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Features
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| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! |
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J00F exclusive: another tail down for John double ‘00’ Fleming?
Reported by HarderFaster
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Submitted 03-08-05 23:59
Surely one of the luckiest cats around at the moment, John ‘00’ Fleming, or for those less educated, J00F, has just flirted with the devil and come out the other side... yet again! A dance music veteran who scored his first gig through his headmaster, John is now an industry legend who’s created some of the coolest compilations on the planet and, under a variety of guises, some of the most awesome tracks. After almost losing him in a misguided boating accident in Brighton harbour recently, HarderFaster catches up with this slippery cat before he has a chance to get back in the water for Twisted and SW4…
HF: This is your first interview after your boating accident. I’m so sorry you’ve had such a horrible month. After playing @ the Honey Club last Friday and ironically enough @ the Wakeboard festival in Wales on Saturday, are you feeling back to normal?
Well my friends say I’m like a cat and I’ve got nine lives, but I don’t want any more lives. I don’t want to go through all that any more! I’m still looking at 3-6 months of physio with my shoulder. I’ve got to do loads of physio. I’m usually quite a lucky person, but I've recently had some unlucky moments.
I love water sports and live by the coast; I’ve always been by the sea. It was really good having one of my first gigs back surrounded by water sports enthusiasts. I’m more excited about getting back into it. I can’t wait, I’m dying to get back into it. I’ve done the first things, show-wise; it’s the best therapy!
You got your first residency when you were just 15 years old at the legendary Stems in your hometown Worthing. How long had you been mixing at that point?
My first residency was my first gig so it was a bit of a shock. I wasn’t playing out before that but loved collecting music. Back then I was a sad geek buying records in my lunch time. The Master at my school knew I loved music and asked me to play at a school party and I was really frightened but did it. I was ‘resident’ of that club for about 10 years! When the rave scene kicked off in ’89 it was all about a 16th century mansion house, what a big club for your first residency!
Can you remember what the first record you bought was?
I can’t really remember, there were so many! Maybe Madness as years and years ago I loved Madness!
Your ‘Learn to Mix’ guide on your website www.john00fleming.com is very comprehensive. What was the best advice you were given when you were learning to mix?
I wasn’t! I taught myself. The industry standard 1210 decks weren’t even invented then, they were little digital things that did the pitch control! No-one was mixing back then, but there were lots of scratch boys! I’m self taught so when 1210s came out I did a much smoother mix!
How would you describe the music you play? Does it fall under any set style?
I’d class myself as a trance dj, but I hate to say the word ‘trance’ in this day and age! I just play music I like and I think that shows in my sets. There’s usually a bit of prog, trance, psy and all manner of things in between that all makes a good set. I don’t like pigeon-holing myself so it’s a bit of a tough call! I like a bit of everything, and take it up and bring it down to make a good set.
You say your roots are in the psy and Goa scene. How and when did that all kick off?
When music first started evolving in the early 90s, hardcore and garage were all of a sudden different styles. Russell Coultart was the owner of Transient Records, the first and most powerful trance label, where Astral Projection was born. He pushed them round and the world was completely hooked on the Goa sound. That for me is trance music! It’d be great to do a track with them.
Recently you’ve been exploring the ‘psy’ side of trance more. Has this changed your overall sound as a whole?
A lot of people think it’s something new to me but it’s not! British psy trance has become a bit more popular, but it’s actually been around for a long time. England named it psy trance but that was really just an English name for Goa trance. Goa trance has been disappearing and there’s new music styles but there’s still the same guys I’ve been following for years who’ve been playing that kind of music since the early 90s.
I’ve just made a track with Astrix, which came naturally because I’ve followed him since he started breaking through and I get on well with Eyal. When he was at BNE and continued with his own baby HOMmega it all naturally came together. I’ve been doing lots of work with Eyal and HOMmega. Antiworld was brilliant! Eyal’s a breath of fresh air in the trance world.
What does the word ‘psychedelic’ in ‘psy trance’ mean to you?
It sometimes frightens people who’re uneducated in psy trance. They expect 150 bpm psy trance but it’s the most educated music around. It’s got a bit of house, ambient, prog, trance — everything! But some people have got no idea… I was speaking to the manager of a top prog dj and he said “It’s kiddy’s music”, but it’s not! I wish more people were educated!
Look at the Swedish take on psy — Human Blue, Spirit Zone, DJ Anti and his Spiral Trax… the Scandinavian take on psy is amazing. DJ Anti plays progressive trance as well.
Who or what has influenced your music over the years?
Nothing really! Those who know me call it ‘The Fleming Sound’. I’m always on the look out for new music and when I play a set I want to do something different and I want to feel I’ve given people something refreshing. You’re using the tools of new music to take the audience up and down and make their night special and that’s a harder job with records they don’t know! Anyone can play one of the biggest anthems and give the crowd a lift! I try and make it a bit more special.
Yes, I enjoyed your set at Club Republic; I thought you played interesting tracks.
Actually it was bad luck as the programming was wrong! The guy before me was playing 500 miles an hour beforehand. That’s all down to the guy who programmed the night.
What djs or producers do you respect the most at the moment?
There’s far too many to mention and I don’t want to miss people out. I spoke of Astrix earlier and I’m a big fan of Wizzy Noize, a couple of guys from Greece, and X-NoiZe. I can’t wait to see them at the Fridge.
When did you get into production? What software do you prefer to use in the studio?
I think it was about 94 I started messing around with samples and keyboards. My first release was around 95. Today I use Logic for the main sequencing and Ableton Live, it’s a more intense production tool while Final Scratch has a more traditional dj set up. Ableton is superior. Scratch Effects is for djs but you can make live bootlegs with Ableton. I use Ableton Live for my dj sets as I can do so many different things. It opens the mind to a 1000 million different things.
In 1990 you were diagnosed with lung cancer and you spent two years in hospital when you were just 20 years old. How did this experience change your perspective on life?
Completely! When you’re nearly faced with having your life taken away then come out the end of it, it makes you out your whole life in perspective. I loved music and I wanted to do what I loved. I couldn’t go back to working in an office. It makes you realise you’ve got to do something with your life that you enjoy. I had the same feeling the other week. There’s no way I could do something I didn’t want to do for a living. Now it’s work as I enjoy it. I’m in the studio or running a record label and I love it!
Your White Label Euphoria compilation is the 2nd biggest selling album in the Euphoria serious, and you produced the whole thing yourself. That must’ve been an incredible experience!? Did it take long to put it together? What are your favourite tracks off it?
Well I didn’t make all the tracks but had to licence them for each artist. The whole concept was my idea. It was a tough call working with Telstar with all their household names then coming to the table wanting to put a whole lot of tracks together no-one’s even heard of! They were amazed at the response! It was a breath of fresh air and people are still amazed as they were all new tracks so it still sounds fresh and exciting. That’s why it worked. The second one did so well, but unfortunately Telstar went bankrupt and Euphoria went to MOS, so now I’m at Republic. I’m mates with the Republic guy and he’s got a history of working with underground stuff so it was a natural thing we came together.
At the end of White Label Euphoria’s second CD you say that “if this doesn’t get you in the mood to go out clubbing then I’ll hang my headphones up.” That’s a tough call! What’s your favourite club to play at? To party at?
It’s unfair to name one! There’s so many good ones out there and they’re good for different reasons. I love small clubs of about 200 people and love large superclubs with 5000. They work for different reasons so it’s too unfair to just mention one!
I haven’t partied for a long time as my work schedule is so full on, but loved my party days back in 98/99 at Sunny Side Up (SSUP).
You include Astral Projection and Astrix on your White Label Euphoria compilation and in January of this year remade Astral Projection’s ‘Mahadeva’. Please tell us a bit about the Israeli psy-trance scene.
It’s awesome! Israelis are passionate about their music. They’re not only the best producers in the world but have the best clubs and parties. You talk about Goa trance and people think it’s all made in the UK but it wasn’t. The Israelis took Israeli djs and bands to Goa.
You describe Supakane, your collaboration with Tim Healey as a ‘trance band’. How does a trance band work? Will we ever see you play live?
Tim and I haven’t done nothing together for a while as we’re both doing a lot of other things. We’ve never got round to the follow-up and in the meantime I’ve got involved with another guy I’ve just made three tracks with. It’s really exciting, I’ve finally got my band together. He’s a great character, an amazing vocalist and we’ve got a drummer and a guitarist. We’re hoping to play out next year as it’s taking a bit longer than expected! I’m going to be spending a lot of time at the Fridge with Twisted and showcasing a lot of stuff there. I’m helping them book some of their new talent.
The ‘Theme from Supakane’ goes, “I just want to fight for my right to get high on my own supply and let my brain get rearranged…” I take it you support decriminalisation? Are you really a ‘supakane’?
I didn’t write the lyrics, it was Tim! So ask him! I just made up the music.
Tiesto and Oakey were originally given the only two copies of the ‘Theme from Supakane’. Is this still the case? Is Tiesto still texting you about it?
No, he’s calmed down a bit now. But at first he got very excited and starting texting me, and Oakenfold was on it straight away. I’ve got them right behind me whenever I make something, it’s great.
You say on the sleeve to White Label Euphoria that you now play about 75% of your sets from CDR, and cite the track P.O.S. Amnesiac as a reason. Was your set at the Gallery last Friday night 75% CD, or does it vary with the event?
I think for the past four years I’ve played 100% CD, as I dropped vinyl about then. It was really hard back then to only play CDs as it wasn’t really accepted by promoters and people thought I was cheating which made me hang onto 25% of vinyl. I then thought, “Sod them” and waved goodbye to vinyl. It’s an old format. Looking back, I used to love vinyl but it’s just an old fashioned format. The next generation of djs don’t play vinyl and think it looks old fashioned. I love playing sets off my laptop and cds. What’s the point of carrying round vinyl when it’s crackly and heavy?!
You set up J00f Recordings with Russell Coultart in 1999. Why an ‘underground’ trance label?
Because that’s what I play! I saw the world was full of commercial labels and just wanted to release music I loved. I own it solely now as Russel has dropped the label for onlinerecordstores.co.uk, his record shop, and handed me all of J00F. Since the beginning of the year it’s been 100% mine.
Your J00f online shop (http://www.joof.uk.com) has a mixture of digital downloads and record sales. What do you think of the digital age? Do you think vinyl is on its last legs?
Yes. We’ve physically stopped. The last J00F release is coming out on vinyl in three weeks. But it’s not only me, it’s every label. It’s just not worth it. We’ve been selling digital for four years and working hard on it. It’s the future format. It reaches across the world and is much easier. When you look at sending stuff across the world it’s a lot cheaper and faster. It makes sense really!
It’s a bit sad and I’m not over it. But changing makes life so much easier. You can do so much more. It’s the same as the computer age really: you don’t write letters any more, you’d send an email. The digital age for music is the same. You can do it with the click of a button. We’re buying all our records online.
Are there any new releases due out on J00F that you’d like to tell us about?
The most recent is the one I mention above coming out in three weeks’ time, ‘Attention’ with Christopher Lawrence. It’s our last vinyl! Then we’ve got so many doors open with the digital age.
Your career spans over 20 years and in that time you must’ve seen a lot of changes in the dance music scene. What changes would you like to see in the future?
I have, and I think currently, that I wish things would happen sooner. When I play in other countries people go out and play and everyone has a brilliant time. I haven’t enjoyed playing as much in the UK in recent years. People have lost the purpose of going out. A few years ago, all the clubs were fantastic! In the SSUP days there was a brilliant atmosphere and I really feel it’s disappeared. I just want people to go out and have a good time. Some are starting to again in the London scene: the underground is back and hopefully in a good way!
At my old residency at Zap we’d only get a guest in twice each month so you could really control the crowd. There used to be queues of people right down the seafront at 8pm at night! I want that back! The SSUP residents were on rotation and it was always rammed. Then it all changed hands and definitely lost it. But it’s changed hands again and hopefully we’ll do something with it!
You write reviews for i-DJ magazine’s trance section. How do you choose which tunes to review. Are you usually spoilt for choice?
I only write about stuff I like! It’s hard sometimes because they often want us to write critical reviews and I just want to write about the stuff I like. I just want to write about artists I like and support. Why review stuff you don’t like?
You also write ‘From Brighton with Love’, a regular column in M8 magazine. Would you ever consider giving up music for words? What else would you do if you weren’t making music?
I wouldn’t! The reason any words ever get written is because I spend so much time on planes stuck in the sky! I get bored up there so I write for my website!
It’s got more intense as I like to give advice and I’m forever giving information to poor people about backing up their computer! You never know… Back up every day then you’ve got everything.
You’re about to release your compilation album, White Label Republic, which is made up entirely from white label promos people have sent you. How difficult is it to choose what goes on an album like that?
It is difficult. It’s made so far in advance as well. It’s hard to predict that far in advance and people give me a lot of stuff that’s unreleased. I did cheat a little because there was such a big gap between #2 and #3 so I’ve broken the rules slightly.
You radio show is one of the most popular on the Ministry of Sound radio network. Is it very different djing on the radio than in a club?
Yeah, it’s as pre-recorded show which makes it a little bit easier. It’s called ‘Global Trance Cruise’ and my shows around the world get recorded. It’s not like you’re talking live to an audience, rather, you’re giving the audience an experience of what gets played in a club.
But I really did play to myself this month! I managed to do it over two hours with my sore arms! I wanted to do it as I didn’t want to let people down. My shoulder was in agony but I managed to upload it and get it up. I’m a bit of a fighter and I managed to do it as physio. I used to be a fit person, running every morning and working out in my gym so it comes naturally.
Last December you played a set at Paradise City @ Alexandra Palace consisting entirely of HOM-mega records that had never been released. That must have put an interesting lean on things! How far in advance did they send you the records?
Eyal always looks after me, purely cos I bug the hell out of him! I was speaking to him on MSM earlier. I bug him and bug him and in the end he has to give in! He was proud I supported his project and played his music. He knows it’s going to get exposed on the other side of trance, republic trance.
What can your fans expect from your set at Twisted on Saturday night? Why did you choose the artists you have to play there?
X-NoiZe are going to be the next Astrix! They’re going to be amazingly massive, which is what Twisted wanted. It’s good they’re playing their first gig in London as a live show as well and they’re going to blow everyone’s minds!
The other guy playing, Miika is on my label [J00F] and a genius! There’s a lot of people picking up on him; Tiesto and Armin Van Burin are picking him up. He’s from Finland and has a very good credible take and a very now style.
Finally, you’re playing in the HeatUK arena at SW4 on Saturday 27 August. Are you looking forward to it? Will you stick around for the party or will you have to move on?
Yes I’m getting really excited; I can’t wait! I’m looking forward to seeing everyone and catching up with some old mates. It’ll be good to hook up with Mr Cox and Steve Lawler. We never get the chance to hang out. I don’t know so much about the partying side of things but I’m looking forward to the social thing!
Thanks to Annabel@mostwantedpr.com, Tom Cypher and www.john00fleming.com for the pics.
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Other Features By HarderFaster:
HarderFaster Awards 2016 - The results are in!
HarderFaster Awards 2014 - The results are in!
Lashes, Dimples and the Brighton Music Conference
HarderFaster Awards 2013 - The results are in!
HarderFaster Awards 2012 - The results are in!
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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![[HarderFaster] - Work Hard, Play Harder!](/images/mainbanner_top1-xmas.gif)
wicked intervew tho and have fun tonight 
Nice interview, awesome DJ. A down to earth oke! He was great when he played at twisted earlier this year and when he played at Riot 