Reminiscin'- Features - Druw & Perez

It is not often that the UK breeds the multi faceted talent of Druw + Perez, but as one of UK's successful production teams, the pair have made a subjugate break on to the music scene. Catering for such luminaries as Omar, Don-e, Noel Mckoy, Diane Charlamagne, Kele le Roc and Donna Gardier their work is incomparable.

There is one notable conjunction to their partnership and that is making music to 'get down too' as Druw informs Reminiscin'. With such insistence and perseverance their alliance has led them to being the one of the first acts to be signed to Defected offshoots Copyright Productions and Soul Heaven Records.

Hitting a broad spectrum of listeners their track 'A Little Sunshine' featuring Don-E overthrew the airwaves and was played religiously by many DJs from MAW's Louis Vega to the Dream Teem, who made it Number 1 on their Radio 1 hype chart.

Now with more projects in the pipeline. Reminiscin' caught up with Druw+Perez to find out if being producers is really all work and no play?

When you are creating music do you have any guidelines or procedures you abide by?
Billy: It has to be of a standard; certain things have to be a certain way- beats have to be a certain way. The good thing about what we do is that we produce songs with strong melodies and it fits in the house genre quite easily.

What is the evolvement process of turning certain beats or samples into a full blown track?
Billy: Different tracks have different inspirations. When we did 'Little Sunshine' with Don-E originally it was Stevie Wonder inspiration from 'All I do'. It start likes that; we have a starting point which tends to be rare grooves because we have an old skool background. We start from there then it develops into something else. It is always good to start with a very strong idea identity.

When working with different artists - does your musical direction vary with each individual?
Druw: I think what it is we come up with a tune or a backing track and we think that might be good for that person or that type of singer. Billy is quite connected, so he knows a few people that might be ideal. We may think this song is good for a male vocal or for a female vocal, and then we also have to think of the type of voice-belting, soulful or soft. We are both well versed in the Brit and old skool scene-we think on those lines rather than the other way round.

As producers you are forever working with different artists - what do you look for in a potential artists?
Billy: They have got to be brilliant (laughs). I mentioned it to another producer that we would be working with Omar on the next track and he said you can't do better than that, you have worked with the cream of British soul artist-like Don-E, Noel, Omar and Donna Gardier you can't get better than that.

Have there been any artists you have turned down the opportunity to work with?
Billy: No not really-although we are extremely selective. A good example is the track we have just finished with Noel Mckoy. We went through a lot of names; spoke to a lot of people before we got to Noel, by the time we got to Noel it just all clicked in to place. He was perfect for the job.

Having worked with such big names in the industry when it comes to remixing their work - how do you revamp a track without losing the essence of the artist and their individual sound?
Druw: A remix can be anything -you can get tiny piece of brass or tiny vocal sample and lift that up or some people can take that whole song and put a different beat underneath it. It varies, it depends on the track.
Billy: Some tracks you can't use any of the instrumental at all; we just put our instrumental and build the whole track round the acapella. Other tracks their might be some fantastic bits of brass so you might use them. As long as we have our flavour in there in the end and you can dance to it-that is the important thing.

What production technique do you incorporate in your music?
Billy: One of the things about our music is that we hardly use any samples, we might use the odd loop or percussion loop, but most of it is played live. Druw plays his instruments and we have a live brass or live strings or percussionist or whatever's needed.

Being in a creative domain - how do you keep abreast with the latest sounds and music that is out there?
Druw: With the technology side of things we are both a bit geeky, so we are always keeping up with the latest programs and stuff like that. The studios we both have are very computer based so we keep up in that side of things. In terms of the sound Billy is a DJ so he is downloading, buying and always listening to records. Myself I am a musician so I like to listen to a lot of bands, funk and Hip Hop. The production techniques in Hip Hop are of a very high standard so they are an influence. We listen to radio stations as well, but I don't do that enough.

Despite the different musical taste you both have as producers - do you blend or clash in your ideas and output?
Billy: We have been working together for over 2 1/2 years now. We have worked out a formula together, which is pretty much it. We just go in the studio now and get on with it. It takes a long time to build a good working relationship.

What kind of programs and techy equipment do you use?
Billy: We are in transition at the moment we have been using Cubase SX for a while. I've been using Logic 7 so it's a lot of software and hardware based round that.
Druw: It is quite funny 'cos I come from a PC background and Billy comes from a Mac background-so he uses Logic, but I am veering towards the logic side, I use lots of other programs like Ableton live and Reason as well.

Roughly how many records/CD/Vinyl do have in your collection?
Druw: I have got 100's and 100's. Sad thing about me, I started off on vinyls and then for some reason I bought albums on tapes, then I went on CD. I have got much less than Billy.
Billy: At the last count I think I have roughly about 10,000+ records.

What are your most treasured record/ vinyl/CD?
Billy: The obvious one is my Stevie Wonder albums all of them, Roberta Flack, Sly and Family Stone and then you have got your old skool house 12's which are pretty rare. Also Earth, Wind and Fire… The list goes on.
Druw: My Queen collection.

Besides being producers-what other stuff do you get up to?
Druw: We are both techies, producing is what we do on the side-so we deal with sounds, visuals but we still work in music. I have got other projects as well I've my own band and I'm working on a hip-hop album with another producer.

What is the best advice someone has given to you while in the music industry?
Druw: Don't be an idiot (laughs)
Billy: Two things that have stuck with me, and you hear constantly and it is true from a creative perspective is- always be true to yourself. When you're creating music and if you are not yourself it doesn't really work. Secondly, what you can't do yourself, get someone else to do it. You find a lot of artists who are out there think they can do absolutely everything by themselves, but they can't, there is always something you can't do (unless your Prince of course.)

What is the most important lesson the music industry has taught you?
Billy: Don't spend your own money, spend somebody else's money.
Druw: I would say don't rely on other people as well. Don't rely on any people to do you any favours 'cos at the end of the day it is you who has to put the work in and work very hard.

Have there been any mistakes you have learnt from?
Billy: I think one of the mistakes we probably made was trying to do too much too soon. It has taken us quite a long time to get us to the point we are now. When we first started we thought we could do everything instantly, but it doesn't work like that music takes a long time.

If there is an element to being a producer-what would it be?
Druw: I think on the technical side of things use your ears they are the most important tool you can have. Keep listening to other music, but don't copy be original.
Billy: Originality is quite a big thing especially for us.

What are you guys currently working on?
Billy: We are pushing the remixing-we have just finished an Omar remix which is really really exciting, a track called 'It's So' from he's new album.
Druw: We're happy with it. And we hope you will be too!