label’s agenda became blurred. Now I choose which of those two labels will suit the project best by pure instinct.

Describe your process for both production and performance – how has your technique evolved over time?

The process of both is very personal and has deepened over time. It’s not something I want to describe. It’s far too magical and mysterious to pin down. I don’t believe in explaining and revealing every detail of what I do; it becomes a dry, lifeless scientific essay. That’s not how my life is. I have a much more romantic outlook on those things. What you can imagine is far more exciting.

Tell us about your collaboration work with Karl O’Connor- will we hear any non-solo material in the foreseeable future?

Between 2003 and 2005 Karl and I released music as British Murder Boys. This year we’ve been working together again and will release a 12” on the Mute sub-label Liberation Technologies, called ‘Where Pail Limbs Lie’.

Tell us about the origins of ‘House of God’ - what would an average night entail?

In Birmingham, if something didn’t exist there, then we had to make it ourselves. There was no techno club in 1992, so we made our own. We’d heard about Lost in London, but didn’t have the money to travel down for a night out so we just made it up as we went along; we had nothing to compare it to. There were never average nights at House Of God. The DJ’s playing were mainly the residents and you could always hear a wide variety of styles of music in one night.

In your opinion, were the experiences from the club, coupled with the aesthetics of your domicile city, a contributing factor to your creative style and tendencies?

Absolutely!

It is apparent that your latest album ‘Breaking the Frame’ has received critical acclaim in the same light as ‘Force and Form’ and ‘Body Request’ – are you pressured by pre-conceptions or unconscious to outside opinion?

When I’m deep into the project I have a very pure state of mind, a one-pointed focus, so at that time there is no pressure of pre-conceptions. The release of ‘Breaking the Frame’ itself was interesting in that it was accompanied by no press, publicity or fanfare. I just released it and let people make what they would of it.

To pry on your acquired knowledge and experience - compare your past, present and future outlook on the culture of electronic music.

There will be times of feast and there will be times of famine. Nothing is a fixed point. To assume that anything is permanent will only cause you disappointment.

To explore a relevant interest - what does the work of people such as Vangelis and P. K. Dick mean to you?

I do enjoy Vangelis’ work, but my childhood interest in science fiction TV series in the 1980’s never went further.

What are we to expect at your upcoming performance at Dystopia?

Honestly, the greatest gift an audience could give me is to leave their expectations at the door.

Where next for Surgeon?

I do feel very positive about techno right now.  There are so many exciting young British producers, many of whom aren’t coming from a strictly techno background, though they are undoubtedly making their own strain of techno.

Surgeon will perform at Dystopia, alongside Perc and Peverelist, on the 13^th of October. Tickets are available from Resident Advisor and Ransom Note. Further information can be found via the Dystopia website (www.dystopia.uk.com) - see you all there!